For six decades, Star Trek has inspired generations with its vision of a hopeful future. Now, the son of creator Gene Roddenberry is inviting fans on an intimate journey through the franchise's past. Rod Roddenberry hosts Into the Roddenberry Archives, a brand-new series streaming for free on YouTube, and ShowtimeSpot has an exclusive sneak peek at the premiere episode.
The preview opens in Gene Roddenberry's personal office, a treasure trove of sci-fi memorabilia. Among the highlights is a stunning piece of concept art from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), depicting Lieutenant Ilia (Persis Khambatta) confronting the enigmatic entity V'Ger. But the real gems are yet to come: Rod Roddenberry reveals his mother Majel Barrett's personal script from the original pilot, The Cage, where she played the iconic Number One. Barrett would go on to portray Nurse Chapel, Lwaxana Troi, and the voice of countless starship computers.
The series promises a rotating cast of hosts, with Roddenberry guiding them through the archives. In the debut episode, he unveils the original 33-inch model of the USS Enterprise, which was lost for decades before being recovered and returned to the Roddenberry family. This artifact alone is a holy grail for Trekkies.
Gene Roddenberry's path to creating Star Trek is as fascinating as the show itself. A former Army Air Force pilot and LAPD officer, he became the department's liaison to Dragnet, which sparked his screenwriting career. He pitched Star Trek as Wagon Train in space to Lucille Ball's Desilu Studios, and after a rejected pilot, NBC picked it up. Though it ran only three seasons, the show became a cult phenomenon. Roddenberry revived the franchise with the 1979 film and later launched The Next Generation in 1987, cementing his legacy as the Great Bird of the Galaxy before his death in 1991.
For fans craving more behind-the-scenes content, this series is a must-watch. It joins a wave of exclusive entertainment offerings, like Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman's heist thriller 'Tuner' and John Cena and Eric André's chaotic comedy 'Little Brother'. But for Star Trek devotees, nothing beats the chance to see the actual artifacts that shaped the franchise.
"After years of cataloguing and archiving the art and production elements that brought Star Trek to life, I'm excited to offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at never-before-seen artwork, designs, and artifacts," said Rod Roddenberry. "Each item has a story to share and played a role in Star Trek's 60-year legacy."
Streaming on BEAM by Roddenberry, the official YouTube channel, Into the Roddenberry Archives is available now. Episode 1 is live, and future installments promise more rare finds. For more exclusive first looks, check out Xie Miao and Joe Taslim's martial arts epic 'The Furious' and Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro's rom-com 'One Night Only'. Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for updates on this and more.
