the alternate factor

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I like the "Reborn" ending better.

The episode's ending may have been powerful and tragic, but Lazarus didn't deserve that. Not even the mad one. What they both DID deserve was the chance at normal lives. They got that, and their universes were still saved. It's win-win.

Obviously there is no Enterprise in this universe

We don't know that...

 

[johnnybear]

Then it wasn't in orbit around that planet at least..?
JB

 

[Forbin]

I like Lazarus' ship 'cause it reminds me of Space Mouse's Lunar Schooner:
https://comicrazys.wordpress.com/tag/space-mouse/

 

[johnnybear]

Lazarus's ship was very reminiscent of a kiddie's spaceship toy at Christmas back in the sixties I thought! Anyone remember Billy Blastoff? Not sure if it was known as something else in the US? I loved the robots which also fitted into the ships I had but they did tend to leak oil as I recall...
JB

 

[Delta Vega]

It definitely "feels" different than other ST episodes.

Its funny you should say that it "feels" different to other episodes
Ive always had those feelings about another episode, namely "The Empath", which for me feels totally different to other ST episodes.
Can't really explain how I see it that way, but I do see it as different.

 

[johnnybear]

Back in 1980/81 I had about thirty episodes of TOS on video! Now that was six or seven from season two and twenty three from the third season and The Alternative Factor from season one! Now the way it looked compared to the other episodes was a vast difference! Bones was obviously wearing eye shadow and Kirk was at his leanest! The muscle man security guard that Bones moaned to Kirk about also didn't look right!
JB

 

[Maurice]

Lazarus's ship was very reminiscent of a kiddie's spaceship toy at Christmas back in the sixties I thought! Anyone remember Billy Blastoff? Not sure if it was known as something else in the US? I loved the robots which also fitted into the ships I had but they did tend to leak oil as I recall...
JB

It was Billy Blastoff here. I know exactly which vehicle you are referring to. We had most of them.

 

[publiusr]

I liked the rocket better
http://www.robotnut.com/billy/bb19.htm

I would have loved to have seen this in the series
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/evolution-of-the-starship-enterprise/2/

 

[Mytran]

I would have loved to have seen this in the series
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/evolution-of-the-starship-enterprise/2/

It's fascinating that the same void-space saucer would later appear in Discovery

 

[johnnybear]

It was Billy Blastoff here. I know exactly which vehicle you are referring to. We had most of them.

Yep so did I and I still remember them fondly especially the two robots I had!
JB

 

[Maurice]

Yep so did I and I still remember them fondly especially the two robots I had!
JB

I had the original non-walking Billy Blastoff and then later the walking one. We also had the Billy Blastoff Scuba Scout and Cargo Jet as well as Robert the Robot.

 

[Redfern]

Has any new information come to light about that lil' pill shaped "saucer"? Given the Galileo set piece had to employ fewer rounded elements than originally desired (and it was something intended for repeated use ), it just seems strange that the series had the resources to build a curved surface artifact like that for just one episode.

I know I once pondered upon these forums if it might have been constructed for some 1950s or early 60s movie that never got released and thus Desilu might have been able to rent it on the cheap.

What, if anything has been discovered about this set piece?

As seen in the episode, it has this gaping entrance with seemingly no way to seal the vehicle, but Ptrope, formerly the moderator for the Fan Art sub-forum constructed a digital model with a "hatch". With that "door" in place, I thought that "saucer" had enough elements that made it "mesh" with the Enterprise, even the Galileo with its extended "rim". Give it ship's livery; maybe remove the pulp era stabilizer fin and it could have been depicted as an inspection pod, maybe the TOS version of a "work bee".

 

[Phaser Two]

Back in 1980/81 I had about thirty episodes of TOS on video! Now that was six or seven from season two and twenty three from the third season and The Alternative Factor from season one! Now the way it looked compared to the other episodes was a vast difference! Bones was obviously wearing eye shadow and Kirk was at his leanest! The muscle man security guard that Bones moaned to Kirk about also didn't look right!
JB

 

[Harvey]

Has any new information come to light about that lil' pill shaped "saucer"? Given the Galileo set piece had to employ fewer rounded elements than originally desired (and it was something intended for repeated use ), it just seems strange that the series had the resources to build a curved surface artifact like that for just one episode.

I wasn't able to find anything in the files at UCLA. The shooting script indicates Lazarus' ship was supposed to be a re-dress of the Galileo shuttlecraft. Something must have happened late in the game to change that, though the script was never updated to reflect that change.

I suspect it was re-used from some other production, but to date haven't seen anyone find it showing up on other shows or movies (beyond the glass dome showing up in a later Star Trek episode).

 

[cgervasi]

Strangely, though, I do like the "What of Lazarus" line and the contemplation about his fate at the end.

That line made wonder if the two Lazaruses have to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom in that realm between universes.

 

[Phaser Two]

That line made wonder if the two Lazaruses have to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom in that realm between universes.

Ha, I've often wondered about that too. And what happens if Good Lazarus loses?

 

[johnnybear]

I should imagine that your life functions like aging, defecating and the rest are all suspended! If Lazarus B falls then Lazarus A would be on his own forever and a day!
JB

 

[plynch]

Since Desilu reused it; and put the graphic on the top of it, that appears in Gamesters, is it safe to say the studio owned it?

 

[Redfern]

If you look closely, the "starburst" design was on the dome even during "tAF". So it seems to have been there since the start...unless the set department added it just before filming.

 

[Qonundrum]

You know . . . MW has aged horribly (any relation to story content absolutely not intended). In terms of story it's . . . yeah, it's not good. However, there is much more of the Enterprise and Scotty (as well as some good Scotty-Spock interaction) in MW, so I take your point, but will have to go with MW. AF is a mess. Not really offensive or anything, just boring. Strangely, though, I do like the "What of Lazarus" line and the contemplation about his fate at the end.

I always liked the morality tale of self-confidence, and self-respect coming from within and not from an illicit drug or mere looks - the story seemed to put both in the same category?

I'm pretty sure aspects of the story have aged horribly, such as the use of women as sex objects in a slave trade - and even in the 1960s slave trade was abhorrent so why wasn't the episode being comparatively nonchalant? (Yes, there are single people who exist and want companionship. There are also better ways tell that story than to treat sex trade as being nothing worse than buying a loaf of bread.) Not to mention, all the men have sexual responses when they walk by - as if people of either sex don't have individual types they prefer so along with everything else it's a bit weird that every single male would go goo-goo eyes... but the drug could have a pheromone enhancing effect as well. The story, from recollection, is hit or miss on its myriad of topics.

It's time for a rewatch on my part. It's been forever. Maybe in the scope of the 1960s it was being as bold as it could and the "drugs are bad" message isn't exactly bad... but I suspect, especially in the 2010s, it could have been a lot more focused and told better.