Post

pfft Gene’s vision was a love triangle between Kirk, his duty to his ship, and Janice Rand. A network executive had to convince him the central trio was actually Kirk-Spock-McCoy. Gene was the Great Bird of the Galaxy, but there were many other cooks in that kitchen who made lasting contributions.

Pour one out for Janice Rand!

Yeah, that’s not what Gene cared about. Theme and character, like any good writer, is what drove story. If those 2 things are there, the format doesn’t matter: musical, puppets, animation. Piller shares this sentiment starting at 0:50. 👇🏻 youtu.be/Bc4ZtX4SWWU?...

And theme and character drove every song and story detail in the musical and it did in the puppet episode, too, I’ve come to realize after thinking through it with @abbymsommer.bsky.social.

Plus @tyranicus.net and @thegoddesslivia.bsky.social chatted even MORE in depth with it for next week’s @idicpodcast.bsky.social coming Tuesday. It was a great discussion and got into the Spock’s psychology of it all. So lots of reframing for people coming soon!

I feel like Gene would love both the musical and the muppets.

I think we need to make a distinction between the competent 1960s Gene Roddenberry, 70s Gene who gave into the madness and decided Trek’s only purpose was to serve as his personal pulpit, or 80s Gene who was sliding into dementia.

That's a lot of distinctions! (But kind of the point in anyone trying to pin him down as one thing.)