The Baron Watches Star Trek (SPOILERS)

[The Baron]

What I've got is the new releases with the enhanced special effects - I'll comment on these as best I can, shame I haven't got the originals to compare and contrast, but such is life. I put up the "spoiler" just on the off chance that there's someone here that hasn't seen all these a million times - you never know, I suppose.

[Kirk G]

I've been spending my Sunday afternoon flipping through my Atlast masterworks books and have succeeded in convincing myself that no good idea is ever thrown away, only recycled and beaten to death, sometimes multiple times by the bullpen.

 

Most recently, we've been talking about the concept of the  "Le Terrible Infant" being recycled again and again, and I have found yet another instance of it inTales of Suspense #6...."I Hear it Howl in the Swamp".

Now, I'm certain that there are others... in fact, I also found a story that relies on the resolution of FF #23's The Terrible Infant but for a different problem...the monster was not a bad behaving infant, but instead, was a criminal, and the main character "calls to outer space for help" and the "authorities" arrive to save the day.  Very similar plot, just a little twist.

 

This type of  thing is so common that I started making a list, and found examples of Ben Grimm's transformation in the Thing and back again, drawn by Jack Kirby, a few years before the FF debut.  Also, There are at least two images of Dr. Doom that were combined to create the image of the monarch/villain that we are all familar with today.  And just as Reed Richards impersonates a Skrull to ward off the invasion in FF #2, the same tactic is used exactly, in Tales to Astonish #33, by an actor who impersonates an alien scout and then reports back to the invasion force that it is hopeless to invade earth. The story is the cover story for "Dead Storage."

Perhaps I'll just take my growing list over to the Atlas Masterworks discussion forum and list it there, so as not to derail the discussion of Star Trek here.

[Kirk G]

You're going to have to supply us with Teri Garr's line, to refresh some of our memories, Richard.

(You're not referring to 'Vould you like to go for a roll in the hay? Wheee...wheee...whee..")

Richard Willis said:

"Mister Spock, you're the most cold-blooded man I've ever known." "Why, thank you, Doctor."

In the Captain Comics tradition of Blazing Saddles references, this reminds me of Teri Garr's line in Young Frankenstein.

[Henry R. Kujawa]

"You're going to have to supply us with Teri Garr's line, to refresh some of our memories"

Try this one...

"Quick-- suck it before the venom reaches my heart."

"WHAT heart?"

[Philip Portelli]

We'll be talking about Terri Garr soon enough here anyway!

[The Baron]

Regarding "Court Martial", it occurs to me that Finney's plan is heavily reliant on him just happening to be at the top of the duty roster during an ion storm that just happened to be severe enough that Kirk would see a need to jettison the pod. Presumably, this was a plan that he had been preparing for awhile and was flexible enough to allow for whatever opportunity arose - that is, if it hadn't been an ion storm, it would have been some other emergency.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"Court Martial" has always been one of my favorite episodes, yet I have never seen it selected by fans in national or local polls for marathon showings. "The City on the Edge of Forever"? Always. "The Trouble with Tribbles"? Always. "Space Seed"? Always. [Before "The Wrath of Khan": never.] Boring and predictable.

 

I went to hear Gene Roddenberry speak publicly when I was in college. He was all in favor of the advances being made in computer technology at the time which is all well and good and to have been expected), but in the process he completely ran down books and (without mentionining it specifically), one of the main themes of this episode.

[The Baron]

The Return of the Archons:

Teleplay by Boris Sobelman/Story by Gene Roddenberry

Directed by Joseph Pevney

 

Synopsis: The one where Kirk talks a computer called Landru to death.

 

Thoughts:

1)"You are not of the body."  Takei plays "Spaced-out/possessed" well.

 

2)Another suspiciously Earth-like planet.

 

3)So "The Festival" equals "Spring Break"?

 

4)I love how Spock brings up the Prime Directive, and Kirk is like "It doesn't apply here because I said so."

 

5)"Isn't that somewhat old-fashioned?"

 

6)Landru's got manga hair.

 

7)The first of many computers that Kirk essentially talks to death.

 

8)"Landru, help me!"   "Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me, Landru, help, help me, Landru! Help me Landru,  yeah - get her out of my heart!"

 

9)"You'd make a splendid computer, Mister Spock."That is very kind of you, Captain."

 

Overall:

An OK episode - not an especial favorite of mine, but watchable. Lots of good "smiling, creepy people" acting in this.

[doc photo]

Jeff, if it makes you feel any better, I include "Court Martial" among my favorite first season episodes. Other personal favorites that we have covered so far that don't make "Best Of" lists - "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "Shore Leave" and "The Corbomite Maneuver".

[Henry R. Kujawa]

"The one where Kirk talks a computer called Landru to death."

"Leasure-- the inevitable by-product of our society. A new world in which the main concern will be how to amuse yourself. The tragedy of your times, my young friends, is that you may get exactly what you want."

--Charles MacCaluley

One of the early references to "The Prime Directive" (the concept introduced in "The Omega Glory", but that script had gotten rejected at the time!).  Like "Miri" (speaking of which), another episode which allowed them to cut the budget extensively by creating an "Earth-like" planet (thus, existing backlot sets). An interesting warning against the dangers of group-mind thought, so prevelent in too many religions, and CORPORATIONS. The world needs more individuals, not mindless followers.

This was the 2nd of 3 appearance on the show by actor Jon Lormer. (For some reason, his STAR TREK credits are not showing up when I looked him up at the IMDB.)

This also feature Torin Thatcher, who had appeared the previous year in the LOST IN SPACE episode "The Space Trader", and may be most famnous for THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, also WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION.

Charles MacCauley would return the following year in "Wolf In The Fold" (though for decades I never realized this). In the late 80's-early 90's he had a recurring role as the prosecutor in the last few PERRY MASON tv-movies.

[Richard Willis]

Gene Wilder: "What knockers!"
Teri Garr: "Why, thank you, doctor!"

I was unavailable to answer this yesterday. For anyone (anyone?) who hasn't seen YF, the doctor is looking at enormous door knockers at the time.

This was the 2nd of 3 appearance on the show by actor Jon Lormer. (For some reason, his STAR TREK credits are not showing up when I looked him up at the IMDB.)

I think IMDB (which I really like) is built with information from its users, like Wikipedia. I haven't looked into it, but I think anyone with knowledge of missing info can join and supply it.

[Henry R. Kujawa]

"I think anyone with knowledge of missing info can join and supply it."

Yes. I've contributed to both, but each has their own maddenningly complex ways of doing things.  In many ways, it's easier working thru Wikipedia's system, except where they insist on either verifying info from some other source, or, not allowing certain images.  (The former is especially annoying when you KNOW the source being cited is WRONG!)

That said, it's always surprising (to me) whewn something so simple and basic at the IMDB as actor credits have items missing.  I mean, you'd think with some proper kind of database program, that info entered into the system would show up from any direction.  In this particular example, Jon Lormer is listed under the STAR TREK episodes, but, his STAR TREK episodes are not listed under HIS listing. That's baffling!!  Who designs a set-up like that?

In case anyone's wondering, Jon Lormer is that short, skinny, weak-looking, inoffensive guy who was in "The Menagerie, Part 1", "The Return of the Archons" and "For The World Is Hollow, And I Have Touched The Sky".  In the 1st story, he didn't exist, and in the other 2, he was killed for "blasphemy" against a computer being worshipped as a god.

[Kirk G]

News flash:  Star Trek novel writer and comic author Peter David has suffered a stroke while vacationing in Florida.  Details at the top of the Forums list...