It was a sexist time, on a show run by... well, Gene Roddenberry.
Episode Title Allusions?
- Thread starter plynch
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It was a sexist time, on a show run by... well, Gene Roddenberry.
The original title was "Charlie's Law".
Well, I've always thought it was a double entendre of sorts myself, partially for the number of people on board and also for the shuttle, which was in fact numbered 7 with its registry NCC-1701/7
It's the other way around, probably -- the 7 on the side of the shuttlecraft was likely an homage to the episode title. After all, the shuttle didn't exist before the episode, so the scriptwriter probably didn't know what the builders of the shuttle would decide to put on its sides. But still, it doesn't mean that the shuttle was ever called the "Galileo 7" as some assume. Again, that would've required the replacement to be called the Galileo 8, and it was explicitly labeled "Galileo II." The original shuttle was never called anything but the Galileo. The Galileo Seven, therefore, are the seven passengers aboard the shuttle.
^The script repeatedly refers to the name of the shuttle as the "Galileo," not the "Galileo 7." The script also calls out, specifically, the name of the seven passengers when they are first introduced.
Both of these points strongly support the supposition put forth by Christopher.
Both of these points strongly support the supposition put forth by Christopher.
All good points. I never really thought she was officially named Galileo 7 much less her replacement should be named Galileo 8 (as if it was the eighth shuttle to be so named). I just always looked at her registry and went with interesting coincidence that she was shuttle number 7 named Galileo. Her replacement(s?) had the same registry. The II didn't show up until after several more appearences.
Don't get me wrong. I have always considered the "Seven" in the title (especially since it was spelled out rather than numerical) to refer specifically to the crew members, but left enough wiggle room for the tongue-in-cheek of her registry. After all, the poor girl does burn up in one last glorious blaze to help save the last five survivors. But you are totally right about the script writers intentions. Blame it on the homagers and my lazy brain I guess.
Don't get me wrong. I have always considered the "Seven" in the title (especially since it was spelled out rather than numerical) to refer specifically to the crew members, but left enough wiggle room for the tongue-in-cheek of her registry. After all, the poor girl does burn up in one last glorious blaze to help save the last five survivors. But you are totally right about the script writers intentions. Blame it on the homagers and my lazy brain I guess.
Yeah, the problem with the Galileo II in "The Way to Eden" is that it was actually the third Galileo, after the ones destroyed in "The Galileo Seven" and "The Immunity Syndrome." It should've been the Galileo III. But I assume that's because "Immunity" used extensive stock footage of the shuttle, which couldn't have the writing changed, while "Eden" mainly used a live mockup of the shuttle, which could.
Right. Shortly after that Riley (banished to lower decks due to poor singing) painted a II on it.
Say, as an aside, do we ever see/hear "Columbus'" registration # in the NON-remastered (real) version? CGI it is shown as 1701/2. Just curious.
Hmm, you're right. I was misled by Memory Alpha treating them as separate shuttles. But logically they should be the same one.
RobertScorpio
Pariah
Charlie X is an obvious allusion to the story of Malcom X and his struggle to be understood and accepted by those who didn't want to understand or accept him.
Ummm...is that really the inspiration for the title of this episode? Or are you being silly!
Rob
It's not the inspiration for the title. It's either a joke or a very bizarre misreading. As stated earlier in the thread, the "X" in "Charlie X" means the X-factor, the unknown, the mysterious. It was originally called "Charlie's Law," but the producers apparently decided to go with something that sounded more science-fictiony.
^Yeah... at the time, "man" was routinely used to mean "human" in general. (As Margaret Mead jokingly put it, "Man, embracing Woman.")
Also, in the original treatment for the show, the basic plot was included in a list of possible episode concepts under the title "The Day Charlie Became God."
Yeah, that'd go over well in the 60's.
We've forgotten how big Malcolm X was in his day. TPTB in general have condensed the entire Civil Rights Movement into one four-second sound bite of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. (NOT that he wasn't important!!). But to viewers in the 60s any first name ending in X would have clearly reminded them of that recently assassinated great man.
Not that I think that the producers intended Charlie to have anything to do with Civil Rights! Just that he did not know his own background and yes, was mysterious in an "x-1" sci-fi sort of way.
As Green Shirt is not generally given to bizarre misreadings (very or otherwise) and has on occasion been known to make a sly funny, I think a joke may be safely assumed. The 'X' in "Charlie X" is as you say, and coincidentally carries a similar meaning when used as part of the name "Malcolm X" (in that case referring to his unknown/unknowable African family name) but only coincidentally.
The letter X was in those days used quite often in that manner. For example, TV commercials showing one product outperforming another never used to refer to their top competitor by name; that "other leading brand" was usually labeled "Brand X".
And of course X-Men evoked the X = unknown symbolism as well.
And it wasn't a period thing. It's basic algebra -- x is the most common letter used for an unspecified or unknown variable.
And it wasn't a period thing. It's basic algebra -- x is the most common letter used for an unspecified or unknown variable.
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