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.

[PowerBook Pete, the Mad Mod]

"That'll do, Spock. That'll do."

[Doctor Hmmm?]

Awesome

[Henry R. Kujawa]

Someone at another board said they thought it was a shame I skipped BREAD AND CIRCUSES.  Here's my reply...

Logan Ramsey's character is a total bastard on every level. He claims he wants to make sure the Federation does not interfere with his planet, therefore, he wants his planet existence kept secret from them. He's full of S***!!! Forcing an entire crew of the Federation's virtual flagship to their deaths is only sure to bring more Federation ships. I believe the truth is, he's having trouble filling the arena with victims, and he saw the Enterprise as a fresh supply. Dramatically, it is a crime that his character DIDN'T somehow get killed by the end of the story.

With the emphasis in certain episodes (but only certain ones) on the "non-interference" directive, it should have been obvious that the best way to prevent Kirk from interfering in his planet's culture would be to just LET HIM GO. After all, in such episodes as THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS and THE APPLE, it was specifically a threat to The Enterprise that caused Kirk to violate the Prime Directive.

Some episodes grow on me over the years. This was a rare one that got WORSE with each viewing.

In the old days before videotape machines, you'd be at the mercy of whatever was being run. If you turned on a show at random, it often seemed like the ones you hated were always on! After decades (I got my 1st VCR in late 1979) I still get a charge out of being able to watch shows I have in my collection anytime I want... or not. I've often said, when you have a complete set, it's easier to put up with the bad ones, because you know you can watch ALL of them. But having watched EVERY episode of STAR TREK in my collection a year or two back... even the really bad ones... I just see no "need" to do it again now.

Hey-- I skipped THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER this time!!!

[Kirk G]

I'll grant you that one, Henry.  I think the premise of what they had constructed, or could have constructed would have been of interest.

Henry R. Kujawa said:

What further bugs me-- now-- about ST 2, is it takes the one really interesting idea of "Space Seed"-- Khan & his people carving out a new planet for themselves-- and throws it away before the story even starts--  in order to create a "revenge" story.  Looking back, I see the whole thing as just wasted potential.

[Henry R. Kujawa]

Just re-reading the reviews, which is more pleasant than watching the story.  And I'm reminded, I did write a review of this one, 2 years ago.

Roman Empire Ratmaze, 18 January 2010

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This has been one of my LEAST-favorite ST episodes since I saw it first-run. There's a number of reasons for it, but the main one is probably that it's what I like to describe as a "rat-maze" episode. That is, from the beginning, the main characters find themselves trapped, they're stymied at every turn, nothing they do can get them out of it, and they just--BARELY--escape with their lives at the very end, and in this case, not even thru their own efforts. Even without the arrogance of the Procounsel, the violence and the constant threat of death, that would have already made this one of the most unpleasant episodes in ST history.

For a real sense of history regarding the series' development, one should watch B&C in production order. It was actually made before the other "parallel Earth" stories (A PIECE OF THE ACTION, PATTERNS OF FORCE, THE OMEGA GLORY), the other "gladiator" story (THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELLION) and the one where McCoy & Spock really get "personal" (THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME). As it happens, the 1st "parallel Earth" story written was THE OMEGA GLORY (one of the 3 scripts offered as the 2nd pilot), while MIRI was the first made (and if you note the similarities between them, it suggests OMEGA was drastically re-written to become MIRI... but then, sadly, filmed later anyway in its original form). The next "parallel Earth" story, RETURN OF THE ARCHONS, only fits that category for its clothing & architecture, but it was the 1st to really make a big deal of "The Prime Directive".

So Gene Roddenberry repeats himself with another "parallel Earth" here, this time noting the continents are different, but making too big a deal about the natives speaking English (when we've already seen countless other aliens speaking English!!!).

I'd forgotten Ian Wolfe was in this one as the aged leader of the runaways slaves. He'd return in a more annoying fashion as "Mr. Atoz" in ALL OUR YESTERDAYS.

Rhodes Reason (brother of lookalike Rex) made an imposing figure as the gladiator-turned-pacifist, forced to fight new friends. His next project after this was as UN submarine Commander Nelson in KING KONG ESCAPES!

Logan Ramsey will forever stick in my memory as Claudius, the ruler of this sick, depraved world. He's the other reason I genuinely HATE this story. For all the emphasis on the Prime Directive and "non-interference" in a world's development, and his twisting it to his own ends, claiming he wants to avoid "contamination" by "new ideas", his actions in this story make NO SENSE at all. He's clearly lying thru his teeth. Why? Simple. He wants to force Kirk to beam down all 450 crewmen, to either be assimilated-- or die. 450 of Starfleet's BEST would not simply die easily. If anything, they'd assimilate into the culture... and within a generation, hopelessly CONTAMINATE it with their "new ideas". If Claudius REALLY wanted to protect the status quo, he's simply get Kirk, Spock & McCoy to beam back to their ship and get the HELL out of there. After all, aren't they sworn NOT to interfere with his planet?? If you ask me, Claudius was just running out of victims for his gladiator combat TV show. If ever an "alien" citizen DESERVED to be vaporized in a phaser blast, I'd say he's it. B******!

As for the reference to Christianity, I suspect that may be why B&C was "held back" by the network and run next-to-next-to-last. (The listings here and elsewhere tend to be incorrect; FRIDAY'S CHILD, scheduled for December, was the victim of a last-minute pre-emption, and not run until March 22, 1968, a week after B&C!) The same thing happened when WKRP did an episode involving religion; CBS held it back until the end of the summer reruns!

[The Baron]

Journey to Babel:

Written by D.C. Fontana

Directed by Joseph Pevney

 

Synopsis:  Spock's parents show up for Parent/Teacher Night a diplomatic conference.

 

Thoughts:

1)I believe this is our first sight of their dress uniforms.

 

2)"How does that Vulcan salute go?"

 

3)I like the finger-touching thing between Sarek and Amanda.

 

4)"Captain, Ambassador Sarek and his wife are my parents."  I would've thought that was the sort of thing that Kirk would've already known.

 

5)Mark Lenard is excellent  as Sarek. You can really believe he's Spock's dad.

 

6)Miss Jane Wyatt (That's how she's credited) is also excellent as Amanda. It wouldn't've been all that long since she was in Father Knows Best, I expect alot of people would remember her from that. Perhaps Spock's distantly descended from the Andersons on his mother's side. (For that matter, perhaps Commissioner Hedford is, too!)

 

7)"Babel" strikes me as an unfortunate name for a diplomatic conference.

 

8)"Humans smile with so little provocation."

 

9)"He chose to devote his knowledge to Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy." The ungrateful punk!

 

10)"'Amanda'. I'm afraid you couldn't pronounce the Vulcan name."

 

11)"It's a better way than ours, but it's not easy."

 

12)We meet the Andorians and Tellarites here. I think this may be the only time we see them in the old show, although I gather Enterprise did more with them.

 

13)"After all, you're only a hundred and two."

 

14)"Tellarites do not argue for reasons. They simply argue."

 

15)"A teddy bear?" "Not precisely, Doctor. On Vulcan, the teddy bears are live, and they have six inch fangs."

 

16)"My father is quite capable of killing, logically and efficiently."

 

17)"I would estimate the odds..." "Please don't."

 

18)"Rigellian physiology is very similar to Vulcan."

 

19)"My people are a violent race, but we have no quarrel with Captain Kirk."

 

20)Spock was picked on a s akid? I would've thought that teasing was not logical.

 

21)"Tell them to take a good guess..."

 

22)"Emotional, isn't she?"  "She has always been that way." "Indeed - why did you marry her?" "At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do."

 

23)"Well, what do you know? I finally got the last word." Ha-ha-ha, you smug sack of crap.

 

Overall:

Another favorite episode, with alot of fun bits in.

[Doctor Hmmm?]

One of my all-time favorites.  The writing and acting here are as good as they get for this show.

[PowerBook Pete, the Mad Mod]

Going back to "Metamorphosis" for a moment, perhaps the producers of the enhanced content should've hired James Cromwell to come in and act out Corbett's scenes for inclusion in the episode. You know Lucas would've done it.

[Henry R. Kujawa]

In fact, STAR TREK (the tv series) is the "real" STAR TREK.  The movies are only a semi-legitimate spin-off.  TNG movies are an illegitemate spin-off, twice removed.

The "real" James T. Kirk would NEVER have allowed himself to be promoted to Admiral, and given up command of The Enterprise.  NEVER.

Nor, under ANY circumstances, would he have deliberately set The Enterprise to self-destruct. (I think we can just write-off one 3rd-season episode on that basis alone. What the HELL did Fred Freiberger know?)

: )

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Sigh. I’ve allowed myself to fall behind again. I had been all caught up reading this thread (up to “Mirror, Mirror” on page 22), with notes on Space Seed and Amok Time (from page 9) I wanted to turn into a post. Sigh. I’ll think I’ll forget about those, and catch up reading pages 22-27 now.

[The Baron]

PowerBook Pete, the Mad Mod said:

Going back to "Metamorphosis" for a moment, perhaps the producers of the enhanced content should've hired James Cromwell to come in and act out Corbett's scenes for inclusion in the episode. You know Lucas would've done it.

 

Lucas does alot of things.

[Kirk G]

I would have thought the dress uniforms might have shown up in Court marshall or the Cage part 1 or 2.... did anyone notice?