Yes, he didn't have to stoop so low.
(Actually the line wasn't insulting at all. It was funny.)
Episode of the Week : Plato's Stepchildren
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
(Actually the line wasn't insulting at all. It was funny.)
This episode has Barbara Babcock going for it, and two nice scenes with Kirk and Alexander ("...nobody has the power" and the final scene). But I still gave it a 2 because of the indignities.
Apparently, the humiliation bits were done to provide prurient, lewd material for the trailer and promos. Women in nightgowns being menaced with a red hot poker and whip might be the worst piece of exploitation and the lowest Star Trek ever sank in the history of the franchise. But it might very well have made some people seeing the promo say "Whoa, what is this?" and tune in for the episode. [Edit: some spinoff episodes might give "Platos" a run for its money in the exploitation dept.]
The other embarrassments included some things that Nimoy wanted to shoehorn into the series for his own benefit (or so he thought), especially the song "Maiden Wine" that he wrote himself. It was a case of Nimoy injuring Spock's dignity instead of protecting it. There's a little syndrome that an artist can suffer, especially a highly praised artist with fan mail, in which he starts believing every idea he comes up with must be brilliant. I thinks that's where "Maiden Wine" came from.
Apparently, the humiliation bits were done to provide prurient, lewd material for the trailer and promos. Women in nightgowns being menaced with a red hot poker and whip might be the worst piece of exploitation and the lowest Star Trek ever sank in the history of the franchise. But it might very well have made some people seeing the promo say "Whoa, what is this?" and tune in for the episode. [Edit: some spinoff episodes might give "Platos" a run for its money in the exploitation dept.]
The other embarrassments included some things that Nimoy wanted to shoehorn into the series for his own benefit (or so he thought), especially the song "Maiden Wine" that he wrote himself. It was a case of Nimoy injuring Spock's dignity instead of protecting it. There's a little syndrome that an artist can suffer, especially a highly praised artist with fan mail, in which he starts believing every idea he comes up with must be brilliant. I thinks that's where "Maiden Wine" came from.
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I voted 5. There's some really nice parts in there, but then there's the rest.
One think I'll mention, I liked the part with Mr. Spock feeling enraged and crushing the cup, and Bones's reaction, too bad it was only about a minute and then back to the rest of the episode.
One think I'll mention, I liked the part with Mr. Spock feeling enraged and crushing the cup, and Bones's reaction, too bad it was only about a minute and then back to the rest of the episode.
IMHO...
Spocks' Brain is the worst, followed by And the Children Shall Lead and Alternative Factor. You can make an argument that Spock's Brain shouldn't be considered the worst because at least it has a memorable camp line "Brain, brain, what is brain?" whereas Children and AF have very little memorable about them.
Way to Eden is usually in the worst list, but the camp-value of it makes that one enjoyable to me.
This episode is really more in the lower third.
I can see what you're saying, but I would just add that the worst episode of ST TOS is better than the best episode of a series you don't give a crap about. There is always something in TOS you can appreciate.
"The Alternative Factor" has an engineering room, a ship fx shot, and Janet MacLachlan, all seen only that once.
"Plato's Stepchildren" has Michael Dunn's heartwarming scenes, Barbara Babcock, and an original music score.
"Spock's Brain" has a stupendous Fred Steiner score, some fun scenes, and some super hot chicks.
"The Way to Eden" had its songs, some good scenes, and three hot women. And you get the shuttlecraft mock-up.
My personal worst is "And the Children," and even there I'll find this or that item I can appreciate if I go looking.
No slight was intended. I was thinking: three Guest Hotties who would appear only in that episode.
And the Children has the rarely-seen mess hall with the ice cream, etc... But it's the kids being so damn annoying that makes the episode so hard to watch, plus Melvin Belli in a ridiculous mumu. I am more forgiving of silliness in Trek, especially when it revolves around the 1960s sensibility, but there's silly fun (Way to Eden, and I'd classify Nimoy's Maiden Wine in that group too) and then there is just silly stupid. This is silly stupid.
Sounds to me like people don't like it because it pushes them out of their comfort zone. I don't get it. It was SUPPOSED to do that. What else is art for?
I guess we're all forgetting to include "Turnabout Intruder" on our lists.
When I first started watching Trek a a child. My local station wouldn't even play it. Along with Children.
When I first started watching Trek a a child. My local station wouldn't even play it. Along with Children.
He's not Herbert--We reach!
I have not watched this episode in many many years, I even skipped it when I was rewatching the series on Netflix last year. I prefer to remember only the best parts, including Michael Dunn's great performance, and to forget the cringeworthy stuff.
I just saw it again, and as far as the threatening of the women with the hot poker and whip, my reaction was how restrained they were about it, how much further a modern program would have gone. The whole point was how sick and twisted absolute power makes people. The moment the Platonians start heaping one indignity after another on them all, it's strongly implied that it's all building up to some out-of-control spectacle, like a sadistic orgy and/or bloodbath. If there's major weakness in the story, it's how the women get saved completely from that in the nick of time, sanitizing the ep and making it lightweight... but we're better off not seeing that anyway. Anyway, think Caligula. People actually did these things .
I like Alexander better when he's trying to kill Robert Conrad.
I guess you were going for something closer to the timeframe of the show, but...this:
I give this an 8 and stand by what I said some years ago.
“Plato’s Stepchildren” **** (4/5)
The Enterprise crew encounter a small colony of telekinetic beings.
I know I'm likely to hit a wave of dissent here, but I've always rather liked this episode. It's grown on me over the years and I appreciate it more now than when I first saw it. And this despite all the criticism that's been dumped on it all the while.
The idea in this episode harkens back all the way to TOS' second pilot episode: unlimited power can corrupt anyone. And here we see it laid bare as the Platonians are so arrogant, so corrupt and sadistic that they recognize and value nothing but their own selfish whims. Also, and increasingly more so as I've grown in age and experience, it a sharp allegory of many of the very powerful and influential in the world and throughout history.
I really like Alexander, and more than just because he is the ideal example of the ordinary and disadvantaged that can be willfully exploited and easily pushed around. He is a sensitive and very likable character. I can easily imagine his joy moving about the Enterprise crew and being treated with friendliness, fairness and dignity. Alexander represents perhaps the most disadvantaged in our society (within context of the story), but anyone without means and influence is disadvantaged in relation to the truly powerful, and that means many of us regular folks.
This episode isn't perfect and there are some awkward moments, but I can bear those because I really like the rest of it. Many fans over the years have expressed varying discomfort and even disapproval at seeing our heroes so abused, and well they should though not for the reasons they might think, but because that is exactly the point of the story---that our heroes (who are not perfect) who strive to do what they can could still be so casually mistreated by the corrupt should disturb you. It's a sharp representation of the good people in the world who can be casually brutalized if they stand in the way of those with their own agendas.
Some might think I may be reading too much into this episode. But for some reason this episode has long spoken to me, and evermore so over the years.
I'm so glad I wasn't alive yet back when this episode first aired. If I had been one of those people who desperately tried to save Star Trek with a massive letter writing campaign I would have felt utterly disgusted when I saw William Shatner 1.) acting like a horse while a little person pretended to slap his ass and 2.) slapping his own face silly.
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