Nemecek, Part 4: TNG Companion Recap.

For over a decade, Larry Nemecek chronicled the making of Star Trek in the Next Generation era. But what about the making of the making of?

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike are joined Larry himself to discuss his career as an author. In the first part of a two-part interview, he discusses his work on The Next Generation Companion, as well as his Voyager episode, "Prophecy," and other episode pitches which he wrote for Voyager. He also blows Max and Mike's minds with the history of Voyager's development.

Nemecek, Part 3: Stellar Cartography.

Last year, Larry Nemecek returned to the world of Star Trek book publishing with Star Trek: Stellar Cartography, a collection of maps which chronicle the geography of the Trek universe. While the maps, created by Ian Fullwood, Ali Ries and Geoffrey Mandel, are the centerpiece of the collection, Nemecek's accompanying text is the hidden gem. It becomes a sort of history of the future, giving us a large-scale look at the events which have played out on a more personal level on the TV screen.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Steve Roberts of Tribbles in Ecstasy to look at Nemecek's book. We discuss the artistry of the maps, the dense knowledge contained in the text, and how Steve is using the collection to teach his six-year old about Star Trek. 

Nemecek, Part 2: The Next Generation Companion

As we've said before, Larry Nemecek wrote the book on Star Trek: The Next Generation... literally. Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion is comprehensive episode guide which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Phillip Gilfus of Earl Grey to talk about Nemecek's first Star Trek reference book. We discuss how we came to discover it, what makes it stand out from other books like it, and how it has impacted our lives on a personal level. We also discuss the hiring of Roberto Orci as the director of STAR TR3K.

Nemecek, Part 1: Trek.

One of the greatest documentarian's of Star Trek's history is Larry Nemecek. The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion is one of best books of its kind. Each and every issue of The Star Trek Communicator was must-read for fans of the franchise. And his new book, Stellar Cartography, is work of art unto itself. But Nemecek is not just a fan and historian of Star Trek. He's also a creator. Along with his wife, Janet, Nemecek wrote the story which was the basis of the seventh season Voyager episode, "Prophecy." 

This week, Mike is joined by Charlynn of To the Journey! to take a look at Nemecek's episode. We discuss the fan-friendly nature of Klingons in the Delta Quadrant, how the plot device of the Klingon illness could have been handled more effectively, and how the storyline was continued in the novels. We also wonder what the difference is between a D7 and a K'Tinga.

The Mount Rushmore of Trek.

Thousands of artists have helped to make Star Trek the thing it is today. But what if you had to pick just four of them to represent the franchise as a whole?

For our third season finale, the Trek.fm crew tries determine which four faces belong on the Mount Rushmore of Trek. Max and Mike are joined by five guests from around the network, including Drew Stewart of Standard Orbit, Jason Genser of Star Trek: Equinox, Daniel Proulx and Phillip Gilfus of Earl Grey, and Christopher Jones of everything else, to give their unique perspectives on who deserves to be immortalized in stone.

Braga, Part 4: Salem.

Brannon Braga is one of only five individuals in history who can claim to have created a Star Trek series. In the past, we have discussed that creation, Enterprise, as well as his other television series, Flashforward. Last Sunday saw the debut of Braga's third series, Salem, which he co-created with Adam Simon.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max return to their Brannon Braga series to discuss his work on Salem. We look at the political message of the film, the similar style of Game of Thrones, and how it compares to the other show that Braga runs, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. We also look back fondly on Adam Simon's portrayal of himself in The Player.

Rick Berman.

It could be argued that, with the exception of Gene Roddenberry, no one has played a bigger role in shaping the Star Trek franchise than Rick Berman. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike take a look at the choices Berman made on a conceptual level, and how they influenced the direction of the franchise. We discuss how he balanced Roddenberry's vision with Michael Piller's creativity on The Next Generation, the choice to set Deep Space Nine on a station, whether or not Voyager was designed to replicate TNG, and the reason why Enterprise was always destined to take place on a starship. We also look at how the fans' view of Berman's contribution has changed with distance.

Bole, Part 6: Recap.

The Next Generation era of Star Trek is not exactly known for its breakthrough directorial choices. Rick Berman operated a very well-oiled machine which was manned by expert craftsmen who knew exactly what was expected of them, and delivered high-quality product week after week. Such is the nature of episodic television. Very few shows allow the director to stretch their legs creatively in such a way as to demonstrate their own personal style. One such show was The X-Files.

Cliff Bole is one of a very few directors to have worked on both franchises, and he is credited with creating some of the very best episodes of each.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap our look at Bole's work on The X-Files. We discuss all four of his episodes, including "Small Potatoes," "Bad Blood," "Chimera," and "Jump the Shark." We also discuss the talents of Vince Gilligan, and ponder how the producers knew that Bole would be the perfect choice to handle such iconic episodes.

Bole, Part 5: Jump the Shark.

From the beginning, The Lone Gunmen were fan favorites on The X-Files. The trio of characters, Byers, Langley, and Frohike, were conspiracy theorists who published a newspaper aimed at revealing the truth. In 2001, they received their own spinoff series. Also in 2001, that spinoff was cancelled.

Left on a cliffhanger, the story remained unresolved until midway through the following season, when the creators of the series gave it a proper resolution in an episode of The X-Files entitled "Jump the Shark". This was also the final X-File for Cliff Bole. 

This week, Max and Mike discuss The Lone Gunmen's role on The X-Files, how that roll changed on their own show, and how "Jump the Shark" acts as an episode of two series simultaneously.

Bole, Part 4: Chimera.

Not every episode of your favorite television show can be a winner. After two outstanding efforts, Cliff Bole returned to The X-Files during its seventh season to direct "Chimera," a story about a mysterious creature that is killing people in a small community.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max take a look at Bole's third X-File. We discuss its "monster of the week" nature, Scully's promising B-story, and why Bole's contribution is not readily apparent. We also explain The Muppet Babies Syndrome.

Bole, Part 3: Bad Blood.

After the success of his first X-Files episode, Cliff Bole returned to the series the following year to direct another comedic script by Vince Gilligan, "Bad Blood." This episode pushed the boundaries of the show even further than "Small Potatoes," and the end result may be the most critically-acclaimed hour in the show's history.  

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike take a look at Bole's second X-File. We discuss how the episode gets better with each viewing, how it departs from the tone of the series while still staying inside the basic formula, and how Bole's sense of comic timing is the key to the episode's success. We also take a look at the new Brannon Braga series, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.

Bole, Part 2: Small Potatoes.

Cliff Bole will always be known first and foremost for his contribution to Star Trek, but he also had a huge impact on another sci-fi series, The X-Files. Four episodes of the '90s cult classic were directed by Bole, including some of the very best. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max take a look at Bole's first X-Files episode, "Small Potatoes." We discuss the series as a whole, the difficulty of balancing grotesque crimes with humor, and the apparent freedom Bole was given in this series which may have been absent on Trek. We also examine the merits of The X-Files as an educational tool.

Bole, Part 1: Trek.

Last month, the world lost legendary Star Trek director Cliff Bole, who helmed 42 hours of Trek—including 25 episodes of The Next Generation—more than anyone else in the show's history. Among those 25 was "The Best of Both Worlds," commonly considered to be the best TNG episode, and one of the best television episodes, of all time.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max kick off a new series looking at the work that Bole did in another beloved franchise, The X-Files. But first, we are joined by TNG expert Larry Nemecek to discuss Bole's work in Trek, his industry origins, his hits and misses, and his blue-collar approach to filmmaking. Larry also gives us a taste of what Bole was like as a person.

Wolfe, Part 6: Recap.

Robert Hewitt Wolfe was a key component of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's writing team. He has since gone on to develop or write for a number of genre properties, including Futuresport, Andromeda, The Dresden Files, and Riverworld.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap their series on Wolfe, and also touch on his other works, including his two current shows, Star-Crossed and Elementary.

Wolfe, Part 5: Riverworld.

In 2010, Syfy took their second shot at adapting Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld novels for the small screen. This time around, Robert Hewitt Wolfe was brought in to write multiple drafts of the troubled miniseries.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike examine the miniseries on the whole. We discuss the challenges of building an expansive mythology, the use of historical figures in a fantasy setting, and the unusual path the project took from script to screen.

Wolfe, Part 4: The Dresden Files.

In 2007, after a rather long road from page to screen, Robert Hewitt Wolfe's second series, The Dresden Files, debuted on Syfy. The show, which Wolfe developed with his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine collaborator Hans Beimler, tells the story of a wizard detective named Harry Dresden, who specializes in investigations of a supernatural nature.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host Branden Myers to look at The Dresden Files. We discuss the magical noir sub genre, the curious case of the show's pilot, and the many Trek alumni who worked on the series. We also ponder the existence of Chicago accents.

Wolfe, Part 3: Andromeda.

In 2000, Robert Hewitt Wolfe made his debut as a television showrunner with Andromeda. The series, which was based on concepts by Gene Roddenberry, followed the crew of a starship in distant future after the fall of civilization as they try to restore the Commonwealth to its former glory. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Colin Higgins of Melodic Treks to look at Wolfe's first full series. We discuss how the project came to be, what caused Wolfe to leave the show, and how one of the best episodes was originally intended for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Wolfe, Part 2: Futuresport.

After five seasons, Robert Hewitt Wolfe left Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to work on other projects. The first of those was Futuresport, a television movie directed by Ernest Dickerson and starring Dean Cain. The film looks at a world on the brink of war which tries to settle a global dispute through a game in an effort to avoid a military conflict. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host Branden Myers to look at Wolfe's first post-Trek effort. We discuss the film's Roddenberry-like optimism, the way it reflects today's society, and why it ultimately doesn't work. We also try to figure out what the theoretical series would have been like. 

Wolfe, Part 1: Trek.

There were many talented people who contributed to the genius of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. But one of the most under appreciated is writer/producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe. 

This week, Max and Mike start a new series looking at Wolfe's work as a driving force behind television projects, including Futuresport, Andromeda, Riverworld, and The Dresden Files. 

In Part 1, we are joined by Matt Hansen of The Delta Quadrant to look at Wolfe's work on Star Trek. We discuss his Next Generation debut with “A Fistful of Datas,” his script for “Q-Less,” which led to a staff position on DS9, and his huge contribution to the series on the whole, including the co-creation of the Defiant. We also debate what metaphor best describes his place in the DS9 writing staff.

Behr, Part 6: Recap.

Taking the dark horse of the Star Trek franchise and turning it into one the best TV shows ever made is a tough act to follow. Such is the life of Ira Steven Behr. This week, Mike and Max recap Behr's career as a showrunner, looking at each of his shows, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Bob Patterson, The Twilight Zone, The 4400, Crash, and Alphas. We also discuss some of his other work, including his upcoming series, Outlander. 

Behr, Part 5: Alphas.

In 2011, Ira Steven Behr returned to the science fiction genre with Alphas. The series followed a group of super-powered mutants who helped the government solve crimes while coping with their unique abilities. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host Branden Myers to take a look at Behr's sixth show. We discuss the similarities to The X-Men, how the tone differs from other SyFy Channel shows, and the Behr-less second season. We also touch on Ronald D. Moore's recent Twitter activity, and the passing of Trek producer Marty Hornstein.

Behr, Part 4: Crash.

After a less than successful first season, the Starz Network decided to give their television show Crash a second chance. It was decided that the series needed to be reinvented, and that the man for the job was Ira Steven Behr. 

This week, Mike and Max take a look at the second season of Crash. We discuss the changes that were made to the show, how the issue of racism is dealt with, and why we'll always give Behr the benefit of the doubt.

Behr, Part 3: The 4400.

In 2004, Rene Echevarria and Scott Peters created The 4400. In the show, 4,400 missing persons from the past century spontaneously return with superpowers. Echevarria quickly handed over the writing staff to his Trek boss, Ira Steven Behr, who ran the series until its cancellation in 2007.

This Week, Max and Mike are joined by Trek.fm's very own Christopher Jones to talk about Behr's fourth show. We discuss the religious parallels of the story, the character development over time, and the moral ambiguity of the situations presented in the series.

Behr, Part 2: The Twilight Zone. 

Perhaps the only science fiction television franchise which is more critically acclaimed than Star Trek is Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. And the only person in history who has run shows in both franchises is Ira Steven Behr.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Tom Elliot of The Twilight Zone Network to look at Behr's third series, the 2002 incarnation of The Twilight Zone. We discuss how Behr's series compares to the original, the idea of a cohesive Twilight Zone multiverse, and what we can expect from future incarnations of the show.  We also debate whether or not the Steve Guttenberg vehicle Tower of Terror takes place in the Twilight Zone.

Behr, Part 1: Trek. 

During the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Michael Piller "stepped back" from his daily duties and handed the writing staff to his Number One—Ira Steven Behr. It was at this point that Deep Space Nine went from being a great show to being the best show. Ever. 

This week, we begin a new series looking at Behr's career as a showrunner. In Part 1, Max and Mike are joined by Larry Nemecek to look at Behr's work on Star Trek. We discuss his origins on The Next Generation, how Piller lured him back to work on Deep Space Nine, and how he predicted fans would appreciate the show in later years. We also talk about how baseball was responsible for the best of Trek.

Roddenberry Part 5: The Questor Tapes.

Out of all of Gene Roddenberry’s failed pilots, The Questor Tapes is the one that came closest to getting picked up. It tells the story of an android who has been placed on Earth to oversee humanity’s progress.

This week, Max and Mike examine the pilot, which starred Robert Foxworth as Questor the android, and Mike Farrell as his trusty human sidekick, Jerry. We discuss how the show itself would have differed from the pilot, its similarities to “Assignment: Earth,” the main character’s similarities to Data, the recent attempt at resurrecting the series, how the director may or may not have been responsible for the failure of the Ferengi, and how the writer may or may not have been responsible for the success of Star Trek: The Original Series. We also touch briefly on the last of Roddenberry’s failed pilots, Spectre.

Ellison, Part 4: Recap.

Few writers are as prolific as Harlan Ellison. But perhaps his greatest contribution to the world of sci-fi is his commentary on the genre itself. This week, Mike and Max recap Ellison's work on The Outer Limits. We look at his two episodes, "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Hand," as well as his episode of Star Trek, “The City on the Edge of Forever." We also discuss his career outside television, and his impact as a public figure in the sci-fi community.

Ellison, Part 3: Demon with a Glass Hand.

In 1964, Harlan Ellison won the Writer’s Guild of America Award for his second entry into The Outer Limits, “Demon with a Glass Hand.” The episode tells the story of a man with a computer hand who is humanity’s last hope in an intergalactic war. This week, Max and Mike are joined by Tysto of Tysto.com to look at “Demon with a Glass Hand.”  We discuss why it is so acclaimed, how it is part of a much larger story, and how it might have tied into Babylon 5. We also talk about how awesome The Sci-Fi Buzz was.

Ellison, Part 2: Soldier.

In 1964, the cult sci-fi show The Outer Limits was renewed for a second season. The new production team decided to shift the focus away from a "monster of the week" format, and into a "hard sci-fi" direction. As part of this change, Harlan Ellison was brought in to write two episodes of the anthology series.

The first of these was “Soldier,” based on his own short story entitled “Soldier from Tomorrow.” As the title suggests, it tells the story of a soldier from a future war, played by Michael Ansara, who is thrown back in time to the strange land of America in the mid-20th century.

This week, Mike and Max take a look at both “Soldier” and the story upon which it's based. We discuss The Outer Limits in general, the episode in particular, and the allegations of plagiarism which Ellison brought against James Cameron's The Terminator. We also look back at the Shatner-starring, Esperanto-speaking opus which is Incubus.

Ellison, Part 1: Trek.

This week, Max and Mike begin a new series on writer Harlan Ellison, looking at his work on The Outer Limits.

Ellison's “The City On the Edge of Forever” is considered by many to be Star Trek's finest hour. The story of Kirk finally falling in love, only to have that love snatched away by the Universe is both epic in scale and personal in emotion. It is thought of by most to be a masterpiece. But not by Ellison.

The episode's road to the screen was undoubtedly the most troubled of any Trek episode. Ellison's original screenplay was thought to be unfilmable and uncharacteristic of Trek. As such, it was heavily rewritten by Gene Roddenberry and others, until it became something that Ellison despised. Three decades later, Ellison published his original screenplay along with an essay telling his side of the story. The book is almost as epic as the episode itself.

For the first part in our series on Ellison, we are joined by Drew Stewart of Standard Orbit and John Mills of Words with Nerds to look at both the finished episode and the original screenplay. We discuss whether or not it is the best episode of Trek, how the aired version differs from the first draft, whether or not the changes are for the better, and what Ellison's essay says about the creative process.

Black & Cushman, Part 2: Star Trek & These are the Voyages.

Only months after publication, Marc Cushman's These are the Voyages is already considered to be the most thorough insight into the making of Star Trek: The Original Series. With 500 pages dedicated to Season One and two more volumes on the way, it is quite clearly the definitive history of Gene Roddenberry's classic show.

In our third season premiere, Mike and Max present the second half of their interview with Marc and Original Series veterans John D.F. & Mary Black. We talk about how television has changed since the sixties, what other movies and shows John has written, and what we can expect to see in the next two volumes of These are the Voyages. We also ponder what it would have been like if Spock had left after Season One.

These are the Voyages, TOS, Season One can be purchased now on Amazon.com, with Seasons Two and Three set for release in the coming months.

Black & Cushman, Part 1: Star Trek & These are the Voyages.

These are the Voyages has quickly become the most critically acclaimed book ever written on the making of Star Trek. It is a comprehensive look at the day-to-day operation of The Original Series, from script to air.

In the second season finale, Max and Mike are joined by the book's author and Next Generation writer Marc Cushman, Original Series writer and producer John D.F. Black, and his wife and Original Series assistant, Mary Black. We discuss what makes this book different from others, what it was like to work on The Original Series, and how the industry has changed over the years. We also try to figure out how you can tell when a writer is lying about missing a deadline.

These are the Voyages, TOS, Season One can be purchased now on Amazon.com, with Seasons Two and Three set for release in the coming months.

Moore, Part 7: Recap.

Ronald D. Moore's work as a writer on Star Trek gained the attention of many producers in Hollywood. Because of this, he has built a very successful career as a television showrunner.

This week, Mike and Max recap their series on Moore's career, looking at all of the shows he ran, including Roswell, Carnivale, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, and Virtuality. We also take a look at the future of Moore's career—with Helix and Outlander—as well as his unaired pilot, 17th Precinct.

Moore, Part 6: Virtuality.

After five and a half years of running the Sci-Fi Channel's most successful series, Ronald D. Moore began development on not one, but two new pilots. The first was Caprica, as discussed last week. The second was a science fiction show for Fox titled Virtuality.  

Co-created by Trek writer Michael Taylor, Virtuality follows the crew of a spacecraft on a ten-year mission to find an alternative to life on Earth, which only has 100 years left. The crew, which is being filmed for a reality television show, relaxes with the help of a virtual reality program. However, the program has turned dangerous, and it may not be the result of a simple glitch.

This week, Max and Mike take a look at the pilot. We discuss wether or not the answers to the questions asked would have been satisfying, why Moore chose to develop two virtual reality shows simultaneously, and how Moore assembled his crew, made up of past collaborators. We also wonder why Jamiroquai wasn't hired to perform the theme song.

Moore, Part 5: Caprica.

As the saying goes, "All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again." While Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica was coming to a close, his new series, Caprica, was just beginning. 

The prequel takes a look at the world of BSG fifty years prior to its destruction. It focuses on two families, the Graystones and the Adamas, at a critical time in the history of the world, when artificial intelligence is on the brink of sentience. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host, Branden Myers, to look at the ill-fated spinoff. We discuss the problems with creating a prequel, how to make something different, and why the decision was made to change showrunners mid-season. We also debate whether or not the series should have been more like Desperate Housewives.

Moore, Part 4: Battlestar Galactica. 

In many ways the nine years that Ronald D. Moore spent working on Star Trek prepared him for the show that very well may be his masterpiece, Battlestar Galactica. 

With his 2003 reboot of Glen A. Larson's classic series, Moore pushed boundaries that he wasn't allowed anywhere near on Star Trek. The end result is a heavily continuity-driven show that takes a hard look at politics, religion, and the human condition. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined by their co-host on Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic, Branden Myers, to take a look at one of the most significant science fiction works of the new millennium. We discuss what makes BSG stand out from other shows, how it differs from the original series, and the debt it owes to Star Trek. We also try to figure out whether or not Branden's a Trekkie.

Moore, Part 3: Carnivale.

A year after the cancellation of Roswell, Ronald D. Moore returned to television to run a new HBO series titled Carnivale.

Set against the backdrop of a traveling carnival during the Great Depression, the show follows two people—Ben (played by Nick Stahl) and Justin (played by Clancy Brown)—who are unknowing pawns in a battle between good and evil.

This week, Mike and Max chat about Moore's first solo effort. We discuss how the series came to be, why Moore left after one season, and what the show's existence means for the future of television. We also debate whether or not the terms "good" and "evil" apply to the main characters.

Moore, Part 2: Roswell.

After leaving Voyager, Ronald D. Moore was recruited by Jason Katims to work on the second season of Roswell. The series chronicles the lives of three teenaged aliens who are secretly living in the town where their spacecraft crash landed. 

Under Katims’s leadership, the first season of Roswell was primarily character driven, with the science fiction elements taking a back seat. But going forward, the network wanted the series to build upon its sci-fi mythology. And so, Moore was hired as a co-showrunner for the first time in his career. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Trek.fm’s Christopher Jones to take a look at the final two seasons of Moore’s first show. We discuss whether or not Moore’s contribution improved the show, how well the show holds up over time, and the strange connection the show has to Enterprise. We also fondly recall now-defunct ’90s television networks.

Moore, Part 1: Star Trek.

Many of the writers who began their careers on Star Trek have gone on to find great success outside of the franchise. But none have been more critically acclaimed than Ronald D. Moore. At the age of 25, Moore wrote his first teleplay, “The Bonding,” a spec script which was bought by Michael Piller for The Next Generation. He was quickly brought on staff, where he would write 60 more Trek adventures—including episodes for Deep Space Nine and Voyager, as well as the first two Next Generation movies.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Matthew Rushing of The Orb to look at Moore’s work on Star Trek. We discuss his early work on The Next Generation, how his movies stack up to the others, what his contribution was to Deep Space Nine, and what led to his quick departure from Voyager. We also try to figure out who the Ringo of the DS9 writing staff was.

Matheson, Part 10: Recap.

Richard Matheson’s influence on science fiction cannot be measured. Whether it’s I Am Legend or The Twilight Zone, Matheson’s impact on what has come since is massive.

This week, Max and Mike try to examine Matheson’s career by looking at a tiny cross-section of his work. Specifically, we recap our series on Matheson’s novels that have been adapted into movies. Starting at the beginning, we look at the books, Someone is Bleeding, I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man, A Stir of Echoes, Ride the Nightmare, Hell House, Bid Time Return, and What Dreams May Come, and their motion picture counterparts, Georges Lautner’s Icy Breasts, Sidney Salkow’s The Last Man on Earth, Boris Sagal’s The Omega Man, Francis Lawrence’s I Am Legend, Jack Arnold’s The Incredible Shrinking Man, Joel Schumacher’s The Incredible Shrinking Woman, David Koepp’s Stir of Echoes, Terence Young’s Cold Sweat, John Hough’s The Legend of Hell House, Jeannot Szwarc’s Somewhere in Time, and Vincent Ward’s What Dreams May Come. We also touch on our trip to the Parsec Awards.

Matheson, Part 9: What Dreams May Come.

For his tenth novel, Richard Matheson continued to steer away from the horror genre and towards something more romantic in nature. An unofficial companion piece to Bid Time Return, What Dreams May Come tells the story of a dead man who embarks on a journey through hell to find his wife. Of all his novels, Matheson considers it to be his best work.

Twenty years after the release of the book, Vincent Ward adapted What Dreams May Come into a film starring Robin Williams. It was met with mixed reviews, though often applauded for its visual depiction of the afterlife.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by John Mills of Words with Nerds to discuss both Matheson’s novel and Ward’s movie. We discuss the meticulous detail of the book, debate whether or not the changes made in the film were effective, and wonder if Matheson’s motivations for writing the book were domestic in nature.

Matheson, Part 8: Bid Time Return.

In 1975, Richard Matheson published what he considered to be his best novel to date, Bid Time Return. It tells the story of a dying young man who sees a 75-year old picture of an actress, and falls instantly in love with her. He convinces himself that it is his destiny to travel back in time to meet her.

Five years later, Matheson adapted the book into a film entitled Somewhere in Time. It was directed by Jeannot Szwarc, and starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. While largely ignored upon release, the film has since developed a large cult following which closely resembles Star Trek fandom in many ways.

This week, Max and Mike discuss the time travel device used in the book, whether or not the movie improves on its source material, and where this novel fits into Matheson’s career. We also take a look at INSITE, the International Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts.

Matheson, Part 7: Hell House.

After a decade-long hiatus, Richard Matheson returned to long-form prose with his eighth novel, Hell House. It tells the story of a team of scientists and spiritualists who are sent to an allegedly haunted house to determine what the cause of the supernatural occurrences are.

Two years later, Matheson once again adapted his own book into a feature film, entitled The Legend of Hell House. The movie, directed by John Hough, stars Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), Michael Gough (Batman), and Clive Revill (formerly of Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back). It is a considerably toned-down version, which actually sports a PG rating.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by John Mills of Words with Nerds. We discuss the novel's influence on later haunted house stories, the movie's strange lack of sex and violence, and what Matheson was up to in the sixties. We also wonder whether or not McDowall's climactic line reading is one of the finest moments in the history of cinema.

Matheson, Part 6: Ride the Nightmare.

After a string of SF/horror stories, Richard Matheson returned to the crime genre with his sixth novel, Ride the Nightmare. The book tells the story of a family whose life is turned upside down when some characters from his shady past come to seek revenge. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined by research librarian Tony Powers to discuss the novel as well as Matheson’s own adaptation for an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and legendary James Bond director Terence Young’s film version, Cold Sweat. 

We discuss the book as a precursor to popular works such as Reservoir Dogs and 24, Matheson’s ability to adapt his own work for the screen, and how the movie was altered to act as a starring vehicle for Charles Bronson. We also touch on Matheson’s seventh novel, The Beardless Warriors.

Matheson, Part 5: A Stir of Echoes.

In 1958, Richard Matheson released his fifth novel, A Stir of Echoes. The book is a ghost story about a man who develops psychic powers as the result of hypnosis. 41 years later, blockbuster screenwriter David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man) wrote and directed a film adaptation starring Kevin Bacon.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Rudra Banerji to look at both Matheson’s novel and Koepp’s movie. We discuss how the book works as a commentary on suburban America, the effectiveness of keeping the supernatural elements ambiguous, the twist ending, and whether the changes made by the movie were good or bad. We also wonder why people think Chicagoans have crazy accents. 

Matheson, Part 4: The Shrinking Man.

Richard Matheson’s fourth novel was the first to be adapted for the silver screen. The Shrinking Man tells the story of, well, a man who shrinks. It was made into two feature films. The first, written by Matheson himself, was the cult classic The Incredible Shrinking Man. The second was a more comedic take directed by Joel Schumacher entitled The Incredible Shrinking Woman. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined by their friend Matt Hammer to talk about Matheson’s original novel and the two motion picture interpretations. We discuss the novel’s structure, the first film’s lack of depth, and the second film’s lighthearted tone. We also touch briefly on making it to the final round of the Parsec Awards.

Matheson, Part 3: I Am Legend.

At the age of 28, Richard Matheson published the novel that would later be considered his masterpiece, I Am Legend. The story follows the only survivor in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vampires.

The book was adapted into three films over the span of 43 years. The first, in 1964, was Sidney Salkow’s The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price. The second, in 1971, was Boris Sagal’s The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston. And the third, in 2007, was Francis Lawrence’s I Am Legend, starring Will Smith.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Ben Munaretto to discuss Matheson’s novel and all three adaptations. We look at the historical significance of the book, the accuracy of the first adaptation, the liberties taken by the second adaptation, the changes made to the ending of the third adaptation, and Steven Seagal’s ancestry.

Matheson, Part 2: Someone Is Bleeding.

In 1953, “a brilliant new master of the macabre” made his debut in the literary world. Someone Is Bleeding was the first novel in Richard Matheson’s sixty-year career. In the book, a young writer falls madly in love with a woman who may or may not have killed her husband. Now, he’s torn between his undeniable attraction to her, and his desire to not be stabbed with an ice pick.

Twenty one years later, a French director by the name of Georges Lautner adapted Matheson’s novel into a movie called Icy Breasts. We don’t know what the title refers to, but we love it.

This week, Mike and Max examine both the novel Someone Is Bleeding and the movie Icy Breasts. We discuss Matheson’s style, how believable the characters are, how well the book was translated to the screen, and whether or not murder is a deal-breaker in a relationship.

Matheson, Part 1: Trek.

Richard Matheson is one of the most influential genre writers of our time. He has written countless novels and short stories, including I Am Legend. He is responsible for numerous movies and TV shows, including sixteen episodes of The Twilight Zone. And he also wrote the sixth episode of Star Trek, “The Enemy Within.” 

This week, we begin a new series looking at a cross section of Matheson’s career. Specifically, we will examine his novels that were adapted into movies, comparing those films to their source material. 

In Part 1, Mike is joined by Trek.fm’s very own Christopher Jones and Drew Stewart to look at Matheson’s work on “The Enemy Within.” We discuss how Matheson’s style translates to episodic television, how the episode stacks up against Voyager’s “Faces,” whether or not the B-plot works, and how Matheson may be the perfect writer for William Shatner.

Meyer II Part 8: Recap.

Nicholas Meyer has directed what many consider to be the two best films of the Star Trek franchise. Despite this, most of his other movies exist in relative obscurity.

This week, Max and Mike recap Meyer’s career as a director, looking at each of his pictures, including Time After Time, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Day After, Volunteers, The Deceivers, Company Business, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Vendetta.

Meyer II Part 7: Vendetta.

After an eight-year absence, Nicholas Meyer returned to the helm in 1999 to direct his eighth and most recent picture, Vendetta. The TV movie, starring Andrea Di Stefano, Bruce Davison, and Christopher Walken, tells the story of the largest lynching in American history. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined once again by Marcelo Pico of Framed Panda to look at the movie which Meyer considers to be his best. We discuss the way historic events are portrayed, the quality of the performances, what Meyer was up to between movies, and whether or not Vendetta truly is his best work.

Meyer II Part 6: Company Business.

Nicholas Meyer’s Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is an allegory about the end of the Cold War. When the prospect of peace between the Federation and the Klingons becomes a reality, Captain Kirk and General Chang are uncertain of their place in the galaxy. But The Undiscovered Country isn’t the first time that Meyer had dealt with this subject matter. Just three months prior to that film’s release, Company Business hit the sliver screen.

Company Business tells the story of two aging spies, played by Gene Hackman and Mikhail Baryshnikov, who must team up in order to survive after a prisoner exchange between the Americans and the Russians goes wrong.

Both films deal with the Cold War in a very similar way. But where The Undiscovered Country is universally considered to be a success, Company Business is thought of by many, including Meyer himself, to be a failure.

This week, Max and Mike take a look at Meyer’s seventh directorial effort. We discuss the similarities between the two films, the compromises that Meyer was forced to make in order to get Company Business made, what makes this one of Meyer’s lesser works, and what the proper term for a male ballerina is.

Meyer II Part 5: The Deceivers.

Nicholas Meyer’s fifth film is the Merchant Ivory production The Deceivers. It stars Pierce Brosnan as a British officer in 19th century India who goes undercover to infiltrate the Thuggee cult, a band of thieves and murderers, in an effort to stop them. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Marcelo Pico of Framed Panda to discuss the film’s similarities to modern-day undercover cop movies, the portrayal of Thuggees throughout history and pop culture, Meyer’s fondness for the 19th century, his uncharacteristic use of a supernatural device, and whether or not a prequel could fit into Jurassic Park continuity.

Meyer II Part 4: Volunteers.

After spending a year creating a nuclear apocalypse, Nicholas Meyer shifted into a completely different gear with his 1985 film Volunteers. 

Meyer’s comedy stars Tom Hanks as a rich kid who joins the Peace Corps and flies to Southeast Asia in order to dodge a gambling debt. There, along with Rita Wilson and John Candy, he helps to build a bridge which, unbeknownst to them, is highly coveted by rival outside factions.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by John Tenuto to discuss the reasons behind Meyer’s decision to make a comedy, the presence of Meyer trademarks in the film, the movie’s similarities to Star Trek, the work of other Trek collaborators in the movie, and Meyer’s inability to make a meaningless piece of entertainment.

Meyer II Part 3: The Day After.

In 1983, Nicholas Meyer followed up Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with The Day After, a television movie depicting a nuclear war from the perspective of Lawrence, Kansas, a small town in middle America. The film is, and always shall be, the most watched television movie in history, and went so far as to influence the actions of U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Star Trek expert Larry Nemecek, who worked as an extra on The Day After while in college. We discuss the political climate of the time, the social impact of the film, what it was like to live in Lawrence during the movie’s production, Larry’s experience as an extra, and Larry’s encounter with Nicholas Meyer.

Meyer II Part 2: Time After Time.

Following years as a successful author, Nicholas Meyer finally made the jump to film directing with Time After Time. The movie features Malcolm McDowell as H.G. Wells, who must use his time machine to chase Jack the Ripper, played by David Warner, into modern day San Francisco. 

This week, Max and Mike are joined again by Ripperologist Augie Aleksy of Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Forest Park, IL. We discuss who Jack the Ripper may have been, H.G. Wells’s views of the future, the similarities between Time After Time and The Voyage Home, and whether to use your time machine to go to the future or the past.

Meyer II Part 1: The View from the Bridge.

Last season, Mike and Max covered the career of Nicholas Meyer as a novelist. This week, we kick off our second season with a series focusing on his career as a director. 

In the first part of our series, we’re joined by Meyer expert John Tenuto to talk about Meyer’s memoir, The View from the Bridge, focusing primarily on his work in Trek. We discuss his contribution to the writing of The Wrath of Khan, the similarities between The Voyage Home and his first movie, Time After Time, how his vision of The Undiscovered Country conflicted with Gene Roddenberry’s, and what he would have done if given full control of Star Trek III.

Braga Part 3: Recap.

Max and Mike began the first season of Commentary: Trek Stars by looking at Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s other television creations. So it’s only fitting to end the season by looking at the work of the last Star Trek series creator, Brannon Braga.

In our first season finale, we discuss the two shows that Braga has created, Enterprise and FlashForward, as well has his upcoming work, Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey and Malice. We also look at the other shows he has written for, including Threshold (no, still not that one), 24, and Terra Nova, as well as the two non-Trek movies he has contributed to, Mission: Impossible II and Freddy vs. Jason. And yes, we connect the dots to reveal how Brannon Braga is responsible for getting President Obama elected.

Braga Part 2: FlashForward.

Four years after the cancellation of Enterprise, Brannon Braga teamed with David S. Goyer, his producing partner on Threshold (no, not that one), to create a television series based on Robert J. Sawyer's novel, FlashForward. The series begins with a worldwide blackout, in which everyone on Earth sees two minutes of the future. The show was an obvious attempt by ABC to fill the gap created by the end of Lost. But unlike Damon Lindelof's hit, Braga's series lasted only one season.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Mike's wife, Melissa, to disect Brannon Braga's non-Trek show. We discuss the calculated attempt to make FlashForward the "next big thing," the differences between the series and the book, the cliffhanger ending, Braga's use of time travel, and how easy it would be to determine if what the characters saw was "the" future or "a" future.

Braga Part 1: Trek.

Brannon Braga has written more hours of Star Trek than anyone else in history. But despite being responsible for some of the best work the franchise has to offer, many fans tend to focus on his lesser works.

This week, Max and Mike begin a new series which looks at the work of Braga as a television creator. In Part 1, we’re joined by Josh Bradley of the Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy to talk about Braga’s work in Star Trek. We cover the Next Generation finale, “All Good Things…”, his two movies, Generations and First Contact, his work as  showrunner on Seasons Five and Six of Voyager, and his creation of the last Star Trek series, Enterprise. We also try to figure out why people hate “Threshold” so much.

Lindelof Part 4: Recap.

Since the end of Lost, Damon Lindelof has written two movies, with another two coming out this summer. After one more movie next year, he will return to the small screen for a new series on HBO.

This week, Mike and Max look back at Lindelof’s first two movies, Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens, and Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. We also look ahead at his next three, J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek Into Darkness, Marc Forster’s World War Z, and Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland, as well as his upcoming television series, The Leftovers, based on the novel by Tom Perrotta. 

Lindelof Part 3: Prometheus.

23 years after his groundbreaking film Alien, Ridley Scott returned to the beloved franchise with Prometheus. He hired Damon Lindelof to re-write Jon Spaihts’s original screenplay. With Lindelof, the movie became less of a prequel to Alien, and more of a standalone story inside of that universe.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Mehul to talk about Lindelof’s second feature film. We discuss whether or not Prometheus lived up to the expectations of Alien fans, its depiction of science, the differences between the Spaihts and Lindelof drafts of the screenplay, Scott’s influence over the writers, the intention behind distancing Prometheus from the rest of the franchise, and the career path that Scott has taken in later years.

Lindelof Part 2: Cowboys & Aliens.

Following the conclusion of his hit television series Lost in 2010, Damon Lindelof made the jump to the big screen in 2011 with Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens. The script, which was Lindelof’s first, was co-written with his Star Trek collaborators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. The film stars Daniel Craig as a wanted man in the old west who wakes up with an unusual piece of technology on his wrist, and no memory of who he is. Craig is forced to team up with a rancher, played by Harrison Ford, in order to fight an alien menace that has been abducting the town’s citizens.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by John Mills of Words with Nerds to talk about Lindelof’s debut screenplay, and how it relates to his career on the whole. We discuss how Lindelof’s collaborations compare to his solo work, what makes Harrison Ford’s movies so special, why the film did not live up to expectations, who is to blame for the movie’s failure, where Lindelof’s touch is visible in the film, how Lindelof’s movie work differs from his television work, and whether or not it’s reasonable to be disappointed by a movie called Cowboys & Aliens.

Lindelof Part 1: Trek.

In 2007, J.J. Abrams was handed the keys to the Star Trek franchise. He quickly assembled a “Supreme Court” of collaborators which included writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, executive producer Bryan Burk, and producer Damon Lindelof.

With Lindelof’s background as a television writer, most notably the creator of Lost, it was clear that his role on Star Trek would be a creative one. With Lost now behind him, Lindelof has joined Kurtzman and Orci as the franchise’s newest writer for Star Trek Into Darkness.

This week, Max and Mike begin a new series on Lindelof’s career as a movie writer. In Part 1, we are joined by Robert Reyes to look at Lindelof’s work in Trek. We discuss Lindelof’s time on Lost, Abrams’s reasons behind hiring Lindelof as a producer on Star Trek, whether or not the 2009 film lives up to the standards of the franchise, why the Lost team was chosen to reboot Trek, what our expectations are for Into Darkness, and of course, whether or not the new film’s villain is Khan.

Wilkerson Part 2: Houdini & Lovecraft, The Ghost Writer.

This week, Mike and Max are joined once again by Star Trek writer Ron Wilkerson to discuss his new novel, Houdini & Lovecraft, The Ghost Writer. In the book, the great illusionist Harry Houdini teams with the struggling writer H.P. Lovecraft to investigate a supposedly haunted house.

In this episode, Ron talks about the origins of the novel, creating a fictional dynamic between two real-life characters, the struggle of building interest in the book among Star Trek fans, working in the sci-fi horror genre, the inspiration of Lovecraft’s work on his own, his fascination with Houdini, the differences between writing for screenplays and novels, the new book he’s working on called Crossover, and the new television show he’s working on called Dreamland.

Wilkerson Part 1: Trek.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Star Trek writer Ron Wilkerson in the first of two very special episodes.

Ron has written seven hours of Star Trek, including “Imaginary Friend,” “Schisms,” “Lessons,” and “Lower Decks” for The Next Generation, and “Learning Curve,” “Fair Trade,” and “Ashes to Ashes” for Voyager. He has also written a new novel entitled Houdini & Lovecraft, The Ghost Writer, which is available on Amazon.com.

In this episode, Ron tells us about his work on Star Trek, including the origins of “Lessons,” building stories around pre-existing characters and elements, collaborating with other writers, having his scripts re-written by others and re-writing other people’s scripts himself, tackling the issue of Maquis integration, what his relationship was with Star Trek growing up, and what he thinks about the current incarnation of the franchise. We also discuss how it is perfectly reasonable to get the cheese to sickbay.

Meyer Part 8: Recap.

While Nicholas Meyer may be best known for his career in film, he is also a rather prolific author. Over the past seven weeks, Mike and Max have covered all six of Meyer’s novels, and this week we recap his writing career on the whole. We touch on each of his novels, including Target Practice, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The West End Horror, Black Orchid, Confessions of a Homing Pigeon, and The Canary Trainer, and try to draw some conclusions on his career on the whole. 

Meyer Part 7: The Canary Trainer.

After a twelve year hiatus, Nicholas Meyer returned to the medium of books for one last novel in 1993. Once again, he chose to tackle the character of Sherlock Holmes. The Canary Trainer looks at what happened to Holmes after The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, where we find him in Paris on the case of The Phantom of the Opera.  

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Augie Aleksy of Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Forest Park, Illinois, to discuss what Holmes was up to during The Great Hiatus, How Meyer fits his story inside of both Arthur Conan Doyle’s canon and Gaston Leroux’s novel, how the character of Holmes works without Watson, and how Meyer’s books encourage readers to seek out their source material.

Meyer Part 6: Confessions of a Homing Pigeon.

After a string of successful mystery and adventure books, Nicholas Meyer chose to tell a more personal story for his fifth novel, Confessions of a Homing Pigeon. The book is an autobiographical coming of age tale about George Bernini, an American boy who is sent to France to live with his alcoholic Uncle Fritz after his parents are killed in a trapeze accident.

This week, Mike and Max discuss the personal nature of the novel and how it deals with universal themes of adolescence, the reasons why Meyer felt compelled to tell this story, the similarities to Catcher in the Rye, how the book works as a road story, how this novel’s style differs from Meyer’s other novels, whether or not the book suffers from “The Dawson’s Creek Syndrome,” why the 14-year-old protagonist reminds Mike of Roy Scheider, what makes this book Meyer’s Driving Miss Daisy, and how the book is essentially the story of Robin the Boy Wonder gone wrong.

Meyer Part 5: Black Orchid.

In 1977, Nicholas Meyer teamed up with his University of Iowa classmate Barry Jay Kaplan to write his fourth novel, Black Orchid. The book was Meyer’s first attempt at something outside of the mystery genre, specifically historical fiction. It looks at the Brazilian Rubber Boom of the late Nineteenth Century, and the United Kingdom’s attempt to steal rubber seeds in the hopes of breaking up Brazil’s rubber monopoly.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Matt Rushing of Trek.fm’s Literary Treks and The Orb to discuss the book’s strengths and weaknesses, whether or not Kaplan’s influence hurt the overall work, the protagonist’s similarities to Indiana Jones, the real life history behind the fiction, the inherent drama of seed-stealing espionage, the finale’s similarities to the Battle of the Mutara Nebula, and why The Undiscovered County is the perfect title for Star Trek VI.

Meyer Part 4: The West End Horror.

Two years after the success of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Nicholas Meyer returned with his second Sherlock Holmes novel, The West End Horror. This time, Meyer chose to write a much more traditional Holmes adventure which features the detective investigating a murder set against the backdrop of the British theater scene of the late 19th century.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Tony Powers, a public librarian and Holmes aficionado, to discuss how Sherlockians compare to Trekkies, how Meyer’s books stack up against other Holmes pastiches, how the story is used to shed light on various historical characters of the era, the difficulties of simultaneously satisfying both the long-time fan and the newcomer, the passion of the Baker Street Irregulars, the work of Holmes scholar William Baring-Gould, and Meyer’s ability to stay true to source material while adapting it for a modern audience.

Meyer Part 3: The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.

Star Trek fans know Nicholas Meyer as the man who took a great franchise and made it even better. But prior to delving into the lives of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock, Meyer left his mark on another beloved fictional character: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Nicholas Meyer expert John Tenuto to look at Meyer’s first Holmes novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. We discuss the book as a piece of fan fiction, the idea of re-writing canon to make it work better, how the book stacks up against other expanded universe Holmes stories, Meyer’s ability to work within a pre-existing continuity, the similarities between this book and Meyer’s other works, Meyer’s fondness for pairing historical figures with fictional characters, the film adaptation, and the Undiscovered Country connection. We also touch on the possibility of Khan appearing in Into Darkness, and John reveals the premise for a very dark subplot which was cut from The Wrath of Khan.

Meyer Part 2: Target Practice.

1974 was a rather tumultuous year for the United States. Vietnam had just ended and Watergate had just begun. These events greatly affected young Americans such as 29-year-old Nicholas Meyer, who was beginning his career as a novelist.

This week, Mike and Max take a look at Meyer’s first novel, Target Practice. We discuss its use of time-tested detective fiction conventions, how it utilizes those conventions to tell a modern-day story, how it fits into Meyer’s overall career, whether or not it’s too straightforward, how it uses Watergate as a backdrop, how it looks at Vietnam from a civilian perspective, and whether or not it simplifies the issue of warfare’s psychological impact on veterans. We also analyze Meyer’s love for The Bridge on the River Kwai, and wonder if The Love Story Story is of Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion quality.

Meyer Part 1: Star Trek.

In an attempt to bring cohesion to the disparate concepts which would eventually make up the most revered film in franchise history, Harve Bennett hired relative newcomer Nicholas Meyer to re-write and direct Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. And so, the world of Trek would never be the same again. But before he saved our favorite franchise, Meyer had written a number of very successful books.

This week, Max and Mike begin a new series which will look at Nicholas Meyer’s career as a novelist. Over the next couple months, we will cover all six of his novels, including Target Practice, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The West End Horror, Black Orchid, Confessions of a Homing Pigeon, and The Canary Trainer.

But first, a look at his contribution to the world of Trek. In this episode, we discuss why getting an outsider to make The Wrath of Khan was a key to its success, how Meyer’s decision not to return for The Search for Spock, was the right one to make, the similarities between The Voyage Home and Meyer’s directorial debut, Time After Time, and how The Undiscovered Country is allegory done right.

Roddenberry Part 8: Recap.

Gene Roddenberry is obviously best known as the creator of Star Trek. But over the course of his career, he created numerous other television series—most of which never made it past the pilot stage.

This week, Mike and Max conclude their look at Gene Roddenberry as a television creator with a recap of his career. We take a look back at all of his shows, including The Lieutenant, Star Trek: The Original Series, Assignment: Earth, Genesis II, Star Trek: The Animated Series, The Questor Tapes, Spectre, Star Trek: Phase II, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Earth: Final Conflict, and finally, Andromeda, in an attempt to draw some conclusions on his body of work overall.

Roddenberry Part 7: Andromeda.

With the relative success of Earth: Final Conflict, the Roddenberry estate, along with Tribune Entertainment, began production on a second series based on Gene Roddenberry’s unused concepts. Andromeda was developed by Deep Space Nine writer Robert Hewitt Wolf in 2000, and lasted five seasons in syndication. It starred Kevin Sorbo as Dylan Hunt, the Captain of the starship Andromeda, and featured many elements which had originally been tested by Roddenberry in Genesis II.

This week, Max and Mike are once again joined by Colin of Trek News and Views to cover the final series created by Gene Roddenberry. We discuss which elements originated from Roddenberry and which ones came from Wolfe, whether or not the budgetary limitations were a hindrance, the reasons for Wolfe’s departure from the show, the casting of Sorbo, the Jason X connection, Captain Hunt’s superpowers, the post-Wolfe era’s lack of direction, and whether or not Roddenberry would have created the show himself.

Roddenberry Part 6: Earth: Final Conflict.

Six years after Gene Roddenberry’s death, the first of two shows based on his concepts was produced. Earth: Final Conflict dealt with a futuristic society in which aliens, seeking refuge on Earth, share their advanced technology with humanity.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Colin, the host of Trek News and Views, to cover the posthumous work of Gene Roddenberry as a television creator. We discuss the show’s ever-changing premise, its ever-changing cast, its unrealized potential, the proposed spinoff, the head writer’s other work, how much of the concept was Roddenberry’s, and whether or not he would have made the show himself.

Roddenberry Part 4: Genesis II.

Throughout the 1970’s, Gene Roddenberry developed numerous pilots which never went to series. The first of these was Genesis II, starring Alex Cord, about a scientist who wakes up from suspended animation to find a post-apocalyptic future.

In this week’s episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max take a look at Genesis II as well as its revised pilot, “Planet Earth.” We discuss the show’s similarities to other science fiction of the time period, the portrayal of the main character, the other incarnations of the concept, and the awesomeness of Percy Rodriguez’s voice.

Roddenberry Part 3: Assignment: Earth.

After two seasons on the air, the cancellation of Star Trek seemed to be inevitable. In order to hedge his bets, Gene Roddenberry designed the probable series finale to be a backdoor pilot for a new show entitled Assignment: Earth.

This week, Max and Mike are joined by Trek.fm’s TOS editor Drew Stewart to discuss what “Assignment: Earth” is and what it would have been, how it differs from Trek’s portrayal of Roddenberry’s world view, how it worked as a self-contained pilot and as an episode of Star Trek, and whether or not season one of Assignment: Earth would have been preferable to season three of Star Trek.

Roddenberry Part 2: The Lieutenant.

Star Trek is not the only show to be created by Gene Roddenberry. Three years prior, Gary Lockwood (aka Gary Mitchell) starred as The Lieutenant in Gene Roddenberry’s debut series about a U.S. Marine Corps officer serving during peace time.

This week, Mike and Max examine an episode which features numerous Trek cast and crew members (including Leonard Nimoy) in an attempt to determine what the series on the whole was like. We discuss what makes The Lieutenant different from other military shows, how those differences reflect Roddenberry’s world view, how the Vietnam War killed the show, what the similarities are between The Lieutenant and Star Trek, and how the failure of The Lieutenant may have shaped Star Trek into the show it would eventually become. We also examine the landscape of television in the early ’60s and debate whether or not “Mitchell” is the best episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Roddenberry Part 1: Star Trek.

This week, Max and Mike begin a series which looks at the career of Gene Roddenberry as a television creator. Part 1 examines Roddenberry’s work in Star Trek. We discuss the impact that The Original Series had on the medium, the mystery of why The Animated Series didn’t work at all, what The Motion Picture tells us about how Phase II would’ve been, and how Roddenberry’s take on The Next Generation has influenced the franchise since his death. So grab a cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot, and settle in for half an hour of semi-entertaining musings.

The World Beyond Star Trek.

Welcome to the very first episode of Commentary: Trek Stars! Join Mike and Max of Commentary Track Stars (get it?) as they take a look at the work of Star Trek creators outside of Trek. In this episode, we tell you who we are and what you can expect from the show. Enjoy!