A cool moment in "Where No Man..."

[EnriqueH]

In recent years, I've noticed this cool, little moment in the 2nd pilot.

The department heads are assembled on the bridge and Scotty says something to the effect of an enthusiastic, "Engineering section ready as always."

To which Kirk just laughs.

And I thought to myself, "BOOM! We're not even halfway into the episode and already Kirk and Scotty have the foundation of their relationship established."

You could see the rapport between Shatner and Nimoy too, but that would evolve with time, but that Shatner-Doohan moment captures that relationship from the get-go.

It's funny how Shatner and Doohan had great chemistry on screen, they found common footing and their characters' relationship groove almost immediately, even though Doohan couldn't stand him.

 

[Warped9]

In recent years it has become rather established that you simply have to do an origin story. Yet here we are in TOS and we're picking things up long after the origins and it all works perfectly fine without wasting a lot of screen time on establishing things.

 

[pfontaine2]

Another great Shatner moment from that episode is an early conversation between Kirk and Spock at Spock's bridge station. Shatner sits on the railing rather than stand. I immediately get the impression that Kirk is both relaxed, in command but also treats his colleagues as equals. I don't know if that was a decision that Shatner made or the director but I couldn't have imagined Captain Pike acting the same way.

 

[kirkfan]

Another great Shatner moment from that episode is an early conversation between Kirk and Spock at Spock's bridge station. Shatner sits on the railing rather than stand. I immediately get the impression that Kirk is both relaxed, in command but also treats his colleagues as equals. I don't know if that was a decision that Shatner made or the director but I couldn't have imagined Captain Pike acting the same way.

Pike was thinking of retiring in the Pilot. That's not a great sign.

 

[TOSalltheway]

A great first line from a great a Star Trek character.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I love a lot of things in this episode. One is the turbolift scene where they totally sell the concept by going from corridor to bridge in a single shot.

 

[Metryq]

"Engineering section ready as always."

To which Kirk just laughs.

I've always felt the relationship was established in FORBIDDEN PLANET in a scene where the engineer is telling the captain how difficult it will be to repair a damaged item. The captain interrupts with, "All right, so it's impossible. How long will it take?"

(That scene also foreshadows Scotty's "multiply the repair estimate by four" from THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK when the engineer replies, "Well, if I don't stop for breakfast...")

But yes, the brevity of that exchange in WNMHGB is storytelling at its best.

 

[kirkfan]

I love a lot of things in this episode. One is the turbolift scene where they totally sell the concept by going from corridor to bridge in a single shot.

The way the turbolift functions is a bit puzzling.

 

[Marsden]

In recent years, I've noticed this cool, little moment in the 2nd pilot.

The department heads are assembled on the bridge and Scotty says something to the effect of an enthusiastic, "Engineering section ready as always."

To which Kirk just laughs.

And I thought to myself, "BOOM! We're not even halfway into the episode and already Kirk and Scotty have the foundation of their relationship established."

You could see the rapport between Shatner and Nimoy too, but that would evolve with time, but that Shatner-Doohan moment captures that relationship from the get-go.

It's funny how Shatner and Doohan had great chemistry on screen, they found common footing and their characters' relationship groove almost immediately, even though Doohan couldn't stand him.

Another great Shatner moment from that episode is an early conversation between Kirk and Spock at Spock's bridge station. Shatner sits on the railing rather than stand. I immediately get the impression that Kirk is both relaxed, in command but also treats his colleagues as equals. I don't know if that was a decision that Shatner made or the director but I couldn't have imagined Captain Pike acting the same way.

Agree on both points!

I like a similar, but not same, type of moment in Balance of Terror, but it's with the whole bridge crew. Jim walks onto the bridge and everyone just reports and they already know what he needs and all he says to Scotty is his name and Scotty is already answering to what he wants.

In recent years it has become rather established that you simply have to do an origin story. Yet here we are in TOS and we're picking things up long after the origins and it all works perfectly fine without wasting a lot of screen time on establishing things.

I agree with this also. GR often said he wanted this to be a ship that has a history.

 

[kirkfan]

That proves that you can discover new details even in episodes that you've seen many times.

 

[Green Shirt]

The way the turbolift functions is a bit puzzling.

How so?

 

[kirkfan]

The way the turbolift functions is a bit puzzling.

How so?

It doesn't move in a shaft, so then where does it move?

 

[Marsden]

It's a series of tubes.

 

[Mytran]

How does it not move in the shaft? That's what turboshafts are for!

Or did you mean how they achieved the effect in WNMHGB? That was done with a wild wall (to simulate the corridor) which was moved out of the way when the doors closed. When the doors opened again, instant Bridge!

 

[Melakon]

ST09 does a similar trick with a portable green screen when Spock makes his 10 second trip to the bridge.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

In recent years, I've noticed this cool, little moment in the 2nd pilot.

The department heads are assembled on the bridge and Scotty says something to the effect of an enthusiastic, "Engineering section ready as always."

To which Kirk just laughs.

And I thought to myself, "BOOM! We're not even halfway into the episode and already Kirk and Scotty have the foundation of their relationship established."

You could see the rapport between Shatner and Nimoy too, but that would evolve with time, but that Shatner-Doohan moment captures that relationship from the get-go.

It's funny how Shatner and Doohan had great chemistry on screen, they found common footing and their characters' relationship groove almost immediately, even though Doohan couldn't stand him.

 

[GNDN18]

How does it not move in the shaft? That's what turboshafts are for!

Or did you mean how they achieved the effect in WNMHGB? That was done with a wild wall (to simulate the corridor) which was moved out of the way when the doors closed. When the doors opened again, instant Bridge!

There is also a subtle camera tilt-and-pan to suggest movement. Sometimes the sawdust and magic of old-time film making is extraordinarily satisfying.

 

[kirkfan]

It's a series of tubes.

That's not practical. The tubes would have to be enormous,they'd end up almost doubling the volume of the ship!!!

 

[Lance]

In recent years, I've noticed this cool, little moment in the 2nd pilot.

The department heads are assembled on the bridge and Scotty says something to the effect of an enthusiastic, "Engineering section ready as always."

To which Kirk just laughs.

And I thought to myself, "BOOM! We're not even halfway into the episode and already Kirk and Scotty have the foundation of their relationship established."

It's a nice moment, and one which is actually echoed (whether on purpose or otherwise) in their very last scene together in Generations:

KIRK: "Scotty, keep things together until I get back."

SCOTTY: "I always do!"

(Kirk smiles as he steps into the turbolift.)

 

[Galileo7]

Good character moments.