Book Review: The Questor Tapes by D.C. Fontana

 

The Questor Tapes by D.C. Fontana 

Based on a teleplay by Gene Roddenberry and Gene L.Coon

156 pages, Paperback 

First published January 1, 1974

Since Gene Roddenberry created one of the longest-running franchises in history only that really only has Star Wars and Law and Order to compare itself to it might be easy to think of the man as more successful than he was. In the 70s he tried over and over to make TV pilots one after another. Some eventually got rebooted after his death in syndication like Andromeda and Earth Final Conflict. One of those pilots was The Questor Tapes which was released as a half-baked TV movie. Until I sat down to write this review I didn’t know that it ever got released. For me, it was a script (co-written by ST’s two Genes) adapted into a novel by long-time Star Trek story editor D.C. Fontana.

The paperback I have is the second printing from 1979 that mentions that it was based on the script by Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon from a story by the great bird of the galaxy himself. The paperback didn’t mention that this TV movie was made and directed by Richard A. Colla (of Battlestar Galactica pilot fame) and starred a young pre-MASH, Mike Ferrell. When reading this I assumed Dorothy Fontana offered to novelize this because it was unproduced and as a tribute to the recent loss of her buddy Gene L.Coon who the book is dedicated to. The title page includes a chuck of his eulogy at a Writer’s guild memorial.

I just watched a bit of the produced show and it is cheezy as a low-budget 70s production might be expected to have. Dorothy Fontana tries to class up the joint but much of the cheese is baked into the story and it appears she is being faithful to the script. Gene Roddenberry was wise to pass on the show as the network wanted to make a change that would have made the storytelling elements nearly impossible but we will come back to that.

It will all sound familiar because as Roddenberry was known to do he is recycling ideas like bottles at an earth day festival. The Questor Tapes is the story of Data outside of the Star Trek context. Scientists representing 5 nations team up to make an artificial person, unlike Data who is supposed to pass as a human. When he wakes up he doesn’t have emotions and must follow programming, part of his programming is finding his creator. The Changeling, The Motion Picture, and Data in TNG have all sought to find their creator. In TQT the creator is in London.

This kicks off an adventure that includes Jerry (Mike Ferrell’s scientist) and Questor the robot traveling overseas together this is of course when he learns to become human. Questor’s journey is very Data-ish, which is fine. The series had it been made would have been Questor and Jerry on the run, while Jerry teaches him humanity.

The novel itself is very basic, Fontana appears to be just slightly flowering up the novel. This was written before doorstop novels were in vogue. Thin easy-to-digest Science fiction novels were more common. Judy Del Rey was the senior editor, in ’74 with re-runs of Star Trek being popular it is easy to see why she might accept this with a little hands-off attitude. It reads like a script at times but Fontana adds to the story with subtle moments when she can.

“Questor had come to like the quiet oases of green trees, flowers, and lawns humans called parks. He stood quietly under a tree, watching a platoon of children attacking the slides, and swings and seesaws of the play area. The weather was warm, and faint breeze barely riffled the leaves into a swaying dance.”

Fontana also tries to add flavor through the wacky out of date science, and in some of the character work.  There is humor throughout, most of it subtle except in a few scenes like when Questor fails to understand he is talking to a prostitute.

“I don’t think you get it. You give me 15 pounds…and I’ll make you happy.”
Questor tilted his head to the right, puzzled. “Please explain why I should become happy if I give you fifteen pounds.”
“Hey, are you kidding?”
“It would, perhaps, gratify my charitable impulses – but at the moment I am aware of none.”

Later in the story, in the scene that would later be used in The Naked Now episode of TNG we find out this robot is fully functional. Roddenberry famous told the story in lectures about losing this scene in the movie, after debating with the network but it is here for sure. If you think that all seems familiar it is true.  He said the network really had a problem with robots having sex with a real live person. Well, it was a woman and Roddenberry implied that Questor getting laid made them feel inadequate. (just reporting here folks)

In a sweet nod to Bjo Trimble the fan who started the save Star Trek letter-writing campaign there is a character named Lady Trimble. Which was in the script.  Jerry of course over the novel goes from calling Questor a machine to a friend. This transition starts on page 117 launching into the final act when Questor ponders shutting down after finding his creator.

“Without my creator, I have no purpose, my friend. He provided me with extinction in that event so I could not be misused.”
“Don’t be so damned cold about it! You’re talking about dying.”
“Death occurs to living things, Jerry. Do you consider me to be alive?”

Big themes and questions. For TV at the time The Questor Tapes might not have seemed as cheezy as it does almost 50 years later. I give Fontana and the Genes credit for trying but despite many fun moments the novel/show doesn’t hold to the high ambitions it had. All involved wanted a story that investigated what it means to be human. This comes to a head when Questor tries to blow himself up and basically screams. I don't know what I am.

Now Roddenberry took two cracks at Star Trek pilots and still was smoothing out what that show was a dozen episodes in. Had the Questor Tapes made it past the pilot maybe they would have worked out the kinks. In a sense, they did just in Star Trek the Next Generation. I think this novel is for DC Fontana and Roddenberry completionists only.  I had enough fun to give it three stars but that might be my bias for Fontana and what I consider her role to be.