Saturday Morning Trek: A Podcast About Star Trek in the 1970s

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) Commercial: Parker Brothers' Careers (00:20:26) More Reactions (00:20:58) Bloopers (00:29:01) Trek Tech and Continuity (00:31:17)

Host Aaron Harvey

Guest Sue Kisenwether

Production Aaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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 Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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 Changed Saturday Morning TV (00:09:40) Filmation Design (00:14:12) Kids and Educational TV (00:16:37) The Aborted Animated Series (00:18:34) NBC Saturday Morning Revue (00:25:55) TAS Joins NBC on Saturday Morning (00:26:45) The TAS Budget (00:38:52)

HostAaron Harvey

GuestAndy Mangels

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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 (00:10:07) Episode Synopsis (00:10:48) Airdates and Writing Credits (00:12:48) Episode Reaction (00:15:10) Cloud Creature Design (00:20:12) Star Trek Continuity (00:33:49 ) TAS Tech (00:35:06) Bloopers (00:38:17) Listener Feedback (00:44:03)

HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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 the Orion civilization.

ChaptersMego Commercial (00:04:34) Episode Synopsis (00:05:05) Airdates & Production Order (00:07:49) Dorothy Fontana (00:09:27) Guest Voices and Recording Sessions (00:10:21) Episode Reaction (00:14:35) Sehlat Design (00:30:11) Star Trek Canon (00:31:36) TAS Tech (00:35:40) Listener Challenge (00:37:53) Bloopers (00:40:47) Mego Commercial (00:44:02) Lessons Learned (00:44:34)

HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser

GuestBrandon-Shea Mutala

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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)Trek Tech (00:24:51)Animation Bloopers (00:28:25)

HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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 Infinite Vulcan" (00:02:25)Walter Koenig Getting Started in Writing (00:03:25)Writing for TV (00:06:46)Walter's Post-TOS Life (00:09:18)Writing for The Animated Series (00:14:22)Finds Out He Wasn't on TAS (00:19:30)Walter's Aborted TNG Story (00:25:50)Happy Times on Babylon 5 (00:29:58)Writing for Comic Books (00:34:52)Current Endeavors (00:43:50)The Reason Khan Remembered Chekov (00:49:45)Commercial Break (00:54:44)

HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

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)

HostsAaron Harvey and Darren Moser

ProductionAaron Harvey (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)