Best of Both Worlds II "alternate" script

[WarpFactorZ]

Mike Okuda just posted a very interesting trivia tidbit on his Facebook page. Apparently, during the third season production, a number of their story ideas were being leaked to message boards and such. In order to nab the perpetrator, they wrote a fake script for BoBW II, in hopes of it also being leaked (it was, but they never figured out who did it).

I don't want to repost someone else's image without permission, but I've transcribed it below for those who are interested (though I suspect this has already come up before). Anyway, enjoy!

================================
STAR TREK: "Worlds" Part Two. -- REV 7/2/90 -- TEASER

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Best of. Both Worlds" Part. Two

TEASER
​

FADE IN:

1. INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL) -- LOCUTUS ON SCREEN
glares angrily at Riker.

LOCUTUS​

Resistance is futile, you
foolish humans.
​

2. EXT. SPACE -- THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
As the main deflector dish pulses with a bright purple
light. Suddenly, a dazzling beam shoots out of the
dish, and --

3. EXT. SPACE -- THE BORG SHIP (OPTICAL)
-- the beam strikes the huge cube. For a moment, nothing
happens, then suddenly, the Borg ship shudders, and
explodes into a billion fragments.

4. VARIOUS REACTION SHOTS
As our people witness the awesome destruction. Riker's
eyes are solemn. A moment of contemplation.

5. ANOTHER ANGLE (OPTICAL)
Riker turns to Shelby, about to say something --
A DAZZLING FLASH fills the bridge. All turn to witness:

6. CLOSE ON Q
Our friend, Q, materializes, grinning. He winks slyly at
camera. His face takes on a mocking grin as he addresses
our crew.

Q​

I have a big surprise for you.

(CONTINIUED)​

 

[jackoverfull]

Wow, that’s so bad it’s hilarious.

May we call it “The Worst of Both Worlds”?

 

[DonIago]

Wow, that’s so bad it’s hilarious.

May we call it “The Worst of Both Worlds”?

Already used as the title of a MU (I believe) story I'm afraid.

 

[Orphalesion]

Yikes...did anybody actually believe that to be genuine?

 

[jackoverfull]

Already used as the title of a MU (I believe) story I'm afraid.

indeed. I wasn’t aware of it.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Oh yeah, this is certainly awful and so obviously fake -- everything from the line "you foolish humans" to Q breaking the fourth wall and winking at the camera. But it was pretty fun to see, anyway.

 

[NCC-73515]

And then?? I wanna know what happens next!!

 

[somebuddyX]

I love this.

 

[Orphalesion]

And then?? I wanna know what happens next!!

They all have ice cream. In a sea-side ice cream parlor. In 1965.

 

[Maurice]

Mike Okuda just posted a very interesting trivia tidbit on his Facebook page. Apparently, during the third season production, a number of their story ideas were being leaked to message boards and such. In order to nab the perpetrator, they wrote a fake script for BoBW II, in hopes of it also being leaked (it was, but they never figured out who did it).

I don't want to repost someone else's image without permission, but I've transcribed it below for those who are interested (though I suspect this has already come up before). Anyway, enjoy!

================================
STAR TREK: "Worlds" Part Two. -- REV 7/2/90 -- TEASER

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Best of. Both Worlds" Part. Two

TEASER
​

FADE IN:

1. INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL) -- LOCUTUS ON SCREEN
glares angrily at Riker.

LOCUTUS​

Resistance is futile, you
foolish humans.​

2. EXT. SPACE -- THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
As the main deflector dish pulses with a bright purple
light. Suddenly, a dazzling beam shoots out of the
dish, and --

3. EXT. SPACE -- THE BORG SHIP (OPTICAL)
-- the beam strikes the huge cube. For a moment, nothing
happens, then suddenly, the Borg ship shudders, and
explodes into a billion fragments.

4. VARIOUS REACTION SHOTS
As our people witness the awesome destruction. Riker's
eyes are solemn. A moment of contemplation.

5. ANOTHER ANGLE (OPTICAL)
Riker turns to Shelby, about to say something --
A DAZZLING FLASH fills the bridge. All turn to witness:

6. CLOSE ON Q
Our friend, Q, materializes, grinning. He winks slyly at
camera. His face takes on a mocking grin as he addresses
our crew.

Q​

I have a big surprise for you.

(CONTINIUED)​

That slightly misrepresents Mike's tweet (link), which reads (emphasis mine):

TNG fans remember the anticipation after the "Best of Both Worlds, 1" cliffhanger. Rick Sternbach and I were amused at leaks of secret info from the studio, so I made up a fake script page for BOBW2. We left it lying around on our desks. It wasn't long until it showed up online.​

That's somewhat less elaborate than the narrative you spun. They were just trolling the leakers.

 

[at Quark's]

Given how purposely bad that seems, I'd believe 'trolling' sooner than a serious attempt to find the leakers.

 

[Orphalesion]

Given how purposely bad that seems, I'd believe 'trolling' sooner than a serious attempt to find the leakers.

Yeah that's what it sounds like to me, they were aware of leaks and played a prank on people.

 

[jackoverfull]

They all have ice cream. In a sea-side ice cream parlor. In 1965.

but it’s actually an allegory of the continuum

 

[publiusr]

And then?? I wanna know what happens next!!

Perfect for Lower Decks

 

[Mudd]

Yeah, found it the other week while cleaning up to move, posted it on FB and Mike remembered the story behind it.

 

[Oddish]

More seriously, I think that they did have an alternate script, given that they weren't sure they were going to get Patrick Stewart to renew. Though I doubt it would have gone quite that way.

 

[jackoverfull]

I think they had sorted out things with Patrick Stewart before starting to write part 2...Keep also in mind that the head writer was originally supposed to leave in season 4 and had no idea on how to solve the desperate situation he had put our heroes in the first part (he was convinced to stay on board and had to figure out a solution!).

 

[Oddish]

Even so, they at least had to have basic plans for a fourth season opener without Picard.

 

[Maurice]

Even so, they at least had to have basic plans for a fourth season opener without Picard.

No. They have said they had no idea where to go after the cliffhanger until they came back from hiatus and had to figure out what to do. By that point the contract situation would have been resolved.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

They all have ice cream. In a sea-side ice cream parlor. In 1965.

Nah, they'd go back to WW2 and fight Nazis because each series has to try and squeeze them in somewhere