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Production Order Group Viewing 2018

I always thought that Vaal looked like a Gorn too, Marsden! In fact it's not outside of possibility that it could have been one of their missions into space that founded the colony?
JB
 
I'm thinking the 1000 planet thing is they had just started colonies on 1000 planets and later only 150 worked out long-term or the later productions weren't counting small colonies like in "This Side of Paradise".

150 planets that are annexes/members of the Federation vs 1,000 that have at least one Human/current or ex-Federation citizen living on it long-term.
 
I always thought that Vaal looked like a Gorn too, Marsden! In fact it's not outside of possibility that it could have been one of their missions into space that founded the colony?
JB
Nah, the eyes are all wrong and Gorns don't have fangs :wtf: :
Arena_142.JPG

theapple_422.jpg
 
Mirror Mirror

It's Mirror Mirror! Woo-hoo! I LOVE me some Mirror Mirror.

For as long as I can remember, Doomsday Machine has been my favoritist episode ever. But the decades went by and then I happened to catch Mirror Mirror again, and I wondered if perhaps Mirror Mirror has become my favorite. I'll keep DM as my favorite, but damn...I love me some Mirror Mirror.

Fed ships orbit planets with their port side to the planet, ISS ships their starboard to the planet.

And now...a word about fashion:

Because one of the reasons I like this episode so much is the fashion. Because the outfits everyone wears in the ISS universe are just GREAT. They are all so badass and piratey with their knee-high boots and sashes. And the extra touches our stars get:

Kirk: With his sleeveless vest showing off his manly biceps. It's clear to me Shatner was working out.

Spock: With his fantastic piratey uniform and his beard. Oh, that beard! I LOVE it, always have. When I was a kid, I had the 8" Mego Star Trek dolls, and I took a black magic marker and drew a goatee on my Spock, because Mirror Mirror spoiled me, and I had to have a beard on Spock always.

Sulu: Looking diabolical in red with a scar down his face.

Uhura: Oh, Uhura. I know that Nichelle was young and considered beautiful by many, but she really never did it for me...except in MM. OMG. The bare midriff. Nichelle rocking her biceps and abs. She's been working out too. The fun bicep upper arm wrap. And her badass attitude! Uhura is hot hot hot. Did I mention she's HOT? If they made a series about Uhura in command of an ISS ship, I would watch that.

"Your agonizer please." Such an iconic line. Poor Kyle.

Our heroes once again figure out what's going in course of a single 10 minute conversation. Holy exposition, Batman!

I love the high-backed command chair too. So many things about the ISS Enterprise I wish were true for the USS Enterprise.

Rising in rank by assassinating your superiors seems a rather chaotic way to run a military.

Why did Kirk deck the guy who helped him?

This universe's computer has a metallic male voice.

Wonder what the ISS landing party did to get found out by Spock.

Ooh la la, sexy Marlena in her midriff-baring outfit.

Over the years I have wondered why I prefer TOS so much over TNG. I've considered that part of it is because TOS is so much more dramatic. I am so much more on the edge of my seat watching TOS, where with TNG...well...the string of technobabble is kind of meh. Sometimes the building of drama in TOS, though, seems artificial. Like was it really necessary that our heroes had to execute their plan in 30 minutes or be trapped in the ISS universe for the rest of their lives? They were pretty well motivated to get out of there already. But it was definitely edge of the seat drama.

A word about sexism: mainly the fact that Marlena has no opportunity to gain power for herself. Her only way to gain power is to hook up with powerful men and hope they don't dump her (or fail) on their way to the top. One might say that it is the ISS empire that is sexist, but I think it's the fact that the show was made in the 60's when no one expected a woman to be able to wield power herself. Kira's counterpart didn't seem to have trouble wielding power.

Uhura toying with Sulu. Did I mention she's BADASS? And HOT?

(However, not a good message that a woman saying "no" really means "yes.")

Wonder why Marlena didn't take out Sulu when she was picking off his henchmen.

Is that the second or third time Kirk's beaten up Sulu in a fight?

And then Uhura disarms Marlena. Badass!

We've seen people activate the transporter and then jump into the beam before. No one should have to stay behind. It is interesting they can put the transporter on a timer though.

Kirk speechifying Spock. And look! He's using a Logic Trap like he usually uses on computers! At least Spock doesn't self destruct.

It's actually kind of a touching scene between Kirk and Spock at the end there.

Bare-faced Spock. BAH! How boring. See, I'm spoiled now.

I bet if Apollo had seen Spock with a beard he wouldn't find his face so boring.

McCoy: "I think I liked him better with a beard." Me too!

When the yeoman hands Kirk the thing to be signed, that's the scene they edit Sisko into for Trials and Tribbelations, right?

"We could become friends." Get some, Kirk!

Alien Watch! Technically everyone in the ISS universe. And the Halkans.
Season 1
Talosians
That big ugly Rigellian guy Pike fought in illusion
Vina as an Orion girl in illusion
Glimpse of other aliens captured by Talosians
Ron Howard's brother
That dog from Enemy Within
Salt monster
That hand plant...Gertrude
Spock (duh)
Charlie's parents (Thasians)*
Romulans!
(Ruk)
Miri's planet kids (bonk bonk)
Giant ape creatures of Taurus II
Shore Leave Caretaker guy
Trelaine and his folks*
Gorn
Metrons*
The Lazerii
The remarkably human-looking aliens of Beta 3. (RotA)
The remarkably human-looking aliens of Emineminar VII (AToA)
The Triffids of Omicron Ceti III (TSoP)
The refreshingly non-human-looking Horta
Organians*
Klingons! (Remarkably human looking).
(The Guardian of Forever)
Flying pancakes

Season 2
Sylvia and Korob
The Companion
The remarkably human looking (though tall) Cappellans.
Native Pollux IV-ians (Apollo and his gang)
Full-blooded Vulcans
The remarkably human looking citizens of Argelius II (WitF)
Redjac
The People of Vaal (Gamma Triangulians)
Crew of the ISS Enterprise
The remarkably human-looking** (except for maybe a dot on their forehead) Halkans

*Alien Watch sublist: omnipotent aliens!
**By request
 
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When people inaccurately call Trek camp, The Apple is one ep they could use to bolster their claim.
 
It always amused me how when Kirk was trying to convince Tharn to let the Federation mine Dilithium crystals on their planet, one of the Halkans seems to be checking the good Captain out! He just stares at Shatner and his head sort of sways as such! I think it's one of those "Oh My moments!" :rofl:
JB
 
It crossed my mind, but the guy has a dot or something in the middle of his forehead...okay, I'm editing to reflect they are remarkably human-looking.
Thanks. I always thought that the mark was similar to the bindi worn by some Hindus etc., not anything biological.
 
Nah, the eyes are all wrong and Gorns don't have fangs :wtf: :
Arena_142.JPG

theapple_422.jpg

The side by side certainly shows differences, my spherical friend, and I knew Gorn didn't have a horn on it's snout, but it also shows that Vaal resembles a Gorn far more than any other alien we've encountered. The thing is clearly reptilian or even dinosaur in nature. Why then are the keepers just about plain humans?

I wonder, too, are Akuta's people that red or do they paint themselves that color with a local fruit. And if that isn't makeup but their skin color, then what about the white lines on their faces and around their eyes, is that makeup or is that how they naturally appear as well?

They clearly don't resemble Vaal.
 
Mirror, Mirror

This is more like it. I can easily see why so many people put this in the top ten. Interesting Science fiction premise*, good action, and great character moments. Also very quotable, mostly Spock but still:

Your agonizer, please.

Everything's exactly where it should be, except us. (Scott)

I do not want to command the Enterprise, but if it should befall me, I suggest you remember that my operatives would avenge my death and some of them are Vulcans. (I love Sulu's reaction to the end of that one)

I shall not waste time with you. You're too inflexible, too disciplined once you've made up your mind. But Doctor McCoy has a plenitude of human weaknesses, sentimental, soft. You may not tell me what I want to know, but he will.

Regrettable, but it will leave me in command. (Sulu) This one is and
So you die, Captain, and we all move up in rank. (Checkov)
I have to admit I usually mash those two together but I've said that many times at work when someone leaves, "Regrettable, but we all move up in rank." Actually, there's quite a few mirror universe quotes I use at work. Hmmm......

MCCOY: I'm a doctor, not an engineer.
SCOTT: Now you're an engineer.

Jim! by Scott in the end, that's really a strong moment for me.

All of that good stuff plus the fight in sick bay is really well done. I don't care what doubles they used their stunt coodinator and camera people were did a great job because on my 43" HD tv I really had to try to look to see if it was a double. Beautifully done.
Does anyone think it's ironic Uhura's skirt is longer in the Mirror Universe?

I have 2 complaints now after all of that good stuff.

I really didn't like how they dismissed the Mirror versions of the landing party to that one little scene, it understandable they couldn't spend time developing both situations but I'd preferred they dropped that scene after Kirk's speculation of "whats happening there" and continued with the plot.

It was far easier for you as civilized men to behave like barbarians, than it was for them as barbarians to behave like civilized men.
I put this line on the level that women are more easily and deeply terrified. What? The Empire is a civilization and an advanced one, this line just seems like illogical speculation to me.

I also wonder how the "dark Kirk" from The Enemy Within would function in Mirror Kirk's place.

My next complaint can hardly be blamed on the episode itself and probably isn't fair to complain about but, I don't like that this episode started such a "trend" to occasionally visit the Mirror Universe whenever someone can't think of a story or just feels like it. that's my * up there about interesting premise, for this episode it was great, I'm sure this episode didn't "invent" parallel universes but it certainly pioneered the concept, now it's just another trope.

Final comment, @Melekon, if he's still with us, posted a theory that there is no Mirror Universe and this was all the Halkan's doing. I thought it was great and I'm repeating it here. And re-watching the episode with that in mind it holds up. The Halkans are exactly the same in both universes and they both have the crystals that the Enterprises' want. Think about that, in this parallel universe where things are so much the same but very different, the Halkans are identical, there is no mirror difference. And such a rare, even unique, trait, to have a history of total peace! Also, the discussion on Tharn's part almost reads like the whole think is a cautionary tale to Kirk. We accept that your Federation is benevolent at present, but the future is always in question. and Captain, you do have the might to force the crystals from us, of course. It's almost like he's setting up Kirk so that it's the "right thing to do" and attack to take the crystals to see if he would in those circumstances which "The Empire" would consider proper, as if his Federation orders were different, Kirk wouldn't be so diplomatic. They provide a situation where this is possible to see if Kirk would truly then feel justified attacking them. Too bad after the action is over the Halkans are never mentioned again.
 
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My next complaint can hardly be blamed on the episode itself and probably isn't fair to complain about but, I don't like that this episode started such a "trend" to occasionally visit the Mirror Universe whenever someone can't think of a story or just feels like it. that's my * up there about interesting premise, for this episode it was great, I'm sure this episode didn't "invent" parallel universes but it certainly pioneered the concept, now it's just another trope.

Put another way, I appreciate the Original Series for not going back to the well for sequel episodes. They had a great idea, got the best out of it, and left us wanting more. That's better than beating it to death.

In a like manner, TNG's best idea was probably "Yesterday's Enterprise," and after doing it to perfection, they let it be. I'm sure the novel-verse probably went back there, but the actual show left us wanting more, which is the best way to go out.
 
MIRROR MIRROR

A classic high-concept sci-fi romp! It requires a massive coincidence to set things up of course but beyond that the events proceed very naturally, which really helps to sell the premise. The actors really sink their teeth into their alternate roles with great gusto and there’s numerous lovely little set dressing details on the “evil” Enterprise. It’s a shame that the exterior model couldn’t be adjusted too (but understandable, given the time it was produced in).
Best of all, they even worked in a message to the story – “one man CAN make a difference”. Most high-concept tales are content to indulge in the adventure; Star Trek at its best goes one stage further, which is why it’s lasted 50 years.
  • Kirk seems to find his cabin OK, given how much he’s moved around in the series so far! Maybe he just shouted "captain's quarters" to the turbolift (like in Corbormite Manoeuvre) and wandered around til he spotted the signage?
  • Uhura is scarred to go to the Bridge? It might seem a bit of a character assassination but remember that this is the woman who screamed when Kirk simple vanished in front of her in Arena, so maybe not.
  • There’s a whole host of double takes and reactions from our 4 heroes in response to the oddities and differences in the Evil Universe, but a cute one is when Kirk speculates for a moment on where to put his dangling sash before sitting down in his chair on the Bridge :rommie:
  • To beat Spock, Kirk smashes a early humanoid looking SKULL over Spock’s head. No wonder he goes down, it’s like the ultimate headbutt! Interestingly, none of the medical attention that McCoy gives Spock are on his head…
  • YET AGAIN, Kirk appears in his green wraparound tunic. Is he ever going to wear his standard duty uniform again or was that his last one that Spock sliced back in Amok Time? :rolleyes:

NEW SETS
  • The Emergency Manual Monitor makes it debut. The elevated view of the Engine Room provides a fresh perspective but it also allows characters to do sneaky stuff completely unobserved. Maybe Starfleet Engineers are like dogs and can’t look up?
  • I didn’t mention the Brig in The Changeling where it was also shown, but the fact that it opens up directly onto the main corridor with so many avenues for escape is a really strange design choice. I can only assume that it was installed as an afterthought by the overly peacefully minded Starfleet architects.

Finally, there appear to be TWO epilogues to this tale:
• First, a little Spock mocking by – but Spock gives it all back and then some! I like how Kirk and McCoy capitulate the moment to the first officer; graciously done, gentlemen
• Then, Marlena Morrow comes in for the “romance” ending. It’s OK but definitely the weaker of the two. Running a little under time, were we? :whistle:

Why did Kirk deck the guy who helped him?
If he betrayed a former boss, who says he wouldn't do it again?
We've seen people activate the transporter and then jump into the beam before. No one should have to stay behind. It is interesting they can put the transporter on a timer though.
Certainly Lazarus had no trouble doing precisely that (although perhaps he was too crazy to care about the consequences of jumping into a partially formed transporter beam)
Final comment, @Melakon, if he's still with us, posted a theory that there is no Mirror Universe and this was all the Halkan's doing. I thought it was great and I'm repeating it here. And re-watching the episode with that in mind it holds up. The Halkans are exactly the same in both universes and they both have the crystals that the Enterprises' want. Think about that, in this parallel universe where things are so much the same but very different, the Halkans are identical, there is no mirror difference. And such a rare, even unique, trait, to have a history of total peace! Also, the discussion on Tharn's part almost reads like the whole think is a cautionary tale to Kirk. We accept that your Federation is benevolent at present, but the future is always in question. and Captain, you do have the might to force the crystals from us, of course. It's almost like he's setting up Kirk so that it's the "right thing to do" and attack to take the crystals to see if he would in those circumstances which "The Empire" would consider proper, as if his Federation orders were different, Kirk wouldn't be so diplomatic. They provide a situation where this is possible to see if Kirk would truly then feel justified attacking them. Too bad after the action is over the Halkans are never mentioned again.
Fixed that to @Melakon for you ;)
I remember those musings and had them in mind when I did this rewatch. The story does work really well as a Twilight Zone style morality play and could have remained that way as a possible interpretation if DS9 hadn't revisited the concept decades later. The way so many similarities between the two universes are retained despite the savage character differences only makes sense if the split was relatively recent. I can easily see the Halkans having conjured this "teach a lesson" micro-universe for the captain just a few days prior.
Here's the original thread BTW: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/origin-of-mirror-universe.272362/#post-11106865
 
The Deadly Years

Dead-ly years, whoa-oh, wah wah wah (sung to the tune of Golden Years by David Bowie).

Chekov fumbling around in the dark. You'd think landing parties would be equipped with flashlights. It's stuff like this that makes me feel like O'Neill's SG-1 teams were better equipped than Federation landing parties. I bet Carter always had a flashlight.

Hasn't Chekov seen any dead bodies on this show yet? He's freaked like it's his first. Weren't guys dying left and right on Gamma Trianguli VI? Wasn't Chekov canoodling with Martha through it all? This guy's scary because he's OLD?

Why aren't the "old" twenty-something couple freaking out about the fact that they're aging fast? They act like they're supposed to be in their 80's.

The Commodore wants to get to his Starbase, but he's being respectful about it unlike certain commissioners and ambassadors we could name.

Who was keeping the Kirk Love Meter? Was that Shawnster? Add Janet to the list.

"Old age" isn't a cause of death, Doctor.

Your hair wouldn't just turn gray, it would have to grow gray. I know, they needed to make the characters look old, and them retaining their natural hair color wouldn't have fully sold it.

It's interesting now to compare how these actors look(ed) in their old age compared to how these actors looked when made up to be old. Actually, Shatner looks pretty good for 82.

Old McCoy is even more irritable than usual.

Janet likes old guys.

SLAM! Kirk a little bitter about Janet breaking up with him?

Isn't there a jacket Spock could wear? Jackets and coats don't seem to exist in Starfleet. Actually, didn't Pike's landing party have jackets? I bet the SG-1 teams always had jackets.

Oooh, burn! Stocker caught Spock in a Logic Trap! "If you can't assume command, then how can you say Kirk should be in command?" I wonder if Stocker could make a computer self destruct.

Chekov's funny, enduring all the testing. "Did it hurt last time?" "Yes!"

As Kirk and McCoy fall asleep on duty, I'm thinking of Grampa Simpson: "I'm in the best shape of my zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

It is tough to watch Kirk go down in that hearing.

I appreciate Stocker having to take command, but I'd be leaning heavily on Sulu's experience if I were him.

It's really great how Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley act their characters as old. Kirk, Spock, McCoy have the same mannerisms, but old versions.

Didn't Stocker order warp 10? How did the Romulans catch up and how are they keeping up to fire on the Enterprise? The remastered version of the battle shows the ships as stationary. I would think flying at warp 10 would be one way to get through the Neutral Zone unmolested.

Spock:"It could cure or kill." It could be a beaker full of death!

I like the remastered effects of the battle. The Romulan Birds of Prey look great. I like how their torpedoes (?) curve around to home in on the Enterprise.

I don't know why everyone is so worried. The Enterprises's shields can take multiple hits from energy attacks that are the equivalent of 90 photon torpedoes.

As soon as a Federation ship goes into the Neutral Zone, Romulan ships are there to attack as if they were there all along, as if the Neutral Zone was their territory. I thought it was a NEUTRAL Zone. What right do the Romulans have to charge into the Neutral Zone and start firing? If a Romulan ship strays into the Neutral Zone, do Federation Starships get to charge in and start firing at them? It is good to see the Romulans again.

Another Corbomite Maneuver! Awesome! Nice callback. I think I'll drink some Tranya. HA hahahahahahaha!

It's orange. I'm picturing Tranya as tasting like Tang.

Your hair wouldn't just turn back to its natural color, it would have to grow back. Actually, while you might find a cure to stop the aging process, I'm not so sure you'd be able to reverse it. And how far did they reverse it? Everyone just happens to be the same age they were when the episode started? Or are they now younger? Older? Anyway, it's good to see them young and healthy again at the end.

Alien Watch! No new aliens, just the return of the Romulans. I like the Romulans, I hope we see them again. :)

Season 1
Talosians
That big ugly Rigellian guy Pike fought in illusion
Vina as an Orion girl in illusion
Glimpse of other aliens captured by Talosians
Ron Howard's brother
That dog from Enemy Within
Salt monster
That hand plant...Gertrude
Spock (duh)
Charlie's parents (Thasians)*
Romulans!
(Ruk)
Miri's planet kids (bonk bonk)
Giant ape creatures of Taurus II
Shore Leave Caretaker guy
Trelaine and his folks*
Gorn
Metrons*
The Lazerii
The remarkably human-looking aliens of Beta 3. (RotA)
The remarkably human-looking aliens of Emineminar VII (AToA)
The Triffids of Omicron Ceti III (TSoP)
The refreshingly non-human-looking Horta
Organians*
Klingons! (Remarkably human looking).
(The Guardian of Forever)
Flying pancakes

Season 2
Sylvia and Korob
The Companion
The remarkably human looking (though tall) Cappellans.
Native Pollux IV-ians (Apollo and his gang)
Full-blooded Vulcans
The remarkably human looking citizens of Argelius II (WitF)
Redjac
The People of Vaal (Gamma Triangulians)
Crew of the ISS Enterprise
The remarkably human-looking** (except for maybe a dot on their forehead) Halkans

*Alien Watch sublist: omnipotent aliens!
**By request
 
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It's interesting now to compare how these actors look(ed) in their old age compared to how these actors looked when made up to be old. Actually, Shatner looks pretty good for 82.

Shatner will be turning 88 this March 22. And I have a suspicion that he's had cosmetic surgery at some point. Still he's extremely active both physically and mentally.
William-Shatner-500x289.jpg
 
It was very silly that Stocker didn't just ask for advice and delegate the command functions. At least he wasn't a dick.

There's a lot to like in this one but I find the last minute peril to be too rushed and contrived .
 
It's interesting now to compare how these actors look(ed) in their old age compared to how these actors looked when made up to be old. Actually, Shatner looks pretty good for 82.

Shatner will be turning 88 this March 22. And I have a suspicion that he's had cosmetic surgery at some point. Still he's extremely active both physically and mentally.
William-Shatner-500x289.jpg
88!!!!! He looks great for 88. He looks better in real life at 88 than the approximately 70 he was made up to be in the show.
 
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