WARNING: This thread WILL contain unhidden spoilers for this entry. Because this re-watch is in a slightly-subjective chronological order and not in production order, please refrain from talking about the content of other episodes or movies in this thread. If you do, please put that content inside spoiler tags. Some people here may be watching Star Trek for the first time.
#23: Star Trek: The Original Series, season 1, episode 28 “The City on the Edge of Forever”
Written by Harlan Ellison, directed by Joseph Pevney.
Stardate unknown (October 2267)
(Some events take place January ~ March 1930)
“She was right, but at the wrong time.” - Commander Spock
The Enterprise is being rocked by waves of temporal displacement emanating from a planet when Doctor McCoy accidentally injects himself with a dangerous stimulant. He goes mad and runs amok through the ship, ultimately beaming down to the planet right in the middle of a very large displacement wave. Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, and several others follow him down to the planet and discover a sentient gateway through time that offers them a chance to travel to any point in their past. McCoy sneaks past them while they are distracted and leaps through the portal to Earth’s 20th century. The Enterprise vanishes and the gateway informs them that their entire Federation has never existed because of something McCoy did in the past. Kirk and Spock are left with no other choice but leap as closely to where McCoy went in the hopes of undoing the damage.
Originally released: 6 April 1967
“The City on the Edge of Forever” on Memory Alpha
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What did you think?
Great episode, though not without its problematic features.
Think about it.
Most of what Kirk knew of the time was that most police officers were dumb and racist.
He picked the dumbest, most racist thing he could think of off the top of his head.
In fact, one of my beefs with modern books with historical themes is that they refer to African heritage characters as Black. If they were historically accurate those people would refer to themselves as ‘colored’ [as in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People] or ‘Negro’ [as in the United Negro College Fund]
Sure, for an in universe context it works. In reality, it was just the kind of thing you could throw out for laughs back then and not think twice about it. And yes, historical accuracy means using that now uncomfortable language and attitudes because it was the norm.
The musical cues during that scene were rather obvious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackhawk_(DC_Comics)
Created in WW2 to show the spirit of international cooperation against Fascism the Blackhawk team had members from all nations.
Including a comical ‘Chinaman’ named Chop-chop.
Don’t forget the Irish police officer.
It was funny to watch Kirk miserably fail to convince anyone of anything… for the entire episode.
Keeler was just humoring him because he’s cute.
Just rewatched “Shore Leave” today, so I’ve already got a bad Finnegan taste in my mouth. Come to think of it, 20 years go by and they still pulled that shit on TNG. Hard lesson to learn, I guess.
It was one of Roddenberry’s less savory tendencies.
Information about future characters
Miles O’Brian exists because of Roddenberry. But he’s a three-dimensional character because good writers fleshed him out later on.
You mean “Battle Bridge Conn” then “Security Guard 1” then “Transporter Chief”? And not until “Unnatural Selection” partway through SEASON 2 is he finally Chief Miles O’Brien. Gets no respect, I tell ya.
Visual effects comparison of the original broadcast & the Remastered versions.
The TOS CGI makeovers were reasonably well-done, but I’m glad they included both versions on the physical release.
