I think the grand idea of Space Seed is not implemented as well as it should have been.
The idea of Khan and his supermen is supposed to invoke a ton of awe and fear, but the episode didn't bear out the epicness of the idea. All they did of note that differentiated them from anyone else was to look bigger, physically; and use that increased strength to manhandle the crew a bit. That's a good start, no doubt, but to do the idea justice they had to add a lot more to it as well; which they didn't. We are told through exposition that they are god-like, yet what they do in the episode does not bear this out. In other words, in regards to their abilities the episode needed more show, less tell.
Kirk just giving Khan access to read the ship's manuals is a silly plot contrivance. Breaching the security of the ship to 'extend courtesy' doesn't stand up to scrutiny. Besides, they could have gave him anything else to read instead and still been just as courteous.
A crew member helping Khan for no plausible reason is another silly plot contrivance. She agrees to help him why exactly...because she has the hots for his body? There is no way that a pretty woman like that would be desperate for sex, therefore her turning traitor solely to lust after Khan's body makes no sense.
Similarly, Khan is described as being 'magnetic', yet this doesn't come across in his personality. He just comes across as a creepy guy who every woman and man would want to avoid at all costs. A 'magnetic' person would have to have charm; yet Khan has none, and instead has a natural repelling aura.
Khan's alleged super intelligence and superiority isn't really demonstrated. He uses the knowledge he got from the manuals and a woman who helped him for no good reason in order to take control of the ship. How much more intelligence would it have required to have Khan figure out a creative and plausible way to take control of the ship. Ie: If he charmed the crew for several months, earned their trust, and then made his move (of course he would have to figure out a way to keep them from depositing him on a starbase, which just make him hoodwinking them in the long run even better.)
Khan's fellow supermen seemed to be either mutes, or talking heads rather than characters; certainly not worth fearing or being in awe of.
To do the Space Seed story justice, to show enough instead of tell, it should have been an epic 2-5 parter at least. Then they would be able to get rid of the silly plot contrivances as well.
The idea of Khan and his supermen is supposed to invoke a ton of awe and fear, but the episode didn't bear out the epicness of the idea. All they did of note that differentiated them from anyone else was to look bigger, physically; and use that increased strength to manhandle the crew a bit. That's a good start, no doubt, but to do the idea justice they had to add a lot more to it as well; which they didn't. We are told through exposition that they are god-like, yet what they do in the episode does not bear this out. In other words, in regards to their abilities the episode needed more show, less tell.
Kirk just giving Khan access to read the ship's manuals is a silly plot contrivance. Breaching the security of the ship to 'extend courtesy' doesn't stand up to scrutiny. Besides, they could have gave him anything else to read instead and still been just as courteous.
A crew member helping Khan for no plausible reason is another silly plot contrivance. She agrees to help him why exactly...because she has the hots for his body? There is no way that a pretty woman like that would be desperate for sex, therefore her turning traitor solely to lust after Khan's body makes no sense.
Similarly, Khan is described as being 'magnetic', yet this doesn't come across in his personality. He just comes across as a creepy guy who every woman and man would want to avoid at all costs. A 'magnetic' person would have to have charm; yet Khan has none, and instead has a natural repelling aura.
Khan's alleged super intelligence and superiority isn't really demonstrated. He uses the knowledge he got from the manuals and a woman who helped him for no good reason in order to take control of the ship. How much more intelligence would it have required to have Khan figure out a creative and plausible way to take control of the ship. Ie: If he charmed the crew for several months, earned their trust, and then made his move (of course he would have to figure out a way to keep them from depositing him on a starbase, which just make him hoodwinking them in the long run even better.)
Khan's fellow supermen seemed to be either mutes, or talking heads rather than characters; certainly not worth fearing or being in awe of.
To do the Space Seed story justice, to show enough instead of tell, it should have been an epic 2-5 parter at least. Then they would be able to get rid of the silly plot contrivances as well.
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