Star Trek (s2.e26) Teri Garr

[LessAspin]

My favorite Star Trek episode ever with the late great Teri Garr

This episode was intended to act as a spinoff and backdoor pilot for a new Star Trek Series

An interesting example of what could have been

This was a pilot episode of a new series produced by Gene Roddenberry about a time traveler named 'Gary Seven'. And the idea was introduced by having the stars of this potential series appear on a Star Trek episode. Robert Lansing appears uncredited as this main character (why he wasn't listed in the credits is odd considering he was obviously the star). I liked Lansing's cold and somewhat rigid style--I really thought it worked for his character, but I also realize this might have also left some feeling rather cold about him. He wasn't exactly 'Mr. Personality' in the episode. Instead, the major emoting was done by his ditsy assistant played by Teri Garr. It seems the spin off series was to have been about a man who traveled from a far more advanced world to secretly help mankind.

However, when Mr. Seven accidentally lands on the Enterprise, they are shocked to see him and think he's up to no good. You see, the Enterprise actually meant to go back to the 20th century to do some unobserved data collection for historical reasons and there is no conceivable reason why they should intercept a space traveler all the way back then. How all this is resolved is something you'll have to see for yourself.

As for the strengths of the show, the acting was very good and humor was infused now and again to make the show seem not so heavy-handed--which I appreciated. Unfortunately, the pilot was never picked up--and Roddenberry had a lousy track record in trying to bring other sci-fi shows to television (such as his two attempts with the character Dylan Hunt). And considering that it was pretty entertaining and a very interesting concept, I always feel a bit wistful when I see this episode.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708419/?ref_=tt_ch

https://www.slashfilm.com/1700446/teri-garr-stood-up-gene-roddenberry-sexism-star-trek/

[BootinUp]

1. Hey, stop that! It's typing... it's typing everything I say!

[3catwoman3]

2. My own most favorite is The Trouble With Tribbles, but this one...

...is right in the mix of my top 10.

[nilram]

3. I always wondered if we would learn more about Gary Seven

in some future episode or series. I really liked that episode and forgot that Terri Garr was in it.

[NotASurfer]

4. Just give it a few years

I'm sure some executive at Paramount will pitch the idea of rebooting the spinoff as a self-contained science fiction program that fills in that part of Star Trek lore, leading up to a guy named Khan and concluding with an epic war story.