I "Kinda" Liked Way to Eden

[tomalak301]

Reading Warped9's thread about revisiting star trek has kind of gotten me into the mood to watch some, so I choose to watch two episodes tonight that people consider either average or really really bad, "For the World is Hollow and I have Touched The Sky" and "Way to Eden".

I want to talk about Way to Eden, since this seems to be the episode (I think) that many consider to be the worst of season 3. I kinda liked it. Ok, so it was a little silly and dumb and had future hippies, but it was fun hearing "Groovy" 60s numbers (Probably as close to a musical as Star Trek ever got, in all incarnations) and going against the establishment was very strong back then, especially hear in San Francisco.

I almost feel guilty liking this one, but I went over to Jammer's site and going on those grades, I don't think it's a zero star episode. Maybe 2 or being generous 2.5 because I'm not sure if I can pinpoint a reason to like this one, but it's not the worst trek I've seen.

 

[Warped9]

You shouldn't feel guilty for liking it. I found a great deal of worth in the episode.

It also touched on another thing I like about TOS: some variety of in universe music. In TNG it felt like they listened to classical musics most of the time and there seemed very little beyond that. I know it's not literally true and that we did here some other things, but it is a general impression.

And yet "The Way To Eden" does paint us quite a different picture. Even if you weren't rebelling against contemporary society and hijacking spaceships you could still be enjoying popular and somewhat counter-culture music as was evidenced by so many of the Enterprise crew members listening in on the hippies' jam session.

When revisiting this episode I had half expected to think it would be just okay. I was a little surprised to find I thought it rather good and quite enjoyed it.

 

[Botany Bay]

It's entertaining enough, I'll give it that.

But I always wonder how Fontana's original script involving McCoy and his daughter might have turned out.

 

[Warped9]

It's entertaining enough, I'll give it that.

But I always wonder how Fontana's original script involving McCoy and his daughter might have turned out.

Not me. From what I know of this idea I'm glad they never did it. And in light of how much family oriented stuff TNG gave use I'm even more glad TOS didn't go that route.

 

[Botany Bay]

Fair point, but De Kelley wouldn't have let us down. I'm sure he'd have elevated whatever script was presented.

Shatner obviously saw something in "The Way To Eden" - it is almost an early draft of ST:V.

 

[Warped9]

Shatner obviously saw something in "The Way To Eden" - it is almost an early draft of ST:V.

Yep, almost. That said in the final execution I think "The Way To Eden" comes off better than TFF.

 

[SchwEnt]

I think a lot of the guff comes from people poking fun at the "space hippies" (like 'em or not).

TOS has used other aliens and groups as stand-ins for some humans e.g. Ekosians, Zeons, Kohms, Yangs, and so on.

Instead of spot-on hippies, some other group of malcontents, a different portrayal of some counter-culture people seeking another way.

I really think that if the eps didn't do such a literal takeoff on hippies (the music, the dress, the sit-ins, the hair, the lingo, the clothes) and instead just showed a similarly "disillusioned" group, it would be much more fondly regarded. The story and ideas here aren't bad at all.

 

[Warped9]

Seriously I don't think the analogy is as bad as many like to make of it. And surely for younger viewers who have little to no knowledge or experience, particularly first-hand recollection, of the era then the representation shouldn't be an issue.

If Grunge or Goth or Rap or Gangsta youth were used today in SF then today's generation might well make the same criticisms.

Rebellious youth and greater permissiveness is nothing new in society and it wasn't invented in the '60s. Before hippies there were beatniks. Before them there was something else. In the '20s there were the flappers, jazz music and bootleg booze (and drugs) and women with skirts showing off their legs. Before the '20s there was Ragtime music. There were free love movements and communes in the 19th century.

 

[Gary7]

Aside from an episode like "Assignment: Earth" where you clearly see scenes of 1960's USA, "The Way To Eden" is one of the more period cast episodes. The "space hippies" look and sound is so 60's, which then makes the idea of this being in the 23rd century all the more difficult to swallow. Yet, just as there are revisits to older movements, so could there be one such as this... flower power kind of people, who want to go back to nature.

In the 23rd century, the crime rate is almost negligible. Sure, on a military ship there is security, but the expectation that these hippies would even think to try taking over a massive starship was probably far from being considered by the crew. They were underestimated for their intelligence and cleverness.


I like the episode. It has a lot of nice qualities to it. I think it's also the last we see of the large shuttlecraft mockup. It's also good to see a former love interest of Chekov's, filling in a little more of his back story. And yeah, the musical jam session was terrific. Especially with Spock participating in it. It was a nice nod back to his earlier lyre playing in Season 1.

 

[RandyS]

You shouldn't feel guilty for liking it. I found a great deal of worth in the episode.

Same here. The episode is nowhere near as bad as fans make it out to be.

 

[plynch]

Remembering a comment in the "revisiting" thread, Sevrin really does come off as a Manson figure. Older, manipulative.

I LOVE when Spock and the bicycle-wheel girl sit down to play. I had forgotten. Especially with Spock, you assume it's gonna be something rational. Maybe like Bach. No - they jump into a funky groove that really reminds me of Harper Valley PTA and/or Ode to Billie Joe (the Tallahatchie Bridge). Hilarious! I'm especially glad the lyre has a funk organ setting on it . . . in this episode any way.

Pet peeve - the music, especially Adam's solos is instantly different acoustically. Obviously, jarringly lipsynched to a track from a recording studio.

"Hey out there . . ." The chord changes, the soprano doubling, everything sounds like '60s variety show. Great stuff if you're up for it.

 

[xortex]

People don't seem to realize it's a fantastic idea of technology rejecting geniuses looking for heaven and nirvana - the ultimate sci-fi. Also Sevrin, being an alien, may have had an unusual appeal to them and maybe even mind control. even Spock was swayed by his charisma who pissed off Herbert, I mean Kirk something aweful. The stiffed necked lot, as it were. He was already hurting from Dunsel.

 

[Uhura's Panties]

LOL The "Way to Eden" is loaded with kitch value...how can anyone NOT like it...?

Herbert..!!!

 

[T'Girl]

It's also good to see a former love interest of Chekov's, filling in a little more of his back story.

Surprising that Shatner didn't get them to alter the script so that it was his 22 year old girlfriend from the academy.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Oddly enough, it was Fontana's idea that McCoy's daughter would get involved with Kirk, making for some lively Kirk/McCoy fireworks.

Changing the romantic interest from Kirk to Chekov is one change I agree with wholeheartedly; Kirk hooking up with McCoy's daughter is just too creepy, as well as undermining the captain's position in dealing with the rest of the group.

Changing Joanna McCoy to Irinia Galliluin, not so much.

 

[RandyS]

Changing the romantic interest from Kirk to Chekov is one change I agree with wholeheartedly.

So do I. It gave Chekov something to do other than "Warp three, aye sir".

 

[Captain Robert April]

It also follows the original mandate going into the third season for Chekov to get the girl more often.

 

[plynch]

Oddly enough, it was Fontana's idea that McCoy's daughter would get involved with Kirk, making for some lively Kirk/McCoy fireworks.

Changing the romantic interest from Kirk to Chekov is one change I agree with wholeheartedly; Kirk hooking up with McCoy's daughter is just too creepy, as well as undermining the captain's position in dealing with the rest of the group.

Changing Joanna McCoy to Irinia Galliluin, not so much.

I never knew Joanna and Kirk were gonna get together! Ew. Creeper. Good change to Chekov. As for Irina, why does she have to be Russian? They met at Academy, she coulda been anything. Even alien. But, she is one of my favorite female Trek guests to look at. What a beautiful human being, seriously.

 

[A.V.I.A.F.]

Would have made for a neat scene to see Bones flip out on Joanna after finding out she had been messing around with Kirk. "Dammit Joanna, he's had every STD known to the universe. He's even spawned a few new ones that we are still researching!"

 

[tomalak301]

Maybe I missed something but who was Joanna and we didn't see her in any episodes did we (Or the movies).