50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread
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"The Squire of Gothos", Episode 17, January 12th
Tonight's Episode: Enterprise encounters a rogue planet where the only inhabitant is a space man child that wants to play with the crew. "The planet is called Gothos, why couldn't it have been a nice goth kid instead that just mopes around and leaves you alone" (excerpt from the captain's log).
Tonight's Episode: Enterprise encounters a rogue planet where the only inhabitant is a space man child that wants to play with the crew. "The planet is called Gothos, why couldn't it have been a nice goth kid instead that just mopes around and leaves you alone" (excerpt from the captain's log).
My first. I was eight. I thought Spock was the captain.
My writeup on "The Squire of Gothos". I have always enjoyed this episode, no questions asked. :-)
Next week, rubber alien suit time!
(Edit: It would help if I put the link in, wouldn't it?)
Next week, rubber alien suit time!
(Edit: It would help if I put the link in, wouldn't it?)
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People who caught Liberace's appearance on Batman earlier this season must have been feeling a little deja vu....
I've heard it said that TOS had about four stories that it did again and again. For all of its charm and flair, this episode isn't helping the case. Another god-alien who can turn his thoughts into reality, complete with an ending a little too similar to that of "Charlie X". Plus the story's "twists" make it feel padded...escape, back to the planet, escape again, planet comes back to the ship....There was a tighter half-hour episode in there somewhere. It also strikes me that to a casual dial-changer in 1967, this may have seemed a bit too much like an episode of Lost in Space.
We start with a "we could sure use some cup-holders on this bridge" scene, and get a little Shouty Spock relapse at the end of the teaser. Following Kirk's abduction, right here the very next week after "The Galileo Seven," Spock seems a lot more comfortable and experienced with command.
The little oxygen masks are a slight concession to the idea that not all planets the ship might visit would be Class M. The tight establishing shot of Trelane's doorway seems conspicuously low-budget.
DeSalle: "My ancestry is French, yes...but I don't make a big stink about it like that bald guy."
When the landing party returns, the show misses a perfect opportunity to show Uhura getting out of the chair instead of an extra.
"Is that what you're doing, challenging me?"
"You will hang by the neck, Captain, until you are dead, dead, dead!"
And how do you make somebody dead, dead, dead...?
I've heard it said that TOS had about four stories that it did again and again. For all of its charm and flair, this episode isn't helping the case. Another god-alien who can turn his thoughts into reality, complete with an ending a little too similar to that of "Charlie X". Plus the story's "twists" make it feel padded...escape, back to the planet, escape again, planet comes back to the ship....There was a tighter half-hour episode in there somewhere. It also strikes me that to a casual dial-changer in 1967, this may have seemed a bit too much like an episode of Lost in Space.
We start with a "we could sure use some cup-holders on this bridge" scene, and get a little Shouty Spock relapse at the end of the teaser. Following Kirk's abduction, right here the very next week after "The Galileo Seven," Spock seems a lot more comfortable and experienced with command.
The little oxygen masks are a slight concession to the idea that not all planets the ship might visit would be Class M. The tight establishing shot of Trelane's doorway seems conspicuously low-budget.
DeSalle: "My ancestry is French, yes...but I don't make a big stink about it like that bald guy."
When the landing party returns, the show misses a perfect opportunity to show Uhura getting out of the chair instead of an extra.
"Is that what you're doing, challenging me?"
"You will hang by the neck, Captain, until you are dead, dead, dead!"
And how do you make somebody dead, dead, dead...?
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I love the fake out non-ending where they think they're escaping, and sell that.Nothing wrong with going back and forth to and from the ship. I get sick of beam down, solve problem, beam back up, end.
Might have worked once, but they did it twice this episode.
"He's not the Squire, he's a very naughty boy!"
Over that coffee they talk about deserts and romantic nostalgia for such an environment, and nobody(well, McCoy) bothers to mention(well, tease) that Spock's homeworld is a bit desertish.
Guess they haven't decided that yet?
Yep, I guess this would be Spock's second command, and next week he'll again end up being in charge after Kirk goes away for a bit of fisticuffs. So he waited over a decade and now apparently he can't get rid of being in command.
This time humans behave a bit more rationally, but still not entirely rationally as DeSalle and McCoy do suggest they should beam down right away and start a search(even though they still don't know exactly where on this giant planet Kirk and Sulu are, if they're down there at all), when Spock shoots down their suggestion they don't immediately freak out and curse his Vulcan hide.
Spock also does his logical thing and deduces fallibility in Trelane from crappy food and drinks.
The "fire without heat" thing doesn't make any sense though. I can understand not being able to guess what chicken tastes like, but this is a being that can rearrange matter however he chooses, that he doesn't understand how fire works is a bit of a stretch. They may not have brandy, but they do have fire everywhere.
And then space mommy and daddy show up to sort the little brat out.
I didn't mind the similarity to Charlie X, if that last scene wasn't there I don't think many people would draw the comparisons at all even though it's still basically the same premise.
Oh, and the lame prank streak continues.
Stealing apples... pffft, gimme a break... '09 Kirk stole cars with Nokia phones in them!
Also, did people still use inkwells in the '60s? That wouldn't even be much of a prank anymore, you could rock dipped curls and be totally stylish these days...
They do play with national, racial and gender stereotypes, but at least this time it's for a purpose to show how Trelane is in fact an idiot, so I liked that. I also liked that during the duel Trelane didn't threaten Kirk by pointing the gun at one of the women, but instead at Spock
I choose to believe she was in charge, but was busy working on boosting communications because they had all the issues with it.
Over that coffee they talk about deserts and romantic nostalgia for such an environment, and nobody(well, McCoy) bothers to mention(well, tease) that Spock's homeworld is a bit desertish.
Guess they haven't decided that yet?
Yep, I guess this would be Spock's second command, and next week he'll again end up being in charge after Kirk goes away for a bit of fisticuffs. So he waited over a decade and now apparently he can't get rid of being in command.
This time humans behave a bit more rationally, but still not entirely rationally as DeSalle and McCoy do suggest they should beam down right away and start a search(even though they still don't know exactly where on this giant planet Kirk and Sulu are, if they're down there at all), when Spock shoots down their suggestion they don't immediately freak out and curse his Vulcan hide.
Spock also does his logical thing and deduces fallibility in Trelane from crappy food and drinks.
The "fire without heat" thing doesn't make any sense though. I can understand not being able to guess what chicken tastes like, but this is a being that can rearrange matter however he chooses, that he doesn't understand how fire works is a bit of a stretch. They may not have brandy, but they do have fire everywhere.
And then space mommy and daddy show up to sort the little brat out.
I didn't mind the similarity to Charlie X, if that last scene wasn't there I don't think many people would draw the comparisons at all even though it's still basically the same premise.
Oh, and the lame prank streak continues.
Stealing apples... pffft, gimme a break... '09 Kirk stole cars with Nokia phones in them!
Also, did people still use inkwells in the '60s? That wouldn't even be much of a prank anymore, you could rock dipped curls and be totally stylish these days...
They do play with national, racial and gender stereotypes, but at least this time it's for a purpose to show how Trelane is in fact an idiot, so I liked that. I also liked that during the duel Trelane didn't threaten Kirk by pointing the gun at one of the women, but instead at Spock
I choose to believe she was in charge, but was busy working on boosting communications because they had all the issues with it.
A personal blessing from me for the Life of Brian reference.
And yet... maybe not! Even being corporeal is a momentary lark for these beings. They might not have to deal with very much of the physical world, and they might create only the nice things to surround themselves with. Mom and Dad might know what fire is, but Trelane may not.
No, but middle aged producers and writers would have, when they were kids.
50 years ago this week:
New on the U.S. charts:
"The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game," The Marvelettes
(#13 US; #2 R&B)
"Let's Spend the Night Together," The Rolling Stones
(#55 US; #3 UK as a double A-side with...)
"Ruby Tuesday," The Rolling Stones
(#1 US the week of Mar. 4, 1967; #3 UK; #303 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)
Infamously changing some lyrics for Sullivan at 1:16 (from a Jan. 15 appearance):
And airing Thursday night:
Star Trek
"Arena"
Stardate 3045.6
New on the U.S. charts:
"The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game," The Marvelettes
(#13 US; #2 R&B)
"Let's Spend the Night Together," The Rolling Stones
(#55 US; #3 UK as a double A-side with...)
"Ruby Tuesday," The Rolling Stones
(#1 US the week of Mar. 4, 1967; #3 UK; #303 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)
Infamously changing some lyrics for Sullivan at 1:16 (from a Jan. 15 appearance):
And airing Thursday night:
Star Trek
"Arena"
Stardate 3045.6
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Well, that has gone full circle...
The Squire of Gothos was a fun episode. William Campbell was delightful in the role. I love it when he talks to Spock and is taken aback by Spock's seriousness. "Mr. Spock, you have one redeeming quality, you're ill mannered". I also noted with humor why the Enterprise does not seem to have cup holders. At the beginning of the episode the crew is drinking from their cups. Sulu and Desalle have their cups right on the boards. What if they spill their coffee? Won't that harm their equipment? Also I like the character of Desalle. He seemed like he could have been a more regular character if Chekov did not appear.
My thoughts on "Arena"
This episode has always been in my top 5. So much so, that about 9 years ago (March 2008), I had to visit (as many others have) Vasquez Rocks.
It was very windy that day, I didn't get to climb up the famous rock formation. Maybe if I go back to the west coast someday. :-)
Next week, we go back to the present, almost....
This episode has always been in my top 5. So much so, that about 9 years ago (March 2008), I had to visit (as many others have) Vasquez Rocks.
It was very windy that day, I didn't get to climb up the famous rock formation. Maybe if I go back to the west coast someday. :-)
Next week, we go back to the present, almost....
Jus drein jus daun
The Gorn fake invite message requests they beam down their tactical officers, which is a good plan to take out the team that presumably comes up with tactics and strategies but these guys were never ever included in any briefing or ever had any input in decisions in any episode of Star Trek before or after this one so not much point to that anyway. Also most of them died, so much for their brilliant tactics.
Federation potato guns are much stronger than Gorn potato guns, and it only takes one shot to drive the Gorn away, so why nobody from the base thought to fire them is a mystery.
Sulu is referred to as an experienced combat officer, I guess fighting all those plants with swords really payed off.
After all the lame pranks mentioned in previous episodes that survived till the 23rd century, you'd think firecrackers would still be a thing, but since it takes a while for them to remember that gunpowder exists I guess they don't?
Yeah, it jumps out a bit now, particularly how he dismisses Spock's suggestion that there might be some other reasons behind the attack(and Spock turns out to be right) but I'm taking it as a sign of the times when Invasion! from pesky communists was seen as a real and constant threat. Which makes the ending of the episode and "maybe we were the ones who were wrong" all the more impressive.
When people talk about what Star Trek did best, this is the sort of thing that's probably somewhere at the top of the list, it's a simple story how violence leads to more violence and talking and understanding your enemies point of view is the right way to achieve peace packaged in a fistfight with a slow hissing lizard thing.
Jus nou drein jus daun
The Gorn fake invite message requests they beam down their tactical officers, which is a good plan to take out the team that presumably comes up with tactics and strategies but these guys were never ever included in any briefing or ever had any input in decisions in any episode of Star Trek before or after this one so not much point to that anyway. Also most of them died, so much for their brilliant tactics.
Federation potato guns are much stronger than Gorn potato guns, and it only takes one shot to drive the Gorn away, so why nobody from the base thought to fire them is a mystery.
Sulu is referred to as an experienced combat officer, I guess fighting all those plants with swords really payed off.
After all the lame pranks mentioned in previous episodes that survived till the 23rd century, you'd think firecrackers would still be a thing, but since it takes a while for them to remember that gunpowder exists I guess they don't?
Yeah, it jumps out a bit now, particularly how he dismisses Spock's suggestion that there might be some other reasons behind the attack(and Spock turns out to be right) but I'm taking it as a sign of the times when Invasion! from pesky communists was seen as a real and constant threat. Which makes the ending of the episode and "maybe we were the ones who were wrong" all the more impressive.
When people talk about what Star Trek did best, this is the sort of thing that's probably somewhere at the top of the list, it's a simple story how violence leads to more violence and talking and understanding your enemies point of view is the right way to achieve peace packaged in a fistfight with a slow hissing lizard thing.
Jus nou drein jus daun
See, I thought Spock was the one who was out of character, viewed in context of the episodes that we've seen so far. The "make love not war" Spock in this episode wasn't the Spock of "Balance of Terror," who coldly and logically advocated attack because not responding with force would be seen as a sign of weakness. The phrase "hot pursuit" also sounds odd coming from Spock's lips in a serious context.
Is this the first time that we get a good look at a tricorder in use? And the first time we see photon torpedoes? I'm pretty sure it's the first time that they straighten out the difference between phasers and photons...and it's definitely the first time that they get into the Enterprise's warp speed limits.
On the subject of there only being so many Trek stories that get retold over and over...this episode has elements that strongly resemble "Balance of Terror" and "The Corbomite Maneuver".
On the subject of the Gorn...knowing to listen for it, I can hear a little of the Hulk in Cassidy's growls....
Is this the first time that we get a good look at a tricorder in use? And the first time we see photon torpedoes? I'm pretty sure it's the first time that they straighten out the difference between phasers and photons...and it's definitely the first time that they get into the Enterprise's warp speed limits.
On the subject of there only being so many Trek stories that get retold over and over...this episode has elements that strongly resemble "Balance of Terror" and "The Corbomite Maneuver".
On the subject of the Gorn...knowing to listen for it, I can hear a little of the Hulk in Cassidy's growls....
I don't think Spock was advocating strictly for peace here so much as for more information.
In Balance, the outposts destroyed were sentry outposts along the border with a know race the Federation used to be at war with, so his cold logical advice was based on a lot more data and previous historical relations. Here, it was a colony in uncharted space, attacked by unknown assailants, for unknown reasons.
Have never watched the Hulk show, but when he chuckled he sounded a bit like Snidely Whiplash (or really any cartoon villain)
^ For context, Ted Cassidy did the "voice" of the Hulk for the first couple seasons, in addition to the opening credits narration that was used for the entire run of the show. Cassidy's replacement for the Hulk's growls was another TOS alumni...Charles Napier, a.k.a. Adam from "The Way to Eden" (who also guest-starred in a couple of episodes as different characters).
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