This week, Spock takes command. It's The Galileo Seven.
Episode of the Week : The Galileo Seven
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
I like this one a lot. There’s great footage of the shuttlecraft (love the launch!) and the large Enterprise model, lots of action and tension, fine performances, and a real sense of danger.
Certain things don’t quite hold up well: the creatures didn’t quite have the menace they intended (I wish they could have shown the faces) and it’s a little hard to believe that the first office of the Enterprise never, ever had a chance to command a shuttlecraft mission (since I suppose a regular landing party command doesn’t count?). “So ends your first command” – on the TV series. Granted, at the time, who the hell knew there would be such a rich history in this universe. But just two weeks later we see The Menagerie, where Spock has been on the Enterprise for at least 13 years. I won’t talk about the utterly unconvincing Styrofoam rock that “pins” Spock to the boulder in the climax. The gaffaws at the end, though, are just a little too cheesy. Really Scotty? You gotta hold the wall to keep from crapping your pants? Still, minor points all.
I loved the pacing of the episode, especially once they start to lift off. Was the shuttle set on a Gimble or was it just a matter of shaking the camera? Nimoy loses his balance expertly in either event. Coupled with the desperate performances (“Get us off Scott!”), the great tracked music and a quick bit of nervous laughter (“Would you rather stay here?” “Go, Mr. Spock!”) , this sequence is thrilling.
Not a perfect episode, but still one of my favorites. A solid 9 for me. The slump has ended. For now.
Certain things don’t quite hold up well: the creatures didn’t quite have the menace they intended (I wish they could have shown the faces) and it’s a little hard to believe that the first office of the Enterprise never, ever had a chance to command a shuttlecraft mission (since I suppose a regular landing party command doesn’t count?). “So ends your first command” – on the TV series. Granted, at the time, who the hell knew there would be such a rich history in this universe. But just two weeks later we see The Menagerie, where Spock has been on the Enterprise for at least 13 years. I won’t talk about the utterly unconvincing Styrofoam rock that “pins” Spock to the boulder in the climax. The gaffaws at the end, though, are just a little too cheesy. Really Scotty? You gotta hold the wall to keep from crapping your pants? Still, minor points all.
I loved the pacing of the episode, especially once they start to lift off. Was the shuttle set on a Gimble or was it just a matter of shaking the camera? Nimoy loses his balance expertly in either event. Coupled with the desperate performances (“Get us off Scott!”), the great tracked music and a quick bit of nervous laughter (“Would you rather stay here?” “Go, Mr. Spock!”) , this sequence is thrilling.
Not a perfect episode, but still one of my favorites. A solid 9 for me. The slump has ended. For now.
10
One of the better exploration episodes that has no population to change minds of...they are primitive. At the same time the show makes it clear to Spock when dealing with humans, logic may not be the end all and be all of command. It's rarity in that secondary characters get a lot of dialogue and I wished we'd seen more of them.
The remastered version makes the show look like a mini-movie, properly bringing what would have been a major FX episode into the modern era. In this sense the episode is more successful than the old FX where there is little to establish location and scale.
One of the better exploration episodes that has no population to change minds of...they are primitive. At the same time the show makes it clear to Spock when dealing with humans, logic may not be the end all and be all of command. It's rarity in that secondary characters get a lot of dialogue and I wished we'd seen more of them.
The remastered version makes the show look like a mini-movie, properly bringing what would have been a major FX episode into the modern era. In this sense the episode is more successful than the old FX where there is little to establish location and scale.
Great episode. Great story, great guest cast. Mr. Boma would have made a great regular. I challenge anyone to to admit having a lump in their throat and a tear in their eye when Uhura added "...alive and well."
Excellent "stranded" episode for both the Galileo crew and the frustrated Kirk.
Spock, McCoy and Scott all shine with varying degrees of tension and fear in a most personal way. There was no enemy vessel, abstract threat or group, but primitive creatures--beasts--that would not take "no" (or Phaser blasts) for an answer. No time for the Prime Directive.
Of course, the standout guest star was Don Marshall as Boma, who proved that contrary to Roddenberry's 70s-created fantasy of TOS being some friendly utopia free of nasty conflicts of the then-current world, rage, racial tension (remarkable that Boma was used as the source during the height of real life racial tension in America) exists in the future. Marshall easily stands as one of the best guest stars in TOS history, and its no surprise he was one of the standout performers on his own sci-fi series, Land of the Giants (where he was part of yet another stranded spaceship crew).
Even Mears gets her two cents of frustration/energy into the mix, making her more than just a cute GS in the well-known Starfleet skirt. She provided the foundation of a character that would have made a good, occasional guest star, particularly since she--unlike Rand--was not created as a love interest for Kirk.
...and on the subject of Kirk, it was great to see him so utterly ineffective in his search, and in dealing with the commissioner. TGS sells the notion that bureaucrats, "desk-bound paper pushers" and others do not like or respect Starfleet officers--a plotting device that would be used liberally throughout the entire franchise, rarely more effective than the smug, would-be controlling Ferris character.
Finally, the there's the Galileo miniature. It was not the intended design, but it was beautiful, fitting right in with the over look of the Enterprise. No one could say the shuttle did not belong in that world. Fantastic work with the Galileo and hangar bay.
9 out 10--9 thanks to the boulder's obviously artificial appearance.
Spock, McCoy and Scott all shine with varying degrees of tension and fear in a most personal way. There was no enemy vessel, abstract threat or group, but primitive creatures--beasts--that would not take "no" (or Phaser blasts) for an answer. No time for the Prime Directive.
Of course, the standout guest star was Don Marshall as Boma, who proved that contrary to Roddenberry's 70s-created fantasy of TOS being some friendly utopia free of nasty conflicts of the then-current world, rage, racial tension (remarkable that Boma was used as the source during the height of real life racial tension in America) exists in the future. Marshall easily stands as one of the best guest stars in TOS history, and its no surprise he was one of the standout performers on his own sci-fi series, Land of the Giants (where he was part of yet another stranded spaceship crew).
Even Mears gets her two cents of frustration/energy into the mix, making her more than just a cute GS in the well-known Starfleet skirt. She provided the foundation of a character that would have made a good, occasional guest star, particularly since she--unlike Rand--was not created as a love interest for Kirk.
...and on the subject of Kirk, it was great to see him so utterly ineffective in his search, and in dealing with the commissioner. TGS sells the notion that bureaucrats, "desk-bound paper pushers" and others do not like or respect Starfleet officers--a plotting device that would be used liberally throughout the entire franchise, rarely more effective than the smug, would-be controlling Ferris character.
Finally, the there's the Galileo miniature. It was not the intended design, but it was beautiful, fitting right in with the over look of the Enterprise. No one could say the shuttle did not belong in that world. Fantastic work with the Galileo and hangar bay.
9 out 10--9 thanks to the boulder's obviously artificial appearance.
The shuttle launch is one area where the new fx are no match for the original. The physical model not only looks better (at least in Standard Def), it moves better, like it has more heft.
There's also an editorial match-up error in the new fx, where a second shuttle is seen from one angle but not the other:
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x16hd/thegalileosevenhd022.jpg
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x16hd/thegalileosevenhd027.jpg
CBS Digital just wasn't given the time and money they needed to nail every episode.
Another nice tech moment in this episode is the overhead shot looking straight down on the bridge. It was re-used in "The Lights of Zetar" despite the new uniforms. What a great view. Totes hardware porn.
Yeoman Mears is hot and we could have used more of her in the series. Her doppleganger in "The Way to Eden" was less captivating for being an airhead.
Laughs at the end are awkward but the intention was quasi-realistic. There can be stupid laughter after bigtime tension in real life.
Not to mention the exterior shot is just a terrible, painfully CG element, and the hangar deck looks like it is no more than 20 feet long.
A solid 10!
Excellent episode for Spock, but also for Kirk.
The first appearance of the Shuttlecraft.
Great tension.
And Mears!
http://i.imgur.com/usKRb.jpg
Need I say more?
Excellent episode for Spock, but also for Kirk.
The first appearance of the Shuttlecraft.
Great tension.
And Mears!
http://i.imgur.com/usKRb.jpg
Need I say more?
And a totally blank forward wall? Oh COME now! I know there's nothing canon but the never stopped them before - put some detail on that bulkhead! At least Polar Lights added a couple of doors and wrapped the gallery around:
http://www.inpayne.com/models/pltoselit1-11.jpg
I prefer the new shuttlebay shots, but then again, I didn't really dislike the old ones that much in this case.
RAMA
I just re watched this episode again.
A few more observations. Why is Boma so angry at Spock? It's not really
warranted.
A very good episode for Scott. He is very subtle, but Doohan plays him
very nicely.
Mears is very easy on the eyes.
The real shining performance is Shatner. He plays Kirk very nicely here, his concern
for his shipmates vs his duty.
Also well played was Commissioner Farris, He is smug and officious. He actually looks pleased that Kirk will have to abandon his shuttle crew. This is a very nice conflict between operations personnel and management personnel. The doers vs the planers.
Having been in an operations job for 30+ years I have seen the attitudes, and the conflict that it generates. Very well captured in the attitudes of Kirk and Farris.
I am also reminded of Matt Jefferies genius with the Galilieo. Such a simple, beautiful, and believable design.
Finally, I agree. the humor at the end is way out of character.
A few more observations. Why is Boma so angry at Spock? It's not really
warranted.
A very good episode for Scott. He is very subtle, but Doohan plays him
very nicely.
Mears is very easy on the eyes.
The real shining performance is Shatner. He plays Kirk very nicely here, his concern
for his shipmates vs his duty.
Also well played was Commissioner Farris, He is smug and officious. He actually looks pleased that Kirk will have to abandon his shuttle crew. This is a very nice conflict between operations personnel and management personnel. The doers vs the planers.
Having been in an operations job for 30+ years I have seen the attitudes, and the conflict that it generates. Very well captured in the attitudes of Kirk and Farris.
I am also reminded of Matt Jefferies genius with the Galilieo. Such a simple, beautiful, and believable design.
Finally, I agree. the humor at the end is way out of character.
I almost think Boma was intended to represent the Angry Young Black Man type that was beginning to emerge in film. Boma's definitely insubordinate, and I'm surprised he wasn't reprimanded earlier in the episode when he began muttering about Spock. Instead, McCoy agrees with him.
Don Marshall is terrific in the episode though, despite some direction he wasn't happy with where he was told to turn his back on Spock (and the camera) and stare at a rock wall for a few seconds.
I liked this episode, overall, but I'm going to mostly complain now.
I didn't like particularly how everyone but Scotty turned on Spock, but Scott was a brick, he really held it together and I think he was the most instrumental in getting them all rescued.
Once again, infantry training is a lost art in the 23rd century.
And, what is wrong with stunning a bunch of the creatures? I like how Spock is forced to weigh his responsiblities to the crew and the lifeforms, but how would stunning them be irresponsible ( unless of course they fall of the cliff because they are stunned, like that Klingon guard that fell down the stone castle stairs,
). And I don't think standing there yelling is a good defence.
I just mentioned in another thread, Kirk was just too relieved at hearing 5 survivors. Yes, 5 is better than zero, but how happy would he be if it was everybody but Spock and Bones? Or Scott. Really. But Mears and Boma are ok! It's his total relief, that bothers me. Of course he's going to be relieved that anyone was rescued, but it's like he knew the only ones that didn't make it were those two yellow shirt wearing redshirts. (Kirk thinks to himself, "It's a good thing I always send at least two losers ahead in case there's danger
) It just rings hollow for me. Shat could have pulled it of, if he was told to, relief, then realization, "Uhura, who did we lose?"
The fake laughter at the end is the worst acting of the series.
I voted 6.
I didn't like particularly how everyone but Scotty turned on Spock, but Scott was a brick, he really held it together and I think he was the most instrumental in getting them all rescued.
Once again, infantry training is a lost art in the 23rd century.
And, what is wrong with stunning a bunch of the creatures? I like how Spock is forced to weigh his responsiblities to the crew and the lifeforms, but how would stunning them be irresponsible ( unless of course they fall of the cliff because they are stunned, like that Klingon guard that fell down the stone castle stairs,
). And I don't think standing there yelling is a good defence. I just mentioned in another thread, Kirk was just too relieved at hearing 5 survivors. Yes, 5 is better than zero, but how happy would he be if it was everybody but Spock and Bones? Or Scott. Really. But Mears and Boma are ok! It's his total relief, that bothers me. Of course he's going to be relieved that anyone was rescued, but it's like he knew the only ones that didn't make it were those two yellow shirt wearing redshirts. (Kirk thinks to himself, "It's a good thing I always send at least two losers ahead in case there's danger
) It just rings hollow for me. Shat could have pulled it of, if he was told to, relief, then realization, "Uhura, who did we lose?" The fake laughter at the end is the worst acting of the series.
I voted 6.
I just mentioned in another thread, Kirk was just too relieved at hearing 5 survivors. Yes, 5 is better than zero, but how happy would he be if it was everybody but Spock and Bones? Or Scott. Really. But Mears and Boma are ok! It's his total relief, that bothers me. Of course he's going to be relieved that anyone was rescued, but it's like he knew the only ones that didn't make it were those two yellow shirt wearing redshirts. (Kirk thinks to himself, "It's a good thing I always send at least two losers ahead in case there's danger
Regarding his total relief, Kirk is in professional mode here, not thinking at all of himself and who his personal friends are.
But the whole end of the episode is guilty of forgetting that some of our guys are dead. Kirk would be falling into this trap throughout the series. The one that bothers me most is the end of "The Apple," when Kirk (if this were real) must be planning to write personal letters to four families about the security guards who died, and he doesn't seem to have a care in the world.
That's because Kirk did all the grieving he was going to do for them when they died, as in, "His father helped me get into the Academy!"
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