Star Trek‘s Abandoned Gay Episode Gets New Life

Star Trek: Phase II, a fan-created Internet series that usually films original work, has completed shooting “Blood and Fire,” an episode once shelved by Star Trek: The Next Generation for its gay themes. The makers of Phase II claim killing the episode, which highlights both openly gay characters and an AIDS metaphor (and gay marriage!), was a disservice to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Video below.

Gerrold wrote the story of contagion as a metaphor for the AIDS pandemic and the episode is dedicated to the gifted Star Trek alumni the world has lost to the disease: William Ware Theiss, Mike Minor and Merritt Butrick. It was also Gerrold’s intention to challenge the apathy of the public regarding the small sacrifice, yet far reaching power, of blood donations. Based on an original TNG script that was shelved because of the mention of a gay crewman aboard the Enterprise, “Blood and Fire” for Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II honors Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a non-judgmental future with the inclusion of a gay couple as part of the principle action of the story.

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More photos and video at AfterElton.

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