Of COURSE this news breaks as I am packing for SoonerCon, and doing a Portal 47 guest show on the road… but I have a word or two (below). But between last week’s showrunner firing on Discovery and Alex Kurtzman’s new deal in takign solo control of DSC, with sources running amok with unconfirmed but plentiful stories about new Trek …
Goin’ home: The Trekland train is pullin’ into OKC’s SoonerCon station June 22-24
If it’s June, as I have been lucky enough to be honored, it must be time for my annual trek back “home-home” to OKC and the ever-growin’ SoonerCon 27, con of my birth and site of my hosting-guesting roots. (Including my emcee of the 3rd annual “SoonerCon@Midnight: Worst Book Ever” author-audience spectacle!) Plus: this year, a good ol’ Portal 47 …
19 years ago, we lost DeForest Kelley
As you longtime Treklanders know, I always like to mark DeForest Kelley‘s birthday… his passing date, not so much. Even though I always stop to think about it. But June 11 is a bittersweet Trek date in a month that is otherwise filled with happy ones, like movie premiere and finale anniversaries. As a kid, long before any bloody A,B, …
Coming to L.A.’s WhedonCon Saturday? Amid the Joss-ery, I’ll be bringing Trek!
I mean, really. I find Trek peeps at a Who con every year … why not Joss Whedon’s fandom? So yeah— look for a little Star Trek in the ‘Verse this Saturday! It’s a Trek oasis at fan-run WhedonCon. Will anybody need a drink? I came across WhedonCon’s open-ended focus beyond its namesake thanks to my friend and The Con …
Portal 47’s Spring Open House May 16 with makeup great Mike Westmore
Once again, Portal 47 is going to crank open the hangar bay doors and share our monthly guest Telebriefing experience highlight with everybody who wants to come —this time, with the incredible Oscar- and Emmies-winning makeup legend Michael Westmore. The free, global and virtual event is Wednesday, May 16 from 7-8 pm Pacific — a mix of interview chat from …
QUICK TAKES on that new Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 sneak peek trailer
Are you breathing a little easier yet? With filming into a second week in Toronto, a new BTS Discovery Season 2 peek dropped today (see it here, below the fold). Yes, you see new sets being built (the two-story Klingon monstrosity is gone to salvaged “fold and hold,” so there’s gobs of new room for new Starfleet sets — mainstream, …
Off to WonderCon: On the hunt for Discovery-First Fans—and a P47 brief-up!
I’ve been talking here and there around the Interwebs lately of my big mission this year: To find and talk with new fans who came to the Trek family via Discovery only—Discovery First Fans! —without bridging over or carrying baggage from any prior Trek.* And my first chance is Anaheim’s WonderCon, the “little brother” to sprawling San Diego Comic-Con. —At …
STV: Olivia d’Abo brims with Trek cred, recalling her time as ‘True Q’ Amanda
So many interviews in the can— here’s another with the smart and sexy Olivia d’Abo, sharing the latest about her podcast, her music, her acting process and of course, oiur Trekland connection: Amanda Rogers from TNG‘s “True Q.” I had the great chance to sit down with her just a few minutes to recall those days— back in 1993!— when …
LAlert: For TNG-style narrative improv, “The Improvised Generation” launches Season 4
The crew of the USS McGinley is back for Season 4! And I caught a pre-launch visit with four of them (video below) . Yes, if you’re in SoCal on a Saturday night anytime from March 3 through April 28, you’d better grab a ticket early. Otherwise, come 9:15 pm you might not have a seat for the next …
‘Who’ needs a little Star Trek? THEY sure do, at Gallifrey One in LA this weekend
I know it’s a sold-out convention — always is. Gallifrey One near LAX in LA is a mini-version of San Diego Comic-Con, selling out minutes after tickets open each fall. But poobah Shaun Lyon always has me and other Trek events on hand, because “Who fans have more than one fandom!” And they do! The 29th annual Gallifrey One has …
The “lost” TNG premise that got Gene back: this week’s amazing ‘The Trek Files’
All right— I admit it. I’ve been doing so much talking lately out loud that my blogging and word-bits have fallen off. And that little Discovery finale hoopla kinda took up a lot of bandwidth this week to start. But I really, really hope you ALL get a load of what we found in Gene’s archives for the fourth episode …
‘The Trek Files’ Roddenberry podcast is here: Listen, and get a ‘launch party’ gift!
We announced it at SDCC, I’ve been teasing it all over the place.. and today it’s finally here: THE TREK FILES! (Don’t miss the “launch party invitation,” below) Maybe you have seen or heard the news all over the global Trekverse already, but The Trek Files is my new 15-minute downloadable podcast each Tuesday, right from Roddenberry Podcast Network, as …
Happy birthday, De — 98 is nothing!
Happy birthday, De! As I have done ever since I started Trekland: The Blog, I don’t allow January 20 to pass without a remembrance for my first real Star Trek “favorite” every year on his birthday: Jackson DeForest Kelley, BTD in 1920. Which mean, I guess, this is my TENTH nod to DFK on his day. Wow. I’ve said and …
No, I Am Not Making This Up. Again.
No amount of either lying or birthday cake will ever change this for me, on this day. Just as when I first realized it….five years ago. And I’ve never even set foot at Pomona College.
Five years ago today, it all began: the full-length run of Star Trek Continues
In the midst of anniversary season, I want to make sure to add this: Five years ago today —on three weeks’ notice, then after a fog-delayed plane and an unplanned three-hour rental car ride— THIS happened (above). Cameras rolled on Day 1 on “Pilgrim of Eternity,” and I was plunged into a completely new “family” and experience that simply blew …
RIP Jon Steuer, the original ‘Alexander’; two crowdfunds allow fans to help
Portland music fans and friends are reeling from the unexpected death Jan. 1 of rocker-restarateur Jon Steuer, 33, known to Trekland as the young actor who at age 6 first played Worf’s son Alexander Rozhenko, in TNG‘s “Reunion.” After his appearance, TNG‘s producers wanted a slightly older actor to handle the role a year later in a more ongoing basis, …
Happy 25th, Deep Space Nine! I recall when you didn’t have the last laugh
Break out the silver-pressed latinum! It’s the 25th anniversary of Deep Space Nine—the original “darker and grittier” Star Trek. You’ll all be wading through accolades all day and all week about this time from 1993, I know. And as always, I might even point out its anniversary as June 29, 1992, the date of its first writer’s guide, or even …
From Trekland to you, a happy new year—and a secret bonus reminder
Just a short video note, as you scamper off to your New Year’s Eve shenanigans, in case you missed it on Trekland Facebook. (UPDATE: For busy regular Trekland viewers and readers just back on the grid, the Portal 47 offer I mentioned has been pushed back to midnight FRIDAY, Jan. 5.) It’s exciting times in Trek again, a crossroads of …
Happy 50th to all the tribbles—prrr!—with a witness to their longevity
So, it’s been 50 years since “The Trouble With Tribbles” first purred and multiplied their way across a TV screen—and no, I was not there to see it.* I was a rerun baby, remember? It’s remarkable as an outing of original Trek, or any entry of the successors, to show how Star Trek’s classic crew-and-mission format could do comedy (as …
More reasons to gift or get into Portal 47—and win an Enterprise DVD set, too
I almost forgot to spread the word to get this up in time! Tuesday, Dec. 19 IS the mail deadline for Christmas delivery— if you care about that—for the Beam-In Bonus for Portal 47. If you missed the Cyber Monday special, no worries— this is sweeter with a piece from Gene, and a chance at a DVD set! Apart from …
When it comes to Portal 47, one day is too short for Cyber Monday—so add two!
So, my emergency computer reshuffle over Thanksgiving (how was your holiday?) delayed all the grand plans I had for Cyber Monday this year in Portal 47. I mean, what better day for offering extras to join something like our high-tech Trek mini-con all year long? In truth, I only have a big enrollment push around our Anniversary Open House tie …
Happy Thanksgiving! With new dressing for the original old bird of Star Trek
And no, I don’t mean the Great Bird of the Galaxy—though I don’t blame you for going there first. I’m talking about this funky little number I whipped up especially for today… here in Trekland, remembering how Star Trek originally was glimpsed to NBC viewers … because I too am thankful for all we have, what a growing year of …
LA ALERT: Star Trek Continues’ finale sneak peek and cast/crew panel Sunday
SoCal Treklanders, I almost forgot to let you know: This weekend is Stan Lee’s LA Comic Con (formerly Comikazee) downtown, already in progress! I won’t be paneling or guesting per se, but I will be there at 3 pm Sunday to be a part of history with my peeps: A sneak peek and panel for the FINAL episode of a …
TODAY IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF “THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE” DEBUT, Y’ALL
Drama, pathos, sister ships, most visual effects ever, a bittersweet tragic hero of such gravitas in a bravura ballsy performance rivaled only by Ricardo Montalban’s Khan, a Top Five (Top Two?) Best McCoy Scene Ever in the series, and best score ever and Jaws’ ripoff, er, inspiration. And THAT is why “The Doomsday Machine” by Norman Spinrad, guest starring William …
STV: Meet David Mack, NYT best-seller who pioneered the first Discovery novel
I’ve known David Mack for years long-distance until we can meet-up at cons and such, but what an honor for him to be chosen the first author of a new Trek series’ original novel, Desperate Hours, which went on sale two days after Discovery‘s US premiere. Especially this time, since Discovery is pioneering a closer connection than ever before between …
Happy birthday TNG—A look back at 30, just as the new kid on the block takes off
It’s officially The Next Generation‘s 30th birthday today, counting its on-air premiere—even as, we always say, it actually “premiered” across a whole week until Oct. 4, Monday through Sunday, in various markets. And later to the rest of the world, of course. I said as much on TNG‘s 25th anniversary —and wow, look: we’ve been in the Blog Era that …
After 12 years, the Fallow Times are finally over—and check the visual irony
It hit me last night: the irony imagery is amazing—intentional or not. Those of you who’ve read or listened in Trekland lo these many years since 2005 have often heard me talk about The Fallow Times of no Trek since Enterprise‘s demise. (Yeah, yeah the JJ movies—but I mean real Trek: that is, episodic TV Trek.) On many podcasts or …
I’m back to Salt Lake City with such great fans: SLCC is just in time for Discovery!
Salt Lake Comic Con has become one of my favorites the past few years— laid-back, accessible, and very friendly to me and all things Trekland, as well as Trek! The Trek fan community via all the ship crews of the Seventh Fleet is so huge and welcoming —and this year is no exception. I’m exciting to both be bringing the …
Happy 51, Star Trek—and Discovery’s shoutout makes even more media history
Yes, just as we always do: Happy birthday, Star Trek— you look great for 51! We wondered about topping the Big 5-0 last year, and nothing will ever compare—but what just hit me today, after a bit of reflection, really hit home. And it deserves more than a Facebook post. CBS released a new video of many of the Discovery …
From blogs to Facebook LIVE—are you catching my comments every Tuesday?
You may have noticed a lot fewer blog posts here recently—but no, I’m hardly giving it up. The blog is still a good way to keep you up on what Star Trek projects I’m doing or where I’ll be… even though other events do get intrusive, and distractions pull me away. But to fight that time crunch more efficiently and …
LA Alert! This SUNDAY join me, Gene Coon protege Andreea Kindryd—and The Improvised Generation
Save the date, SoCal Trekland: I am so excited for our first Trekland/Portal 47 production! THIS SUNDAY at 6 pm in Los Feliz, I get to present an unheralded witness to little-known Desilu Trek and ’60s history— live, and partnered with an incredibly talented pro Trek improv troupe… with hosted after-show meet-n-greet photo opps! But hurry—it’s only 45 seats (see …
Hey, Greater Detroit: #Trek2Michigan is back in a library near you THIS week
Things have been so busy in Trekland I have neglected to let our Michigan friends know I was in their backyard this week—at cozy, nearby and free public libraries, just like last summer. Trek2Michigan II is going on tonight and tomorrow night, Aug. 15 and 16, at two of Greater Detroit’s fine public libraries. If you are in the lower …