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Prequel Problems: Star Trek First Contact and Enterprise

...what was the plot of the JFK idea?
There are more details on Memory Alpha, but Gene Roddenberry repeatedly pushed for a Star Trek film in which the crew have to ensure JFK is assassinated because otherwise the future will not come true, despite this being in the 1980s when it was recent enough to be pretty bad taste. I don't know why he was so obsessed with the concept.

By coincidence, Red Dwarf eventually managed to actually pull this off in a relatively sensitive way.
 
There are more details on Memory Alpha, but Gene Roddenberry repeatedly pushed for a Star Trek film in which the crew have to ensure JFK is assassinated because otherwise the future will not come true, despite this being in the 1980s when it was recent enough to be pretty bad taste. I don't know why he was so obsessed with the concept.

By coincidence, Red Dwarf eventually managed to actually pull this off in a relatively sensitive way.

'Spock is the shooter on the grassy knoll' was the fan summary though I don't think it was ever confirmed that that's how the story would actually end.
 
One of the best character beats in First Contact, Cochrane going "WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP WHO SAID THAT DAFT GUFF" when Riker repeats a thing he'll later say (which he now says cos he knows he's going to).
 
There are more details on Memory Alpha, but Gene Roddenberry repeatedly pushed for a Star Trek film in which the crew have to ensure JFK is assassinated because otherwise the future will not come true, despite this being in the 1980s when it was recent enough to be pretty bad taste. I don't know why he was so obsessed with the concept.
In fairness, that would definitely not be the weirdest thing Roddenberry was obsessed with for no clear reason.
 
In fairness, that would definitely not be the weirdest thing Roddenberry was obsessed with for no clear reason.

As I've said before, every time Star Trek took a bold, brilliant decision, that would go on to be one of its most celebrated moments among its fans, you will find that there was Gene Roddenberry behind the scenes, fighting tooth and nail to prevent it from happening.

I am in particular annoyed that Roddenberry was able to successfully veto the inclusion of Saavik in The Undiscovered Country. Her role was ultimately turned into a new character, Valeris, as Roddenberry didn't want Saavik to betray the Federation, which angered Nicholas Meyer to no small amount, as he felt that as he had created Saavik in the first place, he should be allowed to do with her as he pleased.

You can still see traces of that Valeris was originally intended to be Saavik in the final product, in that exchange of lines: "A lie?" -- "A choice." It also makes Spock taking Valeris' betrayal of him, Starfleet, and the Federation so personally make much more sense. Here was a young Vulcan he had such great faith in, such high hope, whom he had mentored and been on adventures with and had a deep personal connection, and in the end, that faith and those hopes were misplaced. Also makes him forcing her to mindmeld with him appear all the more poignant.

Damned. Valeris should have been Saavik.
 
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