re: Star Trek: TOS Watchers - S2 - Return to Tomorrow *Page 14*

The "pendant" Enterprise appears to be another example of Big Gene trying to sell products - at least in this case, it was important to the plot. The show really was a pioneer in many ways - there had been science fiction series and merchandising before, but this package and strategy was sort of new ground. Following a hybrid template of Wagon Train and Forbidden Planet, it is sort of a "smart" western, set in the future. It completely paved the way for Star Wars to follow 10 years later, including the merchandising strategy (which, had not been really big for movies before - there was merchandising associated with stars before - Roy Rogers, particularly, and the odd film or television series, but nothing like the scope and coordinated strategy of Star Trek - particularly once it went into syndication and the convention cycle picked up - for television or Star Wars for film.)