The Story of O: The Series Vol. 4 (DVD)

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 40, Episodes 79, 99 & 1: Turnabout Intruder/ The Cage (B&W/Color Version) / The Cage (Full Color Version)

Average customer rating:

Buy it for "The Cage"
And So it Ends, As It Begins!
5 stars--even "Turnabout Intruder" cannot take the shine off of "The Cage"!
Image what she could have been, if she were a woman.
The very first Star Trek story.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 40, Episodes 79, 99 & 1: Turnabout Intruder/ The Cage (B&W/Color Version) / The Cage (Full Color Version)
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
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Similar Items:

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 39, Episodes 77 & 78: The Savage Curtain / All Our Yesterdays
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 38 - Episodes 75 & 76: The Way to Eden / Requiem for Methuselah
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 37 - Episodes 73 & 74: The Lights of Zetar / The Cloud Minders
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 36, Episodes 71 & 72: Whom Gods Destroy/ The Mark of Gideon
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 35 - Episodes 69 & 70: That Which Survives/ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

ASIN: B00005QTAS
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Description

"Turnabout," Ep.79 - A female scientist, jealous of Kirk's career, uses an ancient alien device to trade places with him and take command of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series' final episode! "The Cage," Ep.99 (B&W and color) - The two versions of Star Trek's rarely seen pilot star Jeffrey Hunter as captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. On an earlier voyage of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise, Kirk's predecessor Captain Christopher Pike tries to rescue an Earth crew that disappeared eighteen years earlier. But it's a trap! Pike is imprisoned in a zoo-like cage and studied by a mysterious higher life-form. "The Cage" Ep.99 was reconstructed with black-and-white footage from Gene Roddenberry's work print and color footage from "The Menagerie" Ep.16. "The Cage" Ep.1 (Color) - This episode includes the long-lost color footage (believed to have been destroyed) from Gene Roddenberry's pilot episode. 185 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Buy it for "The Cage".......2007-05-17

The original Star Trek TOS pilot "The Cage" was the total embodiment of Gene Roddenberry's intended vision for Star Trek, before network tampering. One good example of this is the practical clothing for the women in "The Cage." They wore the same long pants and jackets as the men, which helped to elevate them above just being mere sex objects, to vital componets of the crew. Number One's (Majel Barrett) attire, for example. This attire was evident in the second pilot, as well. But I'm taking an educated guess that one of the conditions put forth by the network for Star Trek to be greenlighted as a series, was the women being transformed into mere leggy attractions, and relegated to waitress-like status, as evidenced by the impractical miniskirts they were required to wear in the series. Another requirement might've been a more pleasing, colorful asthetic look for the uniforms, and the sets, as evidenced by the brighter colors and lots of red and blues. And gone are the jackets, phaser holsters, landing party backpacks, etc., that were worn by Pike (Jeffery Hunter) and crew, in favor of the things we saw in the series, like phasers and communicators merely being stuck to a crewperson by velcro. I'm certain these changes for the series were not Roddenberry's idea. But "The Cage" is a great story, but it was enhanced even better when it was interwoven with "The Menagerie."

Not much to say about "Turnabout Intruder," except that it falls in with the many dull third season episodes. It was never one of my favorites. But it's "The Cage" that makes this 2-disc DVD worth a buy.

And So it Ends, As It Begins!.......2007-03-18

And so we come full circle with this the final volume of Classic Trek. This volume is clearly the best one not only of Season 3 but also stands among the best ever among all 3 seasons. Hence, if you are picking which volumes to keep, this one comes under the "must have at all costs" category.

In the first episode, "The Turnabout Intruder", we get a Gene Roddenberry credited story about women's lib and the injustice of gender discrimination which leads to desperation among women as they struggle for what's right. This story is important as it comes at a time when women's lib was a far cry from what it is today showing Gene as a prophet of sorts in championing its cause way back when. I thought the acting was very good and even William Shatner's impression of a slightly effeminate Kirk attempting to suppress his feminine tendencies so as not to arouse suspicion among the crew as worthy of mention. While it may not be among the very best of all TOS episodes, it certainly ranks among the top of a very poor 3rd season though.

And now for the creme de la creme of the volume, "The Cage" in two versions no less with Gene Roddenberry himself giving the introduction and the final thoughts on the first version while I thought the second version was restored very, very well both in picture and sound quality too. I have no doubt that had Jeffrey Hunter stayed on and not died an untimely death in real life, he would have been the best Captain the Enterprise ever had; he is by far the best actor of the lot and I include Patrick Stewart as well. Overall, the acting of all the cast including guest star Susan Oliver, John Hoyt, Peter Duryea and the rest is exceptional. Even the aliens sent shivers up my spine from their eerie looks to their malevalent stares unlike any of the other aliens from future episodes. I personally think that this is ironically the best ever Star Trek TOS episode even if Spock is the only character that remains in future episodes.

As Gene Roddenberry has long gone to the next life, this volume is even more a collector's item as it has his thoughts on the episode and on the impact TOS has had overall up to the mid-80s when this was shot. Overall, this is a must have volume for all Trek fans and indeed all fans of sci-fi television everywhere.

Very highly recommended.

5 stars--even "Turnabout Intruder" cannot take the shine off of "The Cage"!.......2007-02-13

"Turnabout Intruder" is not worth reviewing, except to see how inconsistently the attitudes toward women were handled--compare Lester to Number One and Yeoman Colt in the pilot.

*

"The Cage" is two things. First, it is not the Star Trek that could have been, but rather, it is the Star Trek that was to be. All of the key elements are in place: Dr. Boyce is the same archetype as Dr. McCoy, Ensign Jose Tyler is the eager young space cadet that would become Chekhov and every redshirt, Yeoman Colt is just a strawberry version of Yeoman Rand, and Spock is Spock. If you squint, you feel like you are watching any other episode of Trek:TOS or TAS.

Secondly, this is what "Star Trek: Enterprise" should have been. When I heard that Berman and Braga were doing a prequel series, I immediately picture this episode's yellow and blue turtlenecks, the Buck Rodgers lasers, and the retro-future trans-warp décor on the ship. Like most people, I was let down with the slick and professional sets and costuming of the actual series. No! No! No! Keep the continuity of the Great Bird of the Galaxy! We love the quirky sets, post-Mod swinger costumes, and the cheesy special effects. "But pardon, gentles all, the flat unraised spirits that hath dar'd on this unworthy scaffold to bring forth So great an object. . . . Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts." (Henry V)

*

"The Cage" is a reservoir--it both collects from the past, and dispenses for the future. In order to fully appreciate this series, you need to read Horatio Hornblower, Doc Smith's Lensman series, and the watch "Forbidden Planet." The last film was a key influence on the plot and setting. In both, we have a dying or dead alien race that was corrupted by its telepathic abilities and moved underground. Both have a saucer-shaped earth ship with hyper drive coming to the rescue, wit a beautiful woman (Altair /Vina) as a siren. Even the sets have similar pentagonal doors and arches. And don't get me started on the animation and special effects.

This episode shows that the concept of Star Trek was already firm in Roddenberry's mind. In addition to the above mentioned similarities, you have the quote-unquote progressive crew. The transporter assistant is Asian, foreshadowing Admiral Sulu. The navigator is Jose Tyler, blond, but with Hispanic ancestry. And of course, there is Number One, a female XO that paved the way for Robotech's Lisa Hayes. Nowadays some people criticize Roddenberry for not being politically correct enough, but considering the times, this is quite daring.

Additionally there is the personality of Pike. What we saw in "The Menagerie" was edited; we saw an introspective captain, with his doubts and fears. But when these snippets are put in context, we see that Pike was a tough tinhorn on par with Kirk--just replay the last line Pike speaks in the episode. Furthermore, since Pike is both velvet and steel, he is a better rounded person that Kirk ever was. I think it was this balanced quality that allowed Hunter to play Christ so well in "King of Kings."

*

There is one odd aspect to the episode, and that is the sexual subtext: the Talosians want Pike to breed with Vina. Nowadays we would just send the Greys to the local sperm bank for some free samples, or have Riker do a strafing run. But Pike does not do this--he has a sense of the sacredness of marriage, that a heterogamous couple is essential for both the man, woman, and the child. As the children of broken homes can attest, we seem to have advanced beyond Pike in this matter.

Image what she could have been, if she were a woman........2006-12-17

The Enterprise answers a distress call to the planet Camus II. A group of federation scientist are exploring the ancient ruins of a dead society. The Enterprise landing party finds only two archaeology team survivors: Dr Janice Lester and Dr. Arther Colement. Dr. McCoy diagnose suggested the survivors are suffering from Selenidium radiation poisoning. Janice deliriously mutters broken sentence fragments like, "I loved you", "I could have roamed the stars with you", "when I was with you at the academy, it was the first time I felt alive". Kirk does reciprocate telling Janice, "they would have fought and hated each other". Dr. Coleman explains that the Selenidium shield was weak and killed the team. Dr. Coleman distracts Mr. Spock and McCoy leaving Kirk with Janice; Janice activates a machine that magnetizes Kirk into a frozen state; Janice then switch life entity with Kirk. Janice feminism attitude attacks Kirks maleness, telling him, "Now, you will know what it is like to be a woman". Janice attempts to kill Kirk but has her opportunity cut short, as the landing team return. Janice wants Coleman too kill Kirk but he tells her, "I won't be a murderer".

McCoy believes his medical authority is final. Coleman recommends sedating Janice-Kirk telling the team she is recovering. Kirk-Janice disagrees and excuses McCoy as the chief medical officer and replace him with Coleman. McCoy argues that Coleman has been rules as incompetent to server as the Starfleet surgeon general. Coleman loves Kirk-Janice.

Kirk-Janice commands the officer to change course and leave Janice-Kirk at Benecia Colony and ignore rendezvous with the USS Potemkin. Janice-Kirk believes "by the next mission she will be invulnerable to suspicion. " Janice-Kirk tells the confusion bridge officers, "time is of the essence"; Spock challenges the change in course decision: 1. indicating Star Base II has better medical facilities 2. The deviation would be equal to Benecia schedule 3. Star regulations demanded that a change in course be communication to HQ. 4. Benecia Colony has a primitive medical facility.

McCoy and Spock have observed the "emotional instability" and the ship crew is nervous about the change I the captains behavior. Spock syas, "the aberrant behavior rumors are spreading through the ship." McCoy forces Janice-Kirk to report for a medical examination. McCoy finds to physical evidence that anything is different.

Kirk-Janice awakens and attempts to tell about the life entity switch, but Janice-Kirk orders Coleman to sedate her, "the paranoia has been building for the last 6 months. Your are insane. Sedative is required"

Spock needs answers and wants to talk with Kirk-Janices. The security guards are loyal to the Captain and he has order no one will talk with the prisoner. Spock asks the guard if the rule has ever applied to senior officers. The security guard reasons that it means talking alone and accompanies Spock. Kirk-Janices pleads for Spock to Spock mind-melds with Kirk-Janice and believes she is Kirk. Spock tells Kirk-Janice, "evidence must be factual"

Kirk-Janice charges Spock with Mutiny and convenes a court martial. Evidence it presented and Janice-Kirk demands a vote. Rebellion starts with Spocks defiance of Janice-Kirk and he announces intent to resist the captain with any measure and means available. Scotty and McCoy plan to move against the Captain. Janice-Kirk calls for the death penalty against the two. A break convenes and Spock attempts to reverse the transference. Janices freaks and tells Coleman about the near transference. Coleman tells Janice-Kirk the only way to make permanent the change is to kill Kirk-Janice. Coleman again tells her, he can not murder. In on last attempt, Janice-Kirk attempt to poison Kirk-Janice and a physical fight starts, but the transference completes and Janice tells Kirk, "I wanted you dead. I'll never be captain now. You are as I loved you."

The very first Star Trek story........2006-08-31

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz ("I Love Lucy" tv series) bought RKO and formed Desilu studios. It was Lucille Ball that gave the go-ahead for them to make the Star Trek pilot. Creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, went to CBS first, but they were already planning "Lost In Space".
This 1964 pilot was unsold and never did air on television in its entirety until 1988.
"The Cage" begins with Captain Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) and science officer, Mister Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who is a vulcan (with emotions). Majel Barrett is Number One.
Captain Pike and his crew visit the Planet Talos, looks similar to Arizona. They find a hawaiian-like plant, but light blue and chiming like the transporters do. They find survivors along with a beautiful women, Vina (Susan Olivier). Pike is lead away by Vina and suddenly it is a trap. Pike is held hostage by three superior beings. Their brains are three times the size of a normal humans.
Also in the cast: Laurel Goodwin, Peter Duryea, John Hoyt.
Jeffery Hunter decided not to continue his Star Trek role.
A second pilot ("Where No Man Has Gone Before") was ordered, this one with William Shatner as "Captain Kirk", Leonard Nimoy returning a "Spock" (now without emotions), DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols. It was sent to NBC and in february 1966, NBC bought the show and placed it on the Autumn schedule. STAR TREK premiered September 8, 1966 with the episode, The Man Trap", NBC 8:30pm.
___________________
"Turnabout Intruder"
Stardate: 5928.5
Kirk (William Shatner) beams down to Camus II to help Dr. Janice Lester who claims to be sick from radiation. As Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) look for more survivors, Kirk and Janice discuss their relationship during their time at Starfleet.
Suddenly, Janice traps Kirk against a wall and at a turn of a switch, Janice's soul and Kirk's soul are transferred.
Janice is now inside Kirk's body. Kirk is now inside Janice's weak body. Using Kirk's body, Janice will now take over the Enterprise.
Majel Barrett appears as Nurse Chapel. Uhura did not appear in this one. barbara Baldavin was the communications officier.
"Turnabout Intruder" was the last episode of Star Trek (1966-69) to be seen on June 3, 1969.
Star Trek became a hit when it was syndicated on independant television stations.
Star Trek then became a Saturday morning cartoon-adventure in 1973-74.
On March 28, 1978 at the Paramount lot with the original Enterprise crew, who had not been together since 1969, announced they would be filming a STAR TREK motion picture.
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE was released December 1979 and the legacy begins again.
____________________________
ATTENTION Starfleet Academy: STAR TREK tv series (1966-69) returns to television, this October 2006 on KNBC Channel 4 Los Angeles, Sunday Nights 12:05am.
The very first and original STAR TREK tv series will return to syndication with an updated look a la Star Wars (1977/1997) and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982/2002).
With the idea of Michael Okuda and others with CBS Digital, they have replaced and added new visual effects in each episode. The Enterprise now has spinning engine lights. The Enterprise in space will now look more sharp with more detail and depth. The colors are rich. Each episode is crystal-clear. The Earth will have a more accurate surface and the other "planets" will have computer-generated effects as well. Some surprises too. All 79 episodes have been digitally remastered with computer-generated effects.
TV LAND does not air the restored version.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror Mirror/ The Deadly Years

Average customer rating:

This was a really great episode
Not Among the Stronger Eps of the Second Season but Interesting Nonetheless!
The deadly Years
Excellent Moral Drama
History's logic

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror Mirror/ The Deadly Years
Starring: Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror, Mirror/ The Deadly Years Star Trek - The Original Series , and Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 21, Episodes 41 & 42: I, Mudd/ The Trouble With Tribbles
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 19, Episodes 37 & 38: The Changeling/ The Apple
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 18, Episodes 35 & 36: The Doomsday Machine/ Wolf in the Fold
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 17, Episodes 33 & 34: Who Mourns For Adonais/Amok Time
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 22, Episodes 43 & 44: Bread And Circuses/ Journey To Babel

ASIN: B000055Z4J
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Amazon.com

"Mirror, Mirror"
When their mission to secure a mineral trade ends in failure, a freak ion storm catches Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty in mid-beam-up and sends them to a parallel dimension where Federation leaders are as ruthless as the Klingons, and Star Fleet promotions are attained by assassination. They find themselves on an alternate Enterprise, peopled with evil counterparts to the people they know (all attired in glittery, glam-rock uniforms), including most famously an evil, goateed Spock whom Kirk must convince to overthrow the empire. Kirk and his landing party try to fit in with this crew of villains who are threatening with annihilation the planet where the mineral trade went sour, while searching for a way back to their world and fending off assassination attempts. Mirror, Mirror achieves the best of what Star Trek is capable, which is to say space opera brought to a high pitch by melodrama. Everyone appears to be having great fun turning their characters to the dark side, especially George Takei, whose evil Sulu beams when making his assassination attempt against Captain Kirk, and Leonard Nimoy, who makes Spock's shift from the meditative logician to the ruthless goateed one seem, well, quite logical. This episode in particular fueled popular culture in such a way that in some circles it is now impossible to sport a goatee without being called "the evil Spock." The story of the evil Spock is continued in the Deep Space Nine episode Crossover. --Jim Gay

"The Deadly Years"
While on the planet Gamma Hydra IV, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty are infected with an unknown disease that causes premature aging. The only member of the party unaffected is Chekov (Walter Koenig), who becomes McCoy's guinea pig while searching for a cure back on the Enterprise. A nifty idea with some poignant overtones, the story by David P. Harmon startles a viewer with the sight of these familiar folks rapidly graying, wrinkling, weakening, and suffering memory loss. At the same time, Harmon is careful to age each character as a unique individual. Kirk slows down more than the longer-lived Spock, while McCoy remains mentally keen, if physically brittle. As for poor Scotty, well...

The dramatic subtext in "The Deadly Years" concerns the perennial conflict over when and how to decide that someone has become too old to execute crucial responsibilities. In that sense, this episode feels constantly relevant and uniquely entertaining: let's just say some of these actors play "old" a little better than others. (Director Joseph Pevney has reported that there was a lot of conflict over who was stealing old-guy moves from whom.) With all this going on, one might not notice that guest star Charles Drake is a truly familiar face, having been cast in The Maltese Falcon and Now, Voyager. --Tom Keogh

Description

"Mirror, Mirror," Ep. 39 - Beamed up during an ion storm, Kirk and the landing party find themselves in a mirror universe aboard a U.S.S. Enterprise run by ruthless barbarians. "The Deadly Years," Ep. 40 - A landing party from the U.S.S. Enterprise becomes ill with a fatal aging disease and Chekov is the only one unaffected. Spock and McCoy search for a remedy using him as a guinea pig.

Customer Reviews:

This was a really great episode.......2007-04-05

I saw this episode when it was first shown in 1967 and I loved it then. It inspired me to write a 266 page novel of my own, based on but not like this program. Over the years I watched it every chance I got and kept looking for a copy of my own. I was delighted when I found it on Amazon and ordered it immediately. The idea of another universe existing alongside our on in another dimension has always appealed to me and, I found this one really intriguing and great to watch. I wish they had done some follow ups, it would have been interesting to follow the exploits of that other Mr.Spock and Captain Kirk on their voyages for the Empire. I would reccommend this one to every Star Trek fan. It is simply fantastic.

Not Among the Stronger Eps of the Second Season but Interesting Nonetheless!.......2006-10-24

If you are picking and choosing the volumes to keep, this one falls into the "nice to have but not essential" category, the others being "essential" and "don't waste your money". The interesting thing about "Mirror, Mirror" despite the stretch of credibility it requires from the viewer to accept is that the concept is revisited on at least a couple of Deep Space Nine episodes years later. Still, as an overall episode, this is the more entertaining of the two on this volume.

"The Deadly Years" just like its theme of old age seems to drag on a little although the sub plot of a competency hearing for Captain Kirk was quite entertaining. Otherwise, we have at best two average episodes that you won't miss in your collection.

The deadly Years.......2006-03-02

One of my favorite episodes from the original series. The story deals with radiation sickness, it is not scientically acurate, but an excellent story regardles. The landing party ages 30 years for every day after being contaminated by a low dose of radiation.
Also using this episode to write a paper about radaition sick. Comparing a fictional story to reality and this episode makes for good writing. A double bonus!

Excellent Moral Drama.......2005-11-19

Spock is the constant in both universes: warlike tensions and forces surpressed by principles of logic and wisdom, an intellectual powerhouse in both universes. Spock offers wisdom. Most advanced and civilized societies have histories of brutality, conquest, and imperilism. Spock rational viewpoints seem neural in Universe that has migrated towards imperilism, militarism, and universal dominance.

This episode introduces the first rip in the space-time continum and poses the possibility of infinite alternate realities coexisting simulateously. On the time side, future episodes will explore more fully this rip in time, as Picard moves through time and problem solving with Data at different points in time. However, in Mirror/Mirror a moral diploma not physics theory is unreveling.

The Enterprise encounters an ion storm and while beam down to the Hulkins, they switch places with identities of an alternative Universe. The Alternate Universe is imperilistic, antagonistic, and forceful. In the Alternate Universe power, glory, and strength are worship and command structure advanced is through assassination by lower ranking officers. Captain Kirk has managed to maintain supreme power by a weapon of emmense power given too him by an alien race and with this video interface weapon, he has been able to locate his enemies and vaporize them. No opponent dare oppose Captain Kirk because that would mean annihilation. The Hulkins are a peaceful people driven by a deep morality code too preserve the peace. The Hulkins tell Captain Kirk, they can not give the Federation Dialithium mining rights because the Federation would use the power generated by the crystals for war and destruction. This information did not set well with the Alterate Federation council and a decision was made too destroy the Hulkins and take the crystals by Force.

Jim orders in the alternate universe instruct him to destroy the Hulkins. Spock is order to kill Kirk, if he fail in destorying the Hulkins and Sulu order to kill Spock should Spock fail in his assignment. Spock eventual deduces that the original landing party has been acting strange and engages in hand to hand combat, in which, he is fatally wounded; McCoy is allowed to remain for five minutes to save Spocks life; Spock revives and mind melds, gaining an exact understanding of the other Universe. Jim soldifies the moral debate with Spock before switch back too his universe. Kirk asks Spock how many years until the Hulkin Revolt. Spock tells Kirk, "five year". "What is the outcome?", "The rebellion will be crushed", "In every generation there must be one who is the voice of revolution" "A man must have the power" "In my quarters is a machine of emmense power", "Indeed", "Consider the useless of waste". The moral illogic of imperilism is that control comes at a high cost in human lives. War is wasteful, war only serves self interest, this is wasteful. Consider the possibility that there exists an infinite resource of energy, energy that does not come at the cost of human lives. Vulcan the God of fire and warfare yielding too the promise of infinite energy and infinite human diversity with a morality too use this energy peacefully producing long term responsibility and abundant utility from human prosperity.

History's logic.......2004-09-03

The "Mirror, Mirror" episode contained the following dialogue in 1965 that would prove prophetic almost four decades later.

1st Officer Spock: "Terror must be maintained or the empire is doomed. It is the logic of history."
Captain Kirk: "Conquest is easy. Control is not. We may have bitten off more than we can chew."

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 34, Episodes 67 & 68: Plato's Stepchildren/ Wink Of An Eye

Average customer rating:

Two of the Better Episodes of Season 3!
Two solid, transitional episodes
One of the best Star Treks!
DON'T BUY INTO THE HYPE.....
Interracial Space Sex!

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 34, Episodes 67 & 68: Plato's Stepchildren/ Wink Of An Eye
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 33, Episodes 65 & 66: For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky/ Day Of The Dove
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 35 - Episodes 69 & 70: That Which Survives/ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 37 - Episodes 73 & 74: The Lights of Zetar / The Cloud Minders
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 36, Episodes 71 & 72: Whom Gods Destroy/ The Mark of Gideon
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 32 - Episodes 63 & 64: The Empath/ The Tholian Web

ASIN: B00005N5SF
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Description

"Plato's Stepchildren," Ep. 67 - Kirk, Spock and McCoy suffer humiliating experiences via an alien with telekinetic abilities. This episode also features the first interracial kiss on network television. "Wink of an Eye," Ep. 68 - A Scalosian queen sabotages the U.S.S. Enterprise and makes Kirk her love-slave, planning to use him to help repopulate her planet. Can Kirk escape her charms and save his crew?

Customer Reviews:

Two of the Better Episodes of Season 3!.......2007-02-11

Which doesn't really say very much given the "quality" of the majority of the episodes of this season. Still, in the first episode which closely resembles the "Squire of Gothos" from Season 1, we get "superior" beings who become intoxicated with their powerful telekinetic powers and become living proof of George Orwell's famous pronouncement in "Animal Farm": "Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely." It what can be described a painful episode in more ways than one to watch, we get to see Spock and Kirk made to look extremely foolish and humiliated almost beyond bearing but then managed to turn the tables around and to have the self-restraint to not take revenge when the opportunity arises. All in all, this is an above average episode and is certainly one of the better ones of season 3.

In the second episode, we get another example of a powerful race rationalising that superior power makes it alright to impose your designs on the less superior. Here, in order to perpetuate the species at all costs, the Scalosians decide that it's okay to kidnap, use and discard the unsuspecting for their greater "good". Like the first episode in this volume, while not great this episode still ranks among the better ones of the season.

Overall we get two episodes which highlight how power can easily corrupt and can even be "rationalised" as a perfectly good reason to abuse, exploit and manipulate the less powerful.

Two of the more interesting episodes make this volume come under the "nice to have but not essential" category if you picking which volumes to collect and keep.

Two solid, transitional episodes.......2003-09-02

Plato's Stepchildren-Another menacing and sadistic 3rd season episode, this time involving an Ancient Greek-like people
with telekenetic powers. This is one of those episodes-there would be many more ahead--that doesn't have a lot to say. It is most noteworthy for the kiss between Kirk and Uhura (too bad it had to be forced upon them), the absurdly camp antics performed by Kirk and Spock in particular, and the icy malevolence of Parmen and his cohorts. Whatever moral the episode conveys could probably best be summarized as "absolute power corrupts absolutely." There's nothing very deep about the crew's 'escape' either, although they are able to teach Alexander some valuable lessons before they go. (3 stars)

Wink of an Eye-This episode, involving an accelerated species, has always been a favorite of mine. It is a very dreamlike episode; the scene depicting Kirk's acceleration must be one of the show's most bizarre segments. Tilting the camera and returning to music used in 'The Cage' were nice ways of embellishing acceleration. The idea also struck me as quite original (although I must confess I've read very little science fiction). Others have noted that when you sit down and work out the times involved, there are a lot of inconsistencies and implausible outcomes, but I do not look to Star Trek for that kind of realism.
Kathy Browne does a nice job as Deela. While clearly serious about the business of reproduction, she has a light, flirtatious quality which, along with her power, forces Kirk out of his usual domineering role. Of course, the two of them generated a scene for the sensors to miss nonetheless!
One final note: Even after several viewings I'm still not sure I understand the final scene, when Kirk utters the cryptic line, "That's..no malfunction." Did the production team just run out of steam at the end of the episode? Or did Deela intentionally leave the tape nearby (for Uhura to mistakenly pick up) as a momento to Kirk? Not clear. What is clear is that things were starting to get sloppy by the middle of the 3rd season; it would only get worse.
Nevertheless, I feel this episode, number 12 of 24) sits solidly on the winning side of what would be a turning point for the show. The remaining shows as a rule wouldn't feel as stylized as those from the first half of the third season, and were somehow less quirky and more formulaic. Given that they also tended to have thin plots, this would be a formula for disaster. (4 stars)

One of the best Star Treks!.......2003-04-02

I absolutely love this episode! Of course, this may have something to do with the fact that I'm a huge Spock fan, and love to see him act more human, which is rare. But there are also a lot of other great things about this episode. It's really fun, although you should probably watch it twice if you want to experience the fun in the silliness as much as possible, since you're worrying too much the first time about whether they'll ever get out! And, of course, the show itself took great strides with the showing of the first inter-racial kiss, between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols, not to mention the one shared by Leonard Nimoy and Majel Barrett! But that's really what Star Trek is all about, isn't it? "To go where no one has gone before' and in this episode, they did that with a lot of fun involved.

DON'T BUY INTO THE HYPE............2003-02-15

Volume 34 of the Star Trek DVD series contains two episodes that have been considered good cause they were supposedly very risqué during the time they aired. Partly because each has it's own "landmark moment in American television". In reality these moments are barely noticable and these two Trek episodes are just as mediocre as the rest that came out of the third season.

PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN opens this one. Yeah I know. I've heard it a thousand times: "tv's first interracial kiss" between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols. The truth is (according to Shatner himself) that two scenes of this were shot. One that was actually a kiss and the other that wasn't. The latter was chosen in the original airing and they have never bothered to put the actual kiss in any reruns. Therefore technically there is nothing special about this one. The plot is typical Star Trek and this episode showcases some of the actors most embarassing moments. Still this is good for a laugh. Especially when the dwarf Alexander mounts Kirk like a horse and our good Capt. begins to 'neigh'. Apart from those embarassing moments and a few touching acting scenes between Kirk and Alexander this episode is pretty forgettable.

The second episode here is WINK OF AN EYE which fairs little better than PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN. For whatever reason I have always felt the sound in this one was muffled. Maybe it was just me? Anyways the supposed off camera sex scene between Kirk and the girl isn't very noteworthy. As a matter of fact I didn't even notice it until another Amazon.com reviewer mentioned it! The plot to WINK OF AN EYE is interesting but in the long run it's merely the Star Trek crew being invaded by bizarre aliens once again. As I said many times before, it's been done! Anybody else notice that the camera work of this episode was almost always on a slant? Just a thought...

Overall these two episodes are definetly watchable but I find neither them are as special as they claim to be. Keep in mind these were released in 1968 so perhaps they were considered more shocking back then but I find it hard to believe since Star Trek's ratings and popularity were at an all time low when they aired. Not the best but it's classic Trek so go on try it! Recommended!

Interracial Space Sex!.......2002-08-25

Both of these episodes share one thing in common: they boldly went where no network program had gone before, in terms of ... bypassing the censors. "Wink of an Eye" is the one in which comely Kathie Brown (the real-life Mrs. Darren McGavin) is seen brushing her hair beside William Shatner while Shatner sits on the edge of his bed pulling on his boot, and "Plato's Stepchildren" had T.V.'s first interracial kiss (William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols). Neither of these things may seem like that big of a deal today, but in 1968, let me tell you...!

"Wink" is an episode that makes little sense, but is thoroughly enjoyable. The entire race of the planet Scalos seems to have disappeared, without explanation. All that remains there is an occasional odd insect buzzing - which follows the landing party back to the Enterprise, after which Captain Kirk suddenly disappears from the bridge, in full view of the crew. What's really happened to him is the same thing that happened to the Scalosians, several of whom are now on board - he's speeded-up a thousand times, now moving too fast to be detected by anyone not accelerated at the same rate. Alien leader Kathie Brown, like all alien women, has taken a fancy to the charismatic Kirk, and intends to keep him with her after freezing the entire Enterprise crew and stealing his starship to move on to greener pastures. Forgetting the built-in logic problem of how matter accelerated to such an impossible speed keeps from falling apart by intense friction, this is still a pretty good little story, fascinating to watch, and Kathie Brown is a knockout, in addition to being a decent actress.

"Plato's Stepchildren" is a great episode, written by one of Outer Limits' best contributors, Meyer Dolinsky. The Enterprise finds itself summoned to a previously believed to be uninhabited planet, populated by beautiful people affecting ancient Greek costume and architecture. They call themselves Plato's Stepchildren, supposedly devoted to nothing but lofty philosophy - but in reality, they are telekinetic demigods, whose seeming immortality and incredible power has dragged them down into sadistic decadence. Their power and immortality does have one terrible price - it makes them hemophiliacs, and their medical knowledge is dreadfully inadequate, so Dr. McCoy is commanded to remain behind with them. When he refuses, Plato's Stepchildren force several of the Enterprise crew into cruelly degrading situations, and unleash the full force of their fury.

Amazon.com

Volume 12 in the classic Star Trek series on DVD begins with "Space Seed," which introduced Khan Noonien Singh (a viperlike Ricardo Montalban) to Trek lore. The trouble begins when Kirk & crew discovers a derelict ship and its crew of 70 supermen aboard, all in suspended animation. Led by Khan, these strange people turn out to be the product of genetic experimentation in the 1990s and instigators of a so-called Eugenics War, i.e., the Third World War on Earth often mentioned on various Trek programs. Though displaced from his more violent time and place, Khan quickly overcomes his disorientation and shifts into conqueror mode, quickly overtaking the Enterprise with the aid of a comely Federation historian who is swooning at his feet. As any Trek fan knows, "Space Seed" inspired Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, regarded by many as the best of the Trek feature films.

"A Taste of Armageddon" is one of classic Trek's occasional, obvious metaphors for the absurdity of the then-cold war between East and West. Gene Lyons stars as a Federation ambassador named Fox, who boards the Enterprise to reach the planet Eminiar VII, where he hopes to negotiate a peace treaty with the inhabitants. Instead the crew of the Enterprise gets caught in the middle of an interplanetary war between Eminiar and neighboring planet Vendikar. The twist is that the war is being fought on computers, and compliant residents of those "destroyed" areas obediently report to disintegration chambers, where their "virtual" death is made literal. When the Enterprise is "hit" in one of these simulations, both the warlords of Eminiar VII and Ambassador Fox fully expect Capt. Kirk & crew to report to the disintegration center. The feisty Kirk has other plans, of course. And while the madness of this controlled armageddon makes a suitably surreal satire of the arms race in the 1960s, the story also evoked the endless, daily reports of body counts during the Vietnam war, with no resolution in sight. Aside from its parable aspect, however, the episode gave Kirk one of his earliest and most compelling scenes of Kirkian preachiness in a bold monologue about peace, reportedly written and rewritten numerous times by series producer and indispensable creative hand, Gene L. Coon. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A Keeper! Among the Very Best Eps of the First Season!.......2006-08-05

If you are picking and choosing the best volumes to keep, this one is indispensable. This volume is a must-have for "Space Seed" alone but thankfully, "A Taste of Armageddon" is also an excellent episode. In "Space Seed" we get an introduction to Khan Noonian Singh, the protagonist in what was to arguably become the best classic Trek movie ever. Ricardo Montalban turns in an excellent performance as Singh, a superhuman and the product of eugenics gone wrong awaken from a 200-year slumber.

In the other ep, we get a very strong statement against war in which a society insists that its members commit suicide to maintain an uneasy "peace" which effectively becomes like a real-life game of Battleships except that "casualties" are mathematically decided via computer. When Kirk and the Enterprise end up as "casualties" Kirk has to find a way to break the cycle.

Highly recommended.

A Taste of Armageddon/ Space Seed (Khan).......2006-08-05

The very first STAR TREK tv series (1966-69) was broadcast on NBC on September 8, 1966. It a a Desilu production, a company put togther by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz ("I Love Lucy") when they bought RKO. It was Lucy who chose "Star Trek" along with other proposed tv series and said to go with it.
I became a fan of Star Trek when the series was syndicated in the later 1970's. My father had it on. I liked the colorful sets and those red elevator doors, the sound effects were good to hear and the adventures out in space stretched our imagination of fantasy. Remember, this tv series originally aired before the USA astronauts landed on the moon for the first time on July 16, 1969. By that time, they had ended the Star Trek tv series (until 1979).
A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON, episode 23, originally broadcast February 23, 1967.
Captain's Log, Stardate: 3141.9. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) has informed planet Eminiar 7 their wish to open diplomatic relations with them. Their reply is not to approach the planet. it is code 710. Ambassador Fox (Gene Lyons) is aboard the bridge and he tells Captain Kirk to ignore the message to continue en route to Eminiar 7. Once on orbit and have beamed down, Kirk meets Mea 3 (Barbara Babcock, later of Hill Street Blues tv series) and upon meeting Anan 7 (david Opatoshu) they are subjected to an unseen war fought by computers. People are disintegrated in machines at suicide stations. There is more trouble ahead for our Enterprise crew.
Note: Chekov and Sulu do not appear.

SPACE SEED, episode 24, originally broadcast February 16, 1967.
Stardate: 3141.9: The Enterprise spots a derelict Earth vessels. Kirk (William Shatner), McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Scotty (James Doohan) and at the request of Kirk, McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) joins the team due to her knowledge of the 20th Century. They discover on this sleeper vessel, from the 1990's, all of the crew is in a sleeping mode. They have been traveling for 200 years. They revive Prince Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) aboard the S.S. Botany Bay. He becomes a guest aboard the Enterprise, but soon takes control of Lt. McGivers. Khan was a ruler of a quarter of this world from 1992 to 1996. He controlled Asia through the Middle East. Not Khan, not familar with men of 2267, will try to take over the Enterprise.
Note: Chekov and Sulu do not appear.
This story did indeed contiunue 15 years later in the Star Trek motion picture, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982), with Ricardo Montalban returning as "Khan" in fine physical form.
John Winston appears as the Transporter Techician.
Easter Egg: on the EP #23, when the dot is red, click up. You will see no red dot, but the insigna is lighter. Now press "enter". You can select Next Voyage preview trailers of , A Taste of Armageddon, Space Seed, This Side of Paradise, The Devil in the Dark.

Attention Starfleet Academy: STAR TREK returns to television on KNBC channel 4 in October 2006 at 12:05 am Sunday night (Monday morning).
The very first and original STAR TREK tv series (1966-69) will return to syndication with an updated look a la Star Wars: A New Hope (1977/1997) and E.T. The Extra-terrestrial (1982/2002).
Michael Okuda and others with the help of CBS Digital have replaced and added new visual effects in each episode.The Enterprise now has spinning engine lights. The Enterprise in space will now look more sharp with more detail and depth. The colors are rich. Each episode crystal-clear. The Earth will have a more accurate surface and the other "Planets" will have computer-generated effects as well. Some surprises too. All 79 episodes have been digitally remastered with computer-generated effects.
TV LAND does not air the restored version.

Eugenics Wars.......2005-11-22

Eugenics selects the best strains for a sampling and promotes this survival strain in a limited population group. In "Space Seeds" the Enterprise encounters the "Botany Bay" spaceship, named after a penal colony. The Botany Bay has been a drift in space for centuries and barely operational. It nuclear fission reactors have managed to keep a group of "super humans" alive and, as Kirk and the crew beam on the Botany Bay, they active the revival routine, for the leader, Khan. The enterprise team immediately becomes fearful of Khan's reputation. Khan will manage to revive his small group of genetically enhanced warriors, who are eager too gain control of the Enterprise.

Eugenics has produced a superior human: improved reasoning capability, improved strength, improved beauty, and improved speed. Khan says, "It is true, man has improved. His technology has improved, but man, himself has not changed. Oh we will do well in this generation" It seems superior strength has produced a super ego. The Eugenic wars lead too World war III. The rhetoric of the cold war threatened a weaker nation by a stronger nation and eventually the stronger nation prevailed. Super ego not satified with mere survival; it required domination of the inferiors.

Khan has seduced, the Historian, "Marlin McGiver" into helping him gain control, of the Enterprise. Khan tells McGiver, "such men, as me, take what they will", "open your heart", the rape of independance, and discloses to McGiver her that he intends on taking the Enterprise. Khan becomes disgused with McGiver and tells her too leave. McGiver has fallen for Khan and says, "I will do anything", sells out herself too power, and agrees with his evil plot too take over the Enterprise.

Khan reasons, he needs the Enterprise as means for conquering worlds. After Khan and his team gain control of the Enterprise, Khan attempts too force the crew of the Enterpise into helping him. The crew see their captain being tortured in the decompression chamber and must make a decision whether too help or watch their captain die. Khan threatens to put all of them one at a time in the chamber, if they do not break too his will. Khan would torture and kill 80 percent of the crew in order too gain the cooperation of 20 percent. Khan idealogy of force was resisted by the democratic loving enterprise crew.

The eugenic warriors did not need the humans to navigate the Enterprise; Khan himself had a complete understanding of the operation manuals; Khan wanted slaves, who would obey him against their wills.

Spock, McCoy, and Scotty were aware of the trap and refused cooperation. The Eugenic warriors were the communists dictators and their promises were all lies. Kirk had previously admired the efficiency of Khan, saying of Khan, "I've always admire this one, he was the was the worst of them all." Spock was shocked and immediately protested. Kirk, Scotty, and McCoy laughed and told Spock, they could admire and oppose Khan, at the same time. Spock replied, "illogical". Isaiah states, "The heavan wept for a son of the morning had fallen"

Eventually, McGiver comes too her senses and frees the Captain from the decompression chamber. Kirk immediately takes actions to gain control of his ship against the tyrant. Kirk gases the Enterprise with knock out gas, but Khan manages too escape and gain control of engineering and put the ship on autodestruct. Khan initiates hand to hand combat against Kirk. Khan says, "I have five times your strength" and toss Jim around like a doll. Khan is too arrogant and Kirk knocks out Khan.

Khan behavior is strange. Khan is a conqueror, one moment and a coward then next. If Khan can't control then he must destroy all, mutual annihilation; a reflection of the philosophies of the cold war. Kirk does not want to see his ship autodestruct, so he fights Khan.

A court hearing is held against Khan and all charges dropped. Since, the Enterprise has no jurisdiction over a people from the past, Khan is somewhat freed; Khan is sent to a barren planet. Khan quotes Milten, "A he wept when their were no more worlds to conquer" - a statement about Lucifer before he was thrust down from heavan. McGiver goes with Khan rather than facing a court martial. Khan says, "It will be difficult at first even to survive" McGiver says, "I will go with him!" Khan says, "I will take her. Superior woman." Life would not go on happily ever after, Spocks plant in our minds, this statement, "If we return in a 100 years, I wonder what plants would sprout from the seeds we planted, today.". Khan would not flourish, bad fruit would emerge, communism would not flourish, and eventually it would rise its ugly head in another survival attempt, in "wrath of Khan". Prophetically, Khan would repeat his same strange behavior, ending up in self annihilation attempt which would be Messiahic defeated by Spock, as he aligned the dialithium crystals bring the warp drives online; and the Enterprise escaped, the KobiHashiMaru tactic test and solution, he never took. Kirk would cheat death, "I've never face death like this." Spock would sacrifice the one for the many. Jesus would sacrifice himself, so that all man could have salvation. In search for Spock, Spock would be resurrected by "Tau Pow".

Another of the best Trek DVDs.......2003-09-11

A Taste of Armaggedon-This thoughtful episode concerns a planet that has sanitized war. The episode explores important themes such as 1) the sacrifice of the individual good for the societal, and 2) the drawbacks of all types of war. The latter issue in particular remains a timely one as science continues to pursue technologies that may (at times unwittingly lead to more efficient and sanitized killing. This is one episode where Kirk offers a convincing and fresh argument against a society's folly. Another plus of the episode is that it admits shades of gray rather than oversimplifying the issues. Add in a plot twist that brings the Enterprise and crew more directly into the action, and you've got a winning show. Strong guest acting, from Opatoshu, Babcock, and Lyons also boost this episode (4.5 stars)

Tidbit: Barbara Babcock would reappear in Plato's Stepchildren during season three.

Space Seed-This classic episode first introduces us to the eugenically bred Khan. Here we have another thoughtful episode that prophesizes an issue ('unnatural' selection) that would feature prominently in the headlines today. It is interesting to see Kirk and company portrayed as 'inferiors' (in a narrow sense of the word) for much of the episode. The scene that ends with Khan threatening Kirk is particularly tense and threatening. Ricardo Monteblan is also effective in his scenes as leader and seducer.

The acting performances and tight script lend an air of subtle believability to this episode that wouldn't always be present on Star Trek. The conflict and drama are well developed. Also interesting is Kirk's ultimate compassion, which of course distinguishes him from the 20th Century leader. Trek, like many great westerns, often found a way to show that compassion and humanity did not have to be synonymous with weakness, passivity, or the absence of charisma. These are important messages for young viewers. Left open here is whether that compassion here will ultimately come back to hurt the Federation. The difficult question is whether one must follow their conscience even when the long term consequences may be detrimental.

Tidbit: This episode features one of Star Trek's most notorious bloopers, in which a dropped phaser visibly distresses several onlookers, particularly DeForest Kelley. (4.5 stars)

Complete season format?.......2003-09-04

This is not really a review but rather a question. I would love to own the entire Star Trek Original Series on DVD but I have a serious problem with buying them two episodes at a time, which I refuse to do. Does anyone know if the origianl series will ever be released by season in a boxed set format similar to the TNG and DS9 sets? #1) If I were to pruchase them in the current two episodes per disc format it would be way too expensive for me to buy them all. #2) Not to mention that it would take too much storage space. I would NOT be reluctant, however, to purchase a boxed set of each season in the...say $$ to $$$ range. By releasing ST:TOS in this format I believe that Paramount could profit from people like me who do not want to waste their time or money purchasing ST:TOS DVDs in the current format. If anyone has any info on the possible future release of ST:TOS boxed sets, please let me know. Thank you.

Description

Sometimes it's hard to be so cool when surrounded by celebrities, and Lizzie McGuire -- starring our own Hilary Duff -- gets a little star-crossed herself this time out. This electrifying collection features incredible guest stars. First, join Lizzie, family, and friends as they have a close encounter of the Aaron Carter kind when crashing a holiday video shoot. Next, Lizzie's in the middle when famous Frank Muniz visits Hillridge. Then, her unfinished parade float is adorned by Santa Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, and Doris Roberts redefines the "grand" in grandmother as she pays Gordo a visit. Packed with surprises, hot music, and sensational celebrities, STAR STRUCK is just the kind of stellar entertainment everyone can enjoy again and again.

Customer Reviews:

Lizzie McGuire Season 3.......2007-05-12

My siss fav and i have to admit enjoyed it myself! its funny how a little cartoon character can make you laugh! thoroughly enjoyed it! totally recommend to others, any age and wanting a chillout series to watch!

Lizzie McGuire rocks.......2005-06-11

Lizzie McGuire is 1 of the best tv shows
EVER the books r brill
2 if people don't like Lizzie,
there not watching or reading proberly
Elizabeth
(known 2 my friends as Lizzie!)

Lizzie McGuire.......2004-10-14

This Tv show is one my favorites i can't believe have people hate Lizzie!
Don't believe in this people
Lizzie Mcguire is funny,sweet,and original!
I JUST LOVE IT!!!

Exellent show for teens, good messages, and morals.......2004-06-25

this show is as close to reality as possible in Jr. High. Hilary is a great role model for young girls, and msot girls went thru or are going thru what Lizzie does in these shows. And of course girls will love this, but so will boys becaue Duff is SO CUTE and Lalaine is SMOKIN' HOT, I mean she sizzles in the screen, magandang Pinay!!! So buy thsi dvd it is great and full of life's lessons and great family values.

Lizzie McGuire sends a bad message to young people..........2004-06-09

This show is just plain-out pathetic! Not only does it teach girls to be stuck up little b**ches, but it also sends a bad message to every young individual overall. The show mostly tells us that you should try and be better than everyone else and act snobby and stupid. (When really you should be ORIGINAL and be YOU! Not some other little punk!) And now, after many of those viewers (who are probably around 8-12 years old) watch this dribble, it will only send them the wrong idea and our next generation will be a COMPLETE major pain in the arse! Believe me, I'm 18 years old and can easily tell from this stuff. I'm SO glad they stopped the show a long time ago before it warped more young minds. Sorry, Hilary.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 21, Episodes 41 & 42: I, Mudd/ The Trouble With Tribbles

Average customer rating:

There's light comedy throughout the episode. And there's some kind of trouble with Tribbles...
No Tribble at All
A Keeper! Two of the Funniest Episodes of the Second Season!
Only then. Can we be. Happy.
This is the best of the best!!!!

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 21, Episodes 41 & 42: I, Mudd/ The Trouble With Tribbles
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror Mirror/ The Deadly Years
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 22, Episodes 43 & 44: Bread And Circuses/ Journey To Babel
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 25, Episodes 49 & 50; A Piece of the Action/ By Any Other Name
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 19, Episodes 37 & 38: The Changeling/ The Apple
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 17, Episodes 33 & 34: Who Mourns For Adonais/Amok Time

ASIN: B000059XTZ
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Amazon.com

"I, Mudd"
Lovable scoundrel Harry Mudd (Roger C. Carmel) returns following his debut appearance in the first-season episode "Mudd's Women," this time as the leader of a race of helpful (and leggy) androids. Mudd tries to take control of the Enterprise, but soon finds that the androids have plans of their own. This is one of Trek's few purely comic episodes, and it hits a nice level of whimsy as Kirk and the crew fight android efficiency with good old human illogic. "I, Mudd" also sets a benchmark achievement for the Star Trek design crew: It called not just for beautiful women in revealing costumes, but for beautiful twins in revealing costumes. Truly a tough one to top, cheesily foreshadowing the "Fembots" of Austin Powers infamy. --Ali Davis

"The Trouble with Tribbles"
It's time to face one of the great questions of the television age: Is "The Trouble with Tribbles" really as good as everyone thinks it is? You bet. While the story might be a little slower than many of us remember, the episode is deservedly beloved for writer David Gerrold's witty, mildly acerbic script, and the way the cast took to heightened comic possibilities against network resistance. (Heavens! Comedy on a science fiction show?) Stanley Adams is delightful as the huckster Cyrano Jones, who gives a trilling furball called a tribble to Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), who brings it aboard the Enterprise and watches it reproduce... and reproduce... and reproduce. Soon, hundreds of tribbles are in every part of the ship, making Captain Kirk (William Shatner), already grouchy about guarding a mere grain shipment from Klingons, even grouchier. There's no question that Gerrold made a major contribution to Trek culture with this show, setting a tone that Star Trek has visited again and again, including the feature film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and sundry episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager. --Tom Keogh

Description

"I, Mudd," Ep. 41 - That intergalactic rogue, Harry Mudd, is back to his old tricks as one of his schemes backfires, leaving Kirk, the Enterprise crew and himself held captive by a race of androids. "The Trouble with Tribbles," Ep. 42 - There are headaches for Kirk when Tribbles (furry creatures which eat incessantly) and Klingons invade a space station storing a valuable grain shipment.

Customer Reviews:

There's light comedy throughout the episode. And there's some kind of trouble with Tribbles..........2007-02-07

In 'I Mudd' once again the crew is captured or the Enterprise taken over. In this case the crew is captured with the goal of taking over the Enterprise.

For many fans 'The Trouble with Tribbles' is a favorite. An episode of Deep Space 9 had the crew go back in time and actually participate. The images of the crew of Deep Space 9 are superimposed on this original footage. There are Klingons in The Trouble with Tribbles, but the scenes with Klingons aren't just funny, they are especially funny. This is a fun light-hearted comedy episode. And there's some kind of trouble with Tribbles...

No Tribble at All.......2006-12-25

The enterprise receives a sub space emergency transmission for deep space station, K7 and Kirk assumes the station is under attack by the Klingons. Kirk receives permission to beam over. Kirk is coldly greeted by Nels Barrus, Under Secretary of Agriculture. Barrus demands federation protection and wants security guards placed around the storage compartments of Quadro Trida Kayela, a grain, wheat, and rye hybrid. Kirk believes Barrus has used trivially the emergency alert and wants to refuse entangling the Enterprise in the internal security matters of K7. Spock states that the Sherman Plant Affair is a federation interest and recommends security assistance; security assistance against possible Klingon military disruption; Spock reasons that the Klingons would not enjoy Sherman being developed as a Federation planet.

Suppose Self replicating Robots are tribbles, should we be afraid of them? The computer ethics associated with building self replicating robots is fear. Since the nuclear explosion at Hiroshima and Nagasaki more scientist are alarmed at unlimited use of technology. Physicist Joesph Rotblat repeatly spoke against thinking computers which could also replicate themselves, for he consider the possibility of uncontrolled self-replication" to be one of the dangers of the new technology. David Bruemmer considered self-replicating intelligent robots to be a more sociological problem: "Inexorably, we will interact more with machines and less with each other. Already, the average American workers spends an astonishingly large percentage of his/her life interfacing with machines. Many return home only to log in anew. Human relationships are a lot of trouble, forged from dirty diapers, lost tempers and late nights. Machines, on the other hand, can be turned on and off. Already, many of us prefer to forge and maintain relationships via email, chat rooms and instant messenger rather than in person. Despite promises that the Internet will take us anywhere, we find ourselves, hour after hour, glued to our chairs." Just feed a robot power and it will reprogram itself to produce another robot. The robot will offer entertainment, information, and service eating up larger and larger percentages of power.

The tribble's pur is the "sweetest creature known to man". Likewise, Robots grinding of gears is the "sweets sound" to profit margin of man. "Tribbles have no teeth". Robots don't have teeth. Robots can be programmed with ethics, reflexive emotion respondent to positive and negative feedback from humans. Intelligent robots have the capacity for good for mankind: medical diagnosis, navigation alerts and emergency circumvention, ecological cleanup, manufacturing value added. What capabilities should be inhibited in robots? What ethical bounds should be set for robots? What constraints should be put in place to safeguard humans. Should robot populations be inhibited? Robots can have teeth. Robots can be used to build better weapons, unmanned missile drones, and anti-aircraft weaponry. Will more countries fight wars with robots sparring direct loss of life? What will happen when both sides deploy robot armies? In 2004, the US House of representatives set aside $126 billion for federal research By 2020, 1/3 of the US combat aircraft will be unmanned and ground and sear forces will rely heavily on robots according to Eric Baard.

HQ federation contacts Kirk and orders him to "render any safety for the project". The enterprise detects an Klingon battle cruiser and attempt to warn the station. The warning arrives too late. Captain Kolob has already arrived at K7 and explains that K7 has been chosen as a place of recreation. The Argainan Peact treaty does not prohibit Klingons from enjoying recreation on K7, but the activity seems suspicious. Kirk agrees to allow 12 Klingons on the space station at a time and to be matched one for one by Federation security personnel.

The tribble has a tranquilizing affect on the human nervous system. Humans can feel affectionate for robots. In 1996, Tamagotchi, the lovable egg, was released to the consumer. Tamagotchi would lets its owner know when it wanted attention: beep and cry with sounds that get louder and louder and if ignored the toy would act loudly and recklessly. If Tamagotchi was ignored for a prolong period of time, it would become ill. Business people would admit to postponing meetings to remove virtual waste or feed the virtual pet. Owners often feel attached to their digital pets and post memorial messages for their departed virtual pet in a Web cemetery. Sales of Tamgotchi exceeded ten million units.

Tribble body structure is 50 percent dedicated to reproduction. After being fed, Tribbles reproduce every 12 hours with a litter of 11. "What do you get when you feed a tribble? You get a who lot of hungry little tribbles." Tribbles don't like Klingons and emit a shrill sound around them. Apparently tribbles can sense and understand other people mental states or in other words, Tribbles can empathize. Empathy gives the tribble access to the other person's mental state and emotional interactions. Tribble respond negatively to the emotion of hate. Spock perceives peril in allowing the Tribbles to breed; Spock quotes Jesus, "Consider the Lillies of the field, how they toil not"; tribbles are born pregnant, bisexual, and can reproduce at will; tribbles consume supplies and return nothing.

A fight breaks out between the Klingons and the Federation security crew. Scottie throws the first punch, after a Klingon says, "the Enterprise should not be hauling garbage. The Enterprise should be hauled away as garbage". Kirk cancels shore leave. Kirk discovers that Scottie stopped Chekov from confrontation the Klingons, after they made rude comments about the Captain with Scottie telling Chekov, they were "big enough to take a few insults". Kirk asks Scottie then why did he strike the Klingon; Scottie replies, "it was a matter of pride".

Serino Jones is accused of being an Klingon Agent, but the evidence does not hold up against him. Serino Jones is an asteroid prospector and collector of rare merchandise. The tribble population growth has reached an alarming 1 million tribbles. The tribbles have began eating the wheat, but most of the tribbles are dead. Mr. Darwin has poisoned the grain with a virus designed to remove all the nutritional elements of the wheat; the tribbles have starved to death. Kirk forces Serino Jones to agree to clean up the space station and Spock estimates clean will take Serino 17.9 years. Scottie admits to transporting all the tribbles on the enterprise to the engine room of the Klingon ship, saying "no tribble at all".

A Keeper! Two of the Funniest Episodes of the Second Season!.......2006-11-01

If you are picking which volumes to collect, this falls in between the "must have" and "good to have" categories. An aspect of Classic Trek that is much beloved and sometimes overlooked is the humour that appears in many episodes in various doses but never in the quantities that we get on these two episodes although the second one is far, far better than the first.

On the first episode, we get that irritating character Harry Mudd again this time as a virtual slave of androids no less. The plot is very similar to a first season episode and just like in that episode, the manner in which Kirk so easily outwits the androids and the overall storyline leaves much to be desired and places this as an average episode at best.

The second episode is a must have in any TOS collection though. "The Trouble with Tribbles" has gone down as one of the best and favourite episodes in the history of Trekdom. It has even an episode paid in tribute to it on Deep Space 9 which is also a classic. The overall plot, timing, acting and extremely humourous storyline makes this an episode that I find myself able to watch over and over again without getting tired as each time, I seem to catch another comedic gem that I seemed to have missed the previous time. Who can forget the scene in which Scotty confesses to starting the brawl with the Klingons for example which is my favourite. This among many other scenes make this the most lovable TOS episode for me and I'm pretty sure you'll like it as well.

Recommended.

Only then. Can we be. Happy........2006-07-04

Time has not always been kind to the original Star Trek, certainly not in light of its special effects or sometimes labored drama. But as camp, some episodes still work, and in this DVD we have two of the most indomitably comic.

"The Trouble with Tribbles" is deservedly well known for its writing and comic aspects. Even those who thought William Shatner a bit insufferable will take pleasure in seeing him tormented by sneering Klingons and prissy Federation bureaucrats, and, in the climax, subjected to a shower of tribbles when he opens a cargo bin over his head. (Apparently the cargo sequence took several re-takes, so his put-upon look is probably quite real). Nichelle Nichols, as Uhura, gets a role in which she finally does something besides open a hailing frequency, we get treated to a Klingon imitating Scotty's Scots accent, and Scotty gets to brawl instead of fix things -- the scene afterward where Kirk has to discipline him is one of the more touching moments in the first series.

"I, Mudd," of course, is Monty Python meets Falstaff, as other reviewers have noted. Leonard Nimoy gets a John Cleese kind of turn as a not-so-straight man ("I fail to see why I should induce my mother to purchase falsified patents," in an icily comic tone). Roger C. Carmel gets the role of a lifetime in Harcourt Fenton Mudd, exceeded only by the actress playing his android wife Stella Dear. Scotty and Dr. McCoy do a rather jaw-dropping duet. And Walter (Chekhov) Koenig gets to perform Gene Roddenberry's underrated choreography.

Worth it.

This is the best of the best!!!! .......2005-01-05

These two Star Trek episodes where most likely two of the best ever made. The cast was fantastic and really made there characters shine!!! This is some really enjoyable viewing and will cause fits of uncontrollable laughter. AND... Chekov is really awesome in these two (I love him! :-) LOL)!!! Enjoy!

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 32 - Episodes 63 & 64: The Empath/ The Tholian Web

Average customer rating:

Both episodes EXCELLENT!
One popular episode, plus another third season dud
One of the Very Few Season Three Keepers!
Classic Spock in command episode....
I'm givin' ya fair warnin' here...

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 32 - Episodes 63 & 64: The Empath/ The Tholian Web
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Classic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 33, Episodes 65 & 66: For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky/ Day Of The Dove
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 31 - Episodes 61 & 62: Spock's Brain/ Is There In Truth No Beauty?
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 34, Episodes 67 & 68: Plato's Stepchildren/ Wink Of An Eye
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 35 - Episodes 69 & 70: That Which Survives/ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 36, Episodes 71 & 72: Whom Gods Destroy/ The Mark of Gideon

ASIN: B00005M2D0
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Amazon.com

"The Empath"
"The Empath" is an absolute must for fans of Star Trek's recurring shirtless-Kirk-being-tortured motif. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are taken to a strange laboratory and tortured by powerful aliens while a mute woman is forced to watch--a woman whose empathic abilities are being put to the test. There is, of course, a broader scheme to it all--this is one of the early manifestations of Trek's eternal conflict between the needs of the many and the needs of the few, or the one. Keep an ear out for one of the all-time great Bonesisms ("I'm a doctor, not a coal miner!") and hang on to those fragile but oh-so-important human emotions. --Ali Davis

"The Tholian Web"
"The Tholian Web" was conceived when writer Judy Burns went looking for a new angle on ghost stories. A physics student suggested she somehow use the theory of infinite dimensions, and out of that came Burns's script, which finds Captain Kirk (William Shatner) trapped between different kinds of space, floating in and out of view of the Enterprise crew. Adding to the dilemma are time constraints (Kirk's oxygen supply is running low), an effort by the arachnid-like Tholians to trap the Enterprise in a gigantic web, sub-space dementia affecting the crew, and rising hostilities between Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), the latter none too happy with the way the Vulcan is running the ship in Kirk's absence. Burns's original conception was to make Spock the spectral Starfleet officer locked in interspace, but the show is quite effective in the way various characters mourn the presumed death of their leader and figurehead. The Tholians don't make another appearance in Trek lore until The Next Generation, but this particular episode won the original series its first Emmy for special effects. --Tom Keogh

Description

"The Empath," Ep. 63 - As prisoners of the Vians, Kirk and McCoy are tortured so that Gem, a mute empath, can learn to use her abilities and save her race. "The Tholian Web," Ep. 64 - Kirk is trapped in interspace, and the Tholians, accusing the Enterprise of trespassing, begin to weave an energy web around the ship.

Customer Reviews:

Both episodes EXCELLENT!.......2007-05-18

I love both episodes. I particularly LOVE the music for "The Empath." The Empath's (the character who plays the empath) theme is absolutely beautiful, as well as her turquoise and pink bejeweled outfit. Her beautiful musical theme includes orchestral string section doubled with orchestral bells with delayed vibrato, which is a nice and unusual characterization in musical terms of the empath character. I love watching both of these episodes.

One popular episode, plus another third season dud.......2007-03-25

This two-episode DVD contains "The Tholian Web," which is one of the more popular original series episodes -- most notable for its impressive use of the visual effects for the Tholians, and their energy "web." Although the Tholians were mentioned in later "Trek" series (like the Next Generation), I think "The Tholian Web" was the only time they were actually seen. And they're probably the strangest-looking Star Trek aliens ever. The Tholian commander we briefly see isn't even humanoid-looking, but more of some kind of crystalline structure, or something to that nature. And the brief glimpse of the interior of the Tholian ship looks just as strange. But the Tholian does speak english, though with a strange voice, and warns the Enterprise to leave Tholian territory at once, or else. This is another episode where McCoy is grossly insubordinate, at first, like he was in some other episodes, like "The Paradise Syndrome." But he eventually sees the error of his ways, and realizes that Spock was always right, the whole time. But TTW is another great, totally space-borne episode, which I've always thought were the best. The planetary landing episodes tended to get a little boring at times.

"The Empath" seems to be just another pointless third season episode, very similiar to "The Savage Curtain," in that it seems that the experiments the aliens are trying to do, seem pointless and useless. And the Vians aren't very interesting aliens at all. They just come across as cheap Talosian imitations.

But "The Tholian Web" makes this DVD worth a buy.

One of the Very Few Season Three Keepers!.......2007-02-04

Though by far not among the better overall episodes of Classic Trek, this volume is a keeper if you are picking which volumes from the final season to keep. We have two above average episodes here with odd storylines but pretty good acting and above average scriptwriting too. In the first episode,"The Empath", we get an almost "Lord of the Rings" type parable which tries to illustrate a Christian message in the Star Trek setting even to the point of getting Scottie to talk about the "pearl of great price" at the end. The theme of redemptive suffering is dominant here and how self-sacrifice and short term pain can lead to long term gain and even the survival of mankind but it requires great courage and enough bravery to go through with it knowing that such sacrifice could lead to great pain and even death for yourself while aiding a stranger/neighbour. An episode most Christians would have a field day dissecting and discussing bible themes.

The second episode is stranger and indeed weaker except for the special effects which although is extremely lame by today's standards was actually pretty impressive way back when. The crew have to deal with the grief of what appears to be Kirk's death as well as to keep their minds on getting out of clear and present danger as is represented by the threat posed by the Tholians. The script appears to be strange and contrived to say the least which is a pity.

Overall, two episodes that fall under the "nice to have but not essential viewing" category if you are picking which volumes to collect.

Classic Spock in command episode...........2005-03-12

The Tholian Web
The USS Enterprise finds her sister ship, the USS Defiant in unsurveyed territory at her last reported position. The vessel which vanished without a trace three weeks ago is investigated by Captain Kirk and a boarding party consisting of Spock, McCoy and Chekov. They discover upon beaming over to the vessel that the Defiant's crew had killed each other apparently during a mutiny on the ship. The landing party found out after further investigation of the vessel that it was mysteriously dissolving prompting Kirk to order the landing party be beamed off the ship immediately.

The space that the Defiant had been drifting in was playing havoc with the Enterprise's transporter system, allowing for only three members of the landing party to be beamed off the fading vessel, Kirk elected to stay behind enabling them to return safely aboard the Enterprise. Scotty attempted to beam Kirk back to the Enterprise when the Defiant suddenly disappeared. Spock used the computer to calculate that Kirk would be able to be retrieved during the next period of spatial interphase, which would occur in two hours and twelve minutes.

Chekov, who experienced momentary stabs of pain while onboard the Defiant went mad and was removed from the bridge making it extremely urgent for Dr. McCoy to isolate and treat the madness which was apparently affecting the Enterprise crew just like it had affected the Defiant's crew. The rescue mission was disrupted by a Tholian ship claiming that the Enterprise had violated territory belonging to the Tholian Assembly. Spock relayed to the Tholian Commander that the Enterprise was on a rescue mission, the Tholians had no problem in allowing Spock and the Enterprise to complete it.

The rescue mission failed due to the Tholian vessels entry into the area. The Tholians who don't tolerate deceit or lack of punctuality fire on the Enterprise, forcing Spock to return fire thereby damaging the Tholian ship. The Enterprise who was damaged herself in the Tholian's attack starts to drift. A second Tholian ship appears and both ships begin to weave a web of energy around the crippled Enterprise. Spock who is forced to take command of the Enterprise deals with the loss of the Captain and the affect that it has on the crew.

The race against time was on for Scotty to repair the damage sustained in the Tholian attack and for McCoy to find a cure for the madness that was tearing the crew apart before the Tholians completed their web of energy trapping the Enterprise for good. Despite rising tensions and further episodes of madness amongst the crew, Scotty is able to repair the ship and McCoy finds an antidote to the madness. The Enterprise is able to escape the Tholian's web and retrieve Kirk alive and well.

I'm givin' ya fair warnin' here..........2004-05-26

I was planning on reviewing this and four other 2-episode original Star Trek DVDs I hadn't yet gotten to before I heard the news. And what news would this be, you're askin' yourself? Well, I'll tell ya: I've discovered that Paramount will be re-releasing the original series in full-season DVD box sets, complete with a shebang of extra features, some time later this year. It's yet another sad example of what I call "the dreaded DVD double-dip ploy" (read about this annoying phenomenon at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3CVFIEG84F2PF/ref=cm_aya_av.sylt_sylt/002-5334556-6482418 ) that the major Hollywood studios like to pull on videophile consumers. #ell, they've already got the full-season box sets out in parts of Europe already, so you know they'll be comin' stateside fairly soon as of this writing. BTW why do parts of Europe get to have the old-school Trek season box sets before the U.S. Does?! Shouldn't the country where the show was shot in have first dibs?! That's kinda like Honduras getting "Monty Python" on DVD before the UK does! Or "Akira" streeting in Brazil before becoming available in Japan! It's just not right I tell ya...

Anyhoo: if you wanna get alla' the eppies of old-school Trek on DVD (well, perhaps all but the last season, anyway), I recommend you wait `til the full-season sets come out later this year, or some time next year. In the meantime, I'm pretty sure your gradually disintegrating Columbia House Collector's Edition VHS tapes will last a few months longer. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta find a way to palm my own collection of classic Trek platters off on some unsuspecting Trekkies!

Wish me luck...

`Late

Post Script: I know some folks will read this and think of me as some whiny, ungrateful little fiend who doesn't appreciate the fact that Paramount at least bothered to put the show out on DVD. All I can say is... do you people own stock in the company or something?! What are you, members of their sales and marketing department?! Yeah, I should REALLY be grateful for them tryin' to hose me and all the other Trekkie DVDphiles by gettin' us to buy (pretty much) the same stuff twice! Hey, they did it with the Star Trek movies, why NOT the classic TV show?! Howzabout puttin' out the best possible product the first time around, huh?! Buncha avaricious, money-hungry jerks...

`Later

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 19, Episodes 37 & 38: The Changeling/ The Apple

Average customer rating:

Filler Eps from an Otherwise Great Season!
These two don't quite measure up to their neighbors
Before V'Ger, there was... NOMAD!
STANDARD STAR TREK STORIES!!!
Two super machines - Two different kinds of fun classic trek

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 19, Episodes 37 & 38: The Changeling/ The Apple
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror Mirror/ The Deadly Years
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 18, Episodes 35 & 36: The Doomsday Machine/ Wolf in the Fold
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 16, Episodes 31 & 32: Metamorphosis/ Friday's Child
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 17, Episodes 33 & 34: Who Mourns For Adonais/Amok Time
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 21, Episodes 41 & 42: I, Mudd/ The Trouble With Tribbles

ASIN: B000055Z4I
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Description

"The Changeling," Ep. 37 - Nomad, a deadly robotic space probe, is on target for Earth. Can Captain Kirk outsmart the killer computer? "The Apple," Ep. 38 - Vaal, protector of Gamma Trianguli VI, tries everything is its power to destroy Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise during an ill-fated visit to the strange planet.

Customer Reviews:

Filler Eps from an Otherwise Great Season!.......2006-10-24

If you are picking and choosing which volumes to keep, you can safely give this one a miss without missing too much. The first episode is interesting though because the theme is very similar to the V'ger story from the first Star Trek movie. The tension and tight plot are redeeming factors to an otherwise average episode.

The second and weaker episode shows an emotionally vulnerable Kirk who questions himself and his abilities when a number of his crew die on an Eden-like planet behaving as if he is a rookie captain who has only just lost members of his crew on dangerous assignments. The rest of the episode is very forgettable and ranks among the worst of all 3 seasons combined.

These two don't quite measure up to their neighbors.......2003-09-03

The Changeling-This episode, which features a confused and destructive floating robot, is an unspectacular offering. Like several episodes, it ably enough explores the unfortunate fact that technology is fallible, and that even with the best intentions, things can and do go wrong. This ship-based episode is less exciting than some of its neighbors, although there are a few dramatic scenes. On the negative side, the idea that Uhura could be rapidly re-programmed would be laughable if it wasn't so insulting to her. Also tedious is Kirk's outwitting of Nomad. (3 stars)

The Apple-This episode, in which the crew beams down to a `pre-fall' planet where the lizard-god still controls his followers, is an unpleasant surprise. Star Trek was in the middle of a strong rhythm that was broken by this silly episode. I suppose the basic biblical premise is OK, but it doesn't go anywhere. The planet is just a vehicle for red-shirt carnage, and none of the guest actors are convincing in their admittedly silly roles. I suppose the question of whether these people will be better off after their paradise is lost is an interesting one, but unlike in Who Mourns for Adonais?, the question is not taken up here. Basically just a half-hearted, 3rd season-like show, but without the trippy style many of the later shows at least contributed. (1.5 stars)

Before V'Ger, there was... NOMAD!.......2003-01-29

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Man vs. Machine / Inperfection

Historical Milestone: The first temporary death of a core character (Scotty); Spock's first mind-meld with a machine life-form

Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: In a few of the long shots of Nomad, you can just make out the line that keeps him `suspended' in mid-air.

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Four dead

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Out of all the Kirk-outwitting-the-computer-by-talking-it-to-death episodes, this one is likely the most notable. It also was something of an inspiration to Star Trek: The Motion Picture (and you thought ST:TMP was uninspired!) with the whole The-Enterprise-crew-must-stop-a-senitent-machine-trying-to-return-to-the-planet-of-its-creators-AKA-Earth-and-eliminate-all-imperfect-lifeforms scenario. Fortunately, unlike its big-screen clone, The Changeling isn't chock-full of overlong special effects sequences, nor does it lack primary colors. Bottom line: if you're thinkin' of taking a look at ST:TMP, just watch this eppie instead. You'll thank me for it some day...

Aside from this show's parallels to the Trek crew's first big-screen adventure, The Changeling features one of my all-time fave Trek moments: Nomad erases the mind of Uhura after taking a listen to her infernal caterwauling some tin-eared folks would call `singing'. Now if that ain't a blessing in disguise, I don't know what is! Oh yes, don't forget to check out Uhura's re-education sessions with Nurse Chapel; you'll see what likely inspired the creators of Hooked on Phonics!

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven