The SINGLE GREATEST MOMENT in TOS !!!

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by Captain Tracy, Jan 16, 2012.

  1. Konservative

    Konservative Ensign

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    I think it was probably when Spock helped Kirk forget the droid girl in RFM. Touching. By the way, she was pretty sweet!
     
  2. Warped9

    Warped9 Admiral Admiral

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    If nothing else this thread illustrates how many fantastic moments there are in TOS, and of such great variety.
     
  3. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Seriously?:cardie: I thought that scene was pathetic, and best forgotten (no pun intended). The Kirk I remember isn't the wimp who wants difficult memories erased so he doesn't have to face them - he's the man who told Sybok where to shove his mind tricks, and that he defines himself by the right and wrong choices he's made in life. By the good and painful memories. "If we lose them, we lose ourselves"
     
  4. UnknownSample

    UnknownSample Commodore Commodore

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    Oh come on, let Kirk have his weak moments. Forget the hero worship. Kirk didn't ask Spock to do it, Spock knew he never would have, so he did it on his own, after Kirk was asleep. It's been a long time since I've seen this scene, but I think Kirk does say he wishes he could forget, but any of us would. It was the kind of thought anyone in that position would have had. He didn't imagine that someone would actually erase his memories a minute later!

    As for holding up RFM to the very high standards of the fifth ST movie... well, never mind.

    My favorite ST moment is in City On the Edge of Forever, in the scene where McCoy arrives in the past. The whole scene's my favorite, but then there's the moment at the end where the (apparently) homeless man fools with McCoy's phaser, silently destroying himself with no witnesses. There are actually more conflicting emotions in that moment and scene than I can think of and talk about, right now.
     
  5. Sky

    Sky Captain Captain

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    I find it kind of creepy and unethical that Spock would ever do that, to be honest. To reach out and erase someone's memories.

    I can't say what my favorite moment is, since there are so many. But one I really like is the scene in Bread and Circuses where McCoy and Spock are incarcerated. That dialogue is excellent - it tells us so much about the characters and their dynamic.
     
  6. Captain Tracy

    Captain Tracy Commander Red Shirt

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    SKY - These are two excellent points you bring up.

    It is true that the 'Forget' scene, does have a bit of an uncomfortable invasiveness about it; not the type of violation that goes on with Catholic Priests, mind you, but it most certainly smacks of something along the lines of a 23rd century GHB (date rape drug) element about it.

    Also, good cite regarding the B&C scene with SPOCK & McCOY, an outstanding moment of character exploration through dialog to be sure.

    First rate observations!:techman:
     
  7. CaptainMatt

    CaptainMatt Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The actress in the episode went on to appear in the american CBS-owned "The Young and the Restless" soap opera series. She was and remains quite talented to this day although I am unsure when she last did a series or film. She might be retired by now.
     
  8. gottacook

    gottacook Captain Captain

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    Many of the moments mentioned upthread seem to be the final lines of episodes: "...Forget," "...a few laurel leaves," "...bringing a visitor aboard," "Let's get the hell out of here," etc.

    This is as it should be. All's well that ends well, or, in modern parlance: Satisfying Ending Is Satisfying.

    I understand all the arguments against the "...Forget" moment, but it works for me every time, because of how it's handled: with the phrase from George Duning's "Empath" music hovering in the background, the soft gong as the strings pause briefly and then return with the volume slowly reduced so as to emphasize Spock's voice when it comes in - "...Forget" - and then a quick cut to the ship exiting, credits, etc. One of the very best pieces of work by the film editor and the music editor in the whole third season, to be sure.

    My choice for an off-the-beaten-track great moment is Miranda Jones' line in the ship's arboretum, in another Duning-scored episode, "Is There in Truth No Beauty?":

    "I've never been to Earth."

    To me that has always conveyed a lot: Meeting a human who we know isn't originally from Earth conveys something about the Trek universe that hasn't been conveyed by all the various alien species we've met, nor by humans we know to be Earth colonists. Humanity has spread out so much that someone like Miranda can be a second- (or third-)generation resident of some other planet.

    (Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think any other human in the original series was known not to have been from Earth.)
     
  9. Terran_Empire

    Terran_Empire Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    The episode that was based off of the film "The Enemy Below", season 1's "Balance of Terror" was pretty epic.
     
  10. Wingsley

    Wingsley Commodore Commodore

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    Two moments of self-sacrifice in the second year of TOS really stand out for me...

    1: my all time favorite ep is "Bread and Circuses". Even though we all want to see Kirk take a shot at Proconsul Claudius Markus during the blackout in the arena, or at least slug First Citizen Merrickus, the shocking ending occurs when Captain Merrick lays down his own life to signal the Enterprise to beam up Kirk. "Starship? Lock in on this... Three to beam u--...!" followed of course by the jaw-dropping sound of Scott's all-business reply: "Enterprise to Captain Kirk. Ready to beam up three."

    2: And another scene of daring, played to virtually identical music, was in the final act of "Friday's Child", when newly crowned High Te'er Ma'ab confers with Ele'an and K'eel, then goes out and offers himself for Klingon target practice so Ke'el can get a clean shot on the Kraas. Talk about going out on a blaze of glory... "KLING-ONNNNNN!"


    BTW: I also love the scene where Kirk gives the word and Spock finally relives Decker. Great lines there! "Blast regulations! ...I order to to assume command on my personal authority as captain of the Enterprise!" "I don't recognize your authority to relieve me." Followed by the only-on-TOS line "You may file a formal protest with Starfleet Command, assuming we survive to reach a starbase."
     
  11. Warped9

    Warped9 Admiral Admiral

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    TOS is brimming with great lines and moments that still resonate. Just one of its reasons for longevity.
     
  12. gomtuu20

    gomtuu20 Commander Red Shirt

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    Pound for pound, Doomsday Machine has the most great moments of any TOS episode. Several have already been mentioned. Gentlemen, I suggest you beam me aboard. The music in the episode is outstanding throughout the entire episode. Spock consoling Kirk on the death of his friend. Decker coming out of shock. I think it's great, Scotty get us out of here! I could continue, but you get the idea.
    I also like the "forget" moment in Methuselah, but why didn't Spock make Kirk forget Edith Keeler?
     
  13. gomtuu20

    gomtuu20 Commander Red Shirt

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    Wasn't that moment between McCoy and Spock edited out to make more room for commercials in the 90's? I think that was one of the better moments in TOS. I wish the Sci-Fi channel would have had more success with their "special edition" 90 minutes experiment that didn't require "editing" the episodes down.
     
  14. EnsignHarper

    EnsignHarper Captain Captain

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    the thing about the 'forget' scene scene from RFM which makes it work, is the exchange between Spock and McCoy beforehand, with McCoy explaining why he feels sorry for Spock, not Kirk. The little speech with Bones explaining WHY humans treasure love so much. I wish I could remember the whole thing exactly (time to stream it off of Amazon tonight!), but Bones talking about the 'glorious triumphs...and the glorious failures also....these things you will never know, Mr. Spock...all because the word 'love' is not in your dictionary.", and then, almost to himself, "I still wish he could forget her....good night Mr. Spock." Its played, as always, perfectly by Kelley, and then, when McCoy leaves, Spock kind of puts his hand up towards the door, as if he is locking mentally, THEN turning to Kirk.....all very well written...very underplayed by all. And extremely moving.

    Considering the episode itself is kinda eh, and that the show was limping towards its conclusion, a pretty amazing piece of film.
     
  15. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Captain Captain

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    Well stated. I'm glad more are agreeing with my choice.

    Harry
     
  16. EnsignHarper

    EnsignHarper Captain Captain

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    found the speech:

    "You see, I feel sorrier for you than I do for him because you'll never know the things that love can drive a man to. The ecstasies, the miseries, the broken rules, the desperate chances, the glorious failures, the glorious victories. All of these things you'll never know simply because the word love isn't written into your book." :)
     
  17. plynch

    plynch Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re. RFM forget scene:

    McCoy says love's not in Spock's vocab. ( Then says goodnight, a nice touch.) Then Spock clearly shows us that at least love for a friend is in his vocabulary as he erases the pain. What a nice, humane touch. Yeah, maybe it's the wrong ethical thing for Spock to do, or creepy. He makes mistakes too. But I think it's a fine choice, as he can't be erasing all memory of the events - someone upstream mentioned Kirk reading his logs. He's helping ease a friend's pain. One example why Kirk could declare Spock's soul the most human, in TWOK.

    Peace to all.
     
  18. JimZipCode

    JimZipCode Commander Red Shirt

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    "Mr Spock, I order you to assume command on my personal authority as captain of the Enterprise!"

    "Commodore, you are relieved."
     
  19. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    "Let's get the hell out of here."

    God what a pompous, adolescent ass he was in that scene. [TV's Frank]"I am my pain, my failures..."[/TV's Frank]
     
  20. Delta Vega

    Delta Vega Commodore Commodore

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    Amok Time fight scene when Spock has won, and drags Kirk by the neck along the ground.

    Seeing it for the first time many, many years ago, you didnt know that McCoy had actually sedated him, and that he wasnt dead.


    The ending of COTEOF when Kirk says "Lets get the hell out of here"

    There are so many others.