The Last Out Post
I wonder how Kirk would have handled the mischievous Ferengi.
I wonder how Kirk would have handled the mischievous Ferengi.
TNG episodes that would've been interesting to see on TOS
- Thread starter t_smitts
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Looking over the TNG eps on Netflix, it occurs to me that "Hero Worship" might work with Spock rescuing an orphaned boy from a stricken vessel, who then decides he's "Vulcan" to suppress his feelings.
The difference, of course, is that Data wants to be more human, while Spock wants the opposite, so coaxing the kid towards facing his emotions might be odd.
The ending where Timothy thinks he destroyed the ship, but we find out it was their own shields could pretty much work as it did.
The difference, of course, is that Data wants to be more human, while Spock wants the opposite, so coaxing the kid towards facing his emotions might be odd.
The ending where Timothy thinks he destroyed the ship, but we find out it was their own shields could pretty much work as it did.
Data was taken directly from X'on in the Phase II handbook, who was supposed to take Spock's place (Nimoy was unavailable). He was supposed to embrace emotions, because he realized they made Spock so effective. "We'll have humor our of seeing X'on simulate laughter..."
Similarly, Riker and Troi were light rewrites of Decker and Ilia.
Many episodes of TNG season 2 were rewritten from scripts for phase II, due to the writers' strike. It definitely feels the most like TOS out of the rest of TNG.
Chain of Command could easily be done as two separate unrelated episodes. Part 1 would become a single episode of an action-packed spy mission. Lots of fun physical stunts for Shatner-Kirk. In this pre-imagining, Kirk does a successful escape, beaming out just in time. Jellico would still be the main guest star, butting heads with the enemy [random race] and Spock, to McCoy's dismay.
Former part 2 could open with Kirk already captured by a different [random race], physically and psychologically tortured by bad guy Madred, while Spock and McCoy try to rescue him. And Shatner gets to give us extra ham, hold the shirt.
And since we're fantasizing, my guest star choice works for either Jellico or Madred. I think it's a shame Leslie Nielsen never guested in 60s Trek. He would have been a natural for one of Kirk's old friends gone bad. He was popping up a lot in those days, often as evil authority figures. He had science fiction experience. Those who only know him from Airplane and Naked Gun would be surprised.
Former part 2 could open with Kirk already captured by a different [random race], physically and psychologically tortured by bad guy Madred, while Spock and McCoy try to rescue him. And Shatner gets to give us extra ham, hold the shirt.
And since we're fantasizing, my guest star choice works for either Jellico or Madred. I think it's a shame Leslie Nielsen never guested in 60s Trek. He would have been a natural for one of Kirk's old friends gone bad. He was popping up a lot in those days, often as evil authority figures. He had science fiction experience. Those who only know him from Airplane and Naked Gun would be surprised.
I thought only one episode was a re-write of a script for that earlier, aborted series -- "The Child." What other episode(s) are you thinking of?
"Devil's Due" was also a re-write of a script for Phase II, of course, but that didn't come until season four.
I'm thinking they might have just gone with the pale white skin, slicked back hair and shiny black leather uniforms.
I wonder if Chain of Command might not be too cerebral for TOS. Seeing Kirk being tortured as brutally as Picard was, might make a more naive 1960's audience a bit squeamish. They might also wonder "why doesn't he just escape"?
This is all sort of an odd exercise anyway. Retrofitting an episode from a 80s-90s ensemble series of 9 players into a 60s show with 2-3 leads and lower billed supporting cast means major story revisions. Network censors and broadcast standards have to be considered in the context of the 1960s-- easily done, if you lived during it. The severity of Kirk torture scenes couldn't be as explicit as in Picard's. TOS did dabble with it a bit, using agony booths, neural neutralizers, agonizers, and various alien torture devices and experiments. "The Empath" was pretty brutal compared to what was being seen on other shows then.
How so? There were very few episodes of TNG in which each character played a vital part. In most of the Riker-centric episodes, for example, you wouldn't need someone with a Visor.
But with TOS and methods of its day, the focus has to be on Kirk, Spock, or maybe McCoy, because they get the biggest paycheck. Then you divide more lines between Scott, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, and maybe a Rand or Chapel, and one dialogue extra. And you're recutting from 5 acts to 4. Also, longer running time so you need more scenes.
So? There were plenty of episodes that could be fit into that. The Inner Light would work with Kirk, and maybe even Spock, as they both live lives that allow them to experience the huge difference between what they know and what they experience.
So? Like I said, very few episodes feature ALL the cast in equally important roles.
Again, this wouldn't be much of a problem. After all, I'm not proposing that the script remains exactly the same, just changing "Picard" to "Kirk".
My use of the term "major" regarding story revisions was perhaps too strong. My thoughts were about adapting Chain of Command into two unrelated episodes using factors common to 60s television programs. I did not refer to Inner Light or any other episode. I'm not interested in nitpicking my post to death. 
TOS' version of BOBW would be more or less the same, with Spock using a mind-meld to access Kirkcutus instead of Data interfacing with him.
That would be so cool. Kirk and Spock saying, "Resistance... is... futile" together...
I did a poorly animated variation of the Kirk vs. Borg theme around 2004. Didn't have the nerve to put it online until later. It was assembled using voice clips from the old Star Trek Sound and Vision site and some soundtrack cd's.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dRTygP4oJQ[/yt]
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dRTygP4oJQ[/yt]
Final scene of the episode...
SPOCK: We have successfully avoided collision with the other vessel, Captain.
KIRK: Well done. Identification on the other ship?
SPOCK: It appears to be a Federation vessel, Captain, but that design has not been used in some time. I shall attempt to gather further data with the sensors.... Fascinating! The vessel reads as an old-type scout vessel of the Sherwood class. Judging from the vessel's markings, it appears to be the U.S.S. Minnow - listed in Starfleet records as missing in action for 78 years, 4 months, and 2 days.
KIRK: Uhura, open hailing frequencies!
UHURA: Hailing frequencies open, sir.
KIRK: This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise - please identify yourselves!
The screen lights up and we see an image of the other ship's bridge with her familiar-looking captain and first officer in view...
CAPTAIN: Hello, Enterprise - This is Captain Jonas Grumby of the U.S.S. Minnow, and this is my first officer, Commander William Gilligan. We have just been through an extremely violent temporal storm of some kind - if not for the courage of our fearless crew, we would surely have been lost. We have a hull breach and need immediate assistance. Do you read, Enterprise?
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