50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread
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Star Trek
"Metamorphosis"
Originally aired November 10, 1967
Stardate 3219.4
What was going on the week the episode aired.
You can tell that Cochrane's a little disappointed when he finds that the Companion didn't bring him Marty Milner.
A nice episode in general, with its theme of finding love and companionship past unusual sci-fi barriers. The striking score particularly sells it.
We get a good bit of worldbuilding here, establishing not just Cochrane himself, but tidbits like how a man who's been out of circulation for 150 years recognizes Vulcans but hasn't heard of the Federation.
Offscreen sources jumped on the idea of there being a separate human-like race from Alpha Centauri, but indications in the episode were that he was actually Terran by origin. E.g., the Companion says, "The Man needs others of his species"; Spock describes Cochrane as a human being. If Alpha Centaurians were a different species, Spock would be more human than Cochrane. Occam's razor: Alpha Centauri being the closest system to Earth's, it would likely be the first destination of warp flight and the first site of interstellar colonization.
Hedford says that she's never been loved? That doesn't say a lot about Andy Taylor.
Next week, meet the folks:
Flying butt slam, right there in the promo!
"Metamorphosis"
Originally aired November 10, 1967
Stardate 3219.4
MeTV said:
What was going on the week the episode aired.
You can tell that Cochrane's a little disappointed when he finds that the Companion didn't bring him Marty Milner.
A nice episode in general, with its theme of finding love and companionship past unusual sci-fi barriers. The striking score particularly sells it.
We get a good bit of worldbuilding here, establishing not just Cochrane himself, but tidbits like how a man who's been out of circulation for 150 years recognizes Vulcans but hasn't heard of the Federation.
Offscreen sources jumped on the idea of there being a separate human-like race from Alpha Centauri, but indications in the episode were that he was actually Terran by origin. E.g., the Companion says, "The Man needs others of his species"; Spock describes Cochrane as a human being. If Alpha Centaurians were a different species, Spock would be more human than Cochrane. Occam's razor: Alpha Centauri being the closest system to Earth's, it would likely be the first destination of warp flight and the first site of interstellar colonization.
Hedford says that she's never been loved? That doesn't say a lot about Andy Taylor.
Next week, meet the folks:
Flying butt slam, right there in the promo!
There's a lot that's problematic from a modern perspective about this episode, but I guess at the time it was rather revolutionary in depicting an unconventional romantic entanglement. Cochrane's reaction to finding out that Blinky loves him is the classic self-denial "I'm no queer!" moment of movies and shows that will deal with the subject matter more openly decades later, and it probably should have gotten more recognition for that even if it is so very hetero-normative in everything else.
Universal translator gets introduced and explained, and is used in a rather repetitive and reductive attempt at explanation of human condition to a gas cloud that has a very "Kirk talks to a computer" vibe (without explosions at the end).
The framing of the story with the looming threat of war is so inconsequential they even joke about it in the end. Also, keeping the whole thing a secret shouldn't be that easy with the whole unfortunate angle of misplacing a commissioner...
Either that, or he's from Alpha Centauri, Montana (founded 2027)
Trailers truly spoil the best bits.
Universal translator gets introduced and explained, and is used in a rather repetitive and reductive attempt at explanation of human condition to a gas cloud that has a very "Kirk talks to a computer" vibe (without explosions at the end).
The framing of the story with the looming threat of war is so inconsequential they even joke about it in the end. Also, keeping the whole thing a secret shouldn't be that easy with the whole unfortunate angle of misplacing a commissioner...
Either that, or he's from Alpha Centauri, Montana (founded 2027)
Trailers truly spoil the best bits.
"Metamorphosis" struck me as a preview of the third season type story, with the big 3 away from the ship the whole show. At least they put a little more effort into the planet set, giving it clouds in the sky, and some long shots to give it some scope.
I appreciate the love story more than when I was a kid, as it seemed talky, and more like what TNG would be. I guess this episode was setting the stage for what was to come in several regards. It sure didn't feel like season one TOS.
I appreciate the love story more than when I was a kid, as it seemed talky, and more like what TNG would be. I guess this episode was setting the stage for what was to come in several regards. It sure didn't feel like season one TOS.
I always thought it odd that Cochrane was so repulsed upon learning the Companion's true feelings toward him. I mean, the Companion is an ethereal twinkling cloud, not a slimy gross thing with tentacles. And it's specifically shown to be female. Still, that's an interesting spin, if perhaps a bit of a reach.
Metamorphosis. This is an oddly strong episode. It seems talky and drawn out. But I remember that it held my six year old attention on a rainy day in away that Space Seed did not.
Also I just watched it and it's still good. There's a lot of Star Trek in this episode.
And MY GOSH that score!
Also I just watched it and it's still good. There's a lot of Star Trek in this episode.
And MY GOSH that score!
George Duning's first original score for Star Trek. Segments were reused in several later season 2 episodes.
Oh, and with respect to "Amok Time": Whatever the reason for their absence, I'm glad that the first time we meet Sarek and Amanda is in the teaser for "Journey to Babel." One of my favorite moments in all of season 2 is when Spock gets to say "Captain, Ambassador Sarek and his wife are my parents."
See, this is why I have no problem with Spock growing up with Michael and we never heard about it. Good grief, his CO doesn't know his dad is a VIV? (Very Important Vulcan.) The man is PRIVATE.
I always laugh in Star Trek VI when Kirk says petulantly "I know your father is the Vulcan ambassador for heaven's sake!" Yeah? Because you didn't 24 years ago!
I still find it hard to believe that Glenn Corbett is a revitalised James Cromwell myself! 
Plus some people trying to explain the difference in their looks when the film First Contact had just came out in 98 I believe, saying that it was radiation from the war or his experiments with faster than light engines that left him like that! How nice of people to see Mr.Cromwell in that light! 
JB
Plus some people trying to explain the difference in their looks when the film First Contact had just came out in 98 I believe, saying that it was radiation from the war or his experiments with faster than light engines that left him like that! How nice of people to see Mr.Cromwell in that light! JB
I like this episode quite a bit. Kirk, Spock and McCoy on a shuttlecraft stranded on a planet with Eleanor Donahue. We get a couple of Enterprise scenes with Scotty. I never liked how they changed Zephron Cochrane character from this episode to the movie. It seemed like a completely different character. Try and make him similar.
I agree. When I first saw the movie, I thought the writer/director combined to make Cochrane a doofus at times.
They're fairly open about that they combined to make him Gene Roddenberry,I agree. When I first saw the movie, I thought the writer/director combined to make Cochrane a doofus at times.
My only complaint, as such, is that there is too much good stuff going on in "Journey to Babel". Spock's parents, aliens galore, space battles, murder, spies, fighting, humor, great character moments; this episode is a Trekkie's XMas stocking stuffed to the brim and over flowing!
It could have been a two parter, or a movie if expanded. A top ten episode.
It could have been a two parter, or a movie if expanded. A top ten episode.
I think it was just about right!
JB
JB
Star Trek
"Journey to Babel"
Originally aired November 17, 1967
Stardate 3842.3
What was going on the week the episode aired.
This episode gives pretty good indications of the size and nature of the Federation in Kirk's era that got ignored in offscreen sources. That the Federation worlds are represented by ambassadors, who have to be transported to a "neutral" planetoid to debate, suggests that the Federation is an alliance of sovereign worlds, not a government itself. This is further supported by the fact that the Coridan system has been "claimed" by some existing Federation members...suggesting that those members have some autonomy not just in how they run their own affairs, but in how they deal with other, non-Federation planets. Assuming that Coridan admission was put to a full membership vote, 32 ambassadors would indicate 32 member worlds at the time of the episode.
Is this where we first learn about Vulcan longevity? (A trait that too many other Trek races have come to conveniently share.)
One item that always stood out at me was how McCoy pronounces "sehlat" differently than Amanda, when he just heard the word for the first time as pronounced by her. Bits like that make it obvious that they're reading from scripts rather than actually conversing. Another bit that always bugged me...
Ah, the Enterprise jousts with...a spinny twinkle-star. I thought that TOS-R did a good job extrapolating a design from that.
When Kirk asks who aboard would know that method of murder, McCoy glances at Spock before Spock answers...is he already familiar with tal-shaya?
McCoy takes a lot of flak around here for not knowing how to operate on a Vulcan, but he explains the situation pretty well, making it clear that he has the textbook knowledge, but that actual surgical experience makes a difference.
Scotty has quite a presence in this episode for not being in it...he's frequently name-dropped.
A good point. It's curious how Trek didn't indulge in more two-parters, as they seem to have been pretty common on other shows of the era. 50 years ago next week, Mission: Impossible and Tarzan each start their second two-part episodes for this season alone.
Next week, the crew takes some time off for Synthetic Meat Loaf Day! In two weeks:
"Journey to Babel"
Originally aired November 17, 1967
Stardate 3842.3
MeTV said:
What was going on the week the episode aired.
This episode gives pretty good indications of the size and nature of the Federation in Kirk's era that got ignored in offscreen sources. That the Federation worlds are represented by ambassadors, who have to be transported to a "neutral" planetoid to debate, suggests that the Federation is an alliance of sovereign worlds, not a government itself. This is further supported by the fact that the Coridan system has been "claimed" by some existing Federation members...suggesting that those members have some autonomy not just in how they run their own affairs, but in how they deal with other, non-Federation planets. Assuming that Coridan admission was put to a full membership vote, 32 ambassadors would indicate 32 member worlds at the time of the episode.
Is this where we first learn about Vulcan longevity? (A trait that too many other Trek races have come to conveniently share.)
One item that always stood out at me was how McCoy pronounces "sehlat" differently than Amanda, when he just heard the word for the first time as pronounced by her. Bits like that make it obvious that they're reading from scripts rather than actually conversing. Another bit that always bugged me...
Her delivery here always sounded like she was narrating a late-night commercial for humanitarian aid. I also wince when Kirk dramatically tells Uhura how to do her job. And Chekov gets to take over when Kirk leaves the bridge after the climax...clearly Uhura is considered unqualified to command for whatever reason.Miss Jane Wyatt said:
Ah, the Enterprise jousts with...a spinny twinkle-star. I thought that TOS-R did a good job extrapolating a design from that.
When Kirk asks who aboard would know that method of murder, McCoy glances at Spock before Spock answers...is he already familiar with tal-shaya?
McCoy takes a lot of flak around here for not knowing how to operate on a Vulcan, but he explains the situation pretty well, making it clear that he has the textbook knowledge, but that actual surgical experience makes a difference.
Scotty has quite a presence in this episode for not being in it...he's frequently name-dropped.
A good point. It's curious how Trek didn't indulge in more two-parters, as they seem to have been pretty common on other shows of the era. 50 years ago next week, Mission: Impossible and Tarzan each start their second two-part episodes for this season alone.
Next week, the crew takes some time off for Synthetic Meat Loaf Day! In two weeks:
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