DC Fontana – Collecting Trek

How a high-school story and a DC Fontana letter launched Howard Weinstein’s writing career

The New York Times bestselling author was kind enough to tell me a bunch of his Star Trek stories.
Inside Star Trek 9: Polka-dot marshmallows and herding extras with Charlie Washburn

The second assistant director kept the set running on seasons two and three.
Star Trek as Canadian content

Although thoroughly American in origin, the diversity and peaceful collaboration the show espoused is very Canadian in tone.
Boarding the Enterprise, a review: challenging and fascinating insights into the original series

Star Trek’s take on the Vietnam War. Kirk/Spock slash fic. Is the transporter a death machine? Why no seatbelts? You should read this book, but first read my post about it.
A defence of The Way to Eden: it’s better, and much darker, than you remember

The episode is widely disliked, so you probably haven’t seen it in a while. I encourage you to watch it again. It’s not hippies and bouncy songs. It’s a mass murderer and his enthralled gang.
Harlan Ellison put a drug dealer on the Enterprise. That was not the biggest script problem

Gene Roddenberry was right: Ellison’s version of The City on the Edge of Forever was not suitable for Star Trek, but the story is inventive and compelling and IDW’s graphic novel brings it to life with beautiful illustrations.
Inside Star Trek issue 4: Klingon side-projects with Matt Jefferies and coloured food cubes with Irving Feinberg

What helps you deal with rainbow food chunks? Real alcohol in the blue drinks. Go behind the scenes with two Star Trek production stars.
Inside Star Trek issue 3: DeForest Kelley on television stress and McCoy’s secret pain

DeForest Kelley and DC Fontana had a great character idea for Dr. McCoy. Instead, we somehow got Chekov’s girlfriend from The Way to Eden.
Inside Star Trek issue 1: selling IDIC and dumpster diving for set pieces

The Inside Star Trek newsletter is an invaluable source for Star Trek’s early voices. Issue 1 detailed William Shatner’s busy schedule, told us about searching through studio garbage and shared a made-up story about the Vulcan IDIC medallion.
No Chapel, no T’Pau. The original Amok Time story outline

I own the Amok Time story outline Ted Sturgeon submitted to Gene Roddenberry. It’s a fascinating look at the process of creating an episode and at the Trek that could have been.

Tag: DC Fontana