In "log entries" in Starlog (vol. 2, no. 3, January 1977 , p. 60), Gene Roddenberry summarized the storyline of The God Thing as follows: "Generally, the situation is that the five year mission is over and that it has been over for some time. Most of the regular crew have been promoted and, for the most part, are pretty unhappy with shuffling papers and other administrative jobs. Scotty has become an alcoholic, and McCoy has given up treating Human patients to become a veterinarian, loudly proclaiming animals as the only sensible patients he has ever had [....] In the story, there is a threat that brings [these people] all back together again."