#The Way to Eden

[electronickingdomfox]

From the outline of "Joanna" (the early version of "The Way to Eden")

McCoy is said to have only spoken three times with his daughter since he joined Starfleet (and apparently, he wouldn't stop talking about Kirk on those occasions...). Also, if I had a nickel for every time Kirk or Spock found Joanna attractive because of her similitude to her dad, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but...

Wow! He's soooo harsh with her! Usually in these situations the father is protective of his daughter when a man is after her. Here, it's totally the other way around.

Fortunately, it gets better at the end:

Though I like the filmed episode as it is, I find this subplot between McCoy and Joanna much more interesting than the one between Chekov and Irina. It's unfortunate that so much about McCoy's backstory was lost in the rewriting.

[alienantichrist]

Y'all ever think about how Spock just decides to have a jam session with the space hippies in "The Way to Eden"

the way he is just politely waiting with his vulcan lute in hand is precious to me

tbh it's just generally iconic how he is the one that communicates with them and they seem to actually hear him out, like he just seeks to understand them and it's just great

[trek-tracks]

Feel free to debate this, but I think we can all agree Bones eagerly claimed "exposure." They didn't actually run out of vegetables but Jim got scurvy anyway

[skybson]

My Top 25 Costumes from Star Trek : The Original Series

6. Irina Galliulin's Flower Co-ord Set

[starberry-cupcake]

spock: can I leave my post to go look for a planet nobody has found and some people, including you, don't think might exist?

spock: and can I bring the kid with me?

jim: of course ♥

also, they had this phrase they used with spock because he got them, I guess

so, of course, the episode ended with

[lichqueenlibrarian]

[per1w1nkl3]

theres also the scene at the beginning of the episode. kirk hATES the hippies he cannot stand them. he goes "one of *those* was in the academy??" but then he looks at checov and he can see there's somethings wrong and his stance visibly relaxes and let's checov go. he thinks the hippies are beneath him, he's surprised when spocks mentions they are actually well educated- I think what he really cannot stand is disorganization? someone who may or may not obey orders? (which would explain why hes so uncomfortable around kids) after all its understandable he's the captain of the enterprise all of his life is on the ship, he vowed his life to her.

its interesting tho, a 'Herbert's as spock explains was a "minor official notorious for his limited and rigid patterns of thought" which ofc kirk isn't a minor official nor is he dumb but he is very rigid in his belief. he's fair in his judgment, he's understanding, he's kind but only to idk his crew, who behave in a decent manner or to hot girl #39 or smth because they fall into a pattern he knows. you know who seems to be more open minded??? the vulcan. the stiff emotionless vulcan, who says says he doesn't feel sympathy for them but rather fascination because just like him the hippies are considered somewhat alien in their planets. he doesn't seen to be against them for their beliefs he's just against the cult anti vaxxer thing. and regardless he wants to keep his promise of helping them find their eden

[discoonthegrass]

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield: The Enterprise encounters two duo-chromatic and mutually belligerent aliens who put the ship in the middle of their old conflict.

The Way to Eden: A group of idealistic hippies, led by an irrational leader, come aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Feel free to reblog in order to help this poll reach the most people! Remember to vote on the other polls in this round, listed here!

[instantpansies]

actually i think it was very camp of star trek to have a whole episode about an antivaxx hippie christian cult. i think it was very groovy actually

[your-name-is-jim]

So I’ve just rewatched the space hippies episode, and in the last scene Kirk waits for Spock in that spot just to tell him this line the space hippies used. And I don’t know, the mix of Kirk’s expression, his body language and what he says looks like the most blatant flirting I’ve ever seen.

[s3 e20 - The Way to Eden]

[samthetrekkie]

the songs in this episode were unironically great - just regular 60s music, but really good imo. and I love that the hippies were portrayed as really intellectual people, specifically bc spock agrees with their ideals.

in general, actually not a badly constructed episode? I can't explain how, but I was really focused on the plot in this one. sometimes I zone out during tos episodes, oops...

[tprings-hair]

production letter from bob justman on joanna, later called the way to eden, dated september 5, 1967 at auction. I found it difficult to read and tried to clean it up a little, but here's a transcript from what I can see.

source

Gene Coon

Bob Justman

cc: J.H. Lucas

Gene Roddenberry

September 5, 1967

STORY PREMISE

"JOANNA" by D.C. Fontana

(Dated: ??-2?-67)

Dear Gene:

I think there is a good premise contained within these few pages.

I think there are some areas opened up, however, that will need careful examination. I think it is well worth getting this property into work. It seems to have certain dramatic elements that would be useful in a "STAR TREK" and also it would appear that it would turn out to be an eminently suitable vehicle for displaying the talents of DeForest Kelley.

Areas to be discussed are:

Why does our "usually amiable Doctor" turn into a "fiercely protective father" when he sees that Kirk and Joanna are drawn to each other? Does he know that Captain Kirk is a libertine, or does he have the knowledge (due to the fact that he is the Ranking Physician on board) that Captain Kirk has contracted an incurable social disease? On the other hand, if Dr. McCoy has subconsciously repressed desire for his own daughter, we may be opening up a can of poss that would take some pretty delicate writing to handle.

Another area that will seriously need examination is the area of Joanna's anger against her father. I agree. Where has Dr. McCoy been all her life?

This premise should develop into a fine story. That fine story should be developed into a superior teleplay. It's going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of soul-searching for Dorothy to bring it to fruition. But I think it's worth the effort.

Regards,

BOB

a page of the story outline for joanna, later called the way to eden, dated august 27, 1968 at auction, though this particular page is dated september 5, 1968.

source

9/5/68

STAR TREK

"JOANNA"

TEASER

LT. UHURA has picked up a distress call from a small planet where a tiny group of travellers has been stranded. Coordinates are locked on; and the bunch of six is beamed up to where KIRK, SPOCK, and MCCOY are waiting in the Transporter Room. The group materializing is bizarre -- 23rd Century Flower Children. Their dress, hairstyle, everything about them is totally removed from the orderliness of our Star Fleet personnel -- and in a way, almost alien. The lovely young girl to one side of the group (could be played by someone like Bobbi Gentry or Nancy Sinatra) looks over the three Enterprise officers, smiles cheerfully, and advances toward McCoy. "Hi, Dad," she says.

Spock asks cautiously if that is not an archaic slang greeting. McCoy replies tartly it is not. "This is my daughter -- Joanna."

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

The leader of this small band is a young man named SEVRIN. All are members of that lonely coordinated Earth group called "The Artists". (One of them could be Tiny Tim.) An outgrowth and projection of today's hippy/flower child philosophy, these young people are (at least vocally) devoted to peace and brotherhood and pursuit of art forms, the expression of which is as beyond STAR TREK's level as today's hip art is beyond ours. (NOTE: they are not dirty, no drugs or hallucinogenics, no mention of "hippies" will be made in reference to

[skybson]

3x20 - The Way to Eden

[t4toro]

happy pride to whatever these two had going on

[per1w1nkl3]

i think it's very cool how spock is the first one to (successfully) reach out to the space hippies in that one episode. he connects with them instantly. AND we get a little musical number!!