[…] programming team managers assumed the improved programs produced through structured programming would not require as many compiles during development.

Looking at Traveller, I’d say offhand that the two most alien major races are the K’kree and the Hivers. But even they can be “explained” (well enough to rôleplay, anyway).

We packed it in on desert dollies for about a mile and used it down next to a lake where it was absolutely forbidden to have any motorized equipment. We couldn't have gotten the shot that we got with any other piece of equipment.

I have to disagree with you here, however; the content of the episode in question is the sort of thing I'd expect to find in a crackfic - written because it's too insane an idea to just be left alone, enjoyable in its own way but not remotely on the level of something actually intended to be good - and it isn't improved significantly IMO by having been animated.