I'll still be posting the short but very accurate and factual episode blurbs(
) on the date, but I'll likely watch it Fridays too.
50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread
- Thread starter dahj
- Start date
I'll still be posting the short but very accurate and factual episode blurbs(
) on the date, but I'll likely watch it Fridays too.
I remember that. It's the reason I like thinking of TI as almost the start of a season 4 that never happened, but now I just can't remember why that idea appealed to me. Anyway, W Shatner was on the Mike Douglas Show talking about the delay and the episode, which was the one new episode to come.
I tried to focus on the positive aspects of "Spock's Brain" this viewing. The bridge crew actually having something to contribute in the 'search for Spock', the rear projection graphics on the main view screen, the original score by Fred Steiner, the CG matte painting of Sigma Draconis VI (or VII). By the end of the hour with Spock assisting in his own brain surgery, and then popping off the table with a full head of hair, all chipper and chatty, I had given up.
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Star Trek
"Spock's Brain"
Originally aired September 20, 1968
Stardate 5431.4*
I never thought this episode was the worst one ever, but it's a mixed bag at best. It has a sort of schlocky B-movie vibe that can be enjoyed on that level, but gets a bit too farcical when characters begin repeating the title in sickbay. A particularly interesting turn of phrase in light of Nimoy's later career...
Scotty's fainting ploy is just lame.
I always found the use of the Teacher to be well done...McCoy's reaction upon first using it and then his mid-surgery forgetfulness.
Spock's comical chattiness at the end seemed out of character.
Next week:
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Star Trek
"Spock's Brain"
Originally aired September 20, 1968
Stardate 5431.4*
* Or so multiple online sources agree. The one time I caught a stardate in the episode, it sounded like 4351.5.H&I said:
I never thought this episode was the worst one ever, but it's a mixed bag at best. It has a sort of schlocky B-movie vibe that can be enjoyed on that level, but gets a bit too farcical when characters begin repeating the title in sickbay. A particularly interesting turn of phrase in light of Nimoy's later career...
Captain Kirk said:
Scotty's fainting ploy is just lame.
I always found the use of the Teacher to be well done...McCoy's reaction upon first using it and then his mid-surgery forgetfulness.
Spock's comical chattiness at the end seemed out of character.
We of the year 1968 do not understand your strange words.
Next week:
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McCoy accidentally connected his speech centre to the funny bone.
The thing to catch at the end of "Spock's Brain" is in the music: "Spock's Fugue" by Fred Steiner. Then it segues into a good cue for the Enterprise leaving. I shelled out for the 15-CD set, but all the tracks are available on iTunes and Spotify as well.
Yup. I like that music as well.
And give me 100 viewings of Spock's Brain to one for The Enterprise Incident.
Enterprise Incident = good episode.
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Very good episode indeed!
JB
JB
Meh.
I've always had a soft spot for Spock's Brain. The news of it being the "worst Star Trek episode ever" reached me way before I got to see it so when I finally did I guess I was in the right mindset to find the bad bits entertainingly bad, and notice a couple of good ones too.
The B-movie opening of Bones explaining his brain was missing is wonderfully shlocky... there's a line there that "humans can survive indefinitely without a brain" which makes me regret Spock wasn't awake for that to retort to.
It's followed by a nice sequence on the bridge where they try to figure out where his brain was taken with people walking around the bridge and pointing things at the main viewer and everyone chiming in with their thoughts which was probably done to stall for time since the plot was rather thin but was still a welcome crew-working-together moment.
There's some nice bits on the surface too, Chekov's betraying his Russian winter roots with describing the planet's icy conditions as "livable," Kirk does his best Han Solo impression and shots Luma first before she has a chance to go for the bracelet, and I find Scotty's fainting moment pretty funny.
Robospock is an extremely silly way to give Spock some screentime, but I guess people would have been very disappointed had he spent the entire episode that has his name in the title off screen.
I am surprised and a bit disappointed that his disembodied brain didn't start betting quatloos on Morg fights though.
There's a lot of padding for time here and exploring the Morg/Eymorg schism could have compensated for that, but considering the bits of their backstory we do get are mildly sexist it's probably for the best they didn't go into more details there...
Overall, not bad. I wouldn't go so far as good, but nowhere near the worst ever.
The B-movie opening of Bones explaining his brain was missing is wonderfully shlocky... there's a line there that "humans can survive indefinitely without a brain" which makes me regret Spock wasn't awake for that to retort to.
It's followed by a nice sequence on the bridge where they try to figure out where his brain was taken with people walking around the bridge and pointing things at the main viewer and everyone chiming in with their thoughts which was probably done to stall for time since the plot was rather thin but was still a welcome crew-working-together moment.
There's some nice bits on the surface too, Chekov's betraying his Russian winter roots with describing the planet's icy conditions as "livable," Kirk does his best Han Solo impression and shots Luma first before she has a chance to go for the bracelet, and I find Scotty's fainting moment pretty funny.
Robospock is an extremely silly way to give Spock some screentime, but I guess people would have been very disappointed had he spent the entire episode that has his name in the title off screen.
I am surprised and a bit disappointed that his disembodied brain didn't start betting quatloos on Morg fights though.
There's a lot of padding for time here and exploring the Morg/Eymorg schism could have compensated for that, but considering the bits of their backstory we do get are mildly sexist it's probably for the best they didn't go into more details there...
Overall, not bad. I wouldn't go so far as good, but nowhere near the worst ever.
I neglected to mention the implausibility of McCoy or Kirk being able to control Frankenspock's every movement, right down to individual fingers, with a ten-button remote.
This week's other 50th anniversary viewing.
This week's other 50th anniversary viewing.
My dear Dodge, Spock's Brain is not the worst Star Trek episode! That honour goes to another show far, far worse!
JB
JB
I think by the time you get to the hair you've forgotten a lot of fairly nonsensical things in the first two seasons. I'm still going to watch this episode again before I'm getting into Miri or (*gasp*) Alternative Factor. This one at least moves forward.
Of all the things to hate on in season 3 one thing that doesn't get mentioned very much is the cinematography (or at least camera placement) seems to get bumped up a notch. I'm jumping ahead, but I really noticed it on For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.
Of all the things to hate on in season 3 one thing that doesn't get mentioned very much is the cinematography (or at least camera placement) seems to get bumped up a notch. I'm jumping ahead, but I really noticed it on For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.
One thing I appreciate about this episode is that Chekov and the redshirts get to enjoy a nice warm fire planetside with no apparent accidents.
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