Standard Orbit 158: Too Hot For TV / by Richard Marquez

The BBC Banned Episodes.

Running Time: 57 minutes 12 seconds
Download / RSS / Send us a message / Discuss the show / Support Trek.fm

When Miri first broadcast in the UK in 1970 it caused such a stir that not only did the BBC take it off the airwaves for decades, but three other episodes (Plato's Stepchildren, The Empath and Whom Gods Destroy) were completely banned until 1990! In this episode of Standard Orbit we explore British vs. American censorship and sensibilities when it comes to entertainment, and what we think might've made these episodes too hot for TV in the UK.

Could the graphic depictions of disease and torture have gone too far in Miri and The Empath? Might the legendary interracial kiss between Kirk and Uhura have factored into the decision to ban Plato's Stepchildren? What's so offensive about Whom Gods Destroy? What other notable censorship edits did the BBC make to the episodes the did broadcast? All this as well as Ken and Zach's thoughts on two modern day sitcoms they just can't stand.

Feature
Welcome to Standard Orbit! (00:01:08)
British vs. American Censorship (00:03:37)
Miri (00:10:17)
Plato's Stepchildren (00:17:09)
The Empath (00:24:15)
Whom Gods Destroy (00:26:21)
Ways and Opportunities to Watch These Episodes in the UK (00:30:54)
Censorship Edits to Other Episodes (00:35:37)
More "Appropriate" Episodes to Ban? (00:40:37)
Final Thoughts (00:47:35)
Previously on Trek.fm (00:52:06)
Thank You for Listening to Standard Orbit (00:53:06)

Hosts
Ken Tripp and Zach Moore

Production
Zach Moore (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Renee Roberts (Associate Producer) Nicolas Anastassiou (Associate Producer) Aaron Harvey (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)

Featured
Standard Orbit 301: Consequences of Leadership
Standard Orbit 301: Consequences of Leadership

Kirk as captain. We discuss the leadership style of Captain Kirk and the consequences of his decisions.

Standard Orbit 300: The Final Frontier
Standard Orbit 300: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a rather infamous film both in and out of Star Trek circles,  but we here at Standard Orbit happen to love it. In celebration of our 300th episode, hosts Ken Tripp, Zach Moore and Hayley Stoddart decided to do something special: an audio drama of The Final Frontier based on an earlier draft of the film's script (featuring the rock monster) and with the dream casting of the film, Sean Connery as Sybok.

Standard Orbit 299: This Is Goodbye
Standard Orbit 299: This Is Goodbye

This week on Standard Orbit hosts Ken Tripp and Zach Moore disembark the podcast after a nearly four year journey together behind the microphone. They reminisce with Hayley Stoddart about their fondest hosting memories, favorite episodes of the podcast, friendships forged over the years and say their final goodbyes.

Standard Orbit 298: The Rise Of Fan Service
Standard Orbit 298: The Rise Of Fan Service

This week on Standard Orbit hosts Ken Tripp, Zach Moore and Hayley Stoddart discuss the concept of fan service and how perhaps too much creeped in to JJ Abrams' Star Trek and Star Wars films. What is fan service, is it what the writers and directors of our favorite franchises think it is, does is do more harm than good, and do we as fans really even want it?

Standard Orbit 297: Inverted Commas
Standard Orbit 297: Inverted Commas

This week on Standard Orbit, host Zach Moore is joined by author and critic Darren Mooney to discuss the first season of The Original Series. This concludes our backwards trilogy that started in Standard Orbit 196 with the third season, and continued in Standard Orbits 246 with the second season.

Standard Orbit 296: Generosity
Standard Orbit 296: Generosity

Fans might know her best as Demora Sulu from Star Trek: Generations, but Jacqueline Kim has a career that extends far beyond Star Trek! This week on Standard Orbit hosts Ken Tripp, Zach Moore and Hayley Stoddart are proud to welcome Jacqueline to the show and discuss her accomplishments as an actress, writer, director, artist and humanitarian!

Standard Orbit 295: D.C. Fontana
Standard Orbit 295: D.C. Fontana

This week on Standard Orbit, hosts Ken Tripp and Zach Moore reflect on the life and work of Dorothy "D.C." Fontana. Passing away this past week at the age of eighty, Dorothy was one of the foundational creative forces behind the Star Trek universe and we celebrate her legacy by exploring her incredible Star Trek resume.

Standard Orbit 294: Kelvin Trailers
Standard Orbit 294: Kelvin Trailers

This week on Standard Orbit: Ken and Hayley discuss the news about a new Star Trek movie and then dive deep into the trailers that accompanied Kelvin Timeline films. You'll hear the trailers and the response and the noise that followed on social media. Boldly Listen!

Standard Orbit 293: Team Kang
Standard Orbit 293: Team Kang

This week on Standard Orbit hosts Ken Tripp, Zach Moore and Hayley Stoddart talk the third season episode Day of the Dove. An underrated and oft-overlooked episode, we discuss the glimpses it gives us into Klingon culture, how it puts the folly of prejudice on full display, the influences it may or may not have had on the movie era and much more!

Standard Orbit 292: Visions From The Twilight Zone
Standard Orbit 292: Visions From The Twilight Zone

This week on Standard Orbit host Zach Moore is joined by author, speaker, artist and historian Arlen Schumer to discuss The Twilight Zone and The Original Series! We discuss the influence Twilight Zone had on TOS, quintessential episodes vs. fan favorites and if and why there's a difference between them, the aesthetics of 1960s television and much more!