50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread

[gottacook]

These days, it's the music (by Jerry Fielding) that I like best about "Spectre of the Gun."

Wasn't the episode originally called The Last Gunfight?
JB

That's what it was called in James Blish's Star Trek 3, which I owned and read before ever seeing the episode.

It is a very heavy episode for 1968. A reaction to Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy assassinations.

In fact (assuming Memory Alpha is correct), the episode was filmed 21-29 May, before the Bobby Kennedy assassination but after King's. If it had been scheduled for filming a month later, perhaps it would have been scrubbed, spiked, whatever the industry term is for an unfilmed script. The Kennedy assassination happened at the Ambassador Hotel in L.A., now torn down, and would have had more of an impact on the TV-producing community (especially those who supported him politically).

How long was the landing party sitting on the bridge while under the spell of the Melkotian's illusion? What was the rest of the crew doing? Did this all take place in an instant?

The episode would have been stronger if some bridge crew member, immediately after Kirk et al. are again seen on the bridge, had said "What happened? You all just froze in place for about 3 seconds..."

 

[Tallguy]

At the end of the day, McCoy would die for his friend. And Spock knows it.

Sure. But it's still a good thing that Bones doesn't have Twitter.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

<--- Fan of Bob the Discount Klingon, aka Kras.

<--- Also fan of Kang and Mara.

<--- Fan of Kor, too.

 

[The Old Mixer]

The episode would have been stronger if some bridge crew member, immediately after Kirk et al. are again seen on the bridge, had said "What happened? You all just froze in place for about 3 seconds..."

Indeed, I always found the transition out of the illusion to be a bit jarring, the way it cuts to Chekov being examined.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

When Scotty asks for "half a gallon of Scotch," the bartender replies, "You know we ain't got nothin' but bourbon. 'Less you want corn whiskey." Bourbon, however is corn whiskey. In the James Blish adaptation, the bartender says, "You know we ain't got nothin' but bourbon. 'Less you want gin."

Rather than a mistake, I take it to be sarcasm. "We've got a, and a, and a. Oh, yeah, and don't forget a." Emphasizing that there's really only one choice, whatever you call it. And in a way, it subtly underscores the idea that however they try to circumvent their apparent fate, they're still doomed anyway.

 

[Tallguy]

Rather than a mistake, I take it to be sarcasm. "We've got a, and a, and a. Oh, yeah, and don't forget a." Emphasizing that there's really only one choice, whatever you call it. And in a way, it subtly underscores the idea that however they try to circumvent their apparent fate, they're still doomed anyway.

But if it isn't made in Kentucky it isn't Bourbon.

 

[J.T.B.]

Rather than a mistake, I take it to be sarcasm. "We've got a, and a, and a. Oh, yeah, and don't forget a." Emphasizing that there's really only one choice, whatever you call it.

Bourbon is made from corn, but the term "corn whiskey" is usually used for an unaged, moonshine-like corn mash spirit.

 

[omnirad]

"Day of the Dove" has great dialogue, action, visual effects,and Michael Ansara. He's a powerful presence.
Despite OTT hysterial acting by the main cast DOD could have been from the first or second seasons. A character driven morality play with high stakes.
Kang comes in a close second to Colicos' Kor as best TOS Klingon. Glad we got to see more of him in the 24th century.
'All You Need is Love' by The Beatles should be dubbed over the final good will scene with Klingons. That would be a hoot!

 

[Poltargyst]

Day of the Dove--good episode. Always liked this one. Anti-racist, anti-war message so necessary for people to learn in the 60's. Still so necessary for people to learn in 2018 unfortunately.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Star Trek
"Day of the Dove"
Originally aired November 1, 1968
Stardate 5630.3

When the Enterprise brings aboard Klingon prisoners, an alien entity pits both sides against each other in an ever-escalating struggle.

What was going on the week the episode aired.

This week, we learn that the stock shot of Sulu looking back even comes with Shaky Cam!

I remember the first time I saw this being disappointed that they weren't doing the premise a bit more straightforward...no alien, no swords, just a group of Klingons trying to take over the ship deck by deck. Guess what we got was more sign-o'-the-timesy. And then there's...

OTT hysterial acting by the main cast

Lots of half-fun/half-cringey moments in this one, especially from Scotty, calling Spock a freak and describing the Klingons as "fuzz-faced goons". (I recall the FASA RPG giving him a skill in Claymore!) And Shat's "Look at me....Look...at...ME...!" moment should be shown to anyone who insists that comedic impersonations of him are just exaggerating. And then there's his poetry moment: "In the heart, in the head...I won't stay dead!"

I now laugh at how we're meant to widen our eyes in shock and disbelief when Bones (BONES) makes the remark "We all know what a Klingon is!"

I'm not sure that was supposed to be one of those moments. It's when he's chastising Kirk and Spock for not acting like military men that we know something's wrong.

At least neither of them were sniveling. (Looking at you, guys from Private Little War and Friday's Child. Man, second season 'Gons took it on the chin, didn't they?)

I think you're being a little hard on Ned Romero's Klingon from APLW...he wasn't sniveling, he was just there...sort of blended into the background.

'All You Need is Love' by The Beatles should be dubbed over the final good will scene with Klingons. That would be a hoot!

The Prisoner had already used it better, in an ironic fashion. But now you've made me realize how much the end of DotD reminds me of the end of Yellow Submarine, what with our crew making friends with the Blue Meanies....

Next week...for the title is long and it does sound pretentious:

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[johnnybear]

Ned Romero's Krell was a cool type of dude! Supplying the villagers with flintlocks to fight the Hill People and then beaming back to his ship and leaving no evidence of Klingon interference from his visit there! but he didn't expect Kirk and McCoy! I wouldn't say he was a cowardly type of Klingon like Kras either!
JB

 

[Discofan]

"Only a fool fights in a burning house!"

 

[The Old Mixer]

"Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man."

Something else I'd meant to note about this episode: I find it interesting that going by airdate, we get not only the first D-7 appearance in "The Enterprise Incident," but the first Klingons of the season in "Day of the Dove"...both before "Elaan of Troyius," which I'm used to being the second episode of the season in production order.

 

[wayne66]

"Only a fool fights in a burning house!"

That is a great line. Ansara is great. Kirk tells him to "go to the devil" Kang replies that "We have no devil Kirk, but we understand the habits of yours." Great third season episode.

 

[wayne66]

Kang "We need no urging to hate humans. Out, Out! Then he slaps Kirk on the back really hard. Kirk laughs and almost hits him back. Funny stuff.

 

[dahj]

"Only a fool fights in a burning house!"

Ra's and Bruce clearly didn't watch this episode in Batman Begins.

 

[Tallguy]

Kang "We need no urging to hate humans. Out, Out! Then he slaps Kirk on the back really hard. Kirk laughs and almost hits him back. Funny stuff.

"Almost".

 

[dahj]

Spock's face when he realizes he might also have to laugh to drive the swirly thing away is priceless.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I think that's his attempt at a smile. There're never singing plants around when you need 'em.

 

[plynch]

I thought I read GR nixed Kor being encountered again, as being too small-universe. I'm glad we got Kang and Ansara.