177: We Have Found ALL the Culture

The City On the Edge of Forever.

Nearly 50 years after it was written, “City” remains one of the most beloved of all Star Trek episodes. It’s the first time travel story that most fans remember (sorry “Naked Time” and “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”) and made screwing with the past cool long before it became Star Trek’s go-to trope. But, as a story that really lacks most of what makes TOS what it is, why does this story transcend time?

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Phillip Gilfus, Andi VanderKolk, and Daniel Proulx to seek out the answer. We explore the premise, the time travel mechanism, soft-focus lighting, Edith Keeler’s place in time, Kirk’s dilemma, and what the story might have been like had it been set in Chicago—as Harlan Ellison originally wrote it. And, along the way, we find all the culture. Or at least most of it.

In our news segment, we share our thoughts on Jonathan Frakes’s recent comments about Star Trek not returning to television, and we remember the woman who, with her beehive hair and just eight appearances, helped define The Original Series.

 

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Phillip Gilfus

 

Guests

Andi VanderKolk and Daniel Proulx

 

Editor and Producer

Christopher Jones

 

Executive Producers

Matthew Rushing and Norman C. Lao

 

Associate Producer

Renee Roberts

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

News

Remembering Grace Lee Whitney (00:04:11)

Frakes Says No New Star Trek on TV (00:10:48)

 

Feature: The City On the Edge of Forever

Intro and Synopsis (00:23:31)

First Impressions (00:29:27)

The Grandaddy of Time Travel Stories (00:37:40)

Edith Keeler Must Die! (00:47:56)

Spot-on Spock and Kirk (00:58:47)

Kirk’s Decision (01:01:05)

Unitards, Sequels, and CULTURE! (01:07:38)

Final Thoughts (01:15:13)

Closing (01:27:13)

 

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