And Spock's Brain Shall Lead

[CorporalCaptain]

Totally useless trivia: "And The Children Shall Lead" contains three future "Brady Bunch" guest stars: Craig Hundley, Pamelyn Ferdin and Brian Tochi.

Not useless at all!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Huxley needs to read! Do you see the stuff about the Blaster Beam?!!

Pamelyn Ferdin seems to have led a quite "eventual" life. She was Lucy van Pelt in A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

And, Brian Tochi is Takashi!

 

[gomtuu20]

I agree that on paper ATCSL sounds great, but the episode is just terrible to watch. That was actually a very good observation.

 

[scotpens]

Apparently And the Children Shall Lead was supposed to be a metaphor for Hitler's Youth. I don't not know where the idea appeared on screen but apparently that was the message of the week.

Well, it was certainly lost on me.

Still, I suppose with a bit of imagination . . .

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Apparently And the Children Shall Lead was supposed to be a metaphor for Hitler's Youth.

Citation please?

 

[Merky]

Apparently And the Children Shall Lead was supposed to be a metaphor for Hitler's Youth.

Citation please?

The interviews on the DVD boxsets?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

And the Children Shall Lead is season three.

 

[Merky]

If you watch the interviews one either one of the boxsets they bring it up. I don't think it was S3 because I didn't watch all the bonus features on that set and don't remember them mentioning it there... but who knows. It's one of the interviews... Don't have time to pop in a DVD and cite it for you.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

OK. I think you mean the Hitler Youth, without an "apostrophe s", and often with "the". I realized you must have meant this, when I noticed that you had capitalized the "Y" in "Youth", which for some reason I missed on first reading. That would be much more plausible than what I thought you meant, which was Hitler's youth, i.e. the adventures of Hitler as a child. Sorry.

 

[Merky]

It's okay. I'm starting to realize that this message board takes reading too literally. No offense. I might need to start... being more.... specific in my postings.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Actually, I admitted I made a mistake too.

 

[Merky]

Actually, I admitted I made a mistake too.

いいんです〜気にしないで　 It's fine.

 

[Tauran]

I have recently rewatched both of these episodes and Spocks Brain is the worst by far, talk about gropping for a story!

 

[scotpens]

I have recently rewatched both of these episodes and Spocks Brain is the worst by far, talk about gropping for a story!

In terms of groping for a story, the worst offender is “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.” It’s all Message with a capital M and no plot.

 

[Nerd unRage]

"And the Children Shall Lead" edges out "Spock's Brain" for worse episode for me but only slightly. ATCSL is just irritating. The children weren't creepy enough. Maybe because it was the 60s or the lack of quality child actors available but what could have been a truly creepy, thought provoking concept was just annoying because of it's execution.

"Spock's Brain" is just badly acted especially by Nimoy. It just felt very forced. Like they had to do something more cheesy science fictiony rather than Star Trek if that makes a lick of sense.

 

[Merky]

"Spock's Brain" is just badly acted especially by Nimoy.

Well, he hated the script and felt embarrassed as an actor playing a brainless idiot for an entire episode so no wonder why he crapped on the performance.

Like they had to do something more cheesy science fictiony rather than Star Trek if that makes a lick of sense.

It does. That whole season was a science fiction-y cliche hot mess of pure crap.

 

[Therin of Andor]

he hated the script and felt embarrassed as an actor playing a brainless idiot for an entire episode so no wonder why he crapped on the performance.

Supposedly the departing Gene Coon intended it as a comedy along the lines of "Tribbles". Fred Freiberger wanted it played straight and Coon became "Lee Cronin" for his writing credit.

The earlier version barely featured Nimoy. Spock's body was left back in sickbay - it would have been a useful episode if the actor had required a few days' leave from the set. The only reason we see zombiefied Spock is because they rejigged the script to give Nimoy a presence in the planetary scenes. IIRC, his inert body gets left behind in the Blish adaptation.

For me, the most embarrassingly bad episode was "Plato's Stepchildren". My Dad once sat watching that episode throughout, with me only knowing it via the Blish adaptation. Don't remind me of the horsey stuff.

 

[Merky]

For me, the most embarrassingly bad episode was "Plato's Stepchildren". My Dad once sat watching that episode throughout, with me only knowing it via the Blish adaptation. Don't remind me of the horsey stuff.

I find that episode one of the better ones in the season. Not because of the fake kiss (obvious reasons expressed) but because it really pushed the barrier for what I considered pretty racy in terms for a 60s villain. A race of sadistic, power hungry, sociopaths taking pleasure in the dehumanization of others.

It pulled an emotional reaction from me, it got me involved into the story. Its hard to watch Kirk and Spock go through that humiliation -- it's different than watching Spock's Brain where you feel more embarrassment for the actor and laugh at how shitty the story is.

 

[scotpens]

For me, the most embarrassingly bad episode was "Plato's Stepchildren". My Dad once sat watching that episode throughout, with me only knowing it via the Blish adaptation. Don't remind me of the horsey stuff.

I find that episode one of the better ones in the season. Not because of the fake kiss (obvious reasons expressed) but because it really pushed the barrier for what I considered pretty racy in terms for a 60s villain. A race of sadistic, power hungry, sociopaths taking pleasure in the dehumanization of others.

A decadent, sociopathic race that takes pleasure in humiliating others might be a good core on which to build a story. But when the story consists mainly of watching our heroes being degraded and humiliated by said sociopaths, at first it's a bit uncomfortable, then it becomes laughable, and finally you just feel embarrassed for the actors. YMMV.

Michael Dunn was always a pleasure to watch, though. I always thought he was an underrated actor -- don't sell him short!

 

[CorporalCaptain]

and finally you just feel embarrassed for the actors.

Exactly.

Although for me, Barbara Babcock is .

 

[Merky]

But when the story consists mainly of watching our heroes being degraded and humiliated by said sociopaths, at first it's a bit uncomfortable, then it becomes laughable, and finally you just feel embarrassed for the actors. YMMV.

Naw, its no different then watching a bunch of actors in a horror movie. If you start feeling sorry for the actors then the story has to be really bad (or acting) to allow you to break into that 4th wall.

To his or her own though.