Star Trek: Behind the Scenes with Larry Nemecek

Season 4 With Larry Nemecek.   One of the biggest regrets of the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise was that it happened right at a time when digital cameras were making their way into the main stream. Behind the scenes photos were limited to Polaroid photos and how many pictures a roll of film could hold. Had it lasted a few more seasons, we would have had the most documented behind the scenes photos of any Trek series to date. However, we have the next best thing. Larry Nemecek has made a career investigating documents and conducting interviews with the people that have made the episodes we love. So, what does Larry know about the final, and fan favorite season of Enterprise? In this episode of Warp Five, hosts Patrick Devlin, Brandi Jackola, and Brandon-Shea Mutala are joined by Star Trek expert Larry Nemecek to discuss the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise. We discuss  the arcs, Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, the cancellation, and appearing in the final episode. We also talk about Larry's first impressions on the show's format, what Larry did on set, and his favorite arc in the season. Originall Published as Warp Five 145.

Uniform Patches, Starships Names, and Registry Numbers.   Until Star Trek: The Motion Picture, each Starfleet vessel has its own unique insignia patch on its uniforms...or did it? In this episode of Standard Orbit, hosts Ken Tripp and Zach Moore are joined by Larry "Dr. Trek" Nemecek to discuss this hotly debated topic among fandom and how these seemingly incongruous and contradictory uniform patches can be reconciled within greater Star Trek continuity. From production memos in response to The Omega Glory to the long-awaited Defiant uniform patches finally turning up on Enterprise, we attempt to trace the confusing history of the Starfleet insignias, and the starships and registry numbers associated with them. Originally published as Standard Orbit 212: Patching Up Continuity

Discovery Post-Premiere. After nearly two years of waiting—and much speculation—we’re now well into the Star Trek: Discovery story. How does what we’ve seen compare to our expectations? What do we think of the writing and creative decisions so far? In this episode of The Ready Room, C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek revisit some the topics from their last discussion—including an ancient Klingon secret, a unique Vulcan story, and the business side of Discovery—and explore new topics such as the storytelling format, technology, Section 31, how Discovery is connecting with past Star Trek, and whether these connections might change the fan conversation over whether The Animated Series and the literary universe are canon. Originally published as The Ready Room 216: I Only Saw Seven of Them Guys!

In this third Saturday Morning Trek supplemental, host Aaron Harvey is joined by Dr. Trek himself, Larry Nemecek, to discuss the influences of The Animated Series on Star Trek: Discovery and how The Motion Picture wasn't the first time the subject of redesigning the Klingons was broached.  So grab a bowl of Franken Berry cereal, a Tribble, and anything else pink and join us in the wood-paneled den! Originally published as Saturday Morning Trek S3: Carroll and Claws

Setting Star Trek: Discovery ten years prior to The Original Series offers a unique opportunity to include characters from that era. The first two we know of are Harry Mudd—who has made three appearance in Star Trek—and Sarek, whose seven appearances only scratch the surface of his important in Trek lore. In this episode of The Edge, hosts Brandon-Shea Mutala and Aaron Harvey are joined by Larry Nemecek for a look at the history of Harry Mudd and Sarek of Vulcan, and discuss how the Discovery writers might use them. Originally published as The Edge 2: Muddy Logic.

We're just two months away from the launch of Star Trek's seventh venture onto the small screen: Discovery. As summer heats up and convention season kicks into gear, news about the series, images from the set, and interviews with creators are bringing us new details and stirring the pot of speculation more feverishly than ever. In this episode of The Ready Room, C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek get together to discuss some of the latest tidbits, including an ancient Klingon secret, a unique (or as Alex Kurtzman calls it a very, very unique) Vulcan story, Riker on the set, the business side of Discovery, and much more. Plus, we make an exciting announcement about the Trek.fm podcast network. Originally published as The Ready Room 215: The Edge of Discovery.

We all want to escape from our lives sometimes. What if you could really do it? What if you couldn’t remember the life you left behind? And what if it was all against your will? That’s what happens to the crew of the Starship Voyager in the seventh-season episode “Workforce.” In this episode of The Ready Room, hosts C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek are joined by Kay Elizabeth Shaw of To The Journey and Bruce Gibson of Literary Treks to discuss this story of the Voyager crew’s other life as employees of a power facility on the planet Quarra. In our extended news segment, Chris and Larry share their thoughts on the Star Trek: Discovery trailer presented at CBS upfronts, the international Netflix version of the trailer, the new look of the Klingons, and more.   Originally published as The Ready Room 212: Erin Gray's Blue Jumpsuit.

The premiere of the next Star Trek series may be delayed, but there’s still plenty to talk about. In this episode of The Ready Room, host C Bryan Jones returns from medical leave and hops on mic with Larry Nemecek to discuss some of the news from the past eight months. Looking at Star Trek: Discovery, we delve into the time period, ships, stories, writers, characters, casting, production, delays … and imagine the return of a classic alien. We also recap some of the key moments from Star Trek’s 50th anniversary year and how we’re carrying the excitement into the 51st.   Originally published as The Ready Room 211: To Hoof or Not to Hoof.

Longtime Star Trek writer, author, publisher, and historian; Larry Nemecek talks about his first documentary about the legendary 1982 Houston Star Trek convention that devolved into quite the fiasco. He interviews several of the cast and production crew who were involved including the last interview ever given by the late Harve Bennett. What would a new version Standard Orbit be without our famous tangents? We review the size and origins of Star Trek conventions right up to the current day. Prepare yourselves for the influx of Trek fandom we receive when Dr. Trek explores this universe like no else. Originally published as Standard Orbit 164: The Con of Wrath. For more about the Con of Wrath, listen to Larry on Matter Stream 4, also available in this special collection.

While Jonathan Frakes is best known for his portrayal of Commander Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, his influence on the franchise extends well beyond his acting. As a director, he worked on some of the best episodes of the franchise, including TNG's "Cause and Effect" and DS9's "Past Tense, Part II," not to mention two of the feature films, First Contact and Insurrection. In this episode of Stage Nine, John and Mike are joined by Star Trek expert Larry Nemecek to discuss Frakes' work as a director. We look at his directing origins, the qualities which led him to the features, and his work outside of Trek. In news, we cover the latest Discovery casting announcements, and what they tell us about the show. Originally published as Stage Nine 36: Two Takes Frakes.

Episode 47 of Meta Treks can mean only one thing: Larry Nemecek! As a renowned Trek authority, friend of the Trek.fm network, and creator of Trekland's Portal 47, Larry joins hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison for a discussion about the past and future of Star Trek. On the heels of the 50th anniversary of the premier of Star Trek, and with a new Star Trek television series, Star Trek: Discovery, a mere months away, Larry, Zachary, and Mike share their thoughts on Star Trek's universal appeal and themes. Together Larry, Zachary, and Mike explore how Star Trek can continue to play a role in addressing social and political problems in today's world and in the age of social media. Originally published as Meta Treks 47: Wackydoodle Paradigm Busting.

Larry Nemecek joins us to talk about the upcoming free online open house for Portal 47 featuring Robert Butler, director of the first TOS pilot "The Cage." Plus, Star Trek Beyond's commentary track, Patrick Stewart's latest projects, and J.J. Abram's affinity for lens flare.   Originally published as Hyperchannel 164: Portal 47 ft. Larry Nemecek

Bit by bit we’ve been learning what Bryan Fuller and CBS have in store for us when the seventh Star Trek series launches in January 2017. The initial reveal of the name and hints about the time period got fans talking, and then the reveal of the ship and a teaser turned up the heat. Now a batch of details, revealed by Fuller at CBS’s All Access panel for the Television Critics Association in Los Angeles, has set a flurry of speculation in motion. In this special episode of The Ready Room, C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek join the crowd to break down 13 points about Star Trek: Discovery and what they might mean for the first new Star Trek on television in more than a decade. Originally published as 

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. Originally published as Saturday Morning Trek 15: Star Trek Lives!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since the first episode of The Ready Room. Born of disaster, this show has evolved into a gathering place for the hosts of the network that grew up around it. The Trek.fm network has become an important part of the daily routine for many Star Trek fans, but there was a time when there was no network. There was just this show. So as we reach another milestone—200 episodes—we take a break from our usual format to quietly mark the occasion with a good friend who has been part of The Ready Room almost since the beginning: Larry Nemecek. But first, we start with a bit of the history behind both The Ready Room and the network … Originally published as The Ready Room 200: Five Years and Counting.

Finally the silence is broken and CBS has announced who will helm the new Star Trek television series … and it’s none other than Trek veteran Bryan Fuller. Having written 22 stories spanning DS9 and Voyager, and serving as executive story editor for Voyager’s sixth and seventh seasons as well as co-producer during the seventh, Fuller knows his Trek. Now that he has been named co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek 2017, what might be in the cards for this next incarnation of Gene Roddenberry’s vision? Star Trek historian Larry Nemecek joins us for a quick chat about why he’s so excited about the appointment and what we might see from Fuller.   Originally published as Hyperchannel 124: Bryan Fuller’s New Star Trek Series

You probably already know that it’s not a good idea to stare into a bright light. When there are many lights—and they’re multi-colored—doing so becomes an even worse idea. You could damage your eyesight, or perhaps have you brainwave replaced by that of a group of alien minds searching for a body to call home. That’s what happened to Lt. Mira Romaine in “The Lights of Zetar,” the third-season TOS episode that plays with character personalities, limited financial resources, and has a connection to a beloved children’s show. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek and Brandon-Shea Mutala to discuss Memory Alpha, Scotty in love, how you can blame anything on space, and why horses might not make the best engineers. We also delve into some Season Three trivia, production shortcuts, and remastered TOS elements. In our news segment, Chris and Larry discuss whether the ascension of Les Moonves to Chair of CBS Corp. will have an impact on Star Trek, when we’ll hear first details about the Star Trek 2017 series, and the future of Star Trek on streaming services not called CBS All Access. Plus, Larry fills us in on the latest happenings in Portal 47. Originally published as The Ready Room 195: Lamb Chop's (Creepy) Play-along.

Nostalgia is perhaps one of the most powerful forces that influences our lives. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary’s second definition of Nostalgia describes it as being “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition; also: something that evokes Nostalgia.” In today’s world of recycled Hollywood content, reboots, refreshes and retellings - has the entertainment industry created a rift in Star Trek fandom, to the point where preserving the "glory days" is the only way for some fans to move forward? In this episode of Standard Orbit, hosts Norman C. Lao and Jeffrey Harlan are joined by Portal 47’s Larry Nemecek and Mission Log’s John Champion. They take a deep and concerned look at the power of Nostalgia and its undeniable influence over fandom's appreciation for Star Trek; specifically The Original Series, and share their observations towards Nostalgia as it continues to influence the interpretation of perhaps the greatest of Star Trek's tenants: IDIC - Infinite Diversity through Infinite Combinations. Originally published as Standard Orbit 112: Is Tomorrow Yesterday?

Voyager is known for telling stories that rely heavily on technobabble. Sometimes it supports the story, sometimes it doesn’t. Season Two’s “Deadlock” is one of those cases in which technobabble was inescapable, but also necessary. How else do you explain two Voyager’s, two disheveled buns of steel, and Harry Kim’s dopplegänger? In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, Charlynn Schmiedt, and Brandon-Shea Mutala to discuss the oddity that is “Deadlock,” parallel universes, Vidiians, generational ships, Chakotay’s weird baby comments, an inordinate number of script changes, and much more. In our news segment, we look back at 19 years of First Contact and 29 years of The Voyage Home, talk with Terrace Cassidy about Geek Nation Tours’ new “Touch the Stars” program, and try to unravel the mysterious case of Enterprise stunt director Vince Deadrick’s disappearing chair. Originally published as The Ready Room 193: He's a Fake!

It’s been more than a decade since Star Trek left the air, and at long last CBS has answered the cries of fans. In January 2017, Star Trek will return to TV with an all-new series. But what form will it take? In this special episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek to take a closer look at the nuts and bolts of the CBS announcement, debate the setting—Prime Universe or Abramsverse—consider the format this Trek might take as a made-for-streaming show, explore Alex Kurtzman’s Star Trek fandom, consider how CBS will handle the creation of a series in the age of social media, and, of course, touch on the controversial distribution method. Originally published as The Ready Room 190: The New Star Trek Series, with Larry Nemecek.

When fans think of Klingon episodes on TOS, they think of “Errand of Mercy,” “Day of the Dove,” and “The Trouble with Tribbles.” The second appearance of the classic villains was made in what is really a Bones story—they just happen to be there. “Friday's Child” gets overlooked by fans, yet it builds upon the Organian Peace Treaty and allows Dr. McCoy to step into the spotlight all at the same time. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, Charlynn Schmiedt, and Zachary Fruhling to discuss the other Vasquez Rocks show, those dastardly Klingons, wearing carpet in the desert, how Dorothy Fontana handles the symmetry between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and whether or not “Friday’s Child” is the most undervalued TOS episode. In our news segment, we discuss the recent Beverly Crusher Day and upcoming Deanna Troi Day, more from the Star Trek Beyond Dubai set and its alien faces, and we discuss the StarTrek.com poll that asked which series has the saddest episodes. Originally published as The Ready Room 189: I Can't Believe It's Not Topaline!

Enterprise Season Four on Blu-Ray continues the visual extravaganza from Seasons One through Three, with breathtaking 1080p high-definition picture and 5.1 sound. The special features and bonus materials that were recorded specifically for this Blu-Ray set are, most notably, the best we have seen for any of the collections. The four-part "Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise" and the 90-minute "In Conversation: Writing Star Trek: Enterprise" offer fans a deeper understanding of the bittersweet beginning of the end for Star Trek on television. "Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise” is however, the absolute MUST SEE special feature; not just for this collection, but for all four Blu-Ray sets. This in-depth documentary is 120 minutes of unbridled and unfiltered retrospectives, chronicling the final season of Enterprise. Join us in the Conference Room with our very special guest Larry Nemecek, as he reminisces about his experiences on-set for the final days of Enterprise and most importantly, the final moments of Star Trek on television and the end of a world-wide cultural phenomenon. Originally published as Warp Five 78: The Decommissioning Enterprise Blues.

As Voyager entered its final season, fans had a lot of questions. Would the crew get home? Would it happen before the finale? Would Neelix and Seven make the trip to Earth? Would Janeway and Chakotay finally hook up? Would Harry die one more time? Lots of questions. We know what we ultimately got on screen, but what went on behind the scenes? In this special episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by someone who was there in the writers room, Mike Sussman. After successfully selling the story that would become “Unimatrix Zero,” Mike then landed a spot of the writing staff for Voyager’s final season, and would go on to become a writer and producer on Enterprise. Mike joins C Bryan Jones, Larry Nemecek, and Charlynn Schmiedt to discuss many moments and aspects of Season Seven, including “The Haunting of Deck Twelve,” “Prophecy,” “Repentance,” and of course “Unimatrix Zero” and the Borg. We also discuss writing The Doctor, stories pitched but not produced, the development of Enterprise while wrapping Voyager, and much more. In our news segment, we discuss a restoration project for the original Enterprise filming model, get an update on Portal 47, and look back at the impact of Robert Wise and The Motion Picture on Star Trek.   Originally published as The Ready Room 187: We're Gonna Edit Out All this Klingon Stuff, Right?

Few people have had a greater impact on the history of Star Trek than Michael Piller. In addition to turning The Next Generation around in Season 3, Piller also co-created both Deep Space Nine and Voyager. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by Larry Nemecek, author of The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, to begin a new series on Michael Piller which will look at each of his television pilots. In Part 1, we cover Piller's work in Trek. We discuss how he impacted Season 3 of The Next Generation, what he brought to the creation of Deep Space Nine and Voyager, and challenges he faced writing the third TNG movie, Insurrection. We also give our thoughts on the new Starfleet uniforms debuting in Star Trek Beyond. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 147: Michael and Baseball.

Along with the Andorians, the Tellarites are one of the most memorable races from Star Trek that got almost no love after The Original Series went off the air. Even the TOS films merely gave them blink-of-an-eye-cameo attention (in The Voyage Home and The Undiscovered Country). But never fear! As with their fellow, antennae-donning Federation-founders, Enterprise came to the rescue. Sort of. The first Tellarite the 22nd-century gave us didn’t look—nor act—much like those we met in “Journey to Babel.” In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, Norm Lao, and Will Nguyen, to discuss our hoofed friends and the episode “Bounty.” We explore the first draft of the script, in which the bounty hunter was not Tellarite, and also delve into what it takes to make a new Star Trek series that meets fan expectations for in-universe connections, yet feels fresh at the same time. In our news segment, we catch up with Larry post-San Diego Comic-Con to talk about the state of Star Trek fandom at conventions, preview plans for Star Trek Las Vegas, and find out what secrets Larry has stashed away in a portal labeled 47. Originally published as The Ready Room 183: Breaking Out with a 

Of all the contributors to Star Trek: The Next Generation's creation, none are as overlooked as Maurice Hurley. The writer and co-executive producer served and showrunner for the first two seasons of the series, helping to shape it into the show we know and love. And along the way, he also created the Borg. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike begin a new series looking at Hurley's work as a screenwriter. For the first part of the series, they are joined by the author of The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, Larry Nemecek, to break down Hurley's work on Star Trek. We discuss the behind-the-scenes climate of Season One, Hurley's contributions to the mythology, and his unused treatment for the film that would become Star Trek Generations. We also wonder when William Shatner's documentary, Chaos on the Bridge, will finally be released (spoilers, it came out this week). Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 139: Life with Maury.

Larry Nemecek joins us to talk about plans for this year’s Geek Nation Tours one-day trek into the Valley of Fire, where fans can face relive the showdown between Picard and Soran along with special guest Michael Westmore. We also preview plans for the big 50th anniversary year tour in 2016, which expands upon the usual Geek Nation Tours adventure with the addition of a San Francisco leg.   Originally published as Hyperchannel 76: Admiral, There Be Fans Here!

Leonard Nimoy is, of course, best known for his role as Spock. Not only was he there in the Original Series pilot episode “The Cage,” he was also there in the most recent film, Star Trek Into Darkness. No one epitomizes Star Trek more than Leonard Nimoy. But beyond the screen and stage—and he appeared in many productions beyond Star Trek—Leonard was also know for his photography. And from behind the camera, he moved people just as he did on film. In this episode of Matter Stream, Christopher Jones and Larry Nemecek bring you an interview with Bonnie Moss, a fan who fell in love with Nimoy as a girl, went on to meet him, and then to work with him on the exhibiting of his photography. Bonnie shares her story and the experience of getting to know the man who was the original Vulcan, her feelings upon learning of his death, and how an upcoming exhibit will honor Leonard by putting his photography in front of new viewers. Originally published as Matter Stream 24: Leonard Nimoy was the Guy!

He inspired generations. As Spock, Leonard Nimoy became one of the most recognizable figures in the world, changing the lives of countless fans, the nature of pop culture, and bringing a rare creative vision and kindness to the world. In his final public statement he said “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.” Just three days later, on February 27, 2015, he passed away. The collective reaction from around the world has shown just how much he meant to so many. And in this special episode of The Ready Room, Christopher Jones and Larry Nemecek sit down to reflect on Leonard Nimoy’s life and career. Originally published as as The Ready Room 171: Farewell, Leonard Nimoy

The third season of TOS is a divisive one for many Star Trek fans. The fight for survival behind the scenes led to shoestring budgets, sparse sets, unbalanced scripts, and—in eyes of many—questionable directions for Spock. But before this feeling really set in, Judy Burns and Chet Richards delivered a bottle show that put Spock in the command chair, at odds with Bones, and in search of Captain Kirk. What’s more, they delivered one of the franchise’s most intriguing attempts at a truly different alien in the Tholians. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek and Norm Lao to discuss “The Tholian Web,” the mysterious disappearance or the USS Defiant (not that one), Captain Kirk (yes that one), spacesuit design, the poor track record of Constitution-class starships not named Enterprise, Scotty’s love of drinking, and why nerve gas can sometimes save your life. In our news segment we discuss Simon Pegg and the next Star Trek film script, and the possibility of a TNG reunion on screen. Originally published as The Ready Room 170: Written by Space Ostriches.

When the lights went down in the theater in 1998, we all sat there with trepidation. We hoped that the new Star Trek movie would live up to it’s predecessor First Contact and when it didn’t, many of us wondered what had gone wrong. Jonathan Frakes had directed and Michael Piller had written the script, this should have been a dynamic duo. In this episode of Literary Treks hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunter are joined by Larry Nemecek and Daniel Proulx to discuss Michael Piller’s unpublished book Fade In. We wonder why Trek is always trying to relive it’s glory days, talk about the first story idea Star Trek: Stardust, what happens after Rick Berman and Patrick Stewart see the script, the stripping away of the Star Trekness, Ira Steven Behr’s thoughts, what the studio wanted, as well as ask the questions of whether fans really know what’s best and if this book helps us feel better about the movie. In the news segment we judge a book by it’s cover as well as look forward to James Swallow’s newly announced Five Year Mission novel. Originally published as Literary Treks 90: Through the Brita Filter

The familiar credits roll during every episode of The Next Generation. But how did our favorite actors get these timeless roles? And how close did other actors come to crewing the first version of Star Trek to take place in the 24th century? In this episode of Earl Grey, "Dr Trek" himself, Larry Nemecek, joins us to discuss casting The Next Generation. Darren, Phillip, and Daniel talk about how important it was to get "famous" names in Trek's second televised live-action incarnation, where each of the actors were in their careers in the mid 1980s, and how close Wesley came to being "Leslie" Crusher. Larry also reveals what actors lost out in being cast in the main roles and in what subsequent episodes they appeared in as guests, as well as which actor ended up being cast in a main role in a later Star Trek series. Get your glossy headshots ready, break a leg, and join us in discussing the casting process on TNG. Originally published as Earl Grey 59: The B, C & D Team.

First introduced in “Journey to Babel,” Sarek of Vulcan is one of the best known characters from The Original Series, perhaps due primarily to his role in The Search for Spock and subsequent TOS films. Following McCoy’s cameo in “Encounter at Farpoint,” it took a while for familiar faces from Star Trek's past to return to the screen. Finally, in the TNG's third season, the wall between past and present began to come down as Spock's father came aboard Picard's Enterprise. Seeing Sarek shed tears at a musical performance and lose control of his emotions was a major advancement in making Vulcans more than just "logical," but making this happen wasn't as straightforward as one would think. In this episode of The Ready Room, we're joined by Matthew Rushing, Larry Nemecek, and John Champion to discuss the episode "Sarek," how the evolution of the story showed continuing reservations on the part of Gene Roddenberry about connecting TOS and TNG even near the end of TNG's third season, as well as Sarek's place within the Star Trek universe and the battle to speak Spock's name on screen. In our news segment, we debate which series deserved an additional season, io9's list of the Top 100 episodes, and play with Larami's classic Star Trek: The Motion Picture tie-in toys from 1979. Originally published as The Ready Room 161: An Homage with a Capital H.

In 1979, ten years after the cancellation of the original series, Star Trek made the jump to the big screen. In an effort to pull out all the stops, Paramount hired Oscar-winning director Robert Wise to helm Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The rest is history. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike are joined by Larry Nemecek to look at Wise's work on the film. We discuss Wise's place in film history, the atmosphere of fan culture leading up to the picture's release, and whether or not Wise was the right choice to direct the first Star Trek movie. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 99: Hey, It Ain't The Black Hole!

One of the most famous aliens in Star Trek is the Orion slave girl, and the most classic “green” moment comes from “The Cage,” compliments of Susan Oliver. The prolific star is best known to Star Trek fans for this role, yet her appearance in Star Trek is but a speck on the landscape of her career as an actress and director. In this episode of The Ready Room we take a break from our usual format as we're joined by Larry Nemecek and writer/director George Pappy to talk about his new documentary The Green Girl, which chronicles the life of Susan Oliver, her film and television work, attempts to break the glass ceiling for female directors, and more. In our news segment we get a first-hand recap of the Geek Nation Tours trek to Las Vegas, discuss how recent awards and campaigns for Star Trek Continues and Star Trek: Axanar highlight the growing fan desire for new Trek, and assess the prospects for the remastering of Deep Space Nine and Voyagerin light of some recent panels and interviews with those who might spearheads the projects. Originally published as The Ready Room 155: The Jeffrey Combs of the '50s, '60s, and '70s.

Choosing the actors who will bring new characters to life is one of the many creative challenges in launching a new Star Trek series. The process itself can change the nature of the roles, resulting in adjustments to name, the background story of a given character, and their relationship with others. In this episode of The Orb we bring you the second part of our two-part conversation with Larry Nemecek about the casting of Deep Space Nine and the evolution of the characters. Originally published as The Orb 62: Action Barbie.

One of the many creative challenges in launching a new Star Trek series is casting. Finding the right actors to bring the characters to life takes time and careful consideration. And the process itself can change the nature of the roles, resulting in adjustments to name, ethnicity, background story, and in some cases requiring a completely new character to be created. In this episode of The Orb we're joined by Larry Nemecek for the first part of a two-part discussion about the casting of Deep Space Nine and the evolution of the characters. Originally published as The Orb 61: Somehow the Goatee Finds You.

Last year saw the return of author Larry Nemecek to the world of Star Trek non-fiction with his second book, Stellar Cartography. Featuring maps by Ian Fullwood, Ali Reis, and Geoffrey Mandel, Nemecek's companion essays offer a comprehensive look at the history of the future. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Larry for the second part of their two-part interview. We discuss the genesis of the book, the challenges of completing such an ambitious project in a short period of time, and how Larry made sense of the Dominion War. We also ponder how big a sector is. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 83: We Have a Man On the Inside.

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. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 82: How Many Doll Heads Are in the Sink?

1994 was an incredibly busy year for Star Trek. Upon the conclusion of TNG's seventh season, the cast and crew went straight into production for Star Trek Generations. On top of that and the third season of DS9, they were also starting production on Voyager. And, as many fans know, the fallout with Genevieve Bujold added uncertainty as to whether a woman would stay in the center seat, putting other character roles in jeopardy—on a production timeline that was already behind schedule. In this episode of To The Journey, Charlynn talks with guest Larry Nemecek about the crazy circumstances that surrounded the casting of Voyager. Who was a lock for their role? Who made it in at the last minute? Listen on and find out the answer to these questions and much more. Originally published as To The Journey 75: Film Everything Without Janeway First.

One of the most momentous conflicts in Federation history is also one of the most mysterious ones—at least for fandom. Of course Starfleet itself knows what happened, but the writers didn't give us a lot to work with over the years. First introduced in the Original Series episode "Balance of Terror," the Earth-Romulan War is the basis for centuries of animosity between these two powers. The details remained elusive and over the years bits and pieces came out through the various spinoff series, books, comics, and fan projects. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Larry Nemecek, Alec Peters, and Tommy Kraft to discuss this legendary war, its origins, the conflict, the aftermath, and how it has been retconned over time. In our news segment we learn about Star Trek: The Exhibition's arrival at Mall of America, the fan art that became an actual book series in Star Trek: Seekers, how you can share some Romulan Ale with Larry, Roberto Orci's bid to direct the next film, and Teras Cassidy pops in for a Geek Nation Tours update. Originally published as The Ready Room 141: As Green-Blooded As You Can Get.

If Kirk was the meat and Spock was the potatoes, then Leonard McCoy was the grumpy broth that held them all together. Now, finally, the good doctor is getting his due. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Drew and Mike are joined again by Larry Nemecek to discuss the original Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy. We find out why Larry loves him so, share our favorite Bones scenes, and reveal how McCoy is finally getting the fan base he deserved from the beginning. Originally published as Standard Orbit 28: I Am Not DeForest Kelley.

No one seems content with the 80 episodes of The Original Series that we ended up with. Everyone wants more, even if they have to make it themselves. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Larry Nemecek to talk about Star Trek Continues and Larry's part in it. Find out more about how this continuation of TOS is being made, and even a bit about other fan projects you might never have heard of. Originally published as Standard Orbit 27: Med Scanner Thumb Pivot.

In 2001, Star Trek landed with great fanfare in a cornfield in Oklahoma. It was the launch of Enterprise, as the series was known for its first two seasons, and the pilot episode, "Broken Bow," was well received. Over the years, perceptions of the series have changed more than once. The story of "Broken Bow" and Enterprise is one of creative change, great promises mixed with missed opportunities, and a tug-o-war between studio and network. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matt Miller, Jose Munoz, and Oklahoma native Larry Nemecek to discuss story elements of "Broken Bow" and go behind the scenes to learn about the activities surrounding the pilot episode and the creation of the series. In our news segment we take a look at the full details of the TNG Season Six and "Chain of Command" Blu-ray extras, new faces added to Star Trek Las Vegas, some advice from Wil Wheaton to a young Star Trek fan being bullied in school, and some exciting news about Trek.fm and iTunes. Originally published as The Ready Room 136: There Isn't Much Corn in Oklahoma.

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. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 70: Blue-Collar Directing.

As any Star Trek fans knows, the original mission of the Enterprise 1701 was to span five years. Unfortunately, the television executives of the 1960s had other plans as Kirk and his crew sailed off into the darkness after just three seasons. But that doesn't mean the mission didn't continue. What happened after "Turnabout Intruder"? The independent series Star Trek Continues picks up where TOS left off, continuing the five-year mission by telling the stories we didn't see. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by some of the cast and crew of Star Trek Continues to talk about the creation of the series, the first two episodes—"Pilgrim of Eternity" and "Lolani"—and what their plans are for the future. Director Chris White and assistant director Chuck Huber fill us in on the production side while Larry Nemecek (Dr. McCoy) and Todd Haberkorn (Spock) talk about bringing iconic characters to the screen once again. Plus, a surprising number of characters from a galaxy far, far away drop by for a visit. In our news segment we remember prolific Star Trek director Cliff Bole, find out how Robert Beltran is warming up to Star Trek fans on Twitter and Reddit, run down the Saturn Award nominations for Star Trek Into Darkness, and find out what Larry Nemecek has planned for his invasion of Jacksonville, Florida. Originally published as The Ready Room 132: I Am Billy Yoda.

Few aspects of Enterprise—and perhaps of Star Trek as a whole—have been more controversial than the show’s third season. The 26-episode arc is an outlier in a number of ways. It was the first (and only) time a season-long arc was attempted in Star Trek, and it also focuses on aliens and events with no connection to the rest of the franchise. Some fans love it. Some fans hate it. In this episode of Warp Five we’re joined by Larry Nemecek to discuss the third season of Enterprise, the pressure from Les Moonves that Berman and Braga were under, the validity of the creative choices made and the roads not taken, and whether or not a more TOS-centric approach might have saved the show from cancellation. We also look at how the third season led creatively into the fourth, the goals of the writing staff—including Manny Coto and David A. Goodman—and we dive into a few of our favorite episodes from Season Three, including “Similitude” and “North Star.” Originally published as Warp Five 24: The Gauntlet Thrown Down.

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. Originally published as Commentary: Trek Stars 58: Ira-ocity.

One of the goals in writing for any series is to tell stories that can’t be told anywhere else. With its early technology and proximity to our own time, Enterprise had an opportunity to put characters into situations that the other series couldn’t. One great example is the idea of a ship lost at sea facing a terrible storm, and this challenge of early exploration was examined in the second-season episode “The Catwalk.” In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Matthew Rushing and Larry Nemecek to discuss “The Catwalk,” how the crew of the NX-01 had to adapt when their technology was not advanced enough to save them, and how tough circumstances brought the crew together. We also delve into Human-Vulcan relationships, the sexual tension between T’Pol and Archer (or lack thereof), the relationship between T’Pol and Trip, and how it all leads to Amanda and Sarek. In news we find out about Armin Shimerman’s new film project, Diani & Devine Meet The Apocalypse, Kate Mulgrew’s plans to write her memoirs, J.G. Hertzler’s election to office in New York state, and we answer some Questions from the Fleet. We also preview two tracks from Five Year Mission’s upcoming album Year Three. Originally published as The Ready Room 119: Neutronic Wave Mode.

Generations officially passed the baton from TOS to TNG on the big screen, but the relay began long before The Nexus swept away Kirk and Picard. Doctor McCoy appeared in "Encounter at Farpoint," Spock played a central role in "Unification," and Scotty was found hiding in a transporter buffer in "Relics." In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Larry Nemecek as well as Phillip Gilfus and Daniel Proulx from our TNG show Earl Grey to discuss the Enterprise-D's encounter with TOS's miracle worker, how Scotty serves as the true bridge between generations, and try to uncover where exactly Troi was the whole time a man from the past needed counselling. In news we check in on the release date for the Enterprise Season Three Blu-rays, find out more about the behind-the-scenes creations of reunions and extras, discuss the TNG Season Five Blu-rays and the "Unification" feature release, and explore the chances of Star Trek returning to television soon—including the intertwined rights ownership between CBS and Paramount and the obstacles that Star Trek faces in making it back to the small screen. Plus, Larry gives us the lowdown on The Trekland Trunk. Originally published as The Ready Room 116: The Dyson Sphere In the Room.

It's been more than a decade since the last update to the Star Charts reference book, but thanks to Larry Nemecek and 47North fans will soon be able to get around the galaxy more efficiently than ever. In this episode of Literary Treks, Christopher Jones is joined by Larry to learn about the genesis of his new book Star Trek: Stellar Cartography, the process of creating it, and how Larry's career in mapping stars dates back to the 1980s. We also make sense of the Delphic Expanse and choreograph the Dominion War. In our news segment we find out what Jeff Mariotte has to say about his forthcoming TOS novel Serpents In the Garden, what hints Greg Cox has dropped about No Time Like the Past, and IDW's latest Ongoing omnibus, Star Trek Volume 5, which collects Ongoing 17 through 20. Originally published as Literary Treks 26: Cardassia Is In the Caribbean.