It really is special. In addition to the great story, multiple actors show what they can do as actors, especially Deforest Kelly. Even Uhura with her plaintive encouragement to Kirk and Spock before they step back in time: "Happiness, at least, sir." I love this episode.
The week the episode came out, "TV Guide," which was a very important magazine at the time, put it in a "Close Up," giving it a half page write-up instead of the usual few lines. It was recognized from the first moment that it was something special. On top of everything else, "City" was beautifully written.
@@amazzonkane I was there! A school friend brought it to my attention, and then when I called him afterwards and said, "Wasn't it great?" he hadn't watched it.
The Best star trek episode ever William Shatners best scene was his final words and facial expression when he says Let's Get The Hell Out of here.....So So poignant...10/10....
Poignant is the word, well put. With that one line Kirk reminds us that no matter how completely and emotionally drawn in he was the time comes when you realize you are in that world but not of it. Let's get the hell out of here indeed..
It might not be everyone's number one episode. Looking at clips of episodes I consider bad there's always someone who says it's their favorite. But I think if you did ranked choice voting and everyone listed their top 3, it would be up their with "The Trouble with Tribbles" since that's a favorite of many casual viewers who haven't see half or more of the episodes.
Fantastic review, Miss. Very succinctly and eloquently presented. Every one -- the entire cast -- was in tip top form. Some of Shatner's best acting. His chemistry with Joan Collins was palpable. And Collins is luminous from her very first closeup. We ALL fell in love with her. That speech at the dinner is incredibly moving, even today
Wow, just wow. I watched some star trek original version episodes, and the thing which I like about classic Star Trek (1966-2001) is that the episodes are usually relaxing and calming especially on the original version from 1966-1969 because the music and the calmness makes me sleep sometimes. However this episode was more intense and more exciting to watch, it was legendary. You're right
I liked the idea that not only did Kirk have to sacrifice his love, but he had to sacrifice what he believed in: that one person can make a difference for good and that such good people should be protected and encouraged. It's too bad they didn't have Kirk give a speech to Gillian in _Star Trek IV_ saying she could be the one woman who saves the whales. And if they don't make it back alive, she can save the future. It would have been like a fallback position or insurance policy. Instead taking her was escapism. Some ask why couldn't he have brought back Edith? But the answer is that was not the deal with the Guardian. He had to oppose McCoy's will to keep her alive, then the timeline would be reset as if they had never gone.
Wasn't this episode written by none other than Harlan Ellison? I seem to recall reading about how he wrote a particularly poignant episode and I believe this was it. I think it even won several awards. I suppose it's really a testament to his writing. Star Trek has a lot of episodes about going into the 'past' (as it would be from their time, at least) throughout every series, and although that was often done for budgetary reasons, it is also amazing how these usually end up being some of the most memorable episodes. I think this is a really well done retrospective. I would've felt slightly intimidated going over it myself. Even I'm aware that this is considered one of TOS's best; so the way you chose to tackle it makes a lot more sense. It's interesting to me how three of the four episodes you've gone over thus far are episodes that all deal with matters of the heart. Whether it concerns Spock or Kirk, these men are dealing with the most simple, biological conundrums and forced to stack them against much weightier issues. Because it is such a relatable feeling and therefore commonly written about it can either be very cliche or some of the best stuff in the show. In this episode's case? It's the latter. In fact the plot even reminds me a little of an episode of the 90's Outer Limits remake where a guy goes back in time and has a chance to stop MLK from being assassinated, but instead chooses to save a young boy he had connected with that was about to be hit by a car at the same time. Certainly wouldn't shock me if it was inspired. Incidentally, I wanted to commend you on your script-writing prose. Listening to this one in particular, it hit me how well you're able to concisely summarise an episode whilst giving your clinical thoughts on them. Nothing is too flowery or tangential, but it's also not long-form enough to become plodding. I really look forward to these, now.
DeFactoLeader Yes, the story was by Harlan Ellison and during rewrites there were also contributions by Roddenberry, DC Fontana and Steven W Carabatsos. Even though they were on a tight budget, they did a great job working with what they had. It absolutely was intimidating talking about this one because it has been analyzed, studied and praised for so long. What could I say that hasn’t already been said? It was still a fun one to do. Interesting, I didn’t even realize that most of what I’ve done looks at matters of the heart. Personally, I’m interested in negative emotions, and how they’re important and normal to the human experience. Kirk or Spock’s choices could easily be cliché but because they’re such good characters, the stakes are so high and the emotions and weight of every decision is present, it still feels fresh even after all the imitations and stories it inspired over the years. That Outer Limits episode you described reminded me of a kids movie called Our Friend Martin where a kid wants to save MLK from being assassinated by bringing him into his own time but because of that, racism only got worse. It’s similar to this with MLK as the Edith Keeler figure. Thank you. It took a lot of practice and a lot of rewriting to do that.
It's definitely work that doesn't go unappreciated. Rewrites can hurt the soul a little when you're sure what direction you want to go with something, but sometimes it's necessary for brevity. And who knows, maybe along your watching-spree you might eventually come across an episode of TOS that deals with that topic of not suppressing your negative emotions as a central theme. Chances are Star Trek would do it justice.
The funny thing is that it's been debunked that the Nazis were going for the A-Bomb. They were doing experiments in Norway to make a nuclear reactor for electric power, but thought an A-Bomb wouldn't be researched in time to be useful in war. Now maybe Japan had an atomic bomb program during the war?
If you like this, check out the other Star Trek Analysis Videos on my channel Plato's Stepchildren - Psychology of Humiliation Turnabout Intruder - Tragedy of Self- Hatred This Side of Paradise - The Dark Side of Happiness
Spock: Edith Keeler must die. She was right but at the wrong time. Bone: I'm a surgeon, not a psychiatrist. You deliberately stop me, Jim. Scott: What happened sire, you only left a moment ago. Bone in the most bizarre way of freak accident gotten insane. Spock build computer using stone knives and bear skin. Kirk had to sacrifice an innocent to "make it right". One hell of an episode. Pretty sure you won't see such thing in Nutrek. What a waste with that kind of budget and technology to work with.
City, The Inner Light, Trouble With Tribbles, Tapestry, Timeless, Year of Hell parts 1 and 2 and All Good Things are the most universally beloved and greatest Trek episodes across the board.
There's a line by King Arthur in the movie First Knight, "There's a peace that is only to be found on the other side of war." Also, at the end of The Winds of War Pug Henry says, "It is 1941 and I know this: until the life is beaten out of the monster Hitler, the word cannot move another inch toward a more sane existence." Both of these echo the same sentiment here. Yes, Edith Keeler was right about the key to the future. And yes, it was the wrong time to try to implement that future.
So deep. Without her sacrifice we wouldn't have the world we live in today. We would live in a world without Angela Anaconda. And to be honest...Is that really a world worth living in?
I swear I remember the moment they came back through the portal, Kirk remarked to Scottie something to the effect of "what are you still doing here. I instructed you to go through the portal if we didn't come back in (some amount of time)", and then Scottie responded with "but captain, you were on gone a few seconds". But I just watched that episode yesterday and it went straight to Scottie when they came through the portal. Am I crazy? Was there originally Kirk's lines, or am I just imagining it?
Ultimately, the meaning of the episode came down to Kirk's decision. It's not the scale of the decision; it's how deep it touches Kirk's character. He comes in looking for a good outcome. Save McCoy and put history right. He's given two bad options. Destroy everything he knows or let the person he loves die. He gets everything he first came for, but he leaves heartbroken. That emotional turn is why this works where so many Trek reset episodes fail. What mattered continued after the reset.
This is also why episodes like DS9's "The Visitor" work so well. That episode gives the bad/worst decision to Jake. Sisko carries the meaning past the reset. The emotional meaning of a decision (which the audience relates to) makes or breaks these episodes.
Nobody has to convince me why this is the best episode. It's just amazing. Great acting, a little drama and romance mixed in and time travel to a cool time period in American history. Plus we see a truly angry and heartbroken Kirk in the end. Just stellar.
a cool time period in American history.???????????? Are you fucking serious????? The great Depression was one of, if not the worst time period in American history.
I think Kirk showed some lapses of judgement here. He should have shut down the transporter room from the bridge when McCoy first went wild. Also, when they captured MCoy briefly on the planet, they should have all beamed up immediately, but then they let McCoy escape again. Also, I didn't think any soup kitchen matron or anyone else would have been able to keep the US out of WWll after December 7, 1941.
AmazzonKane, I really like your review. Very well done. I am not a fan of this episode, however, I really like Harlan Ellison's original story and script. And I agree with Harlan, they ruined his story. Star Base 11's review of "City" should be edited and published soon. I understand by your review why you like this episode, as other reviewers do. I'd like to have a "round table" discussion about this episode with others who have reviewed it. Would you be interested in a round table review of this episode? Thank you, Kevin
The problem with Ellison's origin version was that it wasn't Star Trek. Frankly it sounds like had they went it it could've turned out to be a huge disaster. The episode probably wouldn't have become as iconic and beloved as it has become. But your take is valid.
If Spock had to stop Kirk from saving Edith, then Kirk doesn't deserve to be Captain. Someone mentioned the _Voyager_ episode where the madman is destroying races and empires to try to get his lost love back, and that this may be one of the motivations for Kang in the upcoming Marvel films.
Even when I saw "The City on the Edge of Forever" in its original broadcast (when I was 11; I'm now 69), I asked a question that I've gone on asking each one of the twenty or so times that I've seen it in the decades since: WHY THE HELL DIDN'T KIRK AND SPOCK BRING EDITH BACK WITH THEM TO THE 23RD CENTURY? Her disappearance from 1930 would've set the time line right again, Kirk would've been spared the agony of letting her die, and Edith would've gotten the chance to actually SEE the glorious future that she could only imagine and intuit in her own time. If Joan Collins didn't feel like doing a TV series, they could have found a way to gracefully write her off (Starfleet might have told Kirk that a woman from 300 years in the past would need to go through special education courses in order to get culturally assimilated to their time.) In any event, Kirk finding an alternative to Edith's death had all kinds of dramatic possibilities. Why didn't anybody suggest them?
Punch I read that too and he made a speech about how upset he was when he won his award. While his original story was brilliant, it didn’t quite feel like a Star Trek episode. Ellison and Roddenberry also clashed creatively over whether or not Kirk would sacrifice his relationship with Edith Keeler for the greater good. Ellison thought he wouldn’t. Roddenberry insisted he would.
AmazzonKane That’s right. Originally Ellison thought it should be Spock, not Kirk. And the guardian replaces his nine foot aliens and there were interdimensional space pirates and a drug dealing crew member. I love Ellison’s stories, but I think the changes were for the best for the series.
@@punch6832 I'd be curious to see a more faithful adaptation of Ellison's storyline just for comparison though I somehow doubt even with TOS's original talent in their prime on hand to bring it to pass, it would been anywhere near as good as what Roddenberry gave us with all its rewrites and adaptation.
@@marktabla5434 Agreed. Ellison’s original version included 9 foot tall aliens instead of the guardian and a drug dealing crew member. Roddenberry’s rewrites made the story fit better with the aesthetic (and budget) of TOS, I think.
It is a story of free will, random accident, fate and destiny. You assume this is a free will butterfly effect paradox (like Tomorrow is Yesterday a very simplistic but fun script). Instead Ellison turns it around on the viewer and says there really is no free will. The apparent free will is a tool of destiny. Kirk killed Edith because Kirk and the USS Enterprise is there. If he never got her killed, there would be no Starfleet. Kirk/Spock has to be lured there by the Guardian with waves of energy...those waves cause the "accident" and McCoy is the bait to get Kirk/Spock to go back since they were always there. Edith dies because she is across the street at night, right where Kirk placed her...and reunites with his two friends...to bait her to cross carelessly. She is on the date, because she loves Kirk. The Guardian doesn't care about Kirk's feelings or dread....just that he accomplish the mission, just as Kirk did with men under his command every day. It is a character arc completion for Kirk. Going from Gary Mitchell to Edith Keylor. Originally Spock has to do it. Kirk refuses, but the ST staffroom rewrote the ending, since Shatner signed the 2nd year contract.
Meh the JJ movies are so not Star Trek so I feel like if they got their hands on this story they'd screw it up. All lens flare and flash but very little substance.
woolleybeart Angela Anaconda is my main thing, but I do other videos too. There are original projects, including my first show, Katharina the Supervillain, analysis videos like this one, among other miscellaneous videos.
woolleybeart Star Trek also has an interesting connection to Angela Anaconda since William Shatner was one of the founders of CORE Digital Pictures, the production company that animated Angela.
He had romances and love with multiple women sequentially, with Ruth being one of the first, followed by Janice Lester. She's probably his only ex that was out to get him, unless you count the prosecuting attorney in "Court Martial" who didn't really hate him. And when he was a lieutenant Carol Marcus.
While certainly a top 5 (and probably top 3 episode) it is simply NOT the best even should every other person ever to have watched TOS believe so. Balance of Terror is a different kind of tale, so direct comparison of some story elements is not possible. The Kirk-Keeler relationship is well developed and touching, but the more succinct episode bookends couple to be married in Terror is every bit as poignant. The juxtaposition of duty between Romulans (younger fanatics vs. war weary old guard) and those in phaser control as it fills with deadly gas. Bigotry with Spock saving Stiles while Tomlinson is lost. These story aspects alone bring it to parity with City. However, it is the directing in general (and in particular cinematography) and scene pacing of Vincent McEveety which elevates Balance to the top spot. He is peerless among TOS directors. Joseph Pevney, who directed City, was very capable; simply not on the same level. One can only wonder what if McEveety had been given Doomsday Machine and Space Seed instead of the also good but also outclassed Marc Daniels...
It's heartening to see that someone from this generation can recognize truly great science-fiction writing regardless of the decade it's from and explain so well its significance. Bravo.
It really is special. In addition to the great story, multiple actors show what they can do as actors, especially Deforest Kelly. Even Uhura with her plaintive encouragement to Kirk and Spock before they step back in time: "Happiness, at least, sir." I love this episode.
The week the episode came out, "TV Guide," which was a very important magazine at the time, put it in a "Close Up," giving it a half page write-up instead of the usual few lines. It was recognized from the first moment that it was something special. On top of everything else, "City" was beautifully written.
You were there to see the original? That is SO cool. Thank you for sharing!
@@amazzonkane I was there! A school friend brought it to my attention, and then when I called him afterwards and said, "Wasn't it great?" he hadn't watched it.
@@brandonflorida1092 That’s hilarious and frustrating. So cool you got to see the original airing!
I propose a toast. A toast to television and film!
The Best star trek episode ever
William Shatners best scene was his final words and facial expression when he says
Let's Get The Hell Out of here.....So So poignant...10/10....
Poignant is the word, well put. With that one line Kirk reminds us that no matter how completely and emotionally drawn in he was the time comes when you realize you are in that world but not of it. Let's get the hell out of here indeed..
It might not be everyone's number one episode. Looking at clips of episodes I consider bad there's always someone who says it's their favorite. But I think if you did ranked choice voting and everyone listed their top 3, it would be up their with "The Trouble with Tribbles" since that's a favorite of many casual viewers who haven't see half or more of the episodes.
Fantastic review, Miss. Very succinctly and eloquently presented. Every one -- the entire cast -- was in tip top form. Some of Shatner's best acting. His chemistry with Joan Collins was palpable. And Collins is luminous from her very first closeup. We ALL fell in love with her. That speech at the dinner is incredibly moving, even today
Excellent analysis and explanation. Thank you.
Wow, just wow. I watched some star trek original version episodes, and the thing which I like about classic Star Trek (1966-2001) is that the episodes are usually relaxing and calming especially on the original version from 1966-1969 because the music and the calmness makes me sleep sometimes. However this episode was more intense and more exciting to watch, it was legendary. You're right
love the analysis!
cheechoo98 Thank you. 😁
I liked the idea that not only did Kirk have to sacrifice his love, but he had to sacrifice what he believed in: that one person can make a difference for good and that such good people should be protected and encouraged.
It's too bad they didn't have Kirk give a speech to Gillian in _Star Trek IV_ saying she could be the one woman who saves the whales. And if they don't make it back alive, she can save the future. It would have been like a fallback position or insurance policy. Instead taking her was escapism. Some ask why couldn't he have brought back Edith? But the answer is that was not the deal with the Guardian. He had to oppose McCoy's will to keep her alive, then the timeline would be reset as if they had never gone.
it was my favorite episode for sure
Thank you for this commentary!
Wasn't this episode written by none other than Harlan Ellison? I seem to recall reading about how he wrote a particularly poignant episode and I believe this was it. I think it even won several awards. I suppose it's really a testament to his writing. Star Trek has a lot of episodes about going into the 'past' (as it would be from their time, at least) throughout every series, and although that was often done for budgetary reasons, it is also amazing how these usually end up being some of the most memorable episodes.
I think this is a really well done retrospective. I would've felt slightly intimidated going over it myself. Even I'm aware that this is considered one of TOS's best; so the way you chose to tackle it makes a lot more sense. It's interesting to me how three of the four episodes you've gone over thus far are episodes that all deal with matters of the heart. Whether it concerns Spock or Kirk, these men are dealing with the most simple, biological conundrums and forced to stack them against much weightier issues. Because it is such a relatable feeling and therefore commonly written about it can either be very cliche or some of the best stuff in the show. In this episode's case? It's the latter. In fact the plot even reminds me a little of an episode of the 90's Outer Limits remake where a guy goes back in time and has a chance to stop MLK from being assassinated, but instead chooses to save a young boy he had connected with that was about to be hit by a car at the same time. Certainly wouldn't shock me if it was inspired.
Incidentally, I wanted to commend you on your script-writing prose. Listening to this one in particular, it hit me how well you're able to concisely summarise an episode whilst giving your clinical thoughts on them. Nothing is too flowery or tangential, but it's also not long-form enough to become plodding. I really look forward to these, now.
DeFactoLeader Yes, the story was by Harlan Ellison and during rewrites there were also contributions by Roddenberry, DC Fontana and Steven W Carabatsos.
Even though they were on a tight budget, they did a great job working with what they had.
It absolutely was intimidating talking about this one because it has been analyzed, studied and praised for so long. What could I say that hasn’t already been said? It was still a fun one to do.
Interesting, I didn’t even realize that most of what I’ve done looks at matters of the heart. Personally, I’m interested in negative emotions, and how they’re important and normal to the human experience.
Kirk or Spock’s choices could easily be cliché but because they’re such good characters, the stakes are so high and the emotions and weight of every decision is present, it still feels fresh even after all the imitations and stories it inspired over the years.
That Outer Limits episode you described reminded me of a kids movie called Our Friend Martin where a kid wants to save MLK from being assassinated by bringing him into his own time but because of that, racism only got worse. It’s similar to this with MLK as the Edith Keeler figure.
Thank you. It took a lot of practice and a lot of rewriting to do that.
It's definitely work that doesn't go unappreciated. Rewrites can hurt the soul a little when you're sure what direction you want to go with something, but sometimes it's necessary for brevity. And who knows, maybe along your watching-spree you might eventually come across an episode of TOS that deals with that topic of not suppressing your negative emotions as a central theme. Chances are Star Trek would do it justice.
Excellent breakdown.
Yes absolutely, and I saw it almost 50 years ago, and my opinion has never changed.
My other favorite episode was This Side of Paradise.
Same here! I also have an analysis on that one!
Wow, those are some very high stakes!
The funny thing is that it's been debunked that the Nazis were going for the A-Bomb. They were doing experiments in Norway to make a nuclear reactor for electric power, but thought an A-Bomb wouldn't be researched in time to be useful in war. Now maybe Japan had an atomic bomb program during the war?
I love this,ty
Absolutely Beautiful And Brilliant Storyline, Star Trek Best Episode And Possibly Television Best Story In It's Wonderful History ❤🙏
If you like this, check out the other Star Trek Analysis Videos on my channel
Plato's Stepchildren - Psychology of Humiliation
Turnabout Intruder - Tragedy of Self- Hatred
This Side of Paradise - The Dark Side of Happiness
Spock:
Edith Keeler must die.
She was right but at the wrong time.
Bone:
I'm a surgeon, not a psychiatrist.
You deliberately stop me, Jim.
Scott:
What happened sire, you only left a moment ago.
Bone in the most bizarre way of freak accident gotten insane.
Spock build computer using stone knives and bear skin.
Kirk had to sacrifice an innocent to "make it right".
One hell of an episode. Pretty sure you won't see such thing in Nutrek. What a waste with that kind of budget and technology to work with.
interesting. also i’m the most based person on this board.
Definitely my favorite episode I mean all of them are I mean they're all Shear genius
Maario Naharis
based
City, The Inner Light, Trouble With Tribbles, Tapestry, Timeless, Year of Hell parts 1 and 2 and All Good Things are the most universally beloved and greatest Trek episodes across the board.
i love this episode w joan collins.
There's a line by King Arthur in the movie First Knight, "There's a peace that is only to be found on the other side of war." Also, at the end of The Winds of War Pug Henry says, "It is 1941 and I know this: until the life is beaten out of the monster Hitler, the word cannot move another inch toward a more sane existence." Both of these echo the same sentiment here. Yes, Edith Keeler was right about the key to the future. And yes, it was the wrong time to try to implement that future.
So deep. Without her sacrifice we wouldn't have the world we live in today. We would live in a world without Angela Anaconda. And to be honest...Is that really a world worth living in?
I swear I remember the moment they came back through the portal, Kirk remarked to Scottie something to the effect of "what are you still doing here. I instructed you to go through the portal if we didn't come back in (some amount of time)", and then Scottie responded with "but captain, you were on gone a few seconds". But I just watched that episode yesterday and it went straight to Scottie when they came through the portal. Am I crazy? Was there originally Kirk's lines, or am I just imagining it?
Ultimately, the meaning of the episode came down to Kirk's decision. It's not the scale of the decision; it's how deep it touches Kirk's character. He comes in looking for a good outcome. Save McCoy and put history right. He's given two bad options. Destroy everything he knows or let the person he loves die. He gets everything he first came for, but he leaves heartbroken. That emotional turn is why this works where so many Trek reset episodes fail. What mattered continued after the reset.
This is also why episodes like DS9's "The Visitor" work so well. That episode gives the bad/worst decision to Jake. Sisko carries the meaning past the reset. The emotional meaning of a decision (which the audience relates to) makes or breaks these episodes.
Real good video 👍 reminds me I really should watch TOS
Nobody has to convince me why this is the best episode. It's just amazing. Great acting, a little drama and romance mixed in and time travel to a cool time period in American history. Plus we see a truly angry and heartbroken Kirk in the end. Just stellar.
a cool time period in American history.???????????? Are you fucking serious????? The great Depression was one of, if not the worst time period in American history.
Pretty, but look into the camera, looks like you're looking at a prompter lol, great video
Agreed.
I fell in love with Joan Collins, because of this episode.
Next is MIRI
Agreed. Right up there with Amok time and the Doomsday machine.
“Stone knives and bearskins.”
Perfect outfit!
I think Kirk showed some lapses of judgement here. He should have shut down the transporter room from the bridge when McCoy first went wild. Also, when they captured MCoy briefly on the planet, they should have all beamed up immediately, but then they let McCoy escape again. Also, I didn't think any soup kitchen matron or anyone else would have been able to keep the US out of WWll after December 7, 1941.
SNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED !
Greed. Im 60 yrs old and loved Star Trek growing up. This episode was always my favorite. Close second "The Doomsday Machine."
Damn never seen this episode. Sounds sad as hell 😢
The "Edith Keeler" character resembles Jane Addams, the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Just in case you didn't know, Jane Addams was a social worker. I was a professor of social work for 27 years.
@@cherylresnick-cortes1939 Congratulations. I hope your work was effectively helpful to your clients and self rewarding.
@@komiczar Why thank you so much. I hope so as well.
Do you watch DS9 (my favorite) or just TOS (my second favorite)?
Thank ypu
AmazzonKane,
I really like your review. Very well done.
I am not a fan of this episode, however, I really like Harlan Ellison's original story and script. And I agree with Harlan, they ruined his story. Star Base 11's review of "City" should be edited and published soon. I understand by your review why you like this episode, as other reviewers do. I'd like to have a "round table" discussion about this episode with others who have reviewed it. Would you be interested in a round table review of this episode?
Thank you,
Kevin
The problem with Ellison's origin version was that it wasn't Star Trek. Frankly it sounds like had they went it it could've turned out to be a huge disaster. The episode probably wouldn't have become as iconic and beloved as it has become. But your take is valid.
If Spock had to stop Kirk from saving Edith, then Kirk doesn't deserve to be Captain. Someone mentioned the _Voyager_ episode where the madman is destroying races and empires to try to get his lost love back, and that this may be one of the motivations for Kang in the upcoming Marvel films.
Are you going to review the cramp twins episodes?
Rootfish I intend to in a few weeks. I wanted to do these first.
@@amazzonkane look forward to it!
Rootfish I’m happy to hear it
Even when I saw "The City on the Edge of Forever" in its original broadcast (when I was 11; I'm now 69), I asked a question that I've gone on asking each one of the twenty or so times that I've seen it in the decades since: WHY THE HELL DIDN'T KIRK AND SPOCK BRING EDITH BACK WITH THEM TO THE 23RD CENTURY? Her disappearance from 1930 would've set the time line right again, Kirk would've been spared the agony of letting her die, and Edith would've gotten the chance to actually SEE the glorious future that she could only imagine and intuit in her own time. If Joan Collins didn't feel like doing a TV series, they could have found a way to gracefully write her off (Starfleet might have told Kirk that a woman from 300 years in the past would need to go through special education courses in order to get culturally assimilated to their time.) In any event, Kirk finding an alternative to Edith's death had all kinds of dramatic possibilities. Why didn't anybody suggest them?
Didn't she shift the politics to helping the suffering this slowing USA military advancement before ww2
Let's get the hell outta here.
Wouldn't the landing crew also "dissappear" as did the enterprise and all of known history?
I think the Guardian kept them in a kind of paradox bubble.
Sadly some of those who have power aren't altruistic and have no desire to be so.
Harlan Ellison did write this episode and he hated it. He hated the rewrite Roddenberry and others did to his original script.
Punch I read that too and he made a speech about how upset he was when he won his award.
While his original story was brilliant, it didn’t quite feel like a Star Trek episode. Ellison and Roddenberry also clashed creatively over whether or not Kirk would sacrifice his relationship with Edith Keeler for the greater good. Ellison thought he wouldn’t. Roddenberry insisted he would.
AmazzonKane That’s right. Originally Ellison thought it should be Spock, not Kirk. And the guardian replaces his nine foot aliens and there were interdimensional space pirates and a drug dealing crew member. I love Ellison’s stories, but I think the changes were for the best for the series.
Punch Agreed
@@punch6832 I'd be curious to see a more faithful adaptation of Ellison's storyline just for comparison though I somehow doubt even with TOS's original talent in their prime on hand to bring it to pass, it would been anywhere near as good as what Roddenberry gave us with all its rewrites and adaptation.
@@marktabla5434 Agreed. Ellison’s original version included 9 foot tall aliens instead of the guardian and a drug dealing crew member. Roddenberry’s rewrites made the story fit better with the aesthetic (and budget) of TOS, I think.
It is a story of free will, random accident, fate and destiny. You assume this is a free will butterfly effect paradox (like Tomorrow is Yesterday a very simplistic but fun script).
Instead Ellison turns it around on the viewer and says there really is no free will. The apparent free will is a tool of destiny.
Kirk killed Edith because Kirk and the USS Enterprise is there. If he never got her killed, there would be no Starfleet. Kirk/Spock has to be lured there by the Guardian with waves of energy...those waves cause the "accident" and McCoy is the bait to get Kirk/Spock to go back since they were always there.
Edith dies because she is across the street at night, right where Kirk placed her...and reunites with his two friends...to bait her to cross carelessly. She is on the date, because she loves Kirk.
The Guardian doesn't care about Kirk's feelings or dread....just that he accomplish the mission, just as Kirk did with men under his command every day.
It is a character arc completion for Kirk. Going from Gary Mitchell to Edith Keylor.
Originally Spock has to do it. Kirk refuses, but the ST staffroom rewrote the ending, since Shatner signed the 2nd year contract.
I would had saved her and then bring her back to my present and her future.
This would be a good movie remake starring Chris Pine and Gal Gadot.
You could do a whole series with this concept.
Meh the JJ movies are so not Star Trek so I feel like if they got their hands on this story they'd screw it up. All lens flare and flash but very little substance.
@@amazzonkane Yes!!
wait I thought this was a angela andaconda channel
woolleybeart Angela Anaconda is my main thing, but I do other videos too.
There are original projects, including my first show, Katharina the Supervillain, analysis videos like this one, among other miscellaneous videos.
woolleybeart Star Trek also has an interesting connection to Angela Anaconda since William Shatner was one of the founders of CORE Digital Pictures, the production company that animated Angela.
Of course the best episode of Star Trek was written by Harlan Ellison.
Edith Keeler was the only woman James T. Kirk ever loved
He had romances and love with multiple women sequentially, with Ruth being one of the first, followed by Janice Lester. She's probably his only ex that was out to get him, unless you count the prosecuting attorney in "Court Martial" who didn't really hate him. And when he was a lieutenant Carol Marcus.
While certainly a top 5 (and probably top 3 episode) it is simply NOT the best even should every other person ever to have watched TOS believe so. Balance of Terror is a different kind of tale, so direct comparison of some story elements is not possible. The Kirk-Keeler relationship is well developed and touching, but the more succinct episode bookends couple to be married in Terror is every bit as poignant. The juxtaposition of duty between Romulans (younger fanatics vs. war weary old guard) and those in phaser control as it fills with deadly gas. Bigotry with Spock saving Stiles while Tomlinson is lost. These story aspects alone bring it to parity with City. However, it is the directing in general (and in particular cinematography) and scene pacing of Vincent McEveety which elevates Balance to the top spot. He is peerless among TOS directors. Joseph Pevney, who directed City, was very capable; simply not on the same level. One can only wonder what if McEveety had been given Doomsday Machine and Space Seed instead of the also good but also outclassed Marc Daniels...
Why is this girl so obsessed with 1900s tv shows like what timeline she lives in 2020 or 1965 iam confused
It’s just a really good show that’s why
It's heartening to see that someone from this generation can recognize truly great science-fiction writing regardless of the decade it's from and explain so well its significance. Bravo.
what language you speak