Turnabout Intruder

[GNDN18]

"Turnabout Intruder" is just a hacked-together rip-off of Thorne Smith's novel Turnabout or the 1940 film on which it was based, in which a husband and wife temporarily swap bodies and in the end decide that things work best if they stick to the traditional gender roles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnabout_(film)

We fans are collectively far more concerned with the continuity implications relative to TOS as a whole than SInger or Roddenberry were.

Don’t forget the 1979 mid-season replacement:

As I said, don’t forget, because nearly everyone else has.

Incidentally, this Turnabout is canon: in the unaired eighth episode, John Schuck is transmogrified with a 23rd century Klingon ambassador.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I've always thought Turnabout Intruder would've been so very, very interesting if it was a planned finale for Star Trek, and instead of resolving it the way they did James Kirk is stuck in Janice Lester's body, but he's recognized as really being Captain Kirk and is back in command, but will spend the rest of his life as a woman. I feel that would've been an absolutely amazing ending for the show. We just wouldn't have had William Shatner in the movies lol.

Yeah, that would have been a franchise-killing mistake of historic proportions. Not only Shatner fans, but male viewers in general would have been so angered by it that it might have doused their enthusiasm for the syndicated re-runs. And then, no TAS and no movies.

A similar thing actually happened years later. The final episode of Xena: Warrior Princess did such a horrific number on the title character that it put a stink on the whole series' reruns for me, and I never went back. I'd been a huge fan up to that point, but knowing where it all would lead simply killed it for me. And the franchise hasn't done much of anything since then, unless you count a cartoon and a video game.

 

[johnnybear]

Can't say I watched many Xena episodes, not being a fan of Lucy Lawless, Zap! what happened at the end?
JB

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Can't say I watched many Xena episodes, not being a fan of Lucy Lawless, Zap! what happened at the end?
JB

Ah, I purposely avoided spoiling it, and I can't find the instructions for a spoiler shield on this board. But the point is, it was a great series with one terrible finale.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Ah, I purposely avoided spoiling it, and I can't find the instructions for a spoiler shield on this board. But the point is, it was a great series with one terrible finale.

Agreed. That was a horrible way to end the series--leaving that as the last word for fans.

 

[Commander Luskeen]

I must admit I still see it as evidence that women are not allowed to command Starships in the TOS era! (I don't count ENT) but we have seen women captain ships in the later TNG, DS9 and VOY series and the films so maybe I'm wrong!
JB

The Romulans were more progressive than the Federation. They had a female captain, or will have

 

[johnnybear]

Indeed they did but alas she was unnamed in the episode!!!
JB

 

[gottacook]

Well, she was named, but only Spock could hear it. (Beautiful solo flute passage at that same moment, too - probably intended to represent her name, given that the episode had a full original score.)

 

[johnnybear]

Yes that's true, but we were not privy to that name were we!
JB

 

[gottacook]

Maybe Nimoy's script included a name for the Commander - either that, or he simply made up something to whisper into Joanne Linville's ear. In any case, I hardly think Nimoy would have merely pretended to whisper. (She was also good as the wife of a politician/villain played by Jackie Cooper, in a Columbo about 5 years later.)

 

[alchemist]

Maybe Nimoy's script included a name for the Commander - either that, or he simply made up something to whisper into Joanne Linville's ear. In any case, I hardly think Nimoy would have merely pretended to whisper. (She was also good as the wife of a politician/villain played by Jackie Cooper, in a Columbo about 5 years later.)

Here's what the final draft script (dated June 13, 1968) says about that:

Spock is no slouch at picking up an invitation. His
ear is at her mouth and listening eagerly. She whispers
something unheard but delightful.

So, no name in the script.

 

[Maurice]

She probably just whispered "peas and carrots".

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Pudding and tame, ask me again and I'll tell you the same.