Journey to Babel is my second favorite TOS episode. The Doomsday Machine is number one, and The City on the Edge of Forever is number three.
Revisiting Star Trek TOS/TAS...
- Thread starter Warped9
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Not much to disagree with here.
This is the episode I've shown each of my three kids on how not to fight. I've always told them, "you fight like this and you WILL get your ass kicked".
Yeah, unfortunately Kirk hurts himself before he is stabbed, because he misses his gravity attack.
Which is actually a nice touch since again it shows that while Kirk can be very cool he can also make mistakes.
I have a half-finished fanfic in the works where Kirk is layed up in a starbase hospital right after this episode, and Carol Marcus comes to visit. She asks how he got stabbed, and he's hesitant to tell her. She suddenly blurts, "You tried that stupid body-slam thing Gary taught you, didn't you? That never works!" 
I have a half-finished fanfic in the works where Kirk is layed up in a starbase hospital right after this episode, and Carol Marcus comes to visit. She asks how he got stabbed, and he's hesitant to tell her. She suddenly blurts, "You tried that stupid body-slam thing Gary taught you, didn't you? That never works!"
Right.
I have a half-finished fanfic in the works where Kirk is layed up in a starbase hospital right after this episode, and Carol Marcus comes to visit. She asks how he got stabbed, and he's hesitant to tell her. She suddenly blurts, "You tried that stupid body-slam thing Gary taught you, didn't you? That never works!"
Perfect!
Alien behavior is something that TOS often nailed. Casting actors with unique accents and appearance more than made up for the lack of elaborate make-ups or prosthetics. Completely agree with your comments on Shras. I would add T'Pau and the Image of Surak to this list. Just compare their character's portrayal in TOS vs. ENT. Modern Trek has focused more often on the outward appearance (forehead of the week and cookie-cutter Vulcans, Romulans, Klingons, etc.) than on an exotic performance. I'm not saying that TOS style was the only way to portray aliens, only that it was quite effective. The Chief Electorine of Haven was an early TNG example that followed this technique.
To GNDN's list of well-suited alien actors, I think one should add France Nguyen (Elaan) and Jay Robinson (Petri).
Yes. Very much agreed.
But we need to be careful or we may wander into the substance vs. style debate.
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"The Conscience Of The King" ***
A friend's murder leads Kirk to believe an aging stage actor could be a criminal long presumed dead.
===========================================
I though that this episode has one of the best retorts in the Trek franchise:
Lenore (To Kirk): Who are you to say what harm's been done?
Kirk: Who do I have to be?
Great retort, and it usually results in the same look as Lenore gave Kirk when used in the real world! -lol
A friend's murder leads Kirk to believe an aging stage actor could be a criminal long presumed dead.
===========================================
I though that this episode has one of the best retorts in the Trek franchise:
Lenore (To Kirk): Who are you to say what harm's been done?
Kirk: Who do I have to be?
Great retort, and it usually results in the same look as Lenore gave Kirk when used in the real world! -lol
“Journey To Babel” *****
The Enterprise comes under attack while ferrying Federation representatives to an important conference.
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This episode is a classic as it introduces us to the "James T. Kirk flying ass-punch" technique.
This technique, when landing on a hard surface, such as a floor, will leave the participant stunned and dazed, and as a "reward" for their poor judgment for utilizing this technique, the participant will receive a knife in the back!
But kudos to Shatner for trying.
The Enterprise comes under attack while ferrying Federation representatives to an important conference.
============================================
This episode is a classic as it introduces us to the "James T. Kirk flying ass-punch" technique.
This technique, when landing on a hard surface, such as a floor, will leave the participant stunned and dazed, and as a "reward" for their poor judgment for utilizing this technique, the participant will receive a knife in the back!
But kudos to Shatner for trying.
“Bread And Circuses” ****
The wreckage of a missing merchant ship leads to a world resembling a 20th century Roman Empire.
This episode is a lot of fun with quite a few good moments. McCoy and Spock's banter is spot on. All the characters are good. But it's the verbal sparring and contest of wills between the Proconsul and Kirk that really lights up this story. And Kirk really illustrates why he and Merrick are distinctly different breeds.
--Merrick: "He commands not just a spaceship, Proconsul, but a starship. Very special vessel and crew. I tried for such command..."
And if the Roman TV network didn't cut transmission then the audience got quite a surprise in place of the simple execution they were led to expect.
This episode really does play on one of the ideas used to sell Star Trek as a series: that of using parallel worlds to stage a story. Here they play with the rather interesting idea of a Roman Empire that manages to avoid decline and fall and to survive into an industrial age similar to mid twentieth century Earth while also institutionalizing slavery within its society. And like ancient Rome here on Earth we also see the early roots of a new philosophy that could well signal the eventual end of this alien Roman Empire. On that point I quite like that for a change it's Uhura who really grasps it all and it explains it to her superior officers. Nice touch.
All isn't perfect, though. I think there is some sloppy writing or sloppy thinking. How could Kirk be so adamant about heeding the Prime Directive and yet they hastily beam down in their own uniforms and loaded with obvious non native equipment. They couldn't have done a bit of research first and tried to adapt something approximating native clothing? Spock doesn't even make any effort to cover his ears. And for all the caution about making references to other worlds they all seem to be a little loose with their words among the slaves.
But you don't have much time to dwell on the flubs because this story moves right along and the characters keep you engaged.
Kind of a non-sensical episode for a myriad reasons, but one can almost forgive that because it feels like Roddenberry gets in a good jibe or three with a parody of the state of television production. Not one I'd show to a non-trekker. **stars
“Journey To Babel” *****
The Enterprise comes under attack while ferrying Federation representatives to an important conference.
Simply, in layman's terms, this is good shit.
Love this episode. Finally a story that makes the UFP FEEL like A UFP! Enjoyed the political struggles, the mass of aliens (albeit chintzy, but they were effective). The episode that set the pattern for how Spock was perceived in his childhood, and was carried on through Yesteryear and ST09. Mark Lenard was a wonder, he never failed to be interesting in a role. High marks for the TOS-R, I had always hoped to see an actual ship appear here to make the threat more apparent (little twirly lights don't cut it) so it raises that subplot almost up to the level of the high drama of Sarek and Spock. *****stars
http://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/str044orion2.jpg
RAMA
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Its hard to portray this technique when there's supposed to be a universal translator built in to the comm badge. We shouldn't hear accents at all with a translator. But it has not always been consistently demonstrated.
You gotta love the irony of Spock and McCoy worrying about Kirk and the very next thing we see Kirk "suffering" and being "tortured" at the hands of the Proconsul's slave Drusilla.
I love when Kirk tells them later that he was "thrown a few curves".
You gotta love the irony of Spock and McCoy worrying about Kirk and the very next thing we see Kirk "suffering" and being "tortured" at the hands of the Proconsul's slave Drusilla.
I love when Kirk tells them later that he was "thrown a few curves".
I think this episode had one of the most memorable "villains" of TOS and the best "burn" in all of Star Trek:
"Would you leave us, Merik? The thoughts of one man to another cannot possibly interest you.", the man called Merik a bitch.
Every time I see this episode I laugh my ass off.
“A Private Little War” ****
Kirk and McCoy investigate whether the Klingons are interfering with a primitive culture.
Listening to Kirk and McCoy argue the situation you have to wonder how the Vietnam War---their 20th century brush wars---is seen and remembered in the 23rd century.
Under normal circumstances the Federation couldn't say boo to the Klingons interfering in any culture since the Klingons apparently have no noninterference directive. But since this planet is supposed to be hands-off because of the Organian Peace Treaty, violation of which could mean renewed hostilities and war. Kirk is left to decide whether just to report back or try to minimize the interference by restoring the status quo. It's certainly not the perfect solution, but it does leapfrog over prolonged months or perhaps years of diplomatic jockeying between the Federation and the Empire.
If this planet is protected under treaty then it stands to reason it must be situated within a sensitive or disputed area of space between the two powers. Perhaps the Klingons reason that if they can sway the inhabitants to side with them then they can claim jurisdiction and then exploit the planet for their own means as well as use it as a foothold to expand their territory. I don't know. This is certainly a more dramatic and perhaps even more serious situation than just trying to poison some grain in hopes to discredit the Federation in order to secure Sherman's Planet (re: "The Trouble With Tribbles").
This also leads me to wonder how long the Prime Directive has been in place and official Starfleet policy because Kirk lets out that Tyree already knew what phasers are and where Kirk comes from.
Maybe the Prime Directive isn't that old which could also explain things like how the natives in "Friday's Child" were well aware of Earth men from the sky.
This story certainly has plenty to debate about it---a good thing. It also has a lot of fun run-and-jump---another good thing. More good stuff in that we finally see another doctor aboard ship, MBenga, who we'll see return later down the road.
Another nameless Klingon, but at least he's got some makeup and while somewhat token he's way ahead of Tigre Andrews and William Campbell.
The mugato is really something of a throwaway construct. What kind of evolutionary development would bring about a large primate with poisonous fangs??? And what's with the horn on its head(?)...unless it's not a horn and is something else. Ditto the spines down its back. Maybe it doesn't have that much strength and/or endurance and so it's poisonous bite is to help incapacitate its prey or attackers?
Kirk and McCoy investigate whether the Klingons are interfering with a primitive culture.
Listening to Kirk and McCoy argue the situation you have to wonder how the Vietnam War---their 20th century brush wars---is seen and remembered in the 23rd century.
Under normal circumstances the Federation couldn't say boo to the Klingons interfering in any culture since the Klingons apparently have no noninterference directive. But since this planet is supposed to be hands-off because of the Organian Peace Treaty, violation of which could mean renewed hostilities and war. Kirk is left to decide whether just to report back or try to minimize the interference by restoring the status quo. It's certainly not the perfect solution, but it does leapfrog over prolonged months or perhaps years of diplomatic jockeying between the Federation and the Empire.
If this planet is protected under treaty then it stands to reason it must be situated within a sensitive or disputed area of space between the two powers. Perhaps the Klingons reason that if they can sway the inhabitants to side with them then they can claim jurisdiction and then exploit the planet for their own means as well as use it as a foothold to expand their territory. I don't know. This is certainly a more dramatic and perhaps even more serious situation than just trying to poison some grain in hopes to discredit the Federation in order to secure Sherman's Planet (re: "The Trouble With Tribbles").
This also leads me to wonder how long the Prime Directive has been in place and official Starfleet policy because Kirk lets out that Tyree already knew what phasers are and where Kirk comes from.
Maybe the Prime Directive isn't that old which could also explain things like how the natives in "Friday's Child" were well aware of Earth men from the sky.This story certainly has plenty to debate about it---a good thing. It also has a lot of fun run-and-jump---another good thing. More good stuff in that we finally see another doctor aboard ship, MBenga, who we'll see return later down the road.
Another nameless Klingon, but at least he's got some makeup and while somewhat token he's way ahead of Tigre Andrews and William Campbell.
The mugato is really something of a throwaway construct. What kind of evolutionary development would bring about a large primate with poisonous fangs??? And what's with the horn on its head(?)...unless it's not a horn and is something else. Ditto the spines down its back. Maybe it doesn't have that much strength and/or endurance and so it's poisonous bite is to help incapacitate its prey or attackers?
“A Private Little War” ****
Kirk and McCoy investigate whether the Klingons are interfering with a primitive culture.
Listening to Kirk and McCoy argue the situation you have to wonder how the Vietnam War---their 20th century brush wars---is seen and remembered in the 23rd century.
Under normal circumstances the Federation couldn't say boo to the Klingons interfering in any culture since the Klingons apparently have no noninterference directive. But since this planet is supposed to be hands-off because of the Organian Peace Treaty, violation of which could mean renewed hostilities and war. Kirk is left to decide whether just to report back or try to minimize the interference by restoring the status quo. It's certainly not the perfect solution, but it does leapfrog over prolonged months or perhaps years of diplomatic jockeying between the Federation and the Empire.
If this planet is protected under treaty then it stands to reason it must be situated within a sensitive or disputed area of space between the two powers. Perhaps the Klingons reason that if they can sway the inhabitants to side with them then they can claim jurisdiction and then exploit the planet for their own means as well as use it as a foothold to expand their territory. I don't know. This is certainly a more dramatic and perhaps even more serious situation than just trying to poison some grain in hopes to discredit the Federation in order to secure Sherman's Planet (re: "The Trouble With Tribbles").
This also leads me to wonder how long the Prime Directive has been in place and official Starfleet policy because Kirk lets out that Tyree already knew what phasers are and where Kirk comes from.
This story certainly has plenty to debate about it---a good thing. It also has a lot of fun run-and-jump---another good thing. More good stuff in that we finally see another doctor aboard ship, MBenga, who we'll see return later down the road.
Another nameless Klingon, but at least he's got some makeup and while somewhat token he's way ahead of Tigre Andrews and William Campbell.
The mugato is really something of a throwaway construct. What kind of evolutionary development would bring about a large primate with poisonous fangs??? And what's with the horn on its head(?)...unless it's not a horn and is something else. Ditto the spines down its back. Maybe it doesn't have that much strength and/or endurance and so it's poisonous bite is to help incapacitate its prey or attackers?
So Kirk decides the Vietnam War is an awesome idea, except with even less of a reason to involve themselves in one. No other alternative is thought of at all. There's some silliness with the native witch, and it all devolves to melodrama by the end. The PD is a mere afterthought by this time. We haven't even hit the 3rd season yet...Blah. There's a distressing similarity to some of the plots of episodes by this point, followed by a few others like "patterns of Force". ** stars
RAMA
I'd like to read the early drafts of "A Private Little War" that were written before Roddenberry got his hands on it. Apparently Don Ingalls' take on the material's Vietnam allegory was far less hawkish than Roddenberry's, resulting in him being credited under a pseudonym (Jud Crucis -- an obvious enough wordplay on "Jesus Crucified" that I'm surprised it made it through) when it comes to the final episode.
It's been ages since I've seen it, though, so I won't be able to speak to its politics.
It's been ages since I've seen it, though, so I won't be able to speak to its politics.
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