Brainbin said:
"TV's First Black Superstar"
Short memory? Cosby did star in "I, Spy"...
Brainbin said:
"Julia", starring Diahann Carroll
Do I presume "ST" surviving pushed the debut back? Or is the debut OTL & this reflects it surviving?
Brainbin said:
who would want to go on without Rollin Hand and Cinnamon? ...The correct answer to that question is: the people of OTL, who continued to watch "Mission: Impossible" for four seasons after the departure of Landau and Bain
Count me among them. I never liked either one. (Nor in "1999".)
Brainbin said:
Desilu Post-Production
Can you say ILM?;):cool:
Brainbin said:
"Room 222"
I seem to remember liking this quite a bit, too.
Brainbin said:
The pitch being described is the same basic premise as Genesis II
It lacked the magic of "ST:TOS", IMO...:( I have a feeling it's going to bomb, if Desilu actually makes it as OTL. (It wouldn't affect Alex Cord enough to butterfly his work in "Airwolf", would it? I liked him as Briggs...)
Brainbin said:
Elliott joined the cast during season six, but audiences didn't take to his character
I've been a fan of Sam Elliott, too. Can't say if I was of his character in "M:I"; I have no recollection of it at all.:eek: I didn't take a particular shine to Lupus.
Brainbin said:
two exceptions: Marshall, a better actress than Struthers, wins her Emmy outright instead of Struthers sharing it in a tie with Valerie Harper
That makes sense, disappointed as I am to see Valerie losing out.
Brainbin said:
"Flip Wilson" wins for Variety Series over "The Carol Burnett Show"
That surprises me, as good as Carol's show was. (How much of that was because I didn't quite get Flip, IDK.)
Brainbin said:
race relations are generally better, and that's duly reflected on television (in the movies less so, given the existence of Blaxploitation as a "release valve"), but there's going to be resistance, and people weren't as eager to be politically correct in the early 1970s.
It generally takes about a generation for old attitudes to change, so it follows there'd be resistance.
 
C'mon phx!

Guilty Pleasure Confession Time:
FWIW I loved Space:1999 as a kid.
Through adult eyes, the production was a train-wreck and scientifically believable as phlogiston as the key to FTL travel.:rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:
IIRC the scripts varied from intriguing but BS to bowdlerized to hell and gone as the series kept going. Still, it started my interest in British SF where the scripts and characters got a lot more thought than the SFX.

You can blame it on withdrawal from ST: TOS (the UHF stations that syndicated both alternated the series in DFW at the time so we didn't suffer too much SF withdrawal) in my early elementary years and digging Maya and the production design. :D

As to Brainbin's re-imagining of Desilu championing ST:TOS to have its time in the sun- very tasty stuff, especially butterflying away the weak-sauce/schizy third season as budgets dropped along with editorial cohesiveness.
ITTL, it gets the money and egoboo it should've gotten which is awesome sauce^3 for the audience, actors and producers.
Without the palpable sense of unfinished business- doesn't that butterfly away the push for spinoffs?

I'm a little puzzled by butterflying Cosby's involvement with the Electric Company.
I can see Bill Cosby possibly being taken more seriously if he didn't joke around as much on Electric Company but that's such a huge chunk of how I view him, as the cool teacher worth listening to that it could take his acting career all kinds of directions from disturbing to obscurity and a slim chance of him becoming a serious actor.
It's not impossible for a comedian to be taken seriously as an actor, but it's very much an uphill struggle. Look at what Steve Martin, Robin Williams, and others have done to the detriment of what them funny to have mediocre careers.

No Bill Cosby cartoon? Maybe not a turn for him as Dr. Cliff Huxtable, either? WTFH are you giving us in return?

I know Leonard Part 6 riffing on his I Spy days was Bill's Pluto Nash and butterflying that debacle would do a lot to keep Bill Cosby relevant as an actor way down the line, but you're possibly using a neutron bomb to squish a gnat twenty years later.
 
Thank you everyone for 500 replies! Here's to 500 more! Allow me to start with one...

It's simply that when Hannah-Barberra decided to do an ensemble crossover seires and shorts for their animals in the grand tradition of Looney Tunes, they decided (rather arbitrarily IMNSHO) that Yogi would be their Bugs Bunny. Then it was discovered by everyone outside the Funtastic World that their new staff writers simply couldn't write, and that they had Flanderized the bejesus out of all the rest of them. Aside from Yogi and Booboo, the only characters to retain much of thier respecitve original depth (which admittedly wasn't a lot) were Quick Draw McGraw and Dixie the Mouse.
Thanks for the helpful information, Kalvan. So, from the looks of things, in attempting to ape the Looney Tunes from the Golden Age, Hanna-Barbera accidentally wound up aping the contemporary Looney Tunes: all thrown together for no reason, coasting solely on our nostalgia for them, and reminiscing about all the great and hilarious adventures they used to have, in the form of clip shows and retrospectives. And so, it's become a supreme irony that this appears to be all that we remember most of the Hanna-Barbera stable for - just standing around and talking about nothing in particular - whereas at least we still have all those great Looney Tunes shorts burned in our brains, even if they all suck just as hard in the present day.

RL kinda busy right now - savin' lives and what not....
With great power there must also come great responsibility!

Hmm... Hee-Haw survives in syndication at least (as per OTL as far as I know)... maybe Elvis actually appears on the show like he wanted to (though it would take some large butterflies, as it's only in local syndication).
Considering the POD (late 1966, shortly before his big "comeback"), I imagine that it would be possible to alter his entire career trajectory and, therefore, the circumstances (and timing!) of his death. And indeed, IOTL, "Hee Haw" outlasted the rest of the Cold War.

vultan said:
Keep the good stuff coming, Brainbin!:)
Thank you very much. You too ;)

It's been too long for me to say anymore. I barely recall watching it, let alone the content.:eek:
That would confirm my thesis above, then.

So I wonder if this means no Picture Pages, no Fat Albert....
A number of people are asking after "Fat Albert". I will posit that, since animation has a long lead time, and since it's a great deal less intensive from the actor's perspective than live-action work, and since it will count as credit toward Cosby's Ed.D. (as it did IOTL, along with his stint on "The Electric Company"), it will still happen on schedule ITTL.

Glen said:
Thank you. It's a classic example of the "Beam Me Up, Scotty!" phenomenon, which often affects politicians: he never said it, but it sounds like something he could have said, and it becomes indelibly associated with him anyway. (And no, for those of you who are wondering, Kirk never says that exact phrase ITTL, either. He does say "Beam us up, Mr. Kyle", though.)

Glen said:
Ok, you completely lost me on this one.
The intended reference is to "Futurama", in which protagonist Philip J. Fry is trapped in cryogenic suspension for 1,000 years.

Glen said:
Right - nice implausbility showing up IOTL nod.
Reality Is Unrealistic, after all :D

Glen said:
Not so sure on that one.
Well, it had won the year before, and the quality of the sketches is better than OTL (culminating in the "Battle of the Superstars"). And believe it or not, "Carol Burnett" only won it three times IOTL.

Glen said:
Wow this series is lingering....
This is in recognition of the massive series finale, because it wouldn't be eligible for an Emmy otherwise. It's not considered a competitive win. Also, it's clear by now that Star Trek was a trailblazer, in more ways than one, which helps to justify the award.

Glen said:
One per week? Oh well, that'll take a while....
But I won't leave you hanging! Unlike many of the authors of some really great timelines on this very site...

Yes! Sanford and Son!:D

Man, I grew up on that show!
You'll be glad to know that it exists in substantially the same form as IOTL, because it was based on the (pre-POD) 1960s British program "Steptoe and Son", with Redd Foxx's presence filling in most of the gaps (including the name change to Sanford). But I'm not so sure about Demond Wilson being cast as Lamont; he was cast as a direct result of his OTL appearance on All in the Family.

(Oh, and original Trance in purple was smoking hot.)
(The other element of the ship wasn't bad either.)
On that matter, I have just one thing to say to the both of you. What'll your mother say?!

Short memory? Cosby did star in "I, Spy"...
Hey, blame Time magazine. That was an OTL cover story. I thought the very same thing you did, and I imagine that Cosby would too, hence the "Battle of the Superstars" sketch on "Flip Wilson" ITTL. Playing Devil's Advocate, though, I imagine the editors at Time assumed that people could well have been watching "I Spy" for Robert Culp, or for the stories and the settings (as with "Mission: Impossible"); but they were indisputably watching "Flip Wilson" for Flip Wilson.

phx1138 said:
Do I presume "ST" surviving pushed the debut back? Or is the debut OTL & this reflects it surviving?
No, "Julia" premiered in 1968, as IOTL. It didn't fall out of the Top 30 in its third season ITTL, and thus it was brought back. I doubt it's going to survive the end of this season, though, especially since it will reach 100 episodes, and can head from there straight into syndication. Also, according to my research, despite being groundbreaking in having a black lead actress in a non-stereotypical role (she was a nurse), civil rights activists didn't really care for the show, and won't fight for it.

phx1138 said:
Count me among them. I never liked either one. (Nor in "1999".)
Well, we have already established your tastes as anomalous, but since I'm curious, I'll ask anyway. What did you think of Mr. Spock on "Mission: Impossible"? I'm not personally familiar with that period of the show, but being an alternate historian, I can't help wondering if, had he stayed the full four (or more!) seasons, he might have broken out of his typecasting more easily. IOTL, though he had some success, he brooded over it for most of the 1970s, which famously resulted in I Am Not Spock. Now, none of this has any relevance to TTL; I just think it would make an interesting topic of discussion. The rest of you are, as always, welcome to chime in on the matter.

phx1138 said:
It lacked the magic of "ST:TOS", IMO...:( I have a feeling it's going to bomb, if Desilu actually makes it as OTL. (It wouldn't affect Alex Cord enough to butterfly his work in "Airwolf", would it? I liked him as Briggs...)
You're familiar with the pilot movie first-hand? Good to hear. As to your questions... that would be telling ;)

phx1138 said:
I didn't take a particular shine to Lupus.
I can tell... you aren't referring to him by his first name :p

phx1138 said:
That surprises me, as good as Carol's show was.
Like I said, the show only won the Series Emmy three times (out of 11) IOTL.

I find Desilu Post-Production interestingly similar to ILM.
Can you say ILM?;):cool:
ILM? :confused: What is that? Never heard of it. Any resemblance between it and Desilu Post-Production is strictly intentional ;)

Guilty Pleasure Confession Time
Welcome aboard, TxCoatl! Please don't mind phx; he's got very peculiar tastes. He thinks Christopher Reeve is a worse Superman than Dean Cain, he likes Christian Bale's "Bat-voice", and he doesn't like Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman! So don't you mind him one iota :D

TxCoatl1970 said:
As to Brainbin's re-imagining of Desilu championing ST:TOS to have its time in the sun- very tasty stuff, especially butterflying away the weak-sauce/schizy third season as budgets dropped along with editorial cohesiveness.
ITTL, it gets the money and egoboo it should've gotten which is awesome sauce^3 for the audience, actors and producers.
Without the palpable sense of unfinished business- doesn't that butterfly away the push for spinoffs?
Thank you very much. You've a very clear sense of what I was trying to accomplish for Star Trek (which here has no retronymous subtitle) ITTL. And you're very right in that the sense of closure has virtually eliminated the insatiable hunger for more, though certainly nobody would be averse to some kind of continuation, except for most of the actors. But absence makes the heart grow fonder; maybe they'll change their minds. We'll have to see what they get themselves up to in the interim.

TxCoatl1970 said:
I'm a little puzzled by butterflying Cosby's involvement with the Electric Company.
Logistics. He still has a weekly series on the air that keeps him in Hollywood. He can't find the time to commute to New York and shoot footage for the show. It's that simple. But Rita Moreno will still be involved, as will an aspiring young actor named Morgan Freeman.

TxCoatl1970 said:
It's not impossible for a comedian to be taken seriously as an actor, but it's very much an uphill struggle. Look at what Steve Martin, Robin Williams, and others have done to the detriment of what them funny to have mediocre careers.
I understand your rationale, and I do appreciate the point you're trying to make, but I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Cosby is currently starring on a sitcom. He makes semi-regular appearances on a variety show. He's hardly trying to pull a Tom Hanks.

TxCoatl1970 said:
No Bill Cosby cartoon? Maybe not a turn for him as Dr. Cliff Huxtable, either? WTFH are you giving us in return?
Well, first of all, as mentioned, "Fat Albert" will be happening ITTL. Second of all, as I've mentioned many times before, television is a zero-sum game. Improving the lot of some shows necessarily means that others will suffer in their place. That's even more true now that there are even fewer timeslots. And I'll be perfectly honest with you, "The Cosby Show" was never a likely situation for TTL anyway. The POD is eighteen years in advance of the show's premiere, which is an eternity in the television industry; and that doesn't even take the many sociopolitical changes from OTL into account.

TxCoatl1970 said:
I know Leonard Part 6 riffing on his I Spy days was Bill's Pluto Nash and butterflying that debacle would do a lot to keep Bill Cosby relevant as an actor way down the line, but you're possibly using a neutron bomb to squish a gnat twenty years later.
That's actually a terrific analogy; it's so good that I hereby award you the No-Prize for Lateral Comparisons! But, in all seriousness, the changes to his career trajectory ITTL are an effect of my plans going ahead, not the cause of them. I'm doing my best to move forward from the original POD, using future OTL events as guideposts, rather than trying to awkwardly wedge them all into my timeline. There are a lot of shows I personally love that probably won't come into being ITTL, but that's the way it goes.

Thank you all again for your comments. Please feel free to make more; I love reading them. Next on the update schedule is another production appendix for Star Trek, this time covering assorted trivia and statistics for the show ITTL. You'll have it no later than next weekend, and just might have it earlier. No promises, though. RL always has plans of its own...
 
Brainbin said:
Hey, blame Time magazine. That was an OTL cover story.
:rolleyes::confused::confused:
Brainbin said:
I imagine the editors at Time assumed that people could well have been watching "I Spy" for Robert Culp, or for the stories and the settings (as with "Mission: Impossible")
True. Also, give them benefit of the doubt, they were a product of their time. It was no different (& no less infuriating:mad:) than Hot Rod (or was it Car Craft?), for one time & one time only, putting the crew chief on the cover instead of the driver, when Shirley won the Top Fuel title.:mad::rolleyes:
Brainbin said:
they were indisputably watching "Flip Wilson" for Flip Wilson.
I'll give him that.
Brainbin said:
I doubt it's going to survive the end of this season, though, especially since it will reach 100 episodes, and can head from there straight into syndication. Also, according to my research, despite being groundbreaking in having a black lead actress in a non-stereotypical role (she was a nurse), civil rights activists didn't really care for the show, and won't fight for it.
Huh. I confess that surprises me.
Brainbin said:
Well, we have already established your tastes as anomalous, but since I'm curious, I'll ask anyway. What did you think of Mr. Spock on "Mission: Impossible"? I'm not personally familiar with that period of the show, but being an alternate historian, I can't help wondering if, had he stayed the full four (or more!) seasons, he might have broken out of his typecasting more easily. IOTL, though he had some success, he brooded over it for most of the 1970s, which famously resulted in I Am Not Spock. Now, none of this has any relevance to TTL; I just think it would make an interesting topic of discussion. The rest of you are, as always, welcome to chime in on the matter.
Health warning: I'm working on a very, very vague recollection, here. I did like Leonard in it, but how much of that was from knowing he was also Spock, IDK. (I'm also very unclear just when this was; I vaguely recall it was first run, but I've also got some inkling I saw some of them in syndication, too...) With that said, I think the show format would've given him so much more to work with: the whole show was so much a psych & mindfuck, you could do almost anything & make it credible. It was like the best caper film you ever saw, every week.:cool: (And just today, I saw Hackman in "Heist". "M:I" was like that all the time.:cool:) I've never seen another show like it.:cool::cool:
Brainbin said:
You're familiar with the pilot movie first-hand? Good to hear. As to your questions... that would be telling ;)
I suspected as much.;)
Brainbin said:
I can tell... you aren't referring to him by his first name :p
Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike him. I liked Graves a lot: a lot of style, a lot of cool. It's the Trek gang I feel like I can be on first name basis with.;)
Brainbin said:
ILM? :confused: What is that? Never heard of it. Any resemblance between it and Desilu Post-Production is strictly intentional ;)
:rolleyes::p
Brainbin said:
Welcome aboard, TxCoatl! Please don't mind phx; he's got very peculiar tastes. He thinks Christopher Reeve is a worse Superman than Dean Cain, he likes Christian Bale's "Bat-voice", and he doesn't like Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman! So don't you mind him one iota :D
I resemble that remark.:mad::p
Brainbin said:
nobody would be averse to some kind of continuation, except for most of the actors.
I have the sense spinoff mania wouldn't start til later. Am I wrong it was uncommon yet? Or were "Gomer Pyle" & "Maude" & such not a rarity? (Either way, now "TOS" is off-air, "spinoff" isn't really on the cards, & AFAIK, sequel mania was much later, thankfully.)
Brainbin said:
Rita Moreno will still be involved, as will an aspiring young actor named Morgan Freeman.
:cool::cool:
Brainbin said:
That's actually a terrific analogy; it's so good that I hereby award you the No-Prize for Lateral Comparisons! But, in all seriousness, the changes to his career trajectory ITTL are an effect of my plans going ahead, not the cause of them.
Which doesn't mean you can't set out to put people in places you want them to come out.;) A little judicious nudging & some ripple effects here & there...:cool:
 
As always, in the face of dramatic societal changes, life continued to go on in the television industry, especially at those two neighbouring studios in Culver City. Herbert F. Solow's promotion to SEVP and COO of Desilu necessitated a shake-up among the line positions at the company, most obviously in creating a need to hire his replacement as Vice-President in Charge of Production. Solow suggested his close friend, and a proven administrative talent, Robert H. Justman, for the position; Lucille Ball accepted this proposition, and he was immediately hired. From then on, and despite all the care and attention that he had devoted to Star Trek, Justman would now have to juggle the interests of the three other shows currently running, as well as the various pilots that the studio was developing, in order to have another show on the air for the 1972-73 season.

I kinda feel that Desilu is due for a more major shake-up. For Hollywood their staff has been fairly stable and long-lived.

Any chance of a bit of an overview of the TV & movie studios and how things have changed/not changed?

I hope that you all find some of the plot threads I'm developing here to be intriguing. It's all going to build rather slowly and deliberately compared to the (relatively) fast pace of the early years, but I still don't see my update schedule falling below approximately one update per week. So, until next time, thank you all for reading, and I will greatly appreciate your comments on this and all other posts!

Oh no worries on that front. I assumed that the end of Star Trek and the big shake-ups that were due would lead to a quieter period.

As I've said it's one I'm excited for, never being much of a '60s television guy (I didn't even own a TV as a kid so all the reruns—or first runs—y'all have seen passed me by) so I'm happy to start hitting shows I've actually watched at least some of.
 
Deeply honored for your replying in detail, Brainbin!

Long time lurker, 2nd time poster on this TL.

Since you've masterfully butterflied away Tricky Dicky and ST:TOS's unfinished business- the 1970's aren't going to look/feel/sound the same in pop culture or mainstream culture.

Something to PM Neopieus or e of pi about is HHH's possible bent about the space program. D ya think he'll keep the Saturn V's rolling off the line to make JFK's ghost happy or find other more pressing domestic priorities?
You mentioned more Apollo missions, Lunacy, etc. without Nixon impatiently vulching over it to get it over with IOTL.

I guess I'm contemplating the great what next for NASA after Apollo wound down like most kids of the 1970's. Skylab? Dynasoar? SSTO?
Ultimate detente project- joint US/USSR moonbase? Manned mission to Mars?
 
Something to PM Neopieus or e of pi about is HHH's possible bent about the space program. D ya think he'll keep the Saturn V's rolling off the line to make JFK's ghost happy or find other more pressing domestic priorities?
You mentioned more Apollo missions, Lunacy, etc. without Nixon impatiently vulching over it to get it over with IOTL.

I guess I'm contemplating the great what next for NASA after Apollo wound down like most kids of the 1970's. Skylab? Dynasoar? SSTO?
Ultimate detente project- joint US/USSR moonbase? Manned mission to Mars?
Brainbin has already confirmed that the second batch of Saturn Vs was ordered in this TL (No entangling foreign conflict means LBJ can induldge his personal passion for space when the issue comes up in 1968), and that due to increased public interest, engagement, and support, the post-Apollo cuts are going to level off at about 2% of the budget--about double the OTL value for the 70s. As for contacting me about what's going to happen with that money and those launchers...it's possible there may have been some quid pro quo for the guest update he did for my TL. :)
 
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Glen

Moderator
Ya know, I somehow imagine that Hunter S. Thompson will have less success later ITTL than he did IOTL - or a different trajectory without Tricky Dick or the deeper cynicism of OTL 1970s to feed. Be interested to see what you do with him, Brainbin....
 
Ya know, I somehow imagine that Hunter S. Thompson will have less success later ITTL than he did IOTL - or a different trajectory without Tricky Dick or the deeper cynicism of OTL 1970s to feed. Be interested to see what you do with him, Brainbin....

Speaking of which I recently read a great critique of Thompson. Don't get me wrong, I love Hunter S., but man on man does one of his fellow New Journalism guys tear him apart.

I too would be interested to see if Thompson breaks through or perhaps a different guy in the same style and tradition.
 
And now, a word from our sponsor:

It was like the best caper film you ever saw, every week.:cool: (And just today, I saw Hackman in "Heist". "M:I" was like that all the time.:cool:) I've never seen another show like it.:cool::cool:
It's funny, in that I've actually devoted far and away more time and more space to "Mission: Impossible" than any show I'm not "covering" in-depth, and I've also mentioned it at least once in every "overview" post I've done so far. It's great fun; and I watch TV for escapism, and to be entertained, and it absolutely delivers in all those respects. It richly deserves its place in popular culture.

phx1138 said:
Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike him. I liked Graves a lot: a lot of style, a lot of cool. It's the Trek gang I feel like I can be on first name basis with.;)
Only the Star Trek gang, eh? Because Shirley Muldowney, Carol Burnett, Gordon Pinsent, Gail O'Grady, and Emma Samms are known for their affiliations with Star Trek, am I right? :p (And that's only going back five pages.)

[FONT=&quot]
phx1138 said:
I have the sense spinoff mania wouldn't start til later. Am I wrong it was uncommon yet?
Spinoffs actually date back to the Golden Age. "The Honeymooners" was technically a spinoff of "The Jackie Gleason Show"; "The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour" was a spinoff/retool of "I Love Lucy"; "Andy Griffith" was a spinoff of "Danny Thomas". But they peaked in the 1970s, yes.


[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
phx1138 said:
(Either way, now "TOS" is off-air, "spinoff" isn't really on the cards, & AFAIK, sequel mania was much later, thankfully.)
Indeed, which makes the term "TOS" meaningless ;)[/FONT]

phx1138 said:
Which doesn't mean you can't set out to put people in places you want them to come out.;) A little judicious nudging & some ripple effects here & there...:cool:
[FONT=&quot] Hence the Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover. I have to be careful; if I stretch credulity too much, it might snap.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
I kinda feel that Desilu is due for a more major shake-up. For Hollywood their staff has been fairly stable and long-lived.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]True, which is why I had That Wacky Redhead promote Solow to his current position. The position has enough perks and influence, and she has enough money in the kitty to keep him entrenched at Desilu for a few more years, at least. As for Justman? He may well leave after only one season. In the interim, the gig at Desilu makes for a very soft landing, and opens the door to plenty of other opportunities. Also, the many other line positions have deliberately gone unmentioned, so please feel free to assume a high turnover there. The only other constant is That Wacky Redhead's husband (whom I've promoted to EVP and CFO), Gary Morton.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
Electric Monk said:
Any chance of a bit of an overview of the TV & movie studios and how things have changed/not changed?
All right, a brief summary:

Desilu
Productions still exists (IOTL it was formally merged into Paramount on December 29, 1967) and is independently-owned (by That Wacky Redhead, of course). Thus, it retains control of the shows it was producing at the time of the merger (Star Trek, which has since ended production, along with the still-running "Mission: Impossible" and "Mannix") and is continuing to produce new ones (only "Night Gallery" so far, though others will be coming along soon enough). Desilu has a reputation for high-quality, challenging programming - I've described it before as the Pixar or Valve of its day. This reputation for innovation has been with the company since "I Love Lucy".

Paramount Television was formed on January 1, 1968 ITTL. Without the assets purchased from Desilu, they were forced to develop their own programming. In order to do so, they hired Grant Tinker, former NBC executive, who was looking for a way into the production game. IOTL, after another year, he would develop MTM Productions along with his wife Mary Tyler Moore in 1969; here that studio will never exist. The only OTL Paramount offering from this era that exists ITTL in a substantially identical form is "The Odd Couple". As the film Yours, Mine, and Ours was never produced, "The Brady Bunch" was never green-lit. Instead, "Barefoot in the Park" (produced later on IOTL, with an all-black cast), makes it to air, starring Robert Reed as the male lead. Also, a show originally headed for Fox IOTL, "Room 222", is produced by Paramount thanks to their existing connections (through both Tinker and former Fox executive Douglas S. Cramer). James L. Brooks, that show's creator, would also go on to co-create "Mary Tyler Moore", Paramount's biggest hit to date. The studio is thus known for character-based sitcoms. They're cheap to produce, which satisfies the miserly owner, Charles Bluhdorn.

Most of the other studios are largely the same as in OTL at this point, minus the various shows that our two Culver City neighbours have poached from them (and may
continue to poach in the future, as the case may be). The newest studio on the block, Tandem Productions, run by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, is the toast of the town as of the 1971-72 season, with both of its offerings (Those Were the Days and "Sanford and Son") placing in the Top 10. Other studios that are doing well are Universal Television (where Gene Coon went after he left Star Trek), which produces "Marcus Welby"; and MGM Television (where Herb Solow went after he left Star Trek), though the latter studio obviously lacks a certain touch ITTL, which we may explore in some detail later on.

Some of the producers and directors who are worse off ITTL include: George Schlatter, who found himself crossing That Wacky Redhead and, when combined with his lofty hubris, paying the ultimate price; and Robert Altman, who had the misfortune of directing a topical satire about a conflict that had been over for more than a year by the time it reached screens. The sole Oscar won by the M*A*S*H film IOTL (Adapted Screenplay for Ring Lardner, Jr.) was here won by Larry Kramer for Women in Love (which also won Best Actress, as IOTL, for Glenda Jackson). Most of the Oscars for 1971, however, remain the same as IOTL. Despite being unfamiliar with The Last Picture Show, I was thinking of flipping the Supporting Actor/Actress winners from Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman to Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn, respectively; but I've no idea how comparatively meaty their roles are, so I'll let the status quo remain for the time being. Anyone who's seen "the modern-day Citizen Kane" is more than welcome to fill me in on the matter.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Electric Monk said:
As I've said it's one I'm excited for, never being much of a '60s television guy (I didn't even own a TV as a kid so all the reruns—or first runs—y'all have seen passed me by) so I'm happy to start hitting shows I've actually watched at least some of.
I'm glad you're looking forward to it. We're entering a very creatively fertile period, which I'm definitely going to enjoy discussing.
[/FONT]

Long time lurker, 2nd time poster on this TL.
I always love it when drive-by posters come back. It means I've done something right :eek: (Hint, hint, various one-time posters.)

TxCoatl1970 said:
Since you've masterfully butterflied away Tricky Dicky and ST:TOS's unfinished business- the 1970's aren't going to look/feel/sound the same in pop culture or mainstream culture.
Indeed, that's a primary theme of the timeline so far, and most of the butterfly effects to have sprung from the POD follow that logic.

TxCoatl1970 said:
I guess I'm contemplating the great what next for NASA after Apollo wound down like most kids of the 1970's. Skylab? Dynasoar? SSTO?
We'll have to see about that :cool:

TxCoatl1970 said:
Ultimate detente project- joint US/USSR moonbase?
Detente, as long as Humphrey is President, is going to be a delicate balance. His premature end to the unpopular overseas conflict cost him all of his foreign policy capital, with many people openly questioning his supposedly anti-communist stance. He also has many powerful enemies within his own party - Scoop Jackson and Bill Proxmire being among the more prominent of these.

As for contacting me about what's going to happen with that money and those launchers...it's possible there may have been some quid pro quo for the guest update he did for my TL. :)
Yes, I have asked e of pi to serve as my Space Program Consultant, and I defer to his expertise in this area. With his assistance, I hope to return to the topic of space exploration and research in the not-too-distant future.

Ya know, I somehow imagine that Hunter S. Thompson will have less success later ITTL than he did IOTL - or a different trajectory without Tricky Dick or the deeper cynicism of OTL 1970s to feed. Be interested to see what you do with him, Brainbin....

I too would be interested to see if Thompson breaks through or perhaps a different guy in the same style and tradition.
According to cursory research on the subject, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his mainstream breakthrough, has its genesis in the development of an article about a man who was killed in protest of a certain overseas entanglement that will be over by that time ITTL. As he never writes this article, there's no reason for him to meet the individual who served as one of his sources, who then encourages him to go to Las Vegas. In other words, his entire rise to fame has been butterflied away ITTL. Therefore, I can say with confidence that Hunter S. Thompson will remain an obscure figure ITTL. Besides, what would he be without his opposite and nemesis, Tricky Dick, in power?

Thanks to all of you for your patience. I should have the Star Trek production appendix ready in the next couple of days. It's going to be pure trivia and statistics, so if you like that kind of pop culture minutiae, it will probably be right up your alley. Until then!
 
Brainbin said:
Only the Star Trek gang, eh? Because Shirley Muldowney, Carol Burnett, Gordon Pinsent, Gail O'Grady, and Emma Samms are known for their affiliations with Star Trek, am I right? :p (And that's only going back five pages.)
I won't exclude using the familiar for likes (& for Gail, Emma, & Greta, more than like;)), but it's also what seems right. Pinsent I neither particularly like nor dislike, nor Lupus.
Brainbin said:
Spinoffs actually date back to the Golden Age. "The Honeymooners" was technically a spinoff of "The Jackie Gleason Show"; "The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour" was a spinoff/retool of "I Love Lucy"; "Andy Griffith" was a spinoff of "Danny Thomas". But they peaked in the 1970s, yes.
I'd forgotten those.:eek: I was thinking about the "CSI"/"L&O" glut...:rolleyes:
Brainbin said:
makes the term "TOS" meaningless ;)
Not when I don't live in TTL.:p
Brainbin said:
if I stretch credulity too much, it might snap.
I'm seeing no sign of strain.;)
Brainbin said:
Paramount Television "The Odd Couple".... "Room 222", ...[&] "Mary Tyler Moore".... The studio is thus known for character-based sitcoms.
Suggests Paramount will be very successful, if the MTM trajectory is remotely close.
Brainbin said:
Despite being unfamiliar with The Last Picture Show, I was thinking of flipping the Supporting Actor/Actress winners from Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman to Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn, respectively; but I've no idea how comparatively meaty their roles are, so I'll let the status quo remain for the time being. Anyone who's seen "the modern-day Citizen Kane" is more than welcome to fill me in on the matter.
It's been a few years (& I didn't like it), but I'd be disinclined mess with this without a pretty good reason.
Brainbin said:
Indeed, that's a primary theme of the timeline so far, and most of the butterfly effects to have sprung from the POD follow that logic.
It just dawned on me. You've probably butterflied away the career of Tom Laughlin, 'cause the Billy Jack films likely don't get made.:eek: (OK, not good films, but good fight scenes.:cool:) At least, after "Born Losers" they don't...

I'll wager U.S. culture generally is less paranoid in the '70s & '80s.
Brainbin said:
Hunter S. Thompson will remain an obscure figure ITTL.
That makes me happy.;) Never been a fan of Hunter's:p gonzo journalism.
 
True, which is why I had That Wacky Redhead promote Solow to his current position. The position has enough perks and influence, and she has enough money in the kitty to keep him entrenched at Desilu for a few more years, at least. As for Justman? He may well leave after only one season. In the interim, the gig at Desilu makes for a very soft landing, and opens the door to plenty of other opportunities. Also, the many other line positions have deliberately gone unmentioned, so please feel free to assume a high turnover there. The only other constant is That Wacky Redhead's husband (whom I've promoted to EVP and CFO), Gary Morton.

Oh sure. I don't expect line positions to be covered. I just felt that a lot of people at the upper echelons of Desilu were running relatively long for Hollywood and wanted to know a bit more.

Apparently (because I haven't read it) Inside Star Trek is not terribly kind to Gary Morton, so I'm looking forward to stuff about that.

All right, a brief summary [of the studios]
snip

I meant in the timeline proper, but still interesting especially as I assume butterfly effects are stretching across Hollywood. "A successful science fiction show? Give me ten of those!".

According to cursory research on the subject, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his mainstream breakthrough, has its genesis in the development of an article about a man who was killed in protest of a certain overseas entanglement that will be over by that time ITTL. As he never writes this article, there's no reason for him to meet the individual who served as one of his sources, who then encourages him to go to Las Vegas. In other words, his entire rise to fame has been butterflied away ITTL. Therefore, I can say with confidence that Hunter S. Thompson will remain an obscure figure ITTL. Besides, what would he be without his opposite and nemesis, Tricky Dick, in power?

True enough. However Thompson was still a nationally known figure (at least among people that read certain publications) for a number of previous articles. I do like your logic as regards lacking nemesis though :).

I dearly love Thompson (or at least a lot of his work) but there's a reasonably large collection of New Journalism folk that could wind up fairly big ITTL. Which I'd like to see, despite that not being the focus of this timeline, just because I like that style and there are precious few journalists that just go to town on people (usually even justifiably). At least in the modern day all I've got is Rolling Stone (primarily Matt Taibbi) and Charles Pierce over at Esquire.

Thanks to all of you for your patience. I should have the Star Trek production appendix ready in the next couple of days. It's going to be pure trivia and statistics, so if you like that kind of pop culture minutiae, it will probably be right up your alley. Until then!

Yes. Alley. My alley. I don't suppose you know any time travellers? Because I rather like your alternate Star Trek :).

That makes me happy.;) Never been a fan of Hunter's:p gonzo journalism.

All New Journalism, or just Hunter? I understand Thompson (it's a love/hate thing, generally) but personally New Journalism is aces in my book.
 
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Electric Monk said:
All New Journalism, or just Hunter? I understand Thompson (it's a love/hate thing, generally) but personally New Journalism is aces in my book.
Generally indifferent to it. Something about him (or his style, or his attitude, IDK) just irritated me.:rolleyes: Except for The Right Stuff, not #1 fan of Tom Wolfe, either.:rolleyes:
 
On the Hunter S. Thompson issue--he's already published Hell's Angels though, and written quite a bit on hippies. So while his career won't be the same, he'll still have one.

...

Hmm... this could mean no Duke in Doonesbury. Assuming that strip even gets written.
 
Not when I don't live in TTL.:p
You're just lucky I don't have mod powers, or you had better believe I'd be macro-ing the heck out of this thread ;)

phx1138 said:
Suggests Paramount will be very successful, if the MTM trajectory is remotely close.
I can't deny that Grant Tinker was an incredibly skilled and talented producer.

phx1138 said:
I'll wager U.S. culture generally is less paranoid in the '70s & '80s.
That's a very safe bet. What goes up must come down, of course, but on the whole, the people of TTL will be far less bitter, too.

phx1138 said:
That makes me happy.;) Never been a fan of Hunter's:p gonzo journalism.
We finally agree on something!

Apparently (because I haven't read it) Inside Star Trek is not terribly kind to Gary Morton, so I'm looking forward to stuff about that.
Indeed. Morton actually holds his position as a sinecure; the nice thing about Desilu is that it's a private company, and therefore job descriptions aren't set in stone. That Wacky Redhead controls the purse-strings, by and large, with Solow and Justman keeping the books, for whatever meaning that term has in Hollywood (hint: not much). The one nice thing about Morton is that he encourages Desilu's comparatively spendthrift attitude, resulting in more lavish production values (and the occasional white elephant).

Electric Monk said:
I meant in the timeline proper, but still interesting especially as I assume butterfly effects are stretching across Hollywood. "A successful science fiction show? Give me ten of those!".
Right you are - and we'll be getting more into that in the near future.

Electric Monk said:
Yes. Alley. My alley. I don't suppose you know any time travellers? Because I rather like your alternate Star Trek :).
Thank you very much :D I wanted to do right by Star Trek, and I'm glad that so many people seem to like what I've done.

Electric Monk said:
True enough. However Thompson was still a nationally known figure (at least among people that read certain publications) for a number of previous articles. I do like your logic as regards lacking nemesis though :).
On the Hunter S. Thompson issue--he's already published Hell's Angels though, and written quite a bit on hippies. So while his career won't be the same, he'll still have one.
Thanks for stopping by again, Space Oddity :) Tell you what, I'll make the two of you a deal: he'll remain a fringe figure ITTL, obscure with mainstream audiences, but will continue to appeal to his core crowd (hippies, bohemians, yuppies, etc.), and become a cult icon in the context of that sphere. I can't really provide any reference points, because they're all by their nature too obscure. But Electric Monk, the two people you provided, Matt Taibbi and Charles Pierce, might work. I've actually heard of Taibbi, because he's mentioned in the TV Tropes page for Magazine Decay (a fascinating read, by the way), but I'm a pop culture sponge who loves that site, so I think I'm in the minority. In any event, he'll remain obscure enough that I will never mention Hunter S. Thompson over the course of my timeline.

Space Oddity said:
Hmm... this could mean no Duke in Doonesbury. Assuming that strip even gets written.
Ooooh, don't tempt me. Butterflies are free to fly / fly away / high away / Bye-bye! :D

I could rush the production appendix to have it finished for tonight, but all of you deserve better than that, and therefore I'm afraid that it won't be ready until tomorrow. Thank you all, as always, for your very lovely comments, and I'll see you then!
 
Any chance of you throwing this up in the "Finished" Timelines and Scenarios forum? Obviously ongoing works can go in there, Look to the West for example, and I was thinking about re-reading this whole thing. (Edit, nevermind, I did the work :).)

with Solow and Justman keeping the books, for whatever meaning that term has in Hollywood (hint: not much). The one nice thing about Morton is that he encourages Desilu's comparatively spendthrift attitude, resulting in more lavish production values (and the occasional white elephant).

I do love Hollywood accounting where a $45 million film actually costs $60 million, makes $200 million, and is reported as a net loss so they don't have to pay net points on the profit to people involved.

Hmm, I know you've detailed the extra money for Star Trek quite nicely. How about Mission Impossible? Or really any future show they make, I like those details.

I could rush the production appendix to have it finished for tonight, but all of you deserve better than that, and therefore I'm afraid that it won't be ready until tomorrow. Thank you all, as always, for your very lovely comments, and I'll see you then!

Competing Star Trek updates! It's on.

I'm utterly excited for our last look at the original Star Trek. Also, insanely curious as to the question of further Star Trek (which I imagine you're keeping close to your vest) even if you imply in my timeline that Star Trek in yours is the one and only. I imagine money will change that sooner or later.

EDIT, for those that feel like a re-read:

 
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Brainbin said:
I'd be macro-ing the heck out of this thread ;)
Can I confess total ignorance of what that means?:eek:
Brainbin said:
We finally agree on something!
:eek::eek::p
Brainbin said:
I can't deny that Grant Tinker was an incredibly skilled and talented producer.
We agree on this too!:eek: *checks skies again for dark clouds & signs of demons*:p
Brainbin said:
That's a very safe bet. What goes up must come down, of course, but on the whole, the people of TTL will be far less bitter, too.
The impact on TV programming should be very interesting indeed, then.:cool::cool:
Brainbin said:
I wanted to do right by Star Trek, and I'm glad that so many people seem to like what I've done.
Let me add my vote to that. You have done right, even moreso IMO than the OTL creators of "DS9". (I don't think Gene would have much liked the strong religious content, given "TOS", tho it was done well.) You've avoided the worst & kept on the best people IMO. Congratulations.:cool:
Space Oddity said:
this could mean no Duke in Doonesbury. Assuming that strip even gets written.
It disappearing wouldn't really trouble me, either. Not a fan. (TBH, I never got it, but I have the impression you'd have to read from panel 1 to do that.)
 

Glen

Moderator
Reasons why I believe Doctor Who will be better received and more popular ITTL's USA:

  • American viewers introduced to Doctor Who through the very popular Star Trek.
  • Episodes will be shown in their proper order (not haphazard).
  • Wider syndication of old episodes through the marketing genius of Desilu.
  • New episodes will be shown in a prime time spot on a major network.
  • New episodes will have higher budgets and quality post-production than IOTL.
  • Third Doctor environmental themes will appeal to TTL's growing environmental movement (which is going to be more robust, absorbing some of the energy that went into the anti-war movement).
  • Third Doctor's anti-authoritarian yet working with authority stance will appeal to Humphrey America.

I will add one further comment about the possibility for a U.N.I.T. spin-off: I believe that TTL's American market is lacking in a military oriented series, but is conflicted after the nearness of the Vietnam War. A United Nations based military drama protecting the entire earth from alien threats would fill the niche for a military series without having to deal with the baggage of Vietnam.
 
Appendix A, Part V: Star Trek Miscellany
Appendix A, Part V: Star Trek Miscellany

Welcome to the first of two "epilogue" updates with regards to the development, history, and legacy of Star Trek ITTL. (As always, editorial notes and comparison points to OTL will be highlighted in RED and placed in brackets.) This first post will cover the program history from a trivia and statistical perspective, or what I like to call the "Wikipedia approach"...

---
Star Trek Title Card.png
The title card for Star Trek. (For all five seasons.)

Star Trek
was in development from March 11, 1964, to July 5, 1971. In that time, two pilots, 130 regular episodes, four serial episodes (a pair of two-part stories), and one feature-length finale were produced. The syndication package for the series contained 135 episodes; this excluded the unaired original pilot, "The Cage", as well as the two-part crossover with Doctor Who, which was already part of that program's syndication package. The series finale, "These Were the Voyages", was itself split into two separate episodes for syndication. The nice, round number of 135 that resulted was enough to last for 27 weeks (just over half a year) in standard "stripped" syndication.

The Cast of Characters
(The characters are going to be listed by number of appearances per the 135 syndicated episodes, though a total of 138 were produced. These three "lost episodes" are all archived at Desilu, with the Star Trek version of the crossover becoming a bootleg favourite.)

William Shatner portrayed James Tiberius Kirk (his middle name, revealed on TAS IOTL, was here revealed in the fourth season), and appeared in every episode to be produced, with the exception of the original pilot (in which 1950s matinée idol Jeffrey Hunter had played Captain Christopher Pike). The Commanding Officer of the USS Enterprise for the entire run of the series, he held the rank of Captain until the series finale, at which time he was promoted to Commodore, and assigned command of a new vessel, the Excelsior. As a character, Kirk had a singular passion for his command and an almost perverse love for his ship. Boisterous and charismatic, he was devoted to his crew, but always kept a certain professional distance from all but his closest friends, Spock and Bones. He was also known for his love of women, frequently seducing them or enjoying their company, though his ship and his crew always came first. His larger-than-life portrayal by Shatner, though idiosyncratic to say the least, somehow suited the character perfectly. (Shatner, on the whole, does a better job of Kirk ITTL. Certainly, he can act when he really tries, and he's got more reason to try here.)
Catchphrase or verbal tic: Tendency to speak with a peculiar cadence; difficult to describe but easy to imitate

Leonard Nimoy played the half-Vulcan (his father was a Vulcan and his mother a Human), Mister Spock. The character's surname, never revealed during the run of the series proper (due to claims of being "unpronounceable"), was half-jokingly listed as "Xtmprsqzntwlfb" in production notes. (as per OTL; D.C. Fontana is credited with this facetious creation.) Nimoy, like Shatner, appeared in all episodes to air, but also appeared in the original pilot (where he was given the show’s very first line: "Check the circuit"). Spock is initially described as a Lieutenant Commander during the first season, but is quietly "promoted" to full Commander by the second. He serves as both Science Officer and First Officer throughout the show's run. Spock is promoted to Captain, and is assigned command of the Enterprise, on which he has served for his entire career, in the series finale. The character is known for his stoic nature and adherence to the Vulcan philosophy of logic; though he often feigns lack of capacity for Human emotion, it is clear that he feels very deeply. His closest friends on the ship are Kirk, Scotty, and Uhura. His relationship with Bones is famously antagonistic, but affectionately so; Nurse Chapel, on the other hand, longs for him, which he very awkwardly tries to accommodate in his dealings with her.
Catchphrase or verbal tic: Overuse of the words "logical" (or "illogical") and "fascinating"

DeForest Kelley was Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. (Canonically, his middle name is only the letter "H", though "Horatio" was intended. But this was introduced much later than the run of the series IOTL.) From the Southern United States, his exact birthplace was never revealed, though he was said to have completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia, the home state of the actor portraying him. (As opposed to Ole Miss, his OTL alma mater.) Kelley joined Shatner and Nimoy in the show’s opening titles from the second season onward, and appeared in every episode produced during this tenure. He missed four episodes in the first season, including the second pilot, for a total of 131 appearances. (He also appeared in both halves of the crossover.) Two of these absences bear mentioning: "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is the only episode to feature Scotty but not McCoy; "Errand of Mercy" is the only one to feature Kor but not McCoy. The good Doctor served as Chief Medical Officer aboard the Enterprise, holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander (though, as CMO, he was outside of the command hierarchy, which he often held over his ostensible "superiors"). At the end of the series, he resigned his Commission to return to Earth in order to be with his daughter, Joanna. As a character, McCoy was primarily shaped by his interactions with others, and his friendships with Kirk, Scotty, Uhura, and Nurse Chapel were all important. (The friendship with Uhura was borne out of the close friendship between Kelley and Nichols; it was also a subtle but effective way to demonstrate racial harmony, given their respective heritage.) However, it was his legendary rivalry with Spock that came to define both characters.
Catchphrase or verbal tic: "He's dead, Jim" (uttered, in that exact construction, over a dozen times, with variants used at least twice as often); "I'm a doctor, not a..." (heard about as frequently); various racist insults toward Spock

James Doohan played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, a Scotsman from Aberdeen. (Later episodes confirm the obvious reference to Aberdeen as the place of his birth, from "Wolf in the Fold".) Doohan was absent from fifteen episodes of the series total, including a whopping twelve in the first season. From the third season onward, he appeared in every episode; these declining absentee records are reflective of the character’s increasing importance over time. (He also appeared in both halves of the crossover.) Scotty, as he insisted on being called (in casual situations, he accepted only Spock referring to him as Mr. Scott), was established as third-in-command of the Enterprise during the first season, and held the position of Chief Engineering Officer. A Lieutenant Commander for the first three seasons, he was promoted to full Commander in the fourth. He then became the First Officer of the Enterprise, on which he had served for most of his career, in the series finale. An incredibly talented engineer and repairman, Scotty had a knack for saving the day just in the nick of time. The warmest character on the show, he had friendly relationships with most of his crewmates. He and Bones were established as drinking buddies, often exchanging bemusement at the chains of command that bound their Captain and First Officer. Scotty viewed Chekov as something of a protégé, and Kyle as a trusted lieutenant. As both he and Uhura were very gregarious people, they also got along handsomely. He and Spock were established as having served on the Enterprise together prior to Kirk assuming command, and their relationship was one of implicit trust and co-operation. His relationship with Kirk was oddly stiff and formal, especially by the standards of two such exuberant characters, but befitting of Kirk’s failure to relate to any of his crew not named "Spock" or "Bones". (James Doohan seemed too much of a professional to let his hatred for Shatner get in the way of his performance, though even IOTL, it's strange how distant the two characters are. Here it's even more glaring, because Scotty gets along with everyone else.)
Catchphrase or verbal tic: (Phony) Scottish accent; complaining that he cannot possibly meet the Captain's needs, and then managing to do so anyway; complaining that the ship cannot endure much more of whatever pressure it is under, and then helping it to do so

Nichelle Nichols was Penda Uhura, from East Africa. (After 40 years, "Nyota", meaning "star", finally became canon IOTL with the reboot film. However, early fanon seems to have preferred "Penda", meaning "love", instead, so that's what prevails ITTL.) Vague and contradictory evidence was given on her exact birthplace, with Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda each implied in different episodes. All were consistent with her mother tongue of Swahili. Though Nichols missed at least one episode every season, she appeared in 121 out of 135 total, one more than Doohan (120), putting her in fourth place in overall appearances. (Nichols also appeared in more episodes than Doohan IOTL, at 68-to-65.) The character of Uhura was the Communications Officer, and was said to be fluent in many languages, including alien ones. (In contrast to the OTL character, who never bothered to learn the language of one of the galaxy's major powers.) For the first three seasons, she held the rank of Lieutenant, and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the fourth season. She was also the ship’s Fourth Officer, putting her at fifth in the overall chain of command behind Kirk, Spock, Scotty, and Sulu. (Implied in "Bem", this is explicitly confirmed in "The Lorelei Signal".) Known for her beautiful singing voice and sassy charm, she was very popular among all of her crewmates. But in dangerous situations, she proved herself a capable and skilled officer. Perhaps her most important friendship was with Nurse Chapel, though she got along with just about everybody on the ship, including Spock, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov.
Catchphrase or verbal tic: "Hailing frequencies open"; singing (which she does in about a dozen episodes)

George Takei portrayed Walter Sulu. (Walter was apparently planned as his name, but it never came to be IOTL, with "Hikaru" prevailing instead. ITTL, this means that two characters have the name of a different actor.) The character, meant to represent all of Asia, as Uhura represented all of Africa, was (like Takei) born in California, but his precise ethnic origins were deliberately never revealed. Takei appeared in as many episodes in the first season as Doohan (including the second pilot; they, along with Shatner and Nimoy, were the only ones to appear there and carry over into the series proper). Takei was absent from a number of second-season episodes due to his commitment to film The Green Berets with John Wayne. All told, he appeared in 104 episodes out of 135. (He also appeared in one of the two crossover episodes.) The ship’s helmsman, he was initially a Lieutenant for the first three seasons. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Commander for the fourth. He was also the ship’s Third Officer, fourth-in-command behind Kirk, Spock, and Scotty. Sulu was notorious for his serial hobbyism; he had a different interest in almost every episode. Known for his light and breezy wit, somewhat less cutting and sarcastic than that of Spock, he was good friends with Chekov, and the two of them occasionally served as a Greek chorus on the episode’s events (as in "Amok Time"). He was also friendly with Uhura, though the crush he seemed to have on her in earlier episodes never really went anywhere. (The writers eventually decided that Uhura wouldn't go any further with any male character than innocent flirtation. As IOTL, Sulu never gets a love interest throughout the show's run, for reasons that are obvious to us in retrospect, despite Takei's protestations.)
Catchphrase or verbal tic: "Well, I've always been a fan of..." (insert fleeting hobby here), or similar

Walter Koenig played Pavel Andreievich Chekov. He was born in Leningrad, Russia ("Soviet Union", a political term, was eschewed in favour of the geographical "Russia"). (And as far as you know, "Leningrad" may never become an obsolete term ITTL.) Koenig joined the cast in the second season, and was bolstered by the absence of Takei for much of it, being given his lines in many episodes. Indeed, he appeared in more of them (90) in the last four seasons than Takei (87). (Like Takei, he appeared in only one of the two crossover episodes.) Serving as the ship’s Navigator, Chekov was introduced as an Ensign, and was promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade after two seasons. In the series finale, he was then promoted again, to full Lieutenant. Of all the other characters, only Spock was also promoted twice over the course of the series. Accordingly, Chekov was characterized as a callow but bright young officer. Like Scotty, he was intensely proud of his homeland, though perhaps somewhat too intensely. He was on good terms with most of the other officers – with Scotty, Sulu, and Uhura all taking a particular shine to him; even Spock had a soft spot for him.
Catchphrase or verbal tic: (Phony) Russian accent; describing something as having been "inwented in Russia" or as a "Russian inwention"

John Winston portrayed Mr. Kyle, whose first name was never revealed over the course of the series. The character, like the actor, was of English extraction, though his home county was never revealed. (Winston himself is from God's Own Country, Yorkshire - Leeds, to be specific - though of course, he doesn't sound like he is.) Winston appeared in every season, though he made only a few brief appearances in the first. He became a regular in the second, appearing in at least half the episodes produced from the third season onward, for a total of 67 episodes out of 135. (In addition to both halves of the crossover, given his English heritage and resultant popularity in the UK.) He served as Transporter Chief, though he was something of a jack-of-all-trades and was also seen on the Bridge and in the Engine Room, often assisting Scotty in the frequent event of a stranded landing party. He held the rank of Lieutenant throughout the show’s run, finally promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the series finale. As a character, he functioned largely as a "straight man" to those around him; he wasn’t really developed to the same extent as his crewmates. (In other words, he is developed to the same level as everyone who was not Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Scotty IOTL.) He was helpful, dependable, and versatile, but these were primarily job descriptions, not personality ones. His closest friendship was probably with Scotty, in the sense that they often worked together. Famously, Kirk consistently mispronounced his name as "Cowell". (Per OTL, from the episode "The Immunity Syndrome", or The One with the Giant Space Amoeba.)
Catchphrase or verbal tic: "Transporter malfunction!", or various, less succinct words to that effect

Majel Barrett, Gene Roddenberry’s mistress, was Nurse Christine Chapel, a "consolation" role handed to her after the network rejected her for the role of "Number One" in the original pilot. As Chapel, she appeared in 58 out of the 135 regular episodes, through all five seasons. She served as Head Nurse, and though her initial rank was unclear, she was firmly established as a full Lieutenant in the later seasons. A sweet but rather shy and withdrawn character, her most important relationships were with her bosses, Dr. McCoy and M'Benga, her best friend Uhura (whom she alone usually addressed as "Penda"), and Spock, for whom she obviously carried a torch. The "romance" between the two characters was deliberately awkward, an oddly realistic touch that added to the resonance and appeal of the characters.

Diana Muldaur played Ann Mulhall. Featured in a single episode of the second season, both the actress and the character were sufficiently popular to lead to repeat appearances, with D.C. Fontana championing her as part of a recurring "clique" of female characters. She appeared in 23 episodes out of 135. Working in various roles in the Science Department, she held the rank of Lieutenant Commander throughout her run on the show. She interacted primarily with the other women on the crew – Uhura, Chapel, and Martine – along with her boss, Mr. Spock. Like both Spock and the original "Number One" character, she was cool, collected, and calm under pressure.

Barbara Baldavin, the wife of casting director Joseph D’Agosta, portrayed Angela Martine. She started out largely as a "placeholder", with the actress filling various roles as needed. Her characterization in "Balance of Terror", as a young woman who worked in a tactical role on the ship, eventually prevailed, and her title became Tactical Officer. She appeared in 24 out of 135 episodes, absent only from the second season. Her initial rank, like her initial role, was unclear, but she was eventually established as a Lieutenant. A frequent pinch-hitter for both Sulu and Chekov, she was on good terms with both of them, as well as the other three women in the primary "clique" – Uhura, Chapel, and Mulhall. But on the whole, Martine was known for her friendliness, and got along with just about everyone.

Booker Bradshaw was Dr. M'Benga who, like Uhura, was of East African extraction. He appeared in 11 episodes out of 135. His role in the series was to serve as backup to McCoy whenever he was part of the landing party. He held the rank of Lieutenant throughout the show's run. He interacted primarily with his departmental co-workers, McCoy and Chapel, as well as Spock, his primary patient.

Byron Morrow played James Komack, Vice-Admiral, Starfleet Command. (Komack is named for the actor/director who worked on Star Trek, though IOTL, only his last name was revealed over the course of the series, and his precise rank was never specified.) Often mentioned, he made ten proper appearances over the course of the series, including in both halves of the series finale. In all but the very last of these, he was a talking head on a viewscreen. He served as Kirk's direct superior, and most of the Enterprise's orders were sent through him. He was generally portrayed as a reasonable, if stern and occasionally unyielding, authority figure. Though there was a tension between he and Kirk, it was tempered by obvious mutual respect. (Thus the OTL "evil Admiral" cliché lacks a sturdy foundation ITTL.)

Grace Lee Whitney provided the role of Yeoman Janice Rand for ten episodes (all in the first season). This threshold, shared with two other recurring characters, is named the "Rand line" in her honour; those appearing more often were semi-regulars, and those appearing less often were merely recurring characters. Rand was the final incarnation of a character type involved from the very beginning: the female Yeoman who finds herself engaged in romantic tension with her Captain. Whitney's departure from the series was both acrimonious and mysterious: either it was because she had been sexually abused by multiple executives; she was falling into drug and alcohol addiction; the need for a permanent love interest for Kirk was deemed unnecessary; or some combination of the three. (Appearing in 10 out of 135 is nowhere near as significant as 10 out of 79, and ITTL the character of Rand is about as well-remembered as Kyle is IOTL.)

Miko Mayama played Yeoman Tamura, appearing in ten episodes (skipping both the second and the third seasons entirely). Brought back to increase the minority presence on the show, she had no specific role on the ship, and no set characterization. However, her most developed part was in the fifth-season episode "Cassandra", which established her as somewhat withdrawn and clumsy, but good-natured.

John Colicos essayed the role of the nefarious Klingon Captain Kor, who featured in eight episodes (with at least one appearance per season). Wily and devious, he viewed himself as Kirk's arch-nemesis, vowing that the two would one day meet in a final confrontation, which only one of them would survive; for one of them was destined to kill the other. (Kor thus realizes the writers' dream, IOTL and ITTL, for a recurring rival character.) His death in the grand finale (where he appeared, in both parts) proved his ultimate valour.

Roger C. Carmel appeared as Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd five times, once per season. The character, an unapologetic scroundel, was made memorable through Carmel's incredibly hammy performance. The fifth season episode "Cyrano de Mudd" inevitably paired him with the show's other smuggler character: Cyrano Jones, played by Stanley Adams, who appeared three times altogether.

Mark Lenard played Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, the father of Spock, five times over the course of the show's run, including in the first part of the series finale (at his request). Lenard had come to the attention of producers in his memorable role as the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror", and was even considered a leading candidate to replace Leonard Nimoy, had contract negotations fell through. Lenard was joined on three occasions by Jane Wyatt, who portrayed Amanda Grayson, Spock's Human mother. The relationship between the two was both appealing and resonant, thanks to the strong acting and low-key chemistry between the two actors. Their complex relationship with their son, on the other hand, perfectly illustrated the show's emphasis on character interaction and development.

Behind-the-Scenes

The most frequent writer was D.C. Fontana, who is credited for having written 21 episodes over the course of the show’s run. In second place behind Fontana was Gene L. Coon, who is credited for having written 16. The two officially collaborated on "Bondage and Freedom" (story by Roddenberry), the two parts of "Lords of Time and Space" (with Terrance Dicks and Robert Holmes), and the grand finale, "These Were the Voyages" (story by Roddenberry). (That's a combined 35 out of 135, or 37 out of 138, depending on which episodes you count. Either way, that's good for more than one-quarter of the total produced between them.)

Other frequent writers include Gene Roddenberry (though mostly for story ideas; he had not written any teleplays since the first season); David Gerrold (officially credited for nine episodes, having done uncredited re-write work on many others, alongside Coon and Fontana); Jerome Bixby (eight episodes); John Meredyth Lucas (seven episodes); Robert Bloch (six episodes); Theodore Sturgeon, Stephen Kandel (each with five episodes, one per season); and Margaret Armen (five episodes). Far more writers contributed multiple scripts than those who provided only one, but the list of those one-and-done writers was a sight to behold: George Clayton Johnson ("The Man Trap"), Richard Matheson ("The Enemy Within"), Harlan Ellison ("The City on the Edge of Forever"), and Larry Niven ("The Borderland") were all among them. Of course, there were plenty of duds among the one-timers as well.

The most frequent writers tended to have recurring themes in their scripts. Fontana, for example, usually wrote character-based episodes, particularly those with a focus on Spock (her favourite character). She also enjoyed writing intrigues, a trend highlighted by "Journey to Babel" and "The Enterprise Incident", among others. Coon, on the other hand, leaned toward plot-based stories, usually with novel settings, or familiar but skewed or twisted situations. "Bread and Circuses", "A Piece of the Action", and "Spectre of the Gun", all alternate-Earth-type stories, were his handiwork. But as a writer, he was very dependable and had genuine bursts of creativity (two of his early works, "The Devil in the Dark" and "Errand of Mercy", conclusively prove this). More than even Fontana or Gerrold, he also devoted considerable energies to re-writing the scripts of others. Gerrold, for his part, became known for his comedies, and for often throwing the characters into absurd situations (as in absurdist, as opposed to surreal or bizarre, which were typical for Star Trek); both aspects were amply demonstrated in "The Trouble with Tribbles", his first - and quintessential - script. Bloch, a horror writer by trade, naturally tended toward more macabre stories (which naturally got him a stint on "Night Gallery"). All five of Kandel's episodes (four of which were co-written by Gerrold, though only the last - "Cyrano de Mudd" - credited him) featured the character of Harry Mudd, and indeed, Mudd was often described as "Steve's thing". Sturgeon, Lucas, and Bixby, on the other hand, were all known for their versatility.

The show's five most frequent directors, who between them contributed to over 80% of the episodes produced, were Marc Daniels, Joseph Pevney, Ralph Senensky, Vincent McEveety, and John Meredyth Lucas (in that order). Two cast members, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, also directed episodes. Additionally, both Daniels and Lucas directed episodes that they had written themselves. Likewise, the show relied on the work of a few key composers. In addition to Alexander Courage, who had written the show's theme song, and had scored all of the earliest episodes, frequent contributors to the show's brassy and delightfully bombastic soundtrack included Fred Steiner, the most prolific composer; Gerald Fried, who tended to write more melodic and atmospheric scores, usually with epic fantasy influences; and Sol Kaplan, who preferred bass and percussion, creating thrilling, energetic scores. (Kaplan, for this editor's money, was one of the finest, most underrated composers ever to work in television. His full score for "The Doomsday Machine", snippets of which were constantly reused elsewhere, was magnificent. He only scored two episodes IOTL - he'll be doing a lot more than that ITTL.)

Key production personnel throughout the run of the show included: Jerry Finnerman, the Director of Photography; Rolland Brooks and Matt Jefferies, the two art directors and production designers; William Ware Theiss, the costume designer; Jim Rugg, the special effects supervisor; Fred B. Phillips, the makeup artist; Irving Feinberg, the prop master; Joseph D'Agosta, the casting director; and, last but certainly not least, creature and effects designer Wah Chang. In the above-the-line positions were the "Big Five": Gene Roddenberry, Executive Producer and initial showrunner; Gene L. Coon, Producer, later Co-Executive Producer, and de facto showrunner for most of the show's run; Robert H. Justman, Associate Producer and later full Producer, but eternally the bean counter; D.C. Fontana, from Staff Writer to Script Editor and finally Supervising Producer; and Herbert F. Solow, the Executive in Charge of Production. Other producers included John Meredyth Lucas and David Gerrold, both of whom started as Staff Writers, and served as Co-Producers during the show's later seasons; and Edward K. Milkis and Gregg Peters, both of whom were promoted to Associate Producer from below-the-line positions.

Production Budgets
(These numbers represent what Desilu would report to NBC, who in paying for the show would cover these costs, with the difference representing the studio's net profits - at least, in theory. NBC would then hope to cover their production expenses with advertising revenue from the sponsors, at minimum five times their costs pro rata: 50 minutes of programming to 10 minutes of advertising, in this era.)

Season 1: $190,000 per episode average (excluding the two pilots); 28 regular episodes. $5,320,000 total.
Season 2: $195,000 per episode average; 26 regular episodes. $5,070,000 total.
Season 3: $215,000 per episode average; 26 regular episodes. $5,590,000 total.
Season 4: $250,000 per episode average; 26 regular episodes. $6,500,000 total.
Season 5: $275,000 per episode average; 26 regular episodes. $7,150,000 total.
Season 5, including crossover and finale (note that the crossover is partly financed by the BBC): $300,000 per episode average; 30 regular episodes. $9,000,000 total. (Yes, both the crossover and the finale cost nearly $1 million apiece, very costly for 1970-71.)
Total production costs, including both pilots: approximately $32.5 million

Ratings
(Note that, in this era, ratings for shows outside of the Top 30 are difficult to ascertain, even for well-documented ones like Star Trek.)


Season 1: Not in Top 30 (Ranking somewhere in the low 50s overall.)
Season 2: Not in Top 30 (Ranking somewhere in the low 40s overall.)
Season 3: #22 overall; 21.0 rating (12.44 million households)
Season 4: #10 overall; 23.0 rating (13.45 million households)
Season 5: #19 overall; 21.0 rating (12.62 million households)
Grand Finale: 47.0 rating; 75 share (28.25 million households)

Industry Recognition

Star Trek
received numerous
Emmy awards during (and after!) its run. Here is a list of them:

1967: No Wins
1968: Two (2) Wins: Outstanding Dramatic Series (Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon); Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama (Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock)
1969: No Wins
1970: Three (3) Wins: Outstanding Dramatic Series (Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, D.C. Fontana, Robert H. Justman); Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama (Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock); Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Drama (Joseph Pevney for "Yesteryear")
1971: Three (3) Wins:
Outstanding Dramatic Series (Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, D.C. Fontana, Robert H. Justman); Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama (Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock); Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Drama (Ralph Senensky for "The Sleepers of Selene")
1972: Special Award (non-competitive); (Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, Robert L. Justman, D.C. Fontana, Herbert F. Solow)

NBC received a Peabody Award in the year 1970 on behalf of Star Trek. The citation reads as follows: "for the creative use of allegory to present societal problems in original ways, and for challenging audiences to reflect on the present day in order to create a better future".

Star Trek also won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation four times: for "The Menagerie" in 1967, "The City on the Edge of Forever" in 1968, "The Borderland" in 1971, and "These Were the Voyages" in 1972. All nominees in the category in both 1968 and 1971 were episodes of the series. (2001: A Space Odyssey won in 1969, and coverage of the moon landings won in 1970. IOTL, no award was given for the year 1971, and A Clockwork Orange received the award in 1972.)

Indeed, the show won a great many awards, both during and following its original run, as it was beloved by critics and audiences alike. But these were just a small part of the rich legacy that Star Trek would leave in its wake...

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Thus concludes our in-depth analysis of the original run of Star Trek. It's been one heck of a ride, but all good things must come to an end. Our next look at the series will explore the aftermath, the continuing influence, and the legacy of the program, along with the fates of many of the principals in the years ahead. Just as IOTL, Star Trek will never leave the popular consciousness, no matter how final the conclusion may have seemed at the time. Look forward to the sixth (and last) production appendix for Star Trek as part of the next cycle of updates. And please respect the many names I mentioned above; they all played a part in making the show great, ITTL and IOTL.


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