The Alternative Factor

[Maurice]

AN ALTERNATIVE REVIEW OF THE FACTOR

Your description of the episode doesn't match my experience watching it. It's a bore that falls apart under any scrutiny. It requires characters to be dumb, from Starfleet jumping to the illogical conclusion that some previously unexperienced "winking out" is somehow a prelude to invasion (1+1=57.6 apparently), to Kirk allowing the ONLY FIGURE at the center of this phenomenon to wander freely about his ship, and disbelieving Bones about the head wound... as if that's somehow stranger than the entire universe winking out. And then sane Lazarus not realizing the simplest solution to the whole problem is to off himself, thus never allowing the two to meet, or even for Kirk to take that logical—and, frankly, safest—course of action to save two entire universes. Add continuity glitches and other problems caused by the last minute recasting of the guest star and you have an absolute mess.

A premise doesn't make for good drama. Happy you enjoy it. Doesn't mean those of us who don't are wrong about our dislike.

 

[Warped9]

This is what I thought of the episode the last time I reviewed it some years ago.

"The Alternative Factor" *** (3/5)

The Enterprise encounters a man of highly erratic behaviour in the midst of an unexplained spatial phenomenon.

This episode gets panned a lot and not entirely undeservedly. Still, I have something of a soft spot for it---I think there's a viable story to be told at the heart of it, but there's some sloppy execution. Lazurus is definately unhinged and in fairness it isn't clear that there are indeed two of him until later in the episode. My biggest beef is how someone so obviously unbalanced could be allowed to wander freely aboard ship without a security escort. Indeed he should have been confined and his movements restricted. Of course doing so would hamper the necessity of having him at large to do what he needs to for the sake of the story. Still I can't help but think it could have been done better.

What really allows it to work as well as it does (for what it is) is the regular casts' performance and the rest of the crew's generally polished execution as already seen throughout the season. When I look at any individual aspect of it it's hard to define precisely what doesn't work...except that the sum of the parts is somewhat lesser than the whole. I didn't have a problem with the visual effects. Right off I understood something of what was going on. And candidly it couldn't have been easy to come up with a reasonably easy way to depict transitions between the two universes.

I don't think it's poor or outright bad, but it definately could have been better.

 

[The Old Mixer]

If the entire universe momentarily winked out of existence...how would anyone know it?

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

This is what I thought of the episode the last time I reviewed it some years ago.

All that, plus the conveniently preposterous behavior of antimatter in the episode and the fact that the writer could think of no better ending than "What of Lazarus?"

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Rather than keep trashing "The Alternative Factor," an episode I don't rate highly myself, we should "celebrate our diversity" and acknowledge that some fans like it a lot. This thread illustrates that different fans get different things out of Star Trek, like if some subscribers were to read Playboy for the articles.

This episode is so polarizing because what it has to offer (sci-fi concept and techno stuff) and where it is weak (plot construction, the guest star's rushed character creation, and unnatural dialogue) are so unrelated. "TAF" is a love-it-or-hate-it show if you mainly care about one of those sides and not the other.

 

[Maurice]

I don't think anyone is denying that some people like it. I think some of us are just pointing out to those who keep trying to make Dennis the Menace like carrots that just because Margaret loves carrots doesn't make Dennis enjoy them. One girl's yummy is another boy's yuck.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

This was the first TOS episode I ever watched, and I absolutely loved it. It got me into the show. Fantastic plot, awesome fight scenes, and very thought provoking.

There are many episodes of Star Trek I didn't understand at first, but upon re-watching them things really clicked. The Alternative Factor is one of those episodes.

So which one was it? You absolutely loved it at first viewing, or you didn't understand it at first and then it clicked for you? These two statements are almost as contradictory as the episode itself.

 

[Captain Rob]

I'd like to think that if it was MY starship that was sent to investigate. The first time Lazurus threatened the safety of my ship or my crew. I'd throw his ass in the brig. And have six guys pointing phasers at him.
If he did it again, I'd show him the door.
"Watch out! That first step's a DOOZIE!"

 

[UnknownSample]

It was very rushed, obviously. That accounts for the glitches. It's really throwing the baby out with the bathwater to reject a season one Trek episode, completely, as one of the worst ever, for those flaws. A lot of fans concentrate on flaws. If you can pick things apart, you should.

I think as a kid, I watched with a kind of trust in Trek, where I figured if I didn't get why this or that was happening , then they were probably doing something pretty interesting that was too advanced for me at the time. It was usually true. If you watch that way, taking in what is understandable and coherent, surfing on top of the general ideas, and mood of the whole thing, then the strengths take over. "What about when Lazarus did this or that? Why did he keep falling from rocks?" You don't worry about that. You figure you just missed something, never mind. The big situation and overall mood are what matter, and how is that briefing room scene not a great example of what's great in Trek?

A diamond in the rough is still a dimond.

 

[Marsden]

While I think this is the worst episode of the first season and one of the bottom 5 of all, I don't actually dislike the episode. I know some do but there are people out there (brace yourself) that... don't like.... Star Trek at all! Ugh.

Ok, I'm sorry for the attitude, but it's true. And I am not claiming in anyway to dislike this or other episodes invalidates your like of any others.

I'd watch a repeating loop of the 5 worst Star Trek episodes before I'd watch 90+ % of whatever the hell else has been televised.


I remember when I was maybe 7 or so I remember that this was the one with the guy fighting in the black and white, I loved the music and I liked the spinny transition scene. Plus any chance to see Kirk and Spock was good. No Scotty though. I looked forward to this one as much as the others. Later on when I became more discerning and tried to understand things, then it started to unravel a bit. But back then I really liked it, I would never deny that.

I also want to mention, is Kirk just being a yes man in this episode or what? Code 1 is invasion alert, ok and then they as after using that, What do you think it is, Kirk? "Well, I think it's a prelude to invasion" Great!

And I love Spock calling Lazarus a liar. And one of his other great lines, "Annihilation, Jim. Total, complete, absolute annihilation."

 

[Tallguy]

Awful in every way. Using an otherwise unused Fred Steiner Romulan cue doesn't save this one. It's the worst episode of the series.

Neil

It's funny, I was thinking about if there was anything redeemable about this episode and the best I could come up with was that before the TOS Box soundtrack collection this episode has some "clean" unreleased music cues from Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Ok, I kind of like the last 10 minutes or so. Kirk's conversation with Lazarus and the epilogue. But it's an impossible slog to get there.

The only episode that even comes close to this bad is Turnabout Intruder.

 

[Indysolo]

I stand by my comment. I've watched it several times. This episode is pure, nonsensical junk.

Neil

 

[Harvey]

It was very rushed, obviously. That accounts for the glitches. It's really throwing the baby out with the bathwater to reject a season one Trek episode, completely, as one of the worst ever, for those flaws. A lot of fans concentrate on flaws. If you can pick things apart, you should.

If "it was very rushed" is in reference to the production process, story and script development for "The Alternative Factor" took about as long as "Space Seed." Make of that what you will.

Having read multiple drafts of this turkey, I feel pretty comfortable saying that it would have been a turkey no matter which draft they filmed. Even John Barrymore showing up wouldn't have made the episode make sense.

 

[Tallguy]

I'd like to think that if it was MY starship that was sent to investigate. The first time Lazurus threatened the safety of my ship or my crew. I'd throw his ass in the brig. And have six guys pointing phasers at him.
If he did it again, I'd show him the door.
"Watch out! That first step's a DOOZIE!"

Ned?!? BING!

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Having read multiple drafts of this turkey, I feel pretty comfortable saying that it would have been a turkey no matter which draft they filmed. Even John Barrymore showing up wouldn't have made the episode make sense.

I suppose in a way it's good that that debacle happened on what was already a subpar episode to begin with. Can you imagine if, say, Ricardo Montalban, hadn't shown up for the shooting of "Space Seed" and they had to get whomever they could on short notice to play Khan?

 

[Indysolo]

A PROPER REVIEW OF THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

I joined this forum for this specific reason, to put forward a defense of one of my all-time favorite trek episodes. I am not alone in my love for this episode. My good friend, a MAJOR trekkie, introduced me to TOS by showing me "The Alternative Factor", which he too ranks as one of his all-time favorites. We have found precious few others who share our love for this one. We believe we are seeing something that unfortunately, many of you do not. My hope is that I can help you to appreciate this episode.

Right from the start, the episode draws me in and interests me to figure out what is going on in the mysterious region of space the Enterprise is exploring. The very first moment of the ship "winking out" is suspenseful and raises the hairs on my arms. What is happening here? Whatever it is, it's very intriguing. Then, sensors detect a humanoid life-form on the planet below. Where did he come from, who is he, and what does he have to do with this area of space blinking in and out of existence? I found myself extremely interested to see where this was going.

The Enterprise beams down an away party and discover a crazed madman on the surface ranting about an anti-life enemy he is trying to destroy. I can feel the intense, maniacal emotion from the actor playing Lazarus, and it draws me in further.

Take a moment to think, and imagine what it would be like for there to be a parallel universe next to our own, in which you exist in a different form, with different characteristics, but occupying the same physical space. This was an idea I pondered a lot as a young boy. I thought the idea to take this and make it into a science fiction story between two counterparts from opposite worlds was just brilliant. Now imagine your existence winking in and out between both of the Universes. How can you not be intrigued by this possibility? The premise behind "The Alternative Factor" is one of the most original and interesting ideas in the show, and it was aired BEFORE Mirror, Mirror.

Another huge plus for this episode is the dramatic, suspenseful music that accompanies the scenes where the two counterparts are duking it out in the corridor of time. As a musician myself, I really appreciate when well-written music accompanies a good story and creates a certain mood in entertainment. The mood I got from watching "The Alternative Factor" is one of mystery, eeriness, and suspense. Just think of how high the stakes are here. We're talking about matter and anti-matter clashing in space, and duking it out for the fate of existence. Does it get any more cooler, any more interesting than that? There aren't many other Star Trek episodes that match that level of drama.

In the end, the Enterprise ends up destroying Lazarus' time machine and trapping him inside the corridor between the two Universes, and thereby saving all of existence. A great end to a fantastic episode. This episode is pure, perfect science fiction. It deserves great praise and recognition. Though are some minor flaws, they don't stand out in a way that brings down the awesomeness of the episode as a whole. I give it a 9/10.

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Neil

 

[3D ChessMaster]

Great to see that even allegedly bad ST can still stimulate a debate, so thanks to Kevingrem for stirring the pot. As a kid I think AF was the first time I had heard about Anti-matter at the time thinking it was something made up for science fiction series, so it was interesting when I found out antimatter really existed. I remembered the special effects and the ending over the years , while for other better ST like the Squire of Gothosmfor some reason I forgot the ending so that is something in the episodes favour though as an adult It does not seem an entertaining watch.

 

[HGN2001]

I watched "The Alternative Factor" today since this thread has been persistent on both sides. I've never hated it the way some do, but I do recognize its weaknesses. Those weaknesses, already mentioned, include the constant falling down of Lazarus. Once or twice would have sufficed. And then there's the seemingly endless scenes of Kirk and his men roaming around Vasquez rocks chewing up time.

Still, the basic premise is riveting. Who would say that the potential total annihilation of two universes is not interesting? I also like Gerd Oswald's choice to make the negative universe have a different lighting, as if it were twilight. And yes, the ending is unforgettable.

I always try to look for positives in anything I view, going in with the attitude that "this is the best ever" and then deduct points for where it falls apart. This does indeed fall apart as far as storytelling goes, but it has some fine drama to make up for it.

Harry

 

[ToddPence]

I tendf to view TAF as similar to the third seasons "The Mark of Gideon". There was a potentially interesting and thought-provoking potential of a story, however this became a victim of various behind-the-scenes problems, and despite serious story issues which needed to be ironed out, the producers found themselves with a mess of a script which they had no choice but to shoot as is because of the freight train that was the deadline bearing down on them.

 

[The Old Mixer]

And one of his other great lines, "Annihilation, Jim. Total, complete, absolute annihilation."

That from a guy who gives numbers to several decimal points. "Redundancy, Jim. Total, complete, absolute redundancy."