Revisiting Star Trek TOS/TAS...

[Harvey]

I like "Court Martial," but I'm always taken out of the episode a little bit by the Enterprise video records. We're told in "The Menagerie" that no ship takes records as detailed as the ones we see there, yet in "Court Martial" we see exactly that (in fact, the zoom in on Kirk's console probably makes the records in "Court Martial" more detailed).

Cogley is a great character, though, and he's played by the great character actor Elisha Cook, Jr. It's a solid four star effort.

 

[Warped9]

"The Menagerie" Part I ****

Spock inexplicable abducts his former commander and hijacks the Enterprise.

It's a bit tough to watch this with somewhat fresh eyes if you've watched "The Cage" not too long ago and find yourself sitting through some of the same footage again. Of course it should be noted for newer viewers that when "The Menagerie" first aired no one had ever seen Star Trek's first unaired pilot and it would be near twenty years or so before it would be aired on television. So the judgement here is focused mostly on the "framing" sequences set around the footage of the then unaired pilot episode.

In some respects "The Cage" footage benefits here because while most of it is used some of the clunkier footage has been excised. We don't see any awkward footage of Pike lamenting women on his bridge or his awkward exchanges with Yeoman Colt. We also don't get to see a young Lt. Spock attempting to break orbit and leave Captain Pike, Number One and Yeoman Colt behind on Talos 4.

While this could be loosely seen as a clip show episode in truth it was actually a very clever way of salvaging most of the footage from the unaired pilot while also giving the then new Star Trek universe a bit of historical background. Through this we learn Spock has been aboard for several years and that Kirk wasn't the ship's first and only commander and that there were voyages before the familiar 5-year mission. For myself when I first saw "The Menagerie" back in the early '70s I thought I was seeing parts of early episodes that I had somehow missed and now anxiously wanted to see. So if I were judging this episode on mostly technical grounds then I'd rate it a 5.

This is still a well told story and it has a rather foreboding cliffhanger at the end. Alas knowing the mystery ahead of time takes some of the energy and drama out of it. Also it's a little hard to credit the justification for Starfleet's overly harsh regulations regarding Talos 4 particularly when our heroes will soon enough begin encountering other entities even more powerful than the Talosians.

But what keeps this story up there are all those neat character interactions we get. And damn me that it isn't until somewhat recently that I appreciated there was an actual actor sitting in for the injured Capt. Pike when for so long I assumed it was just a disfigured mannequin.

 

[Harvey]

I like "The Menagerie" quite a bit, although Starfleet's policy concerning Talos IV feels a little heavy-handed. I'd be curious to read John D.F. Black's original, rejected version of the "envelope," as the framing sequence was called behind the scenes.

The second part isn't quite as good, though. For one thing, it has a silly act break cliffhanger than annoys me every time I see it. The images being sent from Talos to the Enterprise suddenly stop, and for no apparent reason. Mendez almost immediately moves to convict Spock, and all three officers vote "guilty," after which the show goes to commercial. When it comes back, the images start up again, and the verdict made before the commercial break has suddenly been forgotten. For another, the second part doesn't have Dr. McCoy in it, which diminishes the trial sequences. Lastly, the second part is much more reliant on clips of "The Cage" than the first, which leaves our heroes as mostly passive viewers for the duration of the episode.

The second part makes great use of footage from "The Cage" at the end of the episode, though, when it shows Pike and Vina returning to below the surface. It's a brilliant re-purposing of the previous episode. And, as far as money-saving clip shows go, "The Menagerie" is one of the most satisfying ones I've ever seen (and, if you haven't seen "The Cage," it probably works even better).

 

[plynch]

The only thing that took me out of the story was the use of a barely modified Shure SM58s to mask the heartbeats of the court. Pissed me off then and still pisses me off now.

good mic, though

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I like "The Menagerie" quite a bit, although Starfleet's policy concerning Talos IV feels a little heavy-handed. I'd be curious to read John D.F. Black's original, rejected version of the "envelope," as the framing sequence was called behind the scenes.

I didn't know Black came up with a framing sequence as well. Was there anything about what it would have been?

 

[Harvey]

In a book I leafed through (which one completely escapes me) while doing research last quarter, the author implied that Roddenberry just ripped off Black's story. However, the author provided nothing to back that claim up. I think Black's proposal/script is held in the UCLA special collections, though I forget what it was called. Yet another item I'd like to get to this spring that may have to wait.

 

[RAMA]

I haven't watched TOS-R in ages. I don't have any interest in watching TOS-R anytime soon...but I just started re-watching TAS. Love the DVD picture. Compared to my old copy of the Slaver Weapon, it just rocks! Just watched Jihad and Slaver Weapon, my 2 favorite episodes. They're just so damned short, so I decided to re-read the Star Trek Logs books I read years ago to get the story I remembered since I read them before seeing the episodes.

For the heck of it...My TOS-R ratings:

Let's see, TEN 5-star episodes ranking it as the 5th best Star trek season based on my personal ratings (2 STNG, 1 Enterprise, and one DS9 season ranking ahead of it). My personal favorite: Balance of Terror.

Edit: Quickly perused the reviews (will spend more time on it tomo)..some opinions:

Corbomite Maenuver: A great first contactepisode with a good feel throughout, only somewhat undermined by the trite ending. The TOS-R version in my opinion actually improves this episode's story with FX. The Fesarius is just so much more solid an impressive close up.

Man Trap: I love so many things about Star Trek's first aired episode!! This could have had critics raving. It has good performances, good contributions from the secondary cast (something sadly miniimized as the series continued), and a good concept. The sad idea of the last, nearly extinct creature of a planet is depressingly set aside as macho Kirk decides to up the testosterone level and kill the creature. In reality, it's the writer's fault for making the creature go hog wild and commit murder.

Conscience of the King: One of my top 5 favorite TOS episodes. The fact that Star Trek can believably do a Shakespearean scale saga makes this a top notch winner!!

One note: Saw a crticism about the science...there's no reason they couldn't have added some sort of way to mask or avoid DNA tests even if they had the technology. After all, we developed DNA tests almost 300 years before the episode.

RAMA

 

[CorporalCaptain]

One note: Saw a crticism about the science...there's no reason they couldn't have added some sort of way to mask or avoid DNA tests even if they had the technology. After all, we developed DNA tests almost 300 years before the episode.

I agree. In fact, I believe it's likely that there will be an effective way to defeat DNA analysis in the 23rd Century, just like we have a myriad of ways to defeat fingerprints today.

 

[Captain Robert April]

The body they found was burned beyond recognition. The fire could've been intense enough to preclude the recovery of any useful DNA. OR, the body could've been altered in some way to make it likely that a false DNA identification would be made.

 

[BillJ]

The body they found was burned beyond recognition. The fire could've been intense enough to preclude the recovery of any useful DNA. OR, the body could've been altered in some way to make it likely that a false DNA identification would be made.

Yes. I agree the fire could have been that intense. But I also believe that he would have left something behind somewhere along the way to Tarsus IV.

A medical record or transporter trace... something. And I believe the investigation into Kodos would have been intense, whether he was dead or not.

Of course, it's possible that Anton Karidian found a way to alter his own DNA... but we'll never know.

 

[RAMA]

"Mudd's Women" ***

The Enterprise intercepts a shady merchant and his cargo of unusually beautiful women.

You can't be on top all the time. There isn't anything really wrong with this, but it's not particularly memorable either. It's still early goings and here Spock has moments out character as if Nimoy hasn't quite got a firm handle on his character yet. The Venus drug must help put out powerful pheromones or something hallucinatory to have such a significant effect on the men in presence of the women---it's a little hard to credit. The moral of the story handed out at the reveal at the end feels somewhat anticlimactic. Roger C. Carmel's Harry Mudd is somewhat amusing, but he doesn't come across as particularly imaginative here.

It strikes me the Enterprise is crippled a little too easily here as if they also haven't quite nailed done all the tech details in how the ship works.

The thing that's established here is the Enterprise's role of playing police out on the frontier.

Again not bad, but not great. It's okay.

There are LOTS of things wrong with this clunker. I won't go into the glorified "escort" service, cause that's a load of trouble right there, but the fact this episode straddles the line of reality and delves into fantasy with the Venus drug bothers me. There are really only two good things about this episode: Eve's speech to Childress about what he was looking for in a companion, and Roger C. Carmel himself as Mudd.

"Where No Man Has Gone Before" *****

Crewman begin to mutate after the Enterprise encounters a strange energy field at the edge of the galaxy.

This is first-rate SF television, at least as good as anything The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits could field. As good as "The Cage" is this second pilot episode is better. The acting is more naturalistic. The whole thing feels more finished. We get nice external ship shots (of a lighted miniature)---I particular like that ending shot of the Enterprise departing Delta Vega. The story and episode has an energy level to it the first pilot effort didn't quite have. There's added detail and nuance here. Everything about this just feels more natural.

An important note is that this is more representative in style and overall feel to the series that will follow. It's certainly more colourful and not in a bad way...although I quite liked the colour scheme of the bridge in "The Cage." We can also see the beginnings of a more multiracial crew aboard.

With all deference to Jeffrey Hunter but William Shatner lights up the screen here. Pike is good but Kirk is magnetic. Shatner gives him such an easy going charm and approachability. We also begin to see Spock's evolution and the kernels of the Kirk/Spock relationship. Another aspect that lifts this up is the calibre of the guest characters, Gary Mitchell and Elizabeth Dehner and Lee Kelso. Each of them bring a somehow already fleshed out feel to their performances.

Two words really come to mind in regard to this production: smooth and energetic. Outside of Star Trek SF on television won't be anywhere near this good for decades to come. Other than TOS Star Trek won't see this calibre of storytelling until a couple of episodes in TNG's second season---namely, "The Measure Of A Man."

A fantastic pilot!! More good acting by secondary characters, one of Shatner's best performances through the whole series! An ominous, sort of mysterious feel conjured up by excellent music and Lockwood's performances. This episode would have cemented in anyone's mind that this was a different sort of SF seres if it had aired first on Sept 8th, 1966. Special Credit goes to Sally Kellerman, who's character sadly dies in the episode. She would have madea great addition to the crew. I can say the episode is nearly flawless. The TOS-R version is AGAIN an improvement over the original, making the central scenery of the galactic barrier seem more realistic and wonderous.

As good as this is, the STNG episode that shares a theme with this episode (the mind controlling reality) is genuinely right up there with it...I have trouble ranking one or the other higher, though I tend to lean slightly in the STNG episode's direction, with a great if truncated version of Diane Duane's "The Wounded Sky" novel.

Another note: It appears Gary Mitchell may STILL be the front runner for the antagonist of JJ Abram's new film. I think that shows what an impact WNMHG made.

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" *****

A scientist presumed lost holds Kirk and Chapel captive to protect his secret.

Cool! I didn't pay much attention to this so many years ago when I first saw it, but over the years it's really grown on me. For first time viewers there's a wonderful twist at the end that goes a long way to explain Roger Corby's behaviour.

I love the acting in this. First Season TOS really explodes the caricature of Shatner's acting. This is quite polished throughout most of it. And there are so many details I like in this episode:
- the two-tone jumpsuits.
- Ruk's alien appearance (nice having an alien android as opposed to another human one).
- Corby's assistant Andrea's outfit!
- Kirk's first tangling with a computer with his own brand of logic. First Andrea, then Ruk and then finally Corby.
- Majel Barrett is rather decent in this story that gives her quite a bit of screen time.
- I love the way Kirk is quick thinking. He puts things together quickly and "implants" a message to Spock when his android copy is being made.

Ruk is the only one who doesn't wig out---he just acknowledges the doubts Kirk vocalized. You could rationalize that Corby didn't freeze up, but rather that Kirk finally reached some remnant of humanity in him.

This is quite a good science fiction story. I also can't help but smile when I see this take on androids as compared to Data on TNG. But the polish of this really shows up the ridiculousness of the androids as depicted in TOS' "I, Mudd."

Kind of a blah episode. Mad scientist simplistic. No one bothers to question whether or not a robot/andorid could actually be sentient. AI is basically rejected out of hand. Nurse Chapel immediately rejects the Korby android. Korby could have been interesting, but he basically wanted to take over the world, ha ha!! TOS really didn't have a very mature view about machines or robots. They were instinctually bad. Thank goodness Trek (especialy later series) were not always constructed this way thematically. It took 1979's STTMP for Trek to finally have a mature outlook on advanced AI. Production design for the episode was not particularly good, even making allowances for the time period. Plusses? Ruk is nifty as a large original android constructed by the "Old Ones". I would have liked to have known more about the builders. ** 1/2 generous stars.

"Dagger Of The Mind" *****

An escaped inmate compels Kirk to investigate a respected medical facility.

Aren't old shows supposed to be creaky and dated? And yet here again we have another excellent turn at storytelling. We also get to appreciate more of Star Trek's sense of theatre. First time viewers may well get a sense of the creeps with this one and even if you've seen it before there's still an unsettling sense to parts of it.

Morgan Woodward really sells the atmosphere initially with his portrayal of the raving Dr. Simon Van Gelder. He's really unhinged, and somewhat over the top, but you still feel for him. We then get to meet one of the hottest beauties in all the franchise: Dr. Helen Noel. Dr. Adams is a disarming and very easy going mad scientist which serves to make him more chilling. We also get to see for the first time the now famous Vulcan mind meld and it's done with an appropriate eerie atmosphere.

As much as I like this episode there are still quibbles in it. Helen Noel may have been stepping beyond professionalism when she made her quite personal suggestion to Kirk while he was under the influence of the Neural Neutralizer. And Dr. Adams must really be the one unhinged to assault a Starfleet Captain in such a way---did he really think Kirk's crew and Starfleet would accept another "accident" explanation for Kirk's condition? Finally: my they have quite large ventilation ducts in those hospitals of the 23rd century!

I have some problems with the premise, though I will chalk it up to a proto-idea of ST's universe that was ill-conceived. I really like this episode though. The performance of Morgan Woodward stands out, as does the ending, where Adams is perceived to be as alone as anyone who has gone under the machine's rays. Kudos tothe TOS-R with providing yet another outstanding and original matte painting to give each and every locale in TOS it's own identity. ***1/2

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:Tantalus_V_surface_remastered.jpg

RAMA

 

[CorporalCaptain]

A key thing to keep in mind, when something is burned beyond recognition, is that it is not possible to establish whose body it is. Even if DNA could be recovered from the body, it wouldn't be Kodos's, and it wouldn't be known whose it was. Therefore, to escape recognition, Kodos need only make sure that there is no authenticated sample of his own DNA in existence.

 

[BillJ]

Therefore, to escape recognition, Kodos need only make sure that there is no authenticated sample of his own DNA in existence.

A good point. But do we know enough about Kodos to know whether or not that was within his means?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Nope. But I bet Kodos had access to a Feinberger or two.

 

[BillJ]

Nope. But I bet Kodos had access to a Feinberger or two.

 

[RAMA]

The body they found was burned beyond recognition. The fire could've been intense enough to preclude the recovery of any useful DNA. OR, the body could've been altered in some way to make it likely that a false DNA identification would be made.

Yes. I agree the fire could have been that intense. But I also believe that he would have left something behind somewhere along the way to Tarsus IV.

A medical record or transporter trace... something. And I believe the investigation into Kodos would have been intense, whether he was dead or not.

Of course, it's possible that Anton Karidian found a way to alter his own DNA... but we'll never know.

Its not a question of if they can identify the burned remains once a potential living breathing suspect is found, the question is whether Kodos had DNA samples taken sometime before he went to the colony, then hey would have samples archived somewhere. Now Kodos may have found alien technology or something that would have given a fake reading or totally masked his DNA from tests.

One would think that well known people would have a lot of attention with post mortem invstigation, but as we saw with JFK...a wide range of innaccuracies no doubt caused by the mayhem involved with the assassination led to conspiracy theories that exist to this day.

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

"The Galileo Seven" *****

Spock and a shuttlecraft crew crash land on an inhospitable planet.

There are quibbles in it, but I find this a good and well told story. This is the first time we see the Enterprise's shuttlecraft which was previously only referred to in "The Conscience Of The King." We also get to see the shuttlecraft flight deck miniature---very cool. And the episode opens with a beautiful image of the Enterprise. This may also be the first time we here a different (and more widely familiar) version of the opening them that sounds less electronic and more orchestral.

I think a little too much is made of the idea of "Spock's first command." It doesn't really make sense. Spock's been in Starfleet perhaps around seventeen years and aboard the Enterprise for perhaps thirteen. He's commanded the ship in Kirk's absence. And he likely must have been in charge of landing parties over those years, so the "first command" reference doesn't really sound right. I can also see that at least Boma would find at least a disciplinary entry in his service record for his disrespectful and insubordinate behaviour towards Spock. And the shared laugh at the end is just a bit much.

For some of us who are into the treknology of Star Trek I loved what we got to see of the shuttlecraft and related facilities. I really enjoyed Kirk's interchanges with Commissioner Ferris. Near everything seemed to come together for this episode. And it's here I think Nimoy is starting to get a more focused grasp of his character.

One of my favorites...nice cast of characters, a real mission on an inhospitable planet. Spock is the central focus, who learns that he has to balance his logic with the reality that he has to work with others who DO have emotions. Probably something he has known before, but in a microcosm of ship's life, the intensity level complete with a life or death situation drove it home.

The episode continues the long line of annyoing, irrational, or otherwise pig-headed authority figures within Starfleet or the UFP, which continued on through most of the following movies and series.

The TOS-R expands the limited FX from the original to an almost glorious level. Finally realistic shuttle movements and a great look at Murasaki 312! Didn't mind the physical FX being pretty moderate, the giants were effective enough.

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:Murasaki312,_remastered.jpg

RAMA

 

[Warped9]

"The Menagerie" Part II ****

Spock presents his evidence as to why he abducted Captain Pike.

Many of the same comments I made regarding Part I also apply to the conclusion of this story. In many respects the framing scenes and the reused footage from "The Cage" compliment each other. The necessary editing to the reused footage help tighten up the original story and it also makes a nice juxtaposition with the more "contemporary" setting of the Kirk era. "The Menagerie" also works better if you've never before seen the original pilot episode on its own, at least that's my feeling.

The conclusion to the story works well here, perhaps even better than it did for the original pilot on its own as the Keeper shows Kirk how Pike can be freed from his useless body.

If I have a complaint it has nothing to do with the episode but with how this was remastered. I'm pretty damned sure that the music at the beginning of the episode immediately following the opening credits is not the original track, but something from the second season inexplicably inserted in its place. I found it jarring because there is a distinct difference in style in the music from Season 1 to season 2. I also suspect that they added the TOS era sound effect of the transporter in with the original transporter sound effect from "The Cage." For me this sort of "fixing" (tampering really) really rankles me, right up there with adding incorrect photon torpedo sound effects to the phaser burst in "Balance Of Terror."

 

[Harvey]

The new Blu-Rays have the original mono sound mixes, no?

 

[Warped9]

^^ I've never seen TOS on BluRay so I don't know. I haven't seen much of TOS-R either as I'm watching the episodes from the sets released when the series was first issued in dvd sets in the coloured clam shell cases.