WI: The Enterprise completes its five year mission (Star Trek survives for 5 seasons)

[dsp19]

Could always move the opening of Star Wars? Make it a 78 or 79 movie instead?

Also with a different Watergate, and no loss in Vietnam does the black/white morality and optimism of Star Wars catch on the same way and explode like it did?

The economy still stinks though, that's going to catch up to President Muskie ITTL despite his foreign policy successes. 1976 is going to be a series of failures for what has been a pretty strong Muskie administration so far (recession, possible OPEC oil shock because he invites Israel and Egypt to the WH, etc).

South Vietnam could still lose, albeit in a different way, because of the instability of their government. I'll write updates explaining what I think would have happened in a post 1975 South Vietnam (hint: it isn't very good for the Buddhists and other non-Catholic groups). The US ITTL has moved heaven and earth to keep South Vietnam afloat, and now they will have a contentious debate over whether to invest there considering the bad economy.

Watergate is still a stain on the national consciousness ITTL because a President was indicted and convicted for the crime, which never previously happened. There's no way Watergate can't occur and have it not be a stain on the US unless Nixon is successful at covering the whole thing up, which didn't happen IRL and didn't happen ITTL. I had Nixon serve six months of house arrest ITTL for what he did, which some Americans will consider a light punishment.

I could move Star Wars to 1978 but I don't really want to because my Star Trek TMP will be in 1978. An interesting change to the Star Trek movies will be that they always come out on Thanksgiving weekend or the weekend before Thanksgiving to maximize profits. Strategic placement of the movies the weekend before Thanksgiving will give them rewatch value over Thanksgiving weekend and a strong second weekend, extending their runs in the theater. So ITTL, no Star Trek movie will come out in summer blockbuster season; they will instead own the holiday season, which is usually when your Oscar contenders come out that don't make as much money as the summer blockbusters. We could have a scenario where the Christmas season in some years is started by a Trek movie which becomes an event.

 

[Ogrebear]

It would be interesting if Star Trek 1 came out before Star Wars just to change the status of Star Wars to being a bit of a 'follower' of Trek.

Losing 'Nam, plus Wategate, plus recession etc seems to have been a huge shock and impact on American national consciousness in the late 70's- changing Nam or Watergate will have a huge effect on this and imho Star Wars' success.

Maybe President Muskie manages to squeeze into a second term in 1976 and then in 77 or 78 S. Vietnam collapses?

 

[dsp19]

It would be interesting if Star Trek 1 came out before Star Wars just to change the status of Star Wars to being a bit of a 'follower' of Trek.

Losing 'Nam, plus Wategate, plus recession etc seems to have been a huge shock and impact on American national consciousness in the late 70's- changing Nam or Watergate will have a huge effect on this and imho Star Wars' success.

Maybe President Muskie manages to squeeze into a second term in 1976 and then in 77 or 78 S. Vietnam collapses?

ITTL they'll be in the process of shooting Star Trek when Star Wars comes out. Perhaps Star Wars loses about 20% of its gate but it'll still be a smash hit ITTL. What I know is the six Star Trek movies will make a lot more money, that's how I set this whole TL up.

Muskie can't win a second term with a bad economy regardless of how Vietnam ends up. He's done some good ITTL but he's got a very uphill road towards reelection. He won't lose in embarrassing fashion though, at least I won't do that to him.

 

[dsp19]

We've had almost two pages of dialogue since the last update, so I have to do another update. ITTL, my version of the Thrilla in Manila (Ali-Frazier III), a report about the economy and four more TAS episodes comprise this update.

Don Dunphy announced this fight for American television on October 1, 1975.

At the end of the 14th round:

Dunphy: That was the biggest round of the fight for anybody. Frazier was within a punch or two of going down. The doctor comes up and looks at Frazier. Frazier wants to continue, Eddie Futch, his trainer wants to stop the fight. Frazier defies his trainer and the 15th round begins. Joe can barely see out of his left eye. Muhammad Ali was barely able to get out of his corner. He asked Angelo Dundee to cut his gloves off but Dundee refused. Frazier attempts a wild hook that misses. Ali clinches, looking to save energy. The referee, Carlos Padilla, implores Ali to break the clinch. Thirty seconds gone in the round, and both fighters barely have enough energy to stand, let alone fight. Suddenly, here comes Ali with a flurry! Two jabs and a straight right hand. Frazier is hurt again. Frazier retreats to the ropes.

Ali senses that this is almost the end. Here's a big right hand and Frazier goes down! The referee, Padilla, counts. Five, six, seven, eight. Frazier somehow gets back to his feet. Ali is looking to end it now. A big right hand just misses, that would have finished the fight. We're halfway through the final round, and Frazier is looking to survive at this point as he can barely see. All of a sudden, Joe is firing jabs! Two right jabs and a big left hook. Ali is startled! He was hurt by that hook. Frazier charging in again and another left hook connects. Now a third left hook and Muhammad Ali goes down! Two knockdowns in the final round! Ali struggling to get to his feet as the referee counts to six, seven, eight. Ali just beat the count of ten! One minute left in the round, and Ali is still staggered. Frazier looking to end it, and a big left hook just misses Ali's head. Ali clinches with the last of his energy. Frazier lands two punches to the body. Down to the last thirty seconds, and both men are completely spent in there. They clinch again. Ali thuds Frazier's head with a short right that had virtually nothing on it. Frazier attempts a short left but it lands on Ali's chest. The bell sounds, and the fight is over! This is perhaps as great a fight as their first encounter in New York. We await the decision.

5 minutes later:

Dunphy: The judges and referee Carlos Padilla have reached a decision, using the 5 point scoring system. Referee Carlos Padilla scores the fight 70-65. Judge Larry Nadayag scores the fight 70-67, and judge Alfredo Quiazon scores the fight 71-67 for the winner, by unanimous decision, and still heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali! This is one of the most brutal fights I have ever witnessed. Both fighters need medical attention. Ali is not even celebrating his win, he is so exhausted in the ring. Frazier was brave, but foolhardy, for defying his trainer and starting the 15th round. Amazingly, his decision almost paid off.


ECONOMY STILL STRUGGLING: MUSKIE CALLS FOR SPENDING STIMULUS

October 15, 1975

Although President Muskie has accomplished a series of policy aims, such as an expansion of Medicare, environmental reform, and education reform, he has been unable to solve perhaps the most important issue relevant to his reelection next year: the stagnant economy. Inflation has increased by five percent during the Muskie administration, and unemployment is nearing seven percent, as manufacturing cannot escape the rut it entered three years ago. The President is proposing a fifty billion dollar stimulus to prop up the economy, which includes the reestablishment of several New Deal programs that existed in the 1930s. "Private businesses are not hiring at the rate we expect them to, so I will ask Congress for a large spending bill to have the government step in and provide jobs," President Muskie said in a press conference. Republicans and some Democrats, primarily from the southern states, were vociferously opposed to the plan. "President Muskie is an anti-business president," said former California governor Ronald Reagan. "He raised taxes and spent wildly on the environment, and restricted manufacturing by placing environmental controls on them. He is most of the reason why the economy is sluggish." Democratic senator James Eastland from Mississippi simply said, "too much pork that won't be spent properly," when asked to comment on the bill. President Muskie also faces a fight in Congress over one billion dollars in foreign aid to the South Vietnamese government, from more liberal minded members of his own party. Of the South Vietnam spending bill, Senator Abraham Ribicoff said, "We need to spend that money here, not for a South Vietnamese government that will fritter it away."


TAS EPISODE UPDATES IN OCTOBER 1975

EPISODE 21: THE KZINTI. A faction of the Kzinti species, who fought and lost wars against the Federation, applies to join the Federation. Kirk must negotiate between two factions of Kzinti; one of which supports entry into the UFOP, while the other faction opposes admission. Spock and McCoy debate and take sides against one another regarding the Kzinti (Spock for, McCoy against) and Kirk must draw up a plan to slowly admit the species. Air date: October 4, 1975.

EPISODE 22: AGING BACKWARDS. The Enterprise is thrown into an anomaly and sent to the edge of the galaxy, where they find a region of space where time goes backwards. Spock and McCoy must find a solution to the problem of the Enterprise crew de-aging before the ship can no longer function, as the crew will become children, and eventually babies. Spock discovers that the de-aging process is stopped by entering a time warp; the Enterprise is able to escape, but ends up three weeks away from their original destination. Air date: October 11, 1975.

EPISODE 23: TRIBBLE ME NOT. Those furry, lovable creatures are back again! The tribbles have evolved the ability to defeat the glommer, its predator, even in their regular form. Now, they threaten Sherman's Planet with starvation because they are eating all the grain. The Enterprise crew, primary Spock, McCoy and Chapel, must devise a different food source that the tribbles can eat that can slow down their reproductive rate, and not encroach upon the food supply for Sherman's Planet. Complicating things is Koloth, who is back and wants to stake a claim to Sherman's Planet for the Klingons. Air date, October 18, 1975.

EPISODE 24: TRELANE'S FOLLY. Trelane returns as the Squire of Gothos to taunt and cajole Kirk, challenging him to another duel. Trelane transforms the rest of the Enterprise crew into goldfish, each with their own bowl, leaving just himself and Kirk to duel it out on the Enterprise bridge. Kirk "wins" both the duel of logic and an actual sword fight (with fake swords) with Trelane, who promises to transform the crew back to their normal selves. Air date: October 25, 1975.


NOTE: IRL, Eddie Futch, Joe Frazier's trainer, threw in the towel at the end of Round 14 in Manila because he feared for Frazier's safety.

 

[kaijudirector]

Thank God Frazier didn't die here. I've read plenty opinions he would have if there was a 15th.

 

[dsp19]

Two news updates for today. Ronald Reagan announces, to nobody's surprise, that he is running for President in 1976, and Leonard Nimoy, while working on The Omen in Britain, sees that his likeness is being used in advertising without his permission (The Omen part didn't happen IRL, but the Heineken advert with Spock's droopy ears did). Plus, more episode updates for TAS.

REAGAN DECLARES CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT IN IOWA

November 1, 1975

The announcement that everyone in the Republican Party expected for months has finally occurred. Ronald Reagan, two-term governor of California, has thrown his hat into the ring and announced his candidacy for President of the United States in Des Moines. Flanked by his wife Nancy and hundreds of supporters, Reagan promised to make the United States great again. "This country has lost the spark and ingenuity that made it great under the tax and spend Muskie administration," Reagan said to his cheering throng. "I will ensure that America never falls behind the Soviet Union, and will never yield in the face of Communist aggression. Vietnam, which the Democrats fought to a stalemate, will be united under the Saigon government in a Reagan presidency. North Vietnam will no longer exist. We will remove Pol Pot in Cambodia." Reagan also assailed the Muskie economic record. "President Muskie has destroyed the manufacturing sector of the United States economy with his environmental policies. In Ohio, Pennsylvania, and even here in Iowa, I have seen factories shuttered because they have been unable to meet the stringent environmental standards mandated by Muskie and his Secretary of Labor, Millard Cass. I will unchain American manufacturing to ensure we remain on top of the world in producing goods and services."

In early presidential primary heats, Reagan is well ahead of his main rivals, John Tower, the senator from Texas, and Robert Dole, the senator from Kansas. Nelson Rockefeller, the governor of New York, who previously ran for President in 1960 and 1968, declined to run this time around, and Pennsylvania senator Richard Schweiker leads the moderate wing of the Republican Party. The latest Des Moines Register Iowa Caucuses poll had Reagan at 45%, with Dole in second place at 25%, with Schweiker at 15% and Tower pulling up the rear with 11%. In presidential heats next fall, Reagan is the only Republican ahead of President Muskie; he leads nationally by 49% to 46% in a Gallup poll, while Dole trails 51% to 44%. Tower trails the President 52% to 43%, while Schweiker is a whopping 14 points behind Muskie, 54% to 40%.

NIMOY UPSET WITH PARAMOUNT OVER HEINEKEN ADS IN LONDON

November 14, 1975

While filming The Omen, Leonard Nimoy fired a missive at Paramount CEO Barry Diller and vice president Michael Eisner: Compensate me for the Heineken Spock billboards or else, and once you do, remove them, or else. Nimoy saw the billboards after being alerted by Henry Fonda, after he and Fonda attended a Shakespeare play in London. Fonda reportedly told Nimoy, "I hope they are paying you for all those signs I'm seeing of you out in London, with your Spock ears drooping." Nimoy is furious with Paramount for not informing him that his likeness would be used in beer ads overseas. "Leonard is on the verge of suing Paramount over this," his agent told Variety. "He believes that the beer ads negatively impact his image and damage the hard-won relationship he has healed with his wife over the past several years." While Nimoy was working on Star Trek, he reportedly had issues with drinking, and cut out all alcohol to successfully save his marriage. "Leonard is reminded of the days when he used to drink alcohol to deal with stress after difficult days at work," his agent said. "He believes that the ads hurt his family, and we demand that Paramount and Heineken remove the advertisements and billboards immediately."


TAS EPISODES: NOVEMBER 1975

EPISODE 25: CADET JAHN. The Enterprise checks in on the children they saved in the first season episode MIRI. Some of them are teenagers, and one of them, Jahn, wants to enter Starfleet Academy. Scotty and Uhura take Jahn under their wing and teach him the ropes of the communications console and some of the engineering functions of the starship. However, Jahn accidentally mishandles the communications console, and leaves the Enterprise subspace communications open to jamming. A Klingon battlecruiser led by Kras takes advantage and tries to shock the Enterprise in battle, but the Enterprise eventually wards off the Klingon attacker. Despite Jahn's actions, Scotty and Uhura recommend him for Starfleet Academy. Air date: November 1, 1975.

EPISODE 26: CHEKOV'S ESCAPE. On an away mission, Chekov is captured by an alien race called the Vicars. They have similar powers to the Talosians and inform Chekov he is to be sentenced to death for trespassing on their territory. All efforts to beam Chekov from the surface or attempt to bust him out have failed. To escape, Chekov must outwit the Vicars, and does so by challenging them and defeating them at a game of chess. We find out in this episode that Chekov is descended from a line of Earth chess champions going back to 21st century Russia, and that he is the best chess player on the Enterprise. Air date: November 8, 1975.

EPISODE 27: THE GORN RENEGADE. On a mission to establish relations between the Federation and the Gorn Hegemony, Sarek is captured by a Gorn renegade who wants the Cestus system ceded to the Gorn. Kirk refuses his request, and the Gorn attack the Enterprise. Kirk must lead a boarding party with Sulu, Chekov and Arex to free Sarek. They capture the Gorn renegade but choose to spare his life, just like Kirk does in ARENA. Sarek negotiates a compromise: Cestus III will be a free planet where the Federation and Gorn will establish diplomatic relations. Air date: November 15, 1975.

EPISODE 28: THE TELLARITE TRAVAILS. The Tellarites want to secede from the Federation because they are not receiving a fair deal from Coridan, newly admitted to the Federation for its rich dilithium stores. Kirk must convince the Tellarites and Coridanites that the dilithium is for the use of the entire Federation, but neither species sees eye to eye. The problem is solved when a Tellarite ambassador, Garv, discovers that Coridan is dealing some of its dilithium to the Klingons and Romulans, thus short-changing the Tellarites and the Federation. Kirk demands the immediate cessation of mining on Coridan because the Coridanites have violated the terms of their agreement to join the Federation. Spock finds the spy who is laundering dilithium to the Federation's enemies, and the problem is solved. Air date: November 22, 1975.

EPISODE 29: PETER. Kirk's nephew, Peter, boards the Enterprise as another prospective Starfleet Academy applicant. Kirk wants to fast-track Peter into the Academy, but when Spock and McCoy inquire, they realize that Peter has not studied enough to pass the aptitude tests required for incoming cadets, and has already failed the entrance exam once. Spock, McCoy and Scotty lead a reluctant Peter in a crash course of knowledge required for him to pass the applicant test. At the end of the episode, Peter sits for the exam and passes with one of the highest scores ever recorded by an incoming cadet. Air date: November 29, 1975.


NOTE: Reagan entered the 1976 primary in September IRL. ITTL, he wants to line things up a little bit better, knowing that he is the frontrunner, and pauses a few weeks to ensure that he runs his campaign perfectly and avoids attacks that could hurt him several months before the Iowa caucuses.
NOTE: Nimoy actually entered into a legal dispute with Paramount over the Heineken ads that showed Spock drinking beer or under the influence of alcohol in London, because they affected his image negatively and he was not compensated for them. The story I wrote is slightly different than IRL because Nimoy is in London to shoot The Omen, which didn't happen IRL.

 

[dsp19]

Thank God Frazier didn't die here. I've read plenty opinions he would have if there was a 15th.

I wanted both Ali and Frazier to go out as champions, but the problem with the Thrilla in Manila is that there is no real way Frazier can win that fight IRL without a KO, as he had deteriorated significantly in the ring since 1971.

 

[dsp19]

I'm going to set up a few things for 1976:

1. Muskie vs. Reagan
2. More turmoil in South Vietnam, especially within its government
3, Some turmoil in the Soviet Union, with Brezhnev's health deteriorating faster than OTL
4. Stardom for Nichelle Nichols
5. Paramount finally finding a script they like for TMP, but Roddenberry dislikes, a lot. The creative differences between Paramount's executives and Roddenberry will become intractable because Paramount desperately wants that brawl with the Klingons. Two movies will be run back to back. One on TV (Planet of the Titans, to be released after TMP) and TTL's Motion Picture.

And perhaps some other surprises...

 

[Crunch Buttsteak]

Are we gonna get the Spock kills JFK movie?

 

[dsp19]

Are we gonna get the Spock kills JFK movie?

No. We'll get a disputed planet between the Klingons and Federation that leads to conflict for TMP. ITTL I'm going to set up a "Berlin crisis of 1977" that Star Trek does a take on. That's my plan anyway

 

[unclepatrick]

EPISODE 25: CADET JAHN. The Enterprise checks in on the children they saved in the first season episode MIRI. Some of them are teenagers, and one of them, Jahn, wants to enter Starfleet Academy. Scotty and Uhura take Jahn under their wing and teach him the ropes of the communications console and some of the engineering functions of the starship. However, Jahn accidentally mishandles the communications console, and leaves the Enterprise subspace communications open to jamming. A Klingon battlecruiser led by Kras takes advantage and tries to shock the Enterprise in battle, but the Enterprise eventually wards off the Klingon attacker. Despite Jahn's actions, Scotty and Uhura recommend him for Starfleet Academy. Air date: November 1, 1975.

EPISODE 26: PETER. Kirk's nephew, Peter, boards the Enterprise as another prospective Starfleet Academy applicant. Kirk wants to fast-track Peter into the Academy, but when Spock and McCoy inquire, they realize that Peter has not studied enough to pass the aptitude tests required for incoming cadets, and has already failed the entrance exam once. Spock, McCoy and Scotty lead a reluctant Peter in a crash course of knowledge required for him to pass the applicant test. At the end of the episode, Peter sits for the exam and passes with one of the highest scores ever recorded by an incoming cadet. Air date: November 8, 1975.

TV shows try not to do two episodes of similar theme back to back.
One of these would have been delay to the next season.

 

[dsp19]

TV shows try not to do two episodes of similar theme back to back.
One of these would have been delay to the next season.

Possibly true so I could switch the running order of them, but TOS recycled the theme of the Enterprise crew taking on some omnipotent being a lot in seasons 1 and 2. TNG recycled the theme of utopian humanity solving alien squabbles week after week (alien of the week meme). Easier to get away with this with a cartoon

 

[Ogrebear]

I would suggest swapping TAS Episode 26 and 28 around, that way there is a gap between Academy stories.

It would be great is Ronald Reagan loses the election, or fails to complete it. Muskie may be having a hard time with the economy, but I'd like to see a Timeline without Reagan and his pull/drag to the right in America and on the Republican party. Perhaps Muskie gets a big foreign policy win to counter him being 'soft' on the Reds?

Maybe Castro dies on his 1973 world tour and there is revoultion in Cuba? That might be a big enough distraction...

So Star Trek has had:
5 TV seasons,
1 TV movie In Thy Image (TMP's plot)
1 animated TV series - is it going to stop at 30 shows for season 1 as 29 is already a lot?

Planned:
1 TV movie (Planet of the Titans plot) - would this be better as an animated Feature film?
1 Movie feature (something involving Klingons)
TWOK

Can I suggest an episode of TAS mentions Khan and Kirk wanting to check on him, but plot X happens and Kirk never goes?

 

[dsp19]

I would suggest swapping TAS Episode 26 and 28 around, that way there is a gap between Academy stories.

It would be great is Ronald Reagan loses the election, or fails to complete it. Muskie may be having a hard time with the economy, but I'd like to see a Timeline without Reagan and his pull/drag to the right in America and on the Republican party. Perhaps Muskie gets a big foreign policy win to counter him being 'soft' on the Reds?

Maybe Castro dies on his 1973 world tour and there is revoultion in Cuba? That might be a big enough distraction...

So Star Trek has had:
5 TV seasons,
1 TV movie In Thy Image (TMP's plot)
1 animated TV series - is it going to stop at 30 shows for season 1 as 29 is already a lot?

Planned:
1 TV movie (Planet of the Titans plot) - would this be better as an animated Feature film?
1 Movie feature (something involving Klingons)
TWOK

Can I suggest an episode of TAS mentions Khan and Kirk wanting to check on him, but plot X happens and Kirk never goes?

OK, I'll do that, swap the Academy teenager stories to space them out a few weeks, and make another post after this one announcing the edit.

I boxed myself into a corner with Reagan so it's almost impossible to avoid his presidency. However, a 1976 Reagan win and the huge problems that occur IRL between 1976 and 1980 would make Reagan, or any president, very vulnerable to defeat in 1980.

IRL, TAS planned 16 episodes a season, so we did one full season already and today I'll finish the second season with three episode plots.

The original plan for Planet of the Titans was for it to be a feature film, so I will probably make it live action.

Your idea for Kirk wanting to check out how Khan is doing is an excellent one and I can include that in the next update.

 

[dsp19]

I have now edited the last update to space out the Academy stories by four weeks, after hearing issues about them airing in back to back weeks ITTL. That should solve the problem.

 

[Crunch Buttsteak]

No. We'll get a disputed planet between the Klingons and Federation that leads to conflict for TMP. ITTL I'm going to set up a "Berlin crisis of 1977" that Star Trek does a take on. That's my plan anyway

Well, maybe for Star Trek II we can get Gene’s vision of Spock on the Grassy Knoll. /s

 

[dsp19]

Well, maybe for Star Trek II we can get Gene’s vision of Spock on the Grassy Knoll. /s

I don't want to kill the franchise! We still get Wrath of Khan, although it will come out on a different date in either 1981 or 1982

 

[dsp19]

In this update, William Shatner is invited to London to guest star on Doctor Who, Don Revie leaves the England football manager job for the United Arab Emirates two years before he does IRL, and Nichelle Nichols is asked by Aretha Franklin to collaborate on her album, Sparkle, for the movie of the same name that comes out in 1976. Plus, the final three episodes of season 2 of the Animated Series. No politics in this update, aside from what the English FA wants to do about footballers or teams wanting to collaborate with the UAE. In the next update we'll see what happens in the 1976 Republican primary, and what happens in Congress with President Muskie's attempts to kickstart the economy.

DOCTOR WHO PRODUCER HINCHCLIFFE INVITES WILLIAM SHATNER TO PLAY CAPTAIN KIRK

December 11, 1975

Philip Hinchcliffe, the young mind behind Doctor Who's latest successes for the BBC, has a novel idea: cross over Star Trek with the Doctor by bringing Captain Kirk into the Doctor Who universe. Hinchcliffe has extended an invitation to William Shatner to appear in three or four episodes as a guest star. The plan is for Shatner to reprise his role as Captain Kirk, if he accepts. It is unknown whether Shatner, now playing Steve Austin as the Six Million Dollar Man on American television, will approve. "I want to expand Doctor Who into the United States television market," Hinchcliffe said. "I think Tom Baker as the Doctor is extremely charismatic and American audiences will fall in love with him, just like British audiences have. I believe that William Shatner and Tom Baker, together battling the Daleks or Cybermen, will appeal to British and American audiences alike as the premiere episode for the 1976-1977 series." No other actors from the Star Trek series, now being broadcast as a cartoon in the United States, are planning to appear, despite the fact that Leonard Nimoy was recently in England for filming of The Omen, set for a June 1976 release date. Hinchcliffe noted that Star Trek is a smash hit in Great Britain, so Doctor Who could do similar business in the United States. "We exported the Beatles, why not export Doctor Who?," Hinchcliffe said. "There will never be a better time to strike gold with the series and make it an even greater international phenomenon, like Star Trek is."

REVIE QUITS ENGLAND FOR UAE: FA MULLING BAN AGAINST UAE IN RETALIATION
FA CONSIDERING CLOUGHIE, TAYLOR AS REPLACEMENTS

December 15, 1975

Don Revie has quit the job as manager of England, only 15 months after accepting the role in July 1974, leaving England in a lurch after they failed to qualify for the 1976 European Championships quarterfinals. It is believed that sheikhs running the United Arab Emirates offered double the salary Revie was earning as English manager, approximately half a million pounds. Revie bolted after running into problems with some of the players over his motivation tactics and FA chairman Harold Thompson, who Revie said was trying to manage the team himself. "This is the ultimate betrayal by Mr. Revie," Thompson said. "The FA is in an emergency meeting and we are considering all options, including permanent bans against any English player and severe punishments, including expulsion from the Football League, for any member club that associates itself with the United Arab Emirates FA. They bought our manager and we cannot risk them buying any of our players or clubs." The FA has reached out to Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, newly hired at The City Ground, and his former assistant, Peter Taylor, currently at Brighton and Hove Albion. Clough has not been immune to controversy himself, quitting Revie's old Leeds United job after only 44 days in 1974. Although several sources at the FA believe Clough is the best replacement, they consider Taylor to be the less controversial choice to manage the national side.

NICHELLE NICHOLS ASKED TO COLLABORATE WITH ARETHA FRANKLIN ON MOVIE ALBUM

December 1975

Nichelle Nichols, formerly Uhura on Star Trek and now the shining star of the Broadway musical Chicago as Velma Kelly, has been noticed by soul superstar Aretha Franklin. Ms. Franklin has extended an invitation to Nichols to record a song for the album associated with the movie Sparkle, coming to theaters in April 1976. Nichols was delighted and was glad to accept the offer. "It has always been a dream of mine to sing with the greatest, and Aretha Franklin is arguably the greatest soul singer alive," Nichols said. "I'll perform as many songs as she wants!" Nichols is currently receiving Tony buzz for her role in Chicago and is one of the favorites for Best Actress in a Musical when the nominations for the Tonys are released next year. Some of Nichols' songs have been compiled for the musical's official album, which will likely be nominated for a Grammy when those awards are contested early next year. "I credit my work in musical theater for this opportunity," Nichols said. "Had I continued in television, I might not be able to accomplish what I have on Broadway, which is my first love."


TAS EPISODES: DECEMBER 1975

EPISODE 30: THE REAL MCCOY. Dr. McCoy is split into two versions of himself in a transporter accident. This episode is similar to THE ENEMY WITHIN. McCoy's good side is the normal doctor we know and love, but his bad side attempts to hijack and take over the Enterprise and return it to the planet where the Guardian of Forever is located. McCoy is eventually returned back to normal with a solution devised by Scotty to fuse him back together in the transporter beam, after Spock nerve-pinches the evil McCoy. Air date: December 6, 1975.

EPISODE 31: KAMARAG, PART I: The Enterprise, on a mission to Ceti Alpha V to check on Khan Noonien Singh, is diverted by Starfleet Command to transport Kamarag, the Klingon ambassador, to the Intergalactic Council of Peace, based on Altair VI, in Federation territory. Kamarag despises Kirk because of his reputation as a Federation captain who defeats Klingons on a regular basis; he attempts to sabotage the mission with his guards and take the Enterprise into Klingon space as a prize for the Empire. Kirk must persuade Kamarag that they are on a mission of peace, and after a struggle, restores control of his ship from the Klingons. Kamarag and his guards are placed in the brig for their actions. Air date: December 13, 1975.

EPISODE 32: KAMARAG, PART II: Kamarag reaches Altair VI and meets Sarek, Sheev and Garv, the Vulcan, Andorian and Tellarite ambassadors from the Federation who sit on the Intergalactic Council of Peace. Although argumentative, Karamag finds a sympathetic voice in Sheev, who sometimes chafes at how the Andorians are treated in the Federation. The Intergalactic Council of Peace debates the status of Sherman's Planet, and they come to the conclusion that it shall be a free planet for both the Klingons and Federation for three years, before both empires place a claim on the planet. In three years' time, the Council will open up the debate again regarding Sherman's Planet's status, averting war. Air date: December 20, 1975.


NOTE: IRL, Doctor Who was originally sold to American television in 1972 but American fans did not take to Jon Pertwee's Doctor. ITTL, Hinchcliffe thinks that Americans will love Tom Baker's Doctor and tries to return the show to the US sooner than IRL, when it returned to PBS in 1978.
NOTE: Revie quit the England job IRL on July 12, 1977 for the UAE. He received a salary of 340,000 pounds from the sheikhs in the UAE. ITTL, the English FA will ban Revie for life and bar any English player or club from associating with the UAE, and later, Qatar. IRL, Revie received a 10 year ban from the English FA. Stay tuned to this space. One of Clough or Taylor will become England manager ITTL, I haven't decided who. Whoever doesn't manage England out of the two will manage Forest...

 

[dsp19]

I had to edit the football/soccer article. At this point in the TL, England has just failed to qualify for the 1976 European Championships, and Revie doesn't want to take the blame for it, so he decides to go...

 

[HesitatedEye]

I had to edit the football/soccer article. At this point in the TL, England has just failed to qualify for the 1976 European Championships, and Revie doesn't want to take the blame for it, so he decides to go...

I wish current football managers thought that way.