Assignment Earth the Star Trek spin off series that never happened
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- čas přidán 22. 06. 2022
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*NBC* not turning this into a series is one of the biggest missed opportunities in television history.
It would have been great!
Absolutely. They never made this show and its still one of my favorite shows ever. They ought to give it a go now.
Thanks Jonny, so many played multiple roles throughout the series, you found a few I had not noticed and was surprised to see. I was lucky enough to run across Jimmy Doohan at a custom car show in the 80's... Sad really, he's sitting at a booth with nobody around... I sat with him for half an hour and had a lovely conversation, what a wonderful man....
I met him at a convention in the mid 90's. Shatner and George Takei were there, too. Both Takei and Doohan were absolute treasures, just super nice, while Shatner was his normal asshole self. I mentioned to Doohan that I'd like to buy him a beer sometime, and he said "Make it a whiskey and you're on."
I remember watching this episode as a kid in the 70's and wondering when the series for Assignment Earth would air. I would have watched it just for Terri Gar, but then again I would watch just about anything Sci-Fi back then, even if it was bad. :)
I think this was one of the best Star Trek episodes. It had the humour of Trek and a unique problem to be solved.
As usual, great educational video, Johnny. In my book, “Assignment: Earth” is not only underrated, it is one of my favorite Star Trek episodes of the entire franchise-and I am profoundly disappointed that it didn’t become a regular series, adding to the popular surge of 1960s spy-fi adventures (i.e. “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “I, Spy,” “The Avengers,” and of course Desilu’s own “Mission: Impossible.”
The strange and quite baffling factoid for me is right out of the Twilight Zone itself: You mentioned that they had intended to include a scene of the bridge crew watching “Bonanza” on the viewscreen. The strange thing is I can swear that scene actually exists-or used to. Decades ago, when I was a kid, I distinctly remember seeing the crew watching a clip of Bonanza and smiling/commenting on it; Uhura had intercepted the signal. And eventually that scene disappeared-I had always assumed edited out for time and/or licensing issues. But in the decades since, you are one of several documentarians to mention that this was something that was scripted or INTENDED to happen…but didn’t? Did I DREAM seeing that scene?? Did I crossover from an alternate reality?? I swear it used to exist! 🤯
I have seen this! I am almost positive this was some kind of commercial bumper advertising a tv bloc. In fact, i think MeTV has a very similar bumper that they play on tv nowadays.
@@lamptown3748 - Could be, maybe that’s what I’m remembering. But I know as a kid, I saw the Enterprise crew watching Bonanza on the viewscreen. Maybe I’m remembering an ad, but I swear, it was in the episode, either “Assignment: Earth” or “Tomorrow is Yesterday,” more likely the former because they were there on purpose. And the especially creepy part is that I learn decades later that it was actually in the script (which I’ve never read), so it’s uncanny that I remember seeing that scene as a child-and now to be told that it never happened (but it was in the script)! That is effing weird.
@@MoonjumperReviews its called the Mandel effect. I'm 55 and swear i remember watching it also.
@@robertw31968 - Yes, the Mandela Effect. In most cases, I haven’t experienced many of the examples that are often cited, such as Mandela himself being dead and then being alive again. But this one is a whopper example for me, because I definitely remember seeing that scene as a child.
"Assignment: Earth" remains one of my favourite TOS episodes; it's a tragedy that it was never picked up as a series. Greg Cox's excellent novels gave us some idea of the path the series could have taken.
Although I shudder at the possibility of Nu Trek's "writers" being let loose on it.
Sadly, aside from TOS and TNG Roddenberry was never able to catch lightning in a bottle again. His story ideas never made it past the pilot stage like Questor and Genesis II. The ideas that did make it to series, Earth Final Conflict and Andromeda were based on his notes and developed after his death. The biggest success story is the name Dylan Hunt - who appeared in both Genesis II and Andromeda!!
Andromeda was basically Genesis 2 /Planet Earth in space. Instead of the sub shuttle it was a slipstream travelling ship and rebuilding a planetary commonwealth instead of a fragmented Earth . I really liked Planet Earth as a series and it could’ve even worked as a kind of prequel to Trek
Spock in a bucket hat makes me think he's about to bust into a Bing Crosby styled song.
I’ve heard Leonard Nimoy sing. I’d rather not go there again.
Well, if they include Wesley Crusher in the role he talked about in Picard Season 2 as a segment of the proposed Star Trek:Legacy, we'' kind of have the series that this episode intended.
That pen is definitely related to a Sonic Screwdriver lol
I am convinced that Gary Seven's servo was the direct inspiration for Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver some years later.
I remember my excitement at the set up and talking with school friends about seeing more Gary Seven episodes. I couldn't believe they wouldn't make more after how intriguing this was....
This was a great episode 👏🏻
Didn't know the cat got a voice over lol
Great Video, Robert Lancing Reminds me of Steve McQueen.
Assignment Earth was and still is my 2nd favorite episode of TOS. I'm 55 and watch that episode at least 2 to 4 times a year. I think it would've been a great tv show. The have a couple of issues of Star Trek comics with Gary Seven. Also the Kahn books written by Greg Cox has Gary Seven in it sending Kahn up on the Botany Bay ship.
I remember this episode as a clear stealth-pilot, but I didn't remember the sonic screwdriver ripoff. Great episode, thank you.
Star Trek didn't really rip off the sonic screwdriver as Assignment Earth screened only 13 days after the first sonic screwdriver appearance in March 1968. Star Trek episodes usually took 7-8 days just to film with post production often taking weeks and add to that the time taken to write the script. There's no way they could have ripped off the sonic screwdriver.
So, Gary Seven's tool is basically a sonic screwdriver...
The only other thing I've seen these characters in is the Eugenics Wars parts one and two.
Such great potential unrealized
Great episode Jonny, lots of interesting facts and observations to think about there. Thanks!
Great video! Just one tiny correction: Scotty theorises that Seven's transporter beam may have been powerful enough for time travel, but that's never established onscreen. His knowledge of Humanity's future with the Vulcans implies that he knew about the 24th century, but not necessarily that he'd travelled to or from from there, at least not at that time.
In Greg Cox's novels, though, he is revealed to be able to travel in time, although he is actually from the 20th century by Earth reconning. (Though of course he wasn't raised on Earth, as we know.)
In retrospect I'm actually glad the series didn't get picked up, even though Assignment: Earth is one of my favourite TOS episodes. In my mind, nothing can ever top Greg Cox's Assignment: Eternity, The Eugenics Wars 1+2, and To Reign in Hell. Had the series gone to production, we probably wouldn't have got any of those.
Thanks Jonathan!
Very Enlightening
Commentary! Your
Attention to Detail is Superb!
"Live Long and Prosper!"
Dancers were cast privately by Gene.
I thought his pen was more a gadget like they had in The Man from UNCLE than the sonic screwdriver, but maybe because I didn’t see dr who until the mid80s
Oh that Ken Berry episode on Brady Bunch was Awful it was so bad the worst.
So this is the episode that aired closest to my birthday. I was born April8,1968
"nukular" is how Homer Simpson says it...
Pure 60's hokum, but still one of my favourites.
Looks quite good. Robert Lansing also made two films I can think of though I can't remember the title of the one he was in made in Sydney - Vera Miles was in it. The other that I can remember the title of is ''A Gathering of Eagles.''
@ThePiratemachine - That movie is probably "It Takes All Kinds".
I’ve seen this episode as a kid. Too bad it wasn’t picked up. It would have been very good. The dual Isis the cat & female would have been interested:)
Yeah the Gary Seven thing would have been cool a.f.! This episode kinda reminds me of The Astronaut storyline from the Matt Smith Doctor Who.....
Ds9’s Past Tense is set not in the 20th century, but next year in 2024.
Assignment Earth is a Great Episode.
This was one of my favorite Trek episodes when I was a kid and still of all the franchise (doubly so when years later I finally saw a Doctor Who episode). A real shame it never lead to at least a few episodes of its own show. With great shows like the Invaders and Time Tunnel out there I can picture it. I had even hoped that they'd have the character (and hopefully the actors) reappear when TAS and laterTNG came around. Without the original actors, it certainly would feel a bit hollow if they finally did do the series nowadays. But I'd still be willing to check it out.
Another stellar job!!! maybe take a deep dive into 70's tv Man From Atlantas in the future.
The book series Eugenex Wars is also a Gary Seven story. It’s an excellent read.
Keep hearing about this planet 'Erf'. No idea where this might be. It sure isn't anywhere in the solar system.
Is there a book about Gary Sven?I didn’t know this!Thank You for posting this!
I remember watching this episode when it came out. As a rabid fan of Star Trek, I remember thinking at the time, that it was an awkward interruption to the series, a blatant pitch for this new show, and that the premise of the show was unappealing and awkwardly presented. In short, it was a lame idea.
A fun and memorable episode that deserved a spinoff. Whos future would this nuclear war have been in that Gary 7 was trying to stop? Kirk should have known about this war without going back in time if it were in his past.
Not making Assignment earth was a terrible mistake. It was a great concept and lives on as an icon.
Also Disney stole from the idea about a decade later with The Cat From Outer Space.
Assignment Earth was more entertaining than every season of Disgracery and the first two seasons of Discard
I see what you did there, you rascal!
Yeah, I admit it. I named my first black tabby after Isis
Pretty good episode despite what they were obviously doing. Then they followed up with season 3 Spocks Brain. Yikes!
It's just a pity Seven was never made I would of loved watching this.
Teri Garr should have been the protagonist. That would have been something.
Great stuff, thanx. And his voice is fine, I've heard much worse on YT.
roll roll roll in the hay
Captain's log: 2022.10.7.
We've encountered Gary 7 again. I did not recognize Gary due to the fact that he now seems to be in the form of a one-legged black /asian transgender who talks a whole lot about something they call alphabet people. When I said "Gary, how are you doing sir?" he became very erratic and started yelling something about "misgendering", which I can only surmise was some sort of code.
Gary became irrational multiple times, and at one point yelled that the worst moment in the history of time was January 6th, 2020. I have Spock trying to figure out what. Gary is telling us.
All in all, he was very different from the man we knew before. Frankly, I look forward to getting on the other side of the galaxy away from him.
Yes, Star Trek is a amazing franchise indeed!
Maybe not the best episode but it had so much potential!
Beta 5 snobbery. Love it.
Teri roomed with Toni Basil.
So. Roddenbery wanted Teri Garr's skirt shorter than it was. What would Grace Lee Whitney think? The mind reels!
Reboots and remakes and spin offs are typically inferior and are created for cashing in on what is popular, but the 1970’s was still an era of quality toward the end of the golden age of entertainment so perhaps these two spin-offs might have been good enough if they had been made.
I notice the picture quality of Star Trek in the 1960’s is much better than the picture quality of the spin-offs and reboots from the 1980s onward. The practical effects are better and more real looking too than the Cartoon lazy cheap CGI of the reboots and spin-offs.
Its a case of how progress and technology advancement actually went backwards and is inferior to the previous age of superior methods and quality.
wish nbc did dam nbc would have enjoyed it even if it was only half a season or 2
S.T. IS THE BEST SCI-FI 📺 SHOW OF ALL TIME. I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAY OR THINK. IT'S CHANGE THE 🌎...
Star Trek is too clinical and politcal of a space opera. i prefer Star Wars which is a fantasy that I can escape to
Why do you keep saying "Urf"?
ATTENTION: Gene Roddenberry Did NOT knock off MLK!
It would have been interesting, but I really don't like the actor who plays Gary Seven. He's just so flat and boring. I can't see myself enjoying a show with that guy as the lead.
when star trek was great,now its all gone the drain,star trek picard,strange new worlds and discovery are just pittyfull attempts
these new creation are full of "the message" thats why they will never be memorable like the star trek from before
fans dont want to be educated about the wokeness of today's society,they want to be entertained
Bullshit. Strange New Worlds is excellent. Don't care for Discovery or Picard, but SNW is legitimately great.
I hate the woke trash out there, but in this it's negligible.
@@shannonbayley3684 like you said,its negligible,but its there,kirk look and acts like hes gay,the women contradict the captain in any way they can,but if you like it,go for it
@@ronnyb5890 It's always been there in Star Trek. The original series was about equality and civil rights, being different was okay. Very overtly political. The black and white aliens, Vietnam allegories etc.
As far as TNG, DS9 and VOY they ALL featured some gay and lesbian characters and LGBTQ elements. I don't even care about gay characters, I just don't like that LGBTQ/race propaganda being so in your face and shoved down your throat like in Discovery.
Anything in Strange New Worlds is extremely minor, no more than TNG through to Enterprise had. It's just good, fun episodes in its usual manner.
First comment
I second that