The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

It's time for our seasonal dive into Gene Roddenberry's mail bag for a look at fan letters that were considered for publication in the book "Letters to Star Trek." Topics range from DeForest Kelley's southern accent to acquiring props and other leftovers from production to parents just not understanding Star Trek's appeal. John Champion joins Larry Nemecek for a peek into what has changed and what has certainly stayed the same in the world of fandom.

Document and additional references: Star Trek fan letters - 1975

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.

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The crew of the Enteprise-D were taking shape in the earliest creative days of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Julian Picard, Commander Ryker, and Leslie Crusher all went through revisions to becomes the characters we know today. Deanna Troi evolved from a towering, large-brained, four-breasted telepath into, fortunatley, a character who was far more suitable for TNG's stories. The Trek Files is thrilled to welcome Nana Visitor to discuss the ever-changing roles of women in the Trek universe and the back-and-forth relationship between Gene Roddenberry and Dorothy Fontana in our amusing, revealing documents.

Document and additional references: Star Trek: The Next Generation bible version 1 (excerpt) - November 5, 1986

Open a Channel: A Woman's Trek by Nana Visitor

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!

There was a time when Saurians were only known for their brandy, but by the time of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the alien species was starting to flesh out a bit more. A few decades later, Saurians came into their own when Star Trek: Discovery introduced us to beloved crew member "Linus." Special guest David Benjamin Tomlinson joins The Trek Files to talk about bringing Linus to life and his own longtime love of Star Trek.

Document and additional references: The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture [excerpt] - 1980

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!

Seemingly innocuous distribution lists can reveal a lot about the backstage dynamics on a TV show. The Trek Files welcomes back Shawn Piller to discuss Michael Piller's work on Star Trek: The Next Generation, how they bonded over their fandom, and how Michael was surprised to be handed control of the show.

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The Trek Files dives back into the mailbag from the early 1970s for a cross-section of fans, from the starry-eyed kids who just want a piece of Star Trek to call their own to the seniors who want to thank Gene for his work and hope for more to come.

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Before the first episode of TNG had aired, writers pitched their stories to the show's producers. Hannah Louise Shearer, a veteran of series television, pitched to D.C. Fontana who, in turn, brought the ideas to Gene Roddenberry. Get an inside look at the earliest days of production on Star Trek: The Next Generation with our special guest, Hannah Louise Shearer!

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

On The Trek Files 200th episode, Rod Roddenberry joins us to look at a speech his father gave to the National Space Society while reflecting on Gene's legacy, his contributions to the genre, and the optimism in his work. Don't miss this week's very special episode!

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Not every kid gets a letter of recommendation from the Great Bird of the Galaxy. Shawn Piller did though, and he stops by The Trek Files this week to talk about meeting Gene, discussing poetry and art, and staying up late to watch Star Trek with his father.

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Andreea Kindryd, Gene Coon's assistant during Star Trek, joins us again from the floor of STLV 2022. This time, the conversation turns to the personalities behind the scenes like Harlan Ellison and how "Dr. Happy" may have contributed to Gene's reputation as one of the fastest writers in Hollywood.

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Andreea Kindryd's book "From Slavery to Star Trek"

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

A memo from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Starfleet Academy" (aired as "Coming of Age") kicks off a conversation about the personalities behind the scenes in TNG's early days. Learn more about the "chaos on the bridge" from our returning guest, writer Sandy Fries!

See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles

Find Sandy's book "Secrets Your Textbook Will Not Tell You: About TV, Movies, and Life" at Amazon

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.