PART II--Death, sacrifice and happy endings

[Grant]

First I am outraged by the fact that you folks jumped the gun and started speculating on season 2 & 3!

Here I go........

Catspaw---Yes, absolutely it was a great touch to mention Jackson at the end--especially since pretty much nothing was learned or gained from the episode. The aliens bodies even went up in smoke and we learned almost nothing about what they were and what the "old ones" wanted. So sadly Jackson had been lost in vain.

Friday's Child---They did have Kirk show a lot of angst over the loss of Grant and that shows that the general trend for most of season 1 was carrying over.

Who Mourns.... ---Kirk and McCoy's discussion at the end on Apollo's "suicide" was really a nice touch. Although Apollo was totally unreasonable and fairly tyrannical--they felt as I did that he wasn't entirely unredeemable--if only he could have been reasoned with.

Doomsday Machine---It was nice to see that both Kirk and Spock mourned Decker's loss despite the fact that he behaved badly after coming aboard the Enterprise. You certainly didn't have to be a perfect individual to rate compassion from our heroes.

Wolf in the....--- I guess this is where it goes (and stays) off the rails on this subject for TOS. First part of the episode is both creepy and horrific in the savagery of the killings, but to end the episode with the crew acting goofy and high (not tranquilized but high) and have Kirk almost ready to beam down and get back to ogling and bedding(?) the natives....Ugh--really ugh.

Changling---At this point the crew becomes pretty much unimportant. Kirk assigns two guards to follow Nomad but doesn't bother to tell them he is invulnerable. He doesn't instruct them to monitor Nomad or keep the crew out of nomad's way--he simply lets them follow it around until it goes where it shouldn't and destroys them when they challenge it. Then he does it again.
But hey, we get Scotty and Uhura back and that's all that matters.

Apple---Terrible episode IMO, where for the first time we see a 9 person landing party and then we find out why we need so many. so they can show us crew dying in all kinds of interesting ways. Kirk briefly mourns the crew lost but the episode ends with them laughing about the natives discovering sex and a double happy ending where McCoy jokes about Spock looking like the devil. It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder) more than Kirk's lack of concern that bugs me.






Deadly Years---once again we get crew members beaming down to the surface for the sole purpose of having them (rather than our heroes) die. Galway is younger than the rest but they use the lame excuse that "people age at different rates" as the reason that she dies first. How about this novel idea--have Galway be a middle age science officer--maybe a few years older than Scott or McCoy--oh wait i forgot, on TOS a lady that age would have gotten married and left the service.
But worse than that idiotic plot point is the way they treat her. They are aging at an incredible rate but the script needs her out of the way so they send her to rest!? Yes take a nap where you wake up in a few hours aged tens years!? Then she points this out and they tell her to go back on duty--WTF. Do a duty shift where your co-workers can watch you become old and senile before their eyes. Instead of the worthless kirk romance sub-plot how about they call her closest shipboard friends to talk and comfort her as she ages. Not saying they need to have extra speaking parts but simply show her in a section of sick bay sitting with her colleagues--holding her hand etc.
Instead, later, we see her stagger ALONE back to sick bay and collapse dead! No crew members in the corridor saw a 90 year old lady staggering thru the halls and bothered to assist her? Her co-workers who she went back to duty with didn't escort her to sickbay? "Hey Galway, you look like you're about to die of old age--take a hike to sickbay."
Yes, at this point the crew is nothing more than cannon (or disease) fodder.

Obsession---Episode starts out great, Kirk is so focused on the creature that he seems to be unconcerned with the crew and ship--just needs revenge. But hey it turns out ok since he's RIGHT, the creature is a threat to the ENTIRE GALAXY because it is about to spawn. So all the things Kirk did and the crew that was lost was worth it! Yay?
Oh and remember when McCoy says that when the creature got into engineering killed 2 and another 2 have a chance to pull thru. Please whatever you do, don't show McCoy telling Kirk (or the audience) if they did pull thru. It's not important--Kirk was right and is a hero.

By Any Other Name---great start to an episode, the female ensign is killed not the security guard--Kirk shows his old angst over lost crew and the ship is commandeered and crew reduced to cubes--then it's a comedy where Scotty gets a guy drunk, McCoy give another the equivilant of itching powder and Kirk seduces the girl and convinces them to give up their hundreds years mission. What ever.

Ultimate computer---An episode that dwells heavily on death. The loss of the ensign, the loss of the crews of the Fed ships Daystrom's regret and horror and his own guilt.
Even Wesley as the hero who shows compassion for the Enterprise on a hunch that perhaps Kirk has regained control. Well done. Only thing I don't like about the attitudes of the characters is Daystrom's one "THE CREWS OF FOUR STARSHIPS--LIKE TOYS IN OUR HANDS!!"---line. WTF was that? when did he become a straight up megalomaniac?

Omega Glory---interesting thing they did in this one. The only loss of a crewmember who had a recurring role on the show. They gave Gallaway a few more lines than usual and his murder was shocking. I kind of wish Tracey had shown some remorse for killing him though. "I didn't mean for that--my phaser had been set to kill for the yangs."
After that Tracey is just a murderous nut who only cares for himself. Guess he let someone else take his psych exam at the academy.

So that's season 2 as far as I remember the episodes with death.
To me it seems that the crew deaths (and for that matter the crew) are just cutouts that can be bumped off to show how dangerous a certain setting/adversary is. Not family members whose loss is keenly felt.

 

[BillJ]

It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder)...

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

 

[Grant]

It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder)...

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

That might be nice if the show was about WWII, but it was about the future where the officers felt a great deal about their crew--or should have.

 

[BillJ]

It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder)...

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

That might be nice if the show was about WWII, but it was about the future where the officers felt a great deal about their crew--or should have.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can mourn every death in a way that some think is acceptable. In universe, Kirk has been witness to millions of deaths. Trying to mourn them all would likely break a person. Plus, just because we don't see him mourn every redshirt doesn't mean the mourning didn't happen off camera. Which leads to the out of universe reasoning, if the show ends on a down note every week, you're liable to drive your audience off.

 

[Greg Cox]

It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder)...

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

Good point. I know that Richard Matheson served on the front lines in Europe, and even wrote an excellent novel, THE BEARDLESS WARRIORS, about his harrowing experiences on the front, where young men who could barely shave were routinely sacrificed to achieve military objectives.

 

[Grant]

First of all only about 10 of 26 2nd season episodes had crew deaths--so even if they ended with a somber tone it would still be fairly rare.
also if the death occurs early enough and is dealt with the episode need not end on a somber note at all.

And if I'm not mistaken, season 1 dealt with the subject of death in a more serious way and certainly season 1 wasn't all doom and gloom and crying at the end.

The crew mattered less and less, so their deaths mattered less and less. if you are more a fan of the main crew that doesn't matter to you perhaps. "....as long as we get our 7 heroes back it all good."


Personally I like the family aspect of the ship and to me the family isn't 7 people. When crewmen die in a close-knit group of 400 people it would be a big deal. Expected, given their dangerous profession--but still a big deal.

The show started out with crew deaths (and their lives) as important and ended with it being about a few personalities.

Don't get me wrong I love the main cast, but season 1 was better and the main cast got a lot to do in that season if I recall.

 

[Marsden]

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

That might be nice if the show was about WWII, but it was about the future where the officers felt a great deal about their crew--or should have.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can mourn every death in a way that some think is acceptable. In universe, Kirk has been witness to millions of deaths. Trying to mourn them all would likely break a person. Plus, just because we don't see him mourn every redshirt doesn't mean the mourning didn't happen off camera. Which leads to the out of universe reasoning, if the show ends on a down note every week, you're liable to drive your audience off.

But it seems like the problem is not having Jim siting there crying over everyone, that of course would be terrible.
It's the attitude at the end of losing a lot of people and just not seeming to care at all.

Now, going back to season 1, The Devil in the Dark I thought was good. It did feature many deaths, thousands if you're not a damn dirty speciest and care about the baby Hortas, but it was ended on a good note because all hostilities were ended and there was, unlike many wars, true cooperation between the warring parties. I don't know if the Horta actually signed anything but there was a peace treaty and mutual trade pact finalized right there with a new alien species and it was working in practice as well as theory. So Spock's little ears joke didn't seem out of nowhere. Also, a very important moment was had at the death of Kirk's man during the episode.

Now contrast to The Changeling. Enterprise loses at least 4 crew and it's hardly noticed. I don't remember anyone asking something about any of them, like "where's Stevenson?" and you're right, they never warn them. I wouldn't have even let them carry phasers as that would only provoke the damn thing. But this is all after the reported death of billions in the star system before this episode really got started. And Kirk is joking about his son the doctor? I laughed, it was funny, when I was little but now it just makes the prior events appear so trivial.
The Apple does a bit better at the death of the men, but the ending is just as bad. That wasn't even funny, though. I seriously don't get any resembance between Spock and anything, I wonder if that could possibly be a hold over from when he was going to be a red Martian that eats with a saucer in his stomach? It's just bad, anyway.

And I don't think first season Star Trek, which handled pensive, not trippy endings so well 85% of the time would have driven any fans away continued into season 2.

Looking forward to part 3.

 

[Grant]

There is just no doubt as season 2 progressed that the show became lighter. you wouldn't see "Tribbles" or I, Mudd" or "Piece of the.." in season 1--no way.

Also it can't be denied that the crew became less important and the big 3 a lot more in the spotlight as the show went on.
The crew performed functions----they weren't flesh and blood characters as the series progressed.

What exactly was so wrong with season 1 anyway? Even if the crew meant more--both alive or dead--K/S/M still had 75% of the spotlight. Was the show better when they had 95% ?

 

[urbandefault]

It's been said before, but I think it bears repeating that it's hard to fairly critique 1960s television with 2015 eyes.

Star Trek was good TV, fun and entertaining, with state of the art effects. Despite GR's trying to make it as thoughtful and thought-provoking as possible, the first goal was always to make a successful show that would be renewed for another season. Making a show with limited time and money, at some point you just have to pick a script and start filming.

 

[Greg Cox]

It's interesting to note that, of this batch, both "Catspaw" and "Wolf in the Fold," were written by the same author, despite taking opposite approaches. So it really did vary from week to week, somewhat randomly.

 

[Vger23]

I agree with urbandefault. TOS and its style were a product of the times. You're not going to waste a lot of time on emo Kirk feeling sad at every death. It may be realistic, but it wouldn't have fit the format of the show nor the sensibilities of that audience.

It's not like TNG was much different.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

It's really the cynical nature of the writing (crew as cannon fodder)...

Many of these people were writing from their experiences from World War II (and Korea I imagine), where the lower ranks were essentially cannon fodder.

I think it represents a sad touch of realism to the show.

That might be nice if the show was about WWII, but it was about the future where the officers felt a great deal about their crew--or should have.

TOS was not the touchy-feely, group session that TNG was.
BillJ is right about some of the wartime experience of the writers, and they successfully translated that to TOS, where you were not going to have the captain moan and groan for 15 minutes about Lt. WhatsHisName or Ensign NeverKnewYa, while being analyzed by Troi.

TOS could be brutal, but the crew had a job to do, which was the priority, no matter how stressful or dangerous.

 

[Orphalesion]

I agree with urbandefault. TOS and its style were a product of the times. You're not going to waste a lot of time on emo Kirk feeling sad at every death. It may be realistic, but it wouldn't have fit the format of the show nor the sensibilities of that audience.

It's not like TNG was much different.

I think it was less obvious in TNG because people died less frequently.
TOS had more the "space is dangerous" vibe, TNG was more at the point where they had mastered those dangers to the point of being able to take the kids along.

I do get the idea that people of different time periods, cultures or situations (like wartime) would be more desensitized to death. So that could definitely be a factor beyond the limitations of 60s TV.

Picard was devastated in Q,Who because he lived in a world where you just didn't lose a dozen crewmen like that anymore.
Kirk, however was like, for example Stannis in Game of Thrones, used to the death of his subordinates because of the dangerous nature of the time he lived in.

 

[Tosk]

I don't think TOS needed to dwell on the deaths more, it's just the times that the show ends all happy-go-lucky that is jarring. "Captain's Log: Ensign Surname was horribly murdered today, and a few hours later Scotty made a pun and we all laughed uproariously as we sailed on to our next adventure!"

 

[Marsden]

I don't think TOS needed to dwell on the deaths more, it's just the times that the show ends all happy-go-lucky that is jarring. "Captain's Log: Ensign Surname was horribly murdered today, and a few hours later Scotty made a pun and we all laughed uproariously as we sailed on to our next adventure!"

I think that's what I was trying to say. And I think if anythink TNG was worse. From that girl with the yellow in Decent to that Cmdr Hawk in First Contact that had a sign over his head from the second they introduced him that said deadmeat.

 

[Greg Cox]

I don't think TOS needed to dwell on the deaths more, it's just the times that the show ends all happy-go-lucky that is jarring. "Captain's Log: Ensign Surname was horribly murdered today, and a few hours later Scotty made a pun and we all laughed uproariously as we sailed on to our next adventure!"

Yeah, there's probably a sane middle ground behind having Kirk collapse into grief every time he loses a crewman, and ending every episode with a heartbreaking funeral service, and shrugging off the deaths as though they never happened.