The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

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10-12 The Most Dangerous Game - 1986 Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

Bob Justman busily pitched ideas in the earliest days of TNG, including the reworking of a classic story. It may not have made it to screen exactly as he saw it, but certain story elements did stick around. Ben Robinson joins The Trek Files to talk about Bob's contributions and "The Most Dangerous Game."

See the documents: The Most Dangerous Game - 1986

The Trek Files Season 10 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.

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10-11 Stowmar letter to Gene Roddenberry - 1979 May 30, 2023

Show notes

Continuing our discussion about Star Trek: The Motion Picture Director's Edition, producer David C. Fein sheds more light on the complications that left TMP unfinished from 1979. In a letter from the period, one of the many contributors to the Enterprise graphics clarifies the work done for Gene Roddenberry.

See the documents: Stowmar letter to Gene Roddenberry - 1979

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-10 Softside magazine - May 1980 May 23, 2023

Show notes

Want to program your own Enterprise bridge monitor? For the home computer hobbyist in 1980, Softside magazine published a glimpse behind the scenes of Star Trek: The Motion Picture along with the code to create bridge monitor graphics! The Trek Files looks back at the groundbreaking design work of TMP with David C. Fein, producer of the ST:TMP Director's Edition.

See the documents: Softside magazine - May 1980

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-9 Gene Roddenberry promotion letter - 1945 May 16, 2023

Show notes

Like many of his generation, Gene Roddenberry served in the military. This week, The Trek Files examines a letter of promotion from the War Department which kicks off a discussion about military influence on Star Trek from ship design to organization to writing and themes with our special guest, Thomas Marrone.

See the documents: Gene Roddenberry promotion letter - 1945

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-8 Breakthrough story outline - 1977 May 09, 2023

Show notes

A never-before seen story pitch for the abandoned Star Trek Phase II project! Decker is caught in a two-dimensional world while Kirk and Xon race to get him out. Special guest Ben Robinson returns to The Trek Files to help navigate the roads not taken for Star Trek in the late 1970s!

See the documents: Breakthrough story outline - 1977

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-7 Enterprise Armament - 1986 May 02, 2023

Show notes

It starts with a simple suggestion from a writer: the Enterprise should have different armaments than what was seen in 1966. That kicks off a round of discussions that lead to the designer to bring the idea to life, keeping in mind all the requirements of production. This week, John Eaves returns to The Trek Files to reveal more details about his work on Star Trek.

See the documents: Enterprise Armament - 1986

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-6 Star Trek TNG Writer Bible memos - 1986 Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

The question in 1986 was how to make a Star Trek show for the next generation that still had familiar concepts and characters. Producer Bob Justman sent a flurry of memos with some ideas that stuck and others that didn't see the light of day. Larry Nemecek and John Champion discuss those creative decisions and how they affect the modern Trek landscape on this week's episode of The Trek Files.

See the documents: Star Trek TNG Writer Bible memos - 1986

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-5 Riker-Wesley audition sides - March 24, 1987 Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

The Riker walk. The Riker sit. They all had an origin that took the character from "a little smarmy" to a "Gary Cooper" type to being fully inhabited by our special guest: Jonathan Frakes. The Trek Files goes back to the origins with a special reading of the very audition sides that landed Frakes the role of the iconic William Riker.

See the documents: Riker-Wesley audition sides - March 24, 1987

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-4 - Star Trek: TNG Writers/Directors Guide - 1987 Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

What changes and what stays the same? That was the core question for the earliest steps in shaping Star Trek: The Next Generation. Star Trek illustrator/designer John Eaves stops by The Trek Files to help us chart the many ways that sequel series need to carry off that difficult balancing act.

See the documents: TNG Writers/Directors Guide - 1987

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

10-3 Star Trek: The Experience promotional images Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Looking back again at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas, Gary Goddard joins The Trek Files to discuss the changes that occurred along the long development path as well as the joys of (and complicated tech behind) "beaming up."

See the documents: Star Trek: The Experience promotional images

The Trek Files Season 10 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!

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