How would you rate this episode formt he third season of the original series??
Elaan of Troyius
- Thread starter lordsofelsewhen
- Start date
I'll give it a couple thumbs up.
It gets an extra star just for that dress with the open sides that Theiss put France Nuyen in in Act Four. Yowza.
It's one of my favorite episodes of the series, not just the third season.
- It has a fantastic original music score. For years I wished that Fred Steiner had recorded a suite from "Elaan" for the Varese Sarabande albums. How great would that have been? It's good to finally have the whole score from LLL.
- France Nuyen is super-hot. Just having her featured prominently in the episode took things to a higher level. (I feel the same way about Marianna Hill and Diana Muldaur in TOS. A woman on that level of talent and charisma should have been a regular in a starring role. Instead we got two women that the producer was getting it on with. Biggest flaw of the series.)
- Jay Robinson is great in his role; I also knew him from Bewitched and later Buck Rogers. He was one of the few actors who could have filled the niche created by Jonathan Harris, and played Dr. Smith on Lost in Space.
- There's action with a Klingon warship. Finding the AMT kit was exciting in the early '70s, and it was the most screen-accurate sci-fi model that ever came down the pike.
"Elaan" checks a lot of boxes.
- It has a fantastic original music score. For years I wished that Fred Steiner had recorded a suite from "Elaan" for the Varese Sarabande albums. How great would that have been? It's good to finally have the whole score from LLL.
- France Nuyen is super-hot. Just having her featured prominently in the episode took things to a higher level. (I feel the same way about Marianna Hill and Diana Muldaur in TOS. A woman on that level of talent and charisma should have been a regular in a starring role. Instead we got two women that the producer was getting it on with. Biggest flaw of the series.)
- Jay Robinson is great in his role; I also knew him from Bewitched and later Buck Rogers. He was one of the few actors who could have filled the niche created by Jonathan Harris, and played Dr. Smith on Lost in Space.
- There's action with a Klingon warship. Finding the AMT kit was exciting in the early '70s, and it was the most screen-accurate sci-fi model that ever came down the pike.
"Elaan" checks a lot of boxes.
One of the more sexist efforts from TOS.
Had a reasonable story, plenty of action. The lead actress was very good looking.
Had an obvious plot device about suddenly wearing the dilithium crystals on the bridge and Spock just having a Dilithium Crystal detector on hand.
Taming of the Shrew - is that how women should be treated? Is that how Star Trek thinks women should be treated?
Still despite its flaws, it was mostly a fun episode. One I easily can watch again.
I rate it an OK episode for the 3rd Season.
Had a reasonable story, plenty of action. The lead actress was very good looking.
Had an obvious plot device about suddenly wearing the dilithium crystals on the bridge and Spock just having a Dilithium Crystal detector on hand.
Taming of the Shrew - is that how women should be treated? Is that how Star Trek thinks women should be treated?
Still despite its flaws, it was mostly a fun episode. One I easily can watch again.
I rate it an OK episode for the 3rd Season.
Agreed--the score is one of the best of the series, and only sold the fact the music of ST was as expressive and sophisticated as any film score.
Yes, she was strikingly beautiful. Nuyen gave a believable performance for the demands of the levels Elaan climbs: from petulant, racist brat, to someone who matures enough to understand her greater responsibility, accepting that she could not pursue her heart's desire.
How Robert (I Spy) Culp lost her is anyone's guess.
Nuyen would surface in another sci-fi franchise several years later--as the radiation scarred mutant Alma in the 5th and final entry in the Apes series, Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
The legend of Kirk gained much from interesting, exciting ship battle tactics that was not this strong (arguably) since "Balance of Terror."
Regarding the Klingon Battle Cruiser--another huge score that this brilliant, truly alien ship appeared in an episode where it faced off in a script that utilized it perfectly. Additionally, it worked against a great performance from Shatner, who ends the episode--once again--resigning himself to being dedicated to being captain, at the expense of ever finding true love. That recurring theme would get a final go-around in "Requiem for Methuselah"
Nearly 50 years later, the Klingon Battle Cruiser still stands as one of the greatest sci-fi ship designs ever, on a short list of adversary ships to actually look menacing.
I first saw this episode as a little kid in the 70's. And for a long time I thought that Elaan was black. Until I saw the actress in an episode of "Magnum PI". Surprise! she's not.
I wonder why they felt the need to have her in all of that body paint. And her male guards as well.
I wonder why they felt the need to have her in all of that body paint. And her male guards as well.
Not a bad episode. I rather enjoyed it. The transformation of Elaan from spoilt to sweet was one which only Captain Kirk's machismo could've handled, so deftly, with the time allotted. But if not for the green ambassador's becoming bedridden, he would've threatened to steal the show from her, he was so over-the-top. "But your worship, these are your Ruby Slippers!!" haha ... he was awesome! Another great show that was contained on the ship to good effect. It's of 1st or 2nd season quality ...
It was the first Star Trek episode I saw on NBC, I was age 6. I've always enjoyed it, and really enjoy the 'Klingon spy' and 'Ship to Ship Battle' music ques of the episode. (5 stars) 
It was okay.
While I always loved France Nuyen, I thought that "sexy" costume was ridiculous. Theiss must have run out of ideas for this one ep. Especially her guards' plastic place matts. Time spent laughing at the costumes took away from enjoying the ep for me.
Storywise, yes, a good retelling of Taming of the Shrew, well acted. Jay Robinson was a hoot, as always. Not a top-10 ep for me, but maybe a top-25.
While I always loved France Nuyen, I thought that "sexy" costume was ridiculous. Theiss must have run out of ideas for this one ep. Especially her guards' plastic place matts. Time spent laughing at the costumes took away from enjoying the ep for me.
Storywise, yes, a good retelling of Taming of the Shrew, well acted. Jay Robinson was a hoot, as always. Not a top-10 ep for me, but maybe a top-25.
Huh? The red uniform with no trousers foreshadowed what Zap Brannigan himself would one day wear on Futurama. It's very dashing.
And lets be honest - 'creative costuming' was always a Star Trek staple - going all the way back to the second season episode Friday's Child where they used drapery fabric and flair to make the Capellians costumes and it looked like the went down to the local Carpeteria store and bought all the remnants they had in the back room.
Not to mention they're all wearing tights and long-sleeved tee-shirts, and furred boots.
Elaan Of Troyius is in my humble opinion the best episode of the third season.
It's one of my favorite episodes of the series, not just the third season.
- It has a fantastic original music score. For years I wished that Fred Steiner had recorded a suite from "Elaan" for the Varese Sarabande albums. How great would that have been? It's good to finally have the whole score from LLL.
- France Nuyen is super-hot. Just having her featured prominently in the episode took things to a higher level. (I feel the same way about Marianna Hill and Diana Muldaur in TOS. A woman on that level of talent and charisma should have been a regular in a starring role. Instead we got two women that the producer was getting it on with. Biggest flaw of the series.)
- Jay Robinson is great in his role; I also knew him from Bewitched and later Buck Rogers. He was one of the few actors who could have filled the niche created by Jonathan Harris, and played Dr. Smith on Lost in Space.
- There's action with a Klingon warship. Finding the AMT kit was exciting in the early '70s, and it was the most screen-accurate sci-fi model that ever came down the pike.
"Elaan" checks a lot of boxes.
I agree with this.
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