TMP has long been tagged as Where Nomad Has Gone Before because of the basic story idea of an ancient Earth probe disappearing only to return centuries later reprogrammed and threatening all life on Earth.
This can lead one to wonder how any of the other films could have played out as TOS episodes set in a hypothetical fourth or fifth season of TOS.
"The Wrath Of Khan" (or something else somewhat more poetic) - Some of the elements could remain the same. An old flame of Kirk's has become an established scientist developing a truly advanced scientific device thats ready to be tested full scale. Khan and his people have been marooned for only three years at this point but they're faced with the same circumstances as in the film. The Reliant comes along not knowing anything about the Botany Bay and the Ceti Alpha system. A big difference would be that unless Chekov had since been reassigned then he couldn't be the one to recognize Khan. It really isn't necessary, but a past semi regular crewman could be used in Chekov's place--maybe DeSalle or someone else. At this point there'd be no David Marcus and possibly no Saavik unless in a later season another young Vulcan were introduced and possibly only in a guest appearing role.
Assuming Ricardo Montalban could return to reprise the role it would be only the second time a major guest character would return in TOS (the other being Harry Mudd). There's also the fact that Spock likely wouldn't be written in to be killed.
Hmm, but if you want a two-part episode with a cliffhanger of sorts...
"The Search For Spock" - In this case you'd need an entirely new story unless this episode were indeed a second parter to the previous story. In that case maybe you could call the whole thing "The Undiscovered Country" Parts I & II. (as I understand it The Undiscovered Country was the original title for what became TWOK until they opted for a title somewhat less vague). Even so a lot of elements would have to be rewitten to make this work for TOS. For one thing you certainly aren't going to destroy the Enterprise during the series.
"The Voyage Home" - I can't imagine how this could have been written as a TOS episode. So if we insist on another time travel story you have to come up with something completely different.
"The Final Frontier" - I think this could easily have been written as a TOS episode without having to change all that much. By necessity you drop all the forced humour and ship as lemon crap. You also cut all the Kirk, Spock and McCoy camping stuff. This basically is somewhat similar to "Thw Way To Eden," but you could still do something interesting with it. The question is whether TOS would have had enough nerve to actually show how people create God in their own image back in the day.
"The Undiscovered Country" - This really isn't that far removed from "Journey To Babel" in which the Enterprise is part of a peace conference that someone is hellbent on disrupting. Would the writers of the time have been willing to show Starfleet personnel conspiring with a faction of Klingons (or Romulans or someone else) to start a war?
This can lead one to wonder how any of the other films could have played out as TOS episodes set in a hypothetical fourth or fifth season of TOS.
"The Wrath Of Khan" (or something else somewhat more poetic) - Some of the elements could remain the same. An old flame of Kirk's has become an established scientist developing a truly advanced scientific device thats ready to be tested full scale. Khan and his people have been marooned for only three years at this point but they're faced with the same circumstances as in the film. The Reliant comes along not knowing anything about the Botany Bay and the Ceti Alpha system. A big difference would be that unless Chekov had since been reassigned then he couldn't be the one to recognize Khan. It really isn't necessary, but a past semi regular crewman could be used in Chekov's place--maybe DeSalle or someone else. At this point there'd be no David Marcus and possibly no Saavik unless in a later season another young Vulcan were introduced and possibly only in a guest appearing role.
Assuming Ricardo Montalban could return to reprise the role it would be only the second time a major guest character would return in TOS (the other being Harry Mudd). There's also the fact that Spock likely wouldn't be written in to be killed.
Hmm, but if you want a two-part episode with a cliffhanger of sorts...
"The Search For Spock" - In this case you'd need an entirely new story unless this episode were indeed a second parter to the previous story. In that case maybe you could call the whole thing "The Undiscovered Country" Parts I & II. (as I understand it The Undiscovered Country was the original title for what became TWOK until they opted for a title somewhat less vague). Even so a lot of elements would have to be rewitten to make this work for TOS. For one thing you certainly aren't going to destroy the Enterprise during the series.
"The Voyage Home" - I can't imagine how this could have been written as a TOS episode. So if we insist on another time travel story you have to come up with something completely different.
"The Final Frontier" - I think this could easily have been written as a TOS episode without having to change all that much. By necessity you drop all the forced humour and ship as lemon crap. You also cut all the Kirk, Spock and McCoy camping stuff. This basically is somewhat similar to "Thw Way To Eden," but you could still do something interesting with it. The question is whether TOS would have had enough nerve to actually show how people create God in their own image back in the day.
"The Undiscovered Country" - This really isn't that far removed from "Journey To Babel" in which the Enterprise is part of a peace conference that someone is hellbent on disrupting. Would the writers of the time have been willing to show Starfleet personnel conspiring with a faction of Klingons (or Romulans or someone else) to start a war?
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