City on the Edge of Forever

 

So sometimes its difficult to talk about something without sounding cliched. Because it's been said so often, it doesn't sound like an original opinion anymore.

 

 

But with that said... The City on the Edge of Forever is a fucking fantastic piece of TV. There's a reason the cast love it, the critics love, the public love it, the fans love it, and even folk who wouldn't give Star Trek the time of day love it. Because it's an outstanding piece of TV, made in large part by two talented egomaniacs. Although once you take "Harlan being Harlan" out of the equation, I have more sympathy for Ellison tbh. He was brought in with promise of creative freedom, only for that to die by the rewrite as the budget and show crystallised around him. Events since then had several creative types trying to control the narrative of who comes out better. This is like Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler trying to murder each other writing Double Indemnity. You all look good, due to the end product!

 

Once we pass by some plot required goofiness - McCoy's overdose, and trip to the planet of the time travel - we get into the meat of the story in the 1930s. (Oh, and I like how as soon as McCoy goes through, time immediately changes for those in the future, and they only know because they've been left in an impossible scenario.) Kirk and Spock wait weeks in 1930 for Bones to show up, watched over by Joan Collins (who can act!). The space and time allows the episode to breathe. Through conservation of detail (talk of 3 days pay and 30 hours work here and there, repeat day/night scenes), we learn that Kirk and Spock have spent, at the very least, a month in this time zone. So when Kirk falls for Joan, it's not your typical "James T Kirk 3 hour romance", they've clearly spent a lot of time together. And then she has to die to preserve the time line, for being the right person born in the wrong moment. 

 

All of this allows William Shatner to stretch his acting muscles, and he does with aplomb, producing his finest performance of the series. His Kirk is clearly heartbroken by the choice. Leonard Nimoy is able to convey pages of technobabble with a single look.

 

In short, this influences every time paradox film and TV show from then on, from Doctor Who to Back to the Future. With just cause. In later life, DeForest Kelley said he thought this was the best episode of Star Trek. He was probably right.