Production Order Group Viewing 2018

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

We learn that they need to find one adaptable brain to squat in. Did the "smart" people draw them to MA since they assume that a smarter brain will be more adaptable to their brain patterns? Not a good choice: smart people also have strong wills and resisted the Zetarians which killed everyone on MA. By chance, weak-willed Mira proved the most adaptable brain for them.

Could it be they planned to live in MA's computer, but wound up short-circuiting it instead?

Scotty is pretty darn patronizing to Mira when she tries to tell him about her premonition. Actually, they all are, though I understand this is her first mission.

The Enterprise top brass don't give her the courtesy they'd extend one of their own. If Kirk or McCoy experienced such a thing...come to think of it, they didn't believe Uhura had really seen a live Kirk in "The Tholian Web" either. Maybe it's a woman thing. Don't believe the screaming woman until a man confirms? I dunno...

So, I assume that the planet Ardana was once colonized by Earth since they still use ancient Earth language terms.

Or perhaps the way things developed in Western society cultures and given an "English" name have the English designation adopted by other languages. "Hamburger" is the same in French and English, albeit with an accent, for instance.

 

[Mytran]

So, I assume that the planet Ardana was once colonized by Earth since they still use ancient Earth language terms. If it was originally a mining colony settled one to two hundred years ago, then the planet population may be smaller than we think; a small societal ecosystem developed where the workers and administrators grew apart. If so, then I can see why only one floating city was built for "advisors and studiers" for the whole planet. Plus we see the miners (and probably farmers) toiling on the surface literally under their "administration" in their high perched offices. Reminds me of early coal mining towns where the management owned everything in the town and the labor conditions were dangerous and unhealthy. I think the answer to the problem is "unionization".

I can easily see Ardana being the result of an early human mining colony (and unlike my other human-like aliens theory, it doesn't even require time travel!)
It might also help explain why such a divided society was accepted as a Federation member; as an extant human colony, they were simply "grandfathered" in.

 

[Maurice]

Reminds me of early coal mining towns where the management owned everything in the town and the labor conditions were dangerous and unhealthy. I think the answer to the problem is "unionization".

That being the case, I'd rather watch Matewan than this drivel.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Could it be they planned to live in MA's computer, but wound up short-circuiting it instead?

I never thought about it, but the destruction of Memory Alpha's computer is a loose end in the episode. The Zetarans didn't attack the Enterprise's computer at all. And Spock refers to the "central brain" on Memory Alpha, a term he never used for the ship's computer. So yeah, maybe the Zetarans' first choice was to occupy this incredible new machine on MA, and their attempt destroyed it.

 

[Pauln6]

I agree that Kirk and Spock act quite out of character in the Cloud Minders. Droxine is another example of a supposedly intelligent woman who comes across as vapid but Vanna is one of the better portrayals of a female antagonist in the show. She uses feral smarts rather than feminine wiles to achieve her goals. Her refusal to believe the answer in the face of evidence is very reminiscent of Mara in Day of the Dove. I guess a good mansplaining is more effective than hard evidence even in the 23rd century.

I really don't understand why Spock has such a boner for Droxine but maybe he was working an angle, and that's not a euphemism... Well ok, it is a euphemism but not that kind of euphemism.

The conclusion to the episode is just nuts.

Despite its flaws I can see how, if the story had been told at a more leisurely pace across several episodes, they would not have had to be so ham fisted with the allegory, the rushed conclusion, the ticking clock element, or the characterisation. It could have been quite fun, with a more Flash Gordon vibe.

 

[plynch]

Do Vanna and Droxine speak to each other? Possible Bechtel Test success?

 

[Poltargyst]

The Cloud Minders

A bit of an oasis in a desert of meh episodes. I actually like this one.

That is a very cool floating city. Is Lando in charge? I wonder what technology they use. And technology is prone to failure. If this technology fails...SPLAT

Kirk and Spock are attacked! But even a gang of thugs is no match for Kirk Fu. A karate chop to the throat followed by a right cross to the jaw works every time.

Kirk's over here violently employing his Fu, and Spock's over there casually throwing his adversaries away. I guess Spock is more of a pacifist and wants to do as little damage to his foes as possible.

Why, hello there, Droxine and your amazing midriff. I'd like to get to know you both better. What a freakin' six-pack she has.

Damn. That Troglyte guy threw himself off the balcony rather than be tied to the rostrum. The rostrum is like Chekov's gun. I bet we see that later.

What does Spock mean that Droxine's name is appropriate for her?

Well, that's quite a unique monologue we get from Spock there. Holy exposition, Batman! Perhaps a bit heavy-handed in explaining this week's social message?

Well, hello there, Vanna, and your amazing midriff. I'd like to get to know you both better.

Kirk is some kind of light sleeper. Or he wasn't asleep at all, but faking it.

Much has been said here about Spock blurting out to Droxine, a stranger, all about his biology that he was so painfully embarrassed to tell his good friend Kirk just a year ago. And as I noticed when watching Amok Time, there is no mention of any 7 year cycle there. For what we get from AT, Pon Farr might only happen once in a male Vulcan's life. Now they introduce the 7 year cycle for some reason which gets so much play in other series.

Droxine: "And is there nothing that can disturb that cycle, Mister Spock?" Hit it, Spock! Hit it! You don't even have to kill Kirk!

Weird that the torture chamber is so close to the visitor's quarters that you can hear people being tortured while in your room. I guess they're trying to make some kind of statement to visitors.

Kirk: "The only way you'll use that device again is on one of us. " I always thought this line was a bit over the top. I get that Kirk want's to end Vanna's torture but there is no need whatsoever to suggest that Kirk or Spock should be subjected to it.

Plasus: "If Captain Kirk appears again, kill him. " And that line's over the top. Really, Plasus? You're a member of the Federation and you're going to kill a starship captain for trespassing? I don't think so. I guess they're showing that these Stratosians aren't any better at heart than Troglytes.

Spock explains the origin of the name "Troglyte" which works in English, but I'm guessing it wouldn't work so well in another language.

I've commented before about how they insert these arbitrary deadlines into these episodes in order to artificially build the drama. I mean some plague threatening all plant life on a planet could take years or decades, but no, here we have only a matter of hours! Holy crap, they better hurry! That is one fast-acting plague, all right.

I think I've also commented on them being able to measure the progression of natural phenomena with such precision. How could you possibly know that this plague will reach some point in exactly two hours and fifty-nine minutes? Come on.

And what exactly will happen in two hours and fifty-nine minutes? I guess the plague will have killed enough plants for the planet to no longer support life? Considering that it sometimes takes hours or days to travel from system to system, it's lucky Ardana is so close to Merak II.

A first officer is more expendable than a doctor? Hmmmm.

I'd be tempted to just beam Vanna up to the ship with me and convince her of the need for zenite on Merak II and the effects of zenite gas there. Spock and McCoy could help.

I do like me some Vanna. Attractive, smart, strong, determined. Vanna gets things done! She's so hot when she's bossing people around. Yes, she gets the coveted Adore emoji, usually reserved for Helen Noel, who also gets one.

Troglytes don't really dig with their bare hands, do they?

Vanna: "FOR what PUR-pose?" I always liked Charlene Polite's delivery of that line.

Very cool graphics of the city in the TOS-R episode I'm watching.

Droxine: "It's the one with those exquisitely shaped ears." As I sit here looking at Droxine's firm, round, exquisitely-shaped...um...earrings! Yes, I'm looking at her pair of exquisitely-shaped earrings. Yep. Uh huh.

You can tell Plasus is a politician not a fighter. Even with two mortae, he is no match for Kirk Fu as a double karate chop finishes him off.

Social message alert! Another episode with a social message, and they're not subtle. Actually two kind of. One message about the haves vs the have nots and the excuses the haves use to justify having all the stuff. But it's also a message about racism. Substitute the minority of your choice in for Troglyte into the arguments about how they are simply not intelligent enough to be able to live in luxury and so poverty is their natural state. And again, I can't help thinking how this message was so necessary 50 years ago, and here we are 50 years later and it is still necessary and depressingly true.

I wonder what the zenite gas represents? The elements in society that keep minority people down and uneducated?

I know TOS has social message episodes throughout, but is it my imagination or are there more of them in Season 3?

It's a good one. Glad to have watched it again.

Alien Watch! Ardanians

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
Tribbles (not at all human looking)
The remarkably human-looking citizens of...892-VI. Is that what they call this planet? (The Roman one.)
Tall guys, short guys, Andorians, Tellurites, purple lady, Orion made up like an Andorian. (JtB)
The remarkably human-looking people of Neural. (APLW)
The awesome Mugato!
Shahna, Lars, Tamoon, Kloog, Thrallmaster Galt, and the Providers
The Cloud from the Tycho system.
The BIG FREAKIN' AMEBA!!!!!
The remarkably human-looking Iotians. (Gangsters)
Kelvans! Who really look like big, cool squids but choose to look remarkably human.
Sargon and the gang of not-quite-omnipotent aliens.
Remarkably human looking Zeons of Zeon and Ekosians of Ekos. (PoF)
The remarkably human looking Yangs and Coms of Omega IV.
Isis! Who looks remarkably like a cat until she wants to look remarkably human.

Season 3
The decidedly non-human looking Melkotians.
The remarkably human-looking Elasians and not so human looking Troyians.
Lawyer in a muumuu. Remarkably human-looking but maybe that was on purpose.
The remarkably human-looking Morgs and Eymorgs of Sigma Draconis.
Kollos the Medusan
Gem the Empath (remarkably human looking)
Vians (the OTHER bumpy-headed aliens)
Tholians!
The remarkably human-looking Fabrini of Yo Mama.
The malicious swirly ball of hate (DotD)
The remarkably human-looking Platonians who are douchebags except for Alexander
The fast, but still remarkably human looking Scalosians.
The remarkably human-looking image of Losira.
The Cheron boys, Bele and Lokai
Lackey's of Garth's some of whom are more human-looking than others.
Way too many remarkably human-looking Gideons.
Discorporated Zetarians and some recently departed Federation scholars and researchers of various races.
The remarkably human-looking Ardanians and their amazing midriffs.

*Alien Watch sublist: omnipotent aliens!
**By request

 

[Poltargyst]

I think there might be rumors on the set that the show will be cancelled

Oh no! We better start another letter-writing campaign quick!

Wouldn't that be hilarious if NBC received letters from the handful of us doing this rewatch demanding that they not cancel Star Trek?

Do Vanna and Droxine speak to each other? Possible Bechtel Test success?

DROXINE: Vanna!
VANNA: Droxine.
DROXINE: Why have you come here?
VANNA: To welcome our honoured guests as I was taught to do when I served in your father's household.

Bechtel test passed.

The Enterprise top brass don't give her the courtesy they'd extend one of their own. If Kirk or McCoy experienced such a thing...come to think of it, they didn't believe Uhura had really seen a live Kirk in "The Tholian Web" either. Maybe it's a woman thing. Don't believe the screaming woman until a man confirms? I dunno...

I had the same thought when watching The Tholian Web, and I'm sure there's truth to that although they didn't believe Scotty at first either.

 

[Pauln6]

They talk about Kirk, Spock, and Droxine's father. Doesn't that invalidate the test? Or did Kirk change the rules again?

 

[plynch]

Couldn't remember what they talk about. Thought it might be about conditions on the planet.

 

[Pauln6]

Couldn't remember what they talk about. Thought it might be about conditions on the planet.

Or boobs. Maybe it was boobs.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

And as I noticed when watching Amok Time, there is no mention of any 7 year cycle there. For what we get from AT, Pon Farr might only happen once in a male Vulcan's life. Now they introduce the 7 year cycle for some reason which gets so much play in other series.

I have my own theory about that. In "Amok Time" we get:

"The giant eelbirds of Regulus Five, once each eleven years they must return to the caverns where they hatched."
and
"By our parents' arrangement. A ceremony while we were but seven years of age."

I think "The Cloud Minders" writers did not look up the actual dialogue from AT, which was a lot more trouble in 1968 (you had to lay hands on a physical script), and they mis-remembered it. They conflated the eel birds reproductive cycle with the Vulcan children being seven years of age, and came out with a new, accidental rule for Vulcan males: a seven year cycle.

The producers didn't remember either; it sounded vaguely right to the veterans, and it would be the last thing Fred Freiberger would care about.

 

[johnnybear]

Fred Freiberger wasn't in the chair when Amok Time was produced so why should he care?
JB

 

[plynch]

It's remarkable the continuity we do get, esp callbacks in S3 to earlier eps.

 

[Mytran]

It's remarkable the continuity we do get, esp callbacks in S3 to earlier eps.

That's one the few things that has consistently surprised me about S3; actual series continuity!

 

[johnnybear]

I love the comment about the Cheron boys, Bele and Lokai! I wonder what kind of ballads they might have sung together on those long cold nights?
JB

 

[Mytran]

THE WAY TO EDEN

This episode begins with the Enterprise chasing down some stolen property, but develops into an examination of the hitherto unmentioned downsides of living in the ultra futuristic Federation. Spock explains it thusly:

There are many who are uncomfortable with what we have created. It is almost a biological rebellion. A profound revulsion against the planned communities, the programming, the sterilised, artfully balanced atmospheres. They hunger for an Eden where spring comes.

While it is more fully expounded here, this is a theme touched upon in several earlier episodes: Kodos’ disdain for modern society, Samuel Cogley’s luddite preference for books over computers, Kirk's yearnings in The Apple and a proper taste of a “back to basics” lifestyle in The Paradise Syndrome. There’s probably others but it’s definitely been a constant background thread throughout the series

Tying the successes of futuristic society to Dr Sevrin’s disease is a creative piece of writing, an acknowledgement that there ARE side effects to everything, even with good intentions and positive results for the near total majority.

Of course, the (in)famous standout of this episode is the musical and ever-jovial space-hippies. I know in Season One we had the occasional Uhura solo, but this episode has so many singing numbers!
Fortunately they’re not actually terrible to listen to, even if some of the lyrics are a little on the nose. Adam is quite the improvisational musician!
And while the concept of “hippies” in space is a relic of the 1960s, counter-culture in general has only morphed over the years, never actually gone away. Young’uns will be young’uns!

It’s amusing that disobedient teenagers completely baffle Scotty! In fact he really doubles down as the “old man” of the crew, completely unable to even consider what drives these troublesome youths.
For the others members of the crew I was delighted to see them NOT acting out character this week! For example:

• Spock identifying with the Space-Hippies is a surprising but nonetheless fitting development of his character (and gets a satisfactory explanation in the episode itself). His rapport with Adam is very natural, he connects with the young man without ever breaking his own stoic character.
• Chekov is a little love-struck but it’s fairly consistent with his distracted mindset seen in The Apple
• Kirk is a strict, straight-up military man here (especially to outsiders) just like in his Season One days

Spock’s final words of wisdom are so much more genuine than last week’s in the cloud city. And while Scotty is a lost cause, Kirk finally “reaches” the space hippies at the episode’s close.

The biggest downside to this episode is that, yet again, the primary antagonist of the episode turns out to be “insane”. Yawn. And was it even necessary? Dr Sevrin’s hatred of modernity and obsession with Eden was more than enough motivation IMO.

In summary, this a very good adventure with true “Star Trek” themes
The presentation is a little whacky in places, but it rarely fails to entertain.


OTHER THOUGHTS:

• The chase and capture is reminiscent of the first part of Mudd’s Women. The passengers are a bit different though!
• The tractor beam has a greater range than the transporter. Who knew?
• So great to have the Vulcan harp back again.
• Dr Sevrin flat refuses to accept his diagnosis, regardless of the impact his illness will have on other. Thank goodness there’s none of that wilful scientific ignorance in the world today!
• Rad (the ambassador’s son) performs what might almost be described as the Catullan nerve pinch on the guard, in order to free Dr Sevrin. I guess it makes sense that the Vulcans weren’t the only ones to develop such a technique – it’s a big galaxy, after all!
• Shortly after Dr Sevrin escapes, Adam slips out of the Rec Room using a small, never before seen exit located behind the angled wall beams. How helpful of the ship’s designers to include this feature!
• In another stroke of good fortune, not a single Romulan craft detects the Enterprise when it enters the Neutral Zone. I’ve not seen such a piece of convenient writing since Commissioner Bele’s invisible shapeship.
• Someone on the maintenance crew forgot to bolt the navigator’s chair to the deck; when the hypersonic attack begins, it is shown toppled on its side. Good job there wasn’t any of the usual space turbulence beforehand!
• Kirk’s big “hero moment” is when deactivates the hypersonic circuit to save the crew. This actually makes sense; since Spock is more greatly affected by the sound than his human captain.
• It’s rather disturbing that the sensors in the Transporter Room didn’t pick up the acid-ridden landscape before the landing party beamed down.
• Adam died…from eating an apple! I can’t help feeling there’s some sort of subtle symbolism there…

EDEN
I get the impression there’s a missing back story here; Spock believes it’s a real planet of extreme natural beauty, which suggests that it had been discovered at least once before in recorded history. But by who and when? And why is it now deadly to the core?

NEW SETS
This is the final appearance of Auxilary Control, and also gains a final superpower!
It’s been a wild ride, A.C.


Thank goodness we have returned to solid character consistency and social awareness themed stories. I can’t wait to see what happens next week!

 

[Pauln6]

I don't really like the episode because of the way the space hippies take over the ship so easily. Other than that it's OK. I think Spock's attitude here chimes with his eventual quest for enlightenment in TMP. He seems to be seeking some kind of spiritual epiphany of his own. Chekov is quite an engaging character. It's just a shame that the other regulars don't get a back story episode each in S3. It could have padded out their ideas a bit.

 

[Mytran]

I don't really like the episode because of the way the space hippies take over the ship so easily.

Not for the first or last time in Star Trek though!
That didn't grate with me too much here though, because it was mainly achieved through the crew underestimating the hippies thanks to their charismatic natures.
And some deep jivin' tunes

 

[Pauln6]

Not for the first or last time in Star Trek though!
That didn't grate with me too much here though, because it was mainly achieved through the crew underestimating the hippies thanks to their charismatic natures.
And some deep jivin' tunes

It's clear that many of the hippies have significant technical skills. Maybe if they had stressed that in their planning I might have been more forgiving.