The City on the Edge of Forever

Title:	"The City on the Edge of Forever"
Creator:	Harlan Ellison, Gene Roddenberry
Date(s):
Medium:	television episode
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
Language:	English
External Links:	City on the Edge of Forever, at Memory Alpha
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The City on the Edge of Forever is a fan favorite episode of Star Trek: TOS.

Tropes

• the use of the Guardian of Forever for time travel
• Kirk and Spock's casual clothing, especially Kirk's flannel shirt
• the use of the character of Edith Keeler as a catalyst for Kirk/Spock fanworks
• the phrase "Let me help"
• Uhura's controversial line in the episode: "Captain, I'm frightened"

The Ellison Script vs. The Roddenberry Script

The script was written by Harlan Ellison and was very different from the filmed version. Ellison was loud and expansive in his rage about these alterations, which included what he felt to be important plot elements. Two of the changes were Spock's actions regarding Edith Keeler's death and Roddenberry's elimination of the topic of drug addiction on the Enterprise.

[1974]: The general theme and outline of The City on the Edge of Forever were Ellison's work, but, as he himself has pointed out, his text was so heavily re-written that most of the lines and many of the incidents were the work of others.

[1975]: "Incident in a City" [in Alnitah #1]] is a prime example of one of the most prevalent modes of ST fan writing, in which the writer, instead of inventing a new situation, takes an incident from the plot of a "Star Trek" episode and gives her view of the feelings and actions of the central characters. It's a nicely-written story, but as an Ellison devotee since I was twelve, I still prefer the original script.

[1981-82]: I do give credit to the writers, the rewriters and Gene. Let's not waste too many tears on skilled, slick writer and so-so plotter Harlan Ellison. Because of tyrant Gene, we were deprived of the right- on scene in City on the Edge of Forever when Kirk kicks Edith down the stairs, and she loves him for it. All heart. Real human values, huh? Harlan wrote the latter scene. Read it in Seven Science Fiction Teleplays or what ever the title was. Yes, let's not sniff cult worship. Good.

Don't see Flying Yorkshireman. Don't see Genesis II or Questor either. Sit home and read Harlan, the glorifier of autopsy reports in the Jack the Ripper case file. Maybe you'll find a meaningful dissection technique. I've read a million pages of Harlan's and other writer's works, but Gene created the genuine artist's intended impression. Aside from his Oscar (such a moving picture) his version of COTE and his Ripper stories, Harlan asserted himself as a word-weeding writer. He may write slicker copy than Gene, but Gene has a better grasp of what mankind is about. Trust me. I don't care what the Parkay dish says. I want butter.

I happen to agree with your assessment of Harlan Ellison's questionable writing talents. But, in all fairness, "Six Science Fiction Plays," edited by Roger Elwood, does contain an early draft of Ellison's version of "City" and, as I recall. Kirk did not "kick" Edith down the stairs and neither did she "love him for it." Kirk simply "let" her fall, his hands clutching empty air as he watched helplessly. Edith then looked up at him, knowing he could have stopped her fall. The reasoning behind this is actually easy to assimilate. At this point, Kirk had already been warned that her death was necessary and imminent. Your inane comment about "all heart" and "real human values" flies in the face of the scene near the end of the aired version of "City" when Kirk, as you would have it, "kicks Edith in front of the truck and she, though dead, still loves him for it."

Again, to be fair, the main reason there were problems with Ellison's version was that it was among the very first ST scripts to be written. There was no series continuity at that time. All the ST writers had were the two pilot shows. That's why McCoy doesn't appear at all in Ellison's draft. NBC also had objections to elements of drug abuse among crew members. As a result, the script was delayed. And the more the delays, the more a script has to be changed to fit into a series continuity. The final version of "City"was still essentially Harlan's story, only certain details were changed or omitted.

Unfortunately, "slick copy" isn't what good writing is all about. I can nitpick far more accurately with Roddenberry than you did in your feeble attempt with Ellison (mind you, I'm no Ellison fan).

Gene Roddenberry put the Trek in "The City on the Edge of Forever." Aside from writing superficial settings, purpose for returning to the past, Edith Keeler's name, and sundry, but highly non-essential trivia, Harlan Ellison is not the author of my_ "City."

My recall may not be accurate to a fault, because I was repulsed by Harlan's version. But I vividly recall a great groan from the audience at the New York Hilton Con Panel of SF writers when Harlan announced that his version had Kirk kick Edith down the stairs. I will not tackle his bilge again to pre pare a dissertation on why his version and Gene's version are about as alike as two astronauts — one Andorian and one Kazarite — in an ion pod. But the dissenters are, and I suggest that they do their own homework rather than strafe someone who did enough to harbor a valid opinion.

[1999]:

I read the original script in Grade 11 English class. It wasn't impressive enough to justify Harlan's bitching, but it was very different, much darker.

It was dark enough that I could see why it was rewritten for the show. It would have made a very strong original sci-fi story, if it were rewritten to feature non-Trek characters. However, I can see why Gene would frown upon the concept of drug abuse in his bright future, for instance. Some of the changes needed to be made in order to fit the Trek universe.

A Fan Became the Subject of Ellison's Ire

In 1967, super-fan Peggye Vickers (president of Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans, editor of Chatter Boxes) mistakenly credited D.C. Fontana for writing "City on the Edge of Forever".

Despite Vicker's polite retraction in the next issue of "Chatter Boxes," Ellison wrote her a letter, part of which was printed in Chatter Boxes #7. It was titled The Words in Spock's Mouth, which was later reprinted in Ellison's book "Over the Edge.

A similar essay, written a year later by David Gerrold, is The Awful Offal.

The Concept Used in Other Fandoms

• Love's Edge by T'Mar, from Naked Now #1 (1991-ish) (Star Trek: TNG)

General Fan Comments

1978

The narration [in the Star Trek Fotonovels] is capably written, and the dialog, when not conforming to the aired dialog exactly (which it usually does) is so close as to make little difference. Special effort is made in the books to preserve the drama and action that we love so well on tv. For example, the closing accident scene in "City on the Edge of Forever" which takes about 30 seconds on tv uses an amazing 21 different photographs in the book — preserving the heart-breaking ending to that beautiful episode.

I have my disagreements with Harlan on story structure. I think the 'City on the Edge of Forever' that appeared on the screen is structurally and artistically much, such superior to his original idea. I can't convince him of that. I met him at a SFWA party in New York once and told him that I had read it and his introduction in the book, "Six Science Fiction Plays", and I, very respectfully, disagreed with him. He said to me, "When you have won a couple of Hugos and Nebulas, then I'll listen to you." And I took him up on it. So I'm busily trying to win some Hugos and Nebulas so Harlan Ellison will listen to me.

1982

The most common [reason fans dislike Mary Sues] is perhaps the feeling that to introduce a strange character with whom Kirk, McCoy or etc. falls in love is an adulteration: this newcomer is not a part of the original Roddenberry creation, she does not fit in, she is unnecessary. The implication is that the Mary-Sue type story is a distortion of the ideals of Star Trek.

This is patently not true. If the Trek universe was not intended to embrace the concept of romance, would such episodes as 'City on the Edge of Forever' 'Requiem for Methuselah' or 'All Our Yesterdays' have ever been made?

Roddenberry, according to David Gerrold, did do the final rewrite on "City". In addition, we were told on page 155 of Gerrold's "Tribbles" book that an unidentified staffer (probably Fontana) also did a rewrite after numerous Ellison rewrites So, weknowthatthree, count'em, three people layed their hands on the script before it was finally filmed. You say you give credit to the "writers, rewriters and Gene" but all I hear from you is "Gene." By looking at Ellison's version, we can see that about 90 per cent of his script did get on the air. Roughly 10 percent of the changes in details and certain omissions has to be shared with the other staffer and Roddenberry. The main difference between the two versions is that Ellison had Kirk allowing Edith to live, but Spock prevents it and Edith dies. The aired version has Kirk stopping McCoy from saving Edith, with Spock looking on, but Edith still dies.

I've said before that the changes in Ellison's draft were with good reason, but without repeating my letter in I#48, I can add that Ellison's story outline was dated 5/13/66 and that was well before the first show featuring McCoy was filmed, "The Corbomite Maneuver" on 5/24/66.

1986

I'm as much of a feminist as anyone out there! It's simply that the women of Star Trek were never designed to be equals, for the simple fact that they were never designed to last more than one episode. For that reason, K/S became a "logical conclusion" in the minds of many writers and viewers. As human beings, we want happiness for our heroes — and when those heroes couldn't find their happiness in the arms of their one-episode lovers, some of us concluded that there were reasons for that. While the female Romulan Commander of THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT or Edith Keeler of CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER might have been spiritual/emotional/intellectual equals, they just weren't going to be around when the lights went down on that starship at night. And, again as humans, we demand happiness and security for our heroes on an hourly basis. So... K/S literature was born and continues to flourish.

1991

Of the Captain Kirk love stodries, nearly everyone's favourite, City on the Edge of Forever, was strangely enough the one I least liked as a child. I just could not warm to the character of Edith Keeler, because of the undertones of fascist sympathy in the story. Over the years I have come to change my mind about City on the Edge of Forever (the story did at least make a big impression on me even all those year's ago) to the point where it is now among my favourites. I still don't like Edith Keeler much. As a kid I could not understand what Kirk saw in her. As an adult I can well understand falling in love with someone who is misguided and somewhat flawed (it is a tragedy which happens to people); realising this has made me have more respect for the story.

2008

Foodwise, one of our most popular meals [at conventions], repeated several years, was a noontime presentation that we called our “City Lunch” — after Kirk’s remark to Spock in “City on the Edge of Forever” — “Bologna on a hard roll for me, and assorted vegetables for you.” We had various cold cuts and sandwich makings, fresh hard rolls, raw veggies on a platter, and one year we made vegetable soup.

2010

Kirk comes back with food and a bag of logic-problem stuff. He says he's not getting the platinum. Spock points out that he's already being asked to work with primitive materials in a very dull time, and if he doesn't get a whole lot of something shiny soon, he can't be answerable for the consequences.

Spock steals some jeweler's tools, which are apparently sufficiently shiny, and Edith catches them; she's pissed off, but Spock says he's going to give them back, and Kirk says if Spock says he needs them and that he'll give them back, he will, so just fucking lay off, okay?

Edith agrees, on one condition: "Walk me home?"

We are so, so uncomfortable with this, on all kinds of levels.

BB: He can have the tools if I get your body?

Me: I am pretty sure it wasn't meant like that.

BB: WHAT ELSE COULD THAT MEAN?

Me: ...I don't know. Let's blame Harlan Ellison for this part.

We agree to. He's certainly creepy enough to think it's okay.

Back onscreen, Edith has questions to ask. Because she's noticed they're out of place. Spock asks where they belong.

"You? At his side, as if you've always been there and always will."

EVEN THE LOVE INTEREST THINKS THEY'RE MARRIED.

"And you? You belong in another place. I don't where or how. I'll figure it out eventually." Apparently her seeing thing isn't just limited to the future.

And, wow, they have made a serious error here, in thinking that giving her visions and so on makes her appealing. In reality, it makes her PROFOUNDLY CREEPY. This is the episode of creepy people. I am not surprised, what with the Creepy Harlan connection.

And Creepy Kirk joins the creepy cast - as she walks away, Kirk pauses to give her a look like he is plotting the first of his many serial kills before following her.

Spock pretends he isn't watching Kirk go, but he IS. Oh, he IS. And I just do not know what that acting choice could have been meant to convey except "my boyfriend is going off with someone else and I'm repressing my GREAT ANGUISH."

Sample Fanworks: Fiction

• City on the Edge of Whatever Slide Show (1976) and the related City on the Edge of Whatever Coloring Book (1977)

from City on the Edge of Whatever Coloring Book, artist is Gordon Carleton (1977)

• The Other Alternative by Susan K. James (1978)
• The Edge of Nowhere by Bev Volker (1978)
• Requiem, fiction by Julie Osborn in Alpha Touch #2 (1980)
• City by Keil Stuart in Beyond Fiction #2 (1982)
• Lost in Forever by Tay Garian (1986)
• The Caretaker by Robin Hood (1986)
• Echoes of Forever by Kathy Stanis (1994)
• A Day in the City by S.R. Benjamin (2000)
• Goodnight Sweetheart by Rabble Rouser (2002)
• Observations by jAnon (2009-10)
• More Than A Flesh Wound by Doctor Beth in Let Me Help (2019)

Fanworks: Filk

• "Song for the Angel" in The Colors of Love (1977)

Example Art Gallery

• 
  Art from Transwarp by unknown artist
• 
  Art from Warped Space #29/30 by Joni Wagner (1977)