Star Trek - The Re-Watch. Join me through all 79 Episodes!

[Shelby]

Season Two

Patterns of Force

2534

Hurray, welcome to Season Two! This means I’m back to the original SFX versions, so I’ll be able to comment accordingly!

Opening on the Bridge, we see Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, no Sulu, but welcome to Mr Chekov! Because we’re watching in Stardate order, as Roddenberry had conceived the order of events, this isn’t the first time the audience actually saw Chekov, but he’s new for my re-watch!

So we’re here to find a historian named John Gill, one of Kirk’s instructors back at Starfleet Academy. The fellow’s been out of communication for six months. (Only six months?!) There are two planets, Ekos and Zeon. A probe armed with a nuclear warhead is approaching. Spock says it must be Zeon, because they have interplanetary capability, but shouldn’t have been able to detect the Enterprise. Hmm, interesting.

The ship approaches. It appears like a red, spinning, spiky thing in the viewscreen, and after watching all the “updated” video-game effects in my copies of Season One, it’s so nice to see the original concept here! As it gets too close, Kirk orders it destroyed. It blows up quite nicely.

Our three protagonists are astonished that Zeon and Ekos should have this kind of tech, which is much too advanced for them to have achieved on their own. Everyone looks at a picture of John Gill meaningfully as we go to the opening theme.

I’d also like to point out that the cast is doing a terrific job of acting in this cold open. I haven’t seen them so animated as a group before. Shatner especially stands out, expressing his frustration at not knowing what’s going on.

And that’s the opening sequence that I love. Multi-colored stars dopplering in, planets that are big, bright and colorful. Oh, and De Kelley gets an opening credit because it’s Season Two.

A close-up of the Enterprise is next. Now the nacelles have the correct sparkly effect! Anyway, we get the skinny on the two planets. Ekos is primitive and warlike, Zeon is higher tech and peaceful. Kirk decides that he and Spock will beam down to Ekos, which I guess is where John Gill was supposed to be, but he wants subcutaneous transponders so they can be beamed up on schedule even if they lose their communicators. I believe this is the first time I’ve seen this concept in Trek.

The pair beam down, in working-class 20th century costume. Well, except for their boots, which are Starfleet issue. A fugitive from Zeon warns them to run, right before he is assaulted by two Ekosians in Nazi uniforms. They call the fugitive a Zeon pig and don’t want him to touch anything Ekosian. Spock has to warn Kirk about non-interference, that Starfleet Prime Directive that we know so well.

Then there is an announcement on loudspeaker, and a video screen activates in the courtyard. There’s a message from the Fuhrer’s office, and it shows Ekosian military cleansing their planet of the Zeons. All of this is very disturbing, especially considering that WWII was only twenty years in the past when this show was on. “Zeon” is evocative of “Zion,” and the people of planet Zeon are peaceful and advanced. Even more significant to Shatner and Nimoy (and Koenig), as all three of them are Jewish. This may be one reason why they are bringing such powerful performances to this episode. It’s hard not to get emotional in such a situation.

It’s funny to hear Kirk and Spock talking about the odds against something this similar to Earth’s history happening on another planet. And yet, Star Trek is notorious for doing this on a regular basis. It is to laugh.

Anyway, the attack on the Enterprise is presented as a successful Ekosian missile attack destroying a Zeon spacecraft. But more importantly, we see some characters on the video that we will meet later, Deputy Fuhrer Melakon and Daras, a woman being decorated as a hero. Most incriminating of all, John Gill is shown in a picture and identified as the Fuhrer. Kirk is astonished.

The boys get the drop on a couple of Ekosians and don their uniforms to try and get to Gill. Kirk jokes that his uniform (Gestapo) is more attractive than Spock’s. Spock replies, “You should make a convincing Nazi.” Kirk gives him quite a look in response!

We’re getting the characteristic Trek blend of dry humor in a very serious situation. It’s a tough line to walk, but so far we haven’t hurt the dramatic tension, and the humor has been delivered with painstaking accuracy. Bravo, gentlemen.

Well, so much for the stealth approach. Kirk and Spock are apprehended to a very nice sting. This may be music we hadn’t heard in Season One, but it’s very effective.

And now it’s time for the S&M. Kirk and Spock bare-chested, being whipped. Spock of course showing green streaks on his flesh, which I had forgotten! It’s interesting that Kirk’s chest has been shaved as always (according to an article I read online), but Spock is still hairy. Nonetheless, the Nazis recognize that Spock is an alien, and suspect the pair of attempting to assassinate the Fuhrer.

Party Chairman Eneg arrives and gets them a respite from execution. In their cells, they get an info dump from Isak, the Zeon they saw captured at the beginning. He tells us that Zeon came to Ekos to help them, educate them, but now the Ekosians have been taught to hate Zeons as a means of keeping Ekos united. Oh, and Zeons are pacifists, so it’s not looking good for them.

It dawns on me that all those jokes about Shatner having too much of a belly are shot down by seeing him shirtless for an extended amount of time. Sorry jokesters, he’s in fine shape.

More banter between the boys as they dig out their transponders and use them to break out of jail. Isak insists that he can guide them, so they free him as well. By the way, nice job by Richard Evans as Isak.

They recover their disassembled communicators and escape to join a Zeon resistance cell. But Daras shows up and captures them. Wait a minute, it’s just a trick to test Kirk and Spock’s allegiance! And Daras is an Ekosian member of the resistance. Are there any real Nazis?!

Kirk gives in and tells them who he is, and that John Gill was sent only to observe. Something must’ve gone wrong. The Fuhrer is under maximum security, but will deliver a speech tonight. So in they go, disguised as a film crew!

When they succeed in getting in Spock has a joke line about suddenly understanding gambling, because of the exhilaration in the risk. Too funny.

They spot Gill but he looks drugged, so they beam McCoy down in a colonel’s uniform. He gets to be outraged, and it’s very amusing. But then they are discovered by Chairman Eneg! For whatever reason, he doesn’t recognize them and leaves. So they go to see the Fuhrer’s speech. McCoy decides he’s drugged, so they break into the broadcast booth.

Another aside, the episode has moved right along, but still feels very substantive. The cast is doing a terrific job. Really, this would’ve made a great feature.

Chillingly, Melakon announces The Final Solution, as the military begins slaughtering every Zeon on the planet Ekos, and will then move on to their entire solar system.

While McCoy struggles to wake Gill, and Spock attempts a mind meld, the others debate how to react. Daras urges Kirk to destroy the Ekosian fleet to save the Zeons, but Kirk asks the very telling question, “What of Ekos?” Because that won’t save her people. It’s another very good point, and provoking this kind of debate is science-fiction’s real purpose as social commentary.

They confirm that Gill has been a simple figurehead, and get him able to answer a few questions. He says he used Nazi Germany as a model to bring the people of Ekos together to efficiently advance their society, and Spock approves. Kirk shouts about Nazi sadism, and Gill attributes that to Melakon taking over.

Once again Eneg interrupts them, and once again he assists by allowing them access to Melakon. Isak remarks, “Eneg is one of us!” There really do appear to be few actual Nazis, am I right?

Alone in the booth with Gill, Kirk gives him another shot (when did he get the hypo from McCoy?) in spite of the danger posed by the drug. The tension is palpable as he urges Gill to awaken and “tell them” to stop the Final Solution.

Gill finally awakens, ends the aggression and calls out Melakon as a traitor. Sadly, Melakon grabs a machine gun and kills Gill. Kirk cradles the man’s dying body as poor Gill reaffirms non-interference. “Even historians fail to learn from history.”

Back on the Bridge we have more banter as Kirk and Spock talk about men who have too much power, and Spock harps on Earth’s history of dictators and conquerors. Amusing, relevant, and thought-provoking.

This is one of the episodes I’d only seen a few times. In my memory it was another one of those “Earth culture on an alien planet” episodes that can get a little tedious, making it hard to suspend one’s disbelief. However, I’m glad to be re-watching it at this stage in my life, when I can see it for so much more. First, it has a completely valid explanation, an observer who deliberately implemented the parallels in order to change a society in defiance of the non-interference directive. Second, it’s extremely well-written and executed, the pace and tension are perfect, and the many plot twists keep you guessing (assuming you don’t remember the story).



I had no idea that I’d like this one so much, but now I have to add it to my list of favorites, and it’s the first for Season Two. Let’s review, shall we?

Season One Favorites:
Mudd’s Women
Charlie X
The Naked Time
The Conscience of the King
The Alternative Factor
City on the Edge of Forever
Space Seed
Errand of Mercy
This Side of Paradise

Season Two Favorites:
Patterns of Force

I hope you enjoyed my reflections, and I look forward to our next episode, Catspaw.

[Shelby]

Catspaw

3018.2

And now it’s time for the Star Trek Halloween episode! This one was broadcast on October 27th, which I guess explains everything.

We open with a beautiful rendering of the Enterprise above a planet. I just love the original effects. I think I’ll use this screenshot for this episode’s graphic. It’s so beautiful!

Anyway, on the Bridge, everyone’s concerned because Scott and Sulu haven’t reported in. Another member of the landing party calls to beam up. When he does, he collapses dead and a voice is heard claiming that the ship has been cursed, warning them to leave or die. Does anyone expect that to work? Probably not.

So Kirk leaves “Assistant Chief Engineer DeSalle” in command (!) and beams down with McCoy and Spock. Not sure that this is wise. The planet is made up of Trek rocks, along with fog that Spock insists should not be here. The sky is beautifully cloudy though, really nicely done.

Ooh. Chekov appears with his very bad wig. It’s really very bad. He also has no rank stripes at all, and is addressed simply as “Mister.” It doesn’t bode well, but fortunately we know better.

McCoy has his phaser in his hand, and carries a little black bag that’s very nice. Spock uses his tricorder backwards. None of this helps against the three witches who appear out of the fog!

Next the boys stumble on a castle. Bet you didn’t see that coming. Lots of useless chatter about sensor readings in the first ten minutes of the show, but it’s not at all interesting. I expect that this was added to Robert Bloch’s script, since he’s a craftsman and probably not tech-oriented anyway.

There’s another Bridge interlude so Mr DeSalle can be grim. Sadly, Michael Barrier isn’t much of an actor, so this is pretty painful to listen to.

The boys on the planet joke about trick or treat and Halloween, as they explore a spooky castle and follow a black cat to a pit trap. They wake up chained to the walls of a dungeon, and that’s a very familiar set. It would all be harmless fun if it wasn’t for that dead crewman in the cold open. Oh, it’s also amusing to see that one of the skeletons in the dungeon is clearly a school model, since its skull is obviously cut to open wide for students to inspect.

Scotty and Sulu appear, acting like zombies. Sulu unchains them while Scotty menaces them with a phaser. I recall a funny scene from the blooper reel that happens in this room, but for now I’m stuck with the “serious” version. Anyway, all are teleported into a throne room. A bald warlock named Korob holds court, accompanied by the black cat.

Korob tries offering the boys a sumptuous feast, and then platters of gemstones. He wants them to leave, but they refuse. Kirk has a throwaway line that informs us that they can manufacturer their own gems, so they are of no value. More Roddenberry non-materialism, which I applaud. But Korob professes admiration for our crew, who are loyal, brave and can’t be bribed.

The black cat, who has appeared to be communicating with Korob, runs out and a sorceress enters the hall. She is Sylvia, Korob’s “colleague,” and she admits to having probed their minds. Ah ha, so this is the explanation for all of the “mumbo-jumbo.” Fair enough, Mr Bloch. Anyway, McCoy notices that Sylvia wears the same pendant that was on the black cat’s collar. Spooky!

Kirk grabs the phaser from Scotty but Sylvia produces a very, very nice Enterprise pendant! Let me just say that Enterprise minis were awfully popular among the fans, even more so because of this episode. In any case, Sylvia explains sympathetic magic and admits to having killed Jackson. She heats the pendant in a candle flame and when Kirk calls the ship, Chekov says “We’re burning up.” Korob tries to dissuade Sylvia, but she ignores him. Finally Kirk gives up and surrenders the phaser.

Korob wants to compare science, but Kirk doesn’t cooperate and Sylvia shuts Korob down. We can see who’s running things. So, they warned the crew away, but really they want to learn from them? Well, OK I guess, but a little weak. Anyway Korob seals the Enterprise pendant in a block of lucite which represents an impenetrable force field. Sylvia warns Kirk that if they won’t answer her questions they can drain the information from the humans forcibly, but with negative consequences. Since they refuse, all are sent back into the dungeon while they keep McCoy to work on.

Back on the Bridge, DeSalle delivers a line regarding the force field in a deadpan that I still remember.

DeSalle: Maybe we can’t break it. But I’ll bet you credits to navy beans we can put a dent in it.

Who the hell wrote that? Besides the fact that it’s so awkward, and made worse by the delivery, it means that we still eat navy beans in the future. But it also indicates that there is a currency known as “credits.” In Roddenberry’s non-material future where money has no meaning. This provides an opening for some interesting fan discussion about the world revealed in the original series, but we won’t dwell on that now. Perhaps some other time.

Back in the dungeon, Spock has an epiphany. The imagery is all from the human subconscious. Thus, the aliens attempted to tap their consciousness for information, but failed. All they could tap was the subconscious. Nice bit of deduction, there. The boys also speculate as to the aliens’ true nature. That’s something that’s often glossed over in Trek, so it’s nice to see it here. (Although I'm getting sick of Spock's overuse of the "not as we know it" lines that have become more frequent.) Of course, it’s also foreshadowing, but I won’t spoil anything for any newcomers out there. And then Kirk concludes that these outsiders to their galaxy must be “stopped. Cold.” My goodness. It’s a little hard to take him seriously in the tongue-in-cheek Halloween episode, but I'll try.

The zombies come back, McCoy filling out their ranks. Kirk expresses real regret over McCoy's fate, where he hasn’t for any of the others.

Sylvia and Korob are quarreling. He’s following their orders, but she’s totally lost it. She finds everything “stimulating,” including torture, and she threatens to “squash” Korob if he opposes her. Kirk is left alone with her.

She tells Kirk that she comes from a world without sensation, and she wants more. This plays into the “womanizer Kirk” personality, and so Kirk begins to seduce her. She gets to show off different wigs and costumes in an attempt to attract Kirk, but ultimately she sees through his lack of passion. She also lets slip that they use a “transmuter” to channel their power.

Korob, who was spying on Sylvia, frees Kirk and Spock, as well as releasing the Enterprise model from the lucite block. He tells them to flee, and admits that he can no longer control Sylvia. “She means to destroy us all.” This is all too true, as Sylvia transforms into a huge version of the black cat and kills Korob. Cleverly, Kirk grabs Korob’s magic wand when he flees.

Sylvia sends the zombie crew after Kirk and Spock. I’d forgotten that Sulu pulls some martial arts moves on Kirk, but he is no match for Kirk-fu! Kirk threatens Sylvia with the wand, correctly guessing that it is the transmuter. She teleports him away from the others, but he smashes the wand to keep it from her. When he does, everything disappears because it was all created with the aliens’ power. Neat way to tie up all the loose ends.

The crew is all back to normal, but Korob and Sylvia are revealed in their true forms. Little puppet aliens, complete with black puppet strings that are easy to see with today’s technology. But I still see them with yesterday’s eyes, and this was really a brave attempt at depicting something truly alien.

And Kirk reminds us of the stakes. He has lost a crewman. Kudos, because normally that sort of thing gets brushed under the rug, while we watch the Bridge banter at the close of most episodes. Not so here, in our Halloween episode. Thanks for the perspective.

Next time we’ll watch The Gamesters of Triskelion.

[Shelby]

The Gamesters of Triskelion

3211.7

Here’s our familiar fuzzy-resolution Enterprise! It doesn’t hold up too well in those grainy close-ups, but it’s still much better than the video-game effects of the re-makes.

We begin in orbit about a planet as Kirk is recording his log entry. He’s going to visit the planet surface – with Chekov and Uhura! Wait, what?! Well, the planet’s uninhabited and has an installation that he’s going to check up on. And since it’s a communications and astrogation station, I guess that explains his landing party. Presumably it’s routine enough that he doesn’t need Spock or Scotty to come along, but he still wants to go himself. Maybe Uhura is the best officer for the comm side, and Kirk wants to take a hand in training the young Command-division ensign. I don’t know.

Uhura gets to wear one of those black belts along with her uniform dress, but not until she reaches the transporter room this time. She gets a phaser like the boys, along with a communicator and the only tricorder. Neat. And Chekov still has bad hair, but not the big wig this time. This must be his own hair.

The transporter effects never get a chance to kick in because the landing party simply blinks out and arrives at an arena. It’s a pretty nice set, and Kirk lets us know that it’s not the planet he was expecting.

While the Enterprise starts trying to figure out what happened and where the gang has got to, Kirk learns that communicators and phasers aren’t doing him any good. Instead when the group is attacked by four aliens, it’s a melee. We get a little variety in the choice of alien, too; only one looks pretty much totally human.

Uhura and Chekov are easily immobilized, but Kirk continues to fight until he’s pinned by the good-looking female. Bet you saw that coming.

A bald fellow named Galt appears and calls our heroes by name. He terms them “thralls,” and they get collars and “are to be trained.” Oh yeah, and they’ll spend the rest of their lives here too. Nice.

Back on the bridge, Spock, Scotty and McCoy let us know that they have no idea where their missing pals are. When Spock uses the word “hope,” McCoy gets to make a dig and Spock blames his slip on “contamination” from serving with humans. Tee hee.

The thrall quarters of Planet Triskelion appear to have been constructed of pieces of the Enterprise set. Ah, budget woes. At least the arena was cool. Anyway, when the gang tries to fight back they find out that Galt can inflict pain on them through their collars, and they learn their lesson.

On the Enterprise, Spock has determined that the landing party is not in this solar system. McCoy tells us that it’s been an hour, and wonders if they could still be alive as disassembled atoms in a transporter. Spock, surprisingly, is unaware of any studies having been done. McCoy gets to be indignant again. Spock says he’d welcome a suggestion as to where to look.

McCoy: First time you’ve ever asked me for anything, and it has to be an occasion like this!

Nimoy gets to make quite a face in reply.

Meanwhile the human-looking male thrall, Lars, goes in Uhura’s cell and attempts rape, although he terms it “selection.” She puts up enough of a fight that he leaves, while the pretty alien goes into Kirk’s cell. However she only brings him a meal.

It’s now been two hours, and the Enterprise finds an ion trail to follow. McCoy, predictably, argues, but it’s their only clue.

Chekov is lucky enough to be visited by the other female thrall, instead of the big tusked male. The joke is that he’s afraid she’s been “selected” for him, but not yet. Meanwhile Kirk flirts with Shahna, his pretty drill thrall. Played by Angelique Pettyjohn, she was quite the iconic figure in Star Trek fandom.

Now it’s time for training, and Uhura gets to be the first one to use a disobedient thrall as target practice. Coincidentally this is a thrall we haven’t seen before, and he’s played by an African-American actor. Kirk announces that none of them will do it, and Chekov gets to call them Cossacks. Because, you know, he’s Russian.

Uhura is told she’ll take the punishment instead of the male thrall, but Kirk volunteers to take her place. Apparently this is supposed to be fatal. Kloog, the tusked giant, whips the tied Kirk. But Kirk can still kick! He gets a break and Shahna tells him Kloog’s left eye is weak. Kirk gets his hands free and strangles Kloog until he passes out.

The rulers, called Providers, halt the combat before Kloog dies, and the Enterprise crew are purchased by Provider One, getting red collars. Betting commences. The monetary unit is quatloos. From now on, disobedience will be punished by death.

Kirk and Shahna are running through the countryside (another typical Star Trek planet surface, but it looks pretty good) and Kirk tries to get information from her. Failing, he tries seducing her instead. When that fails, Shahna tries to answer one of Kirk’s questions and is punished by her collar. Kirk pleads until the punishment stops, and then he and Shahna kiss. Seduction success after all.

Meanwhile Spock has ignored complaints from McCoy and Scotty and gone “a dozen light years” away to a trinary system in his search. The two underlings object strongly and want to return to the original planet. Spock asks them if this is mutiny, and they are shocked – shocked I tell you! They agree to finish this search, and if unsuccessful they’ll retrace their steps and do another search back where the party was lost. Isn’t it cute how they get along? They were all bluster, but no bite. And Spock is so gentle in his remonstrations. It really is a cute scene.

Back in the cells, Kirk gives the reluctant Shahna another kiss, then knocks her out with an unexpected blow to her dainty little jaw. The cad! When we pan to Chekov’s cell we see his girl is tied up. They open Uhura’s cell, and she says that she told Lars she didn’t like the food so he left to report her. Poor Uhura, she didn’t get to overpower Lars! How fair is that?

They are of course discovered, right as the Enterprise arrives. The Providers seize control of the ship, and allow Kirk to explain things. He manages to talk the Providers into teleporting him into their chamber, where we see three brightly-colored brains in a little glass case. They’re one thousand feet below the surface. The background painting looks familiar.

Aw, the brains’ only purpose in life is to observe physical contests. Kirk questions their superiority, but the brains insist that they must destroy the Enterprise. Kirk stumbles upon their avid hunger for gambling, and proposes a wager. But not for “trifles” like quatloos! He proposes a contest for the fate of the Enterprise and all thralls. The brains’ counter-offer is death, or Kirk against three thralls. Kirk is forced to accept. If he wins, everyone goes free and the Providers teach the thralls and help them establish a self-governing society. If he loses, the Enterprise crew will stay as thralls.

Ooh, check it out! The Enterprise crew gets to watch from space as Kirk fights the tusked Kloog, Lars, and an Andorian! Nice!

McCoy: What in the name of heaven is this?

Scott: Heaven’s got very little to do with it.

Good fighting music. Sadly, the Andorian’s hands aren’t made up, and he’s not even wearing gloves. C’mon guys, that’s just sloppy. Kirk manages to kill Kloog and Lars, but since the Andorian’s only knocked out they substitute Shahna. Since it’s to the death, that’s a dirty trick.

Apparently Shahna didn’t take getting hit on the jaw well. She accuses Kirk of being a liar and she tries to kill him, but he overpowers her and she surrenders. She looks awfully pathetic.

Surprisingly the Providers honor the agreement and free everyone. They agree to teach the former thralls to govern themselves. Shahna is astonished. She asks Kirk to take her with him, but the cad refuses. Her counter, “Then teach me how, and I will follow,” is the best she has to offer. Kirk tells her there’s so much she must learn before she can reach for the stars. But he still goes in for a last kiss. Then he leaves. What a cad. Shahna looks up into the sky after they beam out, tears pouring down her face.

Shahna: Goodbye Jim Kirk. I will learn, and watch the lights in the sky. And remember.

So, no such thing as storing things in a “transporter buffer” at this point in the Star Trek history. Uhura isn’t allowed to have any victories, although she is unwavering in her determination. I think she should’ve been allowed to overcome someone, instead of just persevering.

The guys on the bridge got a little give and take, but nothing particularly memorable. The thing from this episode that really stands out for me is Shahna’s determination to re-join Kirk someday, no matter what it takes, no matter how long. Crying in close-up, as he leaves her behind without hesitation. Kirk, you’re a dog.



Next on the list is Metamorphosis. It’s been a while since my last episode. Is anyone following along?

[Shelby]

Metamorphosis

3219.8

We open on the Galileo 7 shuttle travelling through space. What a beautiful little ship! I always loved the design, and I used to have the model kit. The interior is not as nifty looking as the exterior, although there seem to be new doodads today that I don’t remember seeing in the eponymous first-season episode.

Anyway, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are all on this little shuttle with Federation Commissioner Hedford. She blames “The Starfleet” for not having been properly inoculated – I think McCoy may be the one at fault, although maybe it should’ve been done sometime before they met. In any case, they had to leave the planet the Commissioner was on to rendezvous with the Enterprise, in order to get her treated for some rare disease she’s contracted. And the Enterprise is over four hours away at the opening of the episode.

So why were all three top officers of the Enterprise on this planet that was about to go to war, but without the Enterprise in orbit? Shh, you’re not supposed to ask. It doesn’t matter anyway, because just then they are engulfed by a little hydrogen cloud that’s like nothing they’ve ever seen before. It fries most of their gear and is dragging them somewhere else – and there’s nothing they can do about it!

Next thing you know, the Galileo is sitting on a little planetoid that has remarkably Earth-like conditions on the surface. They exit the shuttle; Spock can’t find any damage, and McCoy detects that cloud on the surface nearby.

It’s an interesting little set. There are a lot of rocks around, and the “dome” of the sky is close. Neat shooting angles, and the lighting is dark. Running towards them and shouting greetings comes a human who identifies himself as Cochrane and claims to be marooned. He remarks that the crew speaks English, he recognizes Spock as a Vulcan, but he’s never heard of the Federation. All very interesting, don’t you think? Oh, and Cochrane is rather forward in his interest towards Hedford.

Suspiciously, Cochrane says their ship won’t be able to leave, and claims to know nothing about how they were pulled here. But he is very happy that they’re going to be stuck here with him indefinitely.

Kirk and McCoy think Cochrane looks familiar but can’t place him. McCoy is concerned about Hedford, who needs treatment. In fact, as soon as they arrive at Cochrane’s home she gets feverish. Kirk refers to Cochrane’s instruments as antiques, but covers his slip. Apparently the man really has been here for a long time.

And then we get our first glimpse of what I always called “the gumdrop,” that little cloud that’s caused so much trouble. It reminds me of the invisible monster from Johnny Quest, another treasured memory from my childhood. Cochrane doesn’t want to explain, but Kirk gets indignant so Cochrane begins to talk.

He calls the entity “the Companion,” and says it brought him here in his disabled ship. And at the time, he was an old man; the Companion rejuvenated him. Apropos of nothing, Kirk asks Cochrane his first name. When he says his name is Zefram Cochrane, the rest are astonished. Cochrane, who invented space warp, died one hundred and fifty years ago!

Meanwhile Hedford is dying. McCoy says she only has hours. Kirk presses Cochrane, who admits that the Companion brought them to keep him company. This is too much for Hedford, who in addition to being feverish becomes hysterical. Kirk gets Spock working on a weapon to use against the Companion, so they can escape and get Hedford to a hospital.

Kirk gets Cochrane all excited to see the thousand planets of the Federation and the millions more with intelligent life. Even though he’ll begin to age again, Cochrane agrees to help them escape. Meanwhile, the Companion interrupts Spock’s work on the shuttle, zaps it and him too. No one said this was going to be easy.

Kirk asks Cochrane to get the Companion to cure Hedford. Cochrane says their communication is non-verbal, but he’ll try. He goes outside and is enveloped in the gumdrop – I mean, cloud. The soundtrack is all “innocent wonder,” but my reaction has always been indignation at what the Companion has done. In any case, without any evidence at all Kirk and McCoy decide this communication is more like a symbiosis, and the feeling is more like “love!” Yeah, OK. Because you say it, I’m supposed to feel that way? In her hysteria, Hedford has already labeled this thing’s actions “disgusting” and “inhuman,” and I agree with her. You can keep your soundtrack, that’s not gonna flip a switch in my gut.

In any case, Cochrane says that the Companion can’t cure Hedford. McCoy runs back to the shuttle and finds Spock on the ground. Spock says the Companion attacked him with a “quaint, old-fashioned electric shock.” McCoy thinks of shorting it out, and Spock whips something up.

Cochrane doesn’t like that. They’re “close,” and he feels “affection” for the Companion. He won’t let them kill it! But Kirk will do whatever he has to, and Cochrane agrees to summon it. But he labels himself a Judas goat.

Baa, you can’t have it both ways!

Cochrane summons it, Spock zaps it, and it attacks! But Cochrane recovers first and calls it off before it can kill Kirk and Spock. Kirk takes responsibility for Hedford’s impending death, but McCoy says that Kirk is a trained diplomat as well as a soldier. I think this is the first time they’ve explicitly said so!

Kirk says there’s a Universal Translator on the shuttle, and orders Spock to modify it so they can talk with the Companion. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first mention we’ve had of that device! Which, at least according to fan canon, was invented by Spock’s mother Amanda…

Back on the Enterprise, they’ve picked up a trail and are in pursuit. The trail peters off, but they maintain their heading. Sulu, Uhura and Scotty get a few lines, but nothing to write home about.

Spock quickly gets the Translator ready for testing, and it works. Everyone is amused that the Companion’s voice is feminine. Spock wants to pump it for information but Kirk is focused on escape. He says they have to be set free or they will die, but the Companion refuses to listen.

However when Cochrane hears their “lover” theory he, too, is disgusted. He’s flipped 180 degrees. And the Enterprise crew are all shocked at his attitude! They go on about how mutually beneficial the relationship has been, but they were all about escaping from the alien! I’ll say it again: you can’t have it both ways.

And now even Hedford goes 180 degrees. “He was loved, and he resents it!” she says incredulously. Man, this is one schizophrenic script!

Somehow Cochrane has decided to summon the Companion again, even though he’s disgusted by it, giving Kirk another chance at communication. Kirk’s argument becomes that they are too different to love.

The Companion leaves and reappears as Hedford! Bet you didn’t see that one coming. Now McCoy says Hedford is healthy. Thought the Companion couldn’t help her! The Companion says they’re both in the same body, and they combined only a moment before Hedford expired.

So we learn that the Companion has become mortal and has no power to keep them. And she only did this to be able to touch Cochrane. Now that he sees her as a woman he flips 180 degrees again, and decides to stay with her!



I found this all too unlikely back when I was young, and I still do. It’s either disgusting or it’s not. An alien let this human woman die and then inhabited her body in order to be Cochrane’s mate. And watching the Enterprise crew go from railing against being hijacked by an alien captor, to getting all warm and fuzzy over interspecies love, just stretches credulity too far.

Remember how Decker decides to go off with V’ger at the end of The Motion Picture? The girl he loved is dead, and the alien that killed her is what he’s going to be “joining” with. Similar stupid logic.

So, no. We got some serious Trek info from this episode, but there are more than enough holes in it to fill the Albert Hall. Gets a failing grade from me.

Next up will be the famous Amok Time, see you then!

[Shelby]

Amok Time

3372.7

This is a landmark episode in the series, and was selected for broadcast as the first of season two. That was a good move, as it is consistently chosen by fans as one of the most popular episodes.

It opens with Kirk casually climbing up one of the access ladders in the ship, and just heading down the corridor like it’s no big thing. While no one has expressly demonstrated where these ladders come from and go to, it’s surprising to think of them as necessary for anything but maintenance or emergencies.

McCoy catches up and says that Spock is acting strangely, but Kirk brushes it off. Then they spot Nurse Chapel coming down the corridor with a tray. My goodness, we don’t see much of her character, do we? Something of a surprise considering she’s the showrunner’s mistress, but remember that the network doesn’t like her. In any case, McCoy takes great delight in identifying the home-made Vulcan plomeek soup on the tray.

McCoy: You never give up hoping, do you?

My, aren’t we condescending? This is of course referring to Chapel’s unrequited attraction to Mr Spock from last season. Nice to see the continuity. In any case, she heads into Spock’s quarters while McCoy tells Kirk that Spock threatened to break his neck when he suggested a check-up.

Just at that moment Chapel screams, the bowl of soup comes flying out into the corridor, and a very emotional Spock appears. Seeing Kirk, he demands a leave of absence to visit his home world, Vulcan. Goodness, this is the first sight the audience gets of Spock in months, and it’s certainly atypical for our emotionless first officer. Nice teaser for the premiere.

As the Enterprise goes motoring by I note that the tail end of the engine pods have the little pattern of dots I remember. I also remember an alternate version that had little balls sunk in instead. There were several tweaks to the details of my favorite starship over time and I don’t care to track them, but I do find it annoying if I give it too much thought. Whatever brilliant idea some series of art guys had didn’t need to be indulged. At the very least they screw up continuity, and at worse you tick off fans such as myself. The ship was beautiful, frellin’ leave it alone.

Kirk confronts Spock very belligerently. Obviously forgetting those diplomacy skills he’s supposed to have. He basically says that since Spock always refuses leave, he can just make do when they arrive at Altair. Spock leaps to his feet, and he has a shiv behind his back! OMG! Fortunately Kirk ratchets down his response this time, and doesn’t get stuck.



Kirk: What’s wrong?

Spock: I need rest. I’m asking you to accept that answer.

Kirk alters course to Vulcan.

I believe this episode is the debut of what we came to refer to as the Vulcan music in the soundtrack. Those bass notes became a part of popular culture. Really, I could listen to the soundtrack from the original series all the time. It’s really amazing how many different composers worked on it, and all the variations that developed.

Sadly, Admiral Komack alerts the Enterprise that they have to be at Altair seven days early. We meet Chekov for the first time in this episode, if viewed in the order they were broadcast. He wears a bad wig (although it’s not his worst) and tells Kirk that they won’t have time to detour to Vulcan. Spock takes it like a man.

But later, Kirk calls Chekov and asks how late they’d be if they divert to Vulcan. Chekov surprises him by saying that Spock has already diverted their course back to Vulcan!

Chekov mans the navigation station, but takes over for Spock at science when Spock leaves the bridge. As I’ve written before, I find the cross-training in Starfleet interesting.

Alone, Kirk asks Spock why he gave the order to change course. Spock will take Kirk’s word that he did it, but he doesn’t remember doing so. Then he impulsively blurts out a request.

Spock: Captain, lock me away. I do not wish to be seen. I cannot – no Vulcan could – explain further.

Kirk orders him to report to Sickbay instead. And McCoy has to argue with Spock to get him to cooperate.

And the Sulu – Chekov banter begins. They have to keep changing course between Altair and Vulcan. Ha ha, Chekov is getting space-sick.

Then our tone changes 180 degrees as McCoy tells Kirk that if they don’t get Spock to Vulcan in a week, he’ll die. Kirk gets very frustrated that McCoy can’t figure out why.

Spock is in his quarters, looking at a photo of a little Vulcan girl on his monitor. Kirk comes in to get to the bottom of this. He gives us some interesting information.

Kirk: You’ve been called the best first officer in the fleet… If I have to lose that first officer I want to know why.

Spock won’t talk until Kirk says he’ll keep it confidential. But Spock finally gives us the info. As you no doubt know, it is the Pon Farr, and at the time of mating the Vulcans go mad.

Spock: We are driven to return home, and take a wife. Or die.

Kirk: I haven’t heard a word you’ve said. And I’ll get you to Vulcan. Somehow.

Shatner and Nimoy do a fine job of of acting in this scene. In what could’ve been silly, during a time in our history when sex wasn’t discussed on television, Star Trek manages to center an episode around the urge to mate, or die. If any of the viewers were ambivalent about this show, the premiere episode of season two hooked them. Hard.

The admiral won’t allow Kirk to divert to Vulcan, but as Kirk tells McCoy,

Kirk: I owe him my life a dozen times over. Isn’t that worth a career?

So Kirk will defy orders and probably face another court-martial.

Chapel hears their discussion and runs off to Spock’s quarters, where she finds him asleep. We see a tear running down her face as Spock wakes.

Spock: I had a most startling dream. You were trying to tell me something. But I couldn’t hear you.
It would be illogical to protest against our natures. Wouldn’t you think?

Chapel: I don’t understand.

He brushes the tear from her face.

Spock: Your face is wet.

Chapel: I came to tell you that we are bound for Vulcan. We’ll be there in just a few days.

Spock: Vulcan. Miss Chapel?

Chapel: My name is Christine.

Spock: Yes. I know. Christine. Would you make me some of that plomeek soup?

The strings playing the soundtrack under this scene are transcendent. Play the scene and pay special attention to them.

This is an especially good scene because right after he threw the first bowl of plomeek soup, he explained to Kirk that he lost his temper because it was degrading for a woman to serve a man who didn’t belong to her. In spite of it all, Spock actually does care about Chapel. Just not the way she would like.

In the turbolift Spock tells Kirk and McCoy that he has the right to be accompanied to the ceremony by his closest friends, and asks them to come. Of course, they agree. It’s a touching moment.

They arrive on the bridge and Chapel shows up in time to see someone calling Spock from Vulcan. It is the lovely T’Pring, and Spock identifies her as his wife.

You can imagine the impact this had. On the characters (especially Chapel!), and on the viewers. T’Pring is incredibly striking, a suitable match for the very charismatic Mr Spock character.

Vulcan is a pretty awesome set (although the stone surfaces are kinda crappy as usual), and this arena belongs to Spock’s family. For whatever reason Spock’s parents (and T’Pring’s) aren’t going to be here, although we’ll meet Spock’s later in the series. Kirk lets us know that at one time, Vulcans killed for their mates. Hm, I wonder why he’s mentioning that?

Spock tells us that he and T’Pring’s minds were locked together at seven years of age, so they’d be drawn together at this time. And now there will be a marriage ceremony.

I like the way everyone has forgotten or ignores the hints from last season that made it sound like Earth had conquered Vulcan. Inconvenient, I guess.

The party arrives, and Kirk is astonished to recognize T’Pau, the only person to ever turn down a seat on the Federation Council. Kirk is impressed to see that Spock’s family is important.

Everyone is surprised when T’Pring stops the ceremony and demands that Spock fight for her. Betcha didn’t see that coming. As Kipling said, the female of the species is more deadly than the male. Everyone thinks they can spot the guy in the party who she’ll pick as her champion, and McCoy says he thinks the guy can beat Spock. Thanks, pal.

But T’Pring chooses Kirk as her champion, throwing everyone for a loop. She will become the property of the winner. Kirk figures that he’ll knock Spock out, or quit at some point, and honor will be satisfied. But once it’s too late T’Pau tells Kirk that the battle is to the death, and she’s not going to let anyone interfere. The fight with a blood-crazed Spock begins.

Kirk gets his tunic slashed, in what has become a trope. Also, we’ve pretty much established that Vulcans are a lot stronger physically than humans. (And that got exaggerated more in fan canon.) But Spock isn’t throwing Kirk around in this scene.

On the other hand we make a point that the heat and thin air are affecting Kirk’s performance, so McCoy gets T’Pau’s permission to give him a shot that will offset that disadvantage. McCoy takes that moment to tell Kirk that he has to kill Spock. That would put a monkey wrench into everything, wouldn’t it?

Not to worry, because Spock strangles Kirk with an ahn-woon (just go with it). Spock tells McCoy that he’ll be surrendering himself to the authorities at the nearest starbase, and McCoy beams up with Kirk’s body.

Now Spock demands an explanation from T’Pring. She says she wanted the other Vulcan, Stonn, and picked Kirk because he wouldn’t want her if he won. And if Spock won he’d leave her behind and she’d still have Stonn. What a viper. Then Spock gets one of Star Trek’s best lines.

Spock: Stonn. She is yours. After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.

Then Spock takes his leave of T’Pau.

T’Pau: Live long and prosper, Spock.

Spock: I shall do neither. I have killed my captain, and my friend.

T’Pau has nothing to say to that. She really was a jerk in this episode, tossing away lives at a whim. Remember Kipling.

When Spock arrives on the Enterprise and begins to give McCoy orders, we are all surprised to see Kirk appear smiling behind him. Spock, caught off-guard, grins back like a fool and shouts, “Jim!” in one of Trek’s best moments. Then they all get a good laugh as he tries to regain his composure and understand what happened. Apparently McCoy had given Kirk something in the shot to simulate death.

Then Spock explains that once he thought he’d killed Kirk, he lost all interest in T’Pring and the madness was gone. Sounds pretty logical to me. That viper.

Uhura relays a message from Admiral Komack granting T’Pau’s request (!) to divert Enterprise. And then McCoy has to get in a dig about Spock’s emotional display. When Spock says it was logical, McCoy gets what may be his best rejoinder of the series: “In a pig’s eye!”

Of course, this episode joins my “Favorites” list. Let’s review, shall we?

My Season One Favorites
Mudd’s Women
Charlie X
The Naked Time
The Conscience of the King
The Alternative Factor
City on the Edge of Forever
Space Seed
Errand of Mercy

My Season Two Favorites
Patterns of Force
Amok Time

Next time we’ll get to see another one of my favorites, Who Mourns for Adonais? Until then.

[Shelby]

Who Mourns for Adonais?

3468.1

We open with a beautiful shot from behind the primary saucer of our gorgeous Enterprise. I can’t tell you how much I love this ship. I can see plenty of detail, and the grainy look of actual film does my heart good.

On the bridge, a very pretty Lt Carolyn Palamas has captured Scotty’s interest. With good reason. But has it been that long since I last watched this episode? I thought she wore red, but she’s in blue. I blame those re-runs that started before I got home – there are some shows for which I hardly remember the beginnings.

Anyway, McCoy introduces the element of doubt that the writer wants; he speculates that Scotty likes Palamas more than she likes him. Oh cruel fate! But it strikes a false note, as no one has ever cast doubt on anyone’s burgeoning relationship up to this point on the show. A little heavy-handed there, folks.

Interesting that we have another M-type planet here and Spock says there was no reason to bother investigating it up until now. Apparently there are so many inhabitable planets out there that they can take their sweet time. No land rush here!

And now our mysterious adversary manifests its tractor beam / force field as a giant hand in space. Greenish in hue, but somehow very cool.

When we come back from the titles we see Chekov messing with some very large device sitting on the floor at the front of the bridge, what the heck is it?

And now we see the face of Apollo appear in space (although he doesn’t give us a name yet). That’s impressive. Kirk is belligerent out of the gate, which is unfortunate, and as a result he gets a similar response in return.

Beaming down are Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Chekhov and Palamas. Odd mix. Amusingly, Palamas has to ask McCoy why she’s on the landing party at all, so he can explain to us that she’s the specialist in anthropology and archaeology. In any case, after a suitable build-up our man Apollo identifies himself. Our new crewman Chekhov has a smarmy retort, and unfortunately Koenig doesn’t deliver the line well. Pity.

After a quick flirt with Palamas, Apollo reveals his intention that the Enterprise crew remain on his planet to worship him. The belligerence is already high on both sides, but Apollo makes a good showing when he grows to about twenty feet in height. He also identifies the planet as Olympus, which I think blew right past me up until now.

Well, would you look at that? Chekhov uses his tricorder backwards, much like Spock! I guess that’s who he learned it from. He has it turned completely on its back though, pointing the bottom out to get readings. That’s even more extreme than Spock. Man, someone on the show really should’ve worked out how to use a tricorder, because this sure looks silly. And damn, Scotty and Palamas do the same move!

Palamas cuts through the testosterone for a minute, inspiring Apollo to more flirtation. Which of course gets Scotty zapped when he draws a phaser in anger! Is that really how we train our officers in Starfleet? Sure enough, Chekov immediately draws his phaser, too bad it won’t fire. But no court would’ve excused Scotty for trying to shoot the alien simply for telling Palamas that he’ll make her a goddess.

Apollo puts Palamas in a dress, Scotty tries to rush him, and the engineer gets slammed down into unconsciousness as his reward. Apollo and Palamas fade out. At least Kirk gives Scotty quite a dressing-down once he wakes up.

We get some interesting info when Palamas talks with Apollo alone. He says the gods are immortal, but need worship. They left Earth and returned home (to this planet, presumably), where they grew progressively weaker. Eventually the others blew away with the wind, to “a point of no return.” Only Apollo waited for human exploration to bring them to him.

When Apollo returns to the party without Palamas, Scotty leaps at him again and gets zapped again. Kirk gets strangled, but afterwards Apollo looks weakened and disappears.

Chekov gets another funny line, that the Cheshire cat was Russian. Of course, this is his character’s shtick. Yes, he was brought on to attract Davy Jones fans to Star Trek, but apparently his appearance alone was supposed to achieve that. The Russian shtick was added on, and it’s usually worth a chuckle or two.

Anyway, Kirk decides they’ll goad Apollo into attacking again, weakening him so the rest can jump him. Nice plan. Meantime we see Uhura wearing a blue smock over her red uniform, soldering circuits under her bridge console. Bet you don’t see that too often.

When Apollo and Palamas return, the guys try to goad him but Palamas talks him down and spoils the plan. When the two of them go off alone again, it sure looks like they’re in love.

And when she comes back, she tells as much to Kirk. But he convinces her to reject Apollo, to deny him the worship he requires. Shatner’s delivery of a speech about their shared humanity demonstrates why he made the big bucks. (In spite of all of today’s smarmy comments about his acting.) Kirk convinces Palamas to do her duty, and Spock and company figure out how to phaser Apollo’s energy source.

Apollo gets a great scene when he reacts to being rejected. They really do some fine practical effects. Scotty, on the other hand, continues to act like a moron.

The close of the episode is right up there with the best this series has to offer. Apollo fades away, defeated, and Kirk expresses a measure of remorse. Nicely done.

Honestly though, there are some problems that keep this episode off of my favorites list. Kirk’s extreme belligerence causes problems that might not’ve occurred if they had just communicated openly and calmly. Scotty acts like a high school student. McCoy’s heavy-handed comment at the opening, letting the audience know not to take Scotty and Palamas as a serious couple. No, those factors drag the episode’s rating down.

Next up, The Deadly Years. See ya real soon.

[Shelby]

The Deadly Years

3478.2

We start with a large landing party arriving in front of some interesting buildings. There’s something spinning in the wind in the background, I wonder if it’s art, a weather station or a generator. We learn that it’s routine to check on scientists, so that’s apparently what they’re doing here. They split up and we get some interesting camera work as Chekhov (we’re getting our money’s worth with him) discovers a dead body. I have to say that these scenes seem completely new to me! And it’s really an intriguing look.

Anyway, the dead guy died of old age, and two other old folks come in who say they’re in their twenties. What’s going on? Let’s find out.

There are two new faces in the briefing room. Commodore Stocker, within whose administrative area this planet falls, and Dr Janet Wallace, a civilian endocrinologist. The commodore is on his way to his new post at Starbase 10. He wears the familiar flower-petal insignia on his red-shirted chest, and he has very shiny sleeve braid. There’s no reason given for the civilian Dr Wallace to be aboard. And for the record, we’re also not far from the Romulan Neutral Zone.

Once everyone leaves except for Dr Wallace and Kirk, we learn that the two of them were a serious item six years ago. Neither was willing to give up their career so they went their separate ways. Wallace married an older colleague who she admired rather than loved, but he’s since passed away. And it appears that there’s still a spark between the captain and the doctor.

Sulu and Spock are surprised when Kirk says to maintain standard orbit twice, once upon entering the bridge, and again when he leaves. Really? I do that all the time. On the other hand, Lt Galway (a member of the landing party) is having hearing trouble. Oh dear, this doesn’t look good, and it looks worse when Kirk mentions a nearby comet a second time, too. I’ll bet you can figure out what’s happening!

I’d just like to point out that Nurse Chapel is looking particularly bad in this episode, and she didn’t even go down to the planet! But Kirk’s getting arthritis, McCoy is starting to go grey, and when Scotty comes in he looks like an old man already! It gets worse over the course of one commercial break, so look out! Only Chekov is unaffected. They have about a week to live, but can look forward to senility first. I’d just like to point out that not everyone who gets old gets senile first, but whatever.

Dr Wallace tells the rapidly-aging Kirk that she’s not over him, and they could resolve their differences. Kirk doesn’t take it well, thinking his aging has something to do with her overtures. After all, her deceased husband was twenty-six years her senior. Eh, she made it clear before he started aging that there was still something between them, but OK, Kirk’s sensitive now.

There’s also a running gag as they subject Chekov to test after test. It’s cute.

We get a big show of Kirk forgetting one thing after another, until it really begins to seem as though we’re being hit over the head with it. Sorry, it’s too much. As an aside, I have to say that much of the make-up aging effects don’t seem very good either. That combined with the over-the-top “old people” characterizations pretty much transforms any potential drama into camp.

Commodore Stocker convinces Spock to hold a competency hearing for Kirk. That’s not going to go over well. And then Lt Galway dies. She’s ten years younger than Kirk.

So the hearing trots up everyone who Kirk repeated an order to. It’s pretty tedious. And the writer has Kirk act like a fool, arguing ineffectively again and again. It’s not fun, and it’s not tragic either. It’s just tediously going through the motions. But we do hear that Kirk is thirty-four years old, which is interesting.

Commodore Stocker takes command and orders them to cross the Neutral Zone. What could go wrong? In the meantime, McCoy realizes that the cure involves adrenaline, and they get to work on a cure. But the Enterprise is attacked by Romulan Birds of Prey, and Stocker is useless.

Spock comes up with a cure, and Kirk insists that he himself should be the one to try it first. While Kirk writhes in agony, Stocker decides to surrender. Chekov remarks gravely that Romulans do not take captives!

And just as a broken Stocker is saying, “What do I do?” a rejuvenated Kirk arrives on the bridge! Sulu says they’re surrounded by as many as ten Romulan ships – ten!

Kirk uses a cracked code to trick the Romulans into believing he’s going to use a “corbomite” self-destruct device, in a nice nod to The Corbomite Maneuver. Of course it works and the Enterprise escapes the Neutral Zone. Hurray!

Everyone who’s still alive gets cured, and the day has been saved. Sadly, there’s just too much about this episode that spoils things. You just can’t take it seriously, and it’s actually painful to watch in places.

Join us next time for Friday’s Child, with guest star Julie Newmar. Until then.

[Shelby]

Friday's Child

3497.2

The show opens with McCoy leading a meeting in the briefing room! Apparently he knows something about the Capellans, with whom they’re going to try and negotiate a mining treaty. This will be tricky because the Capellans are seven foot tall warriors who believe only the strong survive, and to top it off they have an elaborate system of taboos. Oh yeah, and there are Klingons in the neighborhood too. Just another day in Starfleet, right?

Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down, along with one redshirt. How long do you give him?

Twenty-five seconds. Exactly.

The redshirt sees a Klingon with the Capellans and immediately draws his phaser with a shout. One of the Capellans kills him instantly with a thrown blade.

Kirk is indignant that his crewman was killed, but the redshirt was clearly in the wrong. The Klingon was just standing there unarmed, and the Capellans couldn’t allow one of their guests to be killed. Kirk’s position is ludicrous. He yells at McCoy for a while, then finally apologizes. But the whole thing rings a little false.

McCoy gets several chances to step up and save the day with his knowledge of Capellan customs. It’s nice to see his character do something besides complain and do doctor stuff.

We meet the leader of the Capellans, Akaar, and his pregnant wife Eleen, played by Julie Newmar. Here we have one of the most beautiful actresses of the day, and when Star Trek finally gets her they strap a pregnancy belly to her and her hair and make-up are atrocious. They pull the glam card on countless actresses, but not for Newmar. You score a casting coup but blow it. What a shame.



Just so you know I’m not blowing smoke, take a look at these three pictures. One of Newmar’s head shots, one as Catwoman on Batman, and finally her pathetic look from this episode of Star Trek (boo). Whoever was responsible for her Trek look needs to be slapped.

So Kirk and Company have to turn in their phasers and communicators as an act of good faith, meaning the Enterprise has no idea what’s going on with them. Nor does the landing party know that the Enterprise must leave orbit to deal with Klingons up there in space. Oops.

And let me just point out that Scotty’s sideburns are amazingly long. Rock the look, Doohan.

Or maybe it’s just make-up? Or maybe, it’s Maybelline. ;-)

Anyway, we see a rebellious leader among the Capellans, Maab, who is decidedly pro-Klingon. So we’ve got our plot. Surprisingly Eleen prefers the Klingons, too. Maab confronts Akaar, refusing to deal with humans. This isn’t going well.

The locals fight amongst themselves and Akaar is killed. Maab is the new leader, which means that the pregnant Eleen must die. Kirk interferes, laying hands on her which is a capital offense. But when push comes to shove, Eleen agrees to flee with the Enterprise crew if it means she’ll have a chance to live.

McCoy gets a good scene in the hills with Eleen. She slaps him a couple of times for touching her stomach, so he hauls off and hits her back! After that she looks at him in a new light.

Meanwhile Kirk and Spock use their re-acquired communicators to set off a rockfall, hindering their pursuers. Oh, those silly bouncing Trek-rocks.

Eleen needs help getting up the trail, but will only allow McCoy to actually touch her. McCoy gets to use one of his famous lines, “I’m a doctor, not an escalator,” but to no avail. It only gets worse when Eleen gives birth and announces that the baby belongs to McCoy.

The Enterprise was lured away from Capella by a fake distress signal. When Scotty heads back, a second distress signal is broadcast. Scotty gets one of his best lines: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Chekov pipes up and says the saying was invented in Russia. He gets a silly musical sting, and smiles. So, it’s all just one big joke to Chekov, is it?

I’ll take this moment to point out that I’d trade Chekov in a heartbeat if it meant I could get Yeoman Rand back as a regular instead. So the budget can handle the additional regular, can it? Idiots.

Eleen clocks McCoy on the head and runs back to Maab. She says she killed the baby and the Enterprise crew. The Klingon refuses to accept her word and is revealed to have pocketed a phaser, which he brandishes wildly at the locals. This angers Maab who sees that Klingons break their word. Immediately Kirk pops up and shoots the Klingon with a bow, revealing that Eleen was lying as well. You just can’t trust anyone, can you?

Maab gives Eleen her life back, then gets shot in a coordinated maneuver to kill the Klingon. OK then. Seems a little unnecessary, but whatever. Finally Scotty arrives with a security detail before the remaining Capellans try anything against Kirk and Spock. And then who should round the corner but McCoy and the baby. Aww, Spock makes fun of McCoy’s baby talk.

Back on the bridge we learn, much to Mr Spock’s horror, that the baby has been named Leonard James Akaar.

Spock: I think you’re both going to be insufferably pleased with yourselves for at least a month! Sir.

And we go out with a triumphant trumpet fanfare!

Now let’s review. On the positive: Julie Newmar’s here! McCoy is featured, Klingons are featured – even a new type of Klingon ship, given the visual is not a D7 (the Klingon on the planet said it was a scout, if we are to believe him). On the flip side: Kirk acts a bit out of character, McCoy still ends up doing doctor stuff, nobody seems to care that Akaar is dead, and Maab sacrificed himself needlessly. Oh, and Scotty shows up right at the very end, coincidentally.

This was never one of my favorite episodes, even though it does have a lot of signature lines in it. But all in all, it’s not really bad. It just seems like it could’ve been better.

Next on the list? The Changeling. See you soon!

[Shelby]

The Changeling

3541.9

We open on the bridge. Four billion people are missing from a nearby system, without explanation. Without warning, the Enterprise is fired upon by a powerful unseen foe!

When we return the Enterprise proves ineffectual against its one-meter-long enemy. Fortunately attempts to communicate are successful, and “Nomad” halts the attack and agrees to be beamed aboard.

Although we are initially meant to assume it to be a tiny starship, it states that it contains no “parasites” and the crew concludes that it is a computer. Spock confirms that there was a probe called Nomad in the 2000s. Nomad wants to see star charts showing their “point of origin.” So far, so good.

Nomad identifies Earth from a chart of our solar system, and refers to Kirk as “the Creator.” It reveals its function, which it believes Kirk is responsible for: to search for biological infestations and sterilize that which is not perfect. OK, now we got trouble.

So far we’ve moved right along. In fifteen minutes of screen time we’ve set up a tragedy, a threat, an explanation and a mystery. Our villain has proved to be more than a match for the Enterprise. Now the only way for our heroes to proceed is by using their wits. This is how you have an hour-long drama. Nicely done.

By the way, in case you’re new to all this, this episode is considered the inspiration for the first Star Trek movie. And by “inspiration” I mean the movie was a blatant rip-off. ;-)

Kirk and Spock speculate about how the Nomad probe survived a meteor collision and became what it is today. Meanwhile Nomad hears Uhura singing “Beyond Antares,” heads up to the bridge and zaps her to learn more. Scotty leaps up to defend her but Nomad zaps him too.

McCoy: He’s dead, Jim.

Uhura now appears mindless, but I suppose that beats death. When Kirk expresses his dissatisfaction, Nomad offers to repair Scott. Turns out he’s a better doctor than McCoy, because he brings Scott back to life! Sadly, the mindless Uhura will require re-education.

Spock decides he must perform a mind-meld with Nomad to understand what has happened to it. Seems pretty unlikely to me, but no one asked my opinion. Anyway, Spock learns that the damaged Nomad merged with an alien device called Tan Ru, which explains its new function.

Spock points out that the only reason it hasn’t killed them is that it thinks Kirk is its creator. Meanwhile Nomad decides to leave its cell, and kills two redshirts who draw on it. It goes to engineering and tries to improve things, nearly tearing the ship apart until Kirk gets it to stop. When Kirk finds out that Nomad killed his two “biological units,” he tells Nomad that he himself is also a biological unit. Big mistake. Nomad says he must re-evaluate before he returns to his “launch point.” Figured this out yet? The stakes are high!

Once again two redshirts fire on Nomad, so he destroys them. Man, these guys have a death wish. Nomad blows into sickbay and pulls Kirk’s records. It ignores Kirk’s commands and shuts down life support.

Nomad has decided to destroy that which is imperfect. Time for Kirk to engage in some logic warfare! He points out how Nomad itself is imperfect, and tells it to execute its prime function! Nice.

Nomad: A-na-lyze! A-na-lyze!

Spock: Your logic is impeccable, Captain. We are in grave danger.

They whip Nomad to the transporter and beam him into space, where he blows himself up. Aw, so sad.

Playful scene at the end as Kirk points out that Nomad was like a son to him. And having restored Scott to life, it obviously would’ve been quite a doctor.

Kirk: My son, the doctor.

Of course, in The Wrath of Khan, we learn that Kirk’s son is, in fact, a doctor. Foreshadowing.

A fun episode, tightly written and shot. And obviously a great story, as evidenced by its being re-purposed as The Motion Picture. Ah, plagiarism.

I don’t feel compelled to add it to my list of favorites though. Possibly because it doesn’t really strike any deep notes for me. It’s a great thriller though. Maybe if this were the first time I saw it.

Next on the list is Wolf in the Fold, an opportunity for James Doohan to shine. See you then.

[Shelby]

Wolf in the Fold

3614.9

The story opens in a club on Argelius. The feel is middle-eastern. Kirk tells Scotty that he’s invited the belly dancer to join their table after she’s finished. Scotty expresses his appreciation for a captain who’s thinking of his men.



Once Scotty leaves for a walk with his new friend, Kirk and McCoy discuss how they both plotted this encounter for Scotty. Then they leave for another club. Ah, sailors on leave.

Outside, they hear a woman scream and find the dancer dead, Scotty standing nearby with a bloody knife in his hand. It’s not looking too good!

Got to hand it to them, this is certainly an atypical episode of Star Trek. Well, it’s written by Robert Bloch, the horror writer.

Scotty is interrogated by a Mr Hengist, but he says that he doesn’t remember the important details. Kirk is conscious of his diplomatic responsibility, but McCoy counters that Scotty had a recent concussion and is telling the truth. Prefect Jaris arrives and his wife will perform an empathic ritual to determine the truth.

Kirk calls for a psycho-tricorder from the ship first, while Jaris reminds us of the strategic importance of Argelius. Lt Tracy goes off alone with Scotty to use the tricorder, screams and is found dead with an unconscious Scotty. Again, he claims to remember nothing.

Doohan’s doing a good job of acting. Kirk’s skepticism is a little surprising. We have a surprising bit of testimony from the dancer’s father, and from Morla the girl’s betrothed. Really? She goes off with a sailor, in front of her fiance? They claim that the culture would disallow jealousy on the man’s part. Kirk actually starts to show emotion, which is more in character.

Spock talks to Kirk from the bridge and allows us to hear the importance of resolving the issue via local law. They can’t just beam Scotty out.

Jaris’ wife performs the empathy ceremony, the lights go out, and when they come up Scotty is holding her dead body. Well, that doesn’t look good. McCoy insists that Scott is innocent. Kirk is being more careful, but pushes to use the Enterprise’s resources to determine Scott’s innocence or guilt. Jaris agrees.

The set-up each time is designed to make things look pretty cut and dried. Three murders in quick succession. And now we cut to the Enterprise.

Scotty testifies that he doesn’t remember the first two murders, but during the third he felt a “thing.” The computer verifies his statements. It also absolves Morla, although the dancer’s father says his daughter didn’t love him. Jaris continues to support the path of the investigation as Hengist continues to object.

They query the computer about the “nonsense words” that Jaris’ wife mentioned during her ritual. The computer connects Jack the Ripper, and confirms the possibility of an entity that could thrive on fear. The computer describes incidents that draw a straight line between Earth and Argelius. They connect Mr Hengist being from the prior planet which hosted senseless murders. He tries to escape and dies unexpectedly, the creature taking control of the ship’s computer.

There is no Uhura on the bridge when we see a nurse administering tranquilizers to keep the crew calm. The entity is rambling on the intercom, trying to provoke fear, but the drugs keep Sulu and the others happy.

Spock has the computer work on all the digits of pi. This keeps the entity from controlling the ship, and it flees into Jaris, then back into Hengist’s dead body, which they transport into space. “Kill, kill, kill you all.”

Since the crew is all drugged out, they now have the happiest ship in the galaxy. Which must explain why no one is sad about all the murders of innocent people.

I’m afraid that since I know the story so well, it’s difficult for me to evaluate the episode. It really does clip right along, and I don’t think the clues give anything away, so I’d rate this as an effective episode.

Next time we’ll watch Obsession.

[Shelby]

Obsession

3619.2

I’m writing this on William Shatner’s birthday. Happy Birthday!

The Enterprise has just found some valuable ore on a planet, but when Kirk recognizes a particular scent it reminds him of an incident from eleven years in the past. He sends a team of security men out and they are attacked by a cloud that drains their red corpuscles. I bet those guys were using their corpuscles.

I note that Kirk has the red-shirts set their phasers to “disruptor-B.” So we know that there are multiple settings.

We return to the ship’s medical lab and learn that the one security guard to survive is requiring massive transfusions. We are also reminded that the Enterprise is due elsewhere to deliver perishable vaccines. Our stakes having been established, Kirk boldly states that they will remain while he investigates, even if it costs lives. Hmm, could this be an obsession?

Kirk tells McCoy to reference tapes from the USS Farragut for similar deaths. Questioning the survivor, Kirk gets confirmation of a sweet odor, and maybe even an intelligence behind the attack. After he leaves, Nurse Chapel says she’s never seen the captain act like that before. Like what, Christine? Obsessed?

Or are you just heavy-handedly trying to make the audience believe something by saying it repeatedly? Show, Christine, but don’t tell.

I should note that Uhura is back on the bridge. She wasn’t there for the prior episode. And on the episode before that, her mind had been wiped and she was said to require “re-education.” So perhaps that is the explanation for her absence? Or am I giving them too much credit?

We are introduced to a new security ensign named Garrovick. Apparently Kirk knew the man’s father. Meanwhile, the prior victim of the cloud’s attack has died. Kirk takes Garrovick and more security men down to the planet, where two more red-shirts are attacked. One dies, the other goes to sickbay. Lucky one of the beds was just freed up.

Kirk has a voice-over where he questions his decision to remain and confront the creature. We are really getting hit over the head with the concept that Kirk is obsessed. This is weak writing.

Garrovick is debriefed and admits he froze when he saw the creature, allowing it to attack the other two men. Kirk relieves him of duty, but McCoy and Spock are shocked, shocked I tell you, at Kirk’s reaction!

When Kirk gets to the bridge he takes exception to Scott reminding him about their rendezvous. This is only about the fifth time Kirk has been “reminded.” He reacts by saying he’s tired of his officers “conspiring” against him, then apologizes. But sheesh, maybe the director would like to overlay the image of Captain Queeg on top of him? With maybe a red arrow? It’s pretty thick in here. Anyway, Kirk yells at Chekov for not finding the creature with his scans, then leaves the bridge.

Spock goes to visit McCoy for advice.

McCoy: Then I need a drink.

Ha ha. Actually that was a funny moment, very dry and in-character. Now Spock comes right out and tells us that he thinks Kirk is obsessed. We also learn that Ensign Garrovick’s father was Kirk’s captain back on the Farragut, and died by cloud-creature on that same mission from eleven years ago.

Kirk has another voice-over as he soul-searches.

Kirk: Am I letting the horrors of the past distort my judgment of the present?

I don’t know. Is he? I mean, I suppose he could go deliver that medicine and then come back to continue the search. I don’t think anyone lives on this planet, so there wouldn’t be additional lives lost. But if the creature got here on its own, then maybe it can leave this planet on its own while Kirk is away, and Kirk won’t be able to kill it. That would ultimately cost lives too. So is staying until they find and kill the thing really such a bad decision? Isn’t the captain of the Enterprise supposed to be able to make just such decisions? His senior officers can offer dissenting opinions, but why question his authority? Because that’s where we’re driving.

McCoy goes to Kirk’s cabin for a talk, and we learn that it was Lt Kirk, eleven years ago on the Farragut, who hesitated when he should’ve fired on the creature. Although exonerated of any wrong-doing, he still feels guilt. Especially over Captain Garrovick’s death, who had been Kirk’s commanding officer ever since he’d left the Academy.

Kirk: There’s an intelligence, a malevolence about it. It’s evil, it must be destroyed.

Now McCoy gets all confrontational, and accuses Kirk of being OBSESSED. Kirk becomes uncharacteristically angry and tells McCoy not to press their friendship. So McCoy gets all dramatic and says he’s making a MEDICAL LOG ENTRY (entry, entry, entry…) Including a dramatic music sting. Then McCoy lets Spock into the room. Wow, this really is entrapment isn’t it?

So why is it that these three men, who are supposed to know each other so well, doubt Kirk’s claim that this creature is intelligent and capable of space travel? Kirk correctly says the decision is his command prerogative.

With perfect timing, Chekov interrupts. The creature is leaving the planet and fleeing into space! Kirk drives the ship at warp eight but can’t catch the creature, so they have to drop to warp six before they blow up. Pretty exciting stuff!

But when they slow, so does the creature. Finally, it enters the ship and attacks two more crew. And then, for no flipping rational reason, McCoy goes raving mad at Kirk like he did something wrong! Excuse me, the thing eats humans for breakfast and has proved that it moves through interstellar space. How in hell were they supposed to let it go?! You know, the way they write McCoy sometimes, I would’ve had him court-martialed. And failing that, at least had him transferred off the ship. Who exactly thought a military man could act this way?

Spock shuts McCoy up by explaining that the creature has now demonstrated its intelligence. The writer actually has McCoy apologize to Kirk. Go figure. Next, Spock explains that the creature is immune to their weapons and so Kirk need have no guilt about his actions eleven years ago. Interesting, especially since Kirk rejects Spock’s attempts to bring him peace.

And so Spock goes to give Garrovick the same advice. I mean, since it went so well with Kirk.

Hey, wait a minute! They’re making quite a point of addressing Garrovick as ensign, and he has no rank stripes. But what he does have is his own cabin! That’s actually pretty special. Although Janice Rand was only a yeoman, and got her own cabin too. Still, I remember my Enterprise blueprints had some shared quarters. Perhaps they were for the grunts we see running around in jumpsuits sometimes.

Anyway the thing comes through the vent in Garrovick’s cabin and Spock idiotically tries to block a cloud from going through a vent with his hands. I mean, it’s obvious that his hands are too small.

They suck the cloud away and Spock is unharmed because of his green blood! You sly dog, you. Funny thing is that security is pointing this silly cardboard light projector at the door when we arrive there. This thing has never had a defined purpose, but we see it used here and there.



Anyway Kirk tells Garrovick that nothing he could’ve done would’ve affected the thing, and by this we see that Kirk has accepted that argument about his own guilt as well.

The creature leaves the ship without explanation. It attacked without explanation, and now it flees without explanation. Even though the crew hasn’t been able to hurt it. Kirk guesses that the thing is retreating to the planet where he first encountered it. Spock says the thing will spawn (how does he know that?), so they will try and use anti-matter against it. Kirk and Garrovick will beam down, risking their lives! Honestly I don’t see the reason for the men, they’re going to beam down a jug of hemoglobin and remote-detonate the bomb anyway, but OK.

Isn’t it funny how everyone supports Kirk’s efforts now?

The boys lure the cloud right up to their bomb. Even though they said it would blow up half the planet, they have to get the thing six feet away before they’re satisfied. This is how we get knocked out of suspension of disbelief. Well actually, most of the past fifteen minutes of plot has been pretty, well, illogical. There, I said it.

As they struggle to beam the two men back McCoy gets to remark about spreading molecules with a transporter. Scott thanks heaven when they’re finally rescued, but Spock says it was his cross-circuiting to “B” that saved the day. Oh ho ho.

And Kirk promises to share some “tall stories” with Garrovick. Ah, bonding.

So how did we do? Honestly, I think it was a good story, but the out-of-character, unrealistic “obsession” crap just gets on my nerves. Unfortunately that keeps me from really enjoying this one, even more than the big holes in the plot.

Anyway, I hope William Shatner had a great birthday, and I wish him many more. Next time we’ll watch The Apple.

[Shelby]

The Apple

3715.3

This time we have a landing party so large that it takes two transfers to get them all down. They are contacting the inhabitants of this planet because the sensor readings are unusual, but their first-hand impressions are that the planet is a “Garden of Eden.” Which Chekov points out was just outside Moscow. He looks sincere this time, instead of having a grin on his face.

Kirk orders them to begin a seventeen-kilometer march to the nearest village. That’s a ten-mile march and ought to take them half a day! Are they that worried about materializing in front of a native or something? Also, Spock said the temperature was 76 degrees, assumedly Fahrenheit, but they’re measuring distance in kilometers. A little consistency would make more sense.

In any case a redshirt gets shot dead with darts from a flower before anyone starts marching. We get a glimpse of a stranger hiding nearby as Kirk makes a grim, emotional remark about paradise.

Back on the bridge it is notable that we don’t see Mr Sulu. Kirk tells Scott to beam up the dead body once they’re gone from the area. Really? Scotty says they’re “losing potency in the anti-matter pods,” and he doesn’t know what’s causing it. I think we’re getting set up, what do you think?

Spock adds that there are artificial subsurface vibrations for miles in all direction. Miles, huh? C’mon writers, this is just sloppy.

Spock spots the lurking native with his tricorder, but he gets away. Chekov puts the moves on the beautiful Yeoman Landon (played by Celeste Yarnall, Shel Silverstein’s wife!) only to be remonstrated by Kirk. The team has split up and moves on. We get a little excitement when Spock tosses an unusual rock that explodes.

Scott calls to say their anti-matter pods have been completely drained by something coming from the nearby village. Curious, no? No one seems too worried though. Why not? Won’t their orbit decay and the Enterprise crash? Won’t they be stranded forever?

Spock gets shot by another flower. McCoy needs to get him back to the ship immediately but we find out the hard way that the transporters won’t work around this planet anymore. Oh no!

I wonder why no one mentions using the shuttles? Oh well, it’s not necessary just yet because Spock gets up none the worse for wear. Well, except that as usual Dr McCoy’s potion has upset Spock’s stomach. Nice, dry humor.

Spock remarks on the planetary defenses and thunderclouds immediately form. Lightning kills another redshirt. Well, that’s what they’re there for.

A redshirt from the other team has arrived at the village. I don’t think half a day has passed yet. He looks at his communicator and determines his coordinates! Nice trick.

I’m beginning to think that all the male actors, including the regulars, have their sideburns extended with make-up. Was no one willing to actually grow longer sideburns?

Anyway, the guy steps on one of those explosive rocks and dies. The last security guard rejoins the main group. Kirk is taking all the deaths hard, especially since the father of the latest victim had helped Kirk get into the Academy. Nice to see the characters affected by death. Too often it’s glossed over.

It strikes me at this point that so far the episode has done a fine job of cranking up the tension. Yes, it’s a pretty landscape, and it’s been extremely deadly. They’re trapped and how will they cope with a planet that has defenses this potent? Nicely done.

Spock detects an observer again and he creates a diversion by loudly remonstrating Mr Chekov. It’s a really funny scene, as Chekov offers “wiolence” in response to the dressing-down.

Kirk accosts the spy, a red-skinned man with big white hair and metal antennae, who cries when he takes a punch to the face. Kirk promises not to hurt the astonished recipient of violence. The man identifies himself as Akuta, Eyes of Vaal and leader of the Feeders of Vaal. He explains that Vaal is “everything.” Kirk wants to speak with Vaal but only Akuta can speak to him. Everyone agrees to go back to the village.

Note, the actor who plays Akuta is Keith Andes. He has a magnificent voice. One point of trivia is that he was the voice of Birdman in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series.

Scotty interrupts. The ship is being tractor-beamed in to crash. They have sixteen hours. Kirk tells him if he can’t fix things, he’s fired. I always enjoyed that line. Also of note is that Mr Kyle (normally at the transporter controls) is serving as helm officer. Scott has him double-up and man the Science station as well. As always, I’m impressed with Starfleet’s cross-trained officers.

Akuta shows them a cave mouth carved to look like a snake head. Spock discovers the protecting force-field the hard way (amusing Chekov and Landon). But his tricorder reveals this is an access-point to a generator located deep beneath the surface.

Akuta offers to let them rest in the village until Vaal gets hungry again, and maybe they can try to communicate then. Back at the village Kirk asks where the children are. Turns out that they need no “replacements.” Vaal forbids “the holding, the touching.”

McCoy: Well, there goes paradise.

The Enterprise crew are welcomed to the primitive village. They’re not even hunter-gatherers, they just “gather.” The natives wrap flower garlands around the forearms of their guests. Kirk jokes with Spock.

Kirk: It does something for you.

Spock: It makes me uncomfortable.

Nimoy is so good at delivering the dry humor. The villagers all laugh at Spock’s name.

Another great point is made as Kirk talks to Scott again. He tells him to discard the nacelles and escape with the saucer if he has to. At the moment I can’t remember any other point in the series where this ability was acknowledged, although I recall that we fans knew it was possible.

McCoy says that the natives don’t age and they could be thousands of years old. Then a gong rings and the people go feed Vaal. (I have no idea what they’re bringing it, but if it were the explosive rocks that might make sense.) It seems aware of them when the crew tries to approach, so they retreat. Spock says Vaal is only a machine, there are no other people inside. Kirk and Spock discuss the fact that Vaal needs to be fed, and that the Enterprise only has ten hours left. Spock will try and figure out if Vaal is weak enough to escape from at any point in its feeding cycle.

McCoy and Spock have an interesting, appropriate argument over the native culture. McCoy is upset because they’ve been stagnant for at least 10,000 years, while Spock says the people are happy, healthy and the system is working for them. As I’ve written before, discussion of real-life issues is the purpose of science fiction.

There’s a cute scene where Kirk asks Yeoman Landon to speculate on how the natives would go about creating a “replacement” if someone died accidentally. Silly music plays as she struggles not to embarrass herself, but she wonders how they’d even know what to do. Spock also struggles, and says they’d be “instructed.”

McCoy: By a machine? I’d like to see that.

There’s a quick cut to Akuta and Vaal. Akuta has been given a task.

Next we have a beautiful scene where Chekov and Landon embrace and kiss, agreeing that it wouldn’t be so bad if they have to stay here, together. It’s a pity the relationship didn’t continue past this episode. It makes the characters human, it gives them depth. It really did a lot for the character of Chekov in this episode. I know, it’s funny to hear this complaint from me, since I’m the one who gets bent out of shape when you can’t watch a series in any random order, but I think episodes could’ve been written so as to make it obvious when two of the crew were involved with each other, without having to refer back to other episodes.

Chekov and Landon’s kissing is observed by a native couple (the male actor is David Soul from Starsky and Hutch). The two discuss it, and share a kiss of their own. It’s very sweet.

But Vaal knows, and Akuta confronts them. He assembles the men of the tribe and shows them how to club the Enterprise crew to death. The tension is palpable.

Obviously, we are about to have two types of sin in Eden now.

Meanwhile Kirk and Spock debate. Kirk maintains that the natives only exist to serve a machine. Spock says they can’t violate their non-interference orders. Always a good conversation to have.

Scotty tells Kirk they’ll be ready to make their try in thirty minutes, but in forty-five the ship will begin to burn up.

Exiting their hut, the crew finds the village deserted. They go to talk to Vaal, and lightning strikes Spock. He recovers, but the villagers attack and club the last remaining redshirt to the ground. Survival of the fittest, Yeoman Landon has no trouble flipping and kicking her assailants!

Spock tells McCoy he need have no worry for the natives; they’ve learned to kill.

Really, I can’t believe I’ve become so engrossed in this episode! I didn’t remember it being this good.

They have twelve minutes left when Scotty attempts his escape. They only gain an hour of additional time and every circuit is burned out.

Scott: I guess you’ll have to fire me.

Kirk: You’re fired.

It may seem like a flippant exchange on paper, but Shatner’s delivery is so weary, so drenched in despair, that it’s a powerful moment. In the background, Chekov and Landon hold hands supportively.

While Shatner is emoting so well, the gong resumes and the natives try to respond. Kirk has his crew keep the natives penned up in a hut while he and Spock go to confront Vaal. Kirk orders Scott to fire the ship’s phasers on Vaal, to make it use up its power. They are successful, of course. Scott has nothing but good news for Kirk. Kirk responds with obvious joy.

Kirk: Scotty, you’re re-hired!



Kirk gives the natives a pep-talk about freedom and love, and we’re back to the Enterprise. McCoy and Spock have been arguing. Spock says that as in Genesis, the natives were given the knowledge of good and evil and have been driven out of paradise.

Kirk: Doctor, do I understand him correctly? Are you casting me in the role of Satan?

Spock: Not at all –

Kirk: Is there anyone on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan?

Spock: I am not aware of anyone who fits that description, Captain.

Kirk: No Mr Spock, I wouldn’t think you would.

What a fine episode. Really. Acting, pacing, writing. The thought behind it. Drama, comedy, action, romance. Amazing stakes, and so much iconic Trek. I have to add this to my Favorites list, and never in a million years did I expect to do that. Here’s the updated list.

Season One Favorites:
Mudd’s Women
Charlie X
The Naked Time
The Conscience of the King
The Alternative Factor
City on the Edge of Forever
Space Seed
Errand of Mercy
This Side of Paradise

Season Two Favorites:
Patterns of Force
Amok Time
The Apple

I wonder how many favorites I’ll have from each season. Only one way to find out!

The next episode will be Journey to Babel. I’ll try to post it for Leonard Nimoy’s birthday. See you then.

[Shelby]

Journey to Babel

3842.3

I’m writing this on Leonard Nimoy’s ninetieth birthday, Happy Birthday!

I didn’t remember the opening scene at all. Kirk and McCoy in their dress uniforms, then joined by Spock in corridors full of political delegates. It’s all so bright and vibrant!

Here is, I believe, the first time we see a shuttlecraft coming in the big hanger on the Enterprise. It’s a great look. And once it’s landed, just look how shiny it is! They sure polished that shuttle up.

After watching him get snubbed by them, we realize that we’ve just been introduced to Spock’s parents. Cute. And we learn that at least part of the reason is that Spock chose to serve in Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy.

A note, the actor who plays Sarek appeared as another character prior to this. He was the “Romulan Commander” in Balance of Terror.

Then we have a little confrontation between the Tellarite ambassador and Sarek, while the Andorian ambassador looks on. It was so good to see these Trek aliens appear. I don’t recall Tellarites showing up at any other point in the series. As I remarked at the time, an Andorian appeared in Gamesters of Triskelion, but without remark.

Spock’s mom Amanda tells McCoy that he had a teddy bear as a child. Spock points out that on Vulcan, the teddy bears are alive, and have six-inch fangs. Take that, Leonard.

Meanwhile the Enterprise is being shadowed by a small unidentified vessel. Interesting, Uhura engages the Universal Translator to hail it. That device was also used in Metamorphosis. It’s becoming a staple of the stories now.

We see Sarek take a pill. When pressed, he tells the Tellarite that he favors admission of the planet Coridan into the Federation, then states that Tellarite vessels have been carrying Coridan dilithium. This implies that they are smugglers. The Tellarite attacks Sarek but he easily fends the alien off, then Kirk breaks things up. Amanda had previously stated that Sarek had bested the Tellarite in a prior political arena, so there is definitely bad blood between them.

Oh dear. The Tellarite ambassador is found murdered. Then Sarek collapses with a heart attack.

The alien ship transmits a coded message to someone on board the Enterprise. The tension mounts!

In sick bay we learn that Sarek needs heart surgery, and both his and Spock’s blood type is T-negative. (Which was the name of an old Trek fanzine.) Spock not only volunteers to donate his blood, but to take an experimental drug that will increase his own blood production. It’s risky, but the only way to save Sarek’s life. Honestly I didn’t remember about Spock taking the drug. That element adds to the tension as well.

Out of the blue Kirk gets stabbed by an Andorian, and ends up in sickbay with a punctured lung. Now Spock refuses to relinquish command to donate the blood for his father. Yep, according to Spock no personal privilege can justify turning command over to Scotty (who doesn’t actually appear in this episode).

Spock can find no logical reason for the Andorian to have attacked Kirk, or for the murder of the Tellarite. The Andorian ambassador has a great line in response: “Perhaps you should forget logic and devote yourself to motivations of passion or gain. Those are reasons for murder.”

Amanda wants her husband’s life saved, and tries appealling to Spock. “There must be some part of me in you.” He refuses to step down, so she slaps him and walks out. The soundtrack really adds to the mood in this scene.

Kirk recovers enough to fool Spock into giving the transfusion. Spock has an epiphany about the alien ship but Chapel gives him a sedative before he can update the captain. That’s just about the stupidest move I’ve ever seen.

Turns out the Andorian who attacked Kirk had a transceiver hidden in one of his antenna. The enemy ship attacks, making McCoy’s operation more difficult. Everyone in sickbay is quite anxious.

I’ve noticed that a lot of the time when we have an alien ship or something, instead of a model we see a light effect on the view screen. As in this episode. I imagine that was easier than building a new miniature model of a spaceship for each occurrence. But just now I’ve thought of a rationale for that within the fictional setting. If a ship isn’t a standard type, has shields up, or hasn’t been identified, perhaps the Enterprise’s sensors just use a light “marker” or icon to indicate the enemy’s relative position on the view screen. Because that’s the only place we ever see that icon; it’s never used in an exterior view of the Enterprise facing off against an unknown opponent.



Kirk lures the enemy in and damages them, so they self-destruct. The prisoner won’t talk either, and has taken deadly poison. Kirk heads down to sickbay and speaks with the now-conscious Spock and Sarek, who suspect it was all an Orion plot to create suspicion and mistrust so they may continue stealing dilithium from Coridan. Spock’s epiphany was only that the enemy ship never intended to return home, so was using 100% of its power in the attacks. Eh, big deal.

The boys get Amanda all riled up about logic, so that the Vulcans can label her emotional.

Spock: Why did you marry her?

Sarek: At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do.

McCoy commands everyone to stay in their sickbay beds, including Kirk.

Kirk: Dr McCoy, I believe you’re enjoying all this.

Spock: Indeed Captain. I’ve never seen him look so happy.

McCoy: Shut up! Ssh! Ssh!

He grins.

McCoy: Well, what do you know? I finally got the last word.

And we’re out. The episode was written by Dorothy Fontana, who certainly knew the characters well. That’s why we’ve got a good balance of tension, comedy and iconic tidbits of information.

I’ve seen this episode so many times that I can practically recite the dialogue from memory. All of the background information about Vulcans is old hat to me. So it’s very difficult for me to sit back and remember what it must’ve been like to have seen this episode for the first time. I just have to take it on faith that it belongs in my list of favorite episodes. So here’s the updated list:

Season One Favorites:
Mudd’s Women
Charlie X
The Naked Time
The Conscience of the King
The Alternative Factor
City on the Edge of Forever
Space Seed
Errand of Mercy
This Side of Paradise

Season Two Favorites:
Patterns of Force
Amok Time
The Apple
Journey to Babel

Next time we get together it will be to watch Bread and Circuses. In the meantime, Happy Birthday to Leonard Nimoy!

[Shelby]

Bread and Circuses

4040.7

I’m writing today’s review on April 5th. Happy First Contact Day!

The Space Ship Beagle has been missing for six years, but the Enterprise has come across its wreckage. Spock determines which planet any survivors would be found on, and comments that the ship was commanded by Captain Merik, who Kirk knew at the Academy. Although Merik flunked out. OK, all the threads are in place.

When they arrive in orbit Uhura displays a TV channel’s broadcast on the main screen for the bridge crew. The Starfleet gang dubs the native civilization “20th Century Rome,” because it has slaves and gladiators. Uhura gets several reaction shots here, including a wince as one of the gladiators “finishes” his opponent.

Anyway, one of the Beagle crew is mentioned as being a gladiator, so they beam down. What could go wrong?

It looks remarkably like Southern California, including the smog. Spock reminds us of the Prime Directive. Thanks, Spock. We also get some of the traditional McCoy banter. It seems a little smoother today.

They encounter a group of escaped slaves who just happen to speak 20th century English. OK Gene, while we don’t normally acknowledge potential language barriers, this is pretty silly.

They’re taken to meet the slaves’ leader Septimus, who asks if they worship the sun. McCoy says they represent many beliefs. That’s nice of you, Doctor. Another insight into Federation culture. The slaves haven’t heard of any strangers arriving six years ago. That’s good, because otherwise it would be a short episode.

Here’s Roddenberry’s explanation for the familiar society. I hope you relish it as much as I.

Kirk: An amazing example of Hodgkin’s Law of Parallel Planet Development. But on this Earth, Rome never fell.

Roddenberry pitched the series as being able to pull this off, thus saving production costs by allowing the crew to visit multiple “Earths” instead of expensive alien civilizations. Well, he’s fulfilling his promise, but I don’t think it’s very effective.

Turns out that Captain Merik appears to have become First Citizen Merikus, Lord of the Games. Oh dear, that’s not going to do much for interplanetary relations, is it? One of the sun-worshipers, Flavius, leads our heroes to the city. He’s a famous ex-gladiator. Interesting.

The group is apprehended by police in riot helmets who carry machine guns. Kirk tells a guard to let Merikus know that Jim Kirk wants to speak with him. And sure enough, Merikus is in fact Captain Merik. He says he decided to stay here rather than allow the strong civilization of the natives to be contaminated. Those of his crew who didn’t cooperate, died in the arena.

Merik’s boss the Proconsul wants Kirk to bring his people down as well, but Kirk refuses. He tells Scotty, “Condition Green.” Which means he’s in trouble but Scott isn’t to do anything about it.

Hey, Scotty’s in charge! There’ve been quite a few episodes where he should’ve been, but wasn’t. Anyway, he’s planning to do something to scare those pesky Romans, which wouldn’t precisely violate his orders. Oh, that sneaky Scotsman. But it gives Doohan more lines, and he pulls them off well.

Back on the planet we get to see an actual Star Trek sound stage, set up to be one of the planet’s gladiator shows. Funny, huh? At least we get this rare view inside the production. And oh look, it’s Spock and McCoy against Flavius and some poor other slob. Kirk gets to watch.

Spock does pretty well but McCoy is hopeless. Then we get one of my favorite lines from the guy who’s in charge of the games: “You bring this network’s ratings down Flavius, and we’ll do a special on you!”

They try to goad Kirk into giving in and ordering his men to beam down. Kirk gets another great line.

Kirk: Proconsul, in some parts of the galaxy I’ve seen forms of entertainment that makes this look like a folk dance!

Merik: He commands not just a space ship but a star ship. A very special vessel and crew.

This echoes a line Scotty had earlier, about showing “just what a star ship can do.” In the original series, we only saw star ships like the Enterprise, of which there were twelve – and everything else was referred to as a space ship. That got lost in later works where we saw other types and classes of Starfleet vessels. I much prefer the aura of magnificence that the term “star ship” carries, as they were originally presented.

Spock defeats both gladiators, saving McCoy, and everyone gets hauled away. Spock and McCoy get returned to jail, but Kirk gets a night with a pleasure slave. Such are the perks of command.

We’ve seen a lot of banter between Spock and McCoy in this episode, and they’re making a point of blurring the line between jokes and insults. McCoy tries to thank Spock for saving his life, Spock rebuffs him, and we get an interesting scene.

McCoy: I know why you’re not afraid to die Mr Spock – you’re more afraid of living!

Spock doesn’t break, but through the exchange McCoy communicates to the audience that they’re both just worried about Kirk. That’s their common trait.



And for giggles, we cut back to Kirk and the slave girl beginning the night’s festivities. The camera tilts up to an oil lamp, and dissolves into the same lamp having burned out. Then it tilts back down to Kirk asleep on the pillows. Is this the first episode to get explicit about Kirk actually having sex? Remember that was a big deal in 1960s television. In the Dick Van Dyke show, Dick and his wife Laura even had separate beds.

The next day, the Proconsul and Merik arrive and announce that one of the communicators is missing. The Proconsul abruptly dismisses Merik and implies that he is less than a man. It’s quite a zing. Anyway that’s the explanation for why Kirk was allowed one last night as a man; because he’s a man, and he must die soon. The Proconsul even expresses his admiration, saying that Kirk should’ve been a Roman. He’s still going to be executed on television though, “in full color.” Nice.

In a lucky coincidence, Flavius disrupts the execution, getting himself shot, just when Scotty decides to target the Roman power systems. This causes a short blackout allowing Kirk to escape and release his pals from their cell.

Next there would be a blooper where the guards slip and fall while running in, but you know, they don’t include those clips in the final cut. I know it’s there though.

Merik redeems himself spiritually by contacting Scotty with the communicator he stole, before the trio get killed. The Proconsul stabs him in the back, but not before he tosses the communicator to the boys, which allows them to be beamed away in the nick of time.

Back on the bridge, Kirk puts Scotty in for a commendation since he didn’t break the Prime Directive. Spock comments on the sun worshipers, prompting Uhura to correct everyone.

Uhura: It’s not the sun up on the sky. It’s the son of God.

Kirk: Caesar and Christ. They had them both. And the word is spreading only now.

Kirk orders Chekov to take them out, even though he’s the navigator rather than the helmsman. Since Sulu’s off being a green beret I guess.

And, we’re out.

Roddenberry has given us a joyous moment where our future civilization contemplates Christianity with warm fuzzy feelings. And McCoy has already commented that their society represents many beliefs. We know they celebrate Thanksgiving, from an episode in season one. So I think we’re being led to believe that there are at least some Christians in the Federation. And I suppose this is the first example of this. Prior to now we’ve only seen an undecorated ship’s chapel, where Kirk would’ve officiated at a wedding.

This episode has a few of my favorite lines in it, but it’s still a silly “alternate version of Earth” and the parallels break my suspension of disbelief. It doesn’t have any tension for me, but I’ve seen it a thousand times. The heroes are under threat but they don’t break, and the story is pretty straightforward without being gripping. I’m afraid it won’t go on my list of favorites.

Anyway, Happy First Contact Day. Next time we’ll watch The Doomsday Machine, which is my brother’s favorite episode!

[Shelby]

The Doomsday Machine

4202.9

The Enterprise encounters a series of destroyed planets as they respond to a distress call from the Constellation, commanded by Matt Decker. We follow Kirk as he circumnavigates the bridge. It’s a pretty cool shot. Oh, and Uhura is missing from her station, Lieutenant Palmer’s there. No Chekov, either, but Sulu’s back.



The Constellation’s not looking good, drifting in space. Neat to see both ships on screen at the same time. Kirk beams over with Scotty and McCoy and a few other crewmen. There’s no one on board.

No one except Commodore Matt Decker! He encountered a Doomsday Machine that disabled his ship. He beamed his crew down to the third planet but then the Machine destroyed it too. Decker’s a few dilithium crystals short of a full tank over it, so McCoy takes him back to the Enterprise while Kirk tries getting the Constellation ready for towing. As soon as they arrive the Doomsday Machine appears and heads towards Enterprise!

By the way, it looks like a rolled-up newspaper because it is. Budget woes. It still holds a special place in my heart.

Ooh, check it out. Enterprise has the swirly fronts to its nacelles, and the spheres on the back! That’s the version I remember best.

Enterprise is attacked and its transporter is disabled. Kirk and company are trapped on the Constellation. Decker assumes command of the Enterprise, determined to destroy the Machine. This gives McCoy a chance to rant about leaving Kirk behind, but regulations are against him.

Decker wears the insignia of the Constellation on his tunic. It’s reminiscent of a pretzel. Originally the twelve star ships each had their own insignia. This was later ret-conned out, and Enterprise’s arrowhead became the symbol for all of Star Fleet. Meh, I’m a purist.

Decker attacks and the Enterprise is severely damaged. Scotty gets impulse and phasers working on the Constellation, and they manage to distract the Machine and buy the Enterprise some time. Kirk finally gets through to the Enterprise and orders Spock to relieve a very angry Decker of command.

I must point out that the little ship miniatures used for Enterprise and Constellation in the space battle against the Doomsday Machine look really pathetic. I’m not sure why this happened, but I’ve never seen such a bad job before. I suppose this would be one case where I’d approve of tinkering with the effects.

Oh dear, and they used one of the very old clips of Enterprise with the pointy fronts to the nacelles and the spotted rears. No thought for consistency at all.

Spock sends Decker to sickbay with a guard, but Decker overpowers the guard and steals a shuttle. He flies it into the Machine, thinking he’ll blow it up somehow. He just dies. But the explosion did do a little damage.

Kirk sets off a self-destruct on the Constellation right before it gets swallowed up by the Machine, and they beam him off at the last second. The Planet-Killer is dead.

Kirk and Spock then circumnavigate the bridge again, and we’re out.

I’ve seen this episode a million times, and it always comes up in the lists of top ten episodes. The acting is all superb. The special effects are poor, but that’s not a huge deal for me. The story, by author Norman Spinrad, is good. But I’m so very familiar with it there’s no real thrill left for me. Regretfully, I will leave it off my list of favorites.

Next up is A Private Little War, one that I always enjoyed watching.