John and Norman drop in with a quick update for anyone feeling a little left out this convention season. While Mission Log is on a brief hiatus, our private Discord (a perk of Patreon membership) is running full warp with virtual programming — panels, watchalongs, community chats — your own personal Star Trek con from the comfort of home. We discuss the schedule here and tease what’s coming next week as we return to Voyager’s final season with the two-part epic “Flesh and Blood.”
And if you are in Vegas this week, don’t forget to swing by the Factory Entertainment booth to check out their STLV exclusive collectibles, including the “Catspaw” Enterprise and the stunning Masterworks edition U.S.S. Voyager. Be sure to tell ’em Mission Log sent you!
Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao
SPECIAL OFFER - take 10% off your first order at Factory Entertainment with code "missionlog" at checkout! Be sure to visit Facotry Entertainment at San Diego Comic Con (July 24-27, 2025) and Star Trek Las Vegas (August 7-10, 2025).
Join the Conversation:
For as little as $1 a month, you can gain access to our exclusive Discord Community! There, we continue the discussion with dedicated channels and weekly video chats with the hosts. Become a member of our Patreon today!
https://www.Patreon.com/MissionLog
Did you know we’re on YouTube? Find the video versions of your favorite shows like Mission Log: Prodigy, The Orville, as well as exclusive content only available on YouTube.
Subscribe now: https://www.youtube.com/@RoddenberryEntertainment?sub_confirmation=1
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:
Listeners like you - Support Mission Log on Patreon for early access to shows and the Mission Log Discord!
Subscribe and Stay Updated:
Never miss an episode! Subscribe on your preferred podcast player, leave a review, and join Mission Log on the journey of weekly deep dives into the Star Trek universe.
Technical Director - Earl Green
Producer - John Champion
Associate Producer - Jessica Lynn Verdi
Executive Producer - Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry
Roddenberry Entertainment | All Rights Reserved
We’re ending the season with a bang. Literally.
In our finale, The Trek Files revisits a seemingly ordinary Next Generation call sheet from 1990… the day a single scene changed Star Trek history. That’s when Commander Riker gave the iconic order to fire on a Borg cube with Captain Picard aboard.
Joining us is the man who gave that order himself, Jonathan Frakes, for a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation. From TNG finally hitting its stride to squashing long-standing rumors, and yes, a truly bizarre story involving a stolen truckload of Star Trek costumes and a trade deal for none other than K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, Frakes brings humor, honesty, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes insight to one of Trek’s most pivotal moments.
Document and additional references: The Best of Both Worlds, Part I – Script excerpt and call sheet (1990)
Adam's book: Late Star Trek: The Final Frontier in the Franchise Era
The Trek Files Season 13 on Memory Alpha
All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha
Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.
The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
For the first time, The Trek Files sets course for Trek’s modern streaming era, and it all begins with a ship.
We’re looking back at the 2016 press release that introduced the U.S.S. Discovery to the world at San Diego Comic-Con, marking the first step into a new era of Star Trek on television. Our guest is Adam Kotsko, scholar and author of Late Star Trek, who joins Larry to examine how Discovery and the shows that followed have reshaped the franchise for the 21st century.
From universe-building to “fan service,” and from mythology to modern IP, this episode dives into the creative, commercial, and cultural tensions that define the current Trek landscape. Whether you’re a fan of Strange New Worlds or still grappling with Picard, there’s something here for every Trek-O-File.
Document and additional references: U.S.S. Discovery unveiled at Comic-Con International - July 23, 2016
Adam's book: Late Star Trek: The Final Frontier in the Franchise Era
The Trek Files Season 13 on Memory Alpha
All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha
Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.
The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
The journey through Samuel A. Peeples’ early story treatment for Star Trek II continues, and this week, we’re venturing into some of the most imaginative territory yet.
Long before the final script for The Wrath of Khan took shape, Peeples envisioned a film that introduced entirely new characters to the Trek universe. There’s a brilliant young doctor with unorthodox methods and a bold romantic interest in Dr. McCoy. Then there’s Sub-Commander Thal Arctos: a towering, genetically engineered officer who's all Starfleet and part polar bear.
These ideas never made it to screen, but they offer a fascinating look into the creative what-ifs of Star Trek’s cinematic future. Returning guest Ben Robinson helps us unpack these bold swings, what they tell us about the era, and why some of Trek’s most intriguing concepts are the ones fans have never seen... until now.
Document and additional references: Samuel A. Peeples’ Star Trek (The New Movie) – July 30, 1981 (excerpt, part 2)
ENTER TO WIN - the Borg Queen Skull from Star Trek: First contact, exclusively in partnership with Factory Entertainment
The Trek Files Season 13 on Memory Alpha
All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha
Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.
The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
