I chalked it up to the progressive dementia caused by the aging disease, the way some older folks insist they can still drive safely when it's obvious they can't.
TheGodBen Revisits Star Trek
- Thread starter TheGodBen
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I suppose that's possible. Still, it give me whiplash.
Dammit, I knew away team didn't look right.And it's a LANDING PARTY, not an "away team," dammit!
I'd perform seppuku for my shameful error, but the doctors wont let me have sharp objects.Because I lost my heart to that Galway girl.
I, Mudd (**½)
I’ve never liked Harry Mudd, and I never will. I can never forgive him for his Oirish accent in Mudd’s Women. Actually, I can never forgive him for that entire episode. So the prospect of a second episode of his antics isn’t something I looked forward to. Thankfully, this episode is more about androids. These super-powerful androids were built by an Andromedian race tens of thousands of years ago. They had the ability to traverse the intergalactic void, but couldn’t be bothered leaving their home system, so they were mostly wiped out in a supernova. Should have used red matter.
Also, this extremely advanced, aeons old, extra-galactic race named their android... Norman. I would have expected something a bit more exotic.
At first, the androids just want to study humans so they can better serve us, sort of like how tracking cookies are intended to monitor our internet usage so as to provide tailored web services. But much like tracking cookies, these androids have decided to take over the galaxy. They have determined that humans are too dangerous to be allowed run amok, so they’re going to control our species so we can’t do any damage. How come the Klingons never encounter crap like this? They are a species that would probably be better off reigned in by android overlords. But no, robots just seem to love picking on us imperfect but well-meaning humans. It’s discrimination, and I wont stand for it any more.
Kirk wont stand for it either, and he decides to repeat the old trick of out-thinking the computer. But this time, instead of making a speech, Kirk decides to confuse the androids to death in a sequence that’s more Monty Python than it is Star Trek. Thankfully, I love Monty Python, so the silliness of the ending tickled me just right, although I can understand why some may think it’s the most dreadful thing ever recorded on film. With Norman dead, the androids decide to give up on their ambition of galactic conquest and are happy to return to their previous role as sex-bots. And Harry Mudd is left imprisoned on a planet with 500 stereotypes of a nagging wife. Part of me thinks that that the depiction of Harry’s wife is painfully cliché, another part of me is just happy that Harry is going to suffer.
I loved that closing scene. It was the best part of an otherwise dull episode for me.
The Deadly Years was somewhat dull as well, but the preceding Mirror Mirror is Top 10 TOS IMO. I just love how crazy the Mirror Universe is, and watching our crew trying to deal with the madness is fun. I think this is one of Uhura's best episodes as well.
The Deadly Years was somewhat dull as well, but the preceding Mirror Mirror is Top 10 TOS IMO. I just love how crazy the Mirror Universe is, and watching our crew trying to deal with the madness is fun. I think this is one of Uhura's best episodes as well.
Monty Python meets Star Trek....
"I, Mudd" is something of a guilty pleasure for me. But then, I like Harry Mudd and he was much better here than he was in "Mudd's Women". Though, that really isn't saying much since "Mudd's Women" was so god-awfully bad - it's my second least favorite of TOS.
The silliness at the end works, Harry Mudd works and I like what they do with the androids. 8/10
"I, Mudd" is something of a guilty pleasure for me. But then, I like Harry Mudd and he was much better here than he was in "Mudd's Women". Though, that really isn't saying much since "Mudd's Women" was so god-awfully bad - it's my second least favorite of TOS.
The silliness at the end works, Harry Mudd works and I like what they do with the androids. 8/10
The Trouble with Tribbles (*****)
To the best of my recollection, this is the first full episode of TOS I ever saw as it was shown before the first airing of DS9’s Trials and Tribble-ations. It’s a good thing too, watching the original before the homage greatly improved my appreciation of the latter. The Trouble with Tribbles is a comedy episode, and I’ve never given five stars to a comedy episode before, and I was tempted not to do it with this episode either. Maybe it’s because I’m snobby and think that comedy is naturally lesser than drama. But in the end, nostalgia and this episode’s connection with one of my favourite DS9 adventures won out.
I like that this episode is so light. There’s no great adventure, there’s no peril hanging over our heroes’ heads, they’re just hanging out at a space station guarding grain. Oh, there’s some political stuff about a dispute with the Klingons over the ownership of Sherman’s Planet, but the episode knows not to play that angle too seriously. Another thing I like about this episode is Deep Space Station K-7 itself. It’s rare that we get to see new models in TOS, and it’s nice to see some Federation infrastructure from this era. And then there’s the Tribbles. If you want to be generous, the Tribbles can be interpreted as this episode’s big sci-fi concept, a seemingly harmless creature that reproduces so rapidly that it becomes a menace. The message of the episode is therefore that we must be mindful of the ecological dangers of removing a species from its habitat and placing it in an environment not fit for them. But in truth, the Tribbles are just another bit of fun.
Most of all, what makes this episode work is the characters. There has been a good run of ensemble episodes recently and this is perhaps the best yet. Scotty, Chekov, and Uhura all get the chance for some fun in this episode alongside the big three. The Trouble with Tribbles may not be the best example of TOS’s storytelling, but as a showcase for the characters I can think of few better. It’s a shame that Sulu missed out, but I guess he’s off on his honeymoon right about now.
To the best of my recollection, this is the first full episode of TOS I ever saw as it was shown before the first airing of DS9’s Trials and Tribble-ations. It’s a good thing too, watching the original before the homage greatly improved my appreciation of the latter. The Trouble with Tribbles is a comedy episode, and I’ve never given five stars to a comedy episode before, and I was tempted not to do it with this episode either. Maybe it’s because I’m snobby and think that comedy is naturally lesser than drama. But in the end, nostalgia and this episode’s connection with one of my favourite DS9 adventures won out.
I like that this episode is so light. There’s no great adventure, there’s no peril hanging over our heroes’ heads, they’re just hanging out at a space station guarding grain. Oh, there’s some political stuff about a dispute with the Klingons over the ownership of Sherman’s Planet, but the episode knows not to play that angle too seriously. Another thing I like about this episode is Deep Space Station K-7 itself. It’s rare that we get to see new models in TOS, and it’s nice to see some Federation infrastructure from this era. And then there’s the Tribbles. If you want to be generous, the Tribbles can be interpreted as this episode’s big sci-fi concept, a seemingly harmless creature that reproduces so rapidly that it becomes a menace. The message of the episode is therefore that we must be mindful of the ecological dangers of removing a species from its habitat and placing it in an environment not fit for them. But in truth, the Tribbles are just another bit of fun.
Most of all, what makes this episode work is the characters. There has been a good run of ensemble episodes recently and this is perhaps the best yet. Scotty, Chekov, and Uhura all get the chance for some fun in this episode alongside the big three. The Trouble with Tribbles may not be the best example of TOS’s storytelling, but as a showcase for the characters I can think of few better. It’s a shame that Sulu missed out, but I guess he’s off on his honeymoon right about now.
Indeed, definitely a 10/10 for me as well. One of those ultra-rare beasts - Trek comedy where all the humor works.
Lovingly stolen from Heinlein and the serial numbers filed off. Let's just start calling them what they really are (link)...
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Well, one can't truly claim that onboard redshirt deaths are unequivocally different than those on landing parties, lord knows Nomad went to town. I just think of them differently, I suppose like they're more along the lines of industrial accidents or slipping in the shower. Besides, as you point out, even though an appropriate nobody, Galway was a Lt. and a blue shirt at that. So I will stick to my recently articulated view that Yeoman Thompson was the only such female example, an opinion that seemed to be validated by other posters at the time.
It would be interesting to see such a familiar and well defined character take on that mien and see how he might run with it. Though, for me, just as I resolutely reject him as a romantic object, I'm not sure how much unremitting and depraved villainy we would get from him in this scenario. I don't think he would cackle, but I will warrant that he likely could pull off a drop dead callousness of superior proportions. Still, for my money, I found that I was fully satisfied with Phlox's turn as Dr. Torquemada. He had few redeeming qualities, other than his admiration for Shakespeare, and his somewhat suave and urbane exterior made his actions all the more reprehensible. Finally, his easily inspired cupidity served to finish him off, though with another well placed blow or two on Trip, he would indeed have pulled off his mission.
Thinking about it, it is sort of redolent of Mr. Sardonicus. "No, not in the dark" as the obsessed Volchek put it in Wiseguy.
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Bread and Circuses (*)
Hodgkin’s Law of Parallel Planetary Development strikes again, this time with the Romans. I admit that I find the whole parallel Earth idea fairly stupid, but as someone who had a minor fascination in the Romans as a kid, the “what if” of the Roman Empire surviving into the 20th century intrigues me, so I’m willing to give it a pass here. Sadly, the episode doesn’t do anything interesting with the concept. The fact that this is a parallel Rome is a gimmick, the actual story could easily have taken place on some generic alien world with minor alterations. Besides, the show already has Space Romans in the Romulans, we really didn’t need literal Space Romans.
After a decent run of ensemble episodes, this episode returns the spotlight to the Big Three. They beam down to Space Rome to find the crew of a Federation merchant vessel, captained by yet another old acquaintance of Kirk’s. After a run-in with some slaves, and then with the police, Kirk and co discover that Captain Merik sacrificed his crew and became the First Citizen of Space Rome, for some dumb reason that I couldn’t be bothered to understand. But in the end he has a change of heart for some other dumb reason and he sacrifices himself to save Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.
Not content to limit itself to exploring Space Rome, this episode also attempts to parody the television industry, because those two subjects go together so naturally. In particular, there are a few lines poking fun at the barbarity of network television. I get that Star Trek’s writers were frustrated at their treatment by the network and the constant threat of cancellation, but perhaps fewer episodes like this would have been more helpful to the show’s continuation.
No comment. But feel free to interpret my decision to comment on my lack of commentary as a comment in itself.
Now we reach the most important question this episode poses: Did Kirk bang Drusilla? The arguments in favour:
Captain Redshirt: 12
James T Flirt: 8½
Inform the Men: 0
Hodgkin’s Law of Parallel Planetary Development strikes again, this time with the Romans. I admit that I find the whole parallel Earth idea fairly stupid, but as someone who had a minor fascination in the Romans as a kid, the “what if” of the Roman Empire surviving into the 20th century intrigues me, so I’m willing to give it a pass here. Sadly, the episode doesn’t do anything interesting with the concept. The fact that this is a parallel Rome is a gimmick, the actual story could easily have taken place on some generic alien world with minor alterations. Besides, the show already has Space Romans in the Romulans, we really didn’t need literal Space Romans.
After a decent run of ensemble episodes, this episode returns the spotlight to the Big Three. They beam down to Space Rome to find the crew of a Federation merchant vessel, captained by yet another old acquaintance of Kirk’s. After a run-in with some slaves, and then with the police, Kirk and co discover that Captain Merik sacrificed his crew and became the First Citizen of Space Rome, for some dumb reason that I couldn’t be bothered to understand. But in the end he has a change of heart for some other dumb reason and he sacrifices himself to save Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.
Not content to limit itself to exploring Space Rome, this episode also attempts to parody the television industry, because those two subjects go together so naturally. In particular, there are a few lines poking fun at the barbarity of network television. I get that Star Trek’s writers were frustrated at their treatment by the network and the constant threat of cancellation, but perhaps fewer episodes like this would have been more helpful to the show’s continuation.
KIRK: Caesar and Christ. They had them both, and the word is spreading only now.
MCCOY: A philosophy of total love and total brotherhood.
MCCOY: A philosophy of total love and total brotherhood.
No comment. But feel free to interpret my decision to comment on my lack of commentary as a comment in itself.
Now we reach the most important question this episode poses: Did Kirk bang Drusilla? The arguments in favour:
- She offered.
- Kirk almost seems to look at the camera on several occasions, as if he’s bragging to the audience.
- They kiss, the camera pans up, then it fades to morning. That’s Hollywood’s go-to way of indicating that banging occurred.
- When Kirk wakes up, Drusilla is absent and he’s still wearing his clothes. He even has his shoes on.
- Drusilla is a sex slave. It would not be fitting for a decent and honourable man to bang her.
Captain Redshirt: 12
James T Flirt: 8½
Inform the Men: 0
Actually, despite their Roman trappings, in "Balance of Terror" the Romulans are actually space Kriegsmarine, what with their master race-y "If we are the strong, isn't this the signal for war?" philosophy and the fact the whole premise of the Romulans in the episode is a swipe of the U-boat crew in The Enemy Below.
Not only does STTMP correct TOS's nasty habit of underestimating AI with V'Ger, but in the way Kirk treated the Ilia android. It was set to learn about humans before destroying the infestation, but Kirk and crew, through interaction, found a way around it's indifference. He didn't talk the android into setting off a bomb in the V'Ger engine room.
Ugh, women (androids) are either sex objects or nagging housewives..just to add to the "escorts" from "Mudd's Women". I can see why women don't like looking back on TOS more than other shows.
RAMA
First..what..your first saw TwT when TaT came out??? Feeling old now.
TwT has one great thing for many fans that eventually came to be the bane of it's existence: continuity. With a non-serialized show, ToS was rarely self-referential, but here we refer to the Organian treaty, which deepens and widens the universe. Eventually it became so deep and wide that it sank under it's own weight into a black hole, and continuity Nazis ruined it for all of us..until the reboot of course.
RAMA
Ugh, women (androids) are either sex objects or nagging housewives..just to add to the "escorts" from "Mudd's Women". I can see why women don't like looking back on TOS more than other shows.
RAMA
Dammit, I knew away team didn't look right.
Because I lost my heart to that Galway girl.
I, Mudd (**½)
I’ve never liked Harry Mudd, and I never will. I can never forgive him for his Oirish accent in Mudd’s Women. Actually, I can never forgive him for that entire episode. So the prospect of a second episode of his antics isn’t something I looked forward to. Thankfully, this episode is more about androids. These super-powerful androids were built by an Andromedian race tens of thousands of years ago. They had the ability to traverse the intergalactic void, but couldn’t be bothered leaving their home system, so they were mostly wiped out in a supernova. Should have used red matter.
Also, this extremely advanced, aeons old, extra-galactic race named their android... Norman. I would have expected something a bit more exotic.
At first, the androids just want to study humans so they can better serve us, sort of like how tracking cookies are intended to monitor our internet usage so as to provide tailored web services. But much like tracking cookies, these androids have decided to take over the galaxy. They have determined that humans are too dangerous to be allowed run amok, so they’re going to control our species so we can’t do any damage. How come the Klingons never encounter crap like this? They are a species that would probably be better off reigned in by android overlords. But no, robots just seem to love picking on us imperfect but well-meaning humans. It’s discrimination, and I wont stand for it any more.
Kirk wont stand for it either, and he decides to repeat the old trick of out-thinking the computer. But this time, instead of making a speech, Kirk decides to confuse the androids to death in a sequence that’s more Monty Python than it is Star Trek. Thankfully, I love Monty Python, so the silliness of the ending tickled me just right, although I can understand why some may think it’s the most dreadful thing ever recorded on film. With Norman dead, the androids decide to give up on their ambition of galactic conquest and are happy to return to their previous role as sex-bots. And Harry Mudd is left imprisoned on a planet with 500 stereotypes of a nagging wife. Part of me thinks that that the depiction of Harry’s wife is painfully cliché, another part of me is just happy that Harry is going to suffer.
First..what..your first saw TwT when TaT came out??? Feeling old now.
TwT has one great thing for many fans that eventually came to be the bane of it's existence: continuity. With a non-serialized show, ToS was rarely self-referential, but here we refer to the Organian treaty, which deepens and widens the universe. Eventually it became so deep and wide that it sank under it's own weight into a black hole, and continuity Nazis ruined it for all of us..until the reboot of course.
RAMA
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That is the theme of that particular episode, but the Romulans are Romans, not Nazis.
Hmm, I guess great minds don't always think alike. This has always been one of my favorites of the series. Oh well, to each their own.
And then the reboots found new ways to ruin it all.
1. I was only referencing that "particular episode".
2. Since you chose to open that can of worms: the Romulans appeared precisely TWICE in TOS ("Deadly Years" doesn't count), and their second portrayal was hardly Roman.
Yeah, I would have been 10 or 11 at the time. I had seen snippets of TOS episodes, and I knew the general stories of some of the more famous episodes, such as Amok Time and Space Seed, but I had never heard of The Trouble with Tribbles before, and I had no idea why it was shown before DS9. Then Trials and Tribble-ations came on and I was like "Oh, now I get it."
Journey to Babel (****½)
The Enterprise plays host to dozens of Federation diplomats as it chauffeurs them to an important conference on planet Babel. But the UFP isn’t as united as its name suggests as the divisions over the Coridan system’s admission causes various ambassadors squabble, brawl, and start assassinating one another. It’s eerily reminiscent of the average EU summit. And much like an EU summit, the core issue behind the gathering isn’t resolved. But nobody cares about that anyway, it’s just fun to see all these aliens on the ship. We finally get a sense of how diverse the Federation is, and how the different member worlds interact with one another. It’s much more fun than the human-centric Federation we usually see across the entire franchise.
This episode has a little bit of everything. It starts out with politics and family drama, delves its toes into murder-mystery, spy intrigue, medical drama, ethical drama, and it throws in a space battle to boot. The episode also has some great moments for each of the Big Three characters. The episode is mostly about Spock and the division that exists between him and his father, and also his decision to put his duty to Starfleet above his personal wish to save Sarek. Kirk has a great sequence where he’s forced to command the Enterprise during battle while suffering through the pain of a stab wound. And McCoy not only gets to display his abilities as a surgeon, he also does a great job handing Spock and Kirk.
There’s probably too much material in this episode for just the one hour, and I feel that comes across at certain points with some rushed editing. For example, the episode cuts to Kirk and the Andorian assassin mid-brawl, which is a little jarring. Also, Spock’s mother is a little inconsistent. First, she doesn’t want Spock to risk his life to save Sarek (potentially causing her to lose both), but once Spock decides that he cannot undergo the procedure she pleads with him to abandon his duty to save Sarek. Perhaps a scene in between those two would have been appropriate, although there clearly wasn’t time.
But still, it was a great episode all the same. It’s a shame that we had to wait until Enterprise before species like the Andorians and Tellarites would receive proper development. Also, the episode features Sarek, the best Vulcan character bar Spock himself.
"Journey to Babel" is my absolute favorite of TOS, hands down. That's precisely for the reasons in that first paragraph of yours, TheGodBen. I've never been much of a fan of the whole "seek out new life and new civilizations" aspect of the franchise. Trek is often at its best when it deals with world-building, not exploration of the unknown. And this episode provides world-building in spades! From the low level world-building of meeting Spock's parents to the grander, more encompassing, kind with all the Federation delegates, I love it all.
And I love Ambassador Shras, the Andorian delegate. His ascent makes the character so memorable. "Perhaps you should forget logic and devote yourself to motivations of passion or gain. Those are reasons for murder." It gives the character a wonderfully exotic feel, making him seem more alien. He and Jeffrey Combs are the main reasons why I like Andorians so much.
It really is a shame that Andorians, and especially Tellerites, had to wait until ENT before being given any more serious development. Fucking Rick Berman! I've defended the man on numerous occasions, but the decision to not include these races on TNG, DS9 or VOY was simply inexcusable. And his reason makes no damn sense - because they would have looked corny. Who the fuck cares?! Give me an actual alien looking alien; I don't care how corny it looks! It would be better than a constant parade of aliens who look completely identical to Humans or who only have some bumps or coloring on their foreheads.
And I love Ambassador Shras, the Andorian delegate. His ascent makes the character so memorable. "Perhaps you should forget logic and devote yourself to motivations of passion or gain. Those are reasons for murder." It gives the character a wonderfully exotic feel, making him seem more alien. He and Jeffrey Combs are the main reasons why I like Andorians so much.
It really is a shame that Andorians, and especially Tellerites, had to wait until ENT before being given any more serious development. Fucking Rick Berman! I've defended the man on numerous occasions, but the decision to not include these races on TNG, DS9 or VOY was simply inexcusable. And his reason makes no damn sense - because they would have looked corny. Who the fuck cares?! Give me an actual alien looking alien; I don't care how corny it looks! It would be better than a constant parade of aliens who look completely identical to Humans or who only have some bumps or coloring on their foreheads.
Ok, what other culture has the ranks "Praetor" and "Centurion?" Names like Decius? Homeworlds called Romulus and Remus? A government featuring an Imperial Senate?
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