Return of the Archons...is Landru doing computer maintenance during Festival?

[Metryq]

This plot resolution reveals one of the flaws in Star Trek as a format: treating a whole planet like it was one small town.

Unless Roddenberry was addressing issues that actually affected people on a town-like scale...

And Star Wars had desert planets, ice planets, etc. while Earth has all those environments.

 

[Shawnster]

This plot resolution reveals one of the flaws in Star Trek as a format: treating a whole planet like it was one small town.

That's pretty much how all these planetary encounters are depicted.

 

[MarcKle1964]

From Kirk's actual closing log entry in the episode: "Sociologist Lindstrom is remaining behind with a party of experts who will help restore the planet's culture to a human form." Kind of a poor choice of words there at the end of the sentence, but it was established that they weren't being left to fend for themselves.

Oh sweet, okay. So at least some lip service was made towards alleviating the effects of our crew of Mary Worths on their planet.

(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Worth)

 

[MarcKle1964]

That's pretty much how all these planetary encounters are depicted.

Our Town (hurriedly turns on echo chamber) Innn...Spaaace... (theramin sounds and smooth 60s jazz music start)

 

[ZapBrannigan]

That's pretty much how all these planetary encounters are depicted.

The beam-down point represents the whole planet. It works in certain cases.

There's only supposed to be one little colony:
• Mudd's Women
• This Side of Paradise
• The Apple
• Catspaw
• Plato's Stepchildren

An advanced government speaks for the whole planet:
• A Taste of Armageddon
• Bread and Circuses
• The Cloud Minders
• The Mark of Gideon
• For the World is Hollow

It's whiffy:
• A Piece of the Action (Iotia seems more like a city.)
• Friday's Child (Aka-Ar doesn't seem like he rules a planet. He doesn't have two cans and a string. The most he could conquer is the "known world," like Alexander, and his operation did NOT seem that big.)
• Mirror, Mirror (These little pacifists couldn't rule a planet. Their seat of power doesn't even have walls and a door. We're taking the dilithium. Call us when you figure out how to come in out of the rain.)

The planet is gonna be a mess. Let's get out of here:
• Miri
• The Return of the Archons
• Assignment: Earth

 

[Vagabond Elf]

• Mirror, Mirror (These little pacifists couldn't rule a planet. Their seat of power doesn't even have walls and a door. We're taking the dilithium. Call us when you figure out how to come in out of the rain.)

Well, we don't see enough of that world to know. Presumably this is some sort of ceremonial location and possibly even dress. If all you saw of Earth was the Serjeant at Arms leading the Governor General into the Canadian Parliament for a ceremonial function, you'd be kinda wondering how they managed to communicate with the rest of the world too.

And the whole "taking the dilthium" thing is kind of the point of the episode, innit? Especially given the debates about colonialism that were raging worldwide at the time of production. America was in many ways expanding its commercial empire and the question of "will you trade or conquer" was fairly relevant.