Respect for The Way to Eden.

[T'Girl]

The Way to Eden.

Not one of Star Trek's top rated episodes (has it's supporters), would your opinion of The Way to Eden change if a 1969 named band were to have been hired to appear on the show and play some of their own music? This afternoon, I was listening to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane and this thought came to me. While keeping the actor Skip Homeier as Dr. Sevrin, replace all the actors who playd the space hippies with professional band members. The dialog would more or less remain the same. The music possibly quite different.

Jefferson Airplanes album Bless Its Pointed Little Head came out the same time as the episode, appearing on the show would be a opportunity to plug the album, and I could see the band doing the show for the fun of it.

I could especially see Grace Slick as Irina Galliulin, Slick would have been 29 at the time, and was striking in appearance. The actress (Rapelye) who did play Irina was 24.

But it wouldn't have to be Jefferson Airplane (my fav band from that time), it could be another band, Someone like David Bowie would have been a interesting add, instead if blond girl (did she have a name?), there could have been a musical duet between Bowie and Spock.

Sly & the Family Stone as the space hippies could have had Cynthia Robinson in the role of Irina, showing Chekov as having had a interracial romance. And also (hopefully) showing a better "first" black-white kiss than we got in Plato's Stepchildren. The music could only have been better than the original.

A professional band playing their their own music, would it change your opinion of the episode?

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

Yes, I think I would enjoy "The Way to Eden" more if they had The Doors as Dr. Sevrin followers. I would have liked to have seen Spock with his Vulcan Harp jamming with them as Jim Morrison sang The End. Though, the censors would probably be against this or at least not allow the entire song to be sung. Also, have Goldie Hawn casted as Irina. Goldie was doing Rowen and Martin's Laugh-In at the time, though. But, she may have been allowed to play the role if the Laugh-In producers would let her.



Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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[Brutal Strudel]

It would have the side effect of dating the episode even more. Trek handled the idea of space hippies with far more subtlty and aplomb in "This Side of Paradise," even addressing (giving center stage to, really) the drug issue.

 

[number6]

Um. No. It would have dated the episode even worse than it is.

 

[Gary7]

I think only people who grew up in the 60's/70's, or have a thing for that era, can truly appreciate "The Way To Eden." Outside that, it just receives shameless scorn.

Anyway... in the spirit of the episode, check out this video: White Rabbit TOS
(it's the one that got the audio removed on YouTube)

 

[number6]

I grew up in the 60s/70s and I think TWTE is pretty embarrassing.

 

[scotpens]

I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, and I think “The Way to Eden” sucks giant hairy goat balls.

. . . Also, have Goldie Hawn casted as Irina. Goldie was doing Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In at the time, though.

Actually, it would have been fun to see Goldie cast as Roberta Lincoln in “Assignment: Earth” — a role more suited to her type.

But there’s already a whole thread on actors we would like to have seen in classic Trek.

 

[Patrickivan]

Headin' off to Eden. Yay, Brother...

I think it would have made it too gimicky to have had a known pop/ rock band... It wasn't a bad episode in theory, and the blonde chick had rockin' thighs! But I wish they left out the singing... Ugh.

 

[Redfern]

One of the William Hartnell era Doctor Who serials (I think, "The Chase") had the Beatles appear! Actually, a device aboard the TARDIS is receiving a signal caught up in the space/time vortex, so in effect, they are just seeing them on the tele'.

Because of complicated rights and distribution caveats, the "region 1" DVD of that story will have (or has had if already released) that sequence removed.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I still think it's hilarious that Charles Napier played the lead hippie (and, AFAIK, wrote most of the songs he sings in this episode) whereas today he's known for playing badass military types.

 

[Gary7]

I totally forgot to respond to the second point...

I think it would've been terrible to incorporate 60's period bands or songs into the episode, as not only would it date the episode more, but it wouldn't look right--a 60's band in a 23rd century timeline.

You can't really take this episode seriously... if you do, you can't help but get hung up on a number of problems. The fact is that it would've been very difficult to come up with a plausible incarnation of a "future hippy group"... the 60's had a huge influence at the time, hard to see outside of it. I like to look at it as this group hearkening back to an earlier time, one of shunning bureaucratic institutions and turning to simplicity.

I would've enjoyed seeing Goldie Hawn in an episode somewhere... not TWTE though. I'm not so sure she could pull it off, with the bubble headed perception of her established by Laugh-In. Also, Terri Garr was terrific in Assignment: Earth, so I couldn't see swapping her with Goldie.

Agreed, it's ironic how Napier ended up playing hard nosed military types later on. It would've been nice to see him in another Star Trek episode... maybe even an appearance in TNG.

 

[T'Girl]

a 60's band in a 23rd century timeline.

I wasn't suggesting that they would appear as themselves. They would have been protraying the characters that the original actor did, just that they would basically play a piece of their own music in the scene where the hippies give a little concert for the crew.Agreed,

it's ironic how Napier ended up playing hard nosed military types later on. It would've been nice to see him in another Star Trek episode... maybe even an appearance in TNG.

He was in DS9's little green men, as a 20th century general.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Agreed, it's ironic how Napier ended up playing hard nosed military types later on. It would've been nice to see him in another Star Trek episode... maybe even an appearance in TNG.

He was on DS9 once, he played a General in "Little Green Men".

 

[JRoss]

Oh, man, OP. Now I won't be satisfied until your idea is accomplished digitally!

 

[The Dominion]

If Jim Morrison would have been on it, would Kirk have thrown him in the brig for indecent exposure?

 

[Psion]

The problem with "The Way to Eden" wasn't how dated it was, but how the writers tried to identify with a youth culture they clearly weren't a part of. Like Dad trying to have a heart-to-heart with his teenage son and using unfamiliar slang, the whole thing felt awkward. The idea of an episode trying to incorporate the generational issues faced by America in the 1960s wasn't itself bad, nor would incorporating a popular band of the time date the episode any worse, but the subject should have been handled with respect and understanding uncharacteristically lacking (for Star Trek) in the actual finished product.

 

[A beaker full of death]

As weak as the episode is, it had some very nice touches. A lost love from Chekov's past, the "lost" youths in search of their place clearly resonating with Spock, Kirk's ambivalence if not outright sympathy towards them... even the generational divide among the officers as Sulu interacts with the hippies.

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

I still think it's hilarious that Charles Napier played the lead hippie (and, AFAIK, wrote most of the songs he sings in this episode) whereas today he's known for playing badass military types.

Here is a clip of him playing a comedic role as a washed-up has been, shell-shocked alcoholic Nam vet. He nailed the role. It's hilarious, the first time I saw it I laughed so hard my eyes were watering. This scene is almost as funny as when Will Ferrell's character accidentally shoots himself with a tranquilizer dart in the film "Old School".

Link to Charles Napier scene --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3nBU4KGnW4



Link to the Will Ferrell tranquilizer dart scene from "Old School" --> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-757771289801131975




Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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[scotpens]

The problem with "The Way to Eden" wasn't how dated it was, but how the writers tried to identify with a youth culture they clearly weren't a part of.

Which is typical of dozens of movies and TV shows of that period, with middle-aged producers, screenwriters and directors trying to portray contemporary youth culture. The results were often unintentionally hilarious.

 

[Winterwind]

One of the William Hartnell era Doctor Who serials (I think, "The Chase") had the Beatles appear! Actually, a device aboard the TARDIS is receiving a signal caught up in the space/time vortex, so in effect, they are just seeing them on the tele'.

Because of complicated rights and distribution caveats, the "region 1" DVD of that story will have (or has had if already released) that sequence removed.

Sincerely,

Bill

Yeah, it was removed. And it pissed me off. I've seen the footage but I'd rather have it on my DVD.

And adding a band from the 60s would indeed date the episode horribly. I don't mind the concept of the episode though. It's not at the bottom of my list.