Star Trek:The City on the Edge of Forever original teleplay to be adapted in 5 issues

[johnmiic]

IDW will present the original teleplay unaltered as a 5 issue mini-series.

A source of controversy for years. Gene Rodenberry claimed, repeatedly and publicly, the original script had Scotty dealing drugs on the Enterprise and that is why it had to be re-written, (tho re-written more than once). People who read the original script know this to be a blatant lie. So why did Rodenberry stick to this story when he knew it wasn't true? After this is published it should put the final nail in that rumor's coffin.

http://www.space.com/24963-star-trek-harlan-ellison-script-comics-adaptation.html

[Earth 2 Chris]

I've read Ellison's original script when he put that book out 20 years ago. It doesn't have Scotty dealing drugs, but I had to admit...the actual TV episode worked out better. I won't spoil it for anyone, but the choices the TV re-writers made for this one only improved it. Still, it was a great story either way.

Chris

[enyawd72]

Interesting story about Roddenberry...the man was definitely a visionary, there's no doubt about that, but I always got the impression from watching interviews and such that he was a little...off.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Roddenberry was human. There are those who would apply him for sainthood, and those who would just as soon spit on his grave. But I think the truth is somewhere in between.

Shatner's "Star Trek Memories" book is mostly fair in his summation of the man, but his follow-up "Movie Memories" is a bit less flattering, basically portraying Roddenberry by that point as a meddlesome old man who couldn't stand to not be in control any more.

I think a lot of the resentment from the TOS cast and crew stems from him essentially abandoning the show in the third season, when they needed him the most.

Chris

[palitoy]

Interesting story about Roddenberry...the man was definitely a visionary, there's no doubt about that, but I always got the impression from watching interviews and such that he was a little...off.

From the documentary his son made, his pants were certainly off...a lot.

I remember reading the Ellison/Roddenberry debacle in the pages of Starlog when I was too young to understand. I've always liked Ellison, he's charming and outspoken but I've often felt he needed to be slightly more flexible when it came to change. Not saying all changes to his work made it better, far from it.

[johnmiic]

Ellison's other major gripe is the origin of the homeless man character which still appears in the televised episode. He is not improved as re-written for the aired version. You'll have to read the original to see how much better that small part could've been. I read the original script in High School and it reads more like Ellison's work on Outer Limits than as Star Trek.

[madmarva]

I don't like Scotty as drug dealer, but having a drug dealer on a star ship isn't a bad B plot.

[enyawd72]

I don't like Scotty as drug dealer, but having a drug dealer on a star ship isn't a bad B plot.

How would that even work, since they don't use money in the 23rd century? What would one use to buy drugs? Even precious metals and gems could be easily replicated. There's a flaw in the slaw with that whole premise.

[palitoy]

How would that even work, since they don't use money in the 23rd century? What would one use to buy drugs? Even precious metals and gems could be easily replicated. There's a flaw in the slaw with that whole premise.

Is the money free society thing mentioned in TOS, I remember Kirk telling Chekov he "earned his pay this week". I always thought that was a retcon by Roddenberry like the Klingon heads.

[madmarva]

Maybe it's illegal to use a replicator for drugs, but the dealer does it or knows how to rig the replicator to do it. Or maybe there is an alternative currency used for illegal or black market items. MAybe that's the future of bitcoins.

[jwyblejr]

Is the money free society thing mentioned in TOS, I remember Kirk telling Chekov he "earned his pay this week". I always thought that was a retcon by Roddenberry like the Klingon heads.

Yeah gotta agree there. How the heck did Harry Mudd get paid for all of his scams? Or the guy that was selling Tribbles?

[Earth 2 Chris]

I may be nuts, but I thought they used "credits". I never got the no-money thing from TOS.

Chris

[Hedji]

It isn't clear is it? They do seem to contradict each other.

[knight errant00]

There's a lot of inconsistency on the money thing, the "earned your pay" line in TOS and even Dr. Crusher's "Charge this to my ship's account" in TNG seeming to conflict with Roddenberry's repeated statements about an idealized future where there's no want and people work to better themselves . . . Harry Mudd and Cyrano Jones and Kirk's ST IV line about "they're still using money" make it har dto get it all to add up.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^There's a distinct difference between Roddenberry's idealized Trek, and what actually made it to film. Especially in TOS as the seasons went on, and of course the movies after TMP.

Chris