Utopia?

I’m speechless.

I found the following on a website I stumbled upon while absentmindedly following blogroll links. It’s a clip from a Gene Roddenberry pilot called Planet Earth made in 1974 and actually shown on network television (ABC). From the Wikipedia article:

The pilot focused on gender relations from an early 1970s perspective. Dylan Hunt, confronted with a post-apocalyptic matriarchal society, muses, “Women’s lib? Or women’s lib gone mad…”

Obviously, I’m looking at this from a very specific point of view, but holy shit if this isn’t the hottest piece of television sci-fi I’ve seen. I will definitely be looking for the rest of this episode. Also, reevaluating my conception of Gene and Majel.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noo2zPjewOE]

UPDATE: The quality’s not so good, but here’s the entire show: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8

9 Replies to “Utopia?”

  1. Are you kidding? Gene Roddenberry was totally into BDSM. Sub space interference? In this episode one of the main characters is named Sevrin! http://www.cbs.com/classics/star_trek/video/video.php?cid=649548575&pid=2jCniOZXunxcTGZPMvdyoDLhjStZ5TZB&play=true

    In this one go directly to minute 28 and see Kirk get down on his knees and beg and be sure to notice how the guard responds to the Domme….
    http://www.cbs.com/classics/star_trek/video/video.php?cid=649548575&pid=87QwAZfc0vqgcRcTc3AZt_Pl0uMOLs7D&play=true

  2. I remember the Sevrin character, but I guess I’m clueless as to the significance of that name. And is Roddenberry’s proclivities another common knowledge thing that I knew nothing about?

  3. Severin, I misspelled it above, is the male character in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s classic novel Venus in Furs. A subtle but telling reference. Star Trek was full of S&M references that are subtle and seemingly meaningless if viewed by themselves.

    The guard’s reply to the Domme in the knee high boots of “Yes Mistress” was the Rosetta Stone for me. The proper military greeting would be “Yes Maam'” but the guard goes out of his way to use the term Mistress.

    Your great find of Planet Earth simply convinces me that I am correct that these references were intentional and not just a result of my sophomoric, and perverted brain functions.

    Disclaimer: I have no knowledge of Mr Roddenerry’s personal preferences. I simply know that as a long time Star Trek fan I now understand why the show held so much fascination for me!

  4. You should watch the entire episode of Spock’s Brain that I posted above. Then tell me if you think the references are a coincidence. I particularly like the surface dweller who refers to the women living below as “Those who give pleasure and pain.” C’Mon!!!!!!

  5. I agree that Spock’s Brain was THE WORST episode of TOS. However, when I DVRed it and watched it with my Mistress it was VERY entertaining! Let me know if you think I just am right or just have kink on the brain…..

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