11. Eric A. Stillwell’s Yesterday’s Enterprise

On the anniversary of its first airing, Beyond Farpoint chats to Eric A. Stillwell about ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’, ‘Shades of Gray’, ‘Prime Factors’, Disney princesses and Star Trek fan clubs.

Beyond Farpoint - A Star Trek: The Next Generation Podcast
Beyond Farpoint
11. Eric A. Stillwell's Yesterday's Enterprise
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What to expect from episode 11: Eric A. Stillwell’s Yesterday’s Enterprise?

Introductions

Baz and Geoff introduce the show, excited to be welcoming Eric A. Stillwell, story co-writer of the fan favourite episode ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’ later in the episode.

First memories

Baz and Geoff talk about their memories of when they first saw the episode, and highlights of the episode itself. They talk about how the third season of TNG started to become a show in its own right. Baz talks about Worf and Troi and their smaller roles in this alternate timeline war episode.

Baz and Geoff briefly go into their memories and observations of this episode including the ‘missing era’ uniforms and ship designs, Tasha Yar’s development and a look at an alternate timeline war-era TNG comparing it with Discovery’s first season and DS9’s Dominion War.

Eric A. Stillwell

Geoff and Baz welcome Eric to the podcast and asks him about his early fandom and his involvement with a childhood local fan club. Eric talks about how he got to work as a runner, studio tour guide, production associate and ultimately the script coordinator on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Geoff asks Eric about Star Trek’s famous open script submission policy at the time and his involvement at the time and Geoff laments on his own abandoned script idea.

Shades of Riker’s Brain and Yesterday’s Enterprise

Geoff brings up the infamous clip show Shades of Gray and Eric’s research into the episode culminating in his first Star Trek screen credit.

We then start talking about Eric’s original story idea involving Sarek and Surak and compares it with Trent Christopher Ganino’s story idea and how Denise Crosby and Whoopi Goldberg became involved with the story as well as the involvement of teleplay writers Ira Stephen Behr, Richard Manning Hans Beimler and Ronald D. Moore.

Star Trek VI, Deep Space Nine and Voyager

Eric talks about his days of being a background Klingon in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and his work with David R. George III on a Deep Space Nine story pitch (which became the novel The 34th Rule) and the Voyager episode ‘Prime Factors’.

He was saddened to see the fate of his people in Star Trek: Picard but said it was cool to see his episode referenced.

Reality TV and Disney princesses

We then talk about Eric’s post-Star Trek work which includes the TV shows ‘Nanna’s Cottage’, ‘American Idol’, ‘The X Factor’, Gordon Ramsay’s shows and ultimately his work with Disney Consumer Products on the Disney Princess doll ranges.

Conclusion

We thank Eric for his time today and bring the episode to a close.

Episode Credits

Hosts

  • Baz Greenland
  • Geoff Owen

Guest

  • Eric A. Stillwell

Editor

  • Geoff Owen

Small Print

The theme music is "Sunrise on the New World" by Grant Newman, and is licenced by Holosuite Media through Epidemic Sound.

The theme includes a short clip from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Encounter at Farpoint.

STAR TREK and all related marks, logos and characters are owned by CBS Studios Inc.

Beyond Farpoint, Holosuite Media, the website, the promotion thereof and any exhibition of material created by Beyond Farpoint, Holosuite Media, or the Beyond Farpoint team are not endorsed or sponsored by or affiliated with CBS Studios/Paramount Pictures or the STAR TREK franchise.

This podcast is a fan production. All views made are that of the individual(s), and may not represent that of Beyond Farpoint, or the Holosuite Media network.

Beyond Farpoint - A Star Trek: The Next Generation Podcast
Beyond Farpoint
11. Eric A. Stillwell's Yesterday's Enterprise
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