Edit: Harlan Ellison, who has always been my favorite author, passed away on June 27th, 2018. I’m “Flashback-ing” to this post I originally wrote on July 1st.
I just re-watched this Star Trek episode, and re-read Harlan’s original script. As most of you probably know, both the broadcast episode and the original script won awards, but there was animosity between Harlan and Roddenberry for many years over the re-writes that were done without Harlan’s permission. Eventually the two reconciled (as I understand it was more of an agreement to set the past behind them than anything else), but it had been decades since I’d read the original. Since then I’ve become a television producer myself. And as I suspected, after my re-read and re-watch, I’m inclined to side with Roddenberry on this one.
SPOILERS
First let me say that I think both versions are very enjoyable. The original script is on a level with much of Harlan’s other television work. But it’s very gritty for a Trek episode. The characters don’t align comfortably with their on-screen personae. There are more characters than necessary. The extra scenes on the alternate-universe Enterprise replacement distract a bit from the story line. Not that Harlan would know when he wrote it, but that theme would be subsequently explored in the Mirror, Mirror episode. (Hey, why didn’t Harlan sue?)
In the original, we understand that the planet is, in fact, the titular “City.” I didn’t really get that from the broadcast version. But the Guardians seem hesitant, ineffectual, whiny. Harlan has them pretty much give away the whole mission to correct the past, instead of letting Kirk and Spock figure things out themselves. Harlan has none of the characteristic Trek personality quips in his version, the automatic rice-picker, stone knives and bear skins. In fact, Kirk and Spock are antagonistic with each other, which really jarred me.
But of course the kicker is that Harlan has Kirk willing to sacrifice the universe to save Edith. Roddenberry has Kirk make the ultimate sacrifice, and let Edith die to save the universe. While I understand Harlan’s point, ultimately I found the broadcast version just fits the characters as we grew to know them. Harlan was at a disadvantage, as he wrote his script very early on, although he probably would’ve done something similar anyway. But I’m glad we have access to both versions.
The Michlin Guide 