The Star Trek Thread

[Taro T]

23 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  I had my cat put to sleep this morning.  I don't think she drank any water last night and it was obvious this morning she was having trouble moving.  I think if she could have gotten out of the house last night she would have moved off to die.  She was a great cat (no hyperbole) and I told her so until the very end.  Probably the best cat I have ever had.  Very affectionate but very strong headed.  They just do not come around like that very often.  I was not feeling good about the state of affairs before this but this is one more thing to feel blue about.  

 

My condolences for your loss.  Never pleasant having to decide for what effectively is a family member when it is time.  

 

Truly saddened for your loss.

[RochesterRob]

  This week's review is of the episode Is There in Truth no Beauty airing this Wednesday Oct 20 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the Enterprise picks up two passengers that present both danger to the ship and the crew.  In addition a third is picked up that takes the Enterprise into a void after that person goes insane.  A mind exchange between an alien and Spock puts the Enterprise back in normal space and one of the passengers learns a valuable lesson about her self.

 

 

  Guest Stars : Diana Muldaur as Miranda the aide to the Medusan ambassador.  I thought she did well with the character in terms of expressing rage at her condition of blindness and jealousy at others for having better rapport with the ambassador.  Fairly complex as what you see in such emotions as strictly childish most of the time on television although Miranda has her childish moments.  For those not familiar with The Next Generation she appears in the second season as the Enterprise's chief doctor Pulaski.  Muldaur was fairly unique in Hollywood as she knew how to navigate around difficult men such as Roddenberry and Jack Klugman.  David Frankham as Larry Marvick an engineer who contributed greatly to the design of the Enterprise.  Frankham was well regarded for what he did which was to play characters that were more off to the side.  Not noteworthy here but we get teased here and there with what makes Frankham well regarded.

 

 

  Plot : Kind of an unusual episode for the series.  What the Enterprise and crew does is of minimal importance compared to the guest stars and characters.  This story is really about Miranda and her actual short comings (blindness) and issues of character (barely concealed jealousy inducing rage).  Everything else feels like a walk through until we begin to learn about Miranda.  

 

 

  Enterprise Crew : This is Nimoy's episode for better or for worse.  I never really enjoyed the episodes where Spock is thrust into emotional states aside from Amok Time.  Nimoy had said that when the regular series began filming that he did not have a good grasp on how to portray Spock.  I sometimes wonder if he was more comfortable with playing characters who could demonstrate emotion.  Nimoy also said that due to his Slavic looks that he was often called upon to play atypical characters in terms of personality.  Good to see Scotty to interact professionally with a non-crew member in Marvick.

 

 

  Writing : I think I would have reigned in Marvick's emotion towards MIranda a bit.  It feels like Roddenberry had a hand in this as the pimply faced teen who had never been with a girl type emotion does not fit a senior crewman or Federation/Starfleet official.  I think this was an issue in Roddenberry's own life given the excessive womanizing.  I also expected more out of the Medusan when it came to his observations about humans.  The writers could have found this time by taking away from Marvick.

 

 

  Music :  I did not like the over the top organ piece as the Enterprise enters the void.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The just mentioned void in the remaster.

 

 

  Summary : An episode that leans heavily on a guest star.  Basic concepts about human emotions done fairly well.  Some things that needed to be changed.  Non-corporeal alien.  Unusual turn of events.  Some positives.  Some negatives.  I give it a B -.  

Edited October 20, 2021 by RochesterRob

[B-Man]

 

 

 

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Figster]

On 10/10/2021 at 2:44 PM, Foxx said:

You sure you're not confusing Shatner with Heston?

Lol, what an awesome thread. 

 

Big Star Trek fan

[RochesterRob]

  This week's review is of the episode Wink of an Eye airing this Wednesday Oct 27 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the Enterprise answers a distress call which turns out to be a trap.  This culminates with inadvertently bringing the aliens aboard who then install a suspended animation device to preserve the crew for various purposes including breeding.  Kirk uses his charm along with Spock using his analytic abilities to defeat the aliens including destroying the suspended animation device.

 

 

  Guest Stars : Kathie Browne as Deela.  Browne uses her feminine charms to apparently seduce Kirk which I'll admit had an effect on me as a kid.  Browne has had better roles on television including doing a multiple episode arc on Bonanza as a love interest of Adam.  In real life she was married to Darren McGavin of The Night Stalker fame.  Jason Evers as  Rael a member of the alien task force.  Does his part in displaying jealousy in terms of Deela throwing affection towards Kirk.  Evers had a long career on 1960's and 1970's television.  He also was in movies such as The Green Berets which costarred George Takei.    I just saw him on a Quincy ME episode last week.

 

 

  Plot : Aliens take over the Enterprise for their own purposes.  I have no problem with that.  It had been done before on the show and would be done again.  Having said that I could not quite wrap my head around the concept of acceleration of a body even the aliens on their own world.  

 

 

  Enterprise Crew : An uneventful episode.  Nothing stood out from a positive or negative.

 

 

  Writing : Having a female antagonist allows Kirk to do what he does best.  Seduction.  But by this point the concept is shop worn.  It would have been better to have not gone this route in terms of setting up the story but would have challenged the staff to fill the time with different material.  I'm not sure that anything better could have been devised unfortunately.

 

 

  Music : Pretty much recycled material.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The Scalosian city in the remaster.  

 

 

  Summary : A feeling we have seen this before albeit with a new twist.  The science behind the premise (acceleration) seems wobbly.  Kathie Browne oozes sex which makes this episode watchable.  I give it a D. 

Edited October 25, 2021 by RochesterRob

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

5 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  This week's review is of the episode Wink of an Eye airing this Wednesday Oct 27 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the Enterprise answers a distress call which turns out to be a trap.  This culminates with inadvertently bringing the aliens aboard who then install a suspended animation device to preserve the crew for various purposes including breeding.  Kirk uses his charm along with Spock using his analytic abilities to defeat the aliens including destroying the suspended animation device.

 

 

  Guest Stars : Kathie Browne as Deela.  Browne uses her feminine charms to apparently seduce Kirk which I'll admit had an effect on me as a kid.  Browne has had better roles on television including doing a multiple episode arc on Bonanza as a love interest of Adam.  In real life she was married to Darren McGavin of The Night Stalker fame.  Jason Evers as  Rael a member of the alien task force.  Does his part in displaying jealousy in terms of Deela throwing affection towards Kirk.  Evers had a long career on 1960's and 1970's television.  He also was in movies such as The Green Berets which costarred George Takei.    I just saw him on a Quincy ME episode last week.

 

 

  Plot : Aliens take over the Enterprise for their own purposes.  I have no problem with that.  It had been done before on the show and would be done again.  Having said that I could not quite wrap my head around the concept of acceleration of a body even the aliens on their own world.  

 

 

  Enterprise Crew : An uneventful episode.  Nothing stood out from a positive or negative.

 

 

  Writing : Having a female antagonist allows Kirk to do what he does best.  Seduction.  But by this point the concept is shop worn.  It would have been better to have not gone this route in terms of setting up the story but would have challenged the staff to fill the time with different material.  I'm not sure that anything better could have been devised unfortunately.

 

 

  Music : Pretty much recycled material.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The Scalosian city in the remaster.  

 

 

  Summary : A feeling we have seen this before albeit with a new twist.  The science behind the premise (acceleration) seems wobbly.  Kathie Browne oozes sex which makes this episode watchable.  I give it a D. 

 

Is that the one where Kirk and the female guest are in his quarters, and Kirk is just putting his boots back on?

 

I still can't believe they slipped that one past network censors.

[RochesterRob]

47 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Is that the one where Kirk and the female guest are in his quarters, and Kirk is just putting his boots back on?

 

I still can't believe they slipped that one past network censors.

  I think so but I will have to check just to be sure. 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

19 minutes ago, RochesterRob said:

  I think so but I will have to check just to be sure. 

 

It is.

 

I can never remember if that's from "Wink of an Eye" or "By Any Other Name."

[devnull]

2 hours ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Is that the one where Kirk and the female guest are in his quarters, and Kirk is just putting his boots back on?

 

I still can't believe they slipped that one past network censors.

I'm surprised that scene has survived the #metoo purges 

[Koko]

40 minutes ago, devnull said:

I'm surprised that scene has survived the #metoo purges 

 

Why? Good foot hygiene is a universal constant.

[Fansince88]

On 10/15/2021 at 8:57 AM, B-Man said:

 

 

He brought back a sleeslack? 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

14 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

He brought back a sleeslack? 

 

Sleestak.

 

Fun fact: sleestak were created by the same guy that created tribbles for Star Trek.

[devnull]

6 hours ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Sleestak.

 

Fun fact: sleestak were created by the same guy that created tribbles for Star Trek.

 

How do you "create tribbles"?  I'm guessing he probably got the idea from his cats?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

2 minutes ago, devnull said:

 

How do you "create tribbles"? 

 

 

Mostly, you read Heinlein's The Rolling Stones as a kid.

[RochesterRob]

  This week's review is of the episode That Which Survives airing Wednesday Nov 3 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the Enterprise is drawn to investigate a planet that has features not commensurate with its age.  Unknown to the Enterprise crew to this point a defense computer exists there which transports the Enterprise 1000 light years distant plus leaves the landing party vulnerable to attack and death.  Just in the nick of time Scott and Spock devise a solution to the run away warp engines which has the bonus of running the Enterprise back to the previously mentioned planet.  Kirk, McCoy, and Sulu elude their attacker until Spock arrives to save them then all is well.

 

 

  Guest Stars : Lee Meriwether as Losira an advanced hologram if you will.  I think that Meriwether does well for a role that a number of actors would not take all that seriously.  Never mind wear that costume.  If you look at her face each time she utters "I am for you ...." she shows signs of regret.  Subtle but there.  Arthur Batanides as D'Amato an Enterprise geologist.  Does fairly well with the limited time he has (his character is killed off early on in the episode).  Given Batanides was a character actor that usually played thugs he had me believing that he was a scientist.  His kids have related that this appearance on Star Trek was his favorite.  Kenneth Washington as assistant engineer Watkins.  Good work with Scotty protesting double checking the boards.  Washington would shortly move onto Hogan's Heroes where he would take over for Ivan Dixon.  

 

 

  Plot : The Enterprise is more or less run through a transporter.  A seal of an "incision" repairs the warp engines so they no longer run wild.  So Losira can't figure out that the transport will in theory doom the ship?  So it really does not require her to sabotage the matter/ anti-matter integrator.  Maybe just insurance to sabotage but yet fixing the integrator is not posited as a solution?  Losira can only take on one intruder at a time initially?  Were intruders supposed to be frightened off by Losira's first attack?  What if there were 50 Klingons running around on that planet?

 

 

  Enterprise Crew : Everybody gets something to do plus are vital to the outcome.  Even the sub female helms-person gets to make a note about a positional change.  In particular a good episode for Kirk and Scott.  We get to see sometimes that pressure can weigh on us such as it was with Scotty and his magnetic field tool.

 

 

  Writing : Losira is written as this substantial threat aided by computer but yet Kirk can elude her for presumably many hours?  Her capabilities should have been reduced to make Kirk's hold out more believable.  An experiment was done here to make Spock prone to irritation such as working with Scott plus getting irritated over precise measure of distance with the female helm officer.  I guess it could be chalked up to his human half rising up to the top.  With the threat of the Enterprise blowing up that even Vulcans can be vulnerable to pressure?   Seems like filler was needed in having so much time spent on the planet scenes?  Sulu being disrupted in his shoulder a particular offense.  The way he acted you would have thought it was a mild bee sting after a few minutes.   

 

 

  Music : Recycled but well used.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The planet in the remaster.

 

 

  Costume spotlight : I really did not like how they outfitted Meriwether.  The costume looked like it had been pulled from the I Dream of Jeannie wardrobe department.  A body suit seemed more appropriate plus would have gotten the sex appeal across that the producers desired.  

 

 

  Summary : A balanced performance by Merriwether.  A problem with the Enterprise engines running wild.  An experiment with Spock's demeanor.  In the end an episode that exceeds the sum of its parts.  I give it a B - as I am feeling generous this morning.

Edited November 1, 2021 by RochesterRob

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

3 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  This week's review is of the episode That Which Survives airing Wednesday Nov 3 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the Enterprise is drawn to investigate a planet that has features not commensurate with its age.  Unknown to the Enterprise crew to this point a defense computer exists there which transports the Enterprise 1000 light years distant plus leaves the landing party vulnerable to attack and death.  Just in the nick of time Scott and Spock devise a solution to the run away warp engines which has the bonus of running the Enterprise back to the previously mentioned planet.  Kirk, McCoy, and Sulu elude their attacker until Spock arrives to save them then all is well.

 

 

  Guest Stars : Lee Meriwether as Losira an advanced hologram if you will.  I think that Meriwether does well for a role that a number of actors would not take all that seriously.  Never mind wear that costume.  If you look at her face each time she utters "I am for you ...." she shows signs of regret.  Subtle but there.  Arthur Batanides as D'Amato an Enterprise geologist.  Does fairly well with the limited time he has (his character is killed off early on in the episode).  Given Batanides was a character actor that usually played thugs he had me believing that he was a scientist.  His kids have related that this appearance on Star Trek was his favorite.  Kenneth Washington as assistant engineer Watkins.  Good work with Scotty protesting double checking the boards.  Washington would shortly move onto Hogan's Heroes where he would take over for Ivan Dixon.  

 

 

  Plot : The Enterprise is more or less run through a transporter.  A seal of an "incision" repairs the warp engines so they no longer run wild.  So Losira can't figure out that the transport will in theory doom the ship?  So it really does not require her to sabotage the matter/ anti-matter integrator.  Maybe just insurance to sabotage but yet fixing the integrator is not posited as a solution?  Losira can only take on one intruder at a time initially?  Were intruders supposed to be frightened off by Losira's first attack?  What if there were 50 Klingons running around on that planet?

 

 

  Enterprise Crew : Everybody gets something to do plus are vital to the outcome.  Even the sub female helms-person gets to make a note about a positional change.  In particular a good episode for Kirk and Scott.  We get to see sometimes that pressure can weigh on us such as it was with Scotty and his magnetic field tool.

 

 

  Writing : Losira is written as this substantial threat aided by computer but yet Kirk can elude her for presumably many hours?  Her capabilities should have been reduced to make Kirk's hold out more believable.  An experiment was done here to make Spock prone to irritation such as working with Scott plus getting irritated over precise measure of distance with the female helm officer.  I guess it could be chalked up to his human half rising up to the top.  With the threat of the Enterprise blowing up that even Vulcans can be vulnerable to pressure?   Seems like filler was needed in having so much time spent on the planet scenes?  Sulu being disrupted in his shoulder a particular offense.  The way he acted you would have thought it was a mild bee sting after a few minutes.   

 

 

  Music : Recycled but well used.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The planet in the remaster.

 

 

  Costume spotlight : I really did not like how they outfitted Meriwether.  The costume looked like it had been pulled from the I Dream of Jeannie wardrobe department.  A body suit seemed more appropriate plus would have gotten the sex appeal across that the producers desired.  

 

 

  Summary : A balanced performance by Merriwether.  A problem with the Enterprise engines running wild.  An experiment with Spock's demeanor.  In the end an episode that exceeds the sum of its parts.  I give it a B - as I am feeling generous this morning.

 

That Which Survives was written by Dorothy Fontana, who as a writer or script consultant contributed to half the series' episodes.  She's also considered to have created most of the Vulcan "culture" you hear about in TOS.

 

But was credited as "D.C. Fontana" or "Michael Richards," as apparently she couldn't get credited as a woman back then. 

[RochesterRob]

  This week's review will be of the episode All Our Yesterdays airing Wednesday Nov 10 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the star Beta Niobe is in the process of a nova and the Enterprise investigates one of the orbiting planets to alert the inhabitants.  Through a mishap Kirk then Spock and McCoy enter a time travel device to past eras of the planet trapping them short term.  Kirk makes contact with an inhabitant who is from the current era to effect an escape.  Back in the present Kirk finds Spock and McCoy to get them into the present to escape as the star destroys the planet while in full nova. 

 

 

  Guest Stars : Mariette Hartley as Zarabeth an exile from the present sent to an ice age era of the planet.  Does well to be seductive towards Spock.  Most famous for the Polaroid commercials from the 1970's that she did with James Garner.  A fair number of my mother's family was employed at Kodak in Rochester, NY so I was not allowed to enjoy the commercials too much.  Ian Wolfe as Mr Atoz a librarian in charge of live records of the planets past.  Not a lot to do here but Wolfe does not drop the ball.  Of course Atoz is a pun in reference to the character's career.  Some of Wolfe's best work was on shows like Bonanza playing character's such as a corrupt banker.  Too bad Star Trek never gave him a role to sink his teeth into.   Don't blink or you will miss Johnny Haymer who was Sgt Zale on MASH as a constable here. 

 

 

  Plot : Which I have been saving details of from the guest star section revolves around a device called an Atavachron which prepares a person for the era of which they are to live in.  Once prepared the person can not return to the present without imminent death.  The Enterprise landing party was not prepared by the device so the need to get to the present becomes more imperative.  I found the device as a cheat in terms of the story.  Spock reverts to the behavior of his barbaric ancestors because of the lack of preparation.  This is to advance the idea that perhaps he remains in the past because his behavior will accept nothing else.  This is the first and last time we hear about the need for a time traveler needing to physically and mentally adapt to the era they are traveling to.  

 

 

  Enterprise Crew :  I enjoyed Shatner in this especially in dealing with the people he comes in contact with which is during a Salem Witch Trial era of the planet's past.  The Spock-McCoy feud writes a new chapter as McCoy points out that all of a sudden Spock is forced to face emotions that he previously kept well suppressed.  Scott keeps communicator contact to remind us that there is urgency to get the crew back to the ship.

 

 

  Writing : While the Spock-McCoy interaction was some of the better that the series had to offer I thought that Spock's interaction with Zarabeth was fairly drippy even given that there was a plot device to support it.  While a fair amount of Star Trek's background characters were short change in dialogue the supporting players in Kirk's witch trial era had a lot to do.  Some of the time spent in the library felt like filler to me.  Maybe if the show was not stripped budget wise maybe we could have seen more of the impending nova.

 

 

  Music : Reused material but effective.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The unfolding nova at the end in the remaster.  Some of the best material on display in the series for re-creations.

 

 

  Summary : Hartley is hot even if her work is limited.  The supporting players were very good in this episode.  Time travelers revert mentally to where they go if not prepared by a device.  All things considered this episode feels a little skimpy in terms of what it offered.  I give it a C.

Edited November 7, 2021 by RochesterRob

[B-Man]

 

 

On 11/7/2021 at 12:49 PM, RochesterRob said:

I give it a C.

 

 

Good review Rob (as always)

 

This is one episode that I never cared for.

 

[RochesterRob]

53 minutes ago, B-Man said:

 

 

 

 

Good review Rob (as always)

 

This is one episode that I never cared for.

 

  The truth for me is even though I am a huge fan of the series probably 1/3 of the episodes are not all that impressive then there are entries like The Lights of Zetar and The Children Shall Lead which are barely watchable for me.  So I will be handing out D's and F's before I get done.  Nonetheless I will review them all which will be a challenge due to the lack of depth of some of the episodes.  I'm hoping I can hit TTWT this time through for Ann.  I'm trying not to cherry pick so I don't ignore what I dislike.  

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

On 11/7/2021 at 12:49 PM, RochesterRob said:

  This week's review will be of the episode All Our Yesterdays airing Wednesday Nov 10 on WHEC 10.5 Rochester Heroes and Icons.  In short the star Beta Niobe is in the process of a nova and the Enterprise investigates one of the orbiting planets to alert the inhabitants.  Through a mishap Kirk then Spock and McCoy enter a time travel device to past eras of the planet trapping them short term.  Kirk makes contact with an inhabitant who is from the current era to effect an escape.  Back in the present Kirk finds Spock and McCoy to get them into the present to escape as the star destroys the planet while in full nova. 

 

 

  Guest Stars : Mariette Hartley as Zarabeth an exile from the present sent to an ice age era of the planet.  Does well to be seductive towards Spock.  Most famous for the Polaroid commercials from the 1970's that she did with James Garner.  A fair number of my mother's family was employed at Kodak in Rochester, NY so I was not allowed to enjoy the commercials too much.  Ian Wolfe as Mr Atoz a librarian in charge of live records of the planets past.  Not a lot to do here but Wolfe does not drop the ball.  Of course Atoz is a pun in reference to the character's career.  Some of Wolfe's best work was on shows like Bonanza playing character's such as a corrupt banker.  Too bad Star Trek never gave him a role to sink his teeth into.   Don't blink or you will miss Johnny Haymer who was Sgt Zale on MASH as a constable here. 

 

 

  Plot : Which I have been saving details of from the guest star section revolves around a device called an Atavachron which prepares a person for the era of which they are to live in.  Once prepared the person can not return to the present without imminent death.  The Enterprise landing party was not prepared by the device so the need to get to the present becomes more imperative.  I found the device as a cheat in terms of the story.  Spock reverts to the behavior of his barbaric ancestors because of the lack of preparation.  This is to advance the idea that perhaps he remains in the past because his behavior will accept nothing else.  This is the first and last time we hear about the need for a time traveler needing to physically and mentally adapt to the era they are traveling to.  

 

 

  Enterprise Crew :  I enjoyed Shatner in this especially in dealing with the people he comes in contact with which is during a Salem Witch Trial era of the planet's past.  The Spock-McCoy feud writes a new chapter as McCoy points out that all of a sudden Spock is forced to face emotions that he previously kept well suppressed.  Scott keeps communicator contact to remind us that there is urgency to get the crew back to the ship.

 

 

  Writing : While the Spock-McCoy interaction was some of the better that the series had to offer I thought that Spock's interaction with Zarabeth was fairly drippy even given that there was a plot device to support it.  While a fair amount of Star Trek's background characters were short change in dialogue the supporting players in Kirk's witch trial era had a lot to do.  Some of the time spent in the library felt like filler to me.  Maybe if the show was not stripped budget wise maybe we could have seen more of the impending nova.

 

 

  Music : Reused material but effective.

 

 

  Special effects bonus : The unfolding nova at the end in the remaster.  Some of the best material on display in the series for re-creations.

 

 

  Summary : Hartley is hot even if her work is limited.  The supporting players were very good in this episode.  Time travelers revert mentally to where they go if not prepared by a device.  All things considered this episode feels a little skimpy in terms of what it offered.  I give it a C.

While I never thought much of the episode, it did result in one of the better early Star Trek novelizations: Yesterday's Son by A.C. Crispin.