Another Jack Trevino story pitch, intended as a prequel of sorts to the TOS second-season episode "The Changeling," this one likely would have gone into production had Enterprise been picked up for a fifth season. Entitled "Tan Ru," it would have chronicled the original Enterprise's encounter with the eponymous alien probe a century before it was encountered (having by that time merged with the 21st century Earth space probe Nomad) by Kirk's Enterprise. But here's where it gets weird. The Tan Ru probe, for reasons that remain unclear, would have compelled Doctor Phlox to construct a hybrid life form from bits and pieces of assorted dead aliens, in an obvious homage to the Frankenstein films. It would no doubt have been interesting to see how the story was executed, given the Star Trek franchise's previous track record of paying tribute to bygone filmic eras (most famously with Tom Paris and Harry Kim's Captain Proton holodeck program on Voyager). It certainly would have been great fun to see Phlox interacting with a hunchbacked assistant and shrieking "It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!" Unfortunately, Enterprise didn't remain alive long enough to see it to fruition.
Recovering print journalist, writing professionally since 1991, polluting the internet and wasting the world's bandwidth since 1995. Board-certified Doctor of Memetics and Trollology, offering free consultations to qualified patients.
