Charlie X - Rewatch and Review

[KevinGrem]

It's been several years since I've watched any of the old Star Trek episodes. Yesterday I re-watched "Charlie X" and it moved me to tears, honestly. I have to get my thoughts and ideas out and give the episode a review.

Charlie is a great character. This episode bears a similar resemblance to the Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life". However, I feel this is much better. That's because I can actually sympathize with Charlie. When I was a teenager I had similar social problems and I was bullied and rejected by others. You can tell that Charlie is earnestly trying to do right, and yet no matter what he does or how hard he tries, he keeps screwing up. I have many a time felt that way in my own life.

I am legitimately angered when people call me selfish. People who make that accusation have a sense of entitlement and they feel that my mere existence in this world means that I owe them something. I don't owe you shit. When the hell did I ever ask anything from you? I never once asked for your attention, so why should I give you mine?

Anyway back to the episode. Captain Kirk is real awesome here, as usual. One highlight is when he takes his shirt off, and he's not fat!! Good to see that we have at least one memory of Kirk not being overweight.

Another highlight is when Charlie silences Uhura's awful singing. Thatta boy. Shut that woman up. Her voice is horrible and she can be a real buzz kill whenever she starts up.

Other cool and freaky stuff happens too, such as Charlie transforming a girl into a lizard, Charlie erasing a girl's face, and Charlie possessing Mr. Spock.

Because the episode actually moved me to literal tears, I am obliged to give it a 10/10. What a tremendous episode.

 

[Kor]

Another highlight is when Charlie silences Uhura's awful singing. Thatta boy. Shut that woman up. Her voice is horrible and she can be a real buzz kill whenever she starts up.

That's an... interesting way to put it.

Personally, I have sometimes wondered about Nichol's singing career in the sixties. I find her voice strained and overly warbly, and not as pleasant to listen to as other singers of the time.

Here's an example most apropos to discussion of Star Trek:

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Kor

 

[A beaker full of death]

Shatner was maybe 10 lb overweight at his worst. Now, admittedly, that 10 lbs looks terrible on camera, but he was never what one would call out of shape during TOS, TJ Hooker, or most of the movies.
Actually, in looking at Shatner shirtless in this episode, he looks like he has the body of a little boy. I'd have expected more muscle.
As for Nichelle Nichols... a lot about her bugs me (and she is a terrible actress), but I rather liked her singing. To each his own.

 

[KevinGrem]

See him standing shirtless next to Nimoy shirtless in "Patterns of Force" and you can see he's overweight. In my opinion anyway. I think it's exaggerated by a lot of people.

 

[Kor]

Nah, he's just big-boned.

Kor

 

[A beaker full of death]

See him standing shirtless next to Nimoy shirtless in "Patterns of Force" and you can see he's overweight. In my opinion anyway. I think it's exaggerated by a lot of people.

I should be so overweight.

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I'm reminded of when Adam West was called "flabby", because the Batman utility belt went up to his ribs, making the false impression that he had a gut. He went and got a note from his doctor to prove he wasn't!

 

[KevinGrem]

Don't get me wrong, he's not that overweight, just maybe 10 lbs in that clip. But in season 3 I'd say he was 15-20lbs overweight.

 

[Pauln6]

I loved this episode as a kid, less so as an adult. TOS moralising gets a bit heavy handed and inconsistent, much like the USA today!

We already know that Kirk needs to lose a few pounds from the Corbomite Manoeuvre. Charlie X scores extra points for showing the crew during their off hours and for being a Rand-centric episode.

 

[plynch]

Those were decent-looking men's bodies for back then, though. Look at "Beaker's" avatar of George Reeves as Superman. By no means ripped by today's standards.

 

[Ssosmcin]

I miss those days: no real muscular definition, strong arms, a bit of a paunch, but still well within a healthy weight range and looking pretty good. I would be perferct 1960's leading man/hero material.

Whenever my weight fluctuates, I put it in the Kirk context: I got down to first season Kirk, then up to third season girth. I'm hovering around Sargon's Size now trying to get back to first season Kirk.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I miss those days: no real muscular definition, strong arms, a bit of a paunch, but still well within a healthy weight range and looking pretty good. I would be perferct 1960's leading man/hero material.

So true. Until about the 1980s, actors weren't expected to be bodybuilders unless the role specifically called for muscles (Hercules, a circus strongman...). Look at the difference between Apollo in classic Battlestar Galactica vs. re-imagined Galactica. The first time Jamie Bamber took his shirt off, it was startling to see those slabs of highly-defined muscle on him.

That said, Shatner was a mesomorph, he made a real effort, and I always thought his shirtless scenes looked great. There's a TOS-era photo of him somewhere lifting weights outdoors. He's shirtless and hoisting a barbell over his head, and he looks like a muscleman.

The whole cast got into incredible shape for TAS, but by TMP it was pretty clear those days were gone.

 

[Ssosmcin]

The whole cast got into incredible shape for TAS, but by TMP it was pretty clear those days were gone.

Or maybe the Filmation artists just drew them that way.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Or maybe the Filmation artists just drew them that way.

No, I'm pretty sure the Truth in Animation law required a completely accurate rendering of Jimmy Doohan's tiny waistline and ripped pecs.

 

[Maurice]

I am legitimately angered when people call me selfish. People who make that accusation have a sense of entitlement and they feel that my mere existence in this world means that I owe them something. I don't owe you shit. When the hell did I ever ask anything from you? I never once asked for your attention, so why should I give you mine?

Hoo-kay. What the heck triggered that?

Thatta boy. Shut that woman up.

And... outta.

 

[johnnybear]

Anyone know where we can buy those snaps of yeoman Rand that Charlie substituted for the playing cards?
JB

 

[KevinGrem]

"Hoo-kay. What the heck triggered that?"

The episode touches me personally because I can relate to it. I know what it's like to be socially underdeveloped and to have everyone disliking you.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

The episode touches me personally because I can relate to it. I know what it's like to be socially underdeveloped and to have everyone disliking you.

Don't feel bad. I'm still socially underdeveloped, and I've mastered the art only to the point where everyone is largely indifferent. I hope I haven't peaked.

 

[UnknownSample]

An actor's job is to play a believeable human being, not a model or bodybuilder. I love it when Nichols sings.
---------------
Charlie X is really a sort of classic film that just happens to be a TV episode too. It's finely crafted with heart and soul, and perception, regarding a human being's inner workings, especially those of an isolated adolescent.

 

[scotpens]

Those were decent-looking men's bodies for back then, though. Look at "Beaker's" avatar of George Reeves as Superman. By no means ripped by today's standards.

George Reeves' Superman costume was padded (pretty obviously) to make him appear more muscular.

 

[DonIago]

"Another highlight is when Charlie silences Uhura's awful singing. Thatta boy. Shut that woman up. Her voice is horrible and she can be a real buzz kill whenever she starts up."

"When I was a teenager I had similar social problems and I was bullied and rejected by others."

I'd say anyone who refers to a person as you did in that first quote shouldn't be all that surprised if they receive the kind of treatment you reference in your second quote.

"Shut that woman up"? Really? While the United States may currently have a president who endorses such sentiments, you'll find in many areas that kind of misogynistic nonsense will receive a less than warm reception.

Perhaps you meant to say, ""I get a kick out of when Charlie silences Uhura's signing, as I really didn't care for it"?