Gene Coon and Spock’s Brain

[BillJ]

Entertaining episode, as long as one doesn't take it too seriously.

 

[Qonundrum]

To my understanding, he had quit the show and also believed the show took itself too seriously - hence this script being made.

As for Star Wars, I'd love to see the cuts of the 1977 movie before his wife and others made the edit that everyone knows and loves. Probably rank up there with scene cut from TESB that really puts the incest stuff into a far worse category with the love triangle originally envisioned.

 

[Qonundrum]

It’s been thoroughly debunked that “Spock’s Brain” was initially intended as a comedy. By the third season GR had dictated no more comedic episodes as had been seen in season two. So Freiberger already had his marching orders on that point. Little doubt Coon was also aware of this as well.

There is a genuine science fiction story in “Spock’s Brain”—a living mind needed to run a civilization—but the execution foundered along the way. The missteps could have been fixed with a bit more rethink and rewriting.

For me the otherwise viable story is hurt by specific elements that could have been fixed.
- Make the Eymorg women less airheaded.
- Leave Spock’s body on the ship.
- Not have Spock speak during his own brain surgery to guide McCoy to complete the surgery.

That last point alone along with rewriting or eliminating the line, “Brain and brain, what is brain?” would have elevated this episode.

Finally a better sounding title would have helped. Even something as simple as “The Controller” would have sounded more serious, but I’m sure something better could have been found.

I'm sure I'd read he wrote it as a dare, not because season 2 had some comedy relief episodes...? Oh well.

It makes sense Gene was trying to clamp down on comedy episodes; season 2 had a few too many. The fact season 3 plays everything so straight suggests Roddenberry got his way on some things.

Ditto on "living brain operating whole society" - there is a good concept in there, let down by floundering execution (and reducing Spock to a glorified HVAC thermostat.)

The Eymorg definitely were dumbed down needlessly, though the Morgs seemed dim as well - both sides showing a societal decay but, being the 1960s, the casual sexism is still present.

Spock's body didn't need to go anywhere.

Spock speaking during the operation did it in, if nothing else had at that point.

 

[Harvey]

A lot has been written about Roddenberry's negative opinion of comedic episodes and his supposed clash with Gene L. Coon over them - but not much of this has been backed by a reliable source. Coon developed "A Piece of the Action" after he had relinquished his producer's duties. If Roddenberry didn't want any more comedies, why let that one proceed in the direction that it did? Why let many scenes in "By Any Other Name" go in the direction they did? You don't get Scotty saying, "it's green," unless someone behind-the-scenes is comfortable with a degree of comedy on screen. Heck, even Roddenberry's own "Assignment: Earth" has comedic elements.

Likewise, if Roddenberry didn't want any more comedies, why did he assign Coon to write "Japan Triumphant" or Sturgeon to write "Shore Leave II" for the third season? Both were conceived as comedic episodes. True, Coon's story died because he couldn't get to it before he had other commitments and Sturgeon's died because his outline was a mess and a non-story, but Roddenberry still gave out the assignments.

My suspicion has always been that season three is so straight because of the departure of Bob Justman and Dorothy Fontana's creative voices, and because of the creative preferences of Fred Freiberger and Arthur Singer. But I'd need to dig deeper into their backgrounds to be more certain of that.

 

[Maurice]

I suspect it was more Freiberger than some Roddenberry edict. Also, the show's ratings went down steadily and maybe they thought playing it more drama was the way to go. Finally, the Batman camp craze had died down and maybe this was in a part a reaction to that.

 

[Harvey]

I suspect it was more Freiberger than some Roddenberry edict. Also, the show's rating went down steadily and maybe they thought playing it more drama was the way to go. Finally, the Batman camp craze had died down and maybe this was in a part a reaction to that.

Could be. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. also played its final season very straight, to somewhat detrimental results.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Could be. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. also played its final season very straight, to somewhat detrimental results.

Yeah. By then, it was too little, too late. The first season (black & white) episodes of U.N.C.L.E. are by far the best.

 

[Daddy Todd]

I'd have to review the script pages to know for certain (and a visit to UCLA is certainly out of the question any time soon).

But my recollection is that Coon was the one who made all the major changes (some at the direction of the staff).

Thanks Harv!

 

[Phaser Two]

How do you think the Spock's Brain planet is doing in the 24th century?

Hmm, good question! Showing up to demand a piece of our action?

 

[Qonundrum]

Could be. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. also played its final season very straight, to somewhat detrimental results.

But that was to make up for season 3's uber-camp and joining in on the "Batman camp" phase everyone else was doing. Which drove viewers away as a result; not every show can translate to different styles. Season 4 was halfway decent, but it was too late. Even Lost In Space's season 3, despite moments, was less camp than season 2.

 

[Forbin]

But that was to make up for season 3's uber-camp and joining in on the "Batman camp" phase everyone else was doing. Which drove viewers away as a result; not every show can translate to different styles.

There's an interview with Vaughn where he wondered how his career brought him to a point where he was dancing the Watusi with a guy in a gorilla suit in treehouse.

 

[johnnybear]

Fred Freiberger, the kiss of death to TV shows! Star Trek, Space 1999 and The Six Million Dollar Man all died at the hands of this silver haired cost cutter!
JB

 

[Spock's Barber]

Fred Freiberger, the kiss of death to TV shows! Star Trek, Space 1999 and The Six Million Dollar Man all died at the hands of this silver haired cost cutter!
JB

Hmmmmm....I think I discern a pattern in Fred’s methods of operation.

 

[Warped9]

Seriously I think the writing was on the wall for TOS regardless of who was in charge. NBC was tired of Gene Roddenberry and Paramount simply didn’t care for the show.

In entirety third season isn’t as off target as many like to think or make it out to be. I, for one, appreciated the return to a generally more dramatic tone. And surprisingly the cost cutting wasn’t much more apparent than that of the second season.

Seriously some of second season’s “parallel Earth” type stories were pure cost cutting in terms of costuming and sets.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Seriously some of second season’s “parallel Earth” type stories were pure cost cutting in terms of costuming and sets.

The parallel planet episodes always made me wonder if aliens weren’t more intelligent than humans since they couldn’t seem to create their own unique society.

 

[Warped9]

“Who Mourns For Adonais?” - a couple of Grecian costumes for Apollo and Palamas and one temporary set.

“The Changeling” - Nomad and a few f/x.

“Mirror, Mirror” - nothing elaborate about the Halkans and some uniform tweaks for the Mirror Enterprise crew.

“The Deadly Years” - aging makeup for a few of the regular cast.

“Obsession” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x

“A Piece Of The Action” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“The Immunity Syndrome” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x.

“Return To Tomorrow” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x and one new set.

“Patterns Of Force” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“By Any Other Name” - pure bottle show and a few small simple props and a handful of f/x.

“The Ultimate Computer” - pure bottle show with one prop and A handful of f/x.

“Bread And Circuses” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“Assignment: Earth” - some period costuming and one major prop.


Second season doesn’t come across as much more elaborate looking than third season.

 

[Nerys Myk]

“Who Mourns For Adonais?” - a couple of Grecian costumes for Apollo and Palamas and one temporary set.

“The Changeling” - Nomad and a few f/x.

“Mirror, Mirror” - nothing elaborate about the Halkans and some uniform tweaks for the Mirror Enterprise crew.

“The Deadly Years” - aging makeup for a few of the regular cast.

“Obsession” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x

“A Piece Of The Action” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“The Immunity Syndrome” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x.

“Return To Tomorrow” - pure bottle show with a handful of f/x and one new set.

“Patterns Of Force” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“By Any Other Name” - pure bottle show and a few small simple props and a handful of f/x.

“The Ultimate Computer” - pure bottle show with one prop and A handful of f/x.

“Bread And Circuses” - some period costuming and borrowing of existing sets and props.

“Assignment: Earth” - some period costuming and one major prop.


Second season doesn’t come across as much more elaborate looking than third season.

Wasn't that part of the pitch?

 

[Warped9]

^^ My point was to counter the notion season three somehow looked cheaper than the previous seasons.

 

[diankra]

Hmmmmm....I think I discern a pattern in Fred’s methods of operation.

Ummh, it wasn't entirely Fred's fault. He got hired by series that were already at risk of cancellation, and was their last chance of revival.
Of course, if he was better regarded he wouldn't have kept getting the doomed series that no-one else wanted.

 

[Maurice]

^^ My point was to counter the notion season three somehow looked cheaper than the previous seasons.

Well, it DOES look cheaper as a whole because they did have budget cuts (thanks to Paramount and increasing actor salaries) because we overall gets fewer extras, etc. The tightened shooting schedules also meant less time to light so the show's look got flatter.