Undeveloped Star Trek episodes
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference
(written from a Production point of view)
Numerous undeveloped Star Trek episodes were written for various Star Trek series that were submitted or developed for production, but for various reasons never aired, as was the case with several other undeveloped Star Trek projects.
Star Trek is..., the very first series outline, listed a number of short ideas for episodes, some of which were later worked out. David Gerrold presents his case of failed story, outline or script submittals during his early attempts to write for Star Trek: The Original Series. These outlines were later presented in his book The Trouble With Tribbles.
James Van Hise further explored in his book, Trek: The Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes Story of The Next Generation, several other unfilmed or unproduced episodes written for Star Trek: The Next Generation, most notably the controversial episode, written by Gerrold, entitled "Blood and Fire".
Further episodes can be found at Star Trek: Phase II.
[edit] The Original Series
[edit] Aladdin's Asteroid
Step outline by Robert Barry dated 22 May 1967.
[edit] The Aurorals
Story outlines by Frank Paris dated 13 June 1968 and 20 June 1968.
[edit] Bandi
"Bandi" was a story premise written by David Gerrold that he submitted in February 1967. [1]
Gerrold adapted his story for the third volume of Star Trek: The Manga.
Though Gerrold later speculated that Kirk would instead temporarily take command of another starship to investigate reports of laxity, his outline primarily set it aboard the Enterprise. Kirk discovers there's a mascot smuggled aboard by a crewmember; the creature, named Bandi, has an empathic ability to cause sympathy for it. Kirk wants it confined but Bandi always gets out by persuasive empathy to a crew member nearby. When a crewmember dies because of a distraction caused by Bandi, Kirk wants it off the ship; Bandi turns the crew against Kirk, but once Spock kills Bandi, the crew snaps out of it. This behavior by the crew led Gerrold to speculate Kirk temporarily commanding another ship where the problem happens. Gerrold also said if the outline sold, he'd come up with a better name than Bandi.
[edit] The Beast
Story outline by Marc Daniels dated 1 July 1968.
[edit] BEM
Story outlines by David Gerrold dated 14 March 1968 and 4 April 1968.
[edit] Beware of Gryptons Bearing Gifts
Story outline by David P. Harmon dated 16 April 1968.
[edit] Destination: Infinity
Story outline by Robert Barry dated 30 March 1967.
[edit] For They Shall Inherit
Undated story outline by Jerome Bixby.
[edit] The Forbidden
Undated story outline by Hank Stine.
[edit] The Forces
Undated story outline by Charles Parker.
[edit] The Forseeable Future
Story outlines by Jean Lisette Aroeste dated 22 August 1968 and 16 September 1968.
[edit] From the First Day To The Last
Undated draft outline by unknown author.
[edit] The Fuzzies
"The Fuzzies", later titled "A Fuzzy Thing Happened to Me...", was written by David Gerrold and submitted in February 1967. This episode would later evolve into "The Trouble with Tribbles". [2]
[edit] The Godhead
"The Godhead" was written by John Meredyth Lucas. Outlines dated 15 March 1968, 17 April 1968, and 7 November 1968. [3]
[edit] He Walked Among Us
"He Walked Among Us" was a script written by Gene L. Coon and Norman Spinrad for TOS Season 2. Story outlines dated 12 May 1967, 17 May 1967, and 18 May 1967. The first draft was dated 25 July 1967, and a later draft dated 28 September 1967.
[edit] Image Of The Beast
Story outline by Philip Jose Farmer dated 27 March 1966.
[edit] Joanna
"Joanna" was written by Dorothy Fontana, as the first episode to feature Joanna McCoy, the daughter of Leonard McCoy. The outline was submitted 27 August 1968 and would later be heavily rewritten to become "The Way to Eden". [4]
[edit] Journey To Reolite
Story outline by Alfred Brenner dated 18 April 1966.
[edit] The Joy Machine
Story outlines by Theodore Sturgeon dated 16 May 1967 and 23 June 1967. First draft teleplay by Meyer Dolinsky dated 21 October 1968. This script was later novelized under the same title, The Joy Machine, by James Gunn in 1996.
[edit] The Lost Star
"The Lost Star" was written by John Meredyth Lucas. It was outlined on 24 June 1967. [5]
[edit] Machines Are Better
Story outline by A.E. Van Vogt dated 29 March 1967.
[edit] Mere Shadows
Story outline by Philip Jose Farmer dated 26 March 1966.
[edit] Mission Into Chaos
"Mission Into Chaos" was written by David P. Harmon and Gene L. Coon, with the first draft dated 28 September 1967. This episode would be heavily rewritten to become TOS: "A Piece of the Action". [6]
[edit] Mother Tiger
Undated draft by Jerome Bixby
[edit] The Orchard People
Story outline by Catherine Turney and John Collier dated 3 April 1967.
[edit] Pandora's Box
Story Outline 9/8/1967 by Daniel Louis Aubry
[edit] The Pastel Terror
"The Pastel Terror" written by Larry Niven. This story was never submitted but would be published in the fanzine Apa-L in 1971 and in the fanzine T-Negative 17 in 1972. [7]
[edit] Perchance To Dream
"Perchance To Dream" was written by J.M. Winston, outlined 28 June 1969.
[edit] The Protracted Man
"The Protracted Man" was written by David Gerrold and submitted February 1967. [8]
Although warp drive allows speedy travel, it still involves travel over immense distances; Starfleet is participating in a test of a space warp corridor that will take seconds to cross several light years. The Enterprise will wait at the exit point to recover the shuttlecraft being piloted through. However, something goes wrong, the shuttle can't exit, and the pilot is beamed out from within the warp corridor. The pilot, however, is protracted: three visual representations - each of a different color (e.g. blue, red, yellow) - move a fraction of a second apart when the man is moving; his voice is similarly garbled by a separation in time; the pilot is drawing energy from the Enterprise to maintain himself. The protraction keeps increasing, particularly when the ship tries to move at warp speed to get to a point in space where all power can be shut down briefly to try to restore the pilot to normal. The transporter is used to reintegrate the man by dematerializing the multiple images then overlaying them.
Gerrold was inspired by a "protraction"-type sequence in West Side Story's theatrical release, wondering what the effect would suggest, then writing the script outline. In the West Side movie, the teens go to a dance, with the teens appearing in a similar way, though the walls of buildings stay solid and grim-looking, by combining the film colours out of synchronization.
[edit] Return To Eden
Story outlines by Alvin Boretz dated 9 May 1966 and 23 May 1966.
[edit] Rites Of Fertility
Story outline by Robert Sheckley dated 6 May 1966.
[edit] Rock-A-Bye Baby, Or Die!
Story outline by George Clayton Johnson dated 2 August 1966.
[edit] The Search For Eternity
Story outline by A.E. Van Vogt dated 11 April 1967.
[edit] The Shadow of Space
"The Shadow of Space" was written by Philip JosÈ Farmer in 1966. [9]
[edit] Shol
Story outlines by Darlene Hartman dated 24 June 1967, 15 July 1967, and 24 July 1967. First draft teleplay dated 23 August 1967.
[edit] Shore Leave II
Story outline by Theodore Sturgeon dated 24 April 1968.
[edit] Sister In Space
Story outline by Robert Sheckley dated 14 June 1966.
[edit] Skal
Undated outline by Jerome Bixby.
[edit] Sketches Among The Ruins of My Mind
"Sketches Among The Ruins of My Mind" was written by Philip José Farmer in 1966. [10]
[edit] Sleeping Beauty
Undated outline by Robert Bloch.
[edit] The Squaw
Step outline by Shimon Wincelberg dated 15 July 1966, revised outline dated 28 July 1966.
[edit] The Stars of Sargasso
"The Stars of Sargasso" was written by Dorothy Fontana. It had a draft date of 14 May 1969 and was intended for the undeveloped TOS Season 4. It was the second attempt to introduce Joanna McCoy.
[edit] The Surrender Of Planet X
Undated outline by Don Masselink.
[edit] Tomorrow the Universe
"Tomorrow the Universe" was written by Paul Schneider. The first draft was dated 1 March 1967 and was intended for TOS Season 2.
[edit] Tomorrow Was Yesterday
"Tomorrow Was Yesterday" was a sixty page outline written by David Gerrold in 1966, intended to be a two-part episode. Gerrold stated that he wrote the story as a two-parter for two reasons: a) "for more money" for him, and b) "it would have meant a greater spread of money in the budget for sets, costumes and actors."
According to Gene Coon, "Mr. Gerrold's outline was by no means inadequate. It is, as a matter of fact, very adequate." He further stated despite this, "to film the two-part story outlined here would probably cost $6-700,000" and that it was "too elaborate for television. What he has written is a good motion picture treatment for ideally a $2-3,000,000 picture."
Gerrold attempted to turn the outline in to a novel during the late 1960s, but he took the story into a different direction, retitling the manuscript as "Yesterday's Children," which was later published by Dell Books in July 1972, and later renamed "Starhunt." In 1980 he revisited his original story in the novel The Galactic Whirlpool. This story was completely unrelated to TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday".
The Enterprise comes upon a relic, a generation ship launched from Earth and long forgotten; the people on the ship have forgotten why they are aboard or that there is anything outside the ship's walls. There are two factions aboard fighting each other.
[edit] The Uncoiler
Story outlines by Philip Jose Farmer dated 1 April 1966 and 5 April 1966.
[edit] Untitled
The World of Star Trek revealed a story premise that DeForest Kelley had always wanted to see, featuring himself and Nichelle Nichols, described as "something where the two of us were thrown onto a planet where there was a great racial problem, only reversed. The fact that I am a Southerner and she is black, and that we're trapped on this planet together."
Gerrold added a footnote to Kelly's premise, stating: "As a matter of fact, the idea was one that very definitely had been considered. A script version had even been written. And rewritten. And rewritten. The story involved a planet where blacks were the masters and whites were the slaves, but either the premise was too touchy for television or nobody could quite make it work. The script never reached a form where Roddenberry or Coon wanted to put it into production."
The basis of this episode was probably a story premise in Roddenberry's 1964 proposal Star Trek is..., entitled Kongo, about a planet with the "Ole Plantation days" with reversed roles of blacks and whites.
[edit] The V.I.P.s
Undated story outline by Gene Lasser and Malachi Throne.
[edit] Warrior's World
Story outlines by Stephen Kandel dated 22 April 1965, 28 April 1965, and 7 May 1965.
[edit] The Next Generation
[edit] Blood and Fire
"Blood and Fire" was a controversial episode written by David Gerrold which involved allegedly gay characters and an allegory on AIDS. The rejection of this episode is what ultimately led to Gerrold leaving TNG. [11]
This episode has since been adapted and filmed as an episode of the fan series Star Trek: Phase II. David Gerrold directed it and it stars Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar's ancestor. Interestingly enough, one of the gay characters in this story is Peter Kirk, Captain Kirk's nephew from "Operation -- Annihilate!".
[edit] The Neutral Zone
An unproduced Romulan story, also featuring aspects that made their way into "Too Short a Season", was entitled "The Neutral Zone". Scripted by Greg Strangis, the story featured famous Starfleet security expert Billings, who, confined to a wheelchair and clearly distant and lonely, had led the mission which had rescued Natasha Yar from her brutal home world. Yet in spite of Yar's efforts to better make his acquaintance, he is completely oblivious to her attempts. Billings' mission is revealed in short order: the Enterprise is to take part in a trade negotiation which will involve, for the first time, the Romulan Empire. Picard's mission will be to get the Romulan delegates there, and Billings is on hand to assure that all goes well.
To implement this, he compiles a list of all Enterprise personnel who have had contact with Romulans, and orders that they be dropped off at a starbase for the duration of this sensitive mission. Ironically, this group includes inveterate Romulan-hater Worf, who Picard defends; Worf manages to remain on board, where he becomes involved in the obligatory Wesley subplot. Meanwhile, Beverly proposes an operation involving fluid drawn from Data's spine to help Billings who brusquely declines.
Romulan commander Gar, obviously against the accord he has been assigned to promote, beams aboard and dissension ensues. Matters grow complicated when the transporter malfunctions while the rest of the Romulan delegation is beaming over; after some tense moments, they are safely returned to their own ship, but Gar is less than pleased, especially when Data discovers a sabotaging device inside the transporter controls console.
Unfortunately for Wesley and Worf, their separate subplot took them, without authorization, into the transporter room; this does not bode well for them until Tasha turns up with security tapes, showing Gar inserting the device. The Romulan remains insouciant, claiming that the negotiations were leading to disaster anyway and that his actions were merely getting the problem out of the way quicker. With all this sorted out, Billings consents to Dr. Crusher's proposed operation, and is able to walk. (Trek: The Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes Story of The Next Generation)
It is interesting to note that a passing reference by Picard to an engagement with a Romulan ship sometime in his career is inconsistent with the history of Romulan isolation as described in the actual episode.
[edit] Blood and Ice
"Blood and Ice" was Herb Wright's second draft of Gerrold's "Blood and Fire". Wright kept the same basic adventure, but removed the allegedly gay characters and the AIDS allegory. Despite the rewrite, this version remained unfilmed as well.
[edit] The Bonding
"The Bonding" was written by Lee Maddux, draft dated 9 October 1987. It was completely unrelated to TNG: "The Bonding".
[edit] Children of the Light
"Children of the Light" was written by Michael Okuda
[edit] The Crystal Skull
"The Crystal Skull" was written by Patrick Barry
[edit] Dead On My Feet
"Dead On My Feet" was written by Richard Krzemien, draft date 19 November 1987.
[edit] Deadworld
"Deadworld" was written by James Van Hise in 1987. According to Van Hise:
- "I wrote the story in 1987 at the behest of a mutual friend of Gerd Oswald. Oswald had directed a couple of Star Trek episodes in the sixties ("The Conscience of the King", "The Alternative Factor") and I'd spoken to him while he was directing an episode of the new Twilight Zone for CBS when I visited that studio in 1986. Oswald was looking for a story he could take to Paramount for The Next Generation which he could attach himself to as the director. He read this outline but rejected it as being "too depressing." I told my friend that Gerd, who was then in his seventies, was obviously a man who had never come to terms with his own mortality. Gerd Oswald died two years later of cancer."
[edit] The Hands of Time
"The Hands of Time" was written by Ken Glidin.
[edit] The Immunity Syndrome
"The Immunity Syndrome" was written by J.D. Kurtz. It was completely unrelated to TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome".
[edit] The Legacy
"The Legacy" was written by Paul Aratow. It was completely unrelated to TNG: "Legacy".
[edit] The Lost and the Lurking
"The Lost and the Lurking" was written by Robert Wesley
[edit] Maxa Junda
"Maxa Junda" was written by Kevin L. Hing, draft dated 25 November 1991.
[edit] The May Fly
"The May Fly" was written by Richard Krzemien, draft date 1 October 1987.
[edit] The Neutral Zone
"The Neutral Zone" was written by Greg Strangis. It was completely unrelated to TNG: "The Neutral Zone".
[edit] The One and Lonely
"The One and Lonely" was written by Richard Krzemien, draft date 18 June 1987.
[edit] "Q-Olympics"
Q would have uses the crew in a sort of olympics against another Q and their chosen race of supermen. (AOL chat, 1998)
[edit] Shattered Time
"Shattered Time" was written by Eric A. Stillwell, first draft dated 8 August 1988.
[edit] See Spot Run
"See Spot Run" was written by Michael Halperin.
[edit] Somewhen
"Somewhen" was written by Vanna Bonta.
[edit] Terminus
"Terminus" was a story written by Philip and Eugene Price, revised by Robert Lewin and Dorothy Fontana. It featured a character that was later re-conceived as Lore.
[edit] Two Yuffs Two Many
"Two Yuffs Two Many" was written by Richard Krzemien, draft date 9 July 1992.
[edit] Deep Space Nine
[edit] Day at Quark's
[edit] Dysfunctional
[edit] Klingon Hell
- This concept was later developed into "Barge of the Dead".
