To Catch A Thief rings a bell!
JB
JB
Still trying to pinpoint the third season "difference"
- Thread starter Talos IV
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I wonder if Coon might have stayed if Star Trek had matched his offer.
Best reason.
I'm still not convinced that the timeline supports this explanation. Coon joined It Takes A Thief in January of 1968 (per Variety). That's why his season three shows carry the credit "Lee Cronin." He was exclusive to It Takes A Thief and wasn't supposed to be writing for other shows.
He stopped producing Star Trek the first week of September, 1967. For the next three and a half months, though, what was he up to? One thing he was up to was a rewrite on "A Piece of the Action" in late September and early October 1967 — but for that work, he didn't have to use a pseudonym, so we at least know that he wasn't exclusive to another outfit. But if he was doing any other film or television work, it's not immediately evident from looking through the finding aid for his papers what that work might have been.
Sounds like somebody needs to go to Wyoming...
Better idea.
Anyone got a TARDIS handy?
Anyone got a TARDIS handy?
I think I am remembering what D.C. said.
I think I am remembering what D.C. said.
"Memories. You're talking about memories!"
Now, off to Wyoming!
Wasn't it already in a bad time slot in season 2? "For season 3, the network moved it to Friday nights" is often said, the show was actually moved to Friday nights in season 2, just kept there but moved to even later in the night in season 3.
Season One originally aired Thursdays at 8:30-9:30 pm (EST) on NBC.
Season Two originally aired Fridays at 8:30-9:30 pm (EST) on NBC.
Season Three originally aired Fridays at 10:00-11:00 pm (EST) on NBC.
The final episode aired on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1969, at 7:30-8:30 pm (EST). (I assume reruns.)
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Seems weird to not keep the show on at the same time! Even here it's considered a sign of uninterest by the television watching public! 
JB
JB
Time slot changes are common in the US for low and marginally rated series. If a show is a certified hit, it keeps its slot. However, a show that is struggling can get moved in an attempt to find an audience (sometimes this works, sometimes not). Or a show they don't care about can get shoved into a spot where it will do the least amount of damage on the way out the door. "Hey, our Wednesday night series didn't work out and we have a few episodes of SeaQuest left to burn off, so just pop it on until we figure something else out..."
Speaking of time slot changes, we should remember that each change in time slot brought a different audience and the series had to tailor itself to appeal to those people actually watching TV at those hours. Also, there was the “we have to attract women” thing Freiberger was hit with which resulted in more love stories and episodes written by women. If you’re going on at Friday at 10, you can’t give them an adventure series aimed at the 7:30 audience. You have to go a little darker, a little more sober. Sadly, they didn’t have the time, money or staff to really make the episodes work consistently. So, if you add this to all of the other things going on behind the scenes, you have a change in the feel of the series as they hit the third season.
I feel it's worth pointing out that the early third-season episodes were being filmed and scored only weeks after presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy was killed at the Ambassador Hotel (since torn down) in Los Angeles, only 2 or 3 miles from the studio. (Although I was an 11-year-old in Pennsylvania at the time, I remember this all too well, particularly its effect on my parents listening to the radio news reports as he was dying, over the course of 12 hours or so.)
I think it's reasonable to assume that the assassination affected the mood of everyone at Desilu/Paramount, and that this in turn had an effect on the acting, the story editing, even the original music scores of those first episodes of the season to be completed (although several were shown later in air order, such as "The Empath" and "Elaan of Troyius").
I think it's reasonable to assume that the assassination affected the mood of everyone at Desilu/Paramount, and that this in turn had an effect on the acting, the story editing, even the original music scores of those first episodes of the season to be completed (although several were shown later in air order, such as "The Empath" and "Elaan of Troyius").
Yes have the children a bit creepier instead of bratty. Being more obviously mind-controlled.
Also have an actor play the Gorgon and not have the Gorgon wearing a shower curtain. Our heroes look stupid losing to a pathetic foe.
I'm sure the Season 1 team (with GR at the helm) could have done better with this episode
I think that building an episode around child guest actors is just a bad idea in general. It instantly makes the episode cheesier.
That’s part of the reason why Corbomite Maneuver isn’t in my Top 10 TOS episodes. Clint Howard just looked too much like what he was...a baby who sounded like Walker Edmiston.
That one I don't mind, as it was just a surprising tag at the end of the story. And considering that his voice was dubbed over by Edmiston, it's not like there's a great deal of Clint Howard's performance left.That’s part of the reason why Corbomite Maneuver isn’t in my Top 10 TOS episodes. Clint Howard just looked too much like what he was...a baby who sounded like Walker Edmiston.
But really, I appreciate early TOS' efforts to make their aliens as alien as possible in creative, budgetary ways. Using unusual looking older women as the Talosians in "The Cage" and Clint Howard as the real Balok in "The Corbomite Maneuver" were both supremely clever ideas. I wish Trek did more of that sort of stuff.
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