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

[dsp19]

Thing with a six season TNG (1987-1992) is it will leave the DS9 carrying Trek when it was weak. TNG Season 7 was not that bad- it won an Emmy afterall so someone liked it. If Season 1 and 2 go better then the lot of the early writers are not sacred off by the Lawyer/Roddenberry which will have a knock on effect on quality for later seasons. Its even possible that later TNG has completely different creative teams than OTL and thus the stories go better.

DS9 did not have the Dominion as locked in enermies and what all that meant until season 3 at least, so there is some faff in Season 1/2. If someone like JM Straczynski is invovled from the start then perhaps a stronger narrative arc can be sold to the studio earlier so the Dominion stuff kicks in in S2 once the show is established. Perhaps the three part Jem'Hadar/Search I/II is mid-season. I would suggest a 7 Season DS9 where the climax to the Dominion War is the across the season 6/7 break leaving some time to explore the post- War Galaxy and spread the break up of the crew over some episodes as it left rushed in What You Leave Behind. Also allows seeding of some stuff for later shows.

As for Voyager, I think the concept was OK but it was crippled from being run by a burnt out team and needed a lot of new blood. Delaying it to 1999 will help since the TV world will be different by then regarding plot arcs and such. Though I still prefer the post Dominion War idea than the Delta Q.

TNG would go until 1993, then they would do two or three TV movies a year for NBC in years where they are not making feature films. ITTL, they're going to want to do the handoff to DS9 and give it a year or two to succeed on its own, but it gets middling ratings and has to go to syndication. Then ITTL Paramount will create the Excelsior series as a nod to the old fans who kept the series alive when there was no Trek for most of the 70s aside from a cartoon.

JMS can't be involved in DS9 unless you want to eliminate B5's existence, which I don't want to do. They could pace seasons 6 and 7 a little differently though in DS9

I could put Voyager in the Gamma Quadrant too if you want ITTL. It would retcon the entire series. Perhaps Voyager gets caught on the wrong side of the wormhole and can't get back home? I would want Voyager perhaps as the sequel series to DS9 instead of running concurrently with it as it did IRL. A Voyager start in 1999 still allows you to keep the same actors since Voyager was on the air until 2001 IRL.

 

[Ogrebear]

Well maybe not JMS himself (I like B5 and I think it has an important place in TV history), but perhaps someone who is willing to 'sell' a multi-series plot arc to the Exec's.

Voyager exploring the post Dominion War Gamma Q could be interesting esp if the cure for the Founders Virus is not handed over and the Dominion collapses? I'd want to think about that a bit.

 

[dsp19]

Tomorrow...the election of 1976. Brought to you ITTL by Walter Cronkite, Roger Mudd and Dan Rather of CBS News. I had John Chancellor and David Brinkley recap the 1972 election ITTL, so it's CBS's turn to handicap Muskie-Reagan

 

[dsp19]

CBS presents the 1976 Presidential Election ITTL with President Edmund Muskie squaring off against Ronald Reagan. Note, the dialogue is written like the anchors (Cronkite, Mudd and Rather) would talk IRL.

November 2, 1976

7:00 PM

Announcer: This is a CBS News Special Report: Campaign 76. Election Night, from CBS News Election Headquarters in New York. This portion is sponsored by the people of Ford Motor Company. On behalf of Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers. Ford wants to be your car company. Now, here is Walter Cronkite.

Cronkite: And good evening from our CBS News Election Headquarters. We don't know whether this is going to be a long night or not. The story is that it was a relatively close race. Certainly, a lot of people turned out today. It turns out that perhaps there was a record turnout across the nation, all across the country. From Maine, out to the Pacific Coast, every state, it seems has reported more people out than they had anticipated. The vote is already coming in. Eight states have closed their polling places now, and on the basis of our sample precincts in two of those states, we can estimate winners. In the state of Kentucky, CBS News estimates that Reagan will win in that state, defeating President Muskie for Kentucky's 9 electoral votes. By the final percentage, we believe there that in Kentucky, 54% for Reagan, 46% for Muskie. Also, in the state of Indiana, our CBS News estimate is that Reagan will win in the state of Indiana, defeating Muskie there. The electoral vote in Indiana, 13 electoral votes there. Reagan we estimate will get 56% of the votes, Muskie 44% of the votes, when all the votes are finally tabulated in the state of Indiana. Both of those states were expected to go as they did go. If they had not gone that way, it would have been an early indication that Governor Reagan would have faced difficulty. We do not have that indication so far from those two states.

The turnout was very good across the nation. Sunny skies and warm temperatures in most of the country. A little bit of snow, we are told, in Upper New England, a little bit of rain around the Great Lakes, a shower or two in Florida and out in Washington State, but otherwise, nothing substantial. The popular vote: we've had two percent of the precincts counted so far, and it appears that right now, Governor Reagan has taken an early lead in that popular vote. He's got about 55% of the vote, to Muskie's 45%. As you see, the total vote has gone over the million mark, Reagan 580,000 or so, to Muskie's 495,000. Now let's take a look at what is happening in some of the areas around the country on this big election day, our bicentennial election day, our 48th presidential election. Roger Mudd will give us a report from the South. Roger.

Mudd: Walter, both sides agreed that if Ronald Reagan could carry Kentucky by 54 or 55% of the vote, it would mean that a Solid South would be lining up behind him, as it largely did for Nixon four years ago. That appears to be the case. If we take a look at the Kentucky vote board, we see that Reagan is hitting the 54% target he needs to carry most, if not all, of the South. Reagan is estimated to win Kentucky by eight to ten percent. Reagan was expected to run very well in the South, and he largely has. President Muskie attempted to campaign in North Carolina and Virginia, but once again, appears to be facing serious defeat in the South. Whether that registers for the rest of the country, where a closer race is expected, is uncertain at this time. Reagan has performed very well in the small towns and rural areas. Muskie has performed better in the cities. The suburban areas appear to be relatively even. A 54% win in Kentucky means we are going to have to take a careful look at the other Southern states to determine whether they will all fall in line behind the Republican challenger. We'll be watching out next for Virginia. President Muskie placed a substantial effort into Virginia in an attempt to win it. If he falls short in Virginia, it appears that Reagan will win perhaps the entire South. We'll also be watching out for North Carolina, Vice President Sanford's home state. If Reagan wins North Carolina, he will reverse the result that occurred in 1972, and make Muskie's path to reelection much narrower. President Reagan largely wrapped up the Deep South states the moment he won the nomination, and little campaigning occurred in the Deep South except for Florida, which was hotly contested. Based on the Kentucky returns, President Muskie is not off to a flying start, to say the least.

Cronkite: Lets find out about the returns and what they mean from Dan Rather in the Midwest. Dan.

Rather: Well, this is the most important thing about the Midwest at this hour. The Republicans have taken Indiana overwhelmingly. Governor Reagan, with 24% of the vote in, with a 56% margin. On the basis of our CBS News estimate, when all of the vote is in and tabulated, our estimate is Reagan's winning margin in Indiana to be 56%. Here's one of the reason's why: Reagan's conservative message played well in the small towns and rural areas of Indiana, especially south of Indianapolis. This could bode well for Governor Reagan in rural areas of Ohio, Illinois, and Pennslyvania, all closely contested states. Back to you, Walter.

8:00 PM

Cronkite: At the 8 PM hour on the East Coast, we have several updates to the electoral map. Governor Reagan has indeed won Virginia, 12 electoral votes, with 54% of the vote according to our CBS estimates. He has won the traditionally Republican state of Vermont, 3 electoral votes, where there was some concern that his conservatism would not mix with traditional Yankee Republicanism, which is more moderate. Reagan is earning 55% of the vote there according to our tabulations. Additionally, Reagan has added to his Southern victories with South Carolina, 8 electoral votes, where he will take 58% of the vote. President Muskie has won Massachusetts, 14 electoral votes, with 61% of the vote, and was expected to. Muskie has also won his home state of Maine, 4 electoral votes, with 62% of the vote, and the District of Columbia, with 3 electoral votes. When all those electoral votes are added up, it is Reagan with 45 electoral votes, and Muskie with 21 electoral votes. Roger Mudd.

Mudd: The fact that Virginia was called so early for Reagan indicates that a clean sweep is possible in the South. North Carolina's returns look good for Reagan, as does Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi. President Muskie looks to be shut out of the South.

Cronkite: Eric Sevareid.

Sevareid: We saw this pattern begin in 1964, when President Johnson easily defeated Barry Goldwater. Despite the fact that Johnson won in a landslide, Goldwater won the Deep South states due to Johnson's civil rights stance. This attitude has permeated a lot of the rural areas, both in the South and the Midwest, and perhaps even the West. The Democratic Solid South, formerly a staple of electoral victories for that party, is becoming the Republican Solid South on the federal level due to cultural issues.

8:30 PM

Cronkite: It is 8:30 PM in New York, and it appears the Southern avalanche to Reagan has begun. He will win the following states: Florida, 17 electoral votes, with 56% of the vote; Georgia, 12 electoral votes, with 57% of the vote; Alabama, 9 electoral votes, with 64% of the vote; Mississippi, 7 electoral votes, with 65% of the vote; and Tennessee, 10 electoral votes, with 56% of the vote. President Muskie has won West Virginia, 6 electoral votes, with 56% of the vote; Connecticut, 8 electoral votes, with 54% of the vote, Rhode Island, 4 electoral votes, with 55% of the vote, and Maryland, 10 electoral votes, with 54% of the vote. Reagan stands at 100 electoral votes, and Muskie stands at 49 electoral votes. 270 of course, are required to win. Roger Mudd, this is looking increasingly bleak for the President.

Mudd: Assuming North Carolina, where Reagan leads, also goes in his direction, Muskie will have to somehow win reelection without a single Southern state. This means he will have to win all those Midwestern states he won the last time around in 1972. The precinct level data indicates that Muskie is performing more poorly in rural areas than he did four years ago, which does not bode well for him as the big Midwest states count their ballots.

Cronkite: Dan Rather, what trends are you picking up out of the Midwest states?

Rather: The rural revolution to Reagan, it appears, has begun. They were turned off by President Muskie's more liberal economic and social stances. Many of these areas used to vote Democratic due to economic issues. Despite the fact that President Muskie passed a landmark healthcare bill, he is not receiving credit for it at the polls so far. The economy, which has remained stagnant for most of President Muskie's tenure in office, was the top issue for voters in the Midwest. We are especially looking at Pennsylvania and Illinois. If Muskie cannot carry both states, his path for reelection is virtually nonexistent.

Cronkite: We bring on Mike Wallace for a look at the Eastern states, Mike.

Wallace: The Eastern part of the country still looks strong for the President, but he has lost ground in some suburban and rural areas. In a precinct located near Philadelphia, Muskie is running 3% behind where he ran in 1972. He will still win most of the Northeast states, aside from Vermont and perhaps New Hampshire, but his margins might be less than they were four years ago. New Jersey looks very iffy for Muskie, although he expects to carry it.

9:00 PM

Cronkite: At 9 PM on the East Coast, it appears increasingly likely that we will have a new President, unless trends dramatically change. Governor Reagan has won the following major states: Ohio, with 25 electoral votes, and 53% of the vote; North Carolina, with 12 electoral votes and 53% of the vote; Louisiana, with 10 electoral votes and 57% of the vote; New Hampshire, with 4 electoral votes, and 52% of the vote; and Arkansas, with 6 electoral votes, and 55% of the vote. President Muskie has not added any states to his column. At this hour, Governor Reagan leads with 158 electoral votes, and President Muskie still has 49. This is a much more lopsided election than the polls predicted. Roger Mudd.

Mudd: Reagan's dominance in the South will likely make him the 39th president when this night is all said and done. Assuming he wins Texas, where his vice presidential running mate, John Tower, is from, and California, where he is from, that removes virtually any path for the President.

10:00 PM

Cronkite: It is 10 PM on the East Coast, and Ronald Reagan has almost reached the 270 electoral votes necessary for victory. Reagan has won the big state of Texas, with 26 electoral votes, with 57% of the vote. Texas, to Reagan. Oklahoma, 8 electoral votes, with 61% of the vote; Kansas, 7 electoral votes, with 60% of the vote; Nebraska, 5 electoral votes, with 59% of the vote, North Dakota, 3 electoral votes, with 58% of the vote, and South Dakota, 4 electoral votes, with 58% of the vote. President Muskie will carry New York, 41 electoral votes, with 54% of the vote; Delaware, 3 electoral votes, with 52% of the vote, and Minnesota, 10 electoral votes, with 54% of the vote. Unless President Muskie sweeps the board and somehow wins Governor Reagan's home state of California as he did four years ago, Reagan will be the next President. Reagan is at 211 electoral votes, only 59 away from the presidency, while Muskie trails with 103 electoral votes. Dan Rather.

Rather: It looks increasingly unlikely that President Muskie will carry the Midwest the same way he did four years ago. He is running behind his 1972 numbers in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Wisconsin. It looks likely that he will lose Illinois. Pennsylvania looks like the closest state in the country this year; only one tenth of a percent separates Muskie and Reagan according to our CBS News projections. Missouri, which President Muskie won in a surprise four years ago, also looks likely to switch over to the Republican side.

Cronkite: Eric Sevareid.

Sevareid: We are entering a new, more conservative era in American politics. The New Deal consensus, which has carried the day ever since the 1932 election, looks to be coming to an end. Aside from President Eisenhower's two terms in the 1950s and President Nixon's one term, Democrats have controlled the White House. The projections still have Democrats controlling the House and Senate, but it looks like a much more conservative Congress as well, with Southern Democrats potentially aligning with Reagan on several key economic and social issues.

11:00 PM

Cronkite: At 11 PM in New York, CBS News Election Headquarters has several projections to make. Iowa, with 8 electoral votes, is in the Reagan column, with 54% of the vote. Reagan has also won a series of Western states: New Mexico, with 4 electoral votes and 53% of the vote; Colorado, with 7 electoral votes and 53% of the vote; Wyoming, with 3 electoral votes and 65% of the vote; Montana, with 4 electoral votes and 55% of the vote; Idaho, with 4 electoral votes and 63% of the vote; Utah, with 4 electoral votes and 63% of the vote; and Arizona, with 6 electoral votes and 55% of the vote. President Muskie left it late, but has carried some states in the Midwest: Wisconsin, 11 electoral votes, with 51% of the vote; Michigan, 21 electoral votes, with 52% of the vote; Pennsylvania, 27 electoral votes, with 51% of the vote, and New Jersey, 17 electoral votes, with 51% of the vote. Reagan is 7 electoral votes from the presidency with 263 electoral votes, while Muskie must sweep the board. He is trailing with 179. Dan Rather, what is Illinois looking like?

Rather: Illinois is very close, but it appears that most of the outstanding votes are from downstate. Muskie has a narrow lead, but there is a high chance that it will be overtaken in the next half-hour.

11:40 PM:

Cronkite: At 11:40 PM on the East Coast, we have the most important projection of the night. Illinois, and the Presidency, has gone to Governor Ronald Reagan of California with 51% of the vote. Ronald Reagan has 289 electoral votes, and Illinois puts him over the top. Ronald Wilson Reagan is the President-elect of the United States, and will become the 39th President of the United States in January. Eric Sevareid.

Sevareid: This could portend a new era in American politics, that of individualism over the common good. Reagan is a rugged individualist, and campaigned on this idea as the cornerstone of the American dream. His message resonated with enough voters to elect him.

When the final tally was counted, Reagan won California with 45 electoral votes, Nevada with 3 electoral votes, and Alaska with 3 electoral votes. President Muskie won Washington State, with 9 electoral votes, Oregon, with 6 electoral votes, and Hawaii, with 4 electoral votes. The final map, with Republicans in blue and Democrats in red, according to Election Atlas:

REAGAN/TOWER: 340 EV, 51.1% PV
MUSKIE/SANFORD: 198 EV, 47.3% PV

 

[dsp19]

Republicans also won 7 seats in the Senate and 20 seats in the House of Representatives, although Democrats maintained control of each chamber. In the Senate, the following seats changed hands:

California: S.I. Hayakawa (R) defeated John Tunney (D-inc)
Indiana: Otis Bowen (R) defeated Vance Hartke (D-inc)
Missouri: John Danforth (R) defeated Warren Hearnes (D) after Stuart Symington (D-inc) retired
New Mexico: Harrison Schmitt (R) defeated Joseph Montoya (D-inc)
Ohio: Robert Taft, Jr. (R) defeated Howard Metzenbaum (D-inc)
Rhode Island: John Chafee (R) defeated Richard P. Lorber (D) after John Pastore (D-inc) retired
Utah: Orrin Hatch (R) def. Frank Moss (D-inc)
Wyoming: Malcolm Wallop (R) def. Gale W. McGee (D-inc)

Maryland: Joseph Tydings (D-inc) retired, and John Sarbanes (D) was elected to replace him, a Democratic hold
Michigan: Philip Hart (D-inc) retired then died, and Donald Riegle (D) was elected to replace him, a Democratic hold
Montana: Mike Mansfield (D-inc, Majority Leader) retired, and John Melcher (D) was elected to replace him, a Democratic hold
Nebraska: Roman Hruska (R-inc) retired, and John Y. McCollister (R) was elected to replace him, a Republican hold
Pennsylvania: Hugh Scott (R-inc, Minority Leader) retired, and John Heinz (R) was elected to replace him, a Republican hold

Texas: John Tower (R-inc) gives up his seat to become Vice President. Jim Wright (D) is appointed in his place, a Democratic gain.

Democrats have 53 seats in the Senate, Republicans have 46 seats, and there is one independent, Harry Byrd from Virginia. Robert Byrd of West Virginia became Democratic Majority Leader, and Howard Baker of Tennessee became Republican Minority Leader.

In the House of Representatives, Democrats lost 20 seats, but kept their majority with 233 seats to 202 for the Republicans. Morris Udall remains Speaker of the House, while Tip O'Neill becomes Democratic Majority Leader. Gerald Ford, Republican Minority Leader, retired, and John Rhodes took his place as Republican Minority Leader.

 

[Wiw]

NO NO NO F*CKING NO SON OF A BITCH OLD F*CK NO

 

[Brandon Sniadajewski]

NO NO NO F*CKING NO SON OF A BITCH OLD F*CK NO

Reagan still has to deal with Democrat majorities in both houses though, so he won't have an easy time getting much passed.

 

[dsp19]

NO NO NO F*CKING NO SON OF A BITCH OLD F*CK NO

A 1977-1981 Reagan first term is going to be brutal for him. He's got all of Carter's problems IRL, plus he doesn't have a Republican senate like he did IRL. He has two years before the Democrats cement their hold on Congress in the next midterm elections. He's also going to have Andropov to deal with. Not the 1983 Andropov who was on his deathbed, but the 1977 version who was the world's worst nightmare. Get ready for some serious drama on this timeline. There's a chance Reagan gets beat in a landslide in 1980 with all the problems he's going to be staring at ITTL. That 1977-1981 term was a poisoned chalice for anybody in the White House. In retrospect, Reagan was lucky to lose in 76 to Ford IRL...

 

[dsp19]

Reagan still has to deal with Democrat majorities in both houses though, so he won't have an easy time getting much passed.

Yup, Morris Udall is Speaker of the House ITTL and will pretty much kill anything too conservative that the Senate cooks up. Reagan won't have that brotherly connection with Mo Udall that he had with Tip O'Neill IRL. Mo Udall is going to stand up for old-school liberalism. The Senate will still have the Southern Boll Weevils that will be friendly on some matters with Reagan. It's the House where Reagan is going to run into some serious problems

 

[dsp19]

Further analysis of the Senate shows that there are about an equal number of Southern Boll Weevil Democrats and moderate/liberal Republicans. Plus, I forgot to mention that John Tower will have to give up his senate seat to become VP and Democrat Dolph Briscoe was governor of Texas. Briscoe was a moderate, and will appoint Jim Wright to that Senate seat. So the Democrats actually have 53 seats to 46 for the Republicans when Congress convenes. Reagan's political situation in terms of working with the Senate will also be much more difficult ITTL. Let me go back and edit the 1976 Congressional Elections post to reflect this.

 

[dsp19]

In this update, fallout from the 1976 Presidential Election, Elvis defeats his drug addiction in a People Magazine exclusive, and more Star Trek TAS episodes.

HOW DID THE DEMOCRATS LOSE? SENATORS KENNEDY, GLENN OFFER DIFFERENT VIEWS

November 8, 1976

The Democratic Party is still reeling from their election loss last week to Ronald Reagan and his conservative Republican coalition. Leading Democrats are performing an autopsy of sorts to determine why President Muskie, the expander of Medicare and rebuilder of schools across America, was defeated. Senator Edward Kennedy from Massachusetts accused the American people of becoming pessimistic and no longer believing in the power of the government to improve their lives. "People did not immediately see a benefit from the Medicare expansion, which Reagan will take advantage of when he's President," Kennedy said. "The Medicare phase-in was planned for four years, when it should have been planned for one or two. Some families who will be eligible for Medicare will only make it into the program next year or in 1978. Help did not come fast enough." Kennedy also blamed Reagan's demonization of Muskie over Communism as a reason for Muskie's demise. "President-elect Reagan lied about President Muskie being soft on Communism," Kennedy said. "The Czechoslovakia crisis and President Muskie's willingness to allow South Vietnam to control its own affairs, which we Democrats largely believe should have happened several years ago, serious hurt the President. Americans are too hard-wired into this Cold War mentality, and Reagan took advantage." Kennedy believes that Americans should continue on the course set by Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Johnson. "Muskie had us on the right track with the Medicare expansion. In a Kennedy White House, Medicare will become universal and all Americans will be eligible for the program."

Senator John Glenn of Ohio took a different view. "We used to win consistently in the South until we were unfairly tarred as the party of civil rights in 1964," Glenn said. "We need to figure out a way to sell to our former voters, who still sometimes vote for Democrats on the state and local levels, that the civil rights legislation benefits all Americans, not just African-Americans. The Republicans, starting with President Nixon, created a schism in our party over civil rights, and we have to heal it somehow. Until we fix that, we start out at a huge disadvantage in presidential elections." Glenn disagreed with Kennedy that Americans have become a pessimistic people. "Americans are always optimists," Glenn said. "I must object to my fellow Senator from Massachusetts. We would not have built the greatest country in the world and landed men on the moon if we were not optimists at heart. I see optimism, even in trying economic circumstances, from my constituents in Ohio every time I return home from Washington." Glenn proposed a "Real Deal" for Americans that would alter some of the New Deal programs instituted by FDR in the 1930s. "I want to give Americans more flexibility with their government programs," Glenn said. "Americans should be allowed to choose how much money they place into Social Security and Medicare, instead of the government taking a fixed amount out of their paychecks. All Americans should contribute to Social Security and Medicare, but ensuring that the richest Americans contribute the most will allow the middle class to decide what their paychecks look like."

ELVIS: PRISCILLA, STAR TREK CURED MY DRUG ADDICTION

November 16, 1976

Elvis Presley, the King, has two important revelations for his fans: He had a drug addiction, and Star Trek, plus pleadings from his wife, Priscilla, contributed to his salvation from drugs. "I was in a really bad way with drugs," Elvis said. "I was taking opiates, Quaaludes, Demerol, you name it. I had a nine-year drug addiction, and it was ruining my life. I got fat, completely out of shape, and almost died once when trying to go to the bathroom." The King of Rock and Roll credited Priscilla primarily. "Priscilla knew I was dying, and I had to get into a program to clean myself up," Elvis said. "It was hard. I was sweating a lot, shivering a lot, and I felt like I would die in rehab because I was withdrawing from the medications." Elvis's counselor in rehab suggested to his group that they find a specific activity to partake in that would focus their minds, a method to psychologically move on from chemical influences. "So my counselor suggested Star Trek, because it was intellectually stimulating," Elvis said. "I wasn't a Star Trek fan, that was for bookworms and college-educated people, at least from my experience. But most of my fellow rehabbers were fans, so I joined along. We started acting out the parts from various episodes, and I liked playing Captain Kirk." Elvis says he has been free from drugs for six months now and is partaking in an intense workout regimen. "I want to get my body from the 1950s back," Elvis said proudly. "I was the biggest sex icon in the world once upon a time, and I want to be that again." When asked about potential concerts, Elvis immediately mentioned two artists: Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. "Willie and Johnny are two incredible musicians. If they want me to team up with them, I'm ready to go."


ENGLAND ESCAPES ITALY WITH 1-1 DRAW

November 18, 1976

Brian Clough's England passed the first major test of their 1978 World Cup campaign by holding the Italians to a 1-1 draw in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. It looked like England was doomed to defeat in the 36th minute, when Italian midfielder Giancarlo Antognoni scored a beautiful goal to put the two time world champions ahead. However, England was resolute in their defending after that, and equalised in the 64th minute when a Trevor Brooking cross found Kevin Keegan, who slotted home past the great Dino Zoff. England came very close to defeat again when a shot by Italian forward Roberto Bettega struck the post. The Italians kept on pressuring the England defence, but Emlyn Hughes was a colossus at the back. England goalkeeper Ray Clemence made a fantastic save on the Italian star Marco Tardelli five minutes from time that had observers comparing his stop to that famous Gordon Banks save on Pele in Mexico in the 1970 World Cup. With Finland and Luxembourg in the group, it is expected that the return match between these two sides at Wembley in November 1977 will determine who qualifies out of the group.

TAS EPISODES: NOVEMBER 1976

EPISODE 42: MISSION TO HORATIUS, PART I: The story is adapted from the book written in 1968 for a more child-oriented audience. Mack Reynolds gets the story credit. Air date: November 6, 1976.

Mission to Horatius

Mission to Horatius is the first original Star Trek novel. Written by Mack Reynolds, the novel – intended as a young-adult publication – was first published by Whitman Publishing in 1968. From the book jacket While exploring a new star system, NGC 434, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship...

memory-alpha.fandom.com

EPISODE 43: MISSION TO HORATIUS, PART II: Air date: November 13, 1976.

EPISODE 44: PLANET OF JUDGMENT, PART I: The story is adapted from the book written in 1977 for a more child-oriented audience. Joe Haldeman, who is working on a novel of the same name, gets the story credit. Air date: November 20, 1976.

Planet of Judgment

The mind shattering odyssey to an impossible world Planet of Judgment is a Bantam TOS novel, written by Joe Haldeman, first published in August 1977. From the book jacket Unable to proceed. Shuttles seriously damaged. Not safe to land here. Some crewmen dead. On a routine mission to Starfleet...

memory-alpha.fandom.com

EPISODE 45: PLANET OF JUDGMENT, PART II: Air date: November 27, 1976.


NOTE: Ted Kennedy was one of Ronald Reagan's fiercest opponents in the Senate IRL, while John Glenn was more moderate and encouraged bipartisanship.
NOTE: Elvis died on August 16, 1977, when he was severely constipated and tried to go to the bathroom, and he had an aortic aneurysm.
NOTE: England lost to Italy 2-0 in that game in Rome IRL.

 

[Ogrebear]

You saved Elvis with the power of Star Trek - thank you very much.

Congratz President Reagan- here's your poisoned chalice.

Glenn vs Kennedy for 81?

 

[dsp19]

You saved Elvis with the power of Star Trek - thank you very much.

Congratz President Reagan- here's your poisoned chalice.

Glenn vs Kennedy for 81?

The 1980 Democratic primary will have a lot of big names: Kennedy, Glenn, Scoop Jackson, maybe Carter, maybe Gary Hart, Fritz Mondale, etc.

Elvis died too young, had to save him.

Like I've said repeatedly, Reagan was fortunate to lose to Ford in that 1976 primary IRL. He's going to have a very rough time. A healthy Andropov as his rival in Moscow, a hostile Congress on domestic issues, a bad economy, Iran falls apart, a second oil shock. ITTL he'll want to reengage in Vietnam but Congress is going to say no. He'll want to get involved in that Czechoslovakia mess ITTL but his CoS and National Security Adviser will advise against it

 

[Ogrebear]

The 1980 Democratic primary will have a lot of big names: Kennedy, Glenn, Scoop Jackson, maybe Carter, maybe Gary Hart, Fritz Mondale, etc.

Elvis died too young, had to save him.

Like I've said repeatedly, Reagan was fortunate to lose to Ford in that 1976 primary IRL. He's going to have a very rough time. A healthy Andropov as his rival in Moscow, a hostile Congress on domestic issues, a bad economy, Iran falls apart, a second oil shock. ITTL he'll want to reengage in Vietnam but Congress is going to say no. He'll want to get involved in that Czechoslovakia mess ITTL but his CoS and National Security Adviser will advise against it

If Congress will not give him the troops I wonder what sort of forces and hardware can Ronnie gather s just President?

Massive use of air power, naval blockade, assasination, hiring mercanaries, moving budgets around to fund ops? Does the Prez need approval to use chemical weapons? Do not think he'd take the nuclear option, but Ronnie did say you can win a nuclear war I seem to remember.

 

[dsp19]

If Congress will not give him the troops I wonder what sort of forces and hardware can Ronnie gather s just President?

Massive use of air power, naval blockade, assasination, hiring mercanaries, moving budgets around to fund ops? Does the Prez need approval to use chemical weapons? Do not think he'd take the nuclear option, but Ronnie did say you can win a nuclear war I seem to remember.

Ronnie is going to lose South Vietnam before he has a chance to save it (KGB coup/subterfuge).

He's going to want to take some serious action in Europe but Alexander Haig is going to counsel him a little more wisely. Reagan will largely have the same first term cabinet ITTL that he had IRL, except GHW Bush is going to be in the CIA, not his VP (John Tower is VP).

 

[Ogrebear]

Ronnie is going to lose South Vietnam before he has a chance to save it (KGB coup/subterfuge).

He's going to want to take some serious action in Europe but Alexander Haig is going to counsel him a little more wisely. Reagan will largely have the same first term cabinet ITTL that he had IRL, except GHW Bush is going to be in the CIA, not his VP (John Tower is VP).

Can Ronnie orchestrate a discipled, honourable withdrawal from Vietnam rather than the OTL chaos? That will go so way towards changing the future memories/legacy of Nam, esp if S. Vietnam is a ‘free’ state when they go and then they join with the North.

Also allows the civilian population time to get out if they can.

 

[dsp19]

Can Ronnie orchestrate a discipled, honourable withdrawal from Vietnam rather than the OTL chaos? That will go so way towards changing the future memories/legacy of Nam, esp if S. Vietnam is a ‘free’ state when they go and then they join with the North.

Also allows the civilian population time to get out if they can.

Muskie will start the withdrawal in the next update. Vo Nguyen Giap is in charge in North Vietnam and he's Buddhist, so he's going to see the opening with a Buddhist leader in South Vietnam for a rapprochement. The South Vietnamese Catholics are going to be in trouble though, so another coup (this one CIA led) could occur in the South. It depends on which intelligence agency gets to Thich Tri Quang first

 

[marathag]

Muskie will start the withdrawal in the next update. Vo Nguyen Giap is in charge in North Vietnam and he's Buddhist, so he's going to see the opening with a Buddhist leader in South Vietnam for a rapprochement. The South Vietnamese Catholics are going to be in trouble though, so another coup (this one CIA led) could occur in the South. It depends on which intelligence agency gets to Thich Tri Quang first

He was Communist first, and did plenty of Buddhist repression during the 'Land Reform' in the North.

 

[dsp19]

We end 1976 with a short update of two stories: Leonid Brezhnev dies in Moscow and Yuri Andropov replaces him as Soviet premier; and the Enterprise sets have been completely rebuilt, as Paramount prepares to bring the Star Trek cast back for TMP. Plus, the series finale of TAS.

BREZHNEV DIES OF HEART ATTACK
ANDROPOV LEADER OF U.S.S.R.

December 14, 1976

Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev, who suffered a stroke earlier this year, died of a heart attack last night, according to Moscow's TASS press agency. He died at the age of 69, five days short of his 70th birthday. The statement in TASS read: "Our glorious general secretary and comrade Leonid Brezhnev tragically passed away in his sleep. He will lie in state at the Lenin Mausoleum next to our great socialist heroes Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. Comrade Yuri Andropov will replace comrade Brezhnev as the general secretary of the U.S.S.R." Brezhnev's death takes place during a time of transition in the United States, as outgoing President Muskie will leave office in a month and President-elect Ronald Reagan will replace him. State Department sources feared the influence of Andropov on Soviet policy. "He is far more aggressive as a Communist leader than Brezhnev, especially when Brezhnev suffered his health issues," a high-placed source in the State Department told the Post. "We fear a Soviet Union which will crack down further on dissidents in the Warsaw Pact and attempt regime change in countries like South Vietnam, which is surrounded by Communist nations to its north and west," The source also feared that a more bellicose U.S. foreign policy will play into the hands of the Warsaw Pact. "They are going to use President-elect Reagan's election as a clarion call to the Communist world to resist any compromise with the West," the source said. "I wish for Reagan's success, but they are going to test him immediately, and he will have to show that he can strike the right chord between militancy and diplomacy."


THE ENTERPRISE FLIES AGAIN!

Starlog, December 1976

We have received some pictures from Star Trek superfan Bjo Trimble, who entered the Paramount production studios, which indicate that our dreams of a Star Trek movie will finally come true. The set of the greatest spaceship in all of science fiction, the Enterprise, NCC-1701, has been rebuilt and is better than ever! Captain Kirk is going to sit in that center seat again. Who knows, maybe he'll be Admiral Kirk? It's been a while since we had live Star Trek on the air, aside from the cartoon. Although the cartoon's stories are extremely good, let's face it, the cartoon doesn't substitute for the real thing. We hope that Mr. Spock is in the movie. We heard that Nimoy and Paramount had a falling out, and Star Trek just isn't the same without our favorite Vulcan. We heard from sources near James Doohan that within the next 90 days, Paramount will call a press conference announcing the start of production! That will be the largest press conference in the history of cinema, because television's greatest show is going to become one of the greatest movies of all time as well (we hope).

STAR TREK TAS EPISODES: DECEMBER 1976

EPISODE 46: THE PHOENIX. The Enterprise encounters what appears to be a mythical phoenix-like creature at the edges of the Alpha Quadrant. However, the phoenix creature disappears from view and reappears as the alien from HOW SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH. Kirk, Spock and McCoy must figure out a way to negotiate with the creature, as they attempted with Nomad in THE CHANGELING. The creature holds Ilia captive and wants her telepathic powers to make it stronger, but Ilia resists. Air date: December 4, 1976.

EPISODE 47: THE BORDERLAND, PART I: Kang, Kor and Koloth cross the Neutral Zone and attempt to reclaim the Capella system for the Klingon Empire. Kirk and the Enterprise are outnumbered three to one. Instead of surrendering, Kirk fakes destroying the Enterprise and lures the Klingons into a trap, where he disables Kang and Koloth's vessels. Kang and Koloth retreat to Klingon space, but Kor sticks around and isn't giving up. Air date: December 11, 1976.

EPISODE 48: THE BORDERLAND, PART II (SERIES FINALE): Kor offers Kirk a proposal: Capella IV's jurisdiction should be split between the Federation and the Klingons, and both empires should co-administer the planet. Kirk agrees on one condition: the Klingons only send civilians to Capella; if they do, the Federation will only send civilians. Kor refuses, and fires on the Enterprise. A space battle ensues, and Kor is driven off by the Enterprise. The defeated Klingons realize they must improve their D7 battlecruiser if they are to fight a war with the Federation, because the Constitution class is superior to the D7. The Enterprise returns to Earth, and their mission ends, while the ship is scheduled for a refit. Air date: December 18, 1976.

 

[dsp19]

When do you think I should start writing dialogue for my version of TMP? I can't write a full script you know, that's like 100-120 pages, but I would like to give some previews of what it will be like. I'll split that update into three when it comes, one for each act.