The Gamesters of Triskelion Question

[ClassicTVMan81]

I do not know if links like this are allowed here (I will remove if so), but if you skip to the closing credits, you can clearly see at the end this particular episode, "The Gamesters of Triskelion," is indeed "A PARAMOUNT PRODUCTION" rather than "A DESILU PRODUCTION."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--UrRLnNx3U

But. . . this leads to conflict. Have the closing credits of this episode been spliced in later broadcasts? I remember TServo2049 having told me this episode originally had "A DESILU PRODUCTION" at the end before the logos.

~Ben

 

[Melakon]

So what's the question?

 

[kirkfan]

That sounds more like a statement of fact than a question.

 

[Melakon]

I don't see anything that looks like it has a question mark after it.

The VHS tapes from Paramount came out in the 80s, but I don't have the Triskelion one anymore. Some users (me included) taped the show off local stations that were using 16mm prints, and some of those syndicated versions floating around in the 70s even had the wrong end credits spliced onto them. There were also tapes being released as part of a subscription program. It's possible all of these tapes were not made from the same masters.

 

[ClassicTVMan81]

I don't see anything that looks like it has a question mark after it.

The VHS tapes from Paramount came out in the 80s, but I don't have the Triskelion one anymore. Some users (me included) taped the show off local stations that were using 16mm prints, and some of those syndicated versions floating around in the 70s even had the wrong cast credits spliced onto them. There were also tapes being released as part of a subscription program. It's possible all of these tapes were not made from the same masters.

That could be true. . . does anyone still have any 16mm or 35mm prints of this episode?

~Ben

 

[Melakon]

From Memory Alpha:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/TOS_Season_2

• Season 2 was a period of behind-the-scenes transition from Desilu to Paramount production. On 15 February 1967, Gulf+Western's purchase of Desilu was announced. It was commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 26 July. Gulf+Western executives were known to have signed off on production of the then-upcoming Season 2 of Star Trek, as they would have been financially obligated to continue its production after the sale. Therefore, Season 2 technically began filming as a Desilu/Gulf+Western co-production. (Sanders, Coyne Steven and Tom Gilbert. Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. HarperCollins. 1994. 297-298) However, the December 1967 intra-company merger between Paramount Pictures and Desilu caused later episodes of the season to be labeled "a Paramount production". Episodes throughout the season thus have a variety of different ownership claims. TOS: "Journey to Babel" is a simple "Desilu production" under just the Desilu logo, while the later "A Piece of the Action" displays the Desilu logo, but a Paramount Pictures Corporation copyright.
• "Mirror, Mirror" was the first to be filmed after the late July ribbon-cutting on the Gulf+Western/Desilu merger, but no episode of the season began filming prior to the February merger announcement.

Triskelion aired in early January 1968, less than a month after the merger it seems, so this may add to the confusion. Maybe the network prints showed Desilu, and the syndicated prints had Paramount. I'm sure I saw the episode in first run, but unfortunately don't remember who was on the final logo.

 

[ClassicTVMan81]

From Memory Alpha:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/TOS_Season_2

• Season 2 was a period of behind-the-scenes transition from Desilu to Paramount production. On 15 February 1967, Gulf+Western's purchase of Desilu was announced. It was commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 26 July. Gulf+Western executives were known to have signed off on production of the then-upcoming Season 2 of Star Trek, as they would have been financially obligated to continue its production after the sale. Therefore, Season 2 technically began filming as a Desilu/Gulf+Western co-production. (Sanders, Coyne Steven and Tom Gilbert. Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. HarperCollins. 1994. 297-298) However, the December 1967 intra-company merger between Paramount Pictures and Desilu caused later episodes of the season to be labeled "a Paramount production". Episodes throughout the season thus have a variety of different ownership claims. TOS: "Journey to Babel" is a simple "Desilu production" under just the Desilu logo, while the later "A Piece of the Action" displays the Desilu logo, but a Paramount Pictures Corporation copyright.
• "Mirror, Mirror" was the first to be filmed after the late July ribbon-cutting on the Gulf+Western/Desilu merger, but no episode of the season began filming prior to the February merger announcement.

Triskelion aired in early January 1968, less than a month after the merger it seems, so this may add to the confusion. Maybe the network prints showed Desilu, and the syndicated prints had Paramount. I'm sure I saw the episode in first run, but unfortunately don't remember who was on the final logo.

Gulf+Western actually bought Desilu in July 1967, but the transition would take six months.

~Ben

 

[kirkfan]

So, what was the question?

 

[ClassicTVMan81]

So, what was the question?

I should take that to mean: is it true that the "A DESILU PRODUCTION" mention at the end of the closing credits for this episode were spliced and replaced by those with "A PARAMOUNT PRODUCTION" for later broadcasts? I mean, wouldn't I be seeing something strange as a jump cut when it gets there?

~Ben

 

[Melakon]

So, what was the question?

The question that was added to the OP after we complained about it is

Have the closing credits of this episode been spliced in later broadcasts?

 

[Nerys Myk]

"Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question. "

 

[Melakon]

"Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question. "

What are you?

 

[Nerys Myk]

"Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question. "

What are you?

I am the Guardian of Forever.

 

[Melakon]

Are you machine, or Bean?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I am both and neither. I am my own beginning, my own ending.

 

[Melakon]

Sounds like the Human Centipede.

My DVD remastered of Triskelion has an end title card of A Paramount Production, followed by the Desilu logo bumper.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Sounds like the Human Centipede.

My DVD remastered of Triskelion has an end title card of A Paramount Production, followed by the Desilu logo bumper.

You need the blu rays so you can get a "CBS Productions" and score the trifecta

 

[Melakon]

I think there was a CBS card after the Desilu.

All sort of ironic in a way, since CBS turned down Star Trek when Roddenberry was trying to pitch it.

 

[Green Shirt]

I am both and neither. I am my own beginning, my own ending.

I see no reason for replies to be couched in riddles.

 

[Nebusj]

I am both and neither. I am my own beginning, my own ending.

Tom Servo: ``Could you be a little more vague?''