Talk:Return to Tomorrow (episode)

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Apollo Mission reference

I think it's odd that nobody ever points out that Kirk's reference to a successful "Apollo Mission" is still in the future for our universe when the episode was created.

"Return to Tomorrow" was filmed in 1968. The first moon landing was in 1969, although flyby missions had been successfully completed prior to that.

I don't know where this observation would fit on this page, but I think it's a very interesting detail.

I think its okay if you put it in the background information. Tough Little Ship 19:33, 24 Jul 2005 (UTC)

I added it for ya. -- Kurt of North Bend 24 Aug 2005

Origin of Sargon, Founders?

I must speculate that aliens from three separate series are actually the same race.In "Return to Tomorrow" on Sargon's planet, we never actually see what Sargon looks like. Sargon's people take responsibility for seeding the planets of the galaxy with their DNA. The DNA of the Humanoid in "The Chase" is established as seeding the planets. Salome Jens appeared as the Humanoid Progenitor in TNG: "The Chase". A year later, she was cast as the Female Changeling, in DS9: "The Search, Part I". with her physical appearance resembling the previous role. The Changlings, or "founders" have highly developed skills in genetic engineering and neural transference (how else could Weyoun #142 remember everything the previous ones did?), similarly as developed by Sargon's people. Also, the Title "Return To Tomorrow" makes little sense for a stand-alone episode. However, in the context of a multiple-series narrative it makes much more sense.--Mike Nobody 10:45, 24 Sep 2005 (UTC)

That's decidedly unlikely. However, if you remember the line about 'Vulcan pre-history', you might also remember that Vulcans can transfer their katra from person to person. A Vulcan connection (and thus a Romulan and perhaps Mintakan one as well) seems more likely. We do not know the timescale between the the Progenitors, Sargon's people and the Changelings, but it is almost certain that there is a vast gap. Suggesting that two guest characters are the same because they used the same actor is not a good idea. Is Weyoun the same person as Shran?--Indefatigable 02:55, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

Appearance of Android in Episode Stills?

I've never seen any of the TOS blooper reels, but there is a reference to Bill Blackburn's appearance in the second season reel in the Background Information section of this article. During the closing credits of (if I recall correctly) "A Piece of the Action", there is a still photo of what appears to be the android from this episode. He is standing and is wearing a brown zipper-front velour suit. During the closing credits of "By Any Other Name", we see a still of the shoulders and head of the same android, this time unclothed, evidently removing his latex head makeup. Are these shots from the referenced blooper reel? If so, why were these shots used? Was this the only time that non-aired still images were used during TOS closing credits?? --David Deep 8:13, 7 Sep 2006

I checked my screenshots. The android in the velours suit is seen in the end credits of "The Immunity Syndrome" and, removing his make-up, in "By Any Other Name", as you said before. There is more unused stuff in the credits however. For example, test footage of the Tellarite make-up is seen in "A Private Little War" and "The Deadly Years" (the images can be seen here: Unnamed Tellarites (23rd century), scroll to the very bottom). Also, Spock is seen, standing in a doorway, laughing, in the credits of "The Immunity Syndrome". And a close-up of the City on Planet Q is seen in the end-credits of "What Are Little Girls Made Of?". There's also a shot of the D7 class Klingon battle cruiser that wasn't used in "Elaan of Troyius" (where it is found in the end-credits) or "Day of the Dove". That's all I can think of for the moment. --Jörg 12:30, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the reply. I can recall seeing all of the stills you referenced now that I search my memory. I always assumed the still of Spock laughing in the doorway actually appeared somewhere in the "Return to Tomorrow" episode, but I'm sure you are correct that this is another unused bit. Do you have any insight into why these unused scene stills were inserted over the closing credits? --David Deep 12:46 8 Sep 2006

Because they look cool? ;-) Honestly, no idea. --Jörg 06:11, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

Violation of the Prime Directive, in reverse?

I think the non-interference directive is established for the good of the primitive cultures. In this episode, the federation being the primitive culture, shouldn't Kirk avoid the interference of the more developed culture?

If this reasoning isn't obviously wrong, I think it may be mentioned in the article.

Mk* 17:16, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

In "Pen Pals", Picard says the Prime Directive "is to protect US!". Anyway, picking of nits isn't what Memory Alpha is for. 198.49.180.40 21:30, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

Removed Background Information

Morder removed the following note for being a nitpick:

• "Dr. Ann Mulhall, Astro-Biology" should be wearing a blue science uniform not a red engineering one. Kirk should also know who she is as she is a lieutenant commander which makes her a senior officer. (The same error occures with Jadzia Dax in "Trials and Tribble-ations" where she is wearing a red 23rd century uniform instead of the correct sciences-blue.)

– Cleanse 11:35, 21 June 2008 (UTC)

• In the sickbay scene in Act Two, the light bulbs inside Thalassa/Mulhall's receptacle – one blue, one green – are fairly obvious.
• There are interesting, if probably coincidental parallels with the first season episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?": the planet Exo III also became uninhabitable 500,000 years ago, and its survivors fled underground. And both episodes deal with the problems of androids (how much faster Sargon and Thalassa might have embodied themselves if only they'd had that nice Exo III duplicating device). The Old Ones of that lost world however do not seem to have any connection with Sargon's race of colonizers. Fan writer Ruth Berman suggested that Sargon and friends could have done better with the clearly superior androids from "I, Mudd". (quite a bit of speculation here and...a fan writer?)

Removed — Morder 07:52, 25 September 2008 (UTC)