T.U. for T.U.!

[Too Much Fun]

Oops, I meant "T.U." for "T.I."...that's thumbs up for "Turnabout Intruder"! So I've spent the last few months watching "Star Trek" on TV for the first time, from the middle of season 1 (missing a few episodes here and there), and today I saw Turnabout Intruder, finishing my first experience seeing almost the whole series all the way through. Much to my surprise, I thought this was a pretty damn good series finale! Obviously it didn't have the epic, life-affirming, monumentally uplifting "feel" of a series finale like "All Good Things..." since it wasn't planned as a big swan song for the series, but as a series finale, I think the show could have done A LOT worse (especially considering some of the episodes that were churned out in season 3). Judging it simply as an episode out of the context of its status as the last one, I'd say it's quite solid. Not at the level of the very best episodes of the series, but just as entertaining to me as many of the episodes I enjoyed most throughout the first two seasons and a rare highlight of the third.

Peoples' comments on this forum had me dreading it, but I really didn't see what was so wrong with it. I felt it very nicely exploited a premise that became standard in the series (malicious villain tries to take over the Enterprise) and did it in a way that was fun and unique. As he did in "The Enemy Within" and "Mirror, Mirror", I thought Shatner did a wonderful job of playing an evil character. Yes, he was overacting at some points, but never to the point where it got on my nerves...in fact, I even throught certain acting choices of his were very effective in creating the illusion of his body being inhabited by a woman, particularly little subtle (yes, I called Shatner's acting subtle! ) gestures like modulations in the pitch of his voice, his facial expressions (like pouting) and his body language in walking and speaking that actually did plausibly seem feminine without trying too hard.

The show also featured some fine acting from DeForest Kelley, Leonard Nimoy, and surprisingly James Doohan (I say surprisingly only because he rarely got an opportunity to show a lot of passion, not because I think he's limited as an actor) who are given fine scenes in which to ponder the dilemma and how to resolve it. All in all, I thought it was a fine example of a lot of things that make Star Trek work when it does. It had very admirably human and sympathetic scenes and dialogue from McCoy and Scotty, Spock taking a stand with more conviction than we're used to seeing from him, and one of Shatner's most hilariously broad, and yet somehow believable hammy performances. Not a bad way to go out, in my estimation, but for some reason, most Star Trek fans don't seem to agree. If only they could see this episode the way I do. If only, if only, if only...

 

[Gary7]

There's no question that there was fine acting going on by most of the cast, including the Janice Lester character. Shatner's "overacting" was in full swing, though (in between bouts of some great acting, I'll have to admit). As you noted... "hammy". I couldn't stand it. Way too comical.

The idea was interesting... capitalizing on the relatively "new" idea of women commanding Starships still being a struggle (it was the 60's after all), the episode had a lot of merit. I could see someone like Lester being so driven as to exploit alien technology to get her into the Captain's chair. But I just thought the episode was poorly written and executed. And to me it was an unfitting end to such a phenomenal series of its time.

 

[Outpost4]

I've always liked Turnabout Intruder. It has some awkward moments of sexism in it, but they were true to their time. I thought Shatner's and Sandra Smith's performances were exceptional. Thank you for your post. You also remind me how good the rest of the cast, especially Doohan, were, too.

The extreme dislike people have for Turnabout Intruder has never made any sense to me. People all the time overlook William Windom's over-acting in The Doomsday Machine and declare it one of Star Trek's finest. Or they can forgive the huge inconsistencies in The Galileo Seven and enjoy it. But the sexism in Turnabout Intruder sets some folks off and they can't enjoy what is otherwise one of the third season's best efforts.

And Too Much Fun, PM T'Bonz or Mallory and they can change that thread title for you.

 

[Michael]

I, too, can enjoy this episode because of Shatner's acting. It's just like you said, Too Much Fun; he does some very subtle things to portray a man who is possessed by a woman.

[highlight]But[/highlight] I despise the notion that women cannot become starship captains. It's hard for me to grasp that even back then it was necessary to have that mentioned. Heck, they essentially build the plot of a whole episode around it. But then again, I wasn't alive at the time. So out of all people I really shouldn't be the one to judge a decision made several decades before I was even born. Doesn't mean I have to like it, though. And as I said, I enjoy the episode for what it is.

Overall I think it doesn't work as a finale. (Yeah, I know it's not supposed to be one.) All Our Yesterdays would have been a better series finale.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Wow, I had no idea one of the big objections to this episode was the idea that it was sexist for claiming that women can't be starship captains. Is that based on the scene when the woman (as Kirk) bitterly exclaims that Janice Lester has not earned the right to command the ship? I didn't interpret that as having anything to do with sexism...I thought it was more about the fact that she never earned command of the vessel through years of study and service in Starfleet, but rather by cheating her way to it by stealing someone else's identity.

 

[JustKate]

I also think the acting is pretty good - Kirk was, after all, playing a highly unbalanced person, so a little shrillness and jitteriness went along with that pretty well, I think. (I have a kind of idea that he was nominated for an Emmy for this episode - am I making that up?)

The thing that bothers me about this episode is that, yes, the standard of the time was that women can't be captains...but it was not the standard of Trek. The official standard of Trek was that everybody would be judged on his or her own merits. The pilot episode, if you'll remember, had a female Number 1. They got rid of her, I realize, but the principle of everybody being judged on his/her own merits remained the official standard.

And some of us who were little girls then, including me, were already being told that we could be whatever we wanted to be, so it was hardly an unheard-of concept.

Trek never really did do much more than give lip service to this idea, and it was pretty inconsistent even at that. But at least it talked the talk most of the time even if it didn't walk the walk. Here, it didn't even talk the talk. That disappointed me then and still disappoints me now.

That said, I can still enjoy the episode. I tell myself - and you can almost justify this if you use selective hearing and interpretation - that the problem wasn't women as captains - it was this one particular whackjob woman. I just pretend that's what the episode is about.

 

[Michael]

Lester's line was Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women.

That's pretty unambiguous, isn't it?

 

[JustKate]

^ That's one of those lines I just pretend isn't there.

 

[Piper]

I like Turnabout Intruder, it's not a classic but is solidly entertaining and there are much worse episodes earlier on in the season.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Lester's line was Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women.

That's pretty unambiguous, isn't it?

But is that supposed to be based on fact, or just her making a hysterical accusation in her blind rage?

 

[Michael]

^ That's one of those lines I just pretend isn't there.

Well, if I wasn't able to pretend that something I don't like isn't in an episode I am generally fond of, I wouldn't enjoy half of Star Trek.

 

[JustKate]

Exactly! Love sometimes needs to be slightly blind and a little hard of hearing.

I dunno, Too Much. It could be as you say, but that is not my impression. It's been a couple of years since I've seen the episode, though.

 

[JustKate]

The thing is, Too Much, we never do see nor even hear of a female captain in TOS. If we had, of course, we could chalk Lester's accusation up to hysteria...but we don't. So the impression I get is, there wasn't such a thing. I wish I could say otherwise, because it would make my little pretense so much easier!

 

[Michael]

Lester's line was Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women.

That's pretty unambiguous, isn't it?

But is that supposed to be based on fact, or just her making a hysterical accusation in her blind rage?

I'm not sure. But either way, it speaks volumes about the way in which females are seen in this future society. At least that's the impression I got.

 

[Outpost4]

No, NCC-1701, it speaks volumes about how women were viewed in the 1960s.

 

[Michael]

No, NCC-1701, it speaks volumes about how women were viewed in the 1960s.

Yeah, I guess that's true. As I said, I can only try to imagine how it really was back then. To be perfectly honest, I guess it's just the optimistic Trek fan in me who likes to think of TOS as a series that could do better regarding sexism. (Which is not to say they didn't break the boundaries in many other areas.) It seems to be wishful thinking. As a Star Trek fan I'm a dreamer by default.

 

[Gary7]

No, NCC-1701, it speaks volumes about how women were viewed in the 1960s.

Yes. Remember "Where no man has gone before" in TOS becomes "Where no one has gone before" in TNG. TOS is a product of the 60's. Roddenberry WOULD have had a female captain in one of the other Federation ships if he could have gotten away with it. But he took so many liberties that he couldn't push the NBC executives any further.

But wait... remember "The Enterprise Incident"? We saw a female captain of a Romulan starship... maybe for the alien races, it was a little easier for Roddenberry to get away with it.

For "Turn About Intruder", there was a ceiling for Federation women... XO was as far as they could go, apparently. The good thing is that TNG broke that ceiling.

 

[Doug Otte]

No, NCC-1701, it speaks volumes about how women were viewed in the 1960s.

Yes. Remember "Where no man has gone before" in TOS becomes "Where no one has gone before" in TNG. TOS is a product of the 60's. Roddenberry WOULD have had a female captain in one of the other Federation ships if he could have gotten away with it. But he took so many liberties that he couldn't push the NBC executives any further.

But wait... remember "The Enterprise Incident"? We saw a female captain of a Romulan starship... maybe for the alien races, it was a little easier for Roddenberry to get away with it.

For "Turn About Intruder", there was a ceiling for Federation women... XO was as far as they could go, apparently. The good thing is that TNG broke that ceiling.

I'm wondering, though, if that line from Turnabout Intruder would have been allowed if Roddenberry or Fontana were still working on the show. I doubt if the series bible specified that only men could be captains. The line might have just been a product of the writer, and the 3rd season production staff didn't care enough to question it. On the other hand, no other female Fed Captains were mentioned during Roddenberry's tenure, so he might have allowed it, too.

Doug

PS I, too, have always enjoyed Shatner's acting as a possessed and conflicted personality in this episode.

 

[Ssosmcin]

.in fact, I even throught certain acting choices of his were very effective in creating the illusion of his body being inhabited by a woman, particularly little subtle (yes, I called Shatner's acting subtle! ) gestures like modulations in the pitch of his voice, his facial expressions (like pouting) and his body language in walking and speaking that actually did plausibly seem feminine without trying too hard.

THANK YOU! I have been saying this for years, he puts subtle touches in everything he does. Everyone is so hung up on the (mostly overstated) "Shatnerisms" that they actually shut out how much he layers his work. There's always more too his performances than is generally acknowledged, but people don't look past the surface to pay attention.

I'm wondering, though, if that line from Turnabout Intruder would have been allowed if Roddenberry or Fontana were still working on the show. ... On the other hand, no other female Fed Captains were mentioned during Roddenberry's tenure, so he might have allowed it, too.

Roddenberry wrote it. Since he must have supplied them with more than merely the idea (otherwise the credits would have shown another writer most likely), I would assume this was all fine with him.

Some time agi, there was a discussion here about Lester's claim about the no women thing. It was a bit of fanwank, but it was proposed that, in order to fix the blame of her failure away from her self, Janice convinced herself that it was ger gender that kept her out of command. Since they never dwelled on it after that, I'm good with it. ;-)

 

[Albertese]

Well, I like the episode more and more each time I see it.

As for woman Captains, I do believe the standard observed in TOS was that of the US Navy primarily. Do they have female captains? In the sixties that is. As far as I know even today the submarine service is a boy's only club. Though , for reasons which wouldn't apply to Star Trek's setting.

That said, given that the TOS movies did show us at least one woman in command, I tend to think that it was allowed. Lester was not a captain because she failed to complete (or for all I know, even attempt) the training. That she was clearly unbalanced and borderline nutso when Kirk was dating her leads me to believe that starfleet would have seen red flags on her first interview and tossed her out. Her line about "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women" could be massaged a bit to suggest she was actually accusing Kirk of his own personal world as Starship Captain not allowing room for her, as a woman.

As far as GR's views, I recall from (I think) TMoST that the networks suits were cool with a woman XO but women from the test audiences made comments to the effect of "just who does she think she is?" Women's lib was on it's way to full swing in 1964, but hadn't quite gotten there yet.

For my part, I'm not quite 30 years old, so I was raised with equality for women being a natural part of life. I guess it does seem odd to me, all the "this or that is sexist" rantings I hear from time to time. "Turnabout Intruder" was just a product of it's times in an otherwise quite progressive series format.

--Alex