150: I Remember You Without a Beard

Launching TNG with Mission Log. Few creators get a second change to explore their original vision. Gene Roddenberry got such a chance with The Next Generation twenty-one years after the original Star Trek first aired. TNG’s pilot "Encounter at Farpoint" is a restatement of Gene's utopian ideas, which are challenged by Q. But, of course, these ideas evolved a bit over the course of two decades. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by John Champion and Ken Ray of Mission Log: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast, who are preparing to launch into TNG on their show. We talk about the transition from TOS to TNG as a platform for Gene's message, impressions of the new ship and crew, twenty-fourth-century technology, meeting Q for the first time, "Encounter at Farpoint," and more. In our news segment we look at Star Trek events at San Diego Comic-Con, discuss the real status of Roberto Orci as director of the next film, and reveal our picks for the best engineering set. News San Diego Comic-Con Star Trek events (3:22) Prelude to Axanar premieres at San Diego Comic-Con (11:34) And the best Star Trek engineering set is… (13:50) Is Orci directing Star Trek 3 or not? (23:59) Sponsor: Audible (30:05) Feature: Launching TNG and Encounter at Farpoint with Mission Log Impressions of TNG (33:19) The Tone of The Next Generation (41:55) The 1701-D and Visions of the Future (51:51) The TNG Characters (57:40) Meeting Q for the Very First Time (1:07:04) 24th-century Technology (1:19:24) Final Thoughts (1:28:13) Mission Log Podcast's Plans for TNG (1:31:35) Closing (1:37:46)