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...