# Star Trek (TOS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [September 21, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122 "2020-09-21T05:26:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/461 "2020-12-06T00:04:49Z")
Also the Star Trek Encyclopedia says the same [The Star Trek Encyclopedia - Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, Debbie Mirek - Google Books](https://books.google.com/books?id=cbYf2l7gczUC&pg=PT1235&dq=naked+time+trek+tomorrow+yesterday&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjelqSCh7jtAhVFu1kKHWQTB5AQ6AEwAnoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=naked) time trek tomorrow yesterday&f=false ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/462 "2020-12-06T00:37:27Z")
“The Naked Time” was one of the first episodes filmed, and it was the fourth to be aired (on 29 September 1966). It was considered for the debut episode, but rejected on the grounds that it was “too expository,” as is stated in Solow and Justman’s book _ **Star Trek: The REAL Story** _. Also in that book, Justman claims credit for coming up with the story idea for “Tomorrow Is Yesterday,” and the memo he wrote to Roddenberry suggesting it is reproduced as proof. (He also says he was never compensated for creating it.) The idea was based on the glut of UFO sightings that were sweeping the US at the time. I don’t have my copy of _ **ST: TRS** _ handy, but I suspect the memo is dated well into the first season. For that reason, I highly doubt it was originally planned as a sequel to _ **TNT** _. In addition, if you read James Blish’s adaptation of that episode you’ll see that time travel wasn’t part of the original story at all. (Blish was apparently working with early drafts of all the series’ scripts, written long before they were finalized, often at the last minute.) Spock and Scotty manage to break into Engineering just in the nick of time and get the engines restarted without any further ado. The adaptation ends with Kirk watching the planet (“La Pig”) break up as the orbit stabilizes. (Which is a pretty neat trick all by itself.) One further nitpick: Scotty wasn’t the one who figured out how to mix the matter and anti-matter in the broadcast version. He was more or less ordered to do so by Spock, even though the temperature was still too low. They had simply run out of time. (No pun intended.) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/463 "2020-12-06T00:57:30Z")
Both story ideas were committed to paper in April (4 April for Naked Time and 12 April for Tomorrow); it’s certainly possible that the idea that the stories could be coupled together was considered long enough that Black’s early script included hooks in “Naked Time” that would fit into the beginning of “Tomorrow” - and that explains the otherwise mysterious issue of why the script calls the episode “The Naked Time, Pt I” Certainly by June or July they had changed their minds (under my interpretation) (well before filming), so I think the eventual filming schedule is irrelevant. Blish changed stuff in his adaptations both because he had early scripts and because he fixed things he didn’t think worked. The time travel at the end of Naked Time is gratuitous, so it’s easy to get rid of. The fact that for no good reason the broadcast episode ends with travel back in time due to a violent maneuver in high gravity, and “Tomorrow is Yesterday” starts with travel back in time due to (ditto) seems like a strong indication of a connection, that the early script title of “Part I” and the reference in that script to “Going to Earth” fit well with. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/464 "2020-12-06T01:04:59Z")
Is the 12 April date the one on Justman’s memo? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/465 "2020-12-06T01:09:59Z")
It’s listed as “One Page Synopsis” (by Justman) in Memory Alpha [Tomorrow is Yesterday (episode) | Memory Alpha | Fandom](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Tomorrow_is_Yesterday_(episode)#Production_timeline) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/466 "2020-12-06T01:36:58Z")
“These of the Voyages” (by Marc Cushman) describes “The Naked Time” as being planned initially to be the first part of a two-part episode (with “Tomorrow is Yesterday” (see Page 271) [https://www.amazon.com/These-Are-Voyages-TOS-Season/dp/0989238105/ref=asc\_df\_0989238105/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312128059570&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16607988901229119327&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9058761&hvtargid=pla-522387975584&psc=1#reader\_0989238105](https://www.amazon.com/These-Are-Voyages-TOS-Season/dp/0989238105/ref=asc_df_0989238105/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312128059570&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16607988901229119327&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9058761&hvtargid=pla-522387975584&psc=1#reader_0989238105) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/467 "2020-12-06T01:51:40Z")
Yes, that sounds like the memo. I don’t recall anything about it being meant as a sequel, though. I’m surprised it was submitted that early. I wish I had my copy of _ **ST: TRS** _ here with me. I know there were aspects of the story that differed markedly from the broadcast version. For example, there was originally no flying toward the Sun; they returned to their own time by Scotty fiddling with the engines. I also seem to recall that Christopher and the AP sergeant had their memories of the incident erased and were simply beamed back to Earth, with no further explanation. It’s been a long time since I last saw _ **TNT** _, but doesn’t Kirk say “It doesn’t matter. Back the way we came!” when asked for a course heading once the engines have been restarted? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/468 "2020-12-06T01:54:04Z")
Yes, in the broadcast version - but the person who was looking the draft titled “The Naked Time, Pt 1” says that the line was “Back to Earth” in that version. I’ll have to dig out my copy of “The Fifty-Year Mission” and see if it has anything useful ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/469 "2020-12-06T01:57:28Z")
Please do. My curiosity is piqued. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/470 "2020-12-06T13:36:59Z")
Unfortunately, the Fifty Year Voyage isn’t indexed and since it is a collection of interviews, it’s not organized by episode, so I haven’t found anything relevant there. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/471 "2020-12-06T19:20:36Z")
Ahh, so many memories of watching with a crowd at Beloit College… and that fellow Throckmorton would call out “Devil In the Dark! March of '67!” halfway through the opening “Captain’s log, stardate 3196.1…” Then I ended up with a flexible job where a gang of us made sure to be done for the day by 4, when a pizza place with a giant screen ran Star Trek reruns along with specials on individual slices. Yeah, so much better with a bunch of cynical sci-fi fans… … > [@](#): > > Once you’ve watched them all, watch “Galaxy Quest”. I don’t know if you saw this before, but it won’t be near as entertaining as after you’ve watched TOS. I’ve got to defend Galaxy Quest… but oh, wait, re-reread that, and that post was a double-and-a-half-negative. So I guess I’m agreeing with you that GQ will be MORE entertaining after watching TOS (and going to a con or two). Tim Allen makes a great Aging Starship Captain (like TJ Hooker?), Alan Rickman a Vulcan that does Shakespeare, and Sigourney has “one job on this ship!” And Tony Shalhoub… ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/472 "2020-12-06T19:33:15Z")
Dr. Lazarus was not a Vulcan, he was just some random alien species with a British accent played by an actor who seemed to feel that pulp-sci-fi was slumming for one of his caliber. But, really, to get the most out of Galaxy Quest, one should watch at least half a season of Next Generation as well. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/473 "2020-12-06T23:27:48Z")
Lazarus is a bit of Spock and a bit of Worf - an alien among humans, with a weird head prosthetic, and a catchphrase and unusual food preferences, and admired by fans for his alien culture. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/474 "2020-12-08T16:56:27Z")
Status report: I haven’t found any other cite (aside from the draft script copy analysis I linked to above), for the idea that “The Naked Time” and “Tomorrow is Yesterday” were at one point thought of as a 2-part episode. I’ve found many other references to the idea, but all of them seem to cite the draft script analysis as their source (or don’t provide a source, like Marc Cushman’s book - though that book has other information clearly from interviews with Black (unfortunately, I can’t get to the excerpts of that book about “Tomorrow is Yesterday”, which might be definitive - the “Naked Time” chapter points forward to the TiY chapter as the place where the details are)). It’s possible I’ve been passing on a well-believed, but false fan-notion. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/475 "2020-12-08T17:07:50Z")
Reserved the Cushman book at the library… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/476 "2020-12-08T18:19:53Z")
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/477 "2020-12-08T18:23:57Z")
Star Trek TOS cited in pro-Trump election lawsuit. > **[“Motion to Declare Trump Victorious” Filed in Pennsylvania – Lowering the Bar](https://www.loweringthebar.net/2020/11/motion-to-declare-trump-victorious-filed-in-pennsylvania.html)** ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/478 "2020-12-08T21:42:58Z")
Me personally or people in general? 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/479 "2020-12-08T21:45:18Z")
People in general. “Isis was a _ **Playboy** _ Playmate” is a classic example. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122/480 "2020-12-08T21:49:20Z")
Thanks. That’s what I figured, but I thought I’d check… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos/921122.md?page=25)