Least discussed episode

[Greg Cox]

So, our brave captain goes from fighting the Klingons to playing fizzbin in one easy lesson. Considering that the writer of this episode, David P. Harmon, also wrote for Gilligan’s Island, I really can’t take Piece of the Action too seriously.

Exactly. It's a comedy. That's the whole point.

There's no rule that says Star Trek can't do a comedy once in a while, just for fun.

Meanwhile, "Private Little War," with its thinly-disguised take on the Viet Nam War, tends to come up whenever we talk about Trek dealing with the topical issues of the day.

 

[NovaStar]

I'm currently rewatching the series (I'm on Arena now) and I'd have to say so far, The Conscience of the King is really lackluster. Does anyone even mention this weird episode? They use the ship's theater which I can't remember if they ever used it again, we meet Kirk's old friend who is killed off so briefly that made it hard for me to see their friendship at all, and much of the episode was such much build up on finding Kodos's identity that when the truth was revealed, it just ended. That abrupt ending really made it unsatisfactory. I'll give credit though to Barbara Anderson for her fantastic portrayal as Lenore but that's all that was memorable from it.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Exactly. It's a comedy. That's the whole point.

There's no rule that says Star Trek can't do a comedy once in a while, just for fun.

So Gilligan and Skipper could have done a guest appearance on TOS.

 

[dahj]

Does anyone even mention this weird episode?

The Simpsons every Halloween Special, and also Infinity War basically stole its plot.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm currently rewatching the series (I'm on Arena now) and I'd have to say so far, The Conscience of the King is really lackluster. Does anyone even mention this weird episode? They use the ship's theater which I can't remember if they ever used it again, we meet Kirk's old friend who is killed off so briefly that made it hard for me to see their friendship at all, and much of the episode was such much build up on finding Kodos's identity that when the truth was revealed, it just ended. That abrupt ending really made it unsatisfactory. I'll give credit though to Barbara Anderson for her fantastic portrayal as Lenore but that's all that was memorable from it.

One of my favorite episodes, enough so that I wrote an entire sequel to it: FOUL DEEDS WILL RISE. It's full of emotion and drama: the guilt-ridden former war criminal, Kirk torn between justice and vengeance, revelations about Kirk's past, a meaty part for O'Riley, an intriguing femme fatale . . . it's one of the darker, most noir-ish episodes, which is probably why I find it so fascinating.

The episode is not really about the mystery of Karidian's true identity, which comes as no surprise, it's about past crimes haunting the present: guilt, vengeance, obsession, misplaced loyalty, madness. All that good, juicy Shakespearean stuff.

Plus, we get some nice details about life in the 23rd century, including the existence of traveling interstellar acting troupes, which add texture and color to the Star Trek universe.

We should also note that the second DISCOVERY novel, which came out not too long ago, is all about Kodos and the massacre on Tarsus IV, which has been the subject of various other Trek books and stories as well, so it's not as though the episode has been forgotten.

 

[NovaStar]

One of my favorite episodes, enough so that I wrote an entire sequel to it: FOUL DEEDS WILL RISE. It's full of emotion and drama: the guilt-ridden former war criminal, Kirk torn between justice and vengeance, revelations about Kirk's past, a meaty part for O'Riley, an intriguing femme fatale . . . it's one of the darker, most noir-ish episodes, which is probably why I find it so fascinating.

The episode is not really about the mystery of Karidian's true identity, which comes as no surprise, it's about past crimes haunting the present: guilt, vengeance, obsession, misplaced loyalty, madness. All that good, juicy Shakespearean stuff.

Plus, we get some nice details about life in the 23rd century, including the existence of traveling interstellar acting troupes, which add texture and color to the Star Trek universe.

We should also note that the second DISCOVERY novel, which came out not too long ago, is all about Kodos and the massacre on Tarsus IV, which has been the subject of various other Trek books and stories as well, so it's not as though the episode has been forgotten.

I did not know there was a story that detailed Kodos's backstory. I'll have to check my library to see if they have it. Good analysis. I understand what you're saying and that makes it more likely for me to watch it again. I do like how it wasn't a complete generic episode and it added these new elements.

 

[Greg Cox]

I did not know there was a story that detailed Kodos's backstory. I'll have to check my library to see if they have it. Good analysis. I understand what you're saying and that makes it more likely for me to watch it again. I do like how it wasn't a complete generic episode and it added these new elements.

FYI: The relevant DISCO novel is DESPERATE MEASURES by Dayton Ward.

 

[NovaStar]

FYI: The relevant DISCO novel is DESPERATE MEASURES by Dayton Ward.

Thanks!

 

[Maurice]

[...]It's full of emotion and drama: the guilt-ridden former war criminal, Kirk torn between justice and vengeance, revelations about Kirk's past, a meaty part for O'Riley, an intriguing femme fatale . . .

Surely you mean Riley, not O'Riley.

 

[johnnybear]

Surely you mean Riley, not O'Riley.

He doesn't understand! He wasn't born an Irishman!
JB

 

[starbuck]

what about the cloud minders

 

[Spock's Barber]

what about the cloud minders

Other than posts about Droxine and Vanna, that episode doesn’t seem to draw much attention.

 

[Greg Cox]

Surely you mean Riley, not O'Riley.

Oops.

 

[Unicorn]

I keep forgetting "Let that be your last battlefield" exists, despite the famous make-up. Ditto for "Friday's child", but it seems to come up a fair amount, so I'm reminded all over again

 

[Phaser Two]

Other than posts about Droxine and Vanna, that episode doesn’t seem to draw much attention.

Just the Droxine v. Vanna debate is enough, but there was a whole thread about rediscovering the episode a few months back.

 

[Phaser Two]

I keep forgetting "Let that be your last battlefield" exists, despite the famous make-up. Ditto for "Friday's child", but it seems to come up a fair amount, so I'm reminded all over again

Yeah, if it's not Miri, I think Battlefield is a contender here. Hardly ever mentioned. By Any Other Name isn't discussed much either.

 

[NovaStar]

Yeah, if it's not Miri, I think Battlefield is a contender here. Hardly ever mentioned. By Any Other Name isn't discussed much either.

I enjoy By Any Other Name and it’s one I watch frequently. It’s also the only one to feature the death of a female redshirt. RIP Yeoman Thompson

 

[Phaser Two]

I enjoy By Any Other Name and it’s one I watch frequently. It’s also the only one to feature the death of a female redshirt. RIP Yeoman Thompson

Agreed. Every time the episode is mentioned I remark - and here we go - that it contains the act that makes me the angriest in all of TOS, namely the unavenged, brutal murder of Yeoman Thompson. I like to think that after the Federation got the Kelvans settled back on their outpost and put their paralyzers away, they promptly arrested Rojan and charged him with her murder, while warning the other four that they're lucky they didn't get charged under the Federation's felony murder statutes. Shoot, arrest Hanar too - he was a tool.

 

[Commishsleer]

Catspaw isn't discussed much IMO.
Except it being a Halloween episode and being written by a great writer.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Catspaw isn't discussed much IMO.
Except it being a Halloween episode and being written by a great writer.

...and the funny little alien marionettes with the strings holding them up.