Scan barcode
A review by strikingthirteen
The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay by Harlan Ellison
3.0
The real test here is getting past Ellison's rant. I understand the rage if not the politics, I'd heard about some of the controversy about "City of the Edge of Forever" but not enough to even think about sides, but it's a long rant complete with long, long footnotes. Thirty years is a long time to hold a grudge and he's certainly venting but every time he urged you to read the screenplay I just kept wishing for him to shut up so I could.
Now it is a great screenplay and I would have love to have seen it filmed in comparison to the aired version, which is not my favourite episode ever but I do love it. There is no way it would have made it though. WE have drug dealers, a heck of a lot of bonding going on between Kirk and Spock, and we don't meet Edith Keeler right away. It's also not quite Star Trek. Everyone's just slightly off, I think Spock more so than anyone else.
It's certainly a must read for Star Trek fans. If only to wonder what could have been and see the origins of a classic episode. As for the Ellison debate? I'm not even touching that one.
Now it is a great screenplay and I would have love to have seen it filmed in comparison to the aired version, which is not my favourite episode ever but I do love it. There is no way it would have made it though. WE have drug dealers, a heck of a lot of bonding going on between Kirk and Spock, and we don't meet Edith Keeler right away. It's also not quite Star Trek. Everyone's just slightly off, I think Spock more so than anyone else.
It's certainly a must read for Star Trek fans. If only to wonder what could have been and see the origins of a classic episode. As for the Ellison debate? I'm not even touching that one.