Saturday Morning Trek: A Podcast About Star Trek In The 1970s

Kerry O’Quinn Interview. To say that Kerry O’Quinn had an impact on sci-fi fans of the ‘70s and ’80s is like saying Gene Roddenberry may have had some influence on television. Starting in another genre—soap operas—Kerry and his partner built a publishing powerhouse and expanded to magazines like Cinematic, Future Life, Starlog, and Fangoria, which is still being published today. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, host Aaron Harvey is joined by O’Quinn to share how he was writing a blog before there was such a thing, how he brought Star Trek and Star Wars together, and why so many people told him he was going to hell. Maybe he will run into Lucien there! Friend, Kerry! Chapters Intro (00:00:00) News (00:02:04) A Blog before Blogs (00:02:48) Future Life Magazine (00:04:39) Outsider Culture (00:06:12) Soap Opera Magazines (00:10:44) Not for Women Only Segment (00:11:57) Gene and George Star Trek Wars (00:15:52) Star Wars 10th Anniversary (00:17:34) Starlog Commercial (00:22:53) Creating Fangoria (00:25:05

Once Upon a Planet. The Enterprise crew revisits the fondly remembered "amusement park" planet, hoping for some rest and relaxation—which of course turns into kidnapping and the near destruction of the ship. Filmation has always had a bad reputation for sloppy animation and stilted storytelling. Unfortunately, we my have found one of the episodes where this is somewhat deserved. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, hosts Aaron Harvey and Adam Drosin talk the pros and cons of this animated sequel to "Shore Leave," and take you on a Journey from Star Trek to Isis (no, not that one) to Baywatch Nights. Yes, Baywatch Nights! Kirk gets to talk down a computer, Uhura sings, and Sulu is in two places at once. Grab your two-headed dragon and join the fun! Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Welcome (00:01:03) Synopsis (00:03:13) Monster Cereal Commercial (00:05:37) Airdate, Writers and Voices (00:06:06) Baywatch Nights...no really! (00:11:43) Isis and Shazam! Intros (00:15:50) Reaction to "Once Upon a Planet" (00:17:56) S

Star Trek: The Classic UK Comics, Vol. 1. When you think of Star Trek comics of the 1970s, the Gold Key comics, the comics that promoted Star Trek: The Motion Picture on the side of McDonald's Happy Meals, or the weekly newspaper strips may come to mind. But if you're from the UK, adventures from the pages of TV 21 and Joe 90 probably trump them all. Six months before the original Star Trek TV series premiered in England, British readers were introduced to the characters through an original comic book series. These stories were serialized, generally 2–3 pages in length, and appeared in 257 weekly magazines spanning five years and 37 storylines. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, we're joined by Rich Handley to discuss the these psychedelic 1970s voyages. Rich is the man who undertook the Herculean task of compiling the 244-page tome. We explore the experience of delving into obscure cartoons and the nitty gritty of scanning 45-year-old newspapers to create a coffee table-quality book. Take a peek at th

Conventions in the 1970s. Convention season is officially upon us. Among the gatherings that await fans are Comic-Con International in San Diego, Star Trek Las Vegas, the gaming convention Gen Con in Indianapolis, Atlanta's Dragon Con, New York Comic Con, Mission New York by ReedPOP and CBS … and the list goes on and on. Today, pop-culture conventions of all kinds are commonplace; but in the 1970s they were new and different. These conventions weren't sponsored by financial entertainment juggernauts. Instead, they were organized by superfans—and in the case of Star Trek they had a secondary agenda: to keep the series alive! The phrase "Star Trek Lives!" was used on flyers advertising the first big Trek convention, held in New York City in 1972. It was also part of the Star Trek revival campaign undertaken by fans in the early 1970s. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, host Aaron Harvey explores the early Star Trek conventions and see how they became the template for today's cons. Chapters Intro (00:00:0

Star Trek: Planet of the Titans. When Bryan Fuller revealed the ship for the new television series, Star Trek: Discovery, it looked familiar; but not in the way you'd think. Only seven months after The Animated Series was canceled, Gene Roddenberry was back at Paramount working on something new: a Star Trek movie. The project died in development, but a year later he was piecing together another concept. For a big-screen adventure, you need a big-screen Enterprise. So he recruited Ken Adam, who designed the classic villains' lair in Goldfinger and Thunderball—as well as the war room in Dr. Strangelove, and illustrator Ralph McQuarrie, who was fresh off the soon-to-be-released Star Wars. What they created was a unique design that never got to be the hero it was meant to be. But now this design gets a second chance at life in Star Trek: Discovery. In this special bite-sized Saturday Morning Trek, join host Aaron Harvey on a quick journey down the road not taken … to a movie never made … Star Trek: Planet of the

The Magicks of Megas-Tu. The Enterprise takes a jaunt to the center of the galaxy to see what might still be happening at the point of the Big Bang. Soon after, the crew apparently parts ways with science. They find an energy–matter whirlwind and a fireworks display that rivals those of the US Bicentennial celebrations. Spock draws a pentagram on the floor, Sulu conjures up a woman, Kirk shoots magic lightning beams out of his hands, and a guy that's not Q puts humanity on trial. Oh, and did we mention Lucifer is there? In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek—the first to feature new co-host Adam Drosin—we dive into "The Magicks of Megas-Tu," one of the strangest, most transgressive bits of Star Trek ever committed to film. We discuss everything from Jacques Tati's gloriously choreographed, nearly wordless movie about confusion in the age of technology to English occultist author and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, as well as TV broadcast standards and the obsession with red, white and blue in the 1970

Interview with Dorothy Fontana. A television writer since the early 1960s, Dorothy "D.C." Fontana was the personal assistant to Gene Roddenberry. It was through this role that she became a prominent creative force behind Star Trek. Dorothy had a large part in developing the character of Spock and his family in her story "Journey to Babel," and is also responsible for many other classic episode of The Original Series. She continued her ties to Star Trek when she signed on to Star Trek: The Animated Series in 1973, for which she became story editor and associate producer. And along the way, she deepened Spock's backstory in her script for the most famous TAS episode of all: "Yesteryear." In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, none other than Dorothy herself drops by the Trek.fm wood-paneled den. We discuss the fan reaction to the announcement of an animated series, how a writers strike actually improved the quality of the scripts, and how she brought a strong female voice to other '70s shows like The Six Mil

The Infinite Vulcan. On the planet Phylos, the Enterprise crew encounters a geneticist from the Eugenics Wars in the form of a clone. A giant clone. And he wants to duplicate Spock in his own image as part of a plan to create a galactic peacekeeping force. What could possibly go wrong? On this planet of sentient foliage, Kirk and crew must dodge purple plants that look like tribbles on stilts, flying dragon plants with springs instead of legs, and shields that nearly drain the dilithium crystals—all in an effort to save Spock! In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, we're joined by Andi VanderKolk as we try and weed through this giggle-worthy episode to find the katra at the center: What happens to a warrior who becomes obsolete in an age of peace? We also ponder how can we bring The Animated Series back into the fold in this new age of Star Trek. Saturday Morning Trek would also like to welcome aboard Mike Bovia, our second associate producer! Want to become a patron of the network yourself? Just go to www

The Survivor. When the Enterprise rescues a one-man ship on the edge of the Romulan Neutral Zone, the crew is shocked to discover that the ship is registered to Carter Winston, a famous philanthropist who has been missing for five years. Even more shocked is his fianceé, Anne, a security officer aboard the Enterprise. How would you react if your long lost fiancé returned to you … and then said he can’t marry you? Ever. Oh yeah, and he’s an alien. And the human he is impersonating is rich—rich in a culture with no money. Those are just some of the issues tackled in “The Survivor.” In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, the wood-paneled den gets a visit from Andi VanderKolk of Women at Warp as we tackle this installment of The Animated Series. Chapters Intro and Beyond! (00:01:53) Synopsis (00:08:00) Air Date and Writer (00:9:53) Voices (00:10:12) Blame It on Lt. Kyle (00:14:31) Vendorians, Romulans, and Bad Command Decisions (00:16:00) Rewriting Legends (00:34:51) The Flash Cartoon with Ted Knight (00:36:15

More Tribbles, More Troubles. What happens when you feed a Tribble? If you said you get lots of little Tribbles, this time you'd be wrong! Revisit the world of prodigiously multiplying furry creatures in animated sequel to “The Trouble with Tribbles.” In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser remember a time when you couldn't find the episode you wanted with just a click of a button, making “More Tribbles, More Troubles” less of a beat-for-beat rehash and more of a fun revisit of newly classic Trek. Cyrano Jones returns, Koloth faces Kirk in battle—despite Jadzia’s claims otherwise—and we see the evolution of Klingon weapons. We also discuss the merits of … green shirts? That's right, Anovos has announced TAS-inspired retro Starfleet uniform shirts—that even come in green! Chapters Intro (00:02:46) I Knew You Were Tribble When You Walked In (00:5:19) Synopsis (00:07:25) Airdate and Writer (00:10:18) Kids are Tribble (00:10:31) Tribble Seeing Color (00:13:31) Voices (00:14:08) Me

The Lorelei Signal. What happens when the Enterprise visits a planet populated entirely by women? All of the men lose the ability to think straight … because it's the '70s, you know. Thankfully Uhura and Nurse Chapel are ready to take command. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, Aaron Harvey is joined Women at Warp co-host Sue Kisenwether to discuss this story that sees Lieutenant Uhura taking the captain's chair, Christine Chapel being promoted to chief medical officer, and features 30 seconds of Scotty singing an unintelligible Welsh ballad. Plus, there are young, long-haired blondes in low-cut pantsuits who suck the life-force out of the men by juggling gems! Could this be the "Spock's Brain" of The Animated Series? Join Aaron and Sue as they stun first and ask questions later! Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Synopsis (00:02:18) Commercial: Mego Action Figures (00:05:50) Airdate and Writer (00:06:41) Legend of The Lorelei/Siren Song (00:08:42) Voices (00:10:43) Aaron's and Sue's Reactions (00:12:23) Commer

Andy Mangels Interview, Part 2. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, Aaron Harvey is joined once again by Andy Mangels, co-author of Lou Scheimer: Creating The Filmation Generation, for a continuing journey behind the scenes of Star Trek: The Animated Series. We learn more about Lou Scheimer, the man behind Filmation Associates, find out that fans are pretty much the same today as they were in the 1970s, and what not to do if you're nominated for an Emmy. ChaptersIntro (00:00:00) TAS Fan Reaction (00:02:23) Gene Roddenberry and Filmation (00:05:20) TAS Debut (00:07:51) Season 1 (00:10:03) Licensing (00:11:24) Mego Toy Commercial (00:18:00) Audience and Ratings (00:19:11) The Music of TAS (00:20:51) Season 2 (00:24:36) Gene Roddenberry and The Animated Series (00:32:43) Star Trek's Emmy Win (00:35:15) Other Filmation Work (00:41:25) TAS's Legacy (00:44:50) HostAaron Harvey GuestAndy Mangels ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Produce

Andy Mangels Interview, Part 1. Tun-Tun, Stormy, Ploof, and Steve the Vulcan. These are names every child of the late '60s and early '70s would have known if the first attempt to create an animated Star Trek show had succeeded. But as history would have it, the pencil-and-ink voyages of the USS Enterprise would take another course. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, Aaron Harvey is joined by Andy Mangels, co-author of Lou Scheimer: Creating The Filmation Generation, for a journey into what might have been. Andy shares with us the real-life story behind the animated series we did get, and also helps us get to know Lou Scheimer, the man behind Filmation Productions. It's thanks to Scheimer that Filmation became the powerhouse animation company that produced everything from the first Superman cartoon to appear on TV to the '80s icon He-Man! ChaptersIntro (00:00:00) Toy Commercial (00:01:41) Discovering TAS (00:02:39) Writing the Book on Filmation (00:05:14) Getting to know Lou (07:02.52) How Filmation Cha

One of Our Planets Is Missing. What happens when the Enterprise encounters a living cloud that feeds on the planets that lie in its path? Spock uses a Vulcan mind touch to communicate with the entity, of course! And thanks to his Vulcan persuasion, he convinces it that killing sentient life is not good and nudges it back to its place of origin. Day saved! In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, hosts Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser review this animated adventure that follows all the tenants of a good TOS episode. The crew puts their best foot forward offering solutions to the problem at hand, revisits a friend from Kirk's past, and shows off a part of the ship we've never seen before! In other news, there actually is news about The Animated Series just in time for the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek, and we will you in on why it might make you feel Blu. Plus, we hear a very special story from one of our listeners about how "Yesteryear" affected her childhood. ChaptersTAS News (00:03:24) Mego Commercial (00:10:0

Yesteryear. Sarek, Amanda, Vulcan, sehlats, The Guardian of Forever, taunting Vulcan children. This famous episode of TAS has it all, and stretches back to TOS with ramifications that affect the future and even alternate timelines. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, hosts Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser are joined by Melodic Trek's Brandon-Shea Mutala to discuss the quintessential TAS episode "Yesteryear," in which Spock must travel back in time to his childhood to keep his younger self from dying. In the process, he sets into motion a chain of events that lead to his being replaced on the Enterprise by an Andorian—and giving future writers numerous gems to work with in the process. We also discuss the recording sessions, the fan-inspired sehlat design, the consequences of time travel, and the the many, many ways this episode cements The Animated Series as Star Trek canon. So after you've watched "The Door to Winter" from Season Six of Enterprise, join us as we explore Spock's childhood and the dawn of t

Recasting The Animated Series. You need to be careful when choosing a crew for a starship, especially when that crew comprises cartoon characters! In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, hosts Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser travel down Animated Memory Lane to compare notes on their ideal starship crews—if they were comprised of 1970s and 1990s cartoon characters! Find out who they choose to fill the roles of captain, first officer, navigator and helmsman, science officer, head of security, communications officer, chief engineer, and doctor. Oh … and a few redshirts and a ship mascot or two. ChaptersThe SuperCrew Challenge (00:01:21)Captain (00:02:49)First Officer (00:05:51)Navigator and Helmsman (00:11:36)Science Officer (00:19:13)Head of Security (00:23:19)Communications Officer (00:27:45)Chief Engineer (00:31:18)Doctor (00:35:17)Redshirt (00:40:00)Ship Mascot (00:42:53)Final Thoughts (00:46:57) HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer

Beyond The Farthest Star. In every explorer’s life, there comes a time when they become animated. Literally. And that time has come for Kirk and his crew. It's time to board the cartoon Enterprise and investigate the severe hypergravitational effects coming from Questar M-17! In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, hosts Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser return from jumping the timeline and review the very first episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series, “Beyond the Farthest Star.” What was the reaction to the show back in the 1970s? Does it still hold up today? What is the connection between this episode and Tarzan? Strap on your lifebelts, take the second turbolift, and join them at the transporter pad to find out! ChaptersSynopsis (00:03:12)Skylab Launch News (00:05:39)Airdates and Story Inspiration (00:06:58)Voices and Guest Characters (00:09:48) Music (00:11:46)Darren's and Aaron’s Reaction (00:12:21)Admiration for the Alien Pod Ship (00:17:18)Keenser, Is That You? (00:20:28)Reaction in the 1970s (00:21:45

Walter Koenig Interview. You might think that Pavel Chekov never appeared on Star Trek: The Animated Series—and you would be right. But Walter wrote the seventh episode of TAS's first season, "The Infinite Vulcan." Want to know more about that? Well, we're honored to welcome Walter Koenig (pronounced "KAY-nig"), Star Trek's original Chekov, to tell you about it first-hand as our very first guest. In this episode of Saturday Morning Trek, Aaron and Darren sit down in the Trek.fm wood-paneled den (literally!) and talk with Walter about writing for TAS, how he found out he wouldn't be on the show, and where he got the inspiration for the episode he wrote. We also delve deeper into his writing for television, a proposed story for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the world of comic books. Plus, Walter talks a bit about his time on Babylon 5, what kind of input he had on his character as a writer, and celebrates the 50th anniversary of Star Trek by sharing some of his many endeavors. ChaptersSummary of "The Infi

Premier Episode. Welcome to the premier episode of Trek.fm's new podcast, Saturday Morning Trek—a show about Star Trek: The Animated Series and all things Trek in the 1970s. In this episode, hosts Aaron Harvey and Darren Moser discuss their plans for the podcast and some of the upcoming topics, such as the rise of convention culture, Phase II, Planet of the Titans, Mego toys, and more. Find out who spearheaded The Animated Series on both the Filmation and Roddenberry side as Aaron shares an overview of the history of Filmation. Darren and Aaron also share how they first encountered TAS and the challenges of proving the show existed in the era before the internet. Plus, does D.C. Fontana views TAS as canon? ChaptersShow Format (00:01:49)Trek in the 1970s (00:02:38)Trek Continuity and TAS (00:07:11)Filmation History and Star Trek (00:08:09)TAS Cast, Characters, and Stories (00:11:51)Kids and Culture (00:15:56)Commercial Break: The Star Trekulator (00:17:03)Aaron's and Darren's First TAS Experiences (00:17:39) H