Up today: The Tholian Web (11/15/1968)
Our podcast for this one is here:
Eric get the first shot:
As far as I'm concerned, "The Tholian Web" is the best episode from the third season. And although that isn't saying much, it is also among my top 15, if not top10, original Star Trek episodes.
I watched it three times, ostensibly in preparation for this review but really for no reason other than it's damn good, a favorite for as long as I can remember. The story is both great Trek and great science fiction. The premise of another Constitution Class starship caught in an destabilizing, interspatial rift cleverly allows the producers to use a credible SF concept to do what is in ways a ghost story (which Gene Roddenberry forbade, although I think he would've let this one slide).
One reason this episode is so good is that the characterizations are spot-on. In particular, Spock's eulogy at Kirk's memorial shows this in its simplicity and elegance: "I shall not attempt to voice the quality of respect and admiration which Captain Kirk commanded. Each of you must evaluate the loss in the privacy of your own thoughts." This is beautifully characteristic of Spock. And as I'm thinking about it, I realize it is echoed (at least in sentiment and simplicity) by Kirk in Spock's funeral scene in Star Trek II: "Of my friend, I can only say this; of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most human."
Similarly touching are Kirk's last orders, which Spock and McCoy listen to after the memorial service. I can't think of a scene in any episode that better shows the depth of the friendship between these characters. Spock and McCoy are in a heated argument, but when they hear Kirk's voice, they immediately stop and are visibly moved. And Kirk shows how well he understands and cares for his friends when he accurately predicts the tactical situation, both with the enemy ships and between Spock and McCoy, and offers advice to help defuse both situations. This is the real beauty of the scene--the underlying affection and care that is so easily believable.
Finally, a point about McCoy came up in our podcast that deserves, I think, to be reiterated. At more than one point in the episode, McCoy is argumentative with Spock to the point of seeming mean-spirited or cruel. "[Kirk] was a hero in every sense of the word, yet his life was sacrificed for nothing," for example. Or "Do you suppose they're seeing Jim because they've lost confidence in you?" This can, of course, be attributed to the mental instability caused by the interspatial rift, but I think McCoy's "meanness" is actually a way of helping Spock. The barbs and insults are a conscious attempt to provoke an emotional reaction in order to engage Spock's human half, which is arguably where his intuition resides. (And as Kirk points out in his last orders, intuition is vital to being able to command effectively.) With this possibility, McCoy's irascible and crotchety nature becomes an intentional facade while the character takes on new depth, and we see just how true a friend he is.
So in the end, "The Tholian Web" is really a collection of excellent character scenes interwoven with a great story that reveals the power of true friendship. Once again, a damn good episode.
---
Eric's review is tough to follow but here goes...
I once heard Roger Ebert say, regarding the film Casablanca, that he didn't necessarily think it was the best movie ever made but that it might be the one he enjoyed watching the most (paraphrasing). I think this could be a good way to look at this episode. Taken as a whole, with regards to the entire series, I think it falls very slightly short of the very best but if I have to pick one episode to just randomly watch, when I want a Star Trek fix, this would be it. As Rob reminded me recently, this was always the episode I claimed to be the best as we were youthfully watching Trek.
This episode also happens to be the highlight of Season 3. The story is compelling and the familiar character dynamic is firing on all cylinders. The early scenes where Kirk and the landing party are investigating the interior of the Defiant are tense and chilling. The music and having the characters in space suits really ratchets up the atmosphere (or lack thereof, heh). These scenes take place without the usual shipboard sounds, just the music and the men talking to each other. The place just feels off.
Once Kirk has been lost, Spock is thrown into command with another crisis: the Tholians, a race we have never seen before. We discussed on the podcast how there is perhaps too much going on in this episode: the missing Defiant, the deterioration of the crew's mental condition, the combat with the Tholians, and of course Spock trying to keep everyone under his command in order. Looking back on this episode, I think it all works and I don't ever feel as though extra plot elements are being thrown in to keep things from getting too slow. The pacing is tight and yet most things don't feel rushed. The scene between McCoy and Spock in Kirk's quarters takes the time it needs, a moment of quiet reflection in an otherwise high-powered storyline that doesn't lack for drama. I like the fact that the aforementioned scene was included as it wasn't strictly necessary; the story would have worked without it. What the scene adds is sensitivity between two old friends, fighting not unlike a pair of stubborn, opinionated brothers.
Despite the fact that only the existing ship sets were used, the episode never feels cheap. The actual Tholian that is shown, only its head and a hazy background really, reveals just enough to make it seem alien and leaves much to the imagination. A little colored aluminum foil and good lighting can go a long way. The way the Defiant scenes are shot and lit makes it seem somehow different from the familiar Enterprise. The space combat and effects shots are very good, as good as anything they did in the series; a real standout in a season that often feels short-changed.
I really enjoy watching how Spock handles command in this episode. You get the impression that he has learned from his previous experiences and does rather well under pressure. Even though episodes like "The Galileo Seven" aren't referenced, I have to wonder if the writers were up to speed about how the character handled command then versus this time, two seasons later. Either way, it works. Kirk is absent for much of the episode but it really missed by the crew. Kirk's disappearance leaves a hole that some characters don't know how really fill.
Idea-wise, the episode is not really that original, but the concepts (space madness, alien contact, alternative universes, etc) are weaved together in such a way that the story feels fresh and not nearly so borrowed like other episodes in this season. The sad part is that I know that this is as good as it gets and it's only downhill from here in the quality department. Oh well, at least space hippies are good campy fun.
The new effects for the HD version of this one are very good but the old effects weren't too bad to begin with. Perhaps the added clarity of the new shots is the best thing: the old shots were optical process shots that tend to look a bit on the fuzzy side.
Next time: "Plato's Stepchildren"
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
TOS Rewind #61: For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
And now we land on For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky (11/08/1968)
Here's our podcast:
Once again, our heroes find themselves with a wayward society run by some ancient civilization's computer. This time, they're on an asteroid that happens to be a spaceship and will soon collide with an inhabited world unless it's put back on course. Oh, and this computer really doesn't like to be told what to do and is kind of a control freak.
I think it's pretty safe to say that this episode is very heavily borrowed from earlier science fiction, including Robert Heinlein and even earlier this very season in "The Paradise Syndrome". The ideas here are very similar: "primitive" group of people being guided by a now-faulty caretaker computer. Our heroes get to fix things.
This one would be pretty much a throw-away exercise in lazy duplication were it not for the focus on McCoy. The plot element where Bones self-diagnoses himself with a fatal, incurable illness is quite melodramatic. It could be that we have already gone so far beyond this point in Star Trek to not take McCoy's impending death seriously but in the episode it seems subdued as well. Kirk seems to display very little emotion when he hears the news and callously orders Starfleet to send out a replacement doctor. This part of the episode seems inconsistent given how close the main characters are by this time. I have to wonder if the writers felt this would make it more realistic when McCoy decides to stay behind with his new girlfriend.
However, the romance between McCoy and Natira, the leader of the people on the asteroid, is the primary attraction of this episode. Unless I'm forgetting something, this is the only other episode with the exception of "The Man Trap" way back at the beginning of the series where McCoy is portrayed as having any relationships other than those of friendship (with Kirk/Spock). Abbreviated as it is, it's nice to see this character branch out just a little and the scenes have a certain sweetness to them. On the other hand, like many other subplots of the original series, the relationship has no life outside of this episode.
Otherwise, the costumes are extremely silly and the sets reused or cheap. We do get an unusual scene with Kirk talking to Starfleet; that didn't happen all the time but there's not that much new or interesting going on.
The new effects for this episode look nice and improve on the shots where the Enterprise is following the asteroid/ship.
---
Eric's take:
The best word to describe my feelings about "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" is meh. Profound mehness.
To be fair, there are things I like about this episode. McCoy getting the girl is a refreshing change of pace. I wonder, though, what happened behind the scenes to convince Mr. Ego (aka Bill Shatner) to relinquish his sex god role, if only temporarily. I also enjoyed, as usual, the interactions between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. By this point in the series, both the writers and actors know the characters inside out, so even the average (or pitiful) episodes have good character moments. And lastly, there really isn't any overt or egregious sexism or misogyny.
But now the reasons for this episode's aforementioned mehness. To begin with, the sub-plot of McCoy having a terminal illness seems like a contrived plot device. It could be argued that it provides the necessary incentive for him to stay on Yonada with Natira, but I question whether it is necessary given McCoy's admission of deep loneliness. It actually would've been more genuinely dramatic for McCoy's decision to leave the Enterprise to simply be a life choice.
Also the premise of the story--our brave captain and crew versus the artificially intelligent supercomputer--is derivative of at least three much better episodes: "Return of the Archons," "The Changeling," and "The Ultimate Computer." And in a similar vein, the story also plagiarizes one of my favorite science fiction books by one of my favorite science fiction authors. "Orphans of the Sky" by Robert A. Heinlein is a novel about a massive starship full of colonists who not only do not know they are colonists, but also do not know they live inside a starship. (As you might guess, I recommend this book quite highly.)
So "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" is neither great nor excremental. It's just, once again, meh. The next episode, though, is a real gem.
Next time: "The Tholian Web"
Here's our podcast:
Once again, our heroes find themselves with a wayward society run by some ancient civilization's computer. This time, they're on an asteroid that happens to be a spaceship and will soon collide with an inhabited world unless it's put back on course. Oh, and this computer really doesn't like to be told what to do and is kind of a control freak.
I think it's pretty safe to say that this episode is very heavily borrowed from earlier science fiction, including Robert Heinlein and even earlier this very season in "The Paradise Syndrome". The ideas here are very similar: "primitive" group of people being guided by a now-faulty caretaker computer. Our heroes get to fix things.
This one would be pretty much a throw-away exercise in lazy duplication were it not for the focus on McCoy. The plot element where Bones self-diagnoses himself with a fatal, incurable illness is quite melodramatic. It could be that we have already gone so far beyond this point in Star Trek to not take McCoy's impending death seriously but in the episode it seems subdued as well. Kirk seems to display very little emotion when he hears the news and callously orders Starfleet to send out a replacement doctor. This part of the episode seems inconsistent given how close the main characters are by this time. I have to wonder if the writers felt this would make it more realistic when McCoy decides to stay behind with his new girlfriend.
However, the romance between McCoy and Natira, the leader of the people on the asteroid, is the primary attraction of this episode. Unless I'm forgetting something, this is the only other episode with the exception of "The Man Trap" way back at the beginning of the series where McCoy is portrayed as having any relationships other than those of friendship (with Kirk/Spock). Abbreviated as it is, it's nice to see this character branch out just a little and the scenes have a certain sweetness to them. On the other hand, like many other subplots of the original series, the relationship has no life outside of this episode.
Otherwise, the costumes are extremely silly and the sets reused or cheap. We do get an unusual scene with Kirk talking to Starfleet; that didn't happen all the time but there's not that much new or interesting going on.
The new effects for this episode look nice and improve on the shots where the Enterprise is following the asteroid/ship.
---
Eric's take:
The best word to describe my feelings about "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" is meh. Profound mehness.
To be fair, there are things I like about this episode. McCoy getting the girl is a refreshing change of pace. I wonder, though, what happened behind the scenes to convince Mr. Ego (aka Bill Shatner) to relinquish his sex god role, if only temporarily. I also enjoyed, as usual, the interactions between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. By this point in the series, both the writers and actors know the characters inside out, so even the average (or pitiful) episodes have good character moments. And lastly, there really isn't any overt or egregious sexism or misogyny.
But now the reasons for this episode's aforementioned mehness. To begin with, the sub-plot of McCoy having a terminal illness seems like a contrived plot device. It could be argued that it provides the necessary incentive for him to stay on Yonada with Natira, but I question whether it is necessary given McCoy's admission of deep loneliness. It actually would've been more genuinely dramatic for McCoy's decision to leave the Enterprise to simply be a life choice.
Also the premise of the story--our brave captain and crew versus the artificially intelligent supercomputer--is derivative of at least three much better episodes: "Return of the Archons," "The Changeling," and "The Ultimate Computer." And in a similar vein, the story also plagiarizes one of my favorite science fiction books by one of my favorite science fiction authors. "Orphans of the Sky" by Robert A. Heinlein is a novel about a massive starship full of colonists who not only do not know they are colonists, but also do not know they live inside a starship. (As you might guess, I recommend this book quite highly.)
So "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" is neither great nor excremental. It's just, once again, meh. The next episode, though, is a real gem.
Next time: "The Tholian Web"
Sunday, February 9, 2014
TOS Rewind #60: "Day of the Dove"
Our podcast for this episode...oh, just listen to the damn thing here.
Up today: Day of the Dove (11/01/1968)
This episode is perhaps the opposite of the last one: where "Spectre of the Gun" looks better with age, this one is perhaps not quite as good. My younger self also greatly preferred "Day of the Dove" to "Spectre" for pretty obvious reasons. This episode contains a fair amount of action and the Klingons were always fun villains in the old series. The only thing missing, according to John, aged 12, was a space battle. Nobody's perfect.
The idea for this episode is fairly compelling: two rival groups are thrown together in a situation that almost plays like an evil science experiment where the subjects placed into an artificial situation while the aliens observe. In this case, the alien just feeds off the hostile emotions. It may seem extremely contrived but it does sound like someone's idea of Hell; unending hatred, pain, and violence with no release. The resolution comes off as a bit pat, but the setup where the Klingon ship and the Enterprise are lured to the planet is very effective. The only thing that lessens the drama is the way that the presence of the alien is revealed early in the first act. We know the alien is there way before the characters do and it robs some of the suspense. It would have been more satisfying if we'd gotten a bit more insight into this alien but that would have required slowing down the action. Next Gen was far more adept at this.
The character interplay, like many episodes this late in the series, well broken in like a comfortable shoe. A side benefit of Third Season is that we often get Sulu and Chekov at the same time (George Takei was absent for much of Season 2 and Chekov wasn't introduced until after Season 1). Speaking of Chekov...the poor guy gets another round with the Agonizer just like his mirror universe self did in Season 2; a cosmic joke if there ever was one. Chekov also gets the ugliest scenes in the episode where he attempts to rape and possibly kill the Klingon captain's wife until Kirk intervenes. Pretty edgy stuff for 1968 television, but he was a Russian so all is good, right?
The rest of the crew is good and Kirk once again is mostly immune to the alien influence, though his decision to destroy the disabled Klingon ship at the beginning of the episode is another clue that perhaps not everyone is right in the head. The scenery chewing duties are shared by pretty much everyone, except perhaps Sulu and even Spock and Scotty get into the action.
The casting of Michael Ansara as Kang was fortunate. Ansara's performance is right for the character where John Colicos, who was supposed to come back as Kor from "Errand of Mercy" might not have worked as well. Nothing against Colicos, who is still great but his flavor of Klingon is perhaps a bit too, well, nuanced for the story of this episode. Kang fits. Kang's wife, Mara is a welcome addition to the Boys Club. There are criticisms to be made about her but she is a prominent character with authority so overall this was a plus.
The original series Klingons haven't aged at all well, at least the way the appear. In the clear light of HD, they have this unfortunate look of actors with a lot of black/brown makeup on with a few costume flourishes. Options were of course limited back then but when Trek made the move to bigger screens and budgets, the showrunners were smart to "update" the Klingons. Some have dinged this episode for having almost all its action confined to the existing Enterprise sets. I don't really see a problem with this. The episode works for this and playing this out on a cheap-looking planet set or the same old California location wouldn't have improved anything. The sword fights are pretty anemic but fight choreography has come a long way.
The HD effects and picture are of course very good again this time. The enhanced effects are welcome for the ship shots and planet effects.
---
Eric?
Oh joy, a warming trend. It's 0 degrees outside, which is still cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey, and still has absolutely nothing to do with our current episode, which this time is "Day of the Dove."
Like "Spectre of the Gun," the budget constraints worked in favor of this episode. Since it was least expensive to film on the standing sets, almost all of "Day of the Dove" takes place on the Enterprise. Luckily, however, this is exactly what the story called for. It didn't seem at all contrived to me (which can often make the difference between a good episode and a lousy one). I also applaud the late Michael Ansara's portrayal of Kang, who is one of my favorite Klingons. He combined the warrior aggression and ruthlessness with nobility and dignity. Very nicely done and a good template for ST:TNG Klingons like Worf. (Geeky Note: A much older Kang appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Blood Oath" with William Campbell as Koloth and John Colicos as Kor. Great fun. If you haven't seen that episode, it comes highly recommended.) And I like the basic story: A powerful alien entity sets up a situation of continual, regenerative warfare and violence on the Enterprise in order to feed off of the negative emotions and actions of the Klingon and human crews. The implication that this entity has been responsible for some (or much) of humanity's bloody inhumanity is also interesting, if improbable.
Despite the fact that I enjoy the story, the swirly, multicolored entity bears too strong a resemblance (at least in terms of nature and function) to Redjac from the second season episode "Wolf in the Fold." In addition, the fight scenes look staged, especially by the standards of the later Trek shows. Klingons are vicious warriors, but they don't look or act like it in "Day of the Dove." And finally, what happened to the Organian Peace Treaty that was established in the first season in "Errand of Mercy?!" One would think that the Organians would have taken notice and put an end to the battle given their enormous power and obvious determination to prevent the Federation and the Klingon Empire from fighting. Evidently, whoever was in charge of continuity was asleep at the switch.
In spite of these flaws, "Day of the Dove" still stands out as one of the better third season episodes. Although I'm not sure whether that's saying a great deal or very little...
Next time: "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"
Up today: Day of the Dove (11/01/1968)
This episode is perhaps the opposite of the last one: where "Spectre of the Gun" looks better with age, this one is perhaps not quite as good. My younger self also greatly preferred "Day of the Dove" to "Spectre" for pretty obvious reasons. This episode contains a fair amount of action and the Klingons were always fun villains in the old series. The only thing missing, according to John, aged 12, was a space battle. Nobody's perfect.
The idea for this episode is fairly compelling: two rival groups are thrown together in a situation that almost plays like an evil science experiment where the subjects placed into an artificial situation while the aliens observe. In this case, the alien just feeds off the hostile emotions. It may seem extremely contrived but it does sound like someone's idea of Hell; unending hatred, pain, and violence with no release. The resolution comes off as a bit pat, but the setup where the Klingon ship and the Enterprise are lured to the planet is very effective. The only thing that lessens the drama is the way that the presence of the alien is revealed early in the first act. We know the alien is there way before the characters do and it robs some of the suspense. It would have been more satisfying if we'd gotten a bit more insight into this alien but that would have required slowing down the action. Next Gen was far more adept at this.
The character interplay, like many episodes this late in the series, well broken in like a comfortable shoe. A side benefit of Third Season is that we often get Sulu and Chekov at the same time (George Takei was absent for much of Season 2 and Chekov wasn't introduced until after Season 1). Speaking of Chekov...the poor guy gets another round with the Agonizer just like his mirror universe self did in Season 2; a cosmic joke if there ever was one. Chekov also gets the ugliest scenes in the episode where he attempts to rape and possibly kill the Klingon captain's wife until Kirk intervenes. Pretty edgy stuff for 1968 television, but he was a Russian so all is good, right?
The rest of the crew is good and Kirk once again is mostly immune to the alien influence, though his decision to destroy the disabled Klingon ship at the beginning of the episode is another clue that perhaps not everyone is right in the head. The scenery chewing duties are shared by pretty much everyone, except perhaps Sulu and even Spock and Scotty get into the action.
The casting of Michael Ansara as Kang was fortunate. Ansara's performance is right for the character where John Colicos, who was supposed to come back as Kor from "Errand of Mercy" might not have worked as well. Nothing against Colicos, who is still great but his flavor of Klingon is perhaps a bit too, well, nuanced for the story of this episode. Kang fits. Kang's wife, Mara is a welcome addition to the Boys Club. There are criticisms to be made about her but she is a prominent character with authority so overall this was a plus.
The original series Klingons haven't aged at all well, at least the way the appear. In the clear light of HD, they have this unfortunate look of actors with a lot of black/brown makeup on with a few costume flourishes. Options were of course limited back then but when Trek made the move to bigger screens and budgets, the showrunners were smart to "update" the Klingons. Some have dinged this episode for having almost all its action confined to the existing Enterprise sets. I don't really see a problem with this. The episode works for this and playing this out on a cheap-looking planet set or the same old California location wouldn't have improved anything. The sword fights are pretty anemic but fight choreography has come a long way.
The HD effects and picture are of course very good again this time. The enhanced effects are welcome for the ship shots and planet effects.
---
Eric?
Oh joy, a warming trend. It's 0 degrees outside, which is still cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey, and still has absolutely nothing to do with our current episode, which this time is "Day of the Dove."
Like "Spectre of the Gun," the budget constraints worked in favor of this episode. Since it was least expensive to film on the standing sets, almost all of "Day of the Dove" takes place on the Enterprise. Luckily, however, this is exactly what the story called for. It didn't seem at all contrived to me (which can often make the difference between a good episode and a lousy one). I also applaud the late Michael Ansara's portrayal of Kang, who is one of my favorite Klingons. He combined the warrior aggression and ruthlessness with nobility and dignity. Very nicely done and a good template for ST:TNG Klingons like Worf. (Geeky Note: A much older Kang appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Blood Oath" with William Campbell as Koloth and John Colicos as Kor. Great fun. If you haven't seen that episode, it comes highly recommended.) And I like the basic story: A powerful alien entity sets up a situation of continual, regenerative warfare and violence on the Enterprise in order to feed off of the negative emotions and actions of the Klingon and human crews. The implication that this entity has been responsible for some (or much) of humanity's bloody inhumanity is also interesting, if improbable.
Despite the fact that I enjoy the story, the swirly, multicolored entity bears too strong a resemblance (at least in terms of nature and function) to Redjac from the second season episode "Wolf in the Fold." In addition, the fight scenes look staged, especially by the standards of the later Trek shows. Klingons are vicious warriors, but they don't look or act like it in "Day of the Dove." And finally, what happened to the Organian Peace Treaty that was established in the first season in "Errand of Mercy?!" One would think that the Organians would have taken notice and put an end to the battle given their enormous power and obvious determination to prevent the Federation and the Klingon Empire from fighting. Evidently, whoever was in charge of continuity was asleep at the switch.
In spite of these flaws, "Day of the Dove" still stands out as one of the better third season episodes. Although I'm not sure whether that's saying a great deal or very little...
Next time: "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
TOS Rewind #59: "Spectre of the Gun"
Up today: Spectre of the Gun (10/25/1968).
The podcast for this one can be found right here:
There seemed to be this unwritten rule for many years that TV shows in years past had to have at least one episode set in the old West. Which lends the question...if a science fiction show had to set an episode in the Old West, the what if Bonanza had an episode set in outer space?!!!! Ahem... If The Prisoner could have one, then I guess why not Star Trek? I could see an argument either way as to whether this was just a convenient way for the show to use some existing props at the studio and easily insert the Western genre into the show to tell a story. The show manages to justify not only the setting but the sparse sets and props. Indeed, the odd look of the half-finished sets actually adds to the dream-like atmosphere of the episode. I read that they were planning on shooting this on real backlot or location settings but didn't have the budget. It's a good thing that they went with the interior sets instead.
Star Trek had a number of "alien test" themed stories but at least this one puts a fun twist on it. Once Kirk decides to beam down to the planet, he and the audience are inserted into the strange world the aliens create based on what we are told is Kirk's memories/imagination. Of course I have to assume this setting is based on some old movies or something; in any case, it gets the job done: a good symbol of Kirk's human (AKA "American") cultural heritage.
The landing party seems genuinely bewildered by the setting they're thrown into. Sure, Kirk ignored the aliens' warning about not wanting any outside contact but it is fairly odd to have been thrown into this elaborate illusion. Is this to truly test the humans or is it an execution sentence that Spock manages to outsmart? In some episodes, the reasons and details behind the plots can be frustrating. In this one, the vagueness just allows us to imagine the why and the how. There is also no other "framing story" going on aboard the Enterprise. We don't know how long the landing party is missing or what the rest of the crew is doing. The action on the planet is nicely disassociated with the show's normal reality.
If I remember correctly, I was never overly fond of this episode all those years ago. Sure, I didn't really dislike it but I'm not sure my 12 year old self appreciated it as much. There are interesting ideas that reward a repeat viewing. Other than the somewhat-obligatory fight scene at the end, there isn't a lot of action.
Interestingly, the landing party has no expendable (AKA Red Shirts) characters to be killed off which is refreshing. Chekov's "death" must have been a bit of a shock at a first viewing though it's hard to see that with fresh eyes today. Somehow though, the dreamlike atmosphere makes his death seem less than real. Hindsight perhaps...
The guest actors are decent, mostly playing stock Western types: the ineffective Sheriff, the bartender, the menacing bad guys, etc. The performances of the Earps/Doc Holliday are a bit subdued. I don't know if this intentional or the sign of a phoned-in performance, but like the half-baked sets, the characters fit.
The dynamic between the characters is running on all cylinders; there are funny lines between them all and watching Kirk and Spock figure out the "rules" of their Tombstone, AZ prison is entertaining. This is also another episode where there is a new-sounding musical score, this time by Jerry Fielding who also scored the classic 1968 Western, "The Wild Bunch".
Beyond the nice-looking picture and sound on the HD version of this show, the enhanced effects didn't really add much this time around. The alien fog shrouded head still looks pretty cheesy.
But don't misunderstand: this episode holds up well and is a real standout of Season 3.
---
And now Eric gets his turn:
Ah, the first review of 2014. As I write this, the temperature outside has reached the forecast high of -12 F. Positively balmy. With a wind chill of -33 F, I'm pretty sure it's literally cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey. All of which has absolutely nothing to do with our current episode, "Spectre of the Gun."
I'm not going to attempt a literary analysis of this episode. (You're welcome.) But I will say that I'm inclined to rank it among the best third season episodes. Admittedly, this is probably a case of damning with faint praise, but "Spectre of the Gun" works surprisingly well. As we discussed in our podcast, the budgetary restraints of the third season served to heighten the surreal feeling with minimalist sets and a featureless, red sky. Given that the scenario is drawn from Kirk's imagination and entirely academic knowledge of the 19th century American west, it is appropriate for the surroundings and characters to be incomplete and lacking in depth. In fact, this is what gives the episode its sense of unreality.
And the resolution is well done too. Spock--who else--deduces that their entire situation is an illusion, and thanks to his Vulcan mental discipline, is able to render himself immune to any danger from it. Of course, he has to mind meld with the others to instill in them his level of awareness and detachment. But it works: no contrivances and no deus ex machina. The only real error that I caught in this episode was that the town Marshal of Tombstone at the time of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was Virgil Earp, not his better-known brother Wyatt.
"Spectre of the Gun" does a delightful job of playing with our sense of reality. In fact, the only episode that deals as well with illusions and their inherent danger is "The Menagerie."
Next time: "Day of the Dove"
The podcast for this one can be found right here:
There seemed to be this unwritten rule for many years that TV shows in years past had to have at least one episode set in the old West. Which lends the question...if a science fiction show had to set an episode in the Old West, the what if Bonanza had an episode set in outer space?!!!! Ahem... If The Prisoner could have one, then I guess why not Star Trek? I could see an argument either way as to whether this was just a convenient way for the show to use some existing props at the studio and easily insert the Western genre into the show to tell a story. The show manages to justify not only the setting but the sparse sets and props. Indeed, the odd look of the half-finished sets actually adds to the dream-like atmosphere of the episode. I read that they were planning on shooting this on real backlot or location settings but didn't have the budget. It's a good thing that they went with the interior sets instead.
Star Trek had a number of "alien test" themed stories but at least this one puts a fun twist on it. Once Kirk decides to beam down to the planet, he and the audience are inserted into the strange world the aliens create based on what we are told is Kirk's memories/imagination. Of course I have to assume this setting is based on some old movies or something; in any case, it gets the job done: a good symbol of Kirk's human (AKA "American") cultural heritage.
The landing party seems genuinely bewildered by the setting they're thrown into. Sure, Kirk ignored the aliens' warning about not wanting any outside contact but it is fairly odd to have been thrown into this elaborate illusion. Is this to truly test the humans or is it an execution sentence that Spock manages to outsmart? In some episodes, the reasons and details behind the plots can be frustrating. In this one, the vagueness just allows us to imagine the why and the how. There is also no other "framing story" going on aboard the Enterprise. We don't know how long the landing party is missing or what the rest of the crew is doing. The action on the planet is nicely disassociated with the show's normal reality.
If I remember correctly, I was never overly fond of this episode all those years ago. Sure, I didn't really dislike it but I'm not sure my 12 year old self appreciated it as much. There are interesting ideas that reward a repeat viewing. Other than the somewhat-obligatory fight scene at the end, there isn't a lot of action.
Interestingly, the landing party has no expendable (AKA Red Shirts) characters to be killed off which is refreshing. Chekov's "death" must have been a bit of a shock at a first viewing though it's hard to see that with fresh eyes today. Somehow though, the dreamlike atmosphere makes his death seem less than real. Hindsight perhaps...
The guest actors are decent, mostly playing stock Western types: the ineffective Sheriff, the bartender, the menacing bad guys, etc. The performances of the Earps/Doc Holliday are a bit subdued. I don't know if this intentional or the sign of a phoned-in performance, but like the half-baked sets, the characters fit.
The dynamic between the characters is running on all cylinders; there are funny lines between them all and watching Kirk and Spock figure out the "rules" of their Tombstone, AZ prison is entertaining. This is also another episode where there is a new-sounding musical score, this time by Jerry Fielding who also scored the classic 1968 Western, "The Wild Bunch".
Beyond the nice-looking picture and sound on the HD version of this show, the enhanced effects didn't really add much this time around. The alien fog shrouded head still looks pretty cheesy.
But don't misunderstand: this episode holds up well and is a real standout of Season 3.
---
And now Eric gets his turn:
Ah, the first review of 2014. As I write this, the temperature outside has reached the forecast high of -12 F. Positively balmy. With a wind chill of -33 F, I'm pretty sure it's literally cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey. All of which has absolutely nothing to do with our current episode, "Spectre of the Gun."
I'm not going to attempt a literary analysis of this episode. (You're welcome.) But I will say that I'm inclined to rank it among the best third season episodes. Admittedly, this is probably a case of damning with faint praise, but "Spectre of the Gun" works surprisingly well. As we discussed in our podcast, the budgetary restraints of the third season served to heighten the surreal feeling with minimalist sets and a featureless, red sky. Given that the scenario is drawn from Kirk's imagination and entirely academic knowledge of the 19th century American west, it is appropriate for the surroundings and characters to be incomplete and lacking in depth. In fact, this is what gives the episode its sense of unreality.
And the resolution is well done too. Spock--who else--deduces that their entire situation is an illusion, and thanks to his Vulcan mental discipline, is able to render himself immune to any danger from it. Of course, he has to mind meld with the others to instill in them his level of awareness and detachment. But it works: no contrivances and no deus ex machina. The only real error that I caught in this episode was that the town Marshal of Tombstone at the time of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was Virgil Earp, not his better-known brother Wyatt.
"Spectre of the Gun" does a delightful job of playing with our sense of reality. In fact, the only episode that deals as well with illusions and their inherent danger is "The Menagerie."
Next time: "Day of the Dove"
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
TOS Rewind #58: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"
Today we take a look at Is There in Truth No Beauty? (10/18/1968)
The podcast for this episode is here:
Since I continue to find this episode...um, annoying?...Eric gets to start us out:
This review was initially a real quandry for me. The question inherent in the title, "Is There In Truth No Beauty?" made me want to do a more in-depth analysis, but as I watched and rewatched this episode, I kept finding that this question gets a frustratingly shallow treatment. It wasn't until I thought of the 1999 movie "American Beauty" (which does a much more meaningful examination of the nature of beauty) that I realized the theme I was looking for is that beauty is not in truth, beauty is truth.
To be clear, I am referring to personal truth and inner beauty. One of several gripes I have with this episode (along with the misogyny, misandry, and atrocious dialog) is that it focuses on physical beauty, exemplified by Miranda Jones, or the hideous lack thereof, represented by Kollos. As Kirk says, "...most of us are attracted by beauty and repelled by ugliness. One of the last of our prejudices." And while this is true, physical beauty has little or nothing to do with a person's character, which is closely tied to a person's intrinsic honesty. And honesty goes hand-in-hand with truth.
Consider Miranda Jones, who is outwardly very attractive. So much so that she has the human males stumbling over each other to try to woo her. In fact, they're so busy thinking with their glands they don't notice her distinct, but carefully veiled, defensiveness and animosity towards Spock. She is filled with anger and resentment because he is more adept as a telepath, but she isn't honest enough to admit this, even to herself. And this isn't the only way Miranda is living a lie; as we find out later in the episode, she is blind but hides that fact thanks to a sensor net woven into her clothes. This is a blatant and entirely intentional deception, and it isn't until McCoy reveals her blindness that her internal facade of dishonesty begins to crack. Finally, when Kirk confronts Miranda about her unwillingness to help Spock, her inner ugliness is laid bare and she is forced to accept and embrace the truth. And it is this that makes her beautiful.
Ironically, it is Miranda who frames the contradiction between Kollos' appearance and his true nature. She asks if Kollos is to ugly to bear or too beautiful? And when Spock mind melds with Kollos, the answer becomes clear. Kollos is completely without guile. His confusion over communication via speech is because it is so highly susceptible to inaccuracy and misinterpretation. Kollos is utterly honest, and it is this truth that is beautiful in stark contrast to his physical appearance.
So despite the flaws in this episode, there is enough substance to answer the question: Is There in Truth No Beauty?
---
Annoying? Do tell...
What I see with this episode is an awkward attempt to combine some sci-fi elements with a treatise on we humans' treatment of beauty. At least what we consider to be beautiful, that is...
The episode certainly has its heart in the right place. The idea of truth and beauty, well-expressed by Eric above, I can offer no quarrel with. The idea behind the "Alien of the Week" , the Medusans (obvious and awful) is not new; Trek has had a number of non-corporeal beings before. But the way this being is used in a plot is a new twist at least. These aliens, while possessing very noble characteristics, are literally unbearable to look at. At least by we puny humans. Miranda has the physical beauty but is filled with petty jealousy and other emotional "ugliness". Okay, pretty good setup
The main problem is the way the characters handle this. Miranda's conflicts are done in such a shallow, soap opera-style manner that it feels like the writers were either being lazy by using tired (even in 1968) melodramatic tools or didn't think the audience would "get" the concept otherwise. If you doubt this, go back and rewatch the scene where McCoy reveals Miranda's blindness.
Speaking of tools, Marvick is probably the worst offender in the bad drama department for this episode. He seems a bit unhinged even before he settles into his role as plot device. Now, it isn't that surprising considering he's in a love triangle with Miranda and Kollos. Talk about a no-win scenario...but Marvick playing "insane" is laughably bad (with the help of some skewed camera angles and fish eye lenses) and quite obvious as the device to get the Enterprise into a bad spot. The "we've traveled outside the galaxy and can't get home" plot is pretty weak and since it's a device, let's just move right along...
Ultimately I think this one could have been pretty decent. The idea is solid and you really can't blame the usual Season 3 budget woes for the problems. The writing needed a serious rework and if you don't believe me, recall the awful dinner scene at the beginning where Kirk and the rest of the crew are acting pretty badly. Shatner and the rest are just, well, following orders. I'm sure I've mentioned before that I just don't enjoy Diana Muldaur and I'm not exactly sure why. Some of the time her performance works here but she often comes off as just plain unsympathetic. Part of that is due to the way the character is written but the actor does have something to do with it. D.M. rubs me the wrong way and I'm going to have leave it at that. Humph!
So, Eric has the better take on this one and I do hope that next time I'll have a little bit more of interest or value to say...
Next time: "Spectre of the Gun"
The podcast for this episode is here:
Since I continue to find this episode...um, annoying?...Eric gets to start us out:
This review was initially a real quandry for me. The question inherent in the title, "Is There In Truth No Beauty?" made me want to do a more in-depth analysis, but as I watched and rewatched this episode, I kept finding that this question gets a frustratingly shallow treatment. It wasn't until I thought of the 1999 movie "American Beauty" (which does a much more meaningful examination of the nature of beauty) that I realized the theme I was looking for is that beauty is not in truth, beauty is truth.
To be clear, I am referring to personal truth and inner beauty. One of several gripes I have with this episode (along with the misogyny, misandry, and atrocious dialog) is that it focuses on physical beauty, exemplified by Miranda Jones, or the hideous lack thereof, represented by Kollos. As Kirk says, "...most of us are attracted by beauty and repelled by ugliness. One of the last of our prejudices." And while this is true, physical beauty has little or nothing to do with a person's character, which is closely tied to a person's intrinsic honesty. And honesty goes hand-in-hand with truth.
Consider Miranda Jones, who is outwardly very attractive. So much so that she has the human males stumbling over each other to try to woo her. In fact, they're so busy thinking with their glands they don't notice her distinct, but carefully veiled, defensiveness and animosity towards Spock. She is filled with anger and resentment because he is more adept as a telepath, but she isn't honest enough to admit this, even to herself. And this isn't the only way Miranda is living a lie; as we find out later in the episode, she is blind but hides that fact thanks to a sensor net woven into her clothes. This is a blatant and entirely intentional deception, and it isn't until McCoy reveals her blindness that her internal facade of dishonesty begins to crack. Finally, when Kirk confronts Miranda about her unwillingness to help Spock, her inner ugliness is laid bare and she is forced to accept and embrace the truth. And it is this that makes her beautiful.
Ironically, it is Miranda who frames the contradiction between Kollos' appearance and his true nature. She asks if Kollos is to ugly to bear or too beautiful? And when Spock mind melds with Kollos, the answer becomes clear. Kollos is completely without guile. His confusion over communication via speech is because it is so highly susceptible to inaccuracy and misinterpretation. Kollos is utterly honest, and it is this truth that is beautiful in stark contrast to his physical appearance.
So despite the flaws in this episode, there is enough substance to answer the question: Is There in Truth No Beauty?
---
Annoying? Do tell...
What I see with this episode is an awkward attempt to combine some sci-fi elements with a treatise on we humans' treatment of beauty. At least what we consider to be beautiful, that is...
The episode certainly has its heart in the right place. The idea of truth and beauty, well-expressed by Eric above, I can offer no quarrel with. The idea behind the "Alien of the Week" , the Medusans (obvious and awful) is not new; Trek has had a number of non-corporeal beings before. But the way this being is used in a plot is a new twist at least. These aliens, while possessing very noble characteristics, are literally unbearable to look at. At least by we puny humans. Miranda has the physical beauty but is filled with petty jealousy and other emotional "ugliness". Okay, pretty good setup
The main problem is the way the characters handle this. Miranda's conflicts are done in such a shallow, soap opera-style manner that it feels like the writers were either being lazy by using tired (even in 1968) melodramatic tools or didn't think the audience would "get" the concept otherwise. If you doubt this, go back and rewatch the scene where McCoy reveals Miranda's blindness.
Speaking of tools, Marvick is probably the worst offender in the bad drama department for this episode. He seems a bit unhinged even before he settles into his role as plot device. Now, it isn't that surprising considering he's in a love triangle with Miranda and Kollos. Talk about a no-win scenario...but Marvick playing "insane" is laughably bad (with the help of some skewed camera angles and fish eye lenses) and quite obvious as the device to get the Enterprise into a bad spot. The "we've traveled outside the galaxy and can't get home" plot is pretty weak and since it's a device, let's just move right along...
Ultimately I think this one could have been pretty decent. The idea is solid and you really can't blame the usual Season 3 budget woes for the problems. The writing needed a serious rework and if you don't believe me, recall the awful dinner scene at the beginning where Kirk and the rest of the crew are acting pretty badly. Shatner and the rest are just, well, following orders. I'm sure I've mentioned before that I just don't enjoy Diana Muldaur and I'm not exactly sure why. Some of the time her performance works here but she often comes off as just plain unsympathetic. Part of that is due to the way the character is written but the actor does have something to do with it. D.M. rubs me the wrong way and I'm going to have leave it at that. Humph!
So, Eric has the better take on this one and I do hope that next time I'll have a little bit more of interest or value to say...
Next time: "Spectre of the Gun"
Thursday, September 19, 2013
TOS Rewind #57: "And the Children Shall Lead"
The podcast for this episode opens with a not-too-lengthy discussion betwixt the three of us regarding the newest Trek film, Star Trek Into Darkness. Check it out
For your consideration, we have And the Childran Shall Lead (10/11/1968).
Well, I believe we've reached another low ebb of our beloved Original Series. Yes, everyone remembers Spock's Brain as being awful but it's really a few notches above this one both in terms of ideas/story as well as just plain watchability. For you see, Spock's Brain at least has its camp value and funny costumes going for it. This episode has me grasping for the Brain remote control so I can click my out of this. In the end I have to conclude that this episode is a prime example of the general malaise that took hold of the show in its last season when the network decided Trek had no future. That a script this poor managed to be considered at all speaks volumes. Really, no one cared all that much by this point and it has to be considered amazing that the actually good episodes that come later made it at all.
What we have is a basic morality good vs. evil story that doesn't have the interest or really the nerve to pursue its ideas, such as they are. Much of the time is devoted to the ridiculous way the crew is used by the children and their evil leader. It's just very hard to take things seriously when they show poor Sulu being terrified of a screen full of flying Ginsu knives. Kirk's breakdown on the bridge is also bad; I wonder if Shatner deliberately hammed up the scene beyond his usual scenery-chewing ways because he was somehow attempting to compensate for the script.
For all the silliness present in this episode, the show doesn't want to tackle the one serious matter it does actually present. The children have, directly or not, participated in their own parents' deaths. It may be too much to ask of a 60s era TV show to tackle something like this head-on but since it's the only serious idea presented, the guy who wrote this should have known better. Everything is wrapped neatly at the end, which is to be expected but the evil that humans are capable of, even children, under the right/wrong influence is not explored as a matter of human nature. Instead, the show uses this "legendary" evil alien/demon thing as the monster. Again, if you don't want to go there, make the episode a monster/alien suspense story. That would have been at least coherent, though as a traditional villain, the dude in the large shower curtain leaves much to be desired.
The sets are already beginning to be reused this season and they look cheaper; the reduced budgets continue to be apparent in the look of the show. I could go on about this episode but it doesn't really seem worth the time to pick it apart further and there isn't really a good idea, at least not an idea worthy of Trek, here to extract and analyze. Maybe next time?
The effects for the remastered version were good, though there was little added in this episode.
---
Eric has the floor:
"And the Children Shall Lead" is another attempt at a Star Trek horror story. And as such, it is only marginally successful. I do remember it being somewhat frightening when I was much younger, but now, it comes across as more laughable than scary.
One of the things that bothers me is how stupid and shallow the crew are portrayed. It's incredibly insulting, and misogynistic, to make Uhura's biggest fear growing old and having her beauty fade. And Sulu's fear is that the Enterprise will go off course and be destroyed by a wall of swords and daggers in space?!
I also object to the portrayal of the children. Maybe the youngest kids would play games like Ring Around the Rosie, but Tommy Starnes is shown playing with them, and he's supposed to be in his early teens. No non-lobotomized teenager in the history of the universe has or would play games like Ring Around the Rosie with a bunch of prepubescents!
And here's a quote from the Memory Alpha wiki regarding the casting of the late Melvin Belli as Gorgon:
"The idea to cast noted attorney Melvin Belli as Gorgon came when his son, Caesar Belli, was cast as Steve. Producer Fred Freiberger hoped that the presence of Belli would boost ratings. This plan failed and Freiberger realized it would have been more appropriate to cast an actor in the role."
Agreed. And when I looked up Melvin Belli on Wikipedia, I found that he had what may be a contender for most unfortunate middle name of all time: Mouron. Or perhaps it's just weirdly apropos for an attorney. I'll have to consult my lawyer friends.
One note on the production is that the set where the kids and Kirk have ice cream is an arboretum set that was constructed in the third season to emphasize the need to give crew members a way to stay connected to nature while on deep space missions. It was originally supposed to be introduced in the episode "Elaan of Troyius," (which was filmed before "And the Children Shall Lead") but the scenes where it was used were cut.
Finally, I have a problem with the title. "And the Children Shall Lead" is derived from a biblical quote (Isaiah 11:16):
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
First, I don't see how this has any relevance to the episode, and second, being an agnostic, secular humanist, I don't appreciate the religious allusions.
So, it looks like I don't have much good to say about "And the Children Shall Lead." Oh well, the next episode should spark some interesting discussion.
Next time: "Is There in Truth No Beauty"
For your consideration, we have And the Childran Shall Lead (10/11/1968).
Well, I believe we've reached another low ebb of our beloved Original Series. Yes, everyone remembers Spock's Brain as being awful but it's really a few notches above this one both in terms of ideas/story as well as just plain watchability. For you see, Spock's Brain at least has its camp value and funny costumes going for it. This episode has me grasping for the Brain remote control so I can click my out of this. In the end I have to conclude that this episode is a prime example of the general malaise that took hold of the show in its last season when the network decided Trek had no future. That a script this poor managed to be considered at all speaks volumes. Really, no one cared all that much by this point and it has to be considered amazing that the actually good episodes that come later made it at all.
What we have is a basic morality good vs. evil story that doesn't have the interest or really the nerve to pursue its ideas, such as they are. Much of the time is devoted to the ridiculous way the crew is used by the children and their evil leader. It's just very hard to take things seriously when they show poor Sulu being terrified of a screen full of flying Ginsu knives. Kirk's breakdown on the bridge is also bad; I wonder if Shatner deliberately hammed up the scene beyond his usual scenery-chewing ways because he was somehow attempting to compensate for the script.
For all the silliness present in this episode, the show doesn't want to tackle the one serious matter it does actually present. The children have, directly or not, participated in their own parents' deaths. It may be too much to ask of a 60s era TV show to tackle something like this head-on but since it's the only serious idea presented, the guy who wrote this should have known better. Everything is wrapped neatly at the end, which is to be expected but the evil that humans are capable of, even children, under the right/wrong influence is not explored as a matter of human nature. Instead, the show uses this "legendary" evil alien/demon thing as the monster. Again, if you don't want to go there, make the episode a monster/alien suspense story. That would have been at least coherent, though as a traditional villain, the dude in the large shower curtain leaves much to be desired.
The sets are already beginning to be reused this season and they look cheaper; the reduced budgets continue to be apparent in the look of the show. I could go on about this episode but it doesn't really seem worth the time to pick it apart further and there isn't really a good idea, at least not an idea worthy of Trek, here to extract and analyze. Maybe next time?
The effects for the remastered version were good, though there was little added in this episode.
---
Eric has the floor:
"And the Children Shall Lead" is another attempt at a Star Trek horror story. And as such, it is only marginally successful. I do remember it being somewhat frightening when I was much younger, but now, it comes across as more laughable than scary.
One of the things that bothers me is how stupid and shallow the crew are portrayed. It's incredibly insulting, and misogynistic, to make Uhura's biggest fear growing old and having her beauty fade. And Sulu's fear is that the Enterprise will go off course and be destroyed by a wall of swords and daggers in space?!
I also object to the portrayal of the children. Maybe the youngest kids would play games like Ring Around the Rosie, but Tommy Starnes is shown playing with them, and he's supposed to be in his early teens. No non-lobotomized teenager in the history of the universe has or would play games like Ring Around the Rosie with a bunch of prepubescents!
And here's a quote from the Memory Alpha wiki regarding the casting of the late Melvin Belli as Gorgon:
"The idea to cast noted attorney Melvin Belli as Gorgon came when his son, Caesar Belli, was cast as Steve. Producer Fred Freiberger hoped that the presence of Belli would boost ratings. This plan failed and Freiberger realized it would have been more appropriate to cast an actor in the role."
Agreed. And when I looked up Melvin Belli on Wikipedia, I found that he had what may be a contender for most unfortunate middle name of all time: Mouron. Or perhaps it's just weirdly apropos for an attorney. I'll have to consult my lawyer friends.
One note on the production is that the set where the kids and Kirk have ice cream is an arboretum set that was constructed in the third season to emphasize the need to give crew members a way to stay connected to nature while on deep space missions. It was originally supposed to be introduced in the episode "Elaan of Troyius," (which was filmed before "And the Children Shall Lead") but the scenes where it was used were cut.
Finally, I have a problem with the title. "And the Children Shall Lead" is derived from a biblical quote (Isaiah 11:16):
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
First, I don't see how this has any relevance to the episode, and second, being an agnostic, secular humanist, I don't appreciate the religious allusions.
So, it looks like I don't have much good to say about "And the Children Shall Lead." Oh well, the next episode should spark some interesting discussion.
Next time: "Is There in Truth No Beauty"
Monday, July 8, 2013
TOS Rewind #56: "The Paradise Syndrome"
Today we get down with The Paradise Syndrome (10/04/1968)
The podcast for this episode is right here:
Eric starts us out:
"The Paradise Syndrome" is an interesting episode. Not because it's particularly good--it's just average--but rather because of Kirk's interaction with the "primitive" civilization on the planet.
We discuss many of the reasons to criticize this episode in our podcast, but as I've given it more thought, what annoys me most is the way Kirk interacts with the indigenous tribe to which he comes to be regarded as a god. The environment on the planet is described as idyllic, a paradise like Shangri-La, and Kirk praises the tribal elder for the prosperity of their fields and the happiness of their people. Why, then, does Kurok (Kirk's memory blurred god name) feel the need to fuck with it?
He introduces new ways to preserve food, makes an oil lantern, and describes plans to build a canal. In short, he raises their level of technology and is clearly intent on raising it much further. Again, why? The tribe is productive, healthy, and content. Why mess with that? The answer that is implied is that increased technology is necessarily good. Kurok is helping these people. We need look no farther than our own, bloody history, however, to see how the meeting between Native Americans and more advanced technology was anything but helpful to them. And while we've gained many comforts, conveniences, and benefits, thanks to our level of technology, it has also forced us to sacrifice a great deal and put ourselves in danger in many ways: overpopulation, environmental destruction, weapons of mass destruction, new and lethal pathogens, compromised food and water supply, pandemic poor physical health, unremitting stress, and disconnection from the natural world to name a few.
There can be no doubt that this is a complex issue, and I acknowledge that it is unrealistic to expect any one-hour TV drama to do more than scratch the surface. What bothers me is that the idea that technological advancement is good is presented in "The Paradise Syndrome" as axiomatic. Nitpicky? Perhaps, but to paraphrase an old saying, the devil is in the subtext.
---
We're all Kirok!!!!!!
As I remarked on the podcast, I have long had a special loathing for this episode. I don't really ever remember liking it that well and remember groaning when I would happen upon this episode on TV. Just as some of the series has gotten worse with age, could this one have gotten, better?
Let's break it down a bit. First, the good:
The fundamental idea for this episode is actually pretty solid. The story of an ancient advanced race of space-faring people saving/moving humanoids around the galaxy to explain all those very similar-looking people gets more fleshed out here. Of course, this idea is a very convenient way of avoiding expensive costumes and makeup but at least there is some thought behind it.
The subplot with Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew trying to stop the asteroid has some good character moments between Spock and McCoy. Naturally the long period of time it takes for this part of the storyline to unfold allows events back on the planet with Kirk to proceed, but the writers had to do something to keep the gang busy.
The episode does not look at all cheap. The decision to shoot on location, even if it's in L.A. at Andy Griffith's fishing hole, gives the show a richness it often lacks when they're depicting scenes off the ship. The shots outdoors look cinematic; HD really makes these scenes look good, thanks to the show's use of 35mm film. Also, the set and props of the alien obelisk look great. The exterior of the obelisk was not used anywhere else in the series and looks impressive. The American Indian costumes, no doubt borrowed from Paramount's collection, also look good. Funny enough, this may be one of the best-looking episodes of the third season.
For the first time in a while, I noticed that the musical score is mostly new for this episode. The show reused music cues throughout much of the second season so it's nice to hear something different, even if the score relies a bit too much on musical cliches to depict the idyllic life of the tribe.
The not-so-good.
The portrayal of American Indians is perhaps, by the standards of the time, average, but by modern standards: not so great. Eric pointed out many problems with the attitudes about the "backwards" ways of the people on the planet. The one dodge they could perhaps come up with is that Kirk has lost his memory and doesn't realize he's violating the Prime Directive. The way the show slants things however is that everything Kirk introduces to "improve" the tribe's way of life is a net good. Unlike other episodes where there is meddling with other cultures, we don't really see the downside of what Kirk does. Sure, the asteroid is deflected, but one comes away from the episode wondering what damage was done to the tribe. Other than Salish losing his girlfriend, that is.
Speaking of Miramanee, she bugged me. I think the person playing her was fine but the Miramanee character was written purely as the "dumb pretty American Indian girl" as the love interest for Kirk's visit to paradise. Ahem. I think they could done a lot more with this character. I also found it harder to empathize with her after the way she dumps Salish, her previous lover. Miramanee seems to have few feelings about the matter and just shrugs as she takes up with Kirk, who, even with his brain zapped, is a smooth operator.
Shatner. Now, depending on your point of view, the performance of Shatner in this episode could go in the plus or minus column. If you're not a fan of Bill's style of acting then you're really not going to like it here. There are moments that are relatively restrained (Miramanee's death scene) but other times Shatner goes pretty far over the top; the dramatic scene near the end where Kirk yells into the wind as well as the earlier bits where Kirk is doing this reverb-filled voiceover (sounds like his "musical" ventures sometimes!). Which can be entertaining, again depending on your liking of Shatner. As for me, the Shatner scenery chewing used to bug me a LOT but I now appreciate it for what it is; you have to embrace the performance somewhat to really appreciate the character of Kirk or for that matter, the spirit of the original series. I think that for many years I allowed the camp of these scenes to obscure anything positive about this episode. Yes, the episode is middling and has problems, but I've definitely upgraded it in retrospect.
The new effects make this episode look even better. The asteroid and the phaser effects are well done. This is one of those episodes where I would not want to go back to the old shots.
Next time: "And the Children Shall Lead" (God help us)
The podcast for this episode is right here:
Eric starts us out:
"The Paradise Syndrome" is an interesting episode. Not because it's particularly good--it's just average--but rather because of Kirk's interaction with the "primitive" civilization on the planet.
We discuss many of the reasons to criticize this episode in our podcast, but as I've given it more thought, what annoys me most is the way Kirk interacts with the indigenous tribe to which he comes to be regarded as a god. The environment on the planet is described as idyllic, a paradise like Shangri-La, and Kirk praises the tribal elder for the prosperity of their fields and the happiness of their people. Why, then, does Kurok (Kirk's memory blurred god name) feel the need to fuck with it?
He introduces new ways to preserve food, makes an oil lantern, and describes plans to build a canal. In short, he raises their level of technology and is clearly intent on raising it much further. Again, why? The tribe is productive, healthy, and content. Why mess with that? The answer that is implied is that increased technology is necessarily good. Kurok is helping these people. We need look no farther than our own, bloody history, however, to see how the meeting between Native Americans and more advanced technology was anything but helpful to them. And while we've gained many comforts, conveniences, and benefits, thanks to our level of technology, it has also forced us to sacrifice a great deal and put ourselves in danger in many ways: overpopulation, environmental destruction, weapons of mass destruction, new and lethal pathogens, compromised food and water supply, pandemic poor physical health, unremitting stress, and disconnection from the natural world to name a few.
There can be no doubt that this is a complex issue, and I acknowledge that it is unrealistic to expect any one-hour TV drama to do more than scratch the surface. What bothers me is that the idea that technological advancement is good is presented in "The Paradise Syndrome" as axiomatic. Nitpicky? Perhaps, but to paraphrase an old saying, the devil is in the subtext.
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We're all Kirok!!!!!!
As I remarked on the podcast, I have long had a special loathing for this episode. I don't really ever remember liking it that well and remember groaning when I would happen upon this episode on TV. Just as some of the series has gotten worse with age, could this one have gotten, better?
Let's break it down a bit. First, the good:
The fundamental idea for this episode is actually pretty solid. The story of an ancient advanced race of space-faring people saving/moving humanoids around the galaxy to explain all those very similar-looking people gets more fleshed out here. Of course, this idea is a very convenient way of avoiding expensive costumes and makeup but at least there is some thought behind it.
The subplot with Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew trying to stop the asteroid has some good character moments between Spock and McCoy. Naturally the long period of time it takes for this part of the storyline to unfold allows events back on the planet with Kirk to proceed, but the writers had to do something to keep the gang busy.
The episode does not look at all cheap. The decision to shoot on location, even if it's in L.A. at Andy Griffith's fishing hole, gives the show a richness it often lacks when they're depicting scenes off the ship. The shots outdoors look cinematic; HD really makes these scenes look good, thanks to the show's use of 35mm film. Also, the set and props of the alien obelisk look great. The exterior of the obelisk was not used anywhere else in the series and looks impressive. The American Indian costumes, no doubt borrowed from Paramount's collection, also look good. Funny enough, this may be one of the best-looking episodes of the third season.
For the first time in a while, I noticed that the musical score is mostly new for this episode. The show reused music cues throughout much of the second season so it's nice to hear something different, even if the score relies a bit too much on musical cliches to depict the idyllic life of the tribe.
The not-so-good.
The portrayal of American Indians is perhaps, by the standards of the time, average, but by modern standards: not so great. Eric pointed out many problems with the attitudes about the "backwards" ways of the people on the planet. The one dodge they could perhaps come up with is that Kirk has lost his memory and doesn't realize he's violating the Prime Directive. The way the show slants things however is that everything Kirk introduces to "improve" the tribe's way of life is a net good. Unlike other episodes where there is meddling with other cultures, we don't really see the downside of what Kirk does. Sure, the asteroid is deflected, but one comes away from the episode wondering what damage was done to the tribe. Other than Salish losing his girlfriend, that is.
Speaking of Miramanee, she bugged me. I think the person playing her was fine but the Miramanee character was written purely as the "dumb pretty American Indian girl" as the love interest for Kirk's visit to paradise. Ahem. I think they could done a lot more with this character. I also found it harder to empathize with her after the way she dumps Salish, her previous lover. Miramanee seems to have few feelings about the matter and just shrugs as she takes up with Kirk, who, even with his brain zapped, is a smooth operator.
Shatner. Now, depending on your point of view, the performance of Shatner in this episode could go in the plus or minus column. If you're not a fan of Bill's style of acting then you're really not going to like it here. There are moments that are relatively restrained (Miramanee's death scene) but other times Shatner goes pretty far over the top; the dramatic scene near the end where Kirk yells into the wind as well as the earlier bits where Kirk is doing this reverb-filled voiceover (sounds like his "musical" ventures sometimes!). Which can be entertaining, again depending on your liking of Shatner. As for me, the Shatner scenery chewing used to bug me a LOT but I now appreciate it for what it is; you have to embrace the performance somewhat to really appreciate the character of Kirk or for that matter, the spirit of the original series. I think that for many years I allowed the camp of these scenes to obscure anything positive about this episode. Yes, the episode is middling and has problems, but I've definitely upgraded it in retrospect.
The new effects make this episode look even better. The asteroid and the phaser effects are well done. This is one of those episodes where I would not want to go back to the old shots.
Next time: "And the Children Shall Lead" (God help us)
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