Rank the Rand Canon

[Falconer]

They’re all excellent, of course, but, what are your favorite of the Yeoman Rand episodes? Post your ranking and/or vote for up to three favorites in the poll!

Here’s the list in production order:

The Corbomite Maneuver
The Enemy Within
The Man Trap
The Naked Time
Charlie X
Balance of Terror
Miri
The Conscience of the King

 

[Qonundrum]

* The Naked Time - a great example of how to show repressed sides to new characters, where even split-second one-off figures like the graffiti guy who paints words on walls leave one asking for more... but in a way that lets audiences embrace the show and figure out possibilities and ideas for themselves (head canon? fanon), which is far more satisfying as well as one letting it be as complex, convoluted, or simple-dee-dimple as they want.
* Charlie X - not your father's coming of age story... has aged by and large extremely well
* The Man Trap - oversimplified and plot easily avoided if he brought down the dang salt, but is an early example of showing compassion to endangered species... even if Kirk and his viewpoint aren't incorrect (nor disproven)... critics were lukewarm back in the day but for its simplicity it's still fun to watch just for the monster costume design, which is really good. Uhura gets a brief moment when the salt critter turns into a hawt guy and the Swahili spoken is actually quite soothing to my Vulcan little ears..
* The Conscience of the King - um, metaphors for throbbing engines and stuff (which also ties into the same theme as "The Enemy Within"!) aside, it's remarkably entertaining... reminds me of "British Shakespeare... in Space!" or half of Blake's 7 series 2...I don't know why...
* The Enemy Within - despite failed punting with shuttlecraft issues and while being the first "the transported caused the plot" trope in Trek's history, it's still - where it counts - a solid and frightening take on how the weaker, emotional side of us is actually the stronger in keeping the savage side contained. Early TOS did embrace horror...
* Balance of Terror - a robust cat vs mouse game, but proverbially leaving unused doors wide open
* Miri - eww, I did not sign up to see "daddy action" that Miri seemed to be hoping for... if Miri knew where Kirk was she might not either, unless she still wanted to as there's no right or wrong way to consider everything
* The Corbomite Maneuver - it had much more impact in 1966, about deceiving size and power. It's still a good episode and great for the time

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

1. The Naked Time
2. Balance of Terror
3. The Enemy Within
4. The Corbomite Maneuver
5. Charlie X
6 Miri
7 The Conscience of the King
8 The Man Trap

That's ranking them in overall quality. If you rank by Randness only, then 5,3,6,1,2,4, 7 and 8.

 

[BillJ]

I have a tough time seeing where Janice Rand was important to any of those plots. It could have been any miscellaneous female character and the story would've worked in the same manner.

 

[BillJ]

No TMP?

 

[Falconer]

I have a tough time seeing where Janice Rand was important to any of those plots. It could have been any miscellaneous female character and the story would've worked in the same manner.

That’s a matter for opinion, but the fact is that she was in all those episodes. To me she is an essential part of the “format” of the show in most of these episodes. She humanizes Kirk, and she pulls the cast together, in a unique way.

But anyway, I am rewatching this œuvre, and enjoying it immensely, of course. Sometimes I don’t want to commit, within myself, to rewatching the entire show, so it’s easy to say, well, I’ll just watch the Yeoman Rand episodes!

No TMP?

No, that is definitely a major outlier from this grouping.

 

[BillJ]

That’s a matter for opinion, but the fact is that she was in all those episodes. To me she is an essential part of the “format” of the show in most of these episodes. She humanizes Kirk, and she pulls the cast together, in a unique way.

Maybe she would've grown into the role, eventually. But, I never found Grace Lee Whitney's performances compelling, at all.

 

[Spot261]

She barely speaks!

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Are we supposed to vote for the episode overall, or just for how well Rand is used in it?

 

[Falconer]

Episode overall.

 

[Khan Jr]

For Rand-factor I would go with Charlie X. I like how she doesn't let any of his shit slide, even when it would be easier to. When Charlie smacks her butt, when he's rude to the younger crewperson she introduced, when he barges in her room and tries to tell her what to do, Rand immediately bites back. At the same time, she's quite considerate toward him right up to the point when it becomes clear he only cares about using her (and everyone else) as toys for his gratification. Charlie would have had a solid big sister figure in Rand if only he'd been less corrupt.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Maybe she would've grown into the role, eventually. But, I never found Grace Lee Whitney's performances compelling, at all.

Even the original Tarzan and James Bond characters were replaced with other actors, so Rand was expendable, too.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Episode overall.

Then in that case... Corbomite Maneuver, Enemy Within, and Balance of Terror. But Charlie X could've gone in there just as easily.

 

[Maurice]

* The Naked Time [...]

Just gotta say I love that current profile pic (Avon).

 

[Spot261]

Are we supposed to vote for the episode overall, or just for how well Rand is used in it?

I'm a bit confused there to be honest too.

There's no way really to rate the way in which Rand is used, given that she's only ever a bit character who gets the odd line here and there.

If we are to compare the episodes a parallel question has to be asked, why compare those episodes in particular?

In no way does she contribute meaningfully to the plot or contribute to the episode beyond being nominally present, in no way does she thematically (or otherwise) tie those shows together, so how are we supposed to go about rating them as "Rand episodes"?

If it were Spock, or Troi, or Worf, or Bashir, this would make sense because those are all characters who have episodes devoted to exploring them as characters and are necessary for the story to work. I'm not seeing how that applies here.

 

[Grant]

I really wish the Star Trek Vault Blu-ray release would have included the deleted scene in conscience of the king where Rand interrupted Kirk and Lenore during their famous scene in the observation deck. -- that was the last scene she ever filmed as Rand for the TV series.

 

[johnnybear]

She was lovely and had so much potential I think, sad that she was never really given the opportunity to shine in the series!
Strange also that her character was still used in the annuals every year at Christmas considering her quick disappearance during the middle of season one!
JB

 

[Falconer]

I'm a bit confused there to be honest.
…
There's no way really to rate the way in which Rand is used.
…
How are we supposed to go about rating them as "Rand episodes"?
…
I'm not seeing how that applies here.

Gosh, that sounds dreadful.

 

[Tim Thomason]

Balance of Terror is clearly the best on that list. But it's not a Rand episode, so I guess I'll vote for Miri.

 

[Falconer]

What do you mean, “Balance of Terror” is not a Rand episode?