An Alternate Trek

Series 7
Series 7

So ends Series 7 (last half of Season 4). Here is the episode list
1. A New Start 3rd January 1970
2. Mitosis 10th January 1970
3. Lab Rats 17th January 1970
4. Voyager IV 24th January 1970
5. A Warning 31st January 1970
6. Any Sufficiently Advanced 7th February 1970
7. A Stitch in Time 14th February 1970
8. Mudd in your eye 21st February 1970
9. Legends 28th February 1970
10. Myths 7th March 1970
11. Beginning of the End 14th March 1970
12. The Fall of the Commonwealth 21st March 1970
13. Finis 28th March 1970 (Double Episode)

Again the ITV Regions showed the episodes on different days during the week that starts on the Saturday of the date given. The exception was the final double length episode which all regions showed at 7:30pm on the 28th March.

The viewing figures dipped for this series in episodes 3 to 8 but started to recover again as the series drew to an end. Indeed the last episode drew the biggest viewing figures achieved by any episode of Star Trek. However Star Trek had come to an end.

At its peak it had bestrode Saturday evenings like a colossus seeing off all challengers except Morecambe and Wise (which probably says something about British viewing habits:D ). It was to exert an influence on many subsequent British TV programmes of all sorts and drew big viewing figures whenever episodes were repeated (usually on a Sunday afternoon just after the regional football highlights).

However the programme which had initially killed off the Doctor, then influenced its 70's restart also brought the Doctor back from the dead in the early 00s. It was the viewing figures that the BBC achieved showing the ITC Star Trek on Friday teatimes (especially the episode "The Guardian of Time" (with a certain deleted scene put back in)) that convinced the BBC Hierarchy that there was an audience for Science Fiction and a certain Time Traveller in particular. Russell T Davies was given the green light for his reboot.
 
American Trek
Gene has a brainwave

Whilst back in the UK for interviews etc. connected with the end of the ITC Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry had a brainwave after talking to Malcolm Hulke and Terry Dicks (the main scriptwriters for Star Trek who had left ITC to work on the reborn Doctor Who). When he went back to the States he conferred with Gene Coon (Chief scriptwriter of the Paramount version) and they both agreed that it was a good idea.

The upshot was that the American version of Star Trek would not be set in an alternate continuity but instead be set in the future of the ITC version. Details of how long after and what had happened in the interim were left deliberately vague but a rough sketch was included in the handbook for the American script writers.

Basically there was a Klingon Civil War after the discovery of kh’Less which the adherents of kh’Less won. This resulted in a much more reactionary leadership which felt it had more in common with the Tellurians (now under Wilhelm) than the Commonwealth and a new alliance was formed. Eventually this alliance fought a war with the Commonwealth which resulted in the destruction of the Commonwealth.

After many years this alliance fell apart and in the ensuing chaos Earth, Andor and Vulcanis once again joined forces but this time as the United Systems. The Paramount version would be set as the United Systems were extending their reach into the old Commonwealth. By now all naval vessels would be powered by the improved interstellar warp drives (Jump technology still being used by civilians as it is much cheaper).

Also Leonard Nimoy’s Spock would now be a distant descendent of Stuart Damon’s. His more logical approach being a result of Vulcanis’ history between the Commonwealth and the United Systems.
 
American Trek
Names and Timing

The naming of the ship for the Paramount Star Trek had caused little problem. It was decided early on that as this was an American program the ship would have to have a name that resonated with American audiences. It had boiled down to the Enterprise, the Constitution, the Yorktown, the Saratoga and the Hornet. Although there was a lot of support for the Hornet in the end it was felt that it just had to be the Enterprise (the ship being named after the CV-6 the most decorated USN ship of WWII).

However there was much discussion as to what this version of Star Trek would be called. It was felt that it couldn’t now just be called Star Trek as it needed to be differentiated from the ITC version as it wasn’t just a remake. Various names were trialled

Star Trek II, Star Trek Phase 2, Star Trek: The Voyages Continue, Star Trek: The Next Generation (well it wasn’t true at least one or two hundred years had passed since the ITC continuity), and Star Trek: The United Systems were all considered. In the end it became Star Trek: USS Enterprise as this received the best feedback amongst Paramount staff.

After initial problems the production of this series went smoothly and season 1 was finished by the fall of 1970. It was decided that it would premiere on NBC at 8:30pm EST on Thursday 7th January 1971.
 
"Real" World
Problems

During 1970 NBC showed Season 3 of the ITC Star Trek. It was still hidden in the graveyard slot of Friday evening but again performed better than might be expected. However there was a reaction to the casting of Bill Cosby as Captain Ben Russell!

Some papers especially those in the Deep South reacted badly to there being a black captain. The reaction became even worse after the episode “Ancient Philosophies” in the second half of the season. A black man kissing a white woman! There were demands for a boycott of the programme and even of NBC unless they pulled it.

When news of the reaction reached the UK it stunned everybody concerned with the programme. There just hadn’t been that sort of reaction from anywhere else in the world (Nor was there from either the West Coast of the USA or New England. The Mid West just seemed to treat it as being European rubbish so seemingly paid no attention!).

As the new series was almost ready NBC did not show season 4(it was only ever seen in syndication) .However this reaction also seemed to affect the syndication of Star Trek. Although many stations did broadcast it not many of them were from south of the Mason Dixon Line.

This was seen as one of the peculiarities of the US. It certainly did not affect sales elsewhere in the world where Seasons 3 and 4 of the ITC Star Trek proved as popular as ever.
 
Out of curiosity, have you ever read these two older discussions ?

I'm curious, because great minds can think alike and come up similar ideas independently of each other. Or did you know about these discussions and they inspired you to start working on this timeline ? :)
 
Out of curiosity, have you ever read these two older discussions ?

I'm curious, because great minds can think alike and come up similar ideas independently of each other. Or did you know about these discussions and they inspired you to start working on this timeline ? :)

These are new to me! Thank you for giving the links. I'm not so sure about great minds especially in my case (as I struggle with a tablet, the person who invented screen keyboards had a warped mind!!!!!!)
 
"Real" World
The 1970 World Cup

For England, the group stages of the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico went exactly the same way as OTL, including THAT save by Gordon Banks. However the quarter final against West Germany would go slightly differently.

There was a huge blow to England when at the last minute goalkeepers Gordon Banks and Peter Bonetti had to withdraw because of a stomach upset. Montezuma’s revenge had never been harsher, robbing England of the best goalkeeper in the world. So Alex Stepney, who had not played a full competitive match since the end of the previous club season, was called in as emergency deputy. England were in command for sixty nine minutes thanks to goals from Alan Mullery and Martin Peters in stifling conditions. Franz Beckenbauer very nearly pulled the Germans back into the game with a shot that Stepney fumbled but managed to stop from squeezing under his body. Sir Alf Ramsey immediately sent on Colin Bell as substitute for Bobby Charlton, who was being saved for the semi-final. German substitute Jurgen Grabowski was running rings round exhausted left-back Terry Cooper, and Ramsey decided on a second substitution, sending on Norman Hunter for Cooper in a bid to stiffen the defence. With the changes suddenly England were looking disjointed. A freak header by Uwe Seeler sent the ball on an arc over the wrong-footed Stepney in the 89th minute and the Germans went on an all-out attack to try to equalize. However somehow England held on to win the game.

This meant that England would play Italy in the semi-final at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Gordon Banks had recovered so he played in goal. Italy led for the majority of the match, after Roberto Boninsegna scored in the 8th minute. Defender Brian Labone equalized for England during injury time at the end of the second half. The second half ended with the scores deadlocked at 1–1, and at this point the match became a battle of endurance during the two periods of extra time. Geoff Hurst put England ahead in the 94th minute, but Tarcisio Burgnich tied it back up four minutes later and Luigi Riva put the Italians back in front. Substitute Jeff Astle then scored for England to tie up the score at 3–3. Yet, as television cameras were still replaying Astle's goal, Alan Ball scored the game-winning goal in the 111th minute. Being left unmarked near the penalty area, Ball connected a fine cross made by Newton, clinching the victory for England at 4–3.

The Final was held on Sunday, 21 June, in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This final, between Brazil and England, was the one which many pundits had predicted. It was also the first time that two former world champions met in a final; England having won the 1966 Final, while Brazil had won in 1958 and 1962. Brazil struck first, with Pelé heading in a cross by Rivelino at the 18th minute. Geoff Hurst equalized for England after a blunder in the Brazilian defence. In the second half, Brazil's firepower and creativity finally proved too much for an England side that were still tired after their exhausting semi-final against Italy. However England despite this played very well and still created chances for Hurst, Ball and Lee. However they were finally beaten by one of the great world cup goals. A total of eight outfield players from Brazil passed the ball until Captain Carlos Alberto hammered the ball into the corner of the English goal following an inch perfect pass across the English 18 yard box from Pelé, prompted by the intelligent Tostao, who, with his back to the goal, told Pelé that Alberto was steaming in on the right flank. Tostao started the move five yards from the left of the Brazilian 18 yard box, then ran the length of the field to the English box without touching the ball again to tell Pele to lay it off for Alberto. The players involved in the passes in order were Tostao, Brito, Clodoaldo, Pele, Gerson, defender Clodoaldo beat four English players in his own half (Hurst, Ball, Charlton and Peters) before passing to Rivelino who hit a perfect pass down the wing to Jairzinho. Jairzinho crossed from the wing to the centre of the box to Pele who held the ball up to play a pass for Alberto to smash it home. The only outfield players not involved in the move were Everaldo and Piazza. England continued to strive hard and on several occasions hit the post or the cross bar it was not to be and the game finished at 2-1 to Brazil.

Although the English Press were disappointed that England had not retained the trophy there were no recriminations against the team or Sir Alf Ramsey. It was felt that they had been beaten by a wonder goal and by an excellent team. Also the way that they had played had contributed immensely to what many still consider to be the best ever World Cup Final.

NOTE: Britain is NOT going to end up in the same mess as it does in another famous timeline where we beat West Germany in that game in 1970!!!
I have one more post about sport that summer (hint: it's about a certain cricket tour) then I'll get back to Star Trek.
 
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"Real" World
The South African Cricket Tour of 1970

World opinion had been polarising against South Africa's apartheid regime through the 1960s, and while some sporting contacts with white countries remained, by the end of the decade it had become almost impossible for any South African team to tour overseas in an air of anything other than hostility.

In the autumn of 1968 a planned tour by the England side to South Africa had been aborted part way through because of the D'Oliveira affair. Despite that, the Australians had visited the Cape in 1969-70 and been thrashed 4-0 by a hugely impressive South Africa side that included Mike Procter, Barry Richards, Graeme Pollock and Eddie Barlow.

But ever since the 1968 cancellation there had been increasing disquiet at the prospect of the South Africans touring England in 1970, and it became a major concern after a tour by the Springboks rugby side in 1969-70 took place against a backdrop of violent demonstrations and civil disobedience. Games had been played in an often ugly atmosphere and security issues were highlighted when the team bus was hijacked en route to the England international at Twickenham.

Against this backdrop, the cricket establishment became divided about whether the tour should go ahead. The minutes of several meetings of the MCC and ICC show that the meetings became very heated and the division between those for and against the tour became more and more entrenched.
On December 12 the Test and County Cricket Board, confirmed the tour would proceed, adding it was "averse to racial discrimination of any kind… and respected the right of those who wish to demonstrate peacefully". That was all well and good but protests had long since ceased to be peaceful. The TCCB also stated that this would be the last tour allowed unless teams were picked on ability not colour.

The first indication of repercussions came a month later, when Kenya cancelled a visit by the MCC, stating it could not host a side when the club welcomed sides from South Africa. On the same day it was revealed weed killer had been poured over the outfield at Worcester, the venue for the South Africans' first match. Soon after, sporting links with South Africa again hit the headlines when Arthur Ashe, the previous year's US Open tennis champion, was refused entry into the country on account of his colour.

The MCC and TCCB's carry-on-as-normal approach started to change, and meetings were held with the government over security surrounding the tour. It had become clear that the usual arrangements would be completely inadequate, and the cricket establishment was concerned the profit from the summer would be wiped out if it had to foot the bill. The fears were real. By the end of January, 12 county grounds had been vandalised. On January 20th the Wilson Government made it very clear that the TCCB would have to foot any bills for extra security and repairs to any acts of vandalism itself with no government help.

On January 30, the news broke that the International Cavaliers, a touring charity-based multi-racial side consisting of leading players, had been refused entry to South Africa. A letter from the South African Cricket Association concluded that "you must be aware any tour… including non-white personnel would not be allowed". The MCC tried to distance itself from the row, claiming the Cavaliers was a private enterprise and so nothing to do with it, but all that did was to make it look woefully out of touch with the world.

Then on the 1st February, the square at Headingley was so badly vandalised that the groundsmen stated that it would take the full season to repair. On the same night the square at Old Trafford was also vandalised but not so badly. However both Yorkshire and Lancashire then announced that they were not willing to host either games against the respective counties or Tests.

By the end of February Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire also made statements that they were not willing to host the South Africans and Surrey stated that they were taking the matter under advisement. There was only Lords left (the MCC’s own ground) which was willing to host the touring team.

It became clear even to the MCC that the tour was a non-starter. So on March 5th the Cricket Council called the tour off "with deep regret". S.C.Griffith (the Secretary) said he "regretted the discourtesy" to the South African board and went on to say he "deplored the activities of those who intimidate".

John Vorster, South Africa's prime minister, was predictably angry. "For English Cricket to submit so easily and so willingly to open blackmail is to me unbelievable." Ali Bacher, South Africa's captain, was more resigned: "I regret the manner in which politics have become involved in cricket… [but] unless we broaden our outlook we will remain forever in isolation."

As it turned out, that isolation, like the apartheid regime that caused it, was to last much longer than anyone feared. Immediately however there was no time to arrange a replacement tour so instead a series of “Tests” against a Rest of the World team, mainly made up of overseas players who played for various counties was organised. Paradoxically this included several South African players.

With the cancellation of the South African Tour the Government breathed a sigh of relief, it had been imagined that there would have been violence at the Test venues and possibly more general racial unrest. Also it meant that The British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh would not be boycotted as several countries had intimated would happen if the tour went ahead.
 
Novels
The James Blish Novelisations

The famous American Science Fiction author, James Blish, then based in the UK, wrote a series of short stories adaptations of Star Trek episodes from 1969 to 1975, and called simply Star Trek. The adaptations were generally written based on scripts, and with reference to the finished episodes.

James Blish was credited as the adapter for the stories for Star Trek 1 through to Star Trek 15, although in Voyages of the Imagination, it is acknowledged that after "Star Trek 12" or "Star Trek 13", the stories were ghost-written by Blish's wife, J. A. Lawrence; without the knowledge of the publisher Panther. Star Trek 15, published after the death of Blish in July 1975, was credited to Blish and Lawrence. The stories were collected in five hardcover titles named The Star Trek Reader 1,2,3,4 and 5 in 1976 and 1977.

The stories were published in the order that the episodes were originally broadcast in the UK. Each book was generally a collection of episodes but some were written in novel form. These had titles as well as the Star Trek by-line.

The books were as follows:
Star Trek 1: Episodes 1 to 8 of series 1
Star Trek 2: Episodes 9 to 18 of series 1*
Star Trek 3: Episodes 19 to 26 of series 1
Star Trek 4: Episodes 1 to 5 and episode 9 of series 2
Star Trek 5: Episodes 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 of series 2
Star Trek 6: Episode 13 of series 2 and episodes 1 to 4 of series 3. This was written as a novel and given the subtitle “The Tellurians”
Star Trek 7: Episodes 5 to 9 of series 3
Star Trek 8; Episodes 10 to 13 of series 3 and episodes 1 to 5 of series 4. The second Star trek novel given the subtitle “The Rememberers”
Star Trek 9: Episodes 6 to 13 of series 4
Star Trek 10: Episodes 1 to 7 of series 5
Star Trek 11: Episodes 8 to 13 of series 5
Star Trek 12: Episodes 1 to 7 of series 6
Star Trek 13: Episodes 8 to 13 of series 6
Star Trek 14: Episodes 1 to 8 of series 7
Star Trek 15: Episodes 9 to 13 of series 7. The third Star Trek novel given the subtitle “The End of the Time War”.

James Blish refused to novelise episode 13 of series 1 “It came upon a Midnight Clear” or episode 15 of series 1 “Brothers” as they were very closely based upon short stories by Arthur C Clarke and Murray Leinster respectively.
 
Okay, I think I can now present the timeline's official wiki page without hesitation: An Alternate Trek

I had qualms about posting this here sooner, given that I still needed to cover a few updates/chapters I overlooked on my first near-completion of the chapter overview. There's a still a few minor things I'd like to add, but for the most part, this is a pretty complete page and it should hopefully help newcomer readers to this timeline.
 
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Novels
Star Trek in comics

From 1968 Star Trek appeared as the colour strip at the centre of the TV21 comic. It maintained this position all the way through to TV21’s eventual demise in 1971. Even then it continued as a black and white strip in Valiant until its demise in 1976.

Each story lasted 5 or 6 issues of the comic even in the Valiant days. However this did result in the last story in 1976 comprising nearly a quarter of the last issue of Valiant!

The comic strip was drawn by artists such as Frank Bellamy, Ron and Gerry Embleton and Keith Watson. Despite their different styles there managed to be a continuity of characterisation (i.e. each character was readily recognisable from the drawing not just the way that he was addressed) which at its best was compared to Dan Dare at its height.

Although many of the stories up until 1971 were taken over by the actual show they were considered to be good Star Trek stories in their own right. Indeed there are two sets of strips which are considered to be canon. The first is a set of stories set in the early days of Pike’s command of the Endeavour and the second are those stories that are set after the end of the last episode of the television series in the reset continuity.

These even saw a change in crew to reflect the changing norms of the 70s, so for example there was a Japanese Science Officer Hiromi Sulu (the nephew of the Captain Sulu shown in the episode The Dragon), and even a Russian Deputy Chief of Security Grigori Putinov as well as an Indian Admiral Moraji Roy.

Despite the temptation Star Trek was not directly tied into the shared world of the other Gerry Anderson based stories. However there were recurring Admirals Tracey and Shore and a helmsman named Parker who bore amazing resemblances to certain characters from Stingray and Thunderbirds!

The strips were collected together in a series of books first by Hawk in the late 1980s and then by Titan in the early 2000s. They have proved popular not just with the generation that watched Star Trek on the television and bought (or had bought for them) TV21 and/or Valiant but also with their children and grandchildren.
 
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From 1968 Star Trek appeared as the colour strip at the centre of the TV21 comic. It maintained this position all the way through to TV21’s eventual demise in 1971. Even then it continued as a black and white strip in Valiant until its demise in 1976.

Each story lasted 5 or 6 issues of the comic even in the Valiant days. However this did result in the last story in 1976 comprising nearly a quarter of the last issue of Valiant!

The comic strip was drawn by artists such as Frank Bellamy, Ron and Gerry Embleton and Keith Watson. Despite their different styles there managed to be a continuity of characterisation (i.e. each character was readily recognisable from the drawing not just the way that he was addressed) which at its best was compared to Dan Dare at its height.

Although many of the stories up until 1971 were taken over by the actual show they were considered to be good Star Trek stories in their own right. Indeed there are two sets of strips which are considered to be canon. The first is a set of stories set in the early days of Pike’s command of the Endeavour and the second are those stories that are set after the end of the last episode of the television series in the reset continuity.

These even saw a change in crew to reflect the changing norms of the 70s, so for example there was a Japanese Science Officer Hiromi Sulu (the nephew of the Captain Sulu shown in the episode The Dragon), and even a Russian Deputy Chief of Security Grigori Putinov as well as an Indian Admiral Moraji Roy.

Despite the temptation Star Trek was not directly tied into the shared world of the other Gerry Anderson based stories. However there were recurring Admirals Tracey and Shore and a helmsman named Parker who bore amazing resemblances to certain characters from Stingray and Thunderbirds!

The strips were collected together in a series of books first by Hawk in the late 1980s and then by Titan in the early 2000s. They have proved popular not just with the generation that watched Star Trek on the television and bought (or had bought for them) TV21 and/or Valiant but also with their children and grandchildren.

Is the Valiant Comics mentioned here a British comic or the American version?
 
Have you read neamathla's Five Colors for a Dime thread. I ask I would like to know which of his alternate comic book companys you think would publish your alternate Star Trek?

Also in time I hope to post microheroes of a very basic outline of your uniforms.
 
I'm not sure that the Star Trek comic strips would be published in the US. The ITC Star Trek hasn't hit the US conciousness the same way that the OTL one did. That having been said, the ITC Star Trek was popular with College students especially in the North East and California despite being shown in the graveyard slot of Friday evening on NBC. These buy comics so somebody may well take a punt. I doubt that it would be DC or Marvel (who exist ITTL), Charlton perhaps?

(I'm assuming that American comics have followed a very similar path to OTL)
 
Thanks viewcode!
Commonwealth Fleet Uniform.

Charcoal turtle necked long sleeved jacket.
Charcoal trousers
Black boots
Tunic as per Captain Scarlet(OTL) EXCEPT the zip is hidden rather than on view.
Command:Black
Ship board Security:Red
(landing party security have combat fatigues as per RN Commandos)
Engineering:Yellow
Operations:Green
Science:Blue (OK complete lack of imagination there on my part!)
Fleet logo on front of Tunic pocket
Officer rank insignia by collar of charcoal jacket
Non Coms insignia on upper sleeves
(Rank insignia shows obvious descent from USN insignia)

Commonwealth Navy Uniform

As above EXCEPT all tunics are British Navy Blue and the Rank insignia are much more obvious.

Is this something close to what you're looking for:
alternate_star_trek__command__by_lurch_jr-da20sgh.png
alternate_star_trek__ship_security__by_lurch_jr-da20u02.png
alternate_star_trek__engineering__by_lurch_jr-da20t3a.png
alternate_star_trek__operations__by_lurch_jr-da20t8t.png
alternate_star_trek__science__by_lurch_jr-da20uoh.png

Command, Ship board Security, Engineering, Operations, Science
 
They're not too far from the images in my head, but perhaps look more like a 90s or 00s interpretation than a 60s one.

I'd imagined the grey to be slightly darker and the tunics more like a sleeveless jacket (not so form fitting imagine the Star Trek film tunics except sleeveless or the OTL Captain Scarlet tunics). However that is nitpicking as they certainly fit the descriptions.

Thank You
PS How has the Hood joined the fleet?
 
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