Up this time: A Piece of the Action (01/12/1968)
We recorded a podcast for this one:
Eric starts us out:
It had been quite a while since I'd watched "A Piece of the Action," so I was thoroughly delighted to see it again. This is one of my favorite episodes. It's not profound but it is tremendous fun.
After the success of "The Trouble with Tribbles," it was deemed that comedic Star Trek episodes were viable, so "A Piece of the Action" became the twentieth episode produced in the second season. Actually, though, it is based on a synopsis titled "President Capone" that Gene Roddenberry included in his first series proposal in 1964.
Through its many iterations, the story was sometimes more serious, but it ultimately was fully as funny as "The Trouble with Tribbles." The "Fizzbin" scene still cracks me up, and Kirk and Spock's adventures in the antique car are hilarious. I also get a kick out of Scotty's attempts at using the admittedly stylized gangster lingo. And the guest stars seem to relish their roles. Anthony Caruso turns in a great performance as Bela Oxmyx, and Vic Tayback is spot on as Jojo Krako. (Note that Vic Tayback is perhaps better known for his role as Mel Sharples in the 1974 movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and the subsequent TV series "Alice.")
Now that I think of it, my opening assertion that this episode isn't profound isn't entirely accurate--I did discern a subtle message upon rewatching it. A case can be made that "A Piece of the Action" is actually a stinging commentary on organized religion. Consider that the government and society of Sigma Iotia II are based on slavish, fanatical adherence to the interpretation of the information in a scholarly book left by an earlier Federation expedition. The "Book" (as the Iotians refer to it) is revered as a sacred text, as evidenced by Bela Oxmyx's indignant demand: "I don't want no more cracks about the Book!" The parallels between the Book and the Judeo-Christian Bible are obvious. In fact, at one point, Dr. McCoy refers to it as the bible of the inhabitants of Sigma Iotia II. Interestingly, though, their adherence to their bible has produced a corrupt, brutal society where murder and treachery are the norm. The Book's influence has also produced a fragmented society in crisis because all the different factions constantly war with each other. Again, the parallels with the woes of human societies preoccupied with and devoted to religion and religious texts are numerous.
So, as it turns out, "A Piece of the Action" is not just a wonderfully funny, well-told story, it is also an insightful, biting commentary on religion. Quite an impressive accomplishment, when you think about it.
---
Like The Trouble With Tribbles and a few other Trek episodes, this is another fairly lightweight episode compared to most. This episode takes an intriguing concept and makes a farcical episode out of it while not completely losing sight of the ideas expressed. The events leading up to this episode would seem to obviate the need for The Prime Directive which did not exist when the earlier Federation ship visited the planet in this episode. It is fun to ponder the idea of an entire planet's society structuring itself on a book about the Chicago gangs of the 1920s. Now, the Enterprise encounters a world that looks like the backlot at Paramount! The way these residents behave reminds me most of older Hollywood gangster movies; I kept waiting for James Cagney to walk into the room during some scenes. The humor comes at a full tilt in this episode with the bits involving a made-up card game and Kirk trying to drive a stick shift standing out. The way Spock gives Kirk so much grief about his lack of driving skills is hilarious. Some of the plot points are paper-thin, but when we're having this much fun watching the characters go at it, we really don't care that much.
The cast, including the guest actors, have a ball doing these silly characters (or is it caricatures?), and it shows. Shatner and Nimoy get to have many fun back and forth sequences with plenty of verbal jabs to keep us occupied. Doohan's bewildered performance is perfect as he struggles to figure out why all these people are acting so strangely. Concrete galoshes indeed. The resolution to the issue of unifying the chaotic structure, or lack thereof, of the planet is far from detailed, but has an interesting creative twist. We end the episode not really knowing what the people of this world are going to do going forward. Maybe we don't really need to worry about that too much, for after all, it's pretty much a jiffy-Trek. Religious angles aside, of course. I always liked this episode growing up. It's hard to go wrong when you have Kirk and co. running around in pin stripe suits sporting Tommy guns.
The remastered version had the usual detailed picture, some new planet effects shots, and a re-done Enterprise phaser blast on the street. The image always looks so good on these episodes where they either shoot out on location or use a movie-quality set like a backlot. This one was no exception.
Next time: "The Immunity Syndrome"
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
TOS Rewind #43: "The Gamesters of Triskelion"
Up today: The Gamesters of Triskelion (01/05/1968)
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast;
We tried a different method of recording our tracks this time. I've had to record our Skype sound on my end only. This did work, but it isn't the best audio quality, depending on how all our 'net connections were faring that evening. This turned out a little better, but if you listen you'll be able to tell that we or I have some more work to do.
Eric got the jump on me this time, so here's his review:
I just noticed that "The Gamesters of Triskelion" was the first Star Trek episode aired in 1968. Knowing that this was, to say the least, an eventful year, my curiosity was piqued to find out just what happened. I was actually surprised--here are some of the highlights:
· The Vietnam War escalated with the Battle of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, and the Mai Lai massacre.
· Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated.
· 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered.
· The Beatles created Apple Records and released their self-titled album, commonly known as the White Album.
· France detonated its first hydrogen bomb.
· Nixon was elected president.
· Elvis Presley made his concert return with the '68 Comeback Special.
· The Zodiac Killer began his murder spree in San Francisco.
· Apollo 8 entered orbit around the Moon allowing astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders to be the first humans to see not only the far side of the Moon but also the planet Earth as a whole.
I note this to give a sense of the times Star Trek commented on and reflected. Also, the success of movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and the public fascination with the space program set the stage for science fiction on TV.
And while Star Trek is arguably the pioneer of serious television SF, "The Gamesters of Triskelion" is perhaps not the best example of classic Trek. It's not a bad episode, but its message is rather muddled and diluted, and I find the laughable production values to be more of a distraction than usual.
Despite these complaints, I did find an interesting theme. Obviously, there's Kirk's passionate defense of freedom and the human spirit (echoes from episodes like "The Menagerie" and "Metamorphosis), but beyond that, I saw this episode as an indictment of professional sports, particularly boxing. Admittedly, professional boxers aren't slaves...exactly. They are not the property of their "managers" and "promoters," and those at the pinnacle of the sport enjoy considerable wealth and prestige. But the rest (those who aren't at the very top) have to perform adequately, or they find themselves discarded and on the street. And even if they continue to please their handlers, boxers are generally washed up once they hit their early to mid-thirties. This is where the parallel to "The Gamesters of Triskelion" comes in. A central plot point is that the thralls are not educated--they're kept in a perpetual state of ignorance and dependence in order to provide entertainment for the providers. And when they can no longer compete, they're discarded. This insidious cycle isn't broken until the providers lose their wager with Kirk and have to free and educate the thralls.
So, there is a message to be found here (even if it's obscured). I would state it this way: Those who derive wealth and entertainment from the athletic abilities of others are little better than parasites, and they owe the people they feed on the means and opportunity to be self-supporting and self-determining.
---
Pity the Tool.
I went into this episode fully expecting to laugh at the cheesy costumes, gummy brained aliens, and a douchebag named Lars. In this respect, the episode did not disappoint. Lars was still a douchebag, the "Providers" still looked like rubbery brains in a large jar, and the costumes were...ahem!
One of the problems with this episode, even discounting the above, is that I feel like it covers familiar ground in the ideas department--I have a feeling I'll be repeating this statement before we're done with the series. The plot setup, which includes the Providers, aka highly evolved aliens who are now very powerful glowing brains in a glass case, abducting the landing party for use in a pseudo-gladiatorial slave colony. It is a rather obvious setup for a rousing speech about freedom and the evils of slavery. Not to mention the moral superiority of America/The Federation; and the combat is an excuse for Shatner to run around without a shirt, looking as Rob pointed out, rather paunchy. Kirk's talk about the free spirit of humanity is also a convenient way for him to talk his way into Shahna's (Kirk's "drill thrall") shorts. Shahna actually utters the line, "I will train you well." I'll bet you will! Like other episodes, Kirk uses his charms to take advantage of his current love interest. Shahna naturally almost kills him later in the episode and I do like the fact that she actually beats him. It makes up a bit for her being such a sucker.
One of the things that surprised me this time around was the scene where Lars goes into Uhura's cell looking for some slave on slave action. It could easily be read as an off-camera attempted (?) rape scene. It's pretty clear that Uhura fights him off, but the scene is actually intense and plays a bit edgy for 1968 television. Plus it comes at a commercial break where there's a natural tension, so this seemed like a bigger deal than I used to give it credit for. I just have to ask, what is the deal with Lars, anyway? He just has a lousy costume, not even some funky face makeup. The writers didn't even give 'ol Lars an alien sounding name, unless Lars was sufficiently foreign for 1968 audiences. I have to believe that Lars has pre-determined douchebaginess (is that even a word?) and that the character has no real choice in the matter. Lars is just a tool. I almost pity the guy...almost. I think we missed an opportunity to dissect this character on the podcast. Who knows, maybe there's some fascinating insight buried within this character that could even open up something really compelling about this episode. Or maybe not; just seeing if anyone's paying attention.
Meanwhile, Spock and the rest have to figure out where the hell Kirk and the other have gone. My main problem with this "B" story is that it seems to run out of steam before the plot requires them to show up. There are some good traded barbs of the usual sort between Spock and McCoy, but it plays like it could have used a bit of trimming.
The hand-to-hand combat, which is the main action, other than Kirk's little jaunt in the ruins with Shahna, that is. I appreciate the interesting camera angles and the three segment design of the floor and the choreographed combat isn't too bad, by Trek standards. The whole fighting set reminded me a little of the gladiator school sets from Spartacus. Of course the final fight where Kirk has to fight three other thralls is easy to ridicule; they often seem to be taking turns attacking him! Lars is satisfyingly offed by Kirk, so that's something at least.
In the end, Kirk turns the tables on the gummy brain aliens and they have to "challenge" themselves to turn their little slave colony into an actual society. We were asking ourselves, "what's a quatloo?" I think it's the cool new name for an advanced porta-potty: the Quat-Loo! Eric covered the episode's possible indictment of spectator sports as a society-crushing exploitve endeavor. I think boxing is perhaps the closest analog we have to what's portrayed here. And hey, if the sports comments don't get us some feedback, what will?!
I'm not sure the production values are really that far below what we've seen in past episodes. I think Eric was beginning to recognize the reuse of old sets and props from previous episodes and combined with the neon-colored rubber brains, was perhaps too much. I could also be accused of being to easy on old Trek. As I pointed out on the podcast, we will probably look back at this "so-so" episode with fond memories when we get deep into the third season!
I have a dim memory about watching this one while I was growing up and thought it was fairly OK. The action helps, plus there's nothing like watching Shatner writhe around on the floor under the pain of those collars. Sure, there aren't any space battles, but some hand-to-hand combat, complete with odd weapons, still does the job when you're 12.
The BD version of this episode looked great. Galt, the head thrall, had a poor man's Dracula costume and the HD image made his makeup look like it was a powder coat. The new effects were limited to a couple of planets, so nothing big here. I continue to be impressed at the overall quality of these BDs. They actually look better, in some ways, than the BDs of the Trek movies. There's something wrong about that; but that's another blog entry.
Next time: "A Piece of the Action"
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast;
We tried a different method of recording our tracks this time. I've had to record our Skype sound on my end only. This did work, but it isn't the best audio quality, depending on how all our 'net connections were faring that evening. This turned out a little better, but if you listen you'll be able to tell that we or I have some more work to do.
Eric got the jump on me this time, so here's his review:
I just noticed that "The Gamesters of Triskelion" was the first Star Trek episode aired in 1968. Knowing that this was, to say the least, an eventful year, my curiosity was piqued to find out just what happened. I was actually surprised--here are some of the highlights:
· The Vietnam War escalated with the Battle of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, and the Mai Lai massacre.
· Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated.
· 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered.
· The Beatles created Apple Records and released their self-titled album, commonly known as the White Album.
· France detonated its first hydrogen bomb.
· Nixon was elected president.
· Elvis Presley made his concert return with the '68 Comeback Special.
· The Zodiac Killer began his murder spree in San Francisco.
· Apollo 8 entered orbit around the Moon allowing astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders to be the first humans to see not only the far side of the Moon but also the planet Earth as a whole.
I note this to give a sense of the times Star Trek commented on and reflected. Also, the success of movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and the public fascination with the space program set the stage for science fiction on TV.
And while Star Trek is arguably the pioneer of serious television SF, "The Gamesters of Triskelion" is perhaps not the best example of classic Trek. It's not a bad episode, but its message is rather muddled and diluted, and I find the laughable production values to be more of a distraction than usual.
Despite these complaints, I did find an interesting theme. Obviously, there's Kirk's passionate defense of freedom and the human spirit (echoes from episodes like "The Menagerie" and "Metamorphosis), but beyond that, I saw this episode as an indictment of professional sports, particularly boxing. Admittedly, professional boxers aren't slaves...exactly. They are not the property of their "managers" and "promoters," and those at the pinnacle of the sport enjoy considerable wealth and prestige. But the rest (those who aren't at the very top) have to perform adequately, or they find themselves discarded and on the street. And even if they continue to please their handlers, boxers are generally washed up once they hit their early to mid-thirties. This is where the parallel to "The Gamesters of Triskelion" comes in. A central plot point is that the thralls are not educated--they're kept in a perpetual state of ignorance and dependence in order to provide entertainment for the providers. And when they can no longer compete, they're discarded. This insidious cycle isn't broken until the providers lose their wager with Kirk and have to free and educate the thralls.
So, there is a message to be found here (even if it's obscured). I would state it this way: Those who derive wealth and entertainment from the athletic abilities of others are little better than parasites, and they owe the people they feed on the means and opportunity to be self-supporting and self-determining.
---
Pity the Tool.
I went into this episode fully expecting to laugh at the cheesy costumes, gummy brained aliens, and a douchebag named Lars. In this respect, the episode did not disappoint. Lars was still a douchebag, the "Providers" still looked like rubbery brains in a large jar, and the costumes were...ahem!
One of the problems with this episode, even discounting the above, is that I feel like it covers familiar ground in the ideas department--I have a feeling I'll be repeating this statement before we're done with the series. The plot setup, which includes the Providers, aka highly evolved aliens who are now very powerful glowing brains in a glass case, abducting the landing party for use in a pseudo-gladiatorial slave colony. It is a rather obvious setup for a rousing speech about freedom and the evils of slavery. Not to mention the moral superiority of America/The Federation; and the combat is an excuse for Shatner to run around without a shirt, looking as Rob pointed out, rather paunchy. Kirk's talk about the free spirit of humanity is also a convenient way for him to talk his way into Shahna's (Kirk's "drill thrall") shorts. Shahna actually utters the line, "I will train you well." I'll bet you will! Like other episodes, Kirk uses his charms to take advantage of his current love interest. Shahna naturally almost kills him later in the episode and I do like the fact that she actually beats him. It makes up a bit for her being such a sucker.
One of the things that surprised me this time around was the scene where Lars goes into Uhura's cell looking for some slave on slave action. It could easily be read as an off-camera attempted (?) rape scene. It's pretty clear that Uhura fights him off, but the scene is actually intense and plays a bit edgy for 1968 television. Plus it comes at a commercial break where there's a natural tension, so this seemed like a bigger deal than I used to give it credit for. I just have to ask, what is the deal with Lars, anyway? He just has a lousy costume, not even some funky face makeup. The writers didn't even give 'ol Lars an alien sounding name, unless Lars was sufficiently foreign for 1968 audiences. I have to believe that Lars has pre-determined douchebaginess (is that even a word?) and that the character has no real choice in the matter. Lars is just a tool. I almost pity the guy...almost. I think we missed an opportunity to dissect this character on the podcast. Who knows, maybe there's some fascinating insight buried within this character that could even open up something really compelling about this episode. Or maybe not; just seeing if anyone's paying attention.
Meanwhile, Spock and the rest have to figure out where the hell Kirk and the other have gone. My main problem with this "B" story is that it seems to run out of steam before the plot requires them to show up. There are some good traded barbs of the usual sort between Spock and McCoy, but it plays like it could have used a bit of trimming.
The hand-to-hand combat, which is the main action, other than Kirk's little jaunt in the ruins with Shahna, that is. I appreciate the interesting camera angles and the three segment design of the floor and the choreographed combat isn't too bad, by Trek standards. The whole fighting set reminded me a little of the gladiator school sets from Spartacus. Of course the final fight where Kirk has to fight three other thralls is easy to ridicule; they often seem to be taking turns attacking him! Lars is satisfyingly offed by Kirk, so that's something at least.
In the end, Kirk turns the tables on the gummy brain aliens and they have to "challenge" themselves to turn their little slave colony into an actual society. We were asking ourselves, "what's a quatloo?" I think it's the cool new name for an advanced porta-potty: the Quat-Loo! Eric covered the episode's possible indictment of spectator sports as a society-crushing exploitve endeavor. I think boxing is perhaps the closest analog we have to what's portrayed here. And hey, if the sports comments don't get us some feedback, what will?!
I'm not sure the production values are really that far below what we've seen in past episodes. I think Eric was beginning to recognize the reuse of old sets and props from previous episodes and combined with the neon-colored rubber brains, was perhaps too much. I could also be accused of being to easy on old Trek. As I pointed out on the podcast, we will probably look back at this "so-so" episode with fond memories when we get deep into the third season!
I have a dim memory about watching this one while I was growing up and thought it was fairly OK. The action helps, plus there's nothing like watching Shatner writhe around on the floor under the pain of those collars. Sure, there aren't any space battles, but some hand-to-hand combat, complete with odd weapons, still does the job when you're 12.
The BD version of this episode looked great. Galt, the head thrall, had a poor man's Dracula costume and the HD image made his makeup look like it was a powder coat. The new effects were limited to a couple of planets, so nothing big here. I continue to be impressed at the overall quality of these BDs. They actually look better, in some ways, than the BDs of the Trek movies. There's something wrong about that; but that's another blog entry.
Next time: "A Piece of the Action"
Friday, June 18, 2010
Crushed Entry
2015 update: another old entry from the previous blog, brought over mainly for curiosity.
I have recently had or observed a few conversations with friends about an old, mostly harmless topic: crushes on people in the world of entertainment. This of course is about as flimsy and trifling a topic as I talk about here. This has little to do with real romance or even sex (at least for most of us!) but perhaps it tells us something about ourselves. Maybe. Let's face it, this is fantasy land and sure, I could be prognosticating about politics or the future of technology (I have the word "technology" in my job title, so I must be an expert on it, no?) but sometimes you just want to swim in the shallow end of the pool. I would love to hear from any of you about this topic, but I thought I should go first. So, in a desperate ploy to generate comments, I present my list of those in the entertainment universe who I, shall we say, dig. Dig?
Helen Hunt. Helen is one of my earliest actress crushes; she and I go way back, so to speak. I remember noticing her cuteness back in the 1980s on the TV show St. Elsewhere where she played a minor love interest of...hmm, I don't seem to remember the other character, but she apparently stood out. She has done some good and bad movies, plus her long sitcom run on Mad About You in the 1990s. I'll always have a soft spot for Helen, even in the not-so-good movies.
Meg Ryan. After seeing When Harry Met Sally back in 1989, I really thought Meg was simply the hottest thing on the screen. I am positive that I was far from alone in my appreciation for Ms. Ryan's blend of sweet naivete and pure hotness. Although my old crush on her has faded over the years, I still emit a slight sigh whenever I see that movie today.
Inara George. Inara is the vocal half of the pop music duo The Bird and the Bee. My crush here is entirely on this woman's voice, which I just can't get enough of. To borrow the expression: I could listen to Inara sing the phone book (if I had one)!
Mary-Louise Parker. I first began to appreciate Parker during her stint on The West Wing Parker's delivery of Sorkin's smart, lightning-fast dialogue with her vivacious presence was irresistible. Parker has done some other interesting character roles, often non-leading parts in movies. No matter where I see her, she's damned sexy. I am currently getting a kick out of watching her play the pot-dealing (smokin'!) suburban mom in the cable show Weeds
So how about it? Does anyone want to share? If so, leave it in the comments someplace.
I have recently had or observed a few conversations with friends about an old, mostly harmless topic: crushes on people in the world of entertainment. This of course is about as flimsy and trifling a topic as I talk about here. This has little to do with real romance or even sex (at least for most of us!) but perhaps it tells us something about ourselves. Maybe. Let's face it, this is fantasy land and sure, I could be prognosticating about politics or the future of technology (I have the word "technology" in my job title, so I must be an expert on it, no?) but sometimes you just want to swim in the shallow end of the pool. I would love to hear from any of you about this topic, but I thought I should go first. So, in a desperate ploy to generate comments, I present my list of those in the entertainment universe who I, shall we say, dig. Dig?
Helen Hunt. Helen is one of my earliest actress crushes; she and I go way back, so to speak. I remember noticing her cuteness back in the 1980s on the TV show St. Elsewhere where she played a minor love interest of...hmm, I don't seem to remember the other character, but she apparently stood out. She has done some good and bad movies, plus her long sitcom run on Mad About You in the 1990s. I'll always have a soft spot for Helen, even in the not-so-good movies.
Meg Ryan. After seeing When Harry Met Sally back in 1989, I really thought Meg was simply the hottest thing on the screen. I am positive that I was far from alone in my appreciation for Ms. Ryan's blend of sweet naivete and pure hotness. Although my old crush on her has faded over the years, I still emit a slight sigh whenever I see that movie today.
Inara George. Inara is the vocal half of the pop music duo The Bird and the Bee. My crush here is entirely on this woman's voice, which I just can't get enough of. To borrow the expression: I could listen to Inara sing the phone book (if I had one)!
Mary-Louise Parker. I first began to appreciate Parker during her stint on The West Wing Parker's delivery of Sorkin's smart, lightning-fast dialogue with her vivacious presence was irresistible. Parker has done some other interesting character roles, often non-leading parts in movies. No matter where I see her, she's damned sexy. I am currently getting a kick out of watching her play the pot-dealing (smokin'!) suburban mom in the cable show Weeds
So how about it? Does anyone want to share? If so, leave it in the comments someplace.
Friday, May 21, 2010
TOS Rewind #42: "The Trouble With Tribbles"
Up this time: The Trouble With Tribbles (12/29/1967)
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
The sound quality on this one was rough. I'm working on doing a different method of recording these which should hopefully address the problems.
Ah, the Tribbles. I tend to view this episode as the original series equivalent of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." It's a favorite to both serious and casual fans alike. It's really hard not to like this one, especially since it riffs on the familiar characters so well. Kirk spends the episode with equal measures of snark and irritation at having to expend his Captainly (?) energies on something best left to bureaucrats and rent-a-cops (or would that be rent-a-captains?). "I think of this project as very important. It is you I take lightly." Wouldn't you love to use that line at your next work meeting?! Spock and McCoy are even more sarcastic with their verbal jabs than usual. In a normal episode, this would have risen to the level of distraction, yet it fits like a glove in the rarefied air of this episode. The most memorable character interactions, for me actually revolve around Scotty. His dialogue in the bar scene is hilarious and works so well for the character. The aftermath of the bar fight scene is also spot on. It's really fun to see this much time devoted to scenes like this.
Those great character scenes are of course made possible thanks to the plot, which while moderately important is easy to push aside for funny set pieces. I think what really makes it work here is the way that it has just enough credibility. One of the failings of I, Mudd which is quite farcical is that its plot really pushes things to the extreme. Balance is the key to an episode like this and the flow from scene to scene feels right. "Tribbles" is more than just a bunch of jokes at the characters' expense, which makes if rewarding to return to after so many years. Another interesting factor here is the surprising amount of continuity with an earlier point in the series, something this show (and to be fair, most older TV shows) didn't too very often. The Organian Peace Treaty is used in the plot with the Klingons and they'd even planned on re-using the Commander Kor character from that first season episode ("Errand of Mercy"), but the original actor was unavailable. This was actually a good thing as the actor they did use, William Campbell from "Squire of Gothos" turns in a, dare I say it, flamboyant performance that fits the episode as it's written. The Cyrano Jones trader character, with his groovy 1960s shirt (!) is a lightweight version of the Harry Mudd character. Jones lacks some of the menace of Mudd, but again that works well here. Jones is the Tribble delivery system with some comic scenes for good measure. Besides, Kirk doesn't need a Mudd-like nemesis this time, he has the whole Federation bureaucracy for that!
I once again watched the BD "enhanced" version of this episode with its usual high picture and sound quality. The new effects mostly included renderings of the Enterprise, the Klingon ship (not shown in the original shots), and the space station. These were different shots than were made for the DS9 Trials and Tribbel-ations episode (a really fun DS9 original series tribute episode). They really piled on the bonus features for this episode and included a commentary with the episode's writer and lots of other goodies.
---
And Eric's take:
Hmm, this one is actually rather difficult. Don't get me wrong, "The Trouble with Tribbles" is one of my faves (an opinion that I think is shared by most fans). It is also widely-believed to be the best-known episode among non-fans. Why? Put simply, it's hilarious. And amazingly, it manages not to be a complete farce. The story is good, and the acting and direction is solid. The only real problem is that its distinct lack of depth or profundity makes the episode difficult to review.
So how about some favorite scenes. There are so many that are wonderful, but I think the best are Scotty's--his scene in the bar and the ensuing fight with the Klingons is classic, although the subsequent scene with Kirk may be even better. The scenes between the big three (Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) are also great, and both Chekov and Uhura have some fun moments.
It's also worth noting that this episode was the first professional writing credit for David Gerrold (a noted science fiction author). It also spawned a really good entry in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine franchise: "Trials and Tribble-ations," as well as the not-so-good episode, "More Tribbles, More Troubles," from the 1970s animated Star Trek series.
My only gripe is that tribbles (the creatures) were basically plagiarized versions of the Martian flatcats from Robert Heinlein's 1952 novel "The Rolling Stones." But even that does little to diminish my enjoyment of the episode. It was intended to be a whimsical, lighthearted laugh fest, and as such, it succeeds brilliantly. It will always be in my top ten.
Next time: "The Gamesters of Triskelion"
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
The sound quality on this one was rough. I'm working on doing a different method of recording these which should hopefully address the problems.
Ah, the Tribbles. I tend to view this episode as the original series equivalent of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." It's a favorite to both serious and casual fans alike. It's really hard not to like this one, especially since it riffs on the familiar characters so well. Kirk spends the episode with equal measures of snark and irritation at having to expend his Captainly (?) energies on something best left to bureaucrats and rent-a-cops (or would that be rent-a-captains?). "I think of this project as very important. It is you I take lightly." Wouldn't you love to use that line at your next work meeting?! Spock and McCoy are even more sarcastic with their verbal jabs than usual. In a normal episode, this would have risen to the level of distraction, yet it fits like a glove in the rarefied air of this episode. The most memorable character interactions, for me actually revolve around Scotty. His dialogue in the bar scene is hilarious and works so well for the character. The aftermath of the bar fight scene is also spot on. It's really fun to see this much time devoted to scenes like this.
Those great character scenes are of course made possible thanks to the plot, which while moderately important is easy to push aside for funny set pieces. I think what really makes it work here is the way that it has just enough credibility. One of the failings of I, Mudd which is quite farcical is that its plot really pushes things to the extreme. Balance is the key to an episode like this and the flow from scene to scene feels right. "Tribbles" is more than just a bunch of jokes at the characters' expense, which makes if rewarding to return to after so many years. Another interesting factor here is the surprising amount of continuity with an earlier point in the series, something this show (and to be fair, most older TV shows) didn't too very often. The Organian Peace Treaty is used in the plot with the Klingons and they'd even planned on re-using the Commander Kor character from that first season episode ("Errand of Mercy"), but the original actor was unavailable. This was actually a good thing as the actor they did use, William Campbell from "Squire of Gothos" turns in a, dare I say it, flamboyant performance that fits the episode as it's written. The Cyrano Jones trader character, with his groovy 1960s shirt (!) is a lightweight version of the Harry Mudd character. Jones lacks some of the menace of Mudd, but again that works well here. Jones is the Tribble delivery system with some comic scenes for good measure. Besides, Kirk doesn't need a Mudd-like nemesis this time, he has the whole Federation bureaucracy for that!
I once again watched the BD "enhanced" version of this episode with its usual high picture and sound quality. The new effects mostly included renderings of the Enterprise, the Klingon ship (not shown in the original shots), and the space station. These were different shots than were made for the DS9 Trials and Tribbel-ations episode (a really fun DS9 original series tribute episode). They really piled on the bonus features for this episode and included a commentary with the episode's writer and lots of other goodies.
---
And Eric's take:
Hmm, this one is actually rather difficult. Don't get me wrong, "The Trouble with Tribbles" is one of my faves (an opinion that I think is shared by most fans). It is also widely-believed to be the best-known episode among non-fans. Why? Put simply, it's hilarious. And amazingly, it manages not to be a complete farce. The story is good, and the acting and direction is solid. The only real problem is that its distinct lack of depth or profundity makes the episode difficult to review.
So how about some favorite scenes. There are so many that are wonderful, but I think the best are Scotty's--his scene in the bar and the ensuing fight with the Klingons is classic, although the subsequent scene with Kirk may be even better. The scenes between the big three (Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) are also great, and both Chekov and Uhura have some fun moments.
It's also worth noting that this episode was the first professional writing credit for David Gerrold (a noted science fiction author). It also spawned a really good entry in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine franchise: "Trials and Tribble-ations," as well as the not-so-good episode, "More Tribbles, More Troubles," from the 1970s animated Star Trek series.
My only gripe is that tribbles (the creatures) were basically plagiarized versions of the Martian flatcats from Robert Heinlein's 1952 novel "The Rolling Stones." But even that does little to diminish my enjoyment of the episode. It was intended to be a whimsical, lighthearted laugh fest, and as such, it succeeds brilliantly. It will always be in my top ten.
Next time: "The Gamesters of Triskelion"
Friday, April 2, 2010
TOS Rewind #41: "Wolf in the Fold"
Up this time: Wolf in the Fold (12/22/1967)
As usual, Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
This episode has a number of notable things about it.
It was written by Robert Bloch, who is probably best known for the novel that Psycho was based on (he also wrote an earlier episode of Trek: Catspaw).
This is one of the few episodes where Scotty gets a significant role in the story.
The actor, John Fiedler, who played Hengist was also the voice of Piglet in the Disney Winnie the Pooh films and TV/video specials. I remember him appearing in the 1970s "Bob Newhart Show" as a regular character. He was quite the versatile character actor!
What we have here is a murder mystery combined with a science fiction plot. Our heroes are here on the planet Argelius so Scotty can chill out and supposedly get over his "total resentment towards women." This is apparently due to an incident where Scotty was injured due to the error of a female crew member. McCoy seems to think this will be cleared up by some shore leave and hot dancer (prostitute?) action. Uh, Okay! They don't dwell on this very long, which is just as well really. After some extended ogling, Scotty is walking out the door with the dancer and before long, the dancer turns up dead with Scotty holding the knife. Scotty remembers nothing of the incident and can't explain what happened. Before we know it, "the law" shows up and since this planet is usually all peaceful and quiet, they have an off-world law enforcement bureaucrat, Mr Hengist on the scene (he really doesn't come off as an actual cop). Naturally, the law of this idyllic planet dictates that the punishment for murder is "death by slow torture." Gulp! So what the hell's going on? Normally, as Kirk/McCoy point out, Scotty wouldn't be capable of this sort of act, but there's this psychological "resentment" thing in his head. Ruh Roh!
As the investigation continues, there's a seance-like scene where the Argelian Prefect's wife does this empathic ceremony to determine the truth. They first try the high tech solution, scanning Scotty's brain, but the female technician who's conveniently left alone in a basement room with Scotty, is killed before it can be performed. Scotty is now on the hook for another killing. The ceremony commences, quite effectively: there are some fun camera angles and the timing of the lights going out/screaming works very well. And yes, you guessed it: the lights go out and the Leader's wife is found dead--another notch in Scotty's, er post, but not before she is able to utter some names and clues to what's really going on here. Hengist is ready to get out the torture equipment and get all Gitmo on Scotty's ass, but Kirk manages to talk them all into moving the proceedings aboard the Enterprise.
Now that they're all on board, I really don't get why they wouldn't do the mind scan on Scotty before going any further. They say they're going to get around to it, but first we need another Trek Trial (I should trademark that!). After a lot of dialogue, they figure out that maybe someone like, I don't know, Spock(!) should check out those names the Argelian Prefect's wife shouted out before she was killed. This part of the episode reminds me of how differently we look at tools such as computers today. When Spock asks the computer to search for the term "Redjac," it comes up with nothing. Only after he tells it to search for a "name" does it spill the beans. Apparently the Enterprise didn't have its Google Appliance installed yet. This is the point where the episode runs off the rails a bit for me. Once unmasked, Hengist/Redjac or the energy fear-feeding entity, takes over the computer and threatens to kill off everyone. This would have been somewhat more sinister if they'd used someone other than John Fiedler's voice for the "Jack the Ripper" computer. It makes me giggle, frankly. And of course, the bit where Spock announces he's going to make the computer solve Pi, is hilarious: "Nooooooooo!"
McCoy shoots everyone up with "tranquilizers" which happen to work like weed and the entity, after being defeated by Pi, re-enters Hengist's body. I was never clear whether Hengist was just some poor sap who got possessed or whether he was never really a non-Redjac person. Oh well. Hengist makes one last attempt at sowing terror but is shot full of drugs reducing him to a silly psycho. One amusing thing: apparently, the script called for Scotty, McCoy, and Kirk to be drinking booze at the cafe at the start of the episode, but the network objected. Uh, Okay. So they were fine with the entire crew being high on cosmic mushrooms? Anyhow, they drag Hengist into the transporter where his atoms are scattered around the cosmos, presumable never to be heard from again. Cue the jokes and laughter.
Despite the ribbing I gave here, I do enjoy watching this one. James Doohan manages to not overact too much and Shatner even keeps things in check, sometimes more than is called for; he seems a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. As I said before, the seance scene is very effective and the pacing of the first half is fine. I just find the ending unsatisfying, on the whole. It's like they didn't know how to finish things off. I like the idea that a figure such as Jack the Ripper could be a nearly-immortal fear-feeding energy being; that's good sci fi. John Fiedler actually does pretty well with this role. On the surface, he looks right (Piglet wouldn't do THAT!), but there's something a bit shifty and a bit off about him.
There wasn't much different about the new effects on this episode other than the usual replaced shots of the Enterprise orbiting the planet. As far as I could tell, all of the music was recycled from earlier episodes, including the "exotic" dance music heard at the beginning of the episode, heard earlier in "The Cage" and "The Menagerie." I'm sure I'll hear it again before we're done.
---
And now, on to Eric's review:
"Wolf in the Fold" is another solid original Star Trek episode penned by Robert Bloch, who also wrote the episodes "What Are Little Girls Made Of" and "Catspaw." (More notably, however, he wrote the book "Psycho," upon which Alfred Hitchcock based his famous movie of the same name.) It is essentially a horror story, and as such, it fills the role well. There are genuinely scary scenes. Seeing Scotty holding a bloody knife after a brutal murder is particularly disturbing. The "séance" scene is also very well done. What I still find most fascinating, though, is the concept of Redjac; it's not only interesting SF but also a compelling explanation of Jack the Ripper.
This being said, there some flaws that have become more glaring over the years. One is that the premise--that Scotty becomes a raging misogynist when an accident due to a woman befalls him--is not only ridiculous, it speaks very poorly of Scotty's mental stability and resilience. Further, I find it very hard to believe that Dr. McCoy would prescribe shore leave on a planet that's essentially a worldwide whorehouse as effective therapy. The "Get-him-laid-and-everything-will-be-fine" approach? I think not.
Another less obvious point is that the character Hengist (who turns out to be Redjac's host), is played by John Fiedler, who also provided the voice for Piglet in the original Winnie the Pooh cartoons. Knowing that, it's difficult to be intimidated by him when he's mouthing gruesome threats. I keep picturing Piglet shouting: "Die, die, die, everybody DIE!" and well, it just doesn't work.
Most notably, the last act of the episode, aboard the Enterprise, takes a comic turn that's rather jarring, and it completely destroys the menacing atmosphere of the episode. And while it makes sense, in a way--the crew would be pretty jolly after being loaded up with happy juice--I would've preferred to see the macabre mood maintained throughout.
Still, this is an episode I can, and do, enjoy despite its flaws. All in all, another solid entry in the canon of original Start Trek
Next time: "The Trouble With Tribbles"
As usual, Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
This episode has a number of notable things about it.
It was written by Robert Bloch, who is probably best known for the novel that Psycho was based on (he also wrote an earlier episode of Trek: Catspaw).
This is one of the few episodes where Scotty gets a significant role in the story.
The actor, John Fiedler, who played Hengist was also the voice of Piglet in the Disney Winnie the Pooh films and TV/video specials. I remember him appearing in the 1970s "Bob Newhart Show" as a regular character. He was quite the versatile character actor!
What we have here is a murder mystery combined with a science fiction plot. Our heroes are here on the planet Argelius so Scotty can chill out and supposedly get over his "total resentment towards women." This is apparently due to an incident where Scotty was injured due to the error of a female crew member. McCoy seems to think this will be cleared up by some shore leave and hot dancer (prostitute?) action. Uh, Okay! They don't dwell on this very long, which is just as well really. After some extended ogling, Scotty is walking out the door with the dancer and before long, the dancer turns up dead with Scotty holding the knife. Scotty remembers nothing of the incident and can't explain what happened. Before we know it, "the law" shows up and since this planet is usually all peaceful and quiet, they have an off-world law enforcement bureaucrat, Mr Hengist on the scene (he really doesn't come off as an actual cop). Naturally, the law of this idyllic planet dictates that the punishment for murder is "death by slow torture." Gulp! So what the hell's going on? Normally, as Kirk/McCoy point out, Scotty wouldn't be capable of this sort of act, but there's this psychological "resentment" thing in his head. Ruh Roh!
As the investigation continues, there's a seance-like scene where the Argelian Prefect's wife does this empathic ceremony to determine the truth. They first try the high tech solution, scanning Scotty's brain, but the female technician who's conveniently left alone in a basement room with Scotty, is killed before it can be performed. Scotty is now on the hook for another killing. The ceremony commences, quite effectively: there are some fun camera angles and the timing of the lights going out/screaming works very well. And yes, you guessed it: the lights go out and the Leader's wife is found dead--another notch in Scotty's, er post, but not before she is able to utter some names and clues to what's really going on here. Hengist is ready to get out the torture equipment and get all Gitmo on Scotty's ass, but Kirk manages to talk them all into moving the proceedings aboard the Enterprise.
Now that they're all on board, I really don't get why they wouldn't do the mind scan on Scotty before going any further. They say they're going to get around to it, but first we need another Trek Trial (I should trademark that!). After a lot of dialogue, they figure out that maybe someone like, I don't know, Spock(!) should check out those names the Argelian Prefect's wife shouted out before she was killed. This part of the episode reminds me of how differently we look at tools such as computers today. When Spock asks the computer to search for the term "Redjac," it comes up with nothing. Only after he tells it to search for a "name" does it spill the beans. Apparently the Enterprise didn't have its Google Appliance installed yet. This is the point where the episode runs off the rails a bit for me. Once unmasked, Hengist/Redjac or the energy fear-feeding entity, takes over the computer and threatens to kill off everyone. This would have been somewhat more sinister if they'd used someone other than John Fiedler's voice for the "Jack the Ripper" computer. It makes me giggle, frankly. And of course, the bit where Spock announces he's going to make the computer solve Pi, is hilarious: "Nooooooooo!"
McCoy shoots everyone up with "tranquilizers" which happen to work like weed and the entity, after being defeated by Pi, re-enters Hengist's body. I was never clear whether Hengist was just some poor sap who got possessed or whether he was never really a non-Redjac person. Oh well. Hengist makes one last attempt at sowing terror but is shot full of drugs reducing him to a silly psycho. One amusing thing: apparently, the script called for Scotty, McCoy, and Kirk to be drinking booze at the cafe at the start of the episode, but the network objected. Uh, Okay. So they were fine with the entire crew being high on cosmic mushrooms? Anyhow, they drag Hengist into the transporter where his atoms are scattered around the cosmos, presumable never to be heard from again. Cue the jokes and laughter.
Despite the ribbing I gave here, I do enjoy watching this one. James Doohan manages to not overact too much and Shatner even keeps things in check, sometimes more than is called for; he seems a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. As I said before, the seance scene is very effective and the pacing of the first half is fine. I just find the ending unsatisfying, on the whole. It's like they didn't know how to finish things off. I like the idea that a figure such as Jack the Ripper could be a nearly-immortal fear-feeding energy being; that's good sci fi. John Fiedler actually does pretty well with this role. On the surface, he looks right (Piglet wouldn't do THAT!), but there's something a bit shifty and a bit off about him.
There wasn't much different about the new effects on this episode other than the usual replaced shots of the Enterprise orbiting the planet. As far as I could tell, all of the music was recycled from earlier episodes, including the "exotic" dance music heard at the beginning of the episode, heard earlier in "The Cage" and "The Menagerie." I'm sure I'll hear it again before we're done.
---
And now, on to Eric's review:
"Wolf in the Fold" is another solid original Star Trek episode penned by Robert Bloch, who also wrote the episodes "What Are Little Girls Made Of" and "Catspaw." (More notably, however, he wrote the book "Psycho," upon which Alfred Hitchcock based his famous movie of the same name.) It is essentially a horror story, and as such, it fills the role well. There are genuinely scary scenes. Seeing Scotty holding a bloody knife after a brutal murder is particularly disturbing. The "séance" scene is also very well done. What I still find most fascinating, though, is the concept of Redjac; it's not only interesting SF but also a compelling explanation of Jack the Ripper.
This being said, there some flaws that have become more glaring over the years. One is that the premise--that Scotty becomes a raging misogynist when an accident due to a woman befalls him--is not only ridiculous, it speaks very poorly of Scotty's mental stability and resilience. Further, I find it very hard to believe that Dr. McCoy would prescribe shore leave on a planet that's essentially a worldwide whorehouse as effective therapy. The "Get-him-laid-and-everything-will-be-fine" approach? I think not.
Another less obvious point is that the character Hengist (who turns out to be Redjac's host), is played by John Fiedler, who also provided the voice for Piglet in the original Winnie the Pooh cartoons. Knowing that, it's difficult to be intimidated by him when he's mouthing gruesome threats. I keep picturing Piglet shouting: "Die, die, die, everybody DIE!" and well, it just doesn't work.
Most notably, the last act of the episode, aboard the Enterprise, takes a comic turn that's rather jarring, and it completely destroys the menacing atmosphere of the episode. And while it makes sense, in a way--the crew would be pretty jolly after being loaded up with happy juice--I would've preferred to see the macabre mood maintained throughout.
Still, this is an episode I can, and do, enjoy despite its flaws. All in all, another solid entry in the canon of original Start Trek
Next time: "The Trouble With Tribbles"
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
TOS Rewind #40: "Obsession"
Up next: Obsession (12/15/1967)
Our usual group recorded a podcast for this episode.
"Obsession" has two basic elements to it. One, a story surrounding our heroes battling a deadly alien creature. Two, a closer look into Kirk's personality/backstory and his relationships with the crew.
The monster story here has a fairly conventional arc, right through the climax on the planet where Kirk and Garrovick have their final showdown with the creature. The part in space where the creature turns and attacks the ship is a good twist in the story. The thing I find more interesting about this episode is the focus on Kirk's past and a demon that haunts him from it. This is one of the first times we're given much about Kirk's previous military career other than brief bits of information. The character focus in this episode reminds me a bit of the one in "Conscience of the King." There, like here, Kirk is driven almost single-mindedly to fix something from his past; even if it puts his command or other lives in jeopardy. It's compelling to see Kirk's character stripped of its usual veneer or confidence like this and I believe the inner turmoil on display here is done even better than in that previous episode.
One aspect of Trek that works so well for me is that way that the main characters interact under stress. Most of the time, the familiar characters work together, using their collective strengths to prevail. This time, Kirk spends much of the story working alone or even against his friends and crew to an extent. Kirk seems to forget the trust that Spock and McCoy have in him. This would normally be an inconsistency, but in this instance it reinforces personal nature of the situation. Kirk's feelings of guilt over his past inaction is so intense that he doesn't want his closest friends in on it. The one odd thing about this is the way Kirk seems to leave them clues to the situation. This doesn't always make a lot of sense, but it does make the story flow well with a nice buildup of tension. The way Spock and McCoy team up to figure out what the hell's going on with Kirk helps the story and provides some interesting character development and a few good scenes between them. I also enjoy the scenes with Garrovick who comes off as a genuine character beyond being a cipher for Kirk's self-pity. Garrovick is still new to the whole thing and not 100% sure of himself. Another interesting thing is the way that Spock learns about and tries to deal with Kirk and Garrovick's self-guilt. Spock almost plays ship counselor during a couple of scenes, talking about things such as "wallowing in a pool of emotion." Ha!
One thing that I'm not crazy about is the way that Kirk seems to "sense" what the creature is up to (reminds me of "Metamorphosis"). Of course we need to know some of this information, but it comes off as a somewhat contrived. I also wonder if the suspense would have been more effective if they had not shown the creature right off the bat. It's not a big deal of course.
The performances here are generally good. Some may find a bit too much Shatner for their liking but considering how Kirk is written in this episode, I don't think it's too far out of line. The rest of the cast is in good form and the guy who played Garrovick got the balance of the role right without overplaying the scenes with too much sullenness.
I liked this episode well growing up as it had lots of drama, dead red shirts, and even some action in space. I noticed that they recycled some of the music from "The Doomsday Machine." As Rob pointed out on the podcast, this is a drawback of watching the series in broadcast order. It becomes easier to catch things like this as you work your way through. The enhanced effects added a little bit this time around. The scenes in space where the creature is pictured look less like a white blob on the screen and they have a new shot of the Tycho planet after the bomb is detonated with an appropriately large hole on it.
Now let's see what Eric has to say:
---
I remember "Obsession" being a favorite episode (in the top 20) when I was younger, and upon rewatching, I was pleased to find that it held up. It has pretty much everything: action, drama, pathos, and some really interesting character interactions. But what I like best is that it is a Kirk episode. It fills in some of his back story, and it develops his character in a surprising way.
One thing I've noticed about 60s TV is that heroic, leading characters are rarely portrayed as genuinely flawed. If there are chinks their armor, they're the kind that are more admirable than detestable. Not so with Kirk in this episode. He's faced by a demon from his past, and in his struggles to deal with it, he acts irrationally, risks lives, and mistreats his crew, most notably Ensign Garrovick--the newly-assigned security officer whom Kirk harshly punishes for a completely normal, and forgiveable, reaction to an emergency. And what is particularly reprehensible is that Kirk is not motivated by fair-minded attention to his command duties; rather, it is a vicarious way for him to do penance for his perceived inadequacy in a similar situation when he was a young officer. The problem, of course, is that Garrovick has to bear the burden of Kirk's self-flagellation, which is not only undeserved and grossly unfair, it also creates, in Garrovick, the same demon that has plagued Kirk for eleven years.
Kirk's behavior is understandable, if not entirely excusable. We can sympathize with having something in your past that haunts you and affects your behavior and ability to function until, and unless, you deal with it. We expect our heroes to deal with such issues better, though, and that's why Obsession is such a good episode. It shows us that the noble James T. Kirk really is a human being just like us, complete with infuriating flaws. Of course, he does ultimately defeat his demon and manages to redeem himself in the process. Which is as it should be--he is, after all, a hero.
Next time: "Wolf in the Fold"
Our usual group recorded a podcast for this episode.
"Obsession" has two basic elements to it. One, a story surrounding our heroes battling a deadly alien creature. Two, a closer look into Kirk's personality/backstory and his relationships with the crew.
The monster story here has a fairly conventional arc, right through the climax on the planet where Kirk and Garrovick have their final showdown with the creature. The part in space where the creature turns and attacks the ship is a good twist in the story. The thing I find more interesting about this episode is the focus on Kirk's past and a demon that haunts him from it. This is one of the first times we're given much about Kirk's previous military career other than brief bits of information. The character focus in this episode reminds me a bit of the one in "Conscience of the King." There, like here, Kirk is driven almost single-mindedly to fix something from his past; even if it puts his command or other lives in jeopardy. It's compelling to see Kirk's character stripped of its usual veneer or confidence like this and I believe the inner turmoil on display here is done even better than in that previous episode.
One aspect of Trek that works so well for me is that way that the main characters interact under stress. Most of the time, the familiar characters work together, using their collective strengths to prevail. This time, Kirk spends much of the story working alone or even against his friends and crew to an extent. Kirk seems to forget the trust that Spock and McCoy have in him. This would normally be an inconsistency, but in this instance it reinforces personal nature of the situation. Kirk's feelings of guilt over his past inaction is so intense that he doesn't want his closest friends in on it. The one odd thing about this is the way Kirk seems to leave them clues to the situation. This doesn't always make a lot of sense, but it does make the story flow well with a nice buildup of tension. The way Spock and McCoy team up to figure out what the hell's going on with Kirk helps the story and provides some interesting character development and a few good scenes between them. I also enjoy the scenes with Garrovick who comes off as a genuine character beyond being a cipher for Kirk's self-pity. Garrovick is still new to the whole thing and not 100% sure of himself. Another interesting thing is the way that Spock learns about and tries to deal with Kirk and Garrovick's self-guilt. Spock almost plays ship counselor during a couple of scenes, talking about things such as "wallowing in a pool of emotion." Ha!
One thing that I'm not crazy about is the way that Kirk seems to "sense" what the creature is up to (reminds me of "Metamorphosis"). Of course we need to know some of this information, but it comes off as a somewhat contrived. I also wonder if the suspense would have been more effective if they had not shown the creature right off the bat. It's not a big deal of course.
The performances here are generally good. Some may find a bit too much Shatner for their liking but considering how Kirk is written in this episode, I don't think it's too far out of line. The rest of the cast is in good form and the guy who played Garrovick got the balance of the role right without overplaying the scenes with too much sullenness.
I liked this episode well growing up as it had lots of drama, dead red shirts, and even some action in space. I noticed that they recycled some of the music from "The Doomsday Machine." As Rob pointed out on the podcast, this is a drawback of watching the series in broadcast order. It becomes easier to catch things like this as you work your way through. The enhanced effects added a little bit this time around. The scenes in space where the creature is pictured look less like a white blob on the screen and they have a new shot of the Tycho planet after the bomb is detonated with an appropriately large hole on it.
Now let's see what Eric has to say:
---
I remember "Obsession" being a favorite episode (in the top 20) when I was younger, and upon rewatching, I was pleased to find that it held up. It has pretty much everything: action, drama, pathos, and some really interesting character interactions. But what I like best is that it is a Kirk episode. It fills in some of his back story, and it develops his character in a surprising way.
One thing I've noticed about 60s TV is that heroic, leading characters are rarely portrayed as genuinely flawed. If there are chinks their armor, they're the kind that are more admirable than detestable. Not so with Kirk in this episode. He's faced by a demon from his past, and in his struggles to deal with it, he acts irrationally, risks lives, and mistreats his crew, most notably Ensign Garrovick--the newly-assigned security officer whom Kirk harshly punishes for a completely normal, and forgiveable, reaction to an emergency. And what is particularly reprehensible is that Kirk is not motivated by fair-minded attention to his command duties; rather, it is a vicarious way for him to do penance for his perceived inadequacy in a similar situation when he was a young officer. The problem, of course, is that Garrovick has to bear the burden of Kirk's self-flagellation, which is not only undeserved and grossly unfair, it also creates, in Garrovick, the same demon that has plagued Kirk for eleven years.
Kirk's behavior is understandable, if not entirely excusable. We can sympathize with having something in your past that haunts you and affects your behavior and ability to function until, and unless, you deal with it. We expect our heroes to deal with such issues better, though, and that's why Obsession is such a good episode. It shows us that the noble James T. Kirk really is a human being just like us, complete with infuriating flaws. Of course, he does ultimately defeat his demon and manages to redeem himself in the process. Which is as it should be--he is, after all, a hero.
Next time: "Wolf in the Fold"
Monday, February 8, 2010
TOS Rewind #39: "The Deadly Years"
Today, a bunch of old dorks tackle The Deadly Years (12/08/1967)
Lee joined us on the podcast this time:
This episode, which has the amusing scene where DeForest Kelley refers to Spock as "Sponk," does have its moments even though parts of it don't hold up so well.
I think the whole "horror of aging" thing that goes on here was more effective when I was, well, younger! Today it plays as a lot more silly and full of stereotypes. The way the "aging" (they do point out that this is actually a radiation-caused condition that resembles aging) effects are portrayed in the show are quite over-the-top and almost comically stereotypical. The man they meet on the planet's surface, named "Robert Johnson," acts like an old Jewish caricature of a person we've all seen before in movies or TV. Kirk falls asleep in his chair and forgets about giving orders. McCoy gets extremely crotchety and doubles his usual drawl. Scotty practically looks undead, he's so overly made up. As usual, it's easy to pick on the makeup, but the script has the cast acting like "old people." The writer/director just went a little too far with the old age theme. The actors seem to be trying to portray their characters as they would be decades on, literally. Our physical/mental abilities decline when we get old (well most of us!) but some of the change in people is due to actually living all those years. It affects our personalities and other characteristics and I just don't buy that some kind of radiation sickness would do this, at least not to the effect that is portrayed here. The cast really do try to play it convincingly; DeForest really goes all out.
The other issue I have with this episode is the competency hearing that brings the movement of the plot to a halt. I understand the need to put Kirk on the spot, but the examples of why Kirk should be relieved have already been shown to the audience. It comes off as redundant and as a padding mechanism. The time could have been used better. The shipboard trial had also been used twice before in other episodes and feels a bit too familiar. It's an easy dramatic device they should have avoided this time.
Despite the harping I did on the characters and their "old people" acting, I did find some good character dialogue on display here. The interactions between the main characters are consistent and there is still some warmth here. This helps the episode quite a bit and also provides us with some memorable lines:
McCoy: ""I'm not a magician, Spock. Just an old country doctor."
Sponk: "Yes, as I always suspected."
The scenes with Kirk's former lover, Dr. Wallace, whose presence on board isn't really explained, seem mostly artificial with the exception of a scene where Kirk asks her whether her affection is based on pity or if she just likes old men. The bit where he asks her if she wants a "going away present" is actually pretty harsh, considering him having mere hours left to live. The best thing I read about Dr. Wallace: "Dr. Wallace's costume was made from drapes." Yep!
The Commodore Stocker character is actually not too bad here. He comes off as a sympathetic, if clueless Starfleet bureaucrat. Stocker reminds me a bit of the various military tool general characters you often saw on the MASH tv show. They wrote Stocker to be a bit less of an asshole as other Starfleet superior officers are. Sure, the scene where he sits in Kirk's chair with a deer-in-the-headlights expression is silly, but it gives the follow up scene, Kirk's return to command, all the more triumphant. Kirk is taken down many notches but he gets a super hero-esque return for the climax.
The BD copy I watched looked great, as usual. It's another time where the makeup, the old age effects this time, don't look so great on a high rez screen. There weren't many effects shots in this one, but you do get to see multiple Romulan ships instead of the recycled scenes from "Balance of Terror."
---
Here's Eric's review:
Upon rewatching "The Deadly Years," I found I enjoyed it as much, if not more, than I remembered. If nothing else, it is a well-done, interesting story. But I also discovered a theme I hadn't previously noticed: while advanced age may limit one's abilities, youth does not necessarily confer ability.
In our podcast, we talk about the shortcomings of this episode--mainly that the courtroom scene appears to be gratuitous filler and that the portrayal of the prematurely aged characters casts the abilities of the elderly in an unfavorable light. Both points are valid, but rather than being shortcomings, they actually support my contention.
To begin with, the courtroom scene is a consequence of the hearing called, over Spock's protest, by Commodore Stocker, the desk-bound paper-pusher with no command experience. Stocker also, subsequently, takes command of the Enterprise. This makes sense from the standpoint that he is far younger and fitter (in terms of actual physical condition) than Kirk. But the fact of the hearing takes time away from the crew's effort to find a cure for the aging effect. And when Stocker assumes command, his actions almost result in the destruction of the Enterprise. So the courtroom scene demonstrates that Stocker's relative youth does not give him the ability to command a starship (even if he does hold flag rank), and it sets up the definitive illustration of this point--his botched battle with the Romulans.
Further, it is simple fact that a person's physical and mental abilities deteriorate with advancing age. Suggesting otherwise would relegated this episode to little more than farce, so the increasing difficulties we see in the affected characters has to be shown for the premise of the story to be believable. The vindication, however, comes when it is "old" Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, rather than the comparatively youthful Dr. Wallace, who figure out how to cure the aging illness.
So "The Deadly Years" really is not an investigation of the issues the elderly face. Rather, it is a story about the fallibilities of youth told through a look at the consequences of aging.
Next time: "Obsession"
Lee joined us on the podcast this time:
This episode, which has the amusing scene where DeForest Kelley refers to Spock as "Sponk," does have its moments even though parts of it don't hold up so well.
I think the whole "horror of aging" thing that goes on here was more effective when I was, well, younger! Today it plays as a lot more silly and full of stereotypes. The way the "aging" (they do point out that this is actually a radiation-caused condition that resembles aging) effects are portrayed in the show are quite over-the-top and almost comically stereotypical. The man they meet on the planet's surface, named "Robert Johnson," acts like an old Jewish caricature of a person we've all seen before in movies or TV. Kirk falls asleep in his chair and forgets about giving orders. McCoy gets extremely crotchety and doubles his usual drawl. Scotty practically looks undead, he's so overly made up. As usual, it's easy to pick on the makeup, but the script has the cast acting like "old people." The writer/director just went a little too far with the old age theme. The actors seem to be trying to portray their characters as they would be decades on, literally. Our physical/mental abilities decline when we get old (well most of us!) but some of the change in people is due to actually living all those years. It affects our personalities and other characteristics and I just don't buy that some kind of radiation sickness would do this, at least not to the effect that is portrayed here. The cast really do try to play it convincingly; DeForest really goes all out.
The other issue I have with this episode is the competency hearing that brings the movement of the plot to a halt. I understand the need to put Kirk on the spot, but the examples of why Kirk should be relieved have already been shown to the audience. It comes off as redundant and as a padding mechanism. The time could have been used better. The shipboard trial had also been used twice before in other episodes and feels a bit too familiar. It's an easy dramatic device they should have avoided this time.
Despite the harping I did on the characters and their "old people" acting, I did find some good character dialogue on display here. The interactions between the main characters are consistent and there is still some warmth here. This helps the episode quite a bit and also provides us with some memorable lines:
McCoy: ""I'm not a magician, Spock. Just an old country doctor."
Sponk: "Yes, as I always suspected."
The scenes with Kirk's former lover, Dr. Wallace, whose presence on board isn't really explained, seem mostly artificial with the exception of a scene where Kirk asks her whether her affection is based on pity or if she just likes old men. The bit where he asks her if she wants a "going away present" is actually pretty harsh, considering him having mere hours left to live. The best thing I read about Dr. Wallace: "Dr. Wallace's costume was made from drapes." Yep!
The Commodore Stocker character is actually not too bad here. He comes off as a sympathetic, if clueless Starfleet bureaucrat. Stocker reminds me a bit of the various military tool general characters you often saw on the MASH tv show. They wrote Stocker to be a bit less of an asshole as other Starfleet superior officers are. Sure, the scene where he sits in Kirk's chair with a deer-in-the-headlights expression is silly, but it gives the follow up scene, Kirk's return to command, all the more triumphant. Kirk is taken down many notches but he gets a super hero-esque return for the climax.
The BD copy I watched looked great, as usual. It's another time where the makeup, the old age effects this time, don't look so great on a high rez screen. There weren't many effects shots in this one, but you do get to see multiple Romulan ships instead of the recycled scenes from "Balance of Terror."
---
Here's Eric's review:
Upon rewatching "The Deadly Years," I found I enjoyed it as much, if not more, than I remembered. If nothing else, it is a well-done, interesting story. But I also discovered a theme I hadn't previously noticed: while advanced age may limit one's abilities, youth does not necessarily confer ability.
In our podcast, we talk about the shortcomings of this episode--mainly that the courtroom scene appears to be gratuitous filler and that the portrayal of the prematurely aged characters casts the abilities of the elderly in an unfavorable light. Both points are valid, but rather than being shortcomings, they actually support my contention.
To begin with, the courtroom scene is a consequence of the hearing called, over Spock's protest, by Commodore Stocker, the desk-bound paper-pusher with no command experience. Stocker also, subsequently, takes command of the Enterprise. This makes sense from the standpoint that he is far younger and fitter (in terms of actual physical condition) than Kirk. But the fact of the hearing takes time away from the crew's effort to find a cure for the aging effect. And when Stocker assumes command, his actions almost result in the destruction of the Enterprise. So the courtroom scene demonstrates that Stocker's relative youth does not give him the ability to command a starship (even if he does hold flag rank), and it sets up the definitive illustration of this point--his botched battle with the Romulans.
Further, it is simple fact that a person's physical and mental abilities deteriorate with advancing age. Suggesting otherwise would relegated this episode to little more than farce, so the increasing difficulties we see in the affected characters has to be shown for the premise of the story to be believable. The vindication, however, comes when it is "old" Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, rather than the comparatively youthful Dr. Wallace, who figure out how to cure the aging illness.
So "The Deadly Years" really is not an investigation of the issues the elderly face. Rather, it is a story about the fallibilities of youth told through a look at the consequences of aging.
Next time: "Obsession"
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Launch Pad
March, 2015 update: I noticed this entry on the old blog and decided to bring it over. While the piece is completely out of date, I thought it was fun to keep it around, seeing how well the iPad has fared. Some of what I wrote was off the mark (i.e.. Flash support), a few points I made make sense today.
OK, now it's time for another techno-blather post.
Since everyone else is talking about the recently-announced iPad, I thought I'd weigh in.
Like nearly everyone else, I have not seen the iPad in person so I can only evaluate it from what I've read so far. My initial impression is that the hardware side of this device is very nice and the software seems good, but could use some improvement. A few technology writers have already written some first impressions:
Farhad Manjoo in Slate wrote a piece called, "I Love the iPad". 'Nuff said.
The collective editors of Engadget, a site I read pretty regularly, posted their thoughts on the device. They're not exactly thrilled about the thing and if you want some real Apple/iPad hate, read the comments.
Slate's sister site, The Big Money, had a good piece on the potential effect the iPad could have on other businesses here.
And of course David Pogue of the New York Times had his say (positive on the whole).
Right off the bat, I have a few pros and cons:
The good:
1. The Apple-built processor, the product of a recent chip maker buyout, looks fast and energy efficient. Battery life is good, with a claimed 10 hours. Very nice.
2. The size of the device seems good for many uses. The mobile Safari browser should be quite usable. I don't always find the screen on the iPhone/iPod large enough for some extended web browsing.
3. Apple is offering this thing with 3G (cell carrier data) optional. You can buy this thing with wi-fi only and if you still want 3G, the pricing is quite reasonable without contracts.
4. The price seems right to me, considering what the iPod Touch goes for. Comparing its price to the Kindle is completely bogus. The hardware and capabilities don't come close to matching.
5. The iPhone apps will work on this thing. This opens up a lot of possibilities for developers to make some great stuff for this device.
6. Apple is using ePub for its electronic books. Thank you Apple for not introducing yet another proprietary book format.
The not so good:
1. The iPad, as of now can't run more than one application at once (save perhaps for Apple's own stuff like playing iTunes while checking mail). This can't be due to the hardware. I can only hope this will be addressed when the next iPhone OS is released.
2. No Adobe Flash. The iPhone doesn't run it either. This is a long-standing complaint against Apple and one that I agree with. Make Flash work with the iPhone OS, preferably with some kind of disable mode.
3. The iPad has no camera. Neither does the iPod Touch. It'd be great for this thing to have a built-in camera so one could do video chat on it. Let's hope both devices get it soon.
4. The screen, a back-lit LCD, won't be as easy on the eyes for reading books as e-readers that use e-Ink screens. This issue is a tough one because e Ink screens are pretty much only good at one thing: reading monochrome text. The iPad has many more uses. Will this thing be a good e reader?
My opinion right now, again not having used the thing, is that I will wait and see how it does and what software developers do with the platform. I believe there could be a lot of potential in this device. Right now, I think it'd be cool to have one of these to use at home for basic use like surfing, email, and social networking. As many have pointed out, the screen isn't really movie-friendly (it isn't widescreen) but that doesn't bother me since I don't find watching video on portables all that attractive, save for the occasional Youtube clip. I have a real video system in my home for real movie/TV watching. Many people have slammed the iPad for its inability to access Hulu. This is of course part of the Flash problem. While I want Apple to make Flash work on these devices, I don't think Hulu is going to be the downfall of the iPad. I've never found Hulu to be that great and Comcast might kill it off anyway. Of course I think it's fair to slam Apple for limiting its products to protect its content sales. Apple sells a lot of video content and they probably aren't in a rush to help their competitors. This is a real downside of being in the Apple ecosystem.
I've read a lot of bile-filled comments about the iPad, often referred to as the "MaxiPad" by those commenters who like to talk like 12 year olds, and they are so very certain of its impending failure. To them I would say the following:
Get a life. Screaming about the evils of Jobs/Apple is incredibly lame, especially when your favorite company Microsoft still owns the PC OS market. I think some people would only be happy if this thing ran Windows and cost $99. Go buy a Zune and shut up already.
Bet against Apple in the portable device realm at your own peril. These same people were certain that the iPod/iPhone were going to be a colossal flops. There is a chance that this product will flop, but it seems foolish to predict it at this point.
This product is not aimed at the tech press or people that comment on Engadget. Yes, I realize that includes myself. As much as I like having control and flexibility on my home desktop PC, I also find myself wanting a more appliance-like computing device at times. The iPad and its siblings are locked down and controlled: this is one reason why they work well and have a consistent experience for the user. Sometimes I just don't want to screw around with the same ongoing maintenance that is required on pretty much all laptops or netbooks. I just want the thing to work and I believe this device is a step in that direction. It won't replace my main computer, but it will find a use. We'll see if Apple and the other developers really make use of this thing beyond what they have now. I might be wrong and the techno-weenies might be right; the iPad could be the next Apple Cube. Stay tuned.
And one more link: Stephen Fry went to the iPad launch and wrote up a compelling, IMO case for it. He's always an entertaining writer and his comments can be found here.
OK, now it's time for another techno-blather post.
Since everyone else is talking about the recently-announced iPad, I thought I'd weigh in.
Like nearly everyone else, I have not seen the iPad in person so I can only evaluate it from what I've read so far. My initial impression is that the hardware side of this device is very nice and the software seems good, but could use some improvement. A few technology writers have already written some first impressions:
Farhad Manjoo in Slate wrote a piece called, "I Love the iPad". 'Nuff said.
The collective editors of Engadget, a site I read pretty regularly, posted their thoughts on the device. They're not exactly thrilled about the thing and if you want some real Apple/iPad hate, read the comments.
Slate's sister site, The Big Money, had a good piece on the potential effect the iPad could have on other businesses here.
And of course David Pogue of the New York Times had his say (positive on the whole).
Right off the bat, I have a few pros and cons:
The good:
1. The Apple-built processor, the product of a recent chip maker buyout, looks fast and energy efficient. Battery life is good, with a claimed 10 hours. Very nice.
2. The size of the device seems good for many uses. The mobile Safari browser should be quite usable. I don't always find the screen on the iPhone/iPod large enough for some extended web browsing.
3. Apple is offering this thing with 3G (cell carrier data) optional. You can buy this thing with wi-fi only and if you still want 3G, the pricing is quite reasonable without contracts.
4. The price seems right to me, considering what the iPod Touch goes for. Comparing its price to the Kindle is completely bogus. The hardware and capabilities don't come close to matching.
5. The iPhone apps will work on this thing. This opens up a lot of possibilities for developers to make some great stuff for this device.
6. Apple is using ePub for its electronic books. Thank you Apple for not introducing yet another proprietary book format.
The not so good:
1. The iPad, as of now can't run more than one application at once (save perhaps for Apple's own stuff like playing iTunes while checking mail). This can't be due to the hardware. I can only hope this will be addressed when the next iPhone OS is released.
2. No Adobe Flash. The iPhone doesn't run it either. This is a long-standing complaint against Apple and one that I agree with. Make Flash work with the iPhone OS, preferably with some kind of disable mode.
3. The iPad has no camera. Neither does the iPod Touch. It'd be great for this thing to have a built-in camera so one could do video chat on it. Let's hope both devices get it soon.
4. The screen, a back-lit LCD, won't be as easy on the eyes for reading books as e-readers that use e-Ink screens. This issue is a tough one because e Ink screens are pretty much only good at one thing: reading monochrome text. The iPad has many more uses. Will this thing be a good e reader?
My opinion right now, again not having used the thing, is that I will wait and see how it does and what software developers do with the platform. I believe there could be a lot of potential in this device. Right now, I think it'd be cool to have one of these to use at home for basic use like surfing, email, and social networking. As many have pointed out, the screen isn't really movie-friendly (it isn't widescreen) but that doesn't bother me since I don't find watching video on portables all that attractive, save for the occasional Youtube clip. I have a real video system in my home for real movie/TV watching. Many people have slammed the iPad for its inability to access Hulu. This is of course part of the Flash problem. While I want Apple to make Flash work on these devices, I don't think Hulu is going to be the downfall of the iPad. I've never found Hulu to be that great and Comcast might kill it off anyway. Of course I think it's fair to slam Apple for limiting its products to protect its content sales. Apple sells a lot of video content and they probably aren't in a rush to help their competitors. This is a real downside of being in the Apple ecosystem.
I've read a lot of bile-filled comments about the iPad, often referred to as the "MaxiPad" by those commenters who like to talk like 12 year olds, and they are so very certain of its impending failure. To them I would say the following:
Get a life. Screaming about the evils of Jobs/Apple is incredibly lame, especially when your favorite company Microsoft still owns the PC OS market. I think some people would only be happy if this thing ran Windows and cost $99. Go buy a Zune and shut up already.
Bet against Apple in the portable device realm at your own peril. These same people were certain that the iPod/iPhone were going to be a colossal flops. There is a chance that this product will flop, but it seems foolish to predict it at this point.
This product is not aimed at the tech press or people that comment on Engadget. Yes, I realize that includes myself. As much as I like having control and flexibility on my home desktop PC, I also find myself wanting a more appliance-like computing device at times. The iPad and its siblings are locked down and controlled: this is one reason why they work well and have a consistent experience for the user. Sometimes I just don't want to screw around with the same ongoing maintenance that is required on pretty much all laptops or netbooks. I just want the thing to work and I believe this device is a step in that direction. It won't replace my main computer, but it will find a use. We'll see if Apple and the other developers really make use of this thing beyond what they have now. I might be wrong and the techno-weenies might be right; the iPad could be the next Apple Cube. Stay tuned.
And one more link: Stephen Fry went to the iPad launch and wrote up a compelling, IMO case for it. He's always an entertaining writer and his comments can be found here.
Monday, January 25, 2010
TOS Rewind #38: "Friday's Child"
Today we take a look at Friday's Child (12/01/1967)
And of course, Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
Ah, more Federation intervention in the Cosmos...
As Rob and I discussed on the podcast, neither one of us remembers being very excited about this one when were kids. In retrospect, that seems odd since there is a fair amount of combat and some time playing cat/mouse with a Klingon ship. As Rob mentioned, maybe it was the "birthin' babies" stuff.
Hot on the heels of "Journey to Babel," we get another episode that builds the political background of the Trek universe. Sure, it isn't nearly as rich as that one, but the plot surrounding the negotiation between the Feds, the Klingons, and the Capellans raises some interesting questions about the mechanics of the Federation and its dealings with other non-member worlds. I have to assume that Capella IV is not a regular Fed member, but they obviously have had contact in the past (McCoy was part of a previous mission to this world). Seeing how primitive this civilization is, why would the Prime Directive not apply here? One argument could go along the lines that since the Klingons are already vying for the minerals, the Feds have no choice but to talk to them, but apparently there were earlier contacts. What's up with that? Wouldn't McCoy and the others previously offering them medicines/hospitals be interfering with their development?
Eric mentions how much of a disappointment the Klingons are in this episode. True enough. The one Klingon we get to see is a bit of a weasel, really. He's also a coward who's chicken to take on Kirk when the chance is offered! For something so important, a crucial mineral, the Klingons could have sent someone more competent. For all the buildup surrounding the Capellans in the teaser, they sure don't seem that impressive. It often looks like some guys hanging around in tents with bad Ren Fest costumes. Sure, the costumes are always an easy target in TOS Trek, but these were quite silly. They tried to make them more than the stereotypical "noble savages," but much of the time it comes off as a retread of an old movie where the Americans are trying to "reach" the natives to explain why our superior Western values are worth siding with. I feel like the intrigue over the negotiation between the Capellans, the Feds, and the Klingons was interesting at the beginning. Instead of an exchange of ideas between the two sides, we have an introduction that breaks down into a chase sequence. In the end, Kirk just has to hold out long enough for the Klingon to prove his treachery. It does work, though it doesn't really compel me to take anyone here as serious adversaries. A similar complaint can be raised about "The Trouble With Tribbles," though that episode gets away with it due to its less serious nature.
Despite the plot issues, the familiar characters are written with their usual flair and there are some genuinely funny bits in the episode, particularly the end where it's revealed that the new Capellan regent is named Leonard James Akaar. Spock's eyes practically roll to the back of his skull. McCoy has a few fun scenes with Eleen, the expectant mother (I'm a Doctor, not an escalator!") and the penultimate scene where Maab pays his price for trusting people too much.
The music is a lot of fun here, as it often is in TOS. The score almost has a jazzy feel during the scenes where everyone's running around the hills making homemade bows and arrows. I continue to view TOS on blu ray and love the picture quality. The new effects didn't do much on this one, though the (wussy) Klingon ship looked more realistic.
---
And now, here's Eric:
According to the old nursery rhyme, from which this episode takes its title, Friday's child is loving and giving. Cool enough, but who is Friday's child? Eleen? Her baby? Or, as Doc Dregs suggests in our podcast, McCoy? I've never been able to answer that question. Dorothy (D.C.) Fontana, who wrote the episode, is still alive, so maybe I should email her...hmm...
Anyway, Friday's Child is another Star Trek episode that is good but not great. It is enjoyable from the standpoint of getting to see an interesting alien civilization, and there are some funny scenes--I always get a laugh out of the going-out-of-orbit joke at the end. Scotty also gets a turn in the center center seat in one of his few opportunities to take command of the Enterprise.
Still, for a warrior race that prefers combat to sex, the fight scenes with the Capellans are wholly unconvincing. And the portrayal of the Klingons is...wrong. Kras, the Klingon emissary, is a sniveling, almost sycophantic, coward. He shows none of the ruthless, but honorable, cunning we saw in Kor ("Errand of Mercy," first season) or the courage and nobility we will find in Kang ("Day of the Dove," third season).
With that said, the theme I found in this episode is that true leadership requires accountability and often, as a result, self-sacrifice. We see this demonstrated by Maab when he upholds his duty to fight and die in defense of his command. It is further shown by Akaar (who kills Maab and assumes leadership) when he sacrifices himself to take out the Klingon who betrays his pledge and threatens the Capellans. Both of these leaders are honored, Akaar in particular, as is fitting.
So there it is. The theme and the episode are worthwhile, if not especially profound or deep, which explains much of why "Friday's Child" is good but not great.
Next time: "The Deadly Years"
And of course, Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast:
Ah, more Federation intervention in the Cosmos...
As Rob and I discussed on the podcast, neither one of us remembers being very excited about this one when were kids. In retrospect, that seems odd since there is a fair amount of combat and some time playing cat/mouse with a Klingon ship. As Rob mentioned, maybe it was the "birthin' babies" stuff.
Hot on the heels of "Journey to Babel," we get another episode that builds the political background of the Trek universe. Sure, it isn't nearly as rich as that one, but the plot surrounding the negotiation between the Feds, the Klingons, and the Capellans raises some interesting questions about the mechanics of the Federation and its dealings with other non-member worlds. I have to assume that Capella IV is not a regular Fed member, but they obviously have had contact in the past (McCoy was part of a previous mission to this world). Seeing how primitive this civilization is, why would the Prime Directive not apply here? One argument could go along the lines that since the Klingons are already vying for the minerals, the Feds have no choice but to talk to them, but apparently there were earlier contacts. What's up with that? Wouldn't McCoy and the others previously offering them medicines/hospitals be interfering with their development?
Eric mentions how much of a disappointment the Klingons are in this episode. True enough. The one Klingon we get to see is a bit of a weasel, really. He's also a coward who's chicken to take on Kirk when the chance is offered! For something so important, a crucial mineral, the Klingons could have sent someone more competent. For all the buildup surrounding the Capellans in the teaser, they sure don't seem that impressive. It often looks like some guys hanging around in tents with bad Ren Fest costumes. Sure, the costumes are always an easy target in TOS Trek, but these were quite silly. They tried to make them more than the stereotypical "noble savages," but much of the time it comes off as a retread of an old movie where the Americans are trying to "reach" the natives to explain why our superior Western values are worth siding with. I feel like the intrigue over the negotiation between the Capellans, the Feds, and the Klingons was interesting at the beginning. Instead of an exchange of ideas between the two sides, we have an introduction that breaks down into a chase sequence. In the end, Kirk just has to hold out long enough for the Klingon to prove his treachery. It does work, though it doesn't really compel me to take anyone here as serious adversaries. A similar complaint can be raised about "The Trouble With Tribbles," though that episode gets away with it due to its less serious nature.
Despite the plot issues, the familiar characters are written with their usual flair and there are some genuinely funny bits in the episode, particularly the end where it's revealed that the new Capellan regent is named Leonard James Akaar. Spock's eyes practically roll to the back of his skull. McCoy has a few fun scenes with Eleen, the expectant mother (I'm a Doctor, not an escalator!") and the penultimate scene where Maab pays his price for trusting people too much.
The music is a lot of fun here, as it often is in TOS. The score almost has a jazzy feel during the scenes where everyone's running around the hills making homemade bows and arrows. I continue to view TOS on blu ray and love the picture quality. The new effects didn't do much on this one, though the (wussy) Klingon ship looked more realistic.
---
And now, here's Eric:
According to the old nursery rhyme, from which this episode takes its title, Friday's child is loving and giving. Cool enough, but who is Friday's child? Eleen? Her baby? Or, as Doc Dregs suggests in our podcast, McCoy? I've never been able to answer that question. Dorothy (D.C.) Fontana, who wrote the episode, is still alive, so maybe I should email her...hmm...
Anyway, Friday's Child is another Star Trek episode that is good but not great. It is enjoyable from the standpoint of getting to see an interesting alien civilization, and there are some funny scenes--I always get a laugh out of the going-out-of-orbit joke at the end. Scotty also gets a turn in the center center seat in one of his few opportunities to take command of the Enterprise.
Still, for a warrior race that prefers combat to sex, the fight scenes with the Capellans are wholly unconvincing. And the portrayal of the Klingons is...wrong. Kras, the Klingon emissary, is a sniveling, almost sycophantic, coward. He shows none of the ruthless, but honorable, cunning we saw in Kor ("Errand of Mercy," first season) or the courage and nobility we will find in Kang ("Day of the Dove," third season).
With that said, the theme I found in this episode is that true leadership requires accountability and often, as a result, self-sacrifice. We see this demonstrated by Maab when he upholds his duty to fight and die in defense of his command. It is further shown by Akaar (who kills Maab and assumes leadership) when he sacrifices himself to take out the Klingon who betrays his pledge and threatens the Capellans. Both of these leaders are honored, Akaar in particular, as is fitting.
So there it is. The theme and the episode are worthwhile, if not especially profound or deep, which explains much of why "Friday's Child" is good but not great.
Next time: "The Deadly Years"
Saturday, January 2, 2010
TOS Rewind #36 and #37: "Metamorphosis" and "Journey to Babel"
This time we present a two-fer: Metamorphosis and Journey to Babel. The podcast also covers both episodes.
I'll have Eric start us out this time:
"Metamorphosis" is an odd episode, which may be why I like it. It's not action/adventure; there's no discernable sociopolitical commentary; and it's not farce or satire. So what is it? On one level it's an examination of the needs of the human spirit, but mostly it's an odd, almost surreal, love story. There are some disturbing elements, such as the way the Companion took over Commissioner Hedford's body. (Although we aren't privy to any discussion between the good commissioner and the Companion.) And Kirk is amazingly nonchalant about having to explain, as he surely would have, how they managed to lose the commissioner they were supposed to save.
Still, this episode is a refreshing change of pace, and in many ways. it's a touching love story. I've been trying to think of more literary analysis, but I couldn't come up with anything. Sorry. If you're really interested, though, our podcast gives a more detailed discussion. (Yes, a shameless plug.) In the meantime, let's move on to the next episode.
"Journey to Babel" has always been one of my favorite episodes. It's got everything: drama, action, lots of strange aliens, and we get to find out a whole lot about Spock, including meeting his parents. And the underlying theme of this episode is one that is echoed throught all of Star Trek (perhaps most profoundly in Star Trek II and III): the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one...except when they don't.
This is demonstrated by several characters. To begin with, Sarek, Spock's father, knowingly risks his life to personally attend the Babel conference because he is committed to making sure that the rights and welfare of the Coridanians (presumably millions if not billions of people) are protected. Their needs outweigh his own and those of his family. And when he falls ill, Spock volunteers to take a dangerous drug so that he can provide enough blood to make a life-saving operation for Sarek possible. The needs of the one win out in this case, at least until Kirk is attacked and injured and the Enterprise is pursued. At this point, Spock's priority shifts to his duty to protect the Enterprise and her crew, as well as the passengers and their mission. Amanda, Spock's mother, argues that Sarek's life is more important, and Spock is agonized over the decision. Until, in the final demonstration of self-sacrifice, Kirk leaves sickbay to resume command so that Spock can give his father the transfusion with a clear conscience. And all ends well.
But this leaves an important question unanswered: Do the needs of the many actually outweigh the needs of the few or the one? Sarek, Spock, and Kirk all demonstrate that putting the needs of the many first is noble and worthy, yet they also demonstrate that giving priority to the needs of the one is equally commendable. Quite a quandry, and it's one that is never resolved in this episode, or in any other Star Trek episode or movie, because it is entirely dependent on the particular situation. It can't be decided by logic--it's one of those pesky conundrums that we emotional humans have to feel our way through, hopefully with family and good friends to help.
---
"Metamorphosis" is one of those episodes I really hadn't seen in a long time. The neglect comes from the fact that it's not one of those great classic episodes, but it isn't an amusing stinker either. In my Trek consciousness, it gets a bit buried. And that's actually too bad really. This episode, while flawed has some very thought-provoking elements and manages to defy the typical formula of the series.
The story and ideas presented here are something I would usually attribute to a series such as The Twilight Zone; it's actually quite self-contained like a short story and could have been written with unfamiliar characters. One of us mentioned on the podcast that it had the feel of a meditation, if you will and that actually fits pretty well for this one. The things that nag about this episode are the sections that feel rushed and resolve themselves too quickly to be satisfying. This would have to include the part where Kirk and co. deduce the nature of the Companion and of course, the resolution. I have to wonder how this episode would have played if they'd stripped out the scenes back on board the Enterprise entirely. It would have been a bit strange not to know what the ship was doing while the shuttle and its occupants were missing, but it might have added a touch of mystery as well as given the story back on the planet some breathing room. Of course, the scenes between Scotty and Uhura on the bridge are very pleasant and gives us some small personalty development for these characters. Or, maybe they could have abridged the bits where Kirk and Spock are writhing around on the floor after attacking the Companion.
In any case, the way the secrets are revealed comes off as abrupt and the way that they suddenly have the Commissioner's fate resolve can be read as creepy. Was the decision really mutual? And, does she always have to talk with that boomy reverb in her voice? Aside from that, the exploration of the idea of love displayed here is interesting and can also be read as a message of tolerance. That message is one that could still be used today, quite frankly. This episode can be looked at from a "gender studies" POV: the Hedford character is conveniently without any personal attachments and has "never known love." She is of course a successful career woman and emotionally damaged. This is a very old-school way to write career women, there are many examples in classic Hollywood cinema. Usually the woman, in some kind of high-powered career, is never truly happy until the right man comes along and she can leave it all behind...for love. This time, it's the combination of the "right man" and an energy being that show her the way to true happiness. That whole business surrounding galactic peace was really a crock. If I seem a bit harsh here, consider that fact that they would never have written a male character into this sort of situation, would they? After all, Kirk is "married" to the Enterprise and while it may have some real impact on his love life, he seems to get by all right (the counter-argument to this would have to be the "no beach to walk on" speech in "The Naked Time").
The actor who plays Cochrane does so in a combination of "gee-whiz astronaut" and thoughtful world-weary man. The woman playing Commissioner Hedford does fine; the main faults with her are they way the character is written. Shatner and Nimoy are a bit restrained here and, as Eric pointed out, Kirk seems awfully chilled out about leaving Cochrane and Hedford on the planet.
I viewed the BD version with the new effects. The Companion effects were cleaned up a bit and the shuttlecraft footage no longer looks like it was reused from The Galileo Seven. The one place where the new effects fall down is the look of the planet: the original planet matches the color scheme of the set sky while the new planet effect looks quite different.
I often found this episode to be on the boring side when I was a kid. It was too slow-moving and I remember finding the Hedford character to be, shall we say, bitchy?
Okay, on to "Journey:"
This episode is up there in the top tier of the series. It is tightly constructed, has great character writing, some wonderful guest actors, and a good mix of action, drama, and humor. The episode also provides a great deal of insight into the world the Trek characters inhabit, particularly Spock. Yes, this is a real Spock/Vulcan embarrassment of riches, really. Between this one and "Amok Time," we get some very rich Spock character background. The contribution to the Trek canon of this episode can not be understated. New Federation races are introduced and we even get a glimpse into the way the Federation operates, politically. I find it interesting that this is one of the first times we get any idea that things aren't always perfect in the happy Federation: how un-Roddenberryesque! I have to wonder if the writers of the new film took a lot of the Vulcan backgrounds they used from this episode. One of the best lines from this one, spoken by Sarek: "Threats are meaningless and payment is usually expensive."
Of course the main attraction here is the story between Spock and his father. The opening scenes between them are particularly icy as we learn how the two of them interact. The scenes are written and played in a subtle way that gets the point across without too much exposition to bog down the pace. Mark Lenard and Nimoy really make it work here. D.C. Fontana also handles the relationships surrounding Amanda and Spock/Sarek well. We actually get a sense of how this unlikely family operates. I also like the way that the warmth between Amanda/Sarek comes across in a way that's believable.
The story moves along at a good pace with events that all culminate nicely for the climax: risky surgery and a cat/mouse space ship game. The ending is quite satisfying with the main characters in sick bay and McCoy grinning from ear to ear.
The effects on the remastered version were pretty decent. More new shuttlecraft and landing bay sequences are here (the original re-used earlier footage) as well as a redone alien space ship.
In the past, I tended to like this one a lot. I dug the space battle as well as the back and forth between Spock and Sarek. The fight between Kirk and the Andorian was effective (and still is today, actually).
Next time: "Friday's Child"
I'll have Eric start us out this time:
"Metamorphosis" is an odd episode, which may be why I like it. It's not action/adventure; there's no discernable sociopolitical commentary; and it's not farce or satire. So what is it? On one level it's an examination of the needs of the human spirit, but mostly it's an odd, almost surreal, love story. There are some disturbing elements, such as the way the Companion took over Commissioner Hedford's body. (Although we aren't privy to any discussion between the good commissioner and the Companion.) And Kirk is amazingly nonchalant about having to explain, as he surely would have, how they managed to lose the commissioner they were supposed to save.
Still, this episode is a refreshing change of pace, and in many ways. it's a touching love story. I've been trying to think of more literary analysis, but I couldn't come up with anything. Sorry. If you're really interested, though, our podcast gives a more detailed discussion. (Yes, a shameless plug.) In the meantime, let's move on to the next episode.
"Journey to Babel" has always been one of my favorite episodes. It's got everything: drama, action, lots of strange aliens, and we get to find out a whole lot about Spock, including meeting his parents. And the underlying theme of this episode is one that is echoed throught all of Star Trek (perhaps most profoundly in Star Trek II and III): the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one...except when they don't.
This is demonstrated by several characters. To begin with, Sarek, Spock's father, knowingly risks his life to personally attend the Babel conference because he is committed to making sure that the rights and welfare of the Coridanians (presumably millions if not billions of people) are protected. Their needs outweigh his own and those of his family. And when he falls ill, Spock volunteers to take a dangerous drug so that he can provide enough blood to make a life-saving operation for Sarek possible. The needs of the one win out in this case, at least until Kirk is attacked and injured and the Enterprise is pursued. At this point, Spock's priority shifts to his duty to protect the Enterprise and her crew, as well as the passengers and their mission. Amanda, Spock's mother, argues that Sarek's life is more important, and Spock is agonized over the decision. Until, in the final demonstration of self-sacrifice, Kirk leaves sickbay to resume command so that Spock can give his father the transfusion with a clear conscience. And all ends well.
But this leaves an important question unanswered: Do the needs of the many actually outweigh the needs of the few or the one? Sarek, Spock, and Kirk all demonstrate that putting the needs of the many first is noble and worthy, yet they also demonstrate that giving priority to the needs of the one is equally commendable. Quite a quandry, and it's one that is never resolved in this episode, or in any other Star Trek episode or movie, because it is entirely dependent on the particular situation. It can't be decided by logic--it's one of those pesky conundrums that we emotional humans have to feel our way through, hopefully with family and good friends to help.
---
"Metamorphosis" is one of those episodes I really hadn't seen in a long time. The neglect comes from the fact that it's not one of those great classic episodes, but it isn't an amusing stinker either. In my Trek consciousness, it gets a bit buried. And that's actually too bad really. This episode, while flawed has some very thought-provoking elements and manages to defy the typical formula of the series.
The story and ideas presented here are something I would usually attribute to a series such as The Twilight Zone; it's actually quite self-contained like a short story and could have been written with unfamiliar characters. One of us mentioned on the podcast that it had the feel of a meditation, if you will and that actually fits pretty well for this one. The things that nag about this episode are the sections that feel rushed and resolve themselves too quickly to be satisfying. This would have to include the part where Kirk and co. deduce the nature of the Companion and of course, the resolution. I have to wonder how this episode would have played if they'd stripped out the scenes back on board the Enterprise entirely. It would have been a bit strange not to know what the ship was doing while the shuttle and its occupants were missing, but it might have added a touch of mystery as well as given the story back on the planet some breathing room. Of course, the scenes between Scotty and Uhura on the bridge are very pleasant and gives us some small personalty development for these characters. Or, maybe they could have abridged the bits where Kirk and Spock are writhing around on the floor after attacking the Companion.
In any case, the way the secrets are revealed comes off as abrupt and the way that they suddenly have the Commissioner's fate resolve can be read as creepy. Was the decision really mutual? And, does she always have to talk with that boomy reverb in her voice? Aside from that, the exploration of the idea of love displayed here is interesting and can also be read as a message of tolerance. That message is one that could still be used today, quite frankly. This episode can be looked at from a "gender studies" POV: the Hedford character is conveniently without any personal attachments and has "never known love." She is of course a successful career woman and emotionally damaged. This is a very old-school way to write career women, there are many examples in classic Hollywood cinema. Usually the woman, in some kind of high-powered career, is never truly happy until the right man comes along and she can leave it all behind...for love. This time, it's the combination of the "right man" and an energy being that show her the way to true happiness. That whole business surrounding galactic peace was really a crock. If I seem a bit harsh here, consider that fact that they would never have written a male character into this sort of situation, would they? After all, Kirk is "married" to the Enterprise and while it may have some real impact on his love life, he seems to get by all right (the counter-argument to this would have to be the "no beach to walk on" speech in "The Naked Time").
The actor who plays Cochrane does so in a combination of "gee-whiz astronaut" and thoughtful world-weary man. The woman playing Commissioner Hedford does fine; the main faults with her are they way the character is written. Shatner and Nimoy are a bit restrained here and, as Eric pointed out, Kirk seems awfully chilled out about leaving Cochrane and Hedford on the planet.
I viewed the BD version with the new effects. The Companion effects were cleaned up a bit and the shuttlecraft footage no longer looks like it was reused from The Galileo Seven. The one place where the new effects fall down is the look of the planet: the original planet matches the color scheme of the set sky while the new planet effect looks quite different.
I often found this episode to be on the boring side when I was a kid. It was too slow-moving and I remember finding the Hedford character to be, shall we say, bitchy?
Okay, on to "Journey:"
This episode is up there in the top tier of the series. It is tightly constructed, has great character writing, some wonderful guest actors, and a good mix of action, drama, and humor. The episode also provides a great deal of insight into the world the Trek characters inhabit, particularly Spock. Yes, this is a real Spock/Vulcan embarrassment of riches, really. Between this one and "Amok Time," we get some very rich Spock character background. The contribution to the Trek canon of this episode can not be understated. New Federation races are introduced and we even get a glimpse into the way the Federation operates, politically. I find it interesting that this is one of the first times we get any idea that things aren't always perfect in the happy Federation: how un-Roddenberryesque! I have to wonder if the writers of the new film took a lot of the Vulcan backgrounds they used from this episode. One of the best lines from this one, spoken by Sarek: "Threats are meaningless and payment is usually expensive."
Of course the main attraction here is the story between Spock and his father. The opening scenes between them are particularly icy as we learn how the two of them interact. The scenes are written and played in a subtle way that gets the point across without too much exposition to bog down the pace. Mark Lenard and Nimoy really make it work here. D.C. Fontana also handles the relationships surrounding Amanda and Spock/Sarek well. We actually get a sense of how this unlikely family operates. I also like the way that the warmth between Amanda/Sarek comes across in a way that's believable.
The story moves along at a good pace with events that all culminate nicely for the climax: risky surgery and a cat/mouse space ship game. The ending is quite satisfying with the main characters in sick bay and McCoy grinning from ear to ear.
The effects on the remastered version were pretty decent. More new shuttlecraft and landing bay sequences are here (the original re-used earlier footage) as well as a redone alien space ship.
In the past, I tended to like this one a lot. I dug the space battle as well as the back and forth between Spock and Sarek. The fight between Kirk and the Andorian was effective (and still is today, actually).
Next time: "Friday's Child"
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