Revist of UNfavorite Episodes
- Thread starter Ssosmcin
- Start date
Yes, our local CBS affiliate would show TOS on the weekends. The film editor must have just bribed his/her way out of film school. There were no clean cuts; he/she literally ripped whole chunks of episodes out! I would scream at the tv because of this crime!
I watched the Star Trek reruns right from the beginning, around '69 or '70, all the way to 1986 or so.
At the beginning, I 'think' they weren't making any cuts but I may be wrong about that and soon they started cutting about a minute out anyway. As the '70s wore on they would cut more and more until in the mid '80s, they were cutting five or six minutes out. The episodes were getting really herky jerky by then. I would remember scenes that I hadin't seen for a long time, later in the episode "Ultimate Computer", there's a shot of the three surviving starships flying in formation with a gap in the forth position, I hadn't seen that shot for over a decade.
And in "Balance of Terror", the shot of the BoP gone belly up and a cut to Uhura at the conn or helm looking horrified at what they had done to the BoP was another one I hadn't seen for a long time.
Incidentally, there's an interesting parallel I noticed between this shot of Uhura's stricken look and the movie ST:TWOK. When after Kirk and co. gives the death blow to the Reliant, there's a shot of Sulu with the same horrified look on his face as he sees the damage they've done to the Reliant.
Anyway, by 1985 watching Star Trek with so many cuts was getting very frustrating. And then my father bought our first VCR. I know it was just before the 1986 superbowl because he wanted to tape the Chicago Bears playing the superbowl, we were living in the Chicago suberbs then.
So at the video rental store down the street, there were a few Star Trek videos that had two episodes per tape. The first one I rented was "Balance of Terror" and "Space Seed". Man, it was just so amazing to be able to play the episodes whenever I wanted, and yes, they were uncut, the first I'd seen for well over a decade if ever. I even timed them with my watch, they were the full 50 or 51 minutes and yes, the belly up BoP and Uhura's stricken look was back. I was still smoking pot then so I got high and watched the two episodes three times in a row, my first Star Trek binge.
Curiously, the picture quality wasn't very good, it looked to me like they had gotten the episodes from old 16 mm film but they were uncut.
It wasn't long before Paramount started releasing the single episode tapes that had a much better picture. I was lucky, the guy who owned the video rental store down the street was a Star Trek fan. So he got every one of the Paramount releases as they came out which was a relief for me because I couldn't afford to buy them then.
So after that, I never watched cut down episodes again.
By the way, talking about atrocious cuts, back then in the '70s and '80s when I lived in the Chicago area, one TV station would show movies on weekday afternoons from 3:30 to 5 o'clock, only a 90 minute time slot. Man, you wouldn't believe how much they would cut. There was at least 25 minutes for commercials so they were cutting full length movies down to at the most, 65 minutes. Lord, it was just plain unwatchable, imagine a two hour movie cut down to no more than 65 minutes, they were not at all shy about showing long movies in that forrible time slot. No matter how desperate you were to watch a certain movie, it was too frustrating to watch it so badly mangles, it was like they were just showing highlights from these movies.
End of ancient rant about '80s Chicago daytime TV programming.
Robert
At the beginning, I 'think' they weren't making any cuts but I may be wrong about that and soon they started cutting about a minute out anyway. As the '70s wore on they would cut more and more until in the mid '80s, they were cutting five or six minutes out. The episodes were getting really herky jerky by then. I would remember scenes that I hadin't seen for a long time, later in the episode "Ultimate Computer", there's a shot of the three surviving starships flying in formation with a gap in the forth position, I hadn't seen that shot for over a decade.
And in "Balance of Terror", the shot of the BoP gone belly up and a cut to Uhura at the conn or helm looking horrified at what they had done to the BoP was another one I hadn't seen for a long time.
Incidentally, there's an interesting parallel I noticed between this shot of Uhura's stricken look and the movie ST:TWOK. When after Kirk and co. gives the death blow to the Reliant, there's a shot of Sulu with the same horrified look on his face as he sees the damage they've done to the Reliant.
Anyway, by 1985 watching Star Trek with so many cuts was getting very frustrating. And then my father bought our first VCR. I know it was just before the 1986 superbowl because he wanted to tape the Chicago Bears playing the superbowl, we were living in the Chicago suberbs then.
So at the video rental store down the street, there were a few Star Trek videos that had two episodes per tape. The first one I rented was "Balance of Terror" and "Space Seed". Man, it was just so amazing to be able to play the episodes whenever I wanted, and yes, they were uncut, the first I'd seen for well over a decade if ever. I even timed them with my watch, they were the full 50 or 51 minutes and yes, the belly up BoP and Uhura's stricken look was back. I was still smoking pot then so I got high and watched the two episodes three times in a row, my first Star Trek binge.
Curiously, the picture quality wasn't very good, it looked to me like they had gotten the episodes from old 16 mm film but they were uncut.
It wasn't long before Paramount started releasing the single episode tapes that had a much better picture. I was lucky, the guy who owned the video rental store down the street was a Star Trek fan. So he got every one of the Paramount releases as they came out which was a relief for me because I couldn't afford to buy them then.
So after that, I never watched cut down episodes again.
By the way, talking about atrocious cuts, back then in the '70s and '80s when I lived in the Chicago area, one TV station would show movies on weekday afternoons from 3:30 to 5 o'clock, only a 90 minute time slot. Man, you wouldn't believe how much they would cut. There was at least 25 minutes for commercials so they were cutting full length movies down to at the most, 65 minutes. Lord, it was just plain unwatchable, imagine a two hour movie cut down to no more than 65 minutes, they were not at all shy about showing long movies in that forrible time slot. No matter how desperate you were to watch a certain movie, it was too frustrating to watch it so badly mangles, it was like they were just showing highlights from these movies.
End of ancient rant about '80s Chicago daytime TV programming.
Robert
Your story is a lot like mine, yours just started a few years sooner. I was born right at the end of 1967 and my earlier Trek related memory was just before my 5th birthday. So either I was watching from the cradle or my family had me in front of the TV when WPIX in NY started running it (more likely). So this is my 50th year as a fan. Go me.
Sometimes, while watching Trek, my brain still registers the scenes I didn't see until the 80's on VHS. It does get a little jumbled with the memories of the cut episodes done by Paramount, so I'm not 100% on a lot of them anymore, but I remember a few.
Balance of Terror was missing the same shot yours was as well as the entire conversation between Kirk and Bones ("don't destroy the one named Kirk").
WNMHGB had some bad cuts. Act 2, going from the start of Kirk's log to Spock watching Mitchell on the bridge. A lot of Kirk's journey to find Mitchell and Dehner and the worst was cutting the start of Kirk's final log entry to the Enterprise traveling away, dropping the mention of Mitchell's service record and Spock's expression of emotion.
Still, having said all that, I miss the 70's syndication days. So many of the shows being rerun really took off and were more popular in reruns than on the networks.
Sometimes, while watching Trek, my brain still registers the scenes I didn't see until the 80's on VHS. It does get a little jumbled with the memories of the cut episodes done by Paramount, so I'm not 100% on a lot of them anymore, but I remember a few.
Balance of Terror was missing the same shot yours was as well as the entire conversation between Kirk and Bones ("don't destroy the one named Kirk").
WNMHGB had some bad cuts. Act 2, going from the start of Kirk's log to Spock watching Mitchell on the bridge. A lot of Kirk's journey to find Mitchell and Dehner and the worst was cutting the start of Kirk's final log entry to the Enterprise traveling away, dropping the mention of Mitchell's service record and Spock's expression of emotion.
Still, having said all that, I miss the 70's syndication days. So many of the shows being rerun really took off and were more popular in reruns than on the networks.
I can't remember what Chicago station Star Trek was on, maybe it was WGN. I know for certain the fact that I can't remember has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I was smoking pot back then.
But I DO remember first run TNG was on channel 50. I videotaped each TNG episode and they plastered that "deleted, deleted' 50 logo bug on the screen once or twice in every episode.
Robert
But I DO remember first run TNG was on channel 50. I videotaped each TNG episode and they plastered that "deleted, deleted' 50 logo bug on the screen once or twice in every episode.
Robert
Huh? Stricken? I always thought she was looking on with pleasure at the destruction of an enemy:
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https://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x14hd/balanceofterrorhd652.jpg
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I'm not reading pleasure in her expression. I'm not seeing horror either but she certainly wasn't gleeful in victory. She has a look of someone who's looking at the aftermath of a bad car accident.
Nobody looks thrilled at the outcome. I don't think they found much joy in this.
Oh so back on my on topic, I sucked it up and watched "I, Mudd" last night. It had been years since I've seen it as I don't really like Star Trek as a full-on comedy and prefer the humor come from tension relieving character interactions. Or, at the very least, keep the character in character.
"I, Mudd" starts off promising. The McCoy / Spock banter is a gem and Spock seems particularly testy when he delivers the "beads and rattles" blow, which is really just great.
Then it starts to fall apart.
Marc Daniels proves again he's the wrong man for directing and staging fights as Norman's stunt double is painfully obvious. Worse is the editing when Norman shoves Scotty. Doohan hits the wall, slides down and stops. That needed to be cut a split second sooner. Then Doohan's own "Captain! He's here!" and slumps his head - and only his head. Like he's sneezing.
At first Kirk is amused at being "on a little trip" (and even Spock responds like it's just an interesting day at the office), then just a minute later he's annoyed. You're ship is being hijacked, Don'tcha think you should be a little more concerned.
This is not yet a comedy, mind you. But it's still unintentionally funny.
After Norman shuts himself off after he sets the ship on course, I get why nobody fires a phaser at him because they can't stop the ship without him. But both Uhura and Chekov nearly walk into him as if they don't expect him to be there after FOUR DAYS of his not moving. Ever put a trash can in the middle of the hallway? After a short time, you get used to it being there.
Why am I noticing all of this? Because I'm having a rotten time.
Finally they beam down and meet Mudd (who apparently asked for specific people by job title - why Chekov???). Carmel is no long the vaguely sinister drug dealer with a heart of gold. He's over the top and "Roger C'ing" all over the screen. Everyone plays it too broadly, overselling the comedy like borscht belt comedians. I only laughed three times: twice with Stella and once when Harry said "Spock you're going to love it here, they all think and talk exactly like you do." Those are genius. And CHARACTER bits.
Other than that. Ugh. I remember laughing as a kid, but after that, this one fell to the bottom of the list. I have gone on record saying that I don't hate any episode of this series, but this one really puts that claim to the test.
Rumor has it that this is what soured Roddenberry on Gene Coon. If it's true, I get it, because this is just awful.
"I, Mudd" and "A Piece of the Action" fall at the very bottom of the list for me. Well below the worst of the third season, honestly. At least "Tribbles" kept everyone in character, which is why I enjoy it. I know this is a favorite of a lot of fans and the cast, but holy jeez.... I need never watch this one again.
"I, Mudd" starts off promising. The McCoy / Spock banter is a gem and Spock seems particularly testy when he delivers the "beads and rattles" blow, which is really just great.
Then it starts to fall apart.
Marc Daniels proves again he's the wrong man for directing and staging fights as Norman's stunt double is painfully obvious. Worse is the editing when Norman shoves Scotty. Doohan hits the wall, slides down and stops. That needed to be cut a split second sooner. Then Doohan's own "Captain! He's here!" and slumps his head - and only his head. Like he's sneezing.
At first Kirk is amused at being "on a little trip" (and even Spock responds like it's just an interesting day at the office), then just a minute later he's annoyed. You're ship is being hijacked, Don'tcha think you should be a little more concerned.
This is not yet a comedy, mind you. But it's still unintentionally funny.
After Norman shuts himself off after he sets the ship on course, I get why nobody fires a phaser at him because they can't stop the ship without him. But both Uhura and Chekov nearly walk into him as if they don't expect him to be there after FOUR DAYS of his not moving. Ever put a trash can in the middle of the hallway? After a short time, you get used to it being there.
Why am I noticing all of this? Because I'm having a rotten time.
Finally they beam down and meet Mudd (who apparently asked for specific people by job title - why Chekov???). Carmel is no long the vaguely sinister drug dealer with a heart of gold. He's over the top and "Roger C'ing" all over the screen. Everyone plays it too broadly, overselling the comedy like borscht belt comedians. I only laughed three times: twice with Stella and once when Harry said "Spock you're going to love it here, they all think and talk exactly like you do." Those are genius. And CHARACTER bits.
Other than that. Ugh. I remember laughing as a kid, but after that, this one fell to the bottom of the list. I have gone on record saying that I don't hate any episode of this series, but this one really puts that claim to the test.
Rumor has it that this is what soured Roddenberry on Gene Coon. If it's true, I get it, because this is just awful.
"I, Mudd" and "A Piece of the Action" fall at the very bottom of the list for me. Well below the worst of the third season, honestly. At least "Tribbles" kept everyone in character, which is why I enjoy it. I know this is a favorite of a lot of fans and the cast, but holy jeez.... I need never watch this one again.
Try watching it on a TV from 1968.
Norman tells them exactly what will happen if they use phasers.
Frankly, I think the dialogue in I, Mudd is mostly outstanding. The humor isn't for everybody, I guess, but there are many, many clever lines.
Yeah you're right. I must have tuned out for a second...
I found it funnier on the page than on screen. I felt the dialog was funny enough without the pushing done by the cast. But, that's a matter of taste and mine skews away from broad comedy.
I think I, Mudd would have been better if linked to What Are Little Girls Made Of in some way. We don't know how much is reported to the crew following a mission like that but it could have been a chance to lend some backstory and credibility to the android threat and showcase Chapel a bit.
Very much in agreement. “I, Mudd” doesn’t have much standing with me and I feel it’s definitely the worst of the comedy episodes.
I also thought the android behaviour was way too shtick. They were certainly nothing like the androids in “What are Little Girls Made Of?” or Rayna in “Requiem For Methuselah.”
There was a potentially dramatic story buried in this and it was just wasted.
I like the other two comedies: Kirk is put-upon in Tribbles and he's a fish out of water who adapts brilliantly in Piece. It's funny. It works as a change of pace, not every week.
But "I Mudd" tries to be funny in the wrong way for Star Trek. The plan to defeat the androids is just la-de-da silly time. That's a problem.
In 1966-67, Lost in Space lost its mind in the wake of Batman's initial, insane popularity, while Star Trek escaped untouched by the goofy craze. ST had a stronger, more decided vision for what it wanted to do. But "I Mudd" is like Star Trek got the sniffles when Lost in Space had pneumonia.
Of all the original series comedy episodes, Tribbles is the best. Kirk has a problem and that problem gets bigger and bigger. Kirk gets more and more frazzled as he goes on. He always had trouble with bureaucrats and Nils Baris is one of the most annoying. Kirk deals with every situation and how he deals with a lot of it is funny - but Kirk isn't BEING funny. Nobody is going out of their way to BE funny. The reactions to what's going on are all in character and amusing. Kirk reacting to Scotty belting Korax because the Enterprise was insulted but Kirk wasn't is amazing. Shatner is perfect here, starting with anger, going with pride and then crestfallen sheepishness. Doohan, who has a tendency to go very broad with Scotty at this stage of the series forward plays it just right. Spock plays off Kirk perfectly and Bones is just amused by everything until it turns more serious for them. The broad comedy is shouldered by Cyrano Jones and the guests.
This is how I like my Star Trek comedy. Light but plausible, with humor coming naturally from the characters. When they put on a pantomime and costumes for the laughs, then yes, we get latter season Lost in Space.
But, I totally understand I'm in a minority. I really don't enjoy Star Trek IV once they reach the 20th century. I like all of the 23rd century stuff just fine.
This is how I like my Star Trek comedy. Light but plausible, with humor coming naturally from the characters. When they put on a pantomime and costumes for the laughs, then yes, we get latter season Lost in Space.
But, I totally understand I'm in a minority. I really don't enjoy Star Trek IV once they reach the 20th century. I like all of the 23rd century stuff just fine.
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