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Writer & Director's Guide (Bible)
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Pow
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:47 pm    Post subject: Writer & Director's Guide (Bible) Reply with quote

From the March 11, 1964 ST:TOS Bible.

Story Springboards : "The Next Cage." Series lead is caged and put on exhibition like an animal, then offered a mate.

This potential story idea obviously was expanded and became the original pilot episode for Star Trek that was titled "The Cage."
Later to be cleverly reedited into the two-part episodes "The Menagerie."

"The Day Charlie Became God."

This would be the basis for the episode "Charlie X."

"President Capone." On a parallel world, Al Capone imposes a gangland culture upon a nation.

"A Piece of the Action" would make this concept into a reality.

"The Perfect World." Captain April & his reconn team discover a civilization on an unknown world which is similar to Earth, circa 1964.

It is a planet with no crime, hunger, disease, warfare, or social injustices.

This sounds like it evolved into "Return of the Archons." And was intended to be an anti-communist story.

"The Coming." On an alien world, Captain April & his team discover something disturbingly familiar about the quiet dignity of one who is condemned to crucifixion.

I'm pretty sure that NBC wasn't about to go anywhere what they would have considered a religious hot button issue for the audience & sponsors for Star Trek.

Interesting concept as Gene Roddenberry declared himself an atheist.

Was this a statement that if God was real that God would have placed his son, Jesus Christ, upon alien worlds as befitting the form of those planets, in order to preach love and compassion?

Perhaps GR was trying to say that on other planets there could arise a member of that planet's civilization to preach the good word. However, these leaders were not of any supernatural background at all?

"The Women" A group of women are being transported to a far-off colony.

"Mudd's Women," no doubt, and one of the worst first season episodes produced.

"To Skin a Tyrannosaurus." Modern man is reduced to having to survive using a sling & club in a world of 1,000,000 B.C.

This idea was never fully realized. Although elements of it regarding modern man being forced into a position of having to utilize their ancestors weapons of war can be seen in "Arena," "Friday's Child," and "The Savage Curtain."

"Mr. Socrates." A world that has been covertly in telepathic contact with Earth for centuries.

They have selected & duplicated in lifelike forms Earth's greatest and most unusual intellects throughout history.

On this planet one could walk along its boulevards and encounter the likenesses of Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Florence Nightengale, Genghis Khan, Thomas Jefferson, Carry Nation and Adolph Hitler.

What seems like a fantasy becomes a very real danger for the crew of the Yorktown that all this is a form of the "Roman Colosseum," and all the participants are "Gladiators" and the stakes in these games is life and death.

Again, elements of this idea do pop up in "Arena," "The Savage Curtain," and "The Gamesters of Triskelion," and "Requiem for Methuselah."

More story concepts for ST:TOS from 1964 tomorrow.
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Writer & Director's Guide (Bible) Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
"The Coming." On an alien world, Captain April & his team discover something disturbingly familiar about the quiet dignity of one who is condemned to crucifixion.

A variation of this idea was used for the "twist" ending of "Bread and Circuses."

Pow wrote:
"The Women" A group of women are being transported to a far-off colony.

"Mudd's Women," no doubt, and one of the worst first season episodes produced.

I just don't get the hate for "Mudd's Women." I've always liked that episode.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 11:42 am    Post subject: Re: Writer & Director's Guide (Bible) Reply with quote

scotpens wrote:
Pow wrote:
"The Women" A group of women are being transported to a far-off colony.

"Mudd's Women," no doubt, and one of the worst first season episodes produced.

I just don't get the hate for "Mudd's Women." I've always liked that episode.

I completely agree, soctpens. I didn't even know it was held in low esteem!

Admittedly the scenes showing all the men making absolutely fools of themselves when the women walk by are downright silly! Rolling Eyes

Okay, sure, they're gorgeous . . . but the guys almost act like that girl-crazy wolf in the Tex Avery cartoons, the one whose tongue drops down and his eyeballs pop out!






That's what this episode is all about. Guys who act like cartoon wolves over these ladies.







But the fact that the Enterprise desperately needed lithium crystals (not dilithium crystals) was interesting — despite the fact that such a valuable and critically needed element was being mined by three scruffy, horny old men on a hostile planet.

This seems less than logical.
_____________________________________________

Sidebar: What's the difference between lithium crystals and dilithium crystals? Admittedly, I had to look it up. Embarassed

Apparently the Enterprise uses both! One is needed for the power systems, and the other for the warp drive.

Gee . . . that was news to me! Shocked
_____________________________________________

Wikipedia's article about this episode says this in the "Reception" section for this episodes.
__________________________________________

Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave the episode an 'A' rating, describing the character of Harry Mudd in particular as "a familiar character type, but an enjoyable one".

In 2016, TVLine ranked Eve finding out Kirk had given her a placebo rather than the beauty pill as number 13 on the top twenty moments of Star Trek: The Original Series.

__________________________________________

Like every TOS episode, it has both strengths and weaknesses. One of the weaknesses of this one occurs after the "Venus drug" wears off and the face of Eve (the lovely Karen Steele) transforms from a train wreck into a wet dream after she's given a fake dose! Shocked

Apparently the idea was that if she thought of herself as being beautiful, her inner beauty would shine through! Very Happy

Yeah, right . . . Rolling Eyes

The sentiment is beautiful — but the execution kicks it right in the head. Sad

It's a moment that caused thousands of Star Trek fans to mumble, "Oh brother" in unison across America. Rolling Eyes

However, all belly-aching aside, this is one of the "fun episodes" of TOS.

And if it weren't for those stuffy network "Puritans" in three-piece suits who made sure nothing too sexy ever happened on television in those days, this story could have been something which sizzled like bacon in a frying pans!
Wink
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 4:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Writer & Director's Guide (Bible) Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
But the fact that the Enterprise desperately needed lithium crystals (not dilithium crystals) was interesting — despite the fact that such a valuable and critically needed element was being mined by three scruffy, horny old men on a hostile planet.

Hey, I resent that. They weren't that old!

Bud Brewster wrote:
One of the weaknesses of this one occurs after the "Venus drug" wears off and the face of Eve (the lovely Karen Steele) transforms from a train wreck into a wet dream after she's given a fake dose! Shocked

Apparently the idea was that if she thought of herself as being beautiful, her inner beauty would shine through! Very Happy

Yeah, right . . . Rolling Eyes

Yes, that strained the suspension of disbelief, to say the least. BTW, did you notice that Eve didn't look nearly as bad as the other two women when not under the drug's influence? When the drug wore off, Ruth and Magda looked like old hags. Eve just looked ten years older and a bit disheveled!
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wasn't there a reason given for the way men acted around the women who had taken the Venus drug? Something about the women releasing chemicals, or pheromones while the drug was active?

David.
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Krel wrote:
Wasn't there a reason given for the way men acted around the women who had taken the Venus drug? Something about the women releasing chemicals, or pheromones while the drug was active?

It wasn't explicitly stated, but suggested by how McCoy's scanner acted when Ruth passed in front of it.

"An alien smart enough to pull this could also keep my medical scanner from going bleep!"
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"The Alternative Factor" would be the other worst episode from season one of Star Trek.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
"The Alternative Factor" would be the other worst episode from season one of Star Trek.

I'm in agreement with you there. "The Alternative Factor" was an absolute mess, with even wonkier science than the usual level of wonky science in Star Trek. It didn't help that John Drew Barrymore, the actor originally cast as Lazarus, failed to show up for shooting, so they had to find a last-minute replacement (Robert Brown).


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Yes indeed, that one was a hot mess — story wise and science wise. The murky plot made it hard to get involved in the plot, and all the oddly processes scenes of the parallel universe were just annoying.

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More Springboard Story Plots from the Writer & Director's Guide of March 11, 1964.

"The Stranger" — An alien intelligence has made its way on board the S.S. Yorktown with the intention of taking over key crew members of the star ship.
Their purpose is to use the Yorktown to attack a rival civilization located on another planet.

This puts me in mind of the episode "Conundrum" on ST:TNG, from February 17, 1992. This was an engaging episode that was cleverly done.

The aliens here are not some form of pure energy possessing humans. They have the ability to disguise their alien humanoid form so as to appear as crew members of the Enterprise.

Add to that, their technological capability to erase specific parts of a human's memory — but not their ship skills & training.

Now the aliens convince the Enterprise crew that the Federation is engaged in a mission which will end a long running war. All they have to do is destroy a space station.

"The Man Trap." — Captain April and his crew arrive at a pleasant totally Earth-like and harmless world. They begin to encounter apparitions that are wish-fulfillment traps which become real and deadly for the crew.

This sounds like the classic Theodore Sturgeon episode "Shore Leave."

There is no mention of Professor Crater or his wife or a Salt Vampire. So, I'm assuming this idea split off into two different stories which became "The Man Trap" we know, and "Shore Leave."

The idea of the imaginary images becoming deadly reminded me of Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles." When humans first land on Mar, the Martians are able to recreate the humans fondest memories & desires.

"Camelot Revisited" — Planet Hermes II has an incredible and modern social order. Yet they still retain trappings such as knighthood and swordplay, similar to earth's middle ages. The Yorktown crew stops to investigate Hermes II and finds themselves embroiled in their ancient ways. Now the crew becomes engaged in lances and swordsmanship in order to survive.

This sounds similar to "The Squire of Gothos" with various alterations. We had the alien entity Treylane (no alien society) who appeared as a human from Earth's middle ages. He had a castle that would have fit in that era, along with its interior decorations. Treylane dressed in a wardrobe appropriate for those times.

The story then became "The Most Dangerous Game."

"100 A.B.," or "A Century After the Bomb." — The Yorktown discovers a world that has undergone a nuclear holocaust. Is Earth going to follow the same path?

"Miri" was about the Enterprise coming across another Earth; a perfect duplicate. This world had done research into immortality but in that process unleashed a deadly virus.

"The Omega Glory" — Kirk & company arrive at a planet which has both Caucasian and Asian populations who have waged war against one another.

Those might be the closest ST:TOS episodes to this proposed plot.

"Kentucky, Kentucky" — An Earth colony on a planet in the Sirius group is visited by the S.S. Yorktown fifty years after colonization. An attack by Viking-like savages has destroyed the colony and scattered the colonists. Captain Robert April attempts, with a small band, to regroup and lead the colonists in defense.

Somewhat like "A Private Little War." In that episode, Kirk taught a primitive human-like race on a planet that was non-violent to battle against an aggressive race sharing the planet.

Some of these story concepts show you just what a weekly SF TV show was up against with their limited budgets and tight shooting schedules. They utilized the studio backlot for outdoor location filming. Trouble being that the backlots were comprised of conventional looking buildings.

They had a western street, an Arabian street, a small town street, a suburban street & so forth on the Desilu 40 Acres backlot.

So, ST:TOS could & did shoot episodes there. However, they were forced to tailor their scripts within the limitations of the backlots they had to work in.

There were no SF types of buildings at all on 40 Acres.

The scripts concocted plot devices like having a human farming colony on another world choose to adopt a style of living & working that reflects 19th century Earth.

Translation: The production company can use existing ranch buildings on the backlot. They won't have to construct futuristic looking buildings for an episode. The budget would not have allowed for it.

The Enterprise crew transports down to an alien planet (Return of the Archons) where the town looks like a town on Earth from the 20th century. Or the Enterprise comes across a planet where mobsters rule (A Piece of the Action). Or the Enterprise travels back in time to the Earth year 1968 (Assignment:Earth).

These were examples of the ST:TOS production company using what was available to them. Not only can a production company shoot scenes on established backlot sets, they also use props, sets, and wardrobes created for non-SF shows.

I'm not critical of any of this. The TV productions simply did not allocate enough $$$ to come up with futuristic buildings, clothing, or props required. And they didn't have the time, since they had to pull off these episodes within six or seven days before moving on to the next episode.

The production had to work with the money they had and the time they had. Simple as that.

Yes, they were able to build some SF sets, do a beautiful matte painting, create SF clothing and props. After all, it was a SF TV series.

The production was unable to afford this with each and every episode.

Looking at the SF TV shows being done today, we are beginning to see significant & huge changes. The Mandolorian company has crated incredible breakthrough FX technology with their LED Wall.

The LED Wall can use computers to create original alien planet landscapes, alien cities, futuristic interiors for buildings, star ships, and space stations.

The days of a SF TV show being forced to utilize existing non-sf sets, backlot streets, and real outdoor locales may be slowly coming to an end.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've read that many of the backgrounds used in "The Mandolorian" are actually models that they photograph to use as backgrounds for the LED soundstage. The Producer likes models.

I know his name, but don't know how to spell it, and I'm too lazy to take the time to look it up right now. Laughing

The Dark Trooper robots were costumes, because it was easier to do costumes than to try and get the reflections correct on CGI troopers.

David.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Great post, Krel!

I didn't know any of that! Now I'm smarter than I was ten minutes ago. Keep up the good work and I'll be a "very stable genius" by this time tomorrow! Cool

Pow, your post is an awesome tribute to the creative minds behind Star Trek TOS! It demonstrates how amazing it was that they accomplished what the did with the little they had! Shocked

I'll enjoy and appreciate these episodes more now because I'll understand that the apparent shortcomings in the sets were necessary compromises. However, those "shortcomings" should not detract from the viewers appreciation of the fine stories and the concepts they presented!

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another possible reason they used the standing sets unaltered is for audience recognition. In TV they often did alterations to standing sets, so ST could have done temporary alterations to make them look very different.

But by doing so, they ran the risk of alienating their audience, most of whom were not SF fans and had very little SF knowledge. By using familiar architecture and costumes, they were also using a form of shorthand to get a cultural setting and feeling across to the audience that would be harder to do, if the setting was completely alien.

David.
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 12:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Krel, may I express my appreciation for the rich and intelligent comments which both you and Pow have contributed! The one above are fine examples.

You both manage to pump a great deal of energy and enthusiasm into All Sci-Fi, and I'm proud to be the administrator of a board which offers such fine content to ASF's members and our daily "guests".

The original concepts and the skillful writing which your posts display are the pride and glory of All Sci-Fi!

I'd also like to thank Johnnybear, Gord Green, Scotpens, and Maurice and Trekriffic for their ongoing efforts to keep this board active and interesting! Cool

~ We now return you to our regularly scheduled thread, already in progress. Laughing

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Reason" In the Isaac IV group, a world where intelligent life has died leaves a perfectly functioning robot society.

The reconnaissance crew of the Yorktown infiltrate the robotic society in order to investigate and analyze them.

Can a robot be capable of emotional feelings? Can they be capable of reasoning in human terms? What happens when an efficient robot world discover alien flesh & blood spies in its midst?

These themes were addressed in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" and "I, Mudd."

"Reason II" This would be part 2 to "Reason" in which the last survivors of living beings on the robot planet are discovered by the reconn crew from the Yorktown.

The Yorktown crew, outmatched and relatively defenseless attempt to assist the struggling beings seize possession of their planet.

Some similarities to "Return of the Archons" and "The Apple" where A.I.'s rule the living alien populace.

"A Matter of Choice" A planet where the intelligent life has learned the power to live and relive over and over again in different ways.

Captain April is presented with the opportunity to do over parts of his life and make different choices this time around.

Somewhat similar to the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage."

"The Radiant One" On a "Garden of Eden" planet, a crew member passionately falls in love with an angelic female.
Unfortunately her body chemistry contains radium in lethal doses. So anyone who loves her would automatically have a death sentence.

In "Wink of an Eye," Kirk falls for a woman from the planet Scalos where the aliens exist at a hyper-speed. If someone who joins these rapidly moving aliens in their reality---but have not been properly conditioned---a mere cut will cause the non-alien to rapidly age and die.

That's the closest I can come up with for an episode on ST:TOS that has its roots in this suggested premise.
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