Welcome to Season 2! Today we'll be tackling Amok Time (09-15-1967)
We did a podcast again, this time under 30 minutes!
And, if you listen to one of these 'casts and have a comment or question, we'll address it in our next round.
I'll let Eric start out the written review part:
“Amok Time” was definitely the right choice to open the second season of classic Star Trek. I hadn’t seen it in quite a while, so I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded just how good it is. As the quintessential Spock episode, it provides much important character development and fills in part of his back story, as well as adding greatly to our knowledge of Vulcan culture—we finally get to see the planet Vulcan and meet some of its full-blooded inhabitants. The story itself is interesting and imaginative, and thankfully free of any overt camp or cheesiness. The direction and acting (particularly Leonard Nimoy’s) are excellent. And the production is quite good, especially the design of the Vulcan set. To top it off, we get to hear the introduction of some of the most memorable music in the series.
With our modern sensibilities, we don’t think twice about the subject of this episode. Sexuality is common theme in today’s TV shows and is depicted both casually and explicitly, but in 1967, it was daring for Roddenberry to even attempt air an episode that dealt with such a taboo topic. I imagine the only way he got it past the network censors was that it dealt with alien (Vulcan) sexuality and was addressed in a circumspect (rather quaint) fashion. Still, this is another example of how original Trek was groundbreaking as a television show.
Another reason “Amok Time” stands out is Nimoy’s brilliant performance. His portrayal of Spock’s torment and embarrassment is completely convincing, as is his “blood fever.” And the final scene, when Spock shows open delight at discovering Kirk is alive, ranks among the best scenes in the entire series. Shatner and Kelley also turn in excellent performances. McCoy’s desperation to help Spock and Kirk’s willingness to sacrifice his captaincy to save his friend are touching. Spock’s request that they accompany him to the ceremony on Vulcan is similarly touching—he reveals that Kirk and McCoy are his closest friends. With Kirk, this is no surprise, but with McCoy, it is a little more surprising given their rivalry. What it comes down to is that the most important subplot of the episode is the affirmation of the deep friendship and affection between these characters.
Additionally, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the late Celia Lovsky’s outstanding performance. T’Pau is a great character. Kirk describes her as “…all of Vulcan rolled into one,” and Lovsky does a superb job portraying this. Arlene Martel also does an excellent job as T’Pring. The character is a stone cold bitch, but Martel plays her wonderfully.
So “Amok Time” scores high in many categories, but I appreciate it particularly because it does so much to develop Vulcan culture. This episode was written by the late Theodore Sturgeon (who also wrote the first season episode “Shore Leave”), and it is a testament to his fertile imagination and skill as a science fiction author. We get used to thinking of Spock as a human who’s a little different, but this story brings out just how alien he and the Vulcan race/culture are. The contrast of the brutal mating ceremony with the peaceful, stoic race we’ve come to know is startling and fascinating. And, when you think about it, logical. Spock established early on that Vulcans were once ruthless and warlike, in the extreme, and that they were saved by the adoption of logic as an overriding philosophy. But as a matter of biology, they still have to deal with the pon farr (the cyclical mating drive) that induces a kind of insanity. So it seems reasonable that as a traditional culture, Vulcans would maintain their ancient ritual for resolving pon farr, koon-ut-kal-if-fee (wedding or challenge). It is implied that the challenge option is very rarely used, but being the thorough, well-prepared people they are, Vulcans are ready for that possibility. And therein lies our story.
So there it is. “Amok Time” is an excellent episode and the perfect choice to begin the second, and arguably best, season of original Star Trek.
---
This time I had a plain old iced tea: maybe in retrospect, I should have picked something stronger!
At the risk of repeating Eric's comments, I want to start out by saying how good this episode is. Like him, I hadn't seen it in a good while and it didn't disappoint.
This is one of the big Spock showcase episodes and Nimoy really rises to the challenge. It would be easy for him to have dialed in a performance that said, "I'M A HORNY VULCAN!!!" Sure, there's a little bit of that going on there, but he really plays out the inner conflict of the character who's quite ashamed that he has to share this with Kirk and McCoy.
I have this impression of the episode from my childhood, that the Kirk/Spock duel lasts far longer than it actually does. The buildup to the confrontation is effective enough that the fight doesn't have to take the bulk of the screen time. And hey, Kirk's shirt gets cut open right off the bat. Those weapons are really nasty!
As Eric mentioned, the performance of the woman who played T'Pau just doesn't get stale. She comes off as pure Vulcan badass. Spock's bride is also a coldly logical operator. Her manipulation of Spock, Kirk, and the whole ritual makes her come off as a woman not to be messed with. Considering the whole arranged marriage business and the Vulcan ideas of women being "consorts" and "property" of the men, the actual female characters are very strong. I have to think that perhaps Vulcan needs to look into the concept of no-fault divorce. Very interesting.
This is another one of those classic episodes where they managed to work in a potentially thorny subject, sex, into 1960s network TV. By inserting it into the ritualistic Vulcan traditions, they mask the real ideas here to a degree. This was not too uncommon in old Hollywood, where some kinds of social taboos were presentable if portrayed as being part of a "primitive" culture. In this case, the Vulcans are ironically the "savages" while Kirk and the other humans come off as more civilized. This is reinforced by the sets, costumes, and the "ritualistic" drumming of the memorable score (reused many times later, of course). What they do, of course, is develop a relatively rich background for Spock's planet and give us a look at the Vulcan people. No other alien race in the Original Series gets nearly that much development.
Of course it's quite hard to top the ending scene where Spock shouts out, "JIM!" after seeing Kirk very much alive. Call it cheesy if you want: I happen to love it. We also are abruptly introduced to Pavel Chekov. After going through an entire season of Sulu+random navigator (with apologies to Lt. O'Reilley), it's good to have another character on board.
I watched the remastered version and actually liked the CG-redone Vulcan shots, They looked good and matched the existing set footage as well as what we've seen of Vulcan from the films. One of the few times that the enhancements did much for the show.
Next time: “Who Mourns for Adonais”
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
TOS Rewind: "Star Trek" (2009)
I have a bonus podcast up where we talk about the new Star Trek feature film.
I got Eric, Rob, and Lee in on the action.
Download the podcast here.
As always, if you have any questions/comments, leave a note and maybe we'll respond on our next session
I got Eric, Rob, and Lee in on the action.
Download the podcast here.
As always, if you have any questions/comments, leave a note and maybe we'll respond on our next session
Sunday, May 10, 2009
TOS Rewind #28: "Operation -- Annihilate!"
We reach the end of Season 1 with Operation -- Annihilate! (04/13/1967)
I was enjoying a cold Sam Adams (Bawston Laaaaager!) while we watched this one.
We did a podcast, a much shorter one than last time.
When I saw that this was the Season 1 finale, I thought it was a bit odd. Not so much. True, Trek was never produced with modern TV sensibilities like season openers and such and many current fans saw them out of order in syndication or on video. The episode does work all right though as it has a relatively positive outcome after the two previous ones which were pretty bleak.
We always jokingly referred to this one as "The Flying Pancake Episode." I should probably now call it "The Flying Bloody Omelet Episode." Go watch it and tell me if I'm off here!
We had a really good chat about this one on the podcast. The big thing that bothered Eric was the bogus science surrounding the way they kill the creatures. I'm sure he'll mention this, but it's pretty silly. However, to paraphrase my friend Andy, it may seem odd to go after this and not be bothered much by the other tech stuff like warp drive and transporters. I guess you have to pick and choose when to suspend your disbelief here. It does seem like they could have worked out this particular tech issue a bit better since they work conventional radiation/light into the plot. Writer laziness perhaps.
OK, so maybe the science is laughable and the creatures not nearly as creepy as when I saw it growing up, but it does have good Kirk/Spock/McCoy character goodness. The scenes after Spock is blinded are great. The bit where Spock tries to seize the bridge is classic: "Must take the ship!" This line has amusing, if relevant meaning as a phrase I use to get off my ass and do something. Maybe a clever T-shirt is in order...
Other stuff of note:
We meet Kirk's brother, who's dead by the time we see him, plus his wife/kid. I realize they did this to drive home the menace of the alien creatures, but it seems like a waste of a potential character to off him so casually. These last two episodes were pretty bad for our Dear Captain. Last time he's forced to let his true love get hit by a truck and now his brother is offed by some plastic bloody omelets. Sucky.
Nimoy does a credible job playing Spock being subjected to extreme pain; the inner struggle seems on the level. This is really a Spock showcase episode.
The plot of this one has obvious roots in earlier sci fi, which Eric will certainly go into. It also has a fun cold war Body Snatchers-esque paranoia, even if it's a bit undeveloped.
The locations they use for the planetside scenes remind me of 1960s college campus architecture: lots of tall skinny buildings with narrow windows. Fill all the open areas with concrete and you're there. But hey, what were they going to do?
They finally get Transporter Room security down in this one. You may recall that in the last two episodes, the pot-smoking red dudes manning the controls were easily overcome by Lazarus and McCoy. Well not this time! Now the dude is augmented by Scotty who remembers to pack heat, thus preventing Spock's escape. Sure, maybe he was there to get a hit from Mr. Leslie, but he was ready for action. I can just imaging Scotty pointing the phaser at Spock while saying, "This aggression will not stand, Laddie."
So all in all, a pretty good one with shaky science and some fun character interaction. The episode is very well paced, with appropriate suspense in the right parts. A solid, if unspectacular first season ender.
--
And Sir Eric's take:
As I write this, I am about five hours from going to see the new Star Trek movie, which gives me a delicious sense of excitement and anticipation that I rarely feel these days. Everything I’ve heard and read makes it sound like J.J. Abrams has done the impossible—he has successfully reinvented and relaunched Star Trek. This is especially apropos, since the premiere of the “reboot” movie very nearly coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the end of the original Star Trek series. And with this review, we’ve also reached the end of the first season of classic Trek.
To be honest, Roddenberry should’ve ended the first season with “City on the Edge of Forever” instead of “Operation Annihilate.” We discuss this, along with many other issues, in our podcast, so I won’t rehash my entire rant here. In short, “Operation Annihilate” isn’t a bad episode, but the glaring errors in the science make it very hard for me to watch. What’s worse is that the errors are so basic that even a barely competent science adviser would have caught them immediately—ultraviolet radiation CANNOT pass through most solid materials, most notably glass, wood, steel, or concrete!
My other gripe is that this episode plagiarizes both Robert A. Heinlein’s 1951 novel “The Puppet Masters” and the 1956 film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Admittedly, it is Star Trek’s take on the Cold War paranoia themes presented there, but Roddenberry shouldn’t have “borrowed” so heavily and blatantly.
I don’t, however, want to end my reviews of the first season episodes on a sour note, so I will add that there are some really nice character moments in this episode, particularly between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. It demonstrates how far the series progressed in the first season—the cast and crew have have hit their stride, and it presages a great second season.
Next time: “Amok time”
I was enjoying a cold Sam Adams (Bawston Laaaaager!) while we watched this one.
We did a podcast, a much shorter one than last time.
When I saw that this was the Season 1 finale, I thought it was a bit odd. Not so much. True, Trek was never produced with modern TV sensibilities like season openers and such and many current fans saw them out of order in syndication or on video. The episode does work all right though as it has a relatively positive outcome after the two previous ones which were pretty bleak.
We always jokingly referred to this one as "The Flying Pancake Episode." I should probably now call it "The Flying Bloody Omelet Episode." Go watch it and tell me if I'm off here!
We had a really good chat about this one on the podcast. The big thing that bothered Eric was the bogus science surrounding the way they kill the creatures. I'm sure he'll mention this, but it's pretty silly. However, to paraphrase my friend Andy, it may seem odd to go after this and not be bothered much by the other tech stuff like warp drive and transporters. I guess you have to pick and choose when to suspend your disbelief here. It does seem like they could have worked out this particular tech issue a bit better since they work conventional radiation/light into the plot. Writer laziness perhaps.
OK, so maybe the science is laughable and the creatures not nearly as creepy as when I saw it growing up, but it does have good Kirk/Spock/McCoy character goodness. The scenes after Spock is blinded are great. The bit where Spock tries to seize the bridge is classic: "Must take the ship!" This line has amusing, if relevant meaning as a phrase I use to get off my ass and do something. Maybe a clever T-shirt is in order...
Other stuff of note:
We meet Kirk's brother, who's dead by the time we see him, plus his wife/kid. I realize they did this to drive home the menace of the alien creatures, but it seems like a waste of a potential character to off him so casually. These last two episodes were pretty bad for our Dear Captain. Last time he's forced to let his true love get hit by a truck and now his brother is offed by some plastic bloody omelets. Sucky.
Nimoy does a credible job playing Spock being subjected to extreme pain; the inner struggle seems on the level. This is really a Spock showcase episode.
The plot of this one has obvious roots in earlier sci fi, which Eric will certainly go into. It also has a fun cold war Body Snatchers-esque paranoia, even if it's a bit undeveloped.
The locations they use for the planetside scenes remind me of 1960s college campus architecture: lots of tall skinny buildings with narrow windows. Fill all the open areas with concrete and you're there. But hey, what were they going to do?
They finally get Transporter Room security down in this one. You may recall that in the last two episodes, the pot-smoking red dudes manning the controls were easily overcome by Lazarus and McCoy. Well not this time! Now the dude is augmented by Scotty who remembers to pack heat, thus preventing Spock's escape. Sure, maybe he was there to get a hit from Mr. Leslie, but he was ready for action. I can just imaging Scotty pointing the phaser at Spock while saying, "This aggression will not stand, Laddie."
So all in all, a pretty good one with shaky science and some fun character interaction. The episode is very well paced, with appropriate suspense in the right parts. A solid, if unspectacular first season ender.
--
And Sir Eric's take:
As I write this, I am about five hours from going to see the new Star Trek movie, which gives me a delicious sense of excitement and anticipation that I rarely feel these days. Everything I’ve heard and read makes it sound like J.J. Abrams has done the impossible—he has successfully reinvented and relaunched Star Trek. This is especially apropos, since the premiere of the “reboot” movie very nearly coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the end of the original Star Trek series. And with this review, we’ve also reached the end of the first season of classic Trek.
To be honest, Roddenberry should’ve ended the first season with “City on the Edge of Forever” instead of “Operation Annihilate.” We discuss this, along with many other issues, in our podcast, so I won’t rehash my entire rant here. In short, “Operation Annihilate” isn’t a bad episode, but the glaring errors in the science make it very hard for me to watch. What’s worse is that the errors are so basic that even a barely competent science adviser would have caught them immediately—ultraviolet radiation CANNOT pass through most solid materials, most notably glass, wood, steel, or concrete!
My other gripe is that this episode plagiarizes both Robert A. Heinlein’s 1951 novel “The Puppet Masters” and the 1956 film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Admittedly, it is Star Trek’s take on the Cold War paranoia themes presented there, but Roddenberry shouldn’t have “borrowed” so heavily and blatantly.
I don’t, however, want to end my reviews of the first season episodes on a sour note, so I will add that there are some really nice character moments in this episode, particularly between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. It demonstrates how far the series progressed in the first season—the cast and crew have have hit their stride, and it presages a great second season.
Next time: “Amok time”
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
TOS Rewind #27: "The City on the Edge of Forever"
Episode: The City on the Edge of Forever (04-06-1967). Drink: a Martini (classic episode=classic drinky).
Eric, Rob, and I had more trouble than usual getting the podcast done for this one due to scheduling and technical challenges (okay, so that was my particular challenge), but we managed to pull it off. It's long (52 minutes) and is spliced together from two separate attempts so my apologies in advance if there's duplicate material in there (the sound quality varies a bit as well). I think I have the tech problems ironed out so at least we should be good on that score. We hit a lot of points, so I think it was worth it. For those who are willing to brave the commentary, it can be found here:
Eric starts us out with his written version:
“The City on the Edge of Forever” is widely considered to be the best classic Star Trek episode, and for good reason. The direction and acting (particularly Bill Shatner’s) is top notch, and the drama is genuine and touching. And although I usually avoid the term, the “chemistry” between the characters works brilliantly. Best of all (for me at least, and if you’ve read any of my previous reviews, this should come as no surprise), it is superbly imaginative science fiction and a wonderfully dramatic, but tragic, story.
Before we go any further, I should mention the controversy surrounding this episode—“The City on the Edge of Forever” was written by Harlan Ellison who (to this day) feels wronged both by the studio for not paying royalties and Gene Roddenberry for rewriting his original script. I completely sympathize with Ellison’s grievance over unpaid royalties, but I’ve read the original script, and while it was quite good, it clearly wasn’t Star Trek and had to be rewritten to be produced as a Trek episode. In addition, it was (and still is) quite common for producers to rewrite scripts for their shows, and as Executive Producer and creator, doing such a rewrite was Roddenberry’s prerogative. Still, Harlan Ellison is a damn good writer, and he has an outspoken, no-bullshit, populist attitude I admire, so I’m not going to take sides. Both versions of the script are great.
Both versions of the script are also tragic love stories (albeit of a different nature), and both scripts deal with two of my favorite subjects: time travel and the history of World War II. Time travel in Star Trek has often been laughable, couched in ridiculous pseudoscience and technobabble, but in “The City on the Edge of Forever” it’s done through the Guardian of Forever, which I’ve always found to be an awe inspiring idea/concept/being. And, as long as you’re willing to employ a bit of imagination (which is necessary to enjoy science fiction), it’s perfectly plausible. No attempt at scientific explanation is offered or possible. And it is through the Guardian that the history of World War II is accidentally disrupted, allowing Nazi Germany to develop nuclear weapons before the United States. (No need to expound upon why this is extraordinarily bad.) The real drama of the story, however, is that Kirk has to allow a woman he loves to die in order to set things right. And he does, but at a terrible personal cost, which is beautifully, but heart wrenchingly, played out in the last few minutes of the episode. Kirk’s anguish, McCoy’s confused horror, and Spock’s gentle compassion all play off each other perfectly and bring the story full circle.
So what we’re left with is a tragedy in the best tradition of tragedies. And as such, it leaves us with a strangely satisfying sense of bitter completion that Kirk expresses perfectly: “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
---
I don't know if I have a real favorite of this show, but this could be it, along with a few others. As Eric points out, the story has a great premise that stands out even among the generally good episodes of the first season. Back when we covered "Tomorrow is Yesterday," I remember thinking that the whole time travel thing was being covered in a pretty nonchalant way. Sure, they have to correct the changes they've made to the past, but it isn't all that serious and they seem awfully sloppy with regards to how they've disrupted things. "City" sets a far more somber tone to this sci fi concept. Changes, even a minor one, can alter everything that is to come. This comes down to the idea here, doing the right thing at the wrong time. McCoy saves Edith and dooms the world. It's really interesting ponder the significance of everyday choices we all make. Sure, nothing I do will probably change the course of the planet, but you never know. Not that there's really an answer to all this. The only conclusion drawn here is to leave the hell alone and hope things sort themselves out.
I know my friend Lee knocked this one down a bit for not having an outstanding social message or commentary, but Rob presented one quite well on the podcast. I'm feeling lazy, so I'm going to refer him and anyone else to the commentary.
The character interaction here is especially strong in this episode. There is genuine warmth between Kirk and Spock as they go through their often amusing "Odd Couple" sequence in the second act while Spock tries to build his computer device from "stone knives and bearskins" (aka vacuum tubes and random electronics). The Edith Keeler character may not be 100% developed, but she has to be the best female character of the old series.
The acting is decent in this episode, with DeForest Kelley really doing a good job playing the drug-addled doctor. His scene with the street person is particularly good.
We covered a lot of ground for this one on the podcast, so if you want to hear more, go check it out.
I watched both the original and remastered versions of this one. There's one shot where I actually
prefer the old optical effects: the planet.
Sure, the new one looks more like a real planet, but the old effect has that forlorn lifeless look that really works for this episode. Other than that, the rest of the changes were minor (and the improved picture quality, as usual).
Next time: “Operation Annihilate!”
Eric, Rob, and I had more trouble than usual getting the podcast done for this one due to scheduling and technical challenges (okay, so that was my particular challenge), but we managed to pull it off. It's long (52 minutes) and is spliced together from two separate attempts so my apologies in advance if there's duplicate material in there (the sound quality varies a bit as well). I think I have the tech problems ironed out so at least we should be good on that score. We hit a lot of points, so I think it was worth it. For those who are willing to brave the commentary, it can be found here:
Eric starts us out with his written version:
“The City on the Edge of Forever” is widely considered to be the best classic Star Trek episode, and for good reason. The direction and acting (particularly Bill Shatner’s) is top notch, and the drama is genuine and touching. And although I usually avoid the term, the “chemistry” between the characters works brilliantly. Best of all (for me at least, and if you’ve read any of my previous reviews, this should come as no surprise), it is superbly imaginative science fiction and a wonderfully dramatic, but tragic, story.
Before we go any further, I should mention the controversy surrounding this episode—“The City on the Edge of Forever” was written by Harlan Ellison who (to this day) feels wronged both by the studio for not paying royalties and Gene Roddenberry for rewriting his original script. I completely sympathize with Ellison’s grievance over unpaid royalties, but I’ve read the original script, and while it was quite good, it clearly wasn’t Star Trek and had to be rewritten to be produced as a Trek episode. In addition, it was (and still is) quite common for producers to rewrite scripts for their shows, and as Executive Producer and creator, doing such a rewrite was Roddenberry’s prerogative. Still, Harlan Ellison is a damn good writer, and he has an outspoken, no-bullshit, populist attitude I admire, so I’m not going to take sides. Both versions of the script are great.
Both versions of the script are also tragic love stories (albeit of a different nature), and both scripts deal with two of my favorite subjects: time travel and the history of World War II. Time travel in Star Trek has often been laughable, couched in ridiculous pseudoscience and technobabble, but in “The City on the Edge of Forever” it’s done through the Guardian of Forever, which I’ve always found to be an awe inspiring idea/concept/being. And, as long as you’re willing to employ a bit of imagination (which is necessary to enjoy science fiction), it’s perfectly plausible. No attempt at scientific explanation is offered or possible. And it is through the Guardian that the history of World War II is accidentally disrupted, allowing Nazi Germany to develop nuclear weapons before the United States. (No need to expound upon why this is extraordinarily bad.) The real drama of the story, however, is that Kirk has to allow a woman he loves to die in order to set things right. And he does, but at a terrible personal cost, which is beautifully, but heart wrenchingly, played out in the last few minutes of the episode. Kirk’s anguish, McCoy’s confused horror, and Spock’s gentle compassion all play off each other perfectly and bring the story full circle.
So what we’re left with is a tragedy in the best tradition of tragedies. And as such, it leaves us with a strangely satisfying sense of bitter completion that Kirk expresses perfectly: “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
---
I don't know if I have a real favorite of this show, but this could be it, along with a few others. As Eric points out, the story has a great premise that stands out even among the generally good episodes of the first season. Back when we covered "Tomorrow is Yesterday," I remember thinking that the whole time travel thing was being covered in a pretty nonchalant way. Sure, they have to correct the changes they've made to the past, but it isn't all that serious and they seem awfully sloppy with regards to how they've disrupted things. "City" sets a far more somber tone to this sci fi concept. Changes, even a minor one, can alter everything that is to come. This comes down to the idea here, doing the right thing at the wrong time. McCoy saves Edith and dooms the world. It's really interesting ponder the significance of everyday choices we all make. Sure, nothing I do will probably change the course of the planet, but you never know. Not that there's really an answer to all this. The only conclusion drawn here is to leave the hell alone and hope things sort themselves out.
I know my friend Lee knocked this one down a bit for not having an outstanding social message or commentary, but Rob presented one quite well on the podcast. I'm feeling lazy, so I'm going to refer him and anyone else to the commentary.
The character interaction here is especially strong in this episode. There is genuine warmth between Kirk and Spock as they go through their often amusing "Odd Couple" sequence in the second act while Spock tries to build his computer device from "stone knives and bearskins" (aka vacuum tubes and random electronics). The Edith Keeler character may not be 100% developed, but she has to be the best female character of the old series.
The acting is decent in this episode, with DeForest Kelley really doing a good job playing the drug-addled doctor. His scene with the street person is particularly good.
We covered a lot of ground for this one on the podcast, so if you want to hear more, go check it out.
I watched both the original and remastered versions of this one. There's one shot where I actually
prefer the old optical effects: the planet.
 |
| The original |
 |
The remastered |
Next time: “Operation Annihilate!”
Thursday, March 19, 2009
TOS Rewind #26: "The Alternative Factor"
Today's episode: The Alternative Factor
(03/30/1967) I enjoyed a nice Dewars Scotch with our podcast (and no, I'm not trying to rip off Ron Moore's podcasts!).
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast for this one.
This is one of those episodes that, while having some very interesting ideas, ultimately doesn't work as well as it could for me due to the way it's executed. Back when I saw this one growing up, I doubt I was as critical as I am today. After all, it had some space-like effects and a few fights with funky lighting and effects. Cool!
Here's what I did like about it.
There are some compelling and unusual, for 1960s TV, ideas presented here. The parallel universe concept and the "corridor" allowing someone to travel between them is great sci fi (not SyFy!) stuff, even if it'd probably been written about before in books.
The teaser and first act of the episode work very well. The buildup with the mysterious effect and the somber invasion message from Starfleet (the first time we see Kirk and co. interact with anyone at HQ) cast a somber tone on the show right away. Then, this batshit crazy man named Lazarus appears and we really don't know what the hell is going on. As I said, the intro is very effective which makes the rest of the episode more disappointing.
The interactions between Kirk, Spock, and Lazarus are interesting at times. Kirk comes off as genuinely conflicted as he has to decide what to believe. Spock gets some good skeptical science officer time here and even gets in this jab at Lazarus: "I fail to comprehend your indignation, sir. I have simply made the logical deduction that you are a liar." The scene where Kirk and Spock figure out the nature of the two universes and the potential consequences is actually well done. Here is a scene where nothing exciting happens; the two of them are just hanging out in the briefing room having a chat. The camerawork and music builds up a good tension as it dawns on them what they are dealing with. Sure, it may seem over the top, but it does convey the situation without anything other than the acting and some economical production.
Unfortunately, for me, the episode is undone by a few things.
The guy playing Lazarus manages to seriously out-scenery-chew Shatner. The ranting and raving get old after a while and is giggle-inducing at times. I understand they were trying to portray an insane character, but it doesn't always come off right. Also, other than trying to spot the on/off cut on his forehead, it's almost impossible to tell the two Lazarus' (Lazari?) apart as they both tend to babble on crazy-like. Then there's his endless running around on the planet falling off cliffs. Rob and I laughed out loud one of the times. I understand that some of this was padding to fill in a missing romantic subplot involving Lazarus and the engineering officer. At least that might have made the episode more interesting and fleshed out the middle section, but it was cut from the script and, AFAIK, never filmed. By the way, where's Scotty? And where did his engine room set go? Then there's the strange facial hair Lazarus has. Sometimes it looks glued on and on the verge of coming off. OK, that's nitpicking...
Things sure seem lax on board the Enterprise in this episode considering how easily Lazarus manages to steal two sets of crystals. The red guy in the transporter room is a joke. Kirk has this frank discussion with Lazarus where he threatens to steal the crystals. Next thing we know, Lazarus is waltzing around the ship. hanging out in the lounge/lunchroom, and into the engineering section to steal the stuff without much trouble. Don't you think Kirk would have had him watched? Another odd thing: the planet-side scenes are obviously California locations, as usual. But, when Kirk crosses over into the other universe to meet the sane Lazarus, who now acts calm and rational, the scene is obviously on a soundstage with fake rocks. Hmm...
The effects just weren't able to convey they nature of the corridor and the other universe. The bits where Lazarus and his twin are fighting look silly and I have to assume that the dialogue was written to compensate for this. This is quite obvious where at the end of the episode and Kirk is ruminating about the fate of Lazarus. He gives his dramatic, "How would it be?" bit, as if he is needing to remind the viewers just how significant the resolution of the episode is. "What of Lazarus?!"
I watched the remastered version of this one, but of course the new effects didn't impact the fighting scenes. As usual, the images are extremely clean and the exterior ship shots look modern, but little impact on the episode itself.
And now Eric's:
---
I have always found “The Alternative Factor” to be compelling, but it is flawed. There are continuity problems, such as the dilithium crystals being kept somewhere other than the engine room in the matter-antimatter reactor. And the basic mistakes in the science are glaring—an antimatter Lazarus wouldn’t have been able to exist in our matter universe. The instant he came into contact with a particle of matter, there would have been a BIG explosion. Also, the entire universe couldn’t have been annihilated. But we talk about this in geater detail in the podcast, so I’ll move on to why I have a die-hard affection for the episode.
The setup in the teaser is very well done. It draws you in immediately and doesn’t let go, and this is representative of the good storytelling throughout. (Even a ridiculous story can be engaging, even enthralling, if it is told well. Consider Aesop’s fables and “The Wizard of OZ.”) The parallel universe theme is also a staple of SF that never ceases to be fascinating. And we could no doubt get into a deep “duality of man” discussion based on the “Sane Lazarus” vs. “Nutso Lazarus” situation. But aside from all of this, I enjoyed seeing an epsiode that doesn’t have an overt socio/political message. “The Alternative Factor” exists for no other purpose than to explore the idea that is the basis of its theme. There is also some nice pathos for Lazarus’ plight, but in the end—I know I’ve said this before—I always love the episodes that convincingly convey a feeling of being alone and isolated in the distant reaches of the galaxy.
So, despite its flaws, I have to give “The Alternative Factor” a decent grade for effectively evoking a sense of being in deep space.
Next time: “The City on the Edge of Forever”
(03/30/1967) I enjoyed a nice Dewars Scotch with our podcast (and no, I'm not trying to rip off Ron Moore's podcasts!).
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast for this one.
This is one of those episodes that, while having some very interesting ideas, ultimately doesn't work as well as it could for me due to the way it's executed. Back when I saw this one growing up, I doubt I was as critical as I am today. After all, it had some space-like effects and a few fights with funky lighting and effects. Cool!
Here's what I did like about it.
There are some compelling and unusual, for 1960s TV, ideas presented here. The parallel universe concept and the "corridor" allowing someone to travel between them is great sci fi (not SyFy!) stuff, even if it'd probably been written about before in books.
The teaser and first act of the episode work very well. The buildup with the mysterious effect and the somber invasion message from Starfleet (the first time we see Kirk and co. interact with anyone at HQ) cast a somber tone on the show right away. Then, this batshit crazy man named Lazarus appears and we really don't know what the hell is going on. As I said, the intro is very effective which makes the rest of the episode more disappointing.
The interactions between Kirk, Spock, and Lazarus are interesting at times. Kirk comes off as genuinely conflicted as he has to decide what to believe. Spock gets some good skeptical science officer time here and even gets in this jab at Lazarus: "I fail to comprehend your indignation, sir. I have simply made the logical deduction that you are a liar." The scene where Kirk and Spock figure out the nature of the two universes and the potential consequences is actually well done. Here is a scene where nothing exciting happens; the two of them are just hanging out in the briefing room having a chat. The camerawork and music builds up a good tension as it dawns on them what they are dealing with. Sure, it may seem over the top, but it does convey the situation without anything other than the acting and some economical production.
Unfortunately, for me, the episode is undone by a few things.
The guy playing Lazarus manages to seriously out-scenery-chew Shatner. The ranting and raving get old after a while and is giggle-inducing at times. I understand they were trying to portray an insane character, but it doesn't always come off right. Also, other than trying to spot the on/off cut on his forehead, it's almost impossible to tell the two Lazarus' (Lazari?) apart as they both tend to babble on crazy-like. Then there's his endless running around on the planet falling off cliffs. Rob and I laughed out loud one of the times. I understand that some of this was padding to fill in a missing romantic subplot involving Lazarus and the engineering officer. At least that might have made the episode more interesting and fleshed out the middle section, but it was cut from the script and, AFAIK, never filmed. By the way, where's Scotty? And where did his engine room set go? Then there's the strange facial hair Lazarus has. Sometimes it looks glued on and on the verge of coming off. OK, that's nitpicking...
Things sure seem lax on board the Enterprise in this episode considering how easily Lazarus manages to steal two sets of crystals. The red guy in the transporter room is a joke. Kirk has this frank discussion with Lazarus where he threatens to steal the crystals. Next thing we know, Lazarus is waltzing around the ship. hanging out in the lounge/lunchroom, and into the engineering section to steal the stuff without much trouble. Don't you think Kirk would have had him watched? Another odd thing: the planet-side scenes are obviously California locations, as usual. But, when Kirk crosses over into the other universe to meet the sane Lazarus, who now acts calm and rational, the scene is obviously on a soundstage with fake rocks. Hmm...
The effects just weren't able to convey they nature of the corridor and the other universe. The bits where Lazarus and his twin are fighting look silly and I have to assume that the dialogue was written to compensate for this. This is quite obvious where at the end of the episode and Kirk is ruminating about the fate of Lazarus. He gives his dramatic, "How would it be?" bit, as if he is needing to remind the viewers just how significant the resolution of the episode is. "What of Lazarus?!"
I watched the remastered version of this one, but of course the new effects didn't impact the fighting scenes. As usual, the images are extremely clean and the exterior ship shots look modern, but little impact on the episode itself.
And now Eric's:
---
I have always found “The Alternative Factor” to be compelling, but it is flawed. There are continuity problems, such as the dilithium crystals being kept somewhere other than the engine room in the matter-antimatter reactor. And the basic mistakes in the science are glaring—an antimatter Lazarus wouldn’t have been able to exist in our matter universe. The instant he came into contact with a particle of matter, there would have been a BIG explosion. Also, the entire universe couldn’t have been annihilated. But we talk about this in geater detail in the podcast, so I’ll move on to why I have a die-hard affection for the episode.
The setup in the teaser is very well done. It draws you in immediately and doesn’t let go, and this is representative of the good storytelling throughout. (Even a ridiculous story can be engaging, even enthralling, if it is told well. Consider Aesop’s fables and “The Wizard of OZ.”) The parallel universe theme is also a staple of SF that never ceases to be fascinating. And we could no doubt get into a deep “duality of man” discussion based on the “Sane Lazarus” vs. “Nutso Lazarus” situation. But aside from all of this, I enjoyed seeing an epsiode that doesn’t have an overt socio/political message. “The Alternative Factor” exists for no other purpose than to explore the idea that is the basis of its theme. There is also some nice pathos for Lazarus’ plight, but in the end—I know I’ve said this before—I always love the episodes that convincingly convey a feeling of being alone and isolated in the distant reaches of the galaxy.
So, despite its flaws, I have to give “The Alternative Factor” a decent grade for effectively evoking a sense of being in deep space.
Next time: “The City on the Edge of Forever”
Saturday, February 7, 2009
TOS Rewind #25: "Errand of Mercy"
Today's episode: Errand of Mercy (03-23-1967)
My drink this time: A Margarita: to mark the passing of Ricardo Montalban. We talked about the Khan stuff back here.
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast for this episode. The whole installment is late this time due to the fact that the first podcast got trashed due to a Garageband crash and our general busy-ness. We'll try and get the next one out quicker!
Here's my brief take on this episode (more detail in the podcast).
At the risk of repeating myself, this is a crucial episode in the series. It would be important if for no other reason that it introduces the Klingons, quite well I'd say, and sets up a lot of material for Trek material going far beyond the Original Series. The whole point about making the Federation and the Klingons "get along" paves the way for an awful lot of material in The Next Generation. Sure, the Klingons aren't all that exotic, regular guys with dark hair/skin, but the detail that's presented about their Empire really helps get us beyond the usual Trek alien-of-the-week thing.
Kor is a great villain, one of the best Klingons I can think of. He's ruthless and cunning, plus he has a sense of humor: very important in a space opera. Kor can have large groups of innocent civilians put to death at the drop of a hat, but can still be cool enough to have a drink with Kirk, his big enemy, pointing a phaser at his chest. What a guy! As Rob pointed out in the podcast, it's really interesting to watch Kirk, while disguised as a peaceful Organian, virtually blow his cover just because he can't resist being called out by Kor calling him a coward. Classic. We miss the usual McCoy dialogue (one of the few TOS episodes he doesn't appear in) and you'd think Scotty'd be running the ship in crisis after his tough performance in "A Taste of Armageddon." Oh well, he needed the week off. And of course, at the end of the episode, Kirk has to sit back and admit how foolish he was to be pissed at not being able to go to war with the Klingons. Spock has a good smirk at the typical human inconsistencies. If you watch this episode, do it an tell me the Organia sets don't look like a weekend at the MN Renaissance Festival!
And of course, we have the concept of the uber-powerful aliens putting we puny humans (and Klingons) in our place. We really have no true frame of reference with regard to the Organians. Only Spock seems to fully realize this. It's not unlike the situation in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." The aliens aren't going to let us screw things up. The message: knock off the warmaking or we'll take away your ships! Hmm, beats having your entire race wiped out by Gort and Klatuu...
---
And now Eric's turn:
This is going to be a short review, since we covered most of the important stuff in the podcast.
One thing I didn’t mention is that the title “Errand of Mercy" is taken from “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" by Charles Dickens: "It is an errand of mercy which brings me here. Pray, let me discharge it." A cool title for a great episode. It is, in fact, one of my favorites. The characters are superb (especially Kor) and the Democracy vs. Dictatorship analogy is well done. But the main reason I like this episode is that it evokes a powerful sense of wonder.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it is science fiction’s ability to evoke a sense of wonder that appeals to me. And as “Errand of Mercy" demonstrates, classic Star Trek, when at its best, wielded this ability magnificently. The story draws you in and makes you think that the Organians are meek, ineffectual simpletons. Kirk and Kor strut around, waging their interplanetary pissing match, secure in their superiority only to be brought up short when the Organians reveal that they are actually incredibly powerful, highly-evolved beings who have a problem with the lower life-forms disturbing the peace. So they put a stop to it. Conclusively. This is the kind of story that makes you think about humanity’s place in the universe and the possibility that their could be other intelligent life out there that is significantly more advanced than we are. Heady stuff. I guess I’m just a junkie for anything that will spark my imagination.
Next time: “The Alternative Factor"
My drink this time: A Margarita: to mark the passing of Ricardo Montalban. We talked about the Khan stuff back here.
Eric, Rob, and I did a podcast for this episode. The whole installment is late this time due to the fact that the first podcast got trashed due to a Garageband crash and our general busy-ness. We'll try and get the next one out quicker!
Here's my brief take on this episode (more detail in the podcast).
At the risk of repeating myself, this is a crucial episode in the series. It would be important if for no other reason that it introduces the Klingons, quite well I'd say, and sets up a lot of material for Trek material going far beyond the Original Series. The whole point about making the Federation and the Klingons "get along" paves the way for an awful lot of material in The Next Generation. Sure, the Klingons aren't all that exotic, regular guys with dark hair/skin, but the detail that's presented about their Empire really helps get us beyond the usual Trek alien-of-the-week thing.
Kor is a great villain, one of the best Klingons I can think of. He's ruthless and cunning, plus he has a sense of humor: very important in a space opera. Kor can have large groups of innocent civilians put to death at the drop of a hat, but can still be cool enough to have a drink with Kirk, his big enemy, pointing a phaser at his chest. What a guy! As Rob pointed out in the podcast, it's really interesting to watch Kirk, while disguised as a peaceful Organian, virtually blow his cover just because he can't resist being called out by Kor calling him a coward. Classic. We miss the usual McCoy dialogue (one of the few TOS episodes he doesn't appear in) and you'd think Scotty'd be running the ship in crisis after his tough performance in "A Taste of Armageddon." Oh well, he needed the week off. And of course, at the end of the episode, Kirk has to sit back and admit how foolish he was to be pissed at not being able to go to war with the Klingons. Spock has a good smirk at the typical human inconsistencies. If you watch this episode, do it an tell me the Organia sets don't look like a weekend at the MN Renaissance Festival!
And of course, we have the concept of the uber-powerful aliens putting we puny humans (and Klingons) in our place. We really have no true frame of reference with regard to the Organians. Only Spock seems to fully realize this. It's not unlike the situation in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." The aliens aren't going to let us screw things up. The message: knock off the warmaking or we'll take away your ships! Hmm, beats having your entire race wiped out by Gort and Klatuu...
---
And now Eric's turn:
This is going to be a short review, since we covered most of the important stuff in the podcast.
One thing I didn’t mention is that the title “Errand of Mercy" is taken from “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" by Charles Dickens: "It is an errand of mercy which brings me here. Pray, let me discharge it." A cool title for a great episode. It is, in fact, one of my favorites. The characters are superb (especially Kor) and the Democracy vs. Dictatorship analogy is well done. But the main reason I like this episode is that it evokes a powerful sense of wonder.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it is science fiction’s ability to evoke a sense of wonder that appeals to me. And as “Errand of Mercy" demonstrates, classic Star Trek, when at its best, wielded this ability magnificently. The story draws you in and makes you think that the Organians are meek, ineffectual simpletons. Kirk and Kor strut around, waging their interplanetary pissing match, secure in their superiority only to be brought up short when the Organians reveal that they are actually incredibly powerful, highly-evolved beings who have a problem with the lower life-forms disturbing the peace. So they put a stop to it. Conclusively. This is the kind of story that makes you think about humanity’s place in the universe and the possibility that their could be other intelligent life out there that is significantly more advanced than we are. Heady stuff. I guess I’m just a junkie for anything that will spark my imagination.
Next time: “The Alternative Factor"
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
TOS Rewind #24: "The Devil in the Dark"
Today we have The Devil in the Dark (3-9-1967) This installment is later than I anticipated, but the holiday season will do that. Eric starts us out:
As it turns out, it is perhaps better that I’m so late with this review. “The Devil in the Dark" was the favorite episode of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (member of the original cast and Gene Roddenberry’s widow) who sadly passed away on December 18th. Now, in a way, this review can be a tribute to her.
I got to meet Ms. Roddenberry and hear her speak in 1992, a few months after Gene died. She impressed me in many ways, perhaps most of all by how upbeat and cheerful she was so soon after losing her husband. I was also impressed by her candor when asked questions by the audience. What was particularly memorable, if you’ll indulge me for a minute, was three of her responses. One was a reply to a question about Gene’s take on equality. She said he believed in equality in all things except his marriage. Another was her answer to a question about whether he truly believed humanity would survive and grow out of its current problems. Her reply was that toward the end of his life, Gene still believed humanity could evolve to fulfill its potential, but he had begun to doubt that it would. (This saddened me and it still does.) And finally, when asked what her favorite episode is, she replied that “The Devil in the Dark" still moved her to tears because at its heart, it’s about mother love.
I agree. In a bizarre, other-worldly way the theme “The Devil in the Dark" is indeed mother love. And it’s that bizarre, other-worldly aspect that is one of the most important functions of science fiction as a literary genre—it allows us to look at humanity and the human condition from another, completely different perspective. For much of this episode, we’re certain that the Horta, the silicon-based alien that looks like a cross between a shag carpet and a deep-dish pizza, is a murderous monster that must be killed. The miners on Janus VI and Kirk and the rest of the crew, except for Spock, are similarly convinced. But it turns out that the Horta is quite intelligent and civilized and was just protecting her young against the miners who were indiscriminately, albeit unknowingly, killing them. So then the problem becomes one of communication and thereby a peaceful resolution. Which is achieved. Mother love is reaffirmed and some of Star Trek’s most common and powerful themes are addressed: that different is not necessarily bad, that we don’t need to fear the unknown, and that violence isn’t the only way to resolve conflicts.
So this is my modest tribute to the First Lady of Star Trek. Thanks for helping to make possible stories like “The Devil in the Dark" that captured my imagination and fueled my sense of wonder so powerfully.
---
Wow, I am so dense. It didn't even occur to me to mention the passing of Ms. Barrett. Good catch there Eric and a nice tribute.
Speaking of lameness, I believe I wasn't feeling good when I watched this one, so no drinkie. I'll try and correct that in the future!
This episode is very very good. It has some great science fiction ideas and a very positive message. I think in the past that I had a bit of a negative bias towards this one due to the following:
1. The cheesy moving carpet/plastic pizza-looking Horta costume. This is odd in a way since I tend to be pretty forgiving of TOS's limited effects. It didn't seem all that bad this time around, though parts of the creature do have the look of hardened cheese wiz.
2. Nimoy's dramatic mind meld scene. PAIN!!!!! I can almost imagine the director telling Nimoy to put himself in full-on Shatner mode. I really don't have a problem with this scene, but in the past it seemed way over the top. Maybe it still is, but there is such an earnestness about the way Nimoy does it that it still works. You can easily see what he's trying to convey.
Okay, so the objections don't really get in the way of this story. The solution they come up with is very positive and fits in well with the Roddenberry universal view of future goodness. The idea that they're dealing with a being whose race dies off every so often and then reborn is pretty novel. Some real thought was put into the story, no question. Another good, if more conventional, device is the theft of the reactor part that gives the action more urgency and tension.
The character writing is very good here with Spock rightfully getting the bulk of the fun. There is a real sense of conflict between Spock's duty to Starfleet and his personal scientific philosophy about alien life. He, more than anyone, feels regret at the need to kill the Horta. Kirk has some interesting material, especially the scene where he is face-to-face with the Horta and has to decide how it will go. His dealings with the revenge-seeking miners are good too. Speaking of the miners, I got a real blue-collar vibe from these guys, more than usual in Trek. The colony leader seemed like he could have been a union boss of a group of longshoremen or something. The actor they cast definitely had that feel. McCoy has some fun stuff, as usual, with the "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer" being a highlight.
I watched the remastered/enhanced version for this review. There was the usual ultra-clean HD images and the new CG space/Enterprise shots, plus a re-done effects shot of one of the Horta-burned tunnels. It was better, I suppose, but I never had a problem with the old effect either. My opinion remains unchanged on the remastered versions: interesting to watch, but not really adding much for most of the episodes. The film footage that isn't replaced does look better than the previous DVDs, so I hope the eventual Blu-Ray versions (probably in 2009) include the old versions transferred in HD. I'd totally buy that.
One of the bonuses from the remastered episodes that wasn't included on the old DVD sets is the "Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest Rare Home Movies And Special Memories" feature. To quote from the Digital Bits review, " Blackburn was an extra and stunt performer on the series, and he appeared in many of its episodes in various roles. While on the set, he often had an old 8mm movie camera at the ready, and we get to see much of that candid, behind-the-scenes footage here, as he reminisces about his experiences". This is one of the best Trek bonus features I've seen so far. The footage is really fun and his little stories are interesting. There is more insight in to the show's production than most of the other crappy bonus material out there. It would be great to see Paramount put more effort into the quality of their Trek supplements and less into the cheesy menu screens. So what, they're not going to listen to me, but what the hell!
Next time: "Errand of Mercy"
As it turns out, it is perhaps better that I’m so late with this review. “The Devil in the Dark" was the favorite episode of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (member of the original cast and Gene Roddenberry’s widow) who sadly passed away on December 18th. Now, in a way, this review can be a tribute to her.
I got to meet Ms. Roddenberry and hear her speak in 1992, a few months after Gene died. She impressed me in many ways, perhaps most of all by how upbeat and cheerful she was so soon after losing her husband. I was also impressed by her candor when asked questions by the audience. What was particularly memorable, if you’ll indulge me for a minute, was three of her responses. One was a reply to a question about Gene’s take on equality. She said he believed in equality in all things except his marriage. Another was her answer to a question about whether he truly believed humanity would survive and grow out of its current problems. Her reply was that toward the end of his life, Gene still believed humanity could evolve to fulfill its potential, but he had begun to doubt that it would. (This saddened me and it still does.) And finally, when asked what her favorite episode is, she replied that “The Devil in the Dark" still moved her to tears because at its heart, it’s about mother love.
I agree. In a bizarre, other-worldly way the theme “The Devil in the Dark" is indeed mother love. And it’s that bizarre, other-worldly aspect that is one of the most important functions of science fiction as a literary genre—it allows us to look at humanity and the human condition from another, completely different perspective. For much of this episode, we’re certain that the Horta, the silicon-based alien that looks like a cross between a shag carpet and a deep-dish pizza, is a murderous monster that must be killed. The miners on Janus VI and Kirk and the rest of the crew, except for Spock, are similarly convinced. But it turns out that the Horta is quite intelligent and civilized and was just protecting her young against the miners who were indiscriminately, albeit unknowingly, killing them. So then the problem becomes one of communication and thereby a peaceful resolution. Which is achieved. Mother love is reaffirmed and some of Star Trek’s most common and powerful themes are addressed: that different is not necessarily bad, that we don’t need to fear the unknown, and that violence isn’t the only way to resolve conflicts.
So this is my modest tribute to the First Lady of Star Trek. Thanks for helping to make possible stories like “The Devil in the Dark" that captured my imagination and fueled my sense of wonder so powerfully.
---
Wow, I am so dense. It didn't even occur to me to mention the passing of Ms. Barrett. Good catch there Eric and a nice tribute.
Speaking of lameness, I believe I wasn't feeling good when I watched this one, so no drinkie. I'll try and correct that in the future!
This episode is very very good. It has some great science fiction ideas and a very positive message. I think in the past that I had a bit of a negative bias towards this one due to the following:
1. The cheesy moving carpet/plastic pizza-looking Horta costume. This is odd in a way since I tend to be pretty forgiving of TOS's limited effects. It didn't seem all that bad this time around, though parts of the creature do have the look of hardened cheese wiz.
2. Nimoy's dramatic mind meld scene. PAIN!!!!! I can almost imagine the director telling Nimoy to put himself in full-on Shatner mode. I really don't have a problem with this scene, but in the past it seemed way over the top. Maybe it still is, but there is such an earnestness about the way Nimoy does it that it still works. You can easily see what he's trying to convey.
Okay, so the objections don't really get in the way of this story. The solution they come up with is very positive and fits in well with the Roddenberry universal view of future goodness. The idea that they're dealing with a being whose race dies off every so often and then reborn is pretty novel. Some real thought was put into the story, no question. Another good, if more conventional, device is the theft of the reactor part that gives the action more urgency and tension.
The character writing is very good here with Spock rightfully getting the bulk of the fun. There is a real sense of conflict between Spock's duty to Starfleet and his personal scientific philosophy about alien life. He, more than anyone, feels regret at the need to kill the Horta. Kirk has some interesting material, especially the scene where he is face-to-face with the Horta and has to decide how it will go. His dealings with the revenge-seeking miners are good too. Speaking of the miners, I got a real blue-collar vibe from these guys, more than usual in Trek. The colony leader seemed like he could have been a union boss of a group of longshoremen or something. The actor they cast definitely had that feel. McCoy has some fun stuff, as usual, with the "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer" being a highlight.
I watched the remastered/enhanced version for this review. There was the usual ultra-clean HD images and the new CG space/Enterprise shots, plus a re-done effects shot of one of the Horta-burned tunnels. It was better, I suppose, but I never had a problem with the old effect either. My opinion remains unchanged on the remastered versions: interesting to watch, but not really adding much for most of the episodes. The film footage that isn't replaced does look better than the previous DVDs, so I hope the eventual Blu-Ray versions (probably in 2009) include the old versions transferred in HD. I'd totally buy that.
One of the bonuses from the remastered episodes that wasn't included on the old DVD sets is the "Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest Rare Home Movies And Special Memories" feature. To quote from the Digital Bits review, " Blackburn was an extra and stunt performer on the series, and he appeared in many of its episodes in various roles. While on the set, he often had an old 8mm movie camera at the ready, and we get to see much of that candid, behind-the-scenes footage here, as he reminisces about his experiences". This is one of the best Trek bonus features I've seen so far. The footage is really fun and his little stories are interesting. There is more insight in to the show's production than most of the other crappy bonus material out there. It would be great to see Paramount put more effort into the quality of their Trek supplements and less into the cheesy menu screens. So what, they're not going to listen to me, but what the hell!
Next time: "Errand of Mercy"
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