Lawsuit on the Edge of Forever

Last week, Harlan Ellison sued Paramount for long-lost royalties related to “City on the Edge of Forever,” which many fans say was the best episode of the original Star Trek. Claiming lost royalties for things like “Guardian of Forever” Hallmark ornaments, Ellison also named the Writer’s Guild in the suit for failing to do their part in helping him get his due.

I’m no hypocrite. It ain’t about the ‘principle,’ friend, its about the MONEY!

5 replies on “Lawsuit on the Edge of Forever”

  1. 40 years late???
    I know it’s been an ongoing dispute, but to beat on the horse again 40 years later???

    • Re: 40 years late???

      I know it’s been an ongoing dispute, but to beat on the horse again 40 years later???

      I think he’s going for royalties from the new DVD sets. And, even though he’s a bit of a prick, he does have a valid point. I don’t think this is his first lawsuit with Paramount about the episode. I’d tell him to piss off if it were one of the campier episodes, but "City on the Edge of Forever" is hands down one of the best bits of Star Trek…ever.

      • Re: 40 years late???

        I think he’s going for royalties from the new DVD sets. And, even though he’s a bit of a prick, he does have a valid point. I don’t think this is his first lawsuit with Paramount about the episode. I’d tell him to piss off if it were one of the campier episodes, but "City on the Edge of Forever" is hands down one of the best bits of Star Trek…ever.

        ahhh…THAT’s what it feels like to have a password reset.
        Anyway.
        I actually went through all that effort to express the heretical view that, I, personally, did not enjoy that episode all that much. Not that it was bad, but it never felt all that "Trek" to me. It could just as easily – MORE easily – been done as a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode.

        The only thing that makes it special is the characters he told it with.

        • Re: 40 years late???

          I think he’s going for royalties from the new DVD sets. And, even though he’s a bit of a prick, he does have a valid point. I don’t think this is his first lawsuit with Paramount about the episode. I’d tell him to piss off if it were one of the campier episodes, but "City on the Edge of Forever" is hands down one of the best bits of Star Trek…ever.

          ahhh…THAT’s what it feels like to have a password reset.
          Anyway.
          I actually went through all that effort to express the heretical view that, I, personally, did not enjoy that episode all that much. Not that it was bad, but it never felt all that "Trek" to me. It could just as easily – MORE easily – been done as a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode.

          The only thing that makes it special is the characters he told it with.

          I think that might be part of his point – Harlan wrote this for Star Trek, but it’s so good that even ‘mainstream’ fiction considers it to be excellent. Most people have seen it or know of it, but it’s not really associated with Harlan except by us more in the know "SyFy" fans.

          I hope he wins – Harlan may be a prick, but Paramount has been treating Star Trek like crap for years. I have some hopes for Abrams’ relaunch, but it almost seems like too little too late.

        • Re: 40 years late???

          The only thing that makes it special is the characters he told it with.

          I got to spend a day and a half with him back in college. When I first met him he was pissed off that I didn’t know off the top of my head which episode was his work (this was an issue at that time, 1985.) Thankfully I guessed right the first time ("The Trouble with Tribbles?" "The Cage?") or I suspect today I’d be sharing about the five minutes I spent with Mr. Elison.

          :)

          -Joe

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