TNG as TOS, just for fun...

[JarodRussell]

I think another interesting question is, which TNG episodes absolutely would not have worked as TOS episodes?

Obviously all the holodeck stories are out. I couldn't see something like "Best of Both Worlds" working, either.

It would have worked, but it would have been incredibly silly in the 60s. An alien machine-race (humans in gray make up making robotic moves and speaking very strange) attacks the Federation. Kirk gets turned into one of them (he's wearing gray make up, making funny robotic moves and speaking very strange). And in the end Spock performs a mind meld to get in contact with Kirk and puts everyone of the aliens to sleep.

 

[Anwar]

I think another interesting question is, which TNG episodes absolutely would not have worked as TOS episodes?

Obviously all the holodeck stories are out. I couldn't see something like "Best of Both Worlds" working, either.

It would have worked, but it would have been incredibly silly in the 60s. An alien machine-race (humans in gray make up making robotic moves and speaking very strange) attacks the Federation. Kirk gets turned into one of them (he's wearing gray make up, making funny robotic moves and speaking very strange). And in the end Spock performs a mind meld to get in contact with Kirk and puts everyone of the aliens to sleep.

So, bad FX would have ruined the story? Because the description is the same.

 

[JarodRussell]

I think another interesting question is, which TNG episodes absolutely would not have worked as TOS episodes?

Obviously all the holodeck stories are out. I couldn't see something like "Best of Both Worlds" working, either.

It would have worked, but it would have been incredibly silly in the 60s. An alien machine-race (humans in gray make up making robotic moves and speaking very strange) attacks the Federation. Kirk gets turned into one of them (he's wearing gray make up, making funny robotic moves and speaking very strange). And in the end Spock performs a mind meld to get in contact with Kirk and puts everyone of the aliens to sleep.

So, bad FX would have ruined the story? Because the description is the same.

The story would have been the same, but the execution and performances would have turned it into something like Spock's Brain.

 

[Bishop76]

Uh... no, Spock's Brain wasn't bad because of the FX or the makeup or the set. Spock's Brain was bad because it was a shitty story.

 

[Warped9]

No, "Spock's Brain" was disappointing because of poor execution and ideas not well thought out. The essential story idea is actually a good one.

Another idea done silly was in "I, Mudd." If the Androids had been more like those in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" and not played for laughs then it would have been more dramatic and far more interesting.

There are some episodes in TOS that could have been better if they'd taken a different approach. "The Trouble With Tribbles" is amusing and popular, but casting William Campbell as Koloth and going for the humorous angle really makes a joke of the Klingons.

 

[T'Girl]

Not sure how'd they do all those Klingon stories either.

Heart Of Glory would be interesting, somehow less the Klingon security officer. Maybe a guest star in the Worf role, as a non-Klingon alien starfleet officer, be nice if TPTB showed that Spock wasn't the only alien on the ship. The episode being a "bottle show" perhaps they could have spent more and got a name hollywood celeb to play the non-Worf part.

Starship Mine - The Enterprise is docked at a space station for its routine baryon sweep. Just as Kirk, the last to leave, is about to depart before the sweep starts, terrorist board the ship. It's Kirk's job to keep one step ahead of the terrorists and re-take his ship. (They'd probably not refer to the invaders as terrorists, and Spock would be with Kirk.)

There was plenty of terrorism during the late sixties when Star Trek was on the air, the news was full of it, so the audience would be familiar with the term. At the end of the episode, likely, Kirk would not have lost his saddle.

 

[WillsBabe]

There was plenty of terrorism during the late sixties when Star Trek was on the air, the news was full of it, so the audience would be familiar with the term. At the end of the episode, likely, Kirk would not have lost his saddle.

I didn't feel that the audience would be unfamiliar with the term. I'm just not sure that they would be referred to as terrorists. I do agree that no way Kirk would have lost his saddle!

 

[Pauln6]

"Code Of Honor"
Uhura is abducted and Kirk must defer to an arrogant leader to negotiate her release.

“The Child”
Uhura is impregnated by an alien entity.

Both sound more like "guest actress of the week playing a character we never see again" roles to me.

You could get away with using Rand here. She was more of a damsel in distress.

 

[Hambone]

^^ No one would have even conceived of that in the '60s.

Pun intended?

 

[Gary7]

Timescape - Kirk, Scotty and Uhura (although in actuality it'd more likely be Kirk, Bones and Spock) return to the Enterprise to find it and the crew frozen in time and boarded by Klingons.

Starship Mine - The Enterprise is docked at a space station for its routine baryon sweep. Just as Kirk, the last to leave, is about to depart before the sweep starts, terrorist board the ship. It's Kirk's job to keep one step ahead of the terrorists and re-take his ship. (They'd probably not refer to the invaders as terrorists, and Spock would be with Kirk.)

Ethics - Kirk is critically injured and a visiting surgeon arrives who claims s/he has perfected just the technique to save him. Bones is sceptical of her techniques, and he and Spock must decide between them the best way forward. I'd like to see this because usually on TOS the clash between Spcok and Bones is between logic and emotion. I'd like to see Bones position being one of logic and ethics, and see Spock maybe wresting in private with his fears for Jim.

I can see all of these working as TOS episodes, particularly the first two. I'd love to see Starship Mine TOS style in fact!

I agree, these are really good candidates. Fun to speculate for a bit but then, alas... what was done is done. I'm more curious as to what conditions will have to exist for another Star Trek television series to come around again. The younger generation is so preoccupied with vampires and alien subversion, it seems there's not much interest in space traveling sci-fi these days.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Timescape - Kirk, Scotty and Uhura (although in actuality it'd more likely be Kirk, Bones and Spock) return to the Enterprise to find it and the crew frozen in time and boarded by Klingons.

Starship Mine - The Enterprise is docked at a space station for its routine baryon sweep. Just as Kirk, the last to leave, is about to depart before the sweep starts, terrorist board the ship. It's Kirk's job to keep one step ahead of the terrorists and re-take his ship. (They'd probably not refer to the invaders as terrorists, and Spock would be with Kirk.)

Ethics - Kirk is critically injured and a visiting surgeon arrives who claims s/he has perfected just the technique to save him. Bones is sceptical of her techniques, and he and Spock must decide between them the best way forward. I'd like to see this because usually on TOS the clash between Spcok and Bones is between logic and emotion. I'd like to see Bones position being one of logic and ethics, and see Spock maybe wresting in private with his fears for Jim.

I can see all of these working as TOS episodes, particularly the first two. I'd love to see Starship Mine TOS style in fact!

I agree, these are really good candidates. Fun to speculate for a bit but then, alas... what was done is done. I'm more curious as to what conditions will have to exist for another Star Trek television series to come around again. The younger generation is so preoccupied with vampires and alien subversion, it seems there's not much interest in space traveling sci-fi these days.

Thats simple just shamelessly rip off the Paragon route of the Mass Effect games and change it a little to fit in the Star Trek mold.