Lost Trek script that should have stayed lost

[Metryq]

Someone on another forum posted the discovery of a "lost" Star Trek script by Norman Spinrad.

In 1967 immediately after work finished on the original series episode "The Doomsday Machine," Star Trek creator/producer Gene Roddenberry asked writer Norman Spinrad to follow it up with another script. This time the parameters were to include a role for "Mr. Television" Milton Berle. Spinrad turned around a script titled "He Walked Among Us" but then came into conflict with producer Gene Coon. After Coon rewrote the script Spinrad felt it didn’t work anymore and convinced Roddenberry to pull it from the production schedule. Now 45 years later Spinrad has rediscovered his long lost original draft and this week he made it available as an e-book download.

Since I like "The Doomsday Machine," I decided to download the ebook and give it a whirl. Aside from numerous formatting errors in the ebook—showing that no one took the time to proof it—it is the worst Trek story I have ever read. "The Alternative Factor" and "Spock's Brain" are better episodes.

Then a later post indicated that the story is going to be produced by the Star Trek Phase II group, proving my notion that the masses will buy anything with "Star Trek" stamped on it, no matter how bad it is.

 

[BAYLOR]

Didn't they novelize that one?

 

[BelgarionOz]

I hve a copy of the screenplay (printed not e). I don't remember it being that bad. Maybe I'll have to reread it.

 

[BAYLOR]

I hve a copy of the screenplay (printed not e). I don't remember it being that bad. Maybe I'll have to reread it.

Was it better then Spock's Brain ?