Episode of the Week : The Alternative Factor
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
Where's the zero option? 
I deem it #1.
I mean: a one!
Not even the cute UFO that Lazarus drives helps it. Unlike "Spock's Brain", it's not even fun. And the tilt-a-cam views of the glowing Lazari fighting are painfully tedious.
What of Lazurus?!? What of who gives a $#!+???
I mean: a one!
Not even the cute UFO that Lazarus drives helps it. Unlike "Spock's Brain", it's not even fun. And the tilt-a-cam views of the glowing Lazari fighting are painfully tedious.
What of Lazurus?!? What of who gives a $#!+???
I'm waiting for sossmcin to come in intending to vote a 1, but accidentally give it a 10. 
I gave it 1. Just a bad episode BUT as with nearly every TOS there are some cool things about it such as the dilithium crystal regeneration room and that cool view (only seen in this episode) from under the Enterprise firing phasers not to mention the saucer that later became the brain container in "Gamesters . .." Still, just a mess of an episode, lol.
I don't understand the bitching about this episode.
Sure it doesn't stand up to scrutiny but what episode does?
I thought Lazurus was a fairly sympathetic character and willing to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone having the guilt of his counterpart destroying his world.
I still can't understand why he just didn't kill his counterpart but there are similar mysteries in lots of episodes.
Still not one of my favourites. Perhaps in my bottom 10 episodes but only just.
Sure it doesn't stand up to scrutiny but what episode does?
I thought Lazurus was a fairly sympathetic character and willing to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone having the guilt of his counterpart destroying his world.
I still can't understand why he just didn't kill his counterpart but there are similar mysteries in lots of episodes.
Still not one of my favourites. Perhaps in my bottom 10 episodes but only just.
I think the episode's damning fault is that it shows so much promise.
It's clearly not a finished product - the story jumps here and there, the costuming is off, there's repetition and half-baked dialogue and incoherently wasted location shooting. But with two more weeks of work before the shooting and a couple of days after it, there could have been whodunnit suspense, exotic premises, tension and determination, and even a bit of tragedy.
A 6 for what still managed to get on screen, but with 3 detracted for all the garbage that also got in.
Timo Saloniemi
It's clearly not a finished product - the story jumps here and there, the costuming is off, there's repetition and half-baked dialogue and incoherently wasted location shooting. But with two more weeks of work before the shooting and a couple of days after it, there could have been whodunnit suspense, exotic premises, tension and determination, and even a bit of tragedy.
A 6 for what still managed to get on screen, but with 3 detracted for all the garbage that also got in.
Timo Saloniemi
That's it in a nutshell -- this episode must have been extremely rushed in both writing and production. It doesn't help that John Drew Barrymore, the actor originally cast as Lazarus, failed to show up and required a last-minute replacement.
The science in Trek is always a bit wonky, but here it's more worthy of Lost in Space. And the thin storyline is obviously padded out with those endless repeated shots of stuntmen fighting in a room filled with dry-ice fog.
Lazarus' little flying saucer was kind of cool, though -- but why was it missing a door?
I tend to agree, I find this episode pretty frustrating and it can't simply caused by John Drew Barrymore's defection.
Since I accidentally voted "1" for Arena, should I even it all out and give this one a 10? 
Star Trek is like pizza: even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. There isn't a single episode of the classic 79 that I truly hate. This one is weird, repetitive and laughable, but it's not boring. Many of the performances are strong, there is great music tracked throughout and that unique shot of the Enterprise is always fun to see (assuming you're watching the original effects).
A 5 because "Mark of Gideon" is worse.
Star Trek is like pizza: even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. There isn't a single episode of the classic 79 that I truly hate. This one is weird, repetitive and laughable, but it's not boring. Many of the performances are strong, there is great music tracked throughout and that unique shot of the Enterprise is always fun to see (assuming you're watching the original effects).
A 5 because "Mark of Gideon" is worse.
I pick this one as the worst of the 1st season by far, also one of the worst of all seasons, but I still actually enjoy the effort the regulars put into it. I mean there's lots to say bad things about, but the regulars charactarizations/acting is certainly not one.
I vote 5.
I vote 5.
As mentioned earlier, it's nice to see the dilithium room, and different crew members with lines. Makes it feel like a ship that actually has 400 crewmembers.
I just never watched it and thought 'this sucks' or "This is kind of boring" (See The Empath) or "Kind of a combination of both" (See TNG:We'll always have Paris")
I just never watched it and thought 'this sucks' or "This is kind of boring" (See The Empath) or "Kind of a combination of both" (See TNG:We'll always have Paris")
So does that mean Star Trek is like sex?
So does that mean Star Trek is like sex?
I dunno, man, I've had some really bad sex. Emotionally shattering and crippling... Oh god, why did you make me remember?
I just saw it again.
I've only seen it twice. The first time was a few years back and I remember it being pretty bad.
This time, I was able to pinpoint some of the things that made it weak aside from repetitious aspects.
1. Kirk-McCoy relationship seemed off. I guess they were both having a bad day, but I can't imagine McCoy asking Kirk to get rid of the security from Sickbay when Lazarus is clearly dangerous and not to be trusted. And why would Kirk think McCoy is joking? Sure, Bones can be sarcastic, but I find that he knows the time and place.
2. Melodramatic acting.
3. I found the plot unbelievable, and hard to follow.
I've only seen it twice. The first time was a few years back and I remember it being pretty bad.
This time, I was able to pinpoint some of the things that made it weak aside from repetitious aspects.
1. Kirk-McCoy relationship seemed off. I guess they were both having a bad day, but I can't imagine McCoy asking Kirk to get rid of the security from Sickbay when Lazarus is clearly dangerous and not to be trusted. And why would Kirk think McCoy is joking? Sure, Bones can be sarcastic, but I find that he knows the time and place.
2. Melodramatic acting.
3. I found the plot unbelievable, and hard to follow.
There's way to much exposition and it starts out pretty boring but the ending is still really sad. It's nothing special, but still better than the worst of season 3. I gave it a 6.
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