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Episode of the Week : A Private Little War

Rate "A Private Little War"

  • 1

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • 4

    Votes: 2 10.5%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • 7

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • 8

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • 9

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • 10

    Votes: 2 10.5%

  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .
It seemed like at the time we got one Klingon story every four episodes and this was one of the best even if they made a fleeting appearance! Shame we didn't get to see the ship that The Enterprise was hiding from in orbit too! (yes I know we see it in the remastered version)
JB
 
My favorite anecdote from this episode is how they deliberately shot extra footage of Nancy Kovack topless under the waterfall, just to use it as a bargaining chip with the network censors. Whatever happened to that footage?

Mugatu sighting:

186351616.jpg
 
10!

-Great location filming- gives a great feel

-Love the stunt work when Spock is shot in the back

-Kirk & Tyree's friendship is believable, and I like the history it gives Kirk

-The love triangle between Kirk-Nona-Tyree is interesting. Nonas interest in Kirk and her motivations in general make her an interesting character

-The Muguto is a cool idea- who cares that it's clearly a man in a monkey suit?

-The fight scene at the end is fantastic- love the dustiness of it

-Watching Tyree deteriorate from a peaceful man to a man who will kill is effective. Good character!

-" A hundered- serpents...serpents for the garden of eden. We're very tired Mr.Spock ...beam us up home." You can feel Kirks weariness--a different ending for sure wewe played by Shat.

-Great bombastic music as usual!

I know there is criticism about how heavy handed the allegory to the Vietnam War is, etc. but this is a really entertaining episode acted with energy and gusto!

Fantastic effort
 
For me just a 3. It had potential but in the end it felt forced and formulaic
 
8 from me.

Highlights for me, Dr. M'Binga, the Federation/Klingon Cold War and proxy battles, Mr. Scott in command. And while I don't think anyone really ever expects the stars to be killed, all three of the main stars' characters were wounded. It didn't have that "immunity" for them that so many other episodes seem to have.
 
7.

I really like this one, but the Nona healing stuff feels like it came off of Roddenberry's typewriter after a 5th of Wodka.
 
Six... GR's concept of Star Trek as a morality play runs a bit wild here. This one has all the subtlety of a sledge hammer. Some good moments, and the best blooper we'll never see.

Booker Bradshaw told an interviewer that Nimoy--pressed for time as he had an appearance at a fair in Texas the next day and thus not wanting to waste time on multiple takes--told Bradshaw to actually slap him rather than use a stage slap. Bradshaw did as Nimoy asked, and proceeded to slap him so hard that Nimoy's ears came flying off... leaving Bradshaw apologetic, Nimoy pissed and the rest of the crew in stitches!
 
7.

I really like this one, but the Nona healing stuff feels like it came off of Roddenberry's typewriter after a 5th of Wodka.

I wonder if Justman walked in to GR's office and stood on his desk as he told him, "Hey Bird, will you please finish the re-write? And as to what you're drinking, well, where I come from, that's soda pop."
 
Great episode, great writing, great story, great new crew member in Dr. M'Benga.
Trek looks best when filmed outdoors in natural light.
Episode becomes embarassing for two thing....Mugato costume and blonde wigs worn by the hill people ( I also wondered where they plugged in their hair dryers.)
 
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My favorite anecdote from this episode is how they deliberately shot extra footage of Nancy Kovack topless under the waterfall, just to use it as a bargaining chip with the network censors. Whatever happened to that footage?

Three possibilities:
1. Ended up in Gene's "private" collection; Majel found it and tossed it out.
2. Mixed in with the other Lincoln Enterprises trims and sold off, though it seems likely that someone would have found pieces by now and made them public.
3. Sitting on a shelf someplace in the original can waiting to be rediscovered, just like the missing color footage from "The Cage" eventually was.
 
Love this one. For all the reasons stated above. And the downbeat ending with the "used only once" final library cue from Sandy Courage "Captain Playoff #3 (Sad and Lonely)" is great. All around, a fantastic episode. The editing of score to the scenes in the teaser is perfect and what I think of when I listen to the music on CD.
 
Didn't that extra footage show up on the "blooper" reel tape cut with Kirk watching ("Someboby help the captain!")
 
Love this one. For all the reasons stated above. And the downbeat ending with the "used only once" final library cue from Sandy Courage "Captain Playoff #3 (Sad and Lonely)" is great. All around, a fantastic episode. The editing of score to the scenes in the teaser is perfect and what I think of when I listen to the music on CD.

I agree with you and Sybok W. W., especially on the music.

One Saturday morning circa 1975, before the VCR came along, I was sitting in front of the TV audio-taping this episode's teaser. I was getting a good, clean recording, but just as it concluded and the main title was about to start, my father walked in and loudly said, "NOW where are they?"

I was aggravated at the time, but a few years later he was gone, and that was my only recording of his voice.
 
Not necessarily one of my favorites as I gave it a 6. Although the Mugato was great (I know some think dorky) and Nancy Kovack (Nona) is dreamy.

nona-772784.jpg
 
I know there is criticism about how heavy handed the allegory to the Vietnam War is, etc. but this is a really entertaining episode acted with energy and gusto
The episode does (imo) seem to have a pro intervention in Vietnam message.

7I really like this one, but the Nona healing stuff feels like it came off of Roddenberry's typewriter after a 5th of Wodka.
Compare her medical technique to Dr M'benga assisting Spock back to consciousness.
 
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