H&I broadcast the alternate factor last night and wow I had forgotten what a mess this episode is.Lazarus whos beard (or what ever that thing is suppose to be)is constantly changing does a lot yelling and falling off of rocks,hey Ive been to a few parties like that.The episode can be resolved in the first 5 minutes just get lazarus to destroy that george jetson space ship/time machine and problem solved.We also have a classic trekism, any alien even if they are human looking is allowed to roam the ship unsupervised.Ill take spocks brain any day over this.
the alternate factor
- Thread starter hifijohn
- Start date
I liked this episode when I was a kid, but it has really turned sour for me over the years. It's not so bad that I would skip it during a TOS marathon, but I will definitely have my finger on the fast-forward button.
Someone needs to hang an IV from your alternate.
Now, I don't know about this alternate factor. That might be an episode worth watching.
But, are they? Maybe they are just another way for Herbert to keep us down with his restrictive, artificial rules.
Turn your backs on Punctuation and seek the beginning!
Unless you're e e cummings
And what of Lazarus. . . . ?
That really was one of the worst episodes, a big mess, hard to follow.
I never avoid any episodes while I'm on a marathon! Not even the dreaded Plato's Stepchildren! Even some shows that do nothing for me, if there in the order, I'm watching! 
JB
JB
We were doing a Season One viewing marathon a few years ago and all of us had forgotten what a mess it was.
I feel sorry for Charlene Masters (Janet MacLachlan) whose significant role was greatly reduced and her jealous boyfriend, Lieutenant Larry Riddle, was eliminated altogether, seemingly at the last-minute. It was not helped that "actor John Drew Barrymore (father of actress Drew Barrymore) was originally contracted to play Lazarus, but didn't show up to work when filming began", and at least a day of filming was lost" [Memory Alpha].
I feel sorry for Charlene Masters (Janet MacLachlan) whose significant role was greatly reduced and her jealous boyfriend, Lieutenant Larry Riddle, was eliminated altogether, seemingly at the last-minute. It was not helped that "actor John Drew Barrymore (father of actress Drew Barrymore) was originally contracted to play Lazarus, but didn't show up to work when filming began", and at least a day of filming was lost" [Memory Alpha].
I dislike "Plato's Stepchildren" more.
There's a decent bottle show mystery here, with the "guest star freely roams the ship" business in fact a plot point, something that hinges on his ability to be replaced by his even more evil twin. It just doesn't survive the process, probably chiefly due to those time constraints.
That the show ends up looking like the Trek version of Waiting for Godot where nothing much happens, twice, is just another aspect of that plot point. Stuff is supposed to be happening twice, because there are two Lazari. A lot could have been made out of that, with the two fallings-from-a-cliff, two dilithium thefts, two sickbay scenes, two interrogations and whatnot. Nothing was, in the end.
Timo Saloniemi
That the show ends up looking like the Trek version of Waiting for Godot where nothing much happens, twice, is just another aspect of that plot point. Stuff is supposed to be happening twice, because there are two Lazari. A lot could have been made out of that, with the two fallings-from-a-cliff, two dilithium thefts, two sickbay scenes, two interrogations and whatnot. Nothing was, in the end.
Timo Saloniemi
I never avoid any episodes while I'm on a marathon! Not even the dreaded Plato's Stepchildren! Even some shows that do nothing for me, if there in the order, I'm watching!
JB
Look out, JB. Parmen does this to people who don't like Plato's Stepchildren.
