50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread

[dahj]

For an episode that tries its best to make the main trio act like condescending sexist assholes most of the time, it's not half bad. The plot moves along quickly from one mystery to another, first the mystery alien, then the attempted murder, then the question of how to return, and finally will Spock lose his mind?! For all the crap directed at her, Miranda turns out as a decent character, she doesn't swoon at all the compliments and Kirk's charms, and just shrugs off suggestions how it's a downright crime that she's going off to do science work(!) instead of staying and looking pretty for all the men at the table, she remains mostly professional throughout the episode even though she has to be "jealous" so that our main characters turn out "right" in being utter dicks towards her.

The visor dress is cool, though if such sensor nets are commonly used by blind people of the future it's surprising nobody recognized it. Wouldn't that be kind of like not recognizing a pair of glasses these days?

Why didn't Spock's second pair of eyelids protect him this time?

Also in the last scene when Miranda and Kollos beam out, Kirk apparently just looks at the transporter pad without even a visor because it's the end of the episode and he gains immunity since there's no time for him to also go insane.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I had to wonder about how everyone had to clear corridors and wear visors even when the Medusan was just being carried around in his box. It never hurts to be cautious, I guess, but what were they expecting to happen? Someone might drop the box, or Kollos might decide to flash himself?

The visor dress is cool, though if such sensor nets are commonly used by blind people of the future it's surprising nobody recognized it. Wouldn't that be kind of like not recognizing a pair of glasses these days?

They never said or implied that. They implied that it was an unusual thing, hence Spock's compliments to her dressmaker.

 

[Pauln6]

For an episode that tries its best to make the main trio act like condescending sexist assholes most of the time, it's not half bad. The plot moves along quickly from one mystery to another, first the mystery alien, then the attempted murder, then the question of how to return, and finally will Spock lose his mind?! For all the crap directed at her, Miranda turns out as a decent character, she doesn't swoon at all the compliments and Kirk's charms, and just shrugs off suggestions how it's a downright crime that she's going off to do science work(!) instead of staying and looking pretty for all the men at the table, she remains mostly professional throughout the episode even though she has to be "jealous" so that our main characters turn out "right" in being utter dicks towards her.

The visor dress is cool, though if such sensor nets are commonly used by blind people of the future it's surprising nobody recognized it. Wouldn't that be kind of like not recognizing a pair of glasses these days?

Why didn't Spock's second pair of eyelids protect him this time?

Also in the last scene when Miranda and Kollos beam out, Kirk apparently just looks at the transporter pad without even a visor because it's the end of the episode and he gains immunity since there's no time for him to also go insane.

Miranda is great because she stays consistent throughout. She dislikes the company of humans and that includes men but at least part of that is because she often accidentally knows what they're thinking and it often isn't pretty. Her 'jealousy' is way overblown. On some level she had always doubted her abilities. Her prickliness towards Spock isn't jealousy, it's paranoia from lack of confidence. Similarly, it's doubt rather than jealousy that hinders her helping Spock. Kirk's reverse psychology is so transparent that it should never have worked but if he genuinely believes that on some level her jealousy means she wants Spock to die... That's just nuts. It's frustrating that an inspirational speech that could have been about the fact that he has faith in her is turned around to accuse her of being a jealous bitch and I'll blame you if he dies. Way to go sixties writing .

Miranda is a fascinating character. Someone more like her would have been a great addition to TNG than lame ass Beatazoids.

 

[Commishsleer]

For an episode that tries its best to make the main trio act like condescending sexist assholes most of the time, it's not half bad. The plot moves along quickly from one mystery to another, first the mystery alien, then the attempted murder, then the question of how to return, and finally will Spock lose his mind?! For all the crap directed at her, Miranda turns out as a decent character, she doesn't swoon at all the compliments and Kirk's charms, and just shrugs off suggestions how it's a downright crime that she's going off to do science work(!) instead of staying and looking pretty for all the men at the table, she remains mostly professional throughout the episode even though she has to be "jealous" so that our main characters turn out "right" in being utter dicks towards her.

The visor dress is cool, though if such sensor nets are commonly used by blind people of the future it's surprising nobody recognized it. Wouldn't that be kind of like not recognizing a pair of glasses these days?

Why didn't Spock's second pair of eyelids protect him this time?

Also in the last scene when Miranda and Kollos beam out, Kirk apparently just looks at the transporter pad without even a visor because it's the end of the episode and he gains immunity since there's no time for him to also go insane.

While I agree with everything you said because this is one of my favourite episodes I'd like to defend it a bit if I can.

First I've got to say that this episode more than any other makes me think that Kirk is a bit of a player. I just don't know why he ever made a play for Miranda, She was only on the ship for 5 minutes. She had a "that's complicated' relationship with Marvick - why was no woman safe from Kirk? OK over that rant.

My defense. The big 3s sexism can be perhaps translated into 60s chivalry which of course smells strongly of sexism in the 2010s. I equate them thinking that Miranda was like Dian Fossey going into Africa to live with dangerous mountain gorillas for the rest of her life. While it might be chivalrous to be concerned with Miranda living in a dangerous situation - I still feel it was none of their damn business and they seemed to be more concerned about her finding a a man than her going mad from the dangerous situation.

However by the end of the episode once tha boys realised ,that Miranda was blind and therefore not in danger from the Medusans and she had fixed Spock all was forgiven and they were all happy for her to go off with Kollos and do whatever

I'm OK with Miranda being jealous. What was her luck like when the Enterprise was given the duty of ferrying her and Kollos? She was on the ship with the number one pick for her job and Spock easily melded with Kollos when she could not? I'd be surprised if she wasn't jealous.
I don't think she consciously made Spock forget the visor.However Kirk convinced her she might have done it sub-consciously. What if Spock had just made a mistake and Kirk forced her to risk her life for him?

 

[The Old Mixer]

One thing about Miranda that's easy to overlook when you already know where the episode is going is how they show her "looking at" Kollos early on...teasing the audience into thinking that she might already be affected by having seen him.

 

[dahj]

They never said or implied that. They implied that it was an unusual thing, hence Spock's compliments to her dressmaker.

I may indeed be wrong about the commonality of such devices, but what I meant to say was that just like today we know that robotic artificial limbs exist even if they're not commonly in use, to use a better example, it should be common knowledge that a sensory array that helps blind people see exists, that sort of thing would have made the news outside of specialized medical journals because it's a significant medical and technological achievement, and surely she's not the first to think to incorporate such a device in her clothes since it (probably) needs to be that big (before they shrink it down to headband size in TNG time )

One thing about Miranda that's easy to overlook when you already know where the episode is going is how they show her "looking at" Kollos early on...teasing the audience into thinking that she might already be affected by having seen him.

That's a good point.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I think we can infer from everyone not recognizing what it was, everyone's surprise to learn she was blind, and her boasting of its capabilities that it was a new development and not something well known enough in that form that it would be recognized.

 

[Phaser Two]

I'm gonna start a business selling those cheap plastic visor thingies as "protection from crazy-making internet imagery" and I'd like to offer you guys a chance to be early investors.

Ah, Batwoman, I see you're wearing your Cheap Plastic Visor Thingy from Lincoln Enterprises.

 

[dahj]

Ah, Batwoman, I see you're wearing your Cheap Plastic Visor Thingy from Lincoln Enterprises.

It matches my IDIC

 

[Phaser Two]

Also in the last scene when Miranda and Kollos beam out, Kirk apparently just looks at the transporter pad without even a visor because it's the end of the episode and he gains immunity since there's no time for him to also go insane.

And Kirk just turns on his heel and bolts without a word to or glance at Spock. Very weirdly blocked scene.

 

[Phaser Two]

It matches my IDIC

 

[Discofan]

What's funny is that although we see Kollos as unbearably ugly, the feeling is not returned, Kollos can look at humans or Vulcans without any problem.

 

[johnnybear]

It's funny I don't remember this one. You don't think the ambassador looks like the elephant man, do you?

The elephant man? Which episode of Space 1999 does that appear in and drive people mad then, Futuro?

I believe that @johnnybear might be referring to "The Immunity Syndrome."

http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epguide/t47tis.html

You are absolutely correct, Corp! Plus they did rip off that title from season two of Trek! Oddly enough the episode before this was titled Devil's Planet and they should have swopped the titles around as they make more sense that way!
JB

 

[wayne66]

Good episode. Very interesting camera angles. Very psychedelic. Diane Mulder(sp) is excellent as Miranda. She plays it very cool and unemotional, just like a human that studied on Vulcan would. She does not fall for Kirk's charms. It is strange though to hear her very violent scream during that scene with Kollos. Not what I was expecting. It is nice to see McCoy reveal that she is blind. Kirk and Spock normally would be the ones to figure it out. All they can do is look surprised.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

The visor dress is cool, though if such sensor nets are commonly used by blind people of the future it's surprising nobody recognized it. Wouldn't that be kind of like not recognizing a pair of glasses these days?

It might usually be plainer or smaller. They have no reason not to think it's just intricate beadwork for fashion's sake; I'm sure they've seen similar ornaments on other womens' clothing that was purely fashionable and not functional and thought nothing of it.

 

[dahj]

I'm sure they've seen similar ornaments on other womens' clothing that was purely fashionable and not functional and thought nothing of it.

It was the 60s so you're probably right.

 

[Phaser Two]

I like this episode and these are good comments above (really good actually). The only weird thing is that it's as though they picked a title and then tried to build a story outline around it. The idea that the Medusans are so ugly they can drive someone insane isn't really plausible; from the onscreen effects it seems more likely that they induce something like an extreme, mind-altering migraine. But then the title would have to be "Are There In Truth No Headaches" or something, and everyone at the dinner scene would be toasting Miranda for her decision to forgo Tylenol and live on Migranus IV.

I like how Scotty just calmly accepts Marvick's blowoff of his post-dinner invitation with a big smile, not in the slightest offended or anything of the sort.

McCoy utterly fails to offend me in this episode. He's not a jerk at all.

 

[dahj]

I like how Scotty just calmly accepts Marvick's blowoff of his post-dinner invitation with a big smile

From Scotty's point of view that just meant he had a whole bottle of scotch all to himself now.

 

[Phaser Two]

From Scotty's point of view that just meant he had a whole bottle of scotch all to himself now.

Ha! Maybe. I get the feeling he liked to share.

 

[Discofan]

There are pictures that shock people, sometimes even traumatize them if they're fragile, like children. Is it that unimaginable that someone's appearance could be so terrible that it would at least traumatize even well-balanced adults?