10 Star Trek: The Original Series Episodes That Were Almost Made

In 1968, Ted Sturgeon was a well-known writer of literary science fiction with two popular Star Trek episodes to his name: “Shore Leave” and “Amok Time.” Among the show’s staff, however, he had a reputation for blowing deadlines and ignoring budgetary constraints.

His third effort for the show (to be discussed later) resulted in a final draft script that was deemed unfilmable and junked. Nonetheless, the staff gave him one more try at the beginning of the third season, which carried a working title of “Shore Leave II.”

Most sources claim this outline was a direct sequel to Sturgeon’s earlier “Shore Leave,” while others claim it was rewritten into the animated episode “Once Upon a Planet.” Neither of these claims are true. Sturgeon’s outline (even at 33 pages, it’s a stretch to call it a story) is an episodic tale set on the planet “Lackaday” (no, really).

Many incidents occur while the crew are on shore leave. Chekov gets robbed by a pickpocket. Sulu loses money in a shell game. Kirk gets into a fistfight. The crew meets a large many “with a big ugly head and scar” called... “Ol’ Gorilla Grillo.” And on and on.

Bob Justman read Sturgeon's outline, and promptly fired off a memo to the show’s new producer, Fred Freiberger, that was brief and to the point:

In my opinion, there are only a few minor things lacking in this submission. And those are:

1. Story

2. Peril

3. Conflict

4. Believable characterizations.

Already warned by Roddenberry that Sturgeon had a penchant for turning in work late, Freiberger didn’t wait for a revision. He cut off the story, and ended Sturgeon’s association with Star Trek.