Star Trek TOS (Contains Spoilers)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Working my way through Star Trek Season 1.

Here are some ruminations.

Were No Man Has Gone Before.

When the Enterprise attempts to penetrate a space barrier, it is damaged and creates a potentially worse problem. Two crew members, including Kirk's best friend, gain psionic powers that are growing at a geometric rate. That leaves Captain Kirk with the difficult choice of either marooning them or killing before they get so powerful that they lose their humanity and become truly dangerous.

The pilot episode of what would become the most popular series of all time.

Shatner nails the role of James T. Kirk (named James R. Kirk in this pilot) in his first performance. In the other series the captains had to grow into their roles, but Shatner is Kirk from the getgo.

Nimoy is already pretty good as Spock. He's wearing a wrong color uniform though.

Sulu and Scotty are lyrking in the background and there is no Dr McCoy yet.

Gary Lockwood is suitably creepy as Gary Mitchell. (great make up effect)

3 dimensional chess is a stupid idea.

Alexander Courage's music is very effective, rather less thematic and subdued then what Fred Steiner and Sol Kaplan would do.

Wonderfull matte painting of Delta Vega.

The stunt doubles during the big fight look nothing like Shatner and Lockwood, hilarious.

[A24 4,338]

In the other series the captains had to grow into their roles, but Shatner is Kirk from the getgo.

This implies that the other captains were also striving to be Kirk. I think what you should say is, "Shatner was the captain from the getgo".

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I don't think Patrick Stewart ever tried to be Kirk.

[A24 4,338]

I don't think Patrick Stewart ever tried to be Kirk.

Exactly!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Corbomite Maneuver.

While exploring an uncharted region of space, the U.S.S. Enterprise comes upon an alien space buoy which is cube-shaped and spins, warning ships away and blocking the starship's path. Kirk's orders the phasers to destroy the buoy but immediately an alien's ship, the I.S.S. Fesarius, shaped like a large, glowing crystal traps the starship.

Fabulous episode with a really great xlylophone based theme for the Fesarias and the bouy.

Memorable role from Clint Howard (yes Richie Cunninham's brother)

Kirk calls the Enterprise a "United Earth ship", which is wrong, It's United Federation Of Planets jimbo.

For some reason Uhura is wearing a gold outfit instead of her usual red outfit.

The red one if definatly an improvement.

Docter McCoy is in the house and that is a good thing, because the relationship between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is what still makes Classic trek worthwhile.

I don't think Patrick Stewart ever tried to be Kirk.

Exactly!

Rumour has it Matt Damon will try to be James T. Kirk.

[Lurker 5]

Kirk calls the Enterprise a "United Earth ship", which is wrong, It's United Federation Of Planets jimbo.

Wait until you hear Spock being called a "Vulcanian".

Neil

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Mudd's Women

The U.S.S. Enterprise pursues an unknown ship into an asteroid belt to save its crew before it's destroyed. The four people aboard are beamed on to the U.S.S. Enterprise; former nemesis Harry Mudd and three beautiful, sultry women:

Not a very good episode IMO. Suffers from 60's sexism. And it's far to melodramatic.

The Enterprise losing power subplot seems far to forced.

Soft focus galore for nearly every close up of the women. (who are supposed to be irresistable, but really aren't)

The term jackass is used twice.

Roger C. Carmel is good as Harry Mudd, though he looks like he should be in a pirate film.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Mudd's Women

The U.S.S. Enterprise pursues an unknown ship into an asteroid belt to save its crew before it's destroyed. The four people aboard are beamed on to the U.S.S. Enterprise; former nemesis Harry Mudd and three beautiful, sultry women:

Not a very good episode IMO. Suffers from 60's sexism. And it's far to melodramatic.

The Enterprise losing power subplot seems far to forced.

Soft focus galore for nearly every close up of the women. (who are supposed to be irresistable, but really aren't)

The term jackass is used twice.

Roger C. Carmel is good as Harry Mudd, though he looks like he should be in a pirate film.

Hey you got the DVD's?

And you saw Mudd's Women.

Did you get it? The last big climactic speech at the end with the old/young woman and Kirk and Harry? It just went over my head. I can't even decide if it's outrageous or not...I have no idea what it all means.

And P.S. Notice Harry Mudd's physical acting...especially in later episodes....

Remind you of anyone, say a 60's Jack Sparrow perhaps?

[Indiana_Fett 0]

I hate the whole "OMG Where's teh medicine!1!??" scene.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The whole climax is rather pointless.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Enemy within

While orbiting the planet Alfa 177, the U.S.S. Enterprise experiences a transporter malfunction when Technician Fisher is beamed up from the planet with some magnetic ore on his clothing. Scotty checks the transporter and finds nothing wrong, so Captain Kirk beams aboard. Kirk leaves with his officers and when the transporter room is deserted, a second Kirk materializes on the pad.

The first evil twin Star Trek episode, and it's a classic.

Shatner, who was never know for subtlety in his acting pulls all the stops for evil Kirk, sweating, grunting, screaming and looking generally unpleasant.

Some easy plotting though, a panel that gets hit with phaser fire just happens to contain conduits vital for the transporter system.

Also during the final confrontation between the 2 Kirks they obviously flipped the picture. (Evil Kirk's face scratches are on the wrong side and you can see the bridge turbo lift doors in the back ground, this is incorrect!)

Spocks final comments to Janice Rand about evil Kirk are completely out of character.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

On a related note, the best music from the original series IMO would be heard in Season 2's "Catspaw"

[ST-321 4]

A suppose that all of the shuttlecraft were out for repair. Poor Sulu.

[Trent B 337]

I never really was into the Original Series that much. There are though quite a few episodes fom that series I really like a lot.

I have been meaning to get all the Trek series on DVD but Paraborg charges up the ass just for one season...

[Lurker 5]

A suppose that all of the shuttlecraft were out for repair.  Poor Sulu.

Five episodes into the series....there was no shuttlecraft yet.

Neil

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I don't think Patrick Stewart ever tried to be Kirk.

It would be fun to see him if he did.

Ozzel - who just got the Q Fan Collective DVD set in the mail.

[ST-321 4]

I have been meaning to get all the Trek series on DVD but Paraborg charges up the ass just for one season...

You got that right!

I have all of TOS, TNG, & DS9 on DVD. So far just 1 season of Voyager and Enterpirse.

Best on Stefancos' list so far: Corbomite Maneuver!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

what spoilers, the show is 40 years old, there are no spoilers. Even if the newbies have not seen it, there are no spoilers.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

If you have no knowledge of something and someone tells you the ending, of course that's a spoiler, Joe.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Man Trap

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at planet M-113 to deliver supplies to Dr. Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy, whom Doctor Leonard McCoy was once romantically involved with. M-113 is home to the Craters for five years, where they conducted an archeological survey of the planet's ruins. They are the only known inhabitants of the planet.

Crewmen Darnell and Sturgeon die even though he doesn't wear a red short, this is wrong!

Crewman Green dies while wearing a green shirt.

Luitenant Uhura leaves her duty station and walks over to Spock and flirts with him, is that really how serious, hardworking Starfleet personel behave?

The scene were Uhura is shocked at Spock's apparent lack of emotion after hearing that a member of the landing party has died is very good though.

The Captain's Log's mentions details that Kirk at that time does not know yet.

Sule definatly has some punky plants in his quarters. One of them is called gertrude and moves like a slightly to obvious hand puppet.

The Salt Vampire creature is a shapeshifter, but this episode is confusing in the way it changes shape.

In the opening, Kirk, Bones ans Darnell each see a different Nancy Crater, but during the rest of the episode everyone sees the creature in the same shape.

McCoy shoots a phaser twice at the Salt Vampire, the color of the ray is different, yet there is no indication McCoy changed the setting.

Shatner utters one of his classic screams.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

If you have no knowledge of something and someone tells you the ending, of course that's a spoiler, Joe.

thats your problem.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

How considerate.

[Ollie 1,059]

The Man Trap

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at planet M-113 to deliver supplies to Dr. Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy, whom Doctor Leonard McCoy was once romantically involved with. M-113 is home to the Craters for five years, where they conducted an archeological survey of the planet's ruins. They are the only known inhabitants of the planet.

Shatner utters one of his classic screams.

One of the hilights of the episode.

And Spock slapping or attempting to slap it around.

"She's not Nancy, doctor – if she were, could she take this?"

[codanai 0]

Mudd's Women

The U.S.S. Enterprise pursues an unknown ship into an asteroid belt to save its crew before it's destroyed. The four people aboard are beamed on to the U.S.S. Enterprise; former nemesis Harry Mudd and three beautiful, sultry women:

Did you get it? The last big climactic speech at the end with the old/young woman and Kirk and Harry? It just went over my head. I can't even decide if it's outrageous or not...I have no idea what it all means.

Harry Mudd: "There's only one kind

of woman ..."

Kirk: "Or man, for that matter.

You either believe in yourself

or you don't."

LOL

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The Naked Time.

Spock and Joe Tormolen beam down to planet Psi 2000 to pick up a research party before the planet disintegrates. They find everyone has died, frozen when life support was turned off. Even stranger, the positions of the researcher's bodies show they were out of their minds when they perished and some died by suicide.

Wonderfull episode!

Crewman Joe Tormolen is an idiot, he takes of the golve of his biosiut to scrath his nose (???), and puts the glove on to of a dead body.

Gets alien goo on his habd, then scratches his nose again before picking up his glove from the corpse and putting it back on.

He also tries to walk from the transporter pad before Scotty decontaminates him and Spock, what a nutter!

The first appearance of nurse Christine Chapel.

More insanity from Joe Tormolen, he tries to kill himself with a blunt breadknife!

The Irish ditty for Mr. O'Reilly reminds me of Williams' theme for Far And Away.

Musketeer Sulu is a hoot, I'm glad they resisted the obvious and didn't go for Ninja Sulu.

O'Reilly is a wonderfull character, A pity he didn't become a regular.

There is a 20 minute deadline to the destruction of the Enterprise, but as usual on TV the passage of time is handled poorly.

(Kirk runs from the bridge to engineering, has a concervation with Scootty and makes it back to the bridge in 3 minutes)

Shatner's sorrowfull declaration of love for The Enterprise is a preview of his later career as a camp performer, hilarious stuff.

Emotional Spock is great too.

A standard issue StarFleet shirt seems to rip rather easily.

This episode introduces the concept of Time Warp, which was used in another 1 or 2 episodes of this series and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

The idea was descarted for the sequel series though, which relied on more convoluted methods of timetravel.

[Lurker 5]

Reilly is a wonderfull character, A pity he didn't become a regular.

He turns up one more time!

Neil

[ST-321 4]

The Naked Time is great! - even if you have no beach to walk on.

[Indiana_Fett 0]

I prefer The Naked Now.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There's always one....

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

After TOS you better watch TNG and DS9....

[pi 0]

Contains spoilers from nearly 40 years ago

[Indiana_Fett 0]

Contains spoilers from nearly 40 years ago

Thank you, but the thread title clearly states that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

After TOS you better watch TNG and DS9....

Why is that?

[Indiana_Fett 0]

I find TNG to be a great Trek series, if not the best.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I find 24th Century era Trek television to be really corny. Though the vast majority of Voyager and the TNG films seem to escape this embarassment. I honestly never saw the appeal of Deep Space "The Days of Our Lives" Nine.

This isn't to say the original series was perfect, but damn, it had character.

[A24 4,338]

How are the colors, Stefancos? Are they as saturated on DVD as I remember them on TV?

Damn, those colors!

Alex

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

How are the colors, Stefancos? Are they as saturated on DVD as I remember them on TV?

Damn, those colors!

Alex

Well the show aired at a time where color TV's were coming in, and studios were trying to capitalize on that, so everything was colorful...just like every other show.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Charlie X

Charles Evans, the lone survivor of a crashed colonizing expedition to the planet Thasus, comes aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise from the S.S. Antares. But when the Antares' Captain Ramart contacts Kirk in regards to Charlie, the Antares suddenly explodes.

Charlie shows not only a lack of grief for the people who had become his benefactors, but almost an indifference toward their deaths. He seems only concerned that his new "family" like and accept him. Unfortunately, teenage hormones and an isolated upbringing make that difficult.

Once again Yeoman Rand vinds herself the victim of male harrasment, how much does a serious career women have to put up with.

I love the look on Grace Lee Whitney's face when Charlie askes her if she is a girl.

In the early part of the episode Charlie kinda reminds me of Wesley Crusher in the first season of TNG. The same empty grin, the same needy behaviour.

Interesting, the very ancient game of chess gets replaced by a 3D version, but regular cardgames still excist?

What's with all the singing in this episode? It's kinda pshychedelic.

Kirk's attempt to be fatherly and try to explain why you can't slap a women's bottom is very funny.

Fred Steiner's score is surprisingly good.

The scene in the gymn were Charlie suddenly becomes dangerous is very well lit.

It seems the doors on the crews private quarters don't have locks, anyone can go inside at any time.

Lovely sentimental ending were Charlie begs Kirk to let him stay....stay....stay....stay....

Not the best episode, but a good one.

How are the colors, Stefancos? Are they as saturated on DVD as I remember them on TV?

Damn, those colors!

Alex

Like a technicolor candy kane.

The set designers must have used a little too much LDS.

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Balance Of Terror.

a Romulan warbird attacks and destroys Outpost 4, which guards the Neutral Zone between Federation and Romulan space. Kirk learns that the Romulan ship has also destroyed three other outposts and is now running at full speed towards home.

The U.S.S. Enterprise pursues the warbird, hampered by the fact that the Romulans have constructed an invisibility screen which shields them from view. While the screen protects the Romulans from detection visually, it also prevents them from using their weapons or visual aids. The Romulan Commander, therefore, isn't sure whether his sensors are detecting a Federation ship in pursuit or a harmless space echo.

This is one of the best episodes, good script, well acted, very tense with a real sense os urgency.

The traditional wedding march survives and is still used far in the future.

After seeing that the Romulans look just like Mr Spock, Crewman Styles displays a healthy dose of racism. This is very well staged.

I'm sure this is modeled after the suspecion many Americans had towards Asians during WWII.

A classic case of viewscreen footage without any clear source.

In the beginning of the episode Space Station 4 is under attack from a Romulan Warbird, The station commender patches their viewscreen image to the Enterprise so it can obsrve.

The Romulan Warbird destroys the Space Station, yet the Enterprise still recieves the patches through footage of the Warbird going into cloak.

(another classic example of this is the Bond film You Only Live Twice, were in Blofelds control room there is a TV monitor displaying what's going on in outer space, even though there could not possible be a camera there)

Mr Styles suggests that there may be Romulan spies aboard the Enterprise, this is before they discover what Romulans look like.

There are no families or children on this Enterprise, everyone is a Starfleet officer, there is no reason to suspect anyone. I suppose that is the point of this character, but why is Sulu agreeing with him?

and why is Kirk going along with them?

Spock manages to lock into a signal from the Romulan vessel and get a view of their bridge. He is also able to do a dramatic zoom in on the first shot of Mark Lenards face.

When confronted with the appearance of the Romulan Commander, Spock raises 2 eyebrows, not one.

The theme for the Romulans is very good.

The Phaser controls burn out at one point, for some reason these controls are situated at Mr Spocks station???

Since the episode just showed a seperate phaser crew on a different deck firing the phasers, this really does not make any sense (save for obvious dramatic purposes).

The Enterprise has no phasers, but no one seems to think about the photon torpedoes.

Actually everyone is talking about firing phasers, but the footage only shows The Enterprise firing photon torpedoes... oops.

Mark Lenard turns in a fine performance as the series first Romulan, he would exceed this performance when he was cast as Sarek, Spock's father.

[Trent B 337]

Actually everyone is talking about firing phasers, but the footage only shows The Enterprise firing photon torpedoes... oops.

Well that's what happens when you re-use stock footage.

By the way are you viewing these in order?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I was about to say, you're not watching in broadcast order.

Loser.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm viewing these in order of production, not the original airdate order.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I'm viewing these in order of production, not the original airdate order.

Airdate order is more fun. One episode has no shuttle, the one before has shuttles!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Airdate order is...illogical!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives in orbit around Exo III, to search for exobiologist Dr. Roger Korby. When Kirk asks Spock if Korby could possibly still be alive, Spock glances at Christine, then quietly shuts off his monitor. Christine Chapel, McCoy's chief nurse, is Korby's fiancé. Chapel had signed on with the U.S.S. Enterprise in the hope of finding him. Korby is known as the "Pasteur of archeological medicine."

At Dr. Korby's request, only Kirk and a very excited Christine Chapel beam down to the planet. They find the doctor living in an underground cavern built by what is known as "The Old Ones," the extinct natives of Exo III. He tells them that he discovered the caverns while suffering from severe frostbite, five years before.

The second episode to feature a duplicate James Kirk of some sort.

This must be the first episode were a security officer wearing a red shirt dies.

Sherry Jackson as Andrea is one of the most beautiful women to have acted in the original series.

It's a pity Dr. Korby never spoke with Dr Noonian Soong. Data might have looked more...fascinating.

Galant and couragous Captain Kirk uses a women as a living shield?

The pink/purple colorscheme for this episode is hilarious, very 1960's.

During the transformation, the transition of the man-shaped piece of paper mache to the duplicate Kirk is absolutely seamless, very well done.

When trying to escape from the Android Giant Ruk, Captain Kirk seems to be holding what eeehhh...appears to be a...

Well see for yourself.....

Dagger Of The Mind.

When Dr. Simon van Gelder of the psychiatric staff at the Tantalus Penal Colony escapes to the U.S.S. Enterprise exhibiting signs of manic insanity, an enraged McCoy insists that Kirk investigate the colony. The Captain reminds McCoy of Tantalus' excellent reputation, but McCoy is unconvinced.

Kirk and Dr. Helen Noel, the U.S.S. Enterprise's psychiatrist, tour the facility. They discover that the Colony director, Dr. Tristan Adams, has been using a brainwashing device, the neural neutralizer, to control not only the colony's inmates, but his staff as well

Viewed in production order is's very apparent that many plot elements from this episode are similar or identical to the previous episode.

A legendary scientist on a isolated planet abusing his powers.

Kirk and a female scientist beaming down together. Kirk used for an experiment.

This is not a bad episode, but most of it it's not particulary memorable either. (this episode does intoduce the Vulcan Mind Meld.)

Marianna Hill is good though as Dr. Helen Noel.

Dr Adams is evil, but we are never given an explanation why he's resorted to alering the minds of his staff.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

When trying to escape from the Android Giant Ruk, Captain Kirk seems to be holding what eeehhh...appears to be a...

Well see for yourself.....

[pi 0]

There are some definite babes on this show. There must have been plenty of wardrobe malfunctions from the low budgit. Good old studio 7/8.

[ST-321 4]

Hey Stefancos, when you finish TOS will you then move on to this?

Back on subject, Dr. Helen Noel was a hottie. She was a good reason for the mini-skirt uniform!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Miri.

The U.S.S. Enterprise answers an old distress signal to find an unnamed planet that is almost an exact duplicate of Earth in the 1960s. A landing party beams down and discovers that 300 years before, the natives of the planet conducted experiments to prolong life, but had instead created a deadly virus. The virus killed all adults by rapid aging and madness. In children, the virus slowed the natural aging process greatly, leaving them in a state of prepubescence for centuries.

Solid episode.

One does have to wonder. This starts out with The Enterprise finding a planet that looks identical to Earth in every detail, but after they beam down, nothing is done with this and instead the focus shifts to the plot of the virus.

(understand that this was a low budget show and that's why the town they beamed down to looks suspiciously like a Hollywood back lot...but still...)

Good acting by Kim Darby as Miri.

The Conscience of the King

Twenty-two years before stardate 2817.6, the governor of Tarsus IV, Kodos, evoked emergency martial law and ordered half of the planet's population executed. His intent was to address a severe food shortage on Tarsus IV, and it earned him the name "Kodos the Executioner." It was believed that Kodos died on the planet, but there is some belief that he may have escaped and assumed another identity.

James Kirk, Lt. Kevin Riley, and Dr. Thomas Leighton are the only surviving witnesses to Kodos' previous evil deeds; others who might have known Kodos have been mysteriously killed in various accidents.

A traveling theatrical troupe arrives at Planet Q, and a Dr. Leighton contacts the U.S.S. Enterprise regarding a new synthetic food concentrate. When he is beamed aboard, he tells Kirk that his real reason for contacting him was to tell the captain that he suspects Anton Karidian, the head actor in the theater troupe, is really Kodos.

Good to see classical theatre has not died in the 23th century.

The acting by both guest stars is very good, a bit theatrical perhaps, but given the subject matter that is understandable.

Plenty of plot errors though. Supposedly only 9 people can identify Kodos, even though he has the leader of a colony of 8000, of which he killed 4000. Now I'm not good with math, but 4000 - 4000 is not 9.

Kirk is supossedly a survivor of these killings? Was Kirk a Colonist? Why is this not explained? Why is this not mentioned in any other episode or film?

Uhura sings in this episode, and does so rather well

O'Reilly's milk seems to get poisened with the same kind of spray we use in this century to water our plants.

The Galileo Seven

On its way to deliver medical supplies to plague-ridden Makus III, the U.S.S. Enterprise passes Murasaki 312. Since they are under Starfleet orders to inspect galactic phenomena such as this quasarlike star group, McCoy, Spock, Scott and four crewmen take a shuttlecraft, the Galileo, for a closer look.

Without warning, the shuttlecraft is pulled off course and out of sensor range of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Spock manages to crash land the shuttle on a foggy, rocky area of Taurus II which is inhabited by giant, hostile humanoids. Between attacks by the war-like residents and quarrels among themselves, the crew attempts to repair the shuttle and get off the planet.

Very good episode.

I like the way Spock's use of logic is unable to help him in determining the correct way to deal with these caveman/giant things.

And the way Spock logically decides to act in an inlogical manner by dumping the fuel is brilliant.

The shuttle craft is sent to study a Quasar, some type of spacial anomaly. Why are Doctor McCoy and Scotty among the crew?

2 people get killed on the planet, yet both wear green uniforms, not red ones, this is incorrect! (I hope the new and improved CGI version will correct this.)

High Commissioner Ferris is a bit to obvious a plot device, giving The Enterprise a false deadline to find the shuttlecraft and it's crew.

The size of the caveman/giants seems inconsistant throughout the episode.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Oh, right, there was Trek on the Beeb last night, wasn't there?

Oh well.