![The Production Challenges of “The City on the Edge of Forever”: Star Trek’s Best Original Episode 2 l intro 1709908692](https://i0.wp.com/theubj.com/uae/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/l-intro-1709908692.jpg?w=1170)
“The City on the Edge of Forever” stands out as a pinnacle of storytelling in the original “Star Trek” series, but it wasn’t without its production difficulties. The prolific and often controversial sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison crafted the original script. Despite this, the episode that aired was significantly different from Ellison’s original vision due to extensive script revisions that ultimately left him displeased, even though he remained the sole credited writer.
As told by Robert Justman and Herbert Solow in their 1991 book “Inside Star Trek: The Real Story,” the development of the episode involved an arduous process of rewrites and revisions. Ellison presented his pitch on March 3, 1966, with a first draft following on June 3, and the supposed final draft handed in on August 15. Subsequent edits saw another draft from Ellison on December 1, 1966, received weeks later on December 19.
The situation became more complex as Justman, a producer on the series, outlined his thoughts on the December manuscript. Found by The Mission Log Podcast, Justman’s feedback touched upon concerns of production feasibility and the episode’s fit within the existing “Star Trek” universe. He notably concluded:
“I still feel that this is a fine story and was created by an extremely talented writer. But we are in the sad position of being unfortunate enough not to be able to afford to make this story, even though it is of high quality.”
FAQs
- Who wrote “The City on the Edge of Forever”?
The original script for “The City on the Edge of Forever” was written by Harlan Ellison. - Why was Harlan Ellison dissatisfied with the episode?
Ellison was unhappy because the final aired episode underwent numerous revisions which diverged from his original script. - Were any other writers credited for “The City on the Edge of Forever”?
Despite the numerous rewrites, Harlan Ellison is the only credited writer for the episode. - What issues did Robert Justman have with Ellison’s script?
Robert Justman noted logistical issues, such as excessive descriptions, and concerns about the script’s narrative and continuity within the larger series.
Conclusion
The tumultuous production journey of “The City on the Edge of Forever” highlights the complexities of developing a memorable episode in a series with existing narrative constraints and production limitations. Despite the collaboration and contentions between Ellison and the “Star Trek” creative team, the resulting episode is often celebrated as an iconic piece of the franchise, demonstrating the power of storytelling even when confronted with formidable challenges.