Morgan Woodward As Lord Garth?

Morgan Woodward was also the man with no eyes, Boss Godfrey in Cool Hand Luke! Strangely enough he didn't say a word in the entire production either except when he fired his gun and the prisoners muttered, "I think he just spoke..!"
JB

 

Actors and directors may hate me for this but sometimes I don't believe there is a right or a wrong actor for a role or a right or a wrong way for an actor to portray a role. If an actor portrays a role a certain way I just go along with it and assume that is the way that the character behaves in that movie, play, or TV show. And if a character is portrayed differently by different actors in different movies, plays, or TV shows I just accept it as different versions of the character.

And a dangerous person does not need specific mannerisms to do harm, and thus does not need specific mannerisms to seem threatening. Certainly in real life the leaders of mighty nations at war do a lot of damage to their opponents. And do they all seem like commanding leaders and sinister foes? Or do some of them seem pretty harmless even while they are harming a lot of people?

 

IIRC, the two TOS villains considered for a return in Star Trek Ii were Khan and Garth, with Garth struck off the list as soon as they realised Ihnat was dead. Not sure where I read that though, so might just be a fan rumour from the 80s

 

There was a wider controversy over TV horror in Britain in 1971. As a side effect the BBC took a second look at Trek, and pulled numerous episodes. Most sneaked back into the reruns by 1980, but Miri and three season 3 episodes which hadn't been run remained banned throughout the 80s (Empath was pulled between being listed in Radio Times and the planned tx a week later).

 

Miri had one showing back in 1970 I believe but nothing again until the 1990s! I think Miri was a good episode, only scary for the lesions on the crews hands and Rand's legs!
JB

 

Well, JB, I have just one thing to say....

 

And that is my Lord Beard?
JB

 

Uh....er...ah....maybe Scotty said it better.

 

Your feelings may be hurt and I know you haven't enjoyed serving with humans!
JB

 

Every show has the recurring actor who plays multiple characters. I believe the trope is officially called "The Jeffrey Tambor Syndrome" due to his playing a record number of characters on "Three's Company", though back then the lack of home video made it easier...

It's superficially entertaining, but is definitely no patch on "Dagger of the Mind". Season 3 recycling plots to save money but at least the split screen effect for both Kirks looked good.

The shapeshifting ability shouldn't even begin to include clothing, which - along with how the magical medicine can end all mental illness for all time - yup, the script is a huge mess. But the superficial value and actors keep it moving briskly along. (and kudos to Shatner with doing the as-Garth tantrum, which works rather well...)

I will admit that Garth and Marta being clinically insane and getting dialogue that actually shows a side of it that makes the viewer uncomfortable is not often seen in the media. That I could... appreciate, even if it meant the episode didn't get many ratings or accolades as a result.

And Garth in gold and teal boots? The episode is a mess in a number of ways, but those little touches regarding Garth's costume are... impeccable. At least he didn't belt out the chorus to "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"...

The direction is definitely a mess; among other issues, Marta inconsistently has a green light spotlight aimed on her to glow. The other half the time she doesn't. And it wasn't due to her poetry - of which, how come she's digging back to 1609 to dredge up material when there is plenty of good love poems written some 380 years later. Like "Whip It". Oh very well, the show was made in 1968 but having her belt out "Can't Get No (Satisfaction)" would just look silly...

 

Well one of the best moments arguably in all of Star Trek was when Captain Tracey said

"They drained four phasers but still they came on. We killed thousands!"

 

I thought that Steve Ihnat was great in the role.

 

"I'll be sending the next message, Jim!"
"Still think the prime directive's for this planet?"
"He WAS cast out..!" "You tried to kill me!!"
I could never understand the hatred towards this episode myself! I think it's a great show!
JB

 

Not a big fan of the copycat/parallel planet episodes. And Kirk's reading of the Preamble to the US Constitution is hilarious.

 

Morgan Woodward would've made an interesting Garth, but not quite as entertainingly unhinged. Something about the combination of his face and voice exudes a seriousness or dark intensity. Steve Ihnat has a more striking smooth mid-tone voice and iconic looks for a fleet captain. At times he did overplay his role (as Shatner would tend to do), but I enjoyed his personification of Garth. The writing could have been better in that episode, though. And the mysteriously convenient "out of the blue" introduction of the security phrase "Queen to Queen's Level 3", which was never heard about ever again, was so flawed in execution. In any case, I sure would've liked to see Garth appear in a later episode. Maybe if there had been a Season 4.

 

Think I preferred how Cloud William read it myself! Plus why didn't Irene Kelley appear more on television later on?
JB

 

Maybe Cloud William was smarter than we thought and he kept her on Omega.

 

Well the emphasis was that she was 'his' woman!
JB

 

I did too but I think Woodward would have done great with it as well.

 

Yes. Captain Tracy was arrested at the end of Omega Glory. He seemed to be kind of looney at the time. Why not have him come back in Whom Gods Destroy and face off against Kirk again?