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Rewatching Star Trek For the 50th Anniversary

Wow Vulcan is a very feudal society, despite being matriarchal, women being the property of the victor is that punishment for envoking the challenge?

Over the years, a lot of people have assumed that Vulcan is some kind of matriarchy. But for all we know, T'Pau simply won an election, and when her term is up, her successor might be a man.
 
The Changeling

Hey, it's another Kirk vs. the computer episode. There was a certain charm to this one that I liked though. Maybe because it's a better version of The Motion Picture (Except for the ending which I loved for the motion picture). There were some issues, like warp 15, and Uhura's memory wipe, but it was an enjoyable episode.
 
Mirror, Mirror

I'd say this is a top 5 episode of the series. It might even be my favorite when all is said and done. I loved how fully realized the mirror universe was, from the rising in rank through assassination, to the agony booth. Even Marlena was great in her role as Captain's Woman (Man that sounds so politically incorrect in this day and age). Also, I do wish Spock kept the beard. I think I liked Mirror Spock more than I like our Spock and I really like our Spock. There was just something even more intimidating bout Mirror Spock, yet he was still a Logical wise man. Other episodes in the Trek franchise has tried to match what Star Trek did in the mirror universe, but there can only be the original. The other episodes are good, but the Original is awesome.
 
Mirror, Mirror

I'd say this is a top 5 episode of the series. It might even be my favorite when all is said and done. I loved how fully realized the mirror universe was, from the rising in rank through assassination, to the agony booth. Even Marlena was great in her role as Captain's Woman (Man that sounds so politically incorrect in this day and age). Also, I do wish Spock kept the beard. I think I liked Mirror Spock more than I like our Spock and I really like our Spock. There was just something even more intimidating bout Mirror Spock, yet he was still a Logical wise man. Other episodes in the Trek franchise has tried to match what Star Trek did in the mirror universe, but there can only be the original. The other episodes are good, but the Original is awesome.
I like this episode a lot too. Wouldn't it be interesting to have our Spock and the mirror Spock in the same room together? I have to wonder when the worlds were set right what the mirror Spock did. Did he use the Tantalus beam (wasn't that the name of the instrument in Kirk's quarters that made him formidable?)
 
I like this episode a lot too. Wouldn't it be interesting to have our Spock and the mirror Spock in the same room together? I have to wonder when the worlds were set right what the mirror Spock did. Did he use the Tantalus beam (wasn't that the name of the instrument in Kirk's quarters that made him formidable?)
Didn't Intendant Kira say that Spock launched a series of reforms and that led to the rise of the Alliance. Or are you talking about after kirk and the landing party come back to their own universe.
 
Operation -- Annihilate!

I've forgotten how much I love this episode. The crew has to work together to figure out how to kill the creatures on Deneva and watching Spock having to struggle against the pain was really interesting for the character. I was a little amused though that it was Kirk, and not McCoy and Spock, that came up with the idea of light as a way to kill the creature. You have two scientists and one of those scientists is a Vulcan and they didn't think about the whole light thing? Other than that, this was a very good season finale.

And with that, that wraps up Season 1, which is quite a long season. Hopefully I'll get into season 2 later this week but here are my top 5 favorite episodes of Season 1 after having just watched it.

Devil in the Dark
Court Martial
Operation -- Annihilate
City on the Edge of Forever
Space Seed

It's hard picking a top 5 because you also have Where No Man Has Gone Before, Dagger of the Mind, and The Gailaio Seven
One thing that bothered me is why didn't McCoy wait for the results to come back about the creature before they subjected Spock to the full light spectrum? The doctor even mentions about what that kind of light will do to the optic nerve. Then Kirk gets angry at Bones for causing Spock's blindness. Luckily the best first officer in the fleet had something special up his sleeve. Thank goodness for that Vulcan inner eyelid :biggrin:
 
One thing that bothered me is why didn't McCoy wait for the results to come back about the creature before they subjected Spock to the full light spectrum? The doctor even mentions about what that kind of light will do to the optic nerve. Then Kirk gets angry at Bones for causing Spock's blindness. Luckily the best first officer in the fleet had something special up his sleeve. Thank goodness for that Vulcan inner eyelid :biggrin:
That bothered me a bit too. I wonder if it had to do with just wanting to get Spock cured and doing anything possible to make it happen. They knew they had killed the creature, so putting Spock in there next might have been excitement taking over?

The Doomsday Machine

Now this is a Star Trek action show done really well. Loved how manacing the Doomsday Machine was, and how at the end they even brought in some subtle commentary on nuclear weapons and how bad they were. However, this episode is not my favorite episode of the series (Maybe a step below Mirror, Mirror) because of one reason, how easy it was for Decker to take command. Ok, so regulation states that you had to provide a written medical examination to prove the guy is fit for command, yet he had just gone through a tramatic experience in losing his crew, he shows he's not all "There", and they still need proof? Shouldn't common sense and "logic" take over for the safety of ship and crew? I kind of wish Spock put up more of a fight and maybe even stood behind McCoy here.
 
The Apple

Well, I had actually improved my opinion on The Alternative Factor because I thought before that was the worst episode of the series. Well, we might have a contender in The Apple. This episode bored me, and kind of angered me. What right does Kirk have to tell this society how to live? They were happy, healthy, and they lived in their version of paradise and the away team just got in the way. I always hear complaints about the TNG crew being arrogant and lecturing other races, yet isn't that what Kirk does here?

I did like the beginning though with showing three different ways to kill a redshirt. In fact, I think this episode might be remembered by the whole redshirt reputation. Feel bad for those guys.

Catspaw

When I first got the DVDs, I would watch this episode every Halloween. It was basically Trek's only Halloween episode and I felt it was a nice way to celebrate my favorite franchise and a holiday I don't entirely like. The thing is this episode is kind of just average and I stopped watching it every year. Maybe I just got a little tired of it. Did love the black cat though.
 
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I, Mudd

I still think Mudd is an annoying irritant, as Kirk said, but I like this episode a whole lot more than Mudd's Woman. It was fun, the androids were funny, and the scene with Stella at the end was hilarious. The crew jumping around being all stupid to beat the Androids was stupid fun, and overall, this episode was just that, fun.
 
That bothered me a bit too. I wonder if it had to do with just wanting to get Spock cured and doing anything possible to make it happen. They knew they had killed the creature, so putting Spock in there next might have been excitement taking over?

The Doomsday Machine

Now this is a Star Trek action show done really well. Loved how manacing the Doomsday Machine was, and how at the end they even brought in some subtle commentary on nuclear weapons and how bad they were. However, this episode is not my favorite episode of the series (Maybe a step below Mirror, Mirror) because of one reason, how easy it was for Decker to take command. Ok, so regulation states that you had to provide a written medical examination to prove the guy is fit for command, yet he had just gone through a tramatic experience in losing his crew, he shows he's not all "There", and they still need proof? Shouldn't common sense and "logic" take over for the safety of ship and crew? I kind of wish Spock put up more of a fight and maybe even stood behind McCoy here.

I don't think Spock should have given up command to that maniac, that McCoy should have been able to give him a medical check to see if he was fit for duty.
 
The Apple

Well, I had actually improved my opinion on The Alternative Factor because I thought before that was the worst episode of the series. Well, we might have a contender in The Apple. This episode bored me, and kind of angered me. What right does Kirk have to tell this society how to live? They were happy, healthy, and they lived in their version of paradise and the away team just got in the way. I always hear complaints about the TNG crew being arrogant and lecturing other races, yet isn't that what Kirk does here?

I did like the beginning though with showing three different ways to kill a redshirt. In fact, I think this episode might be remembered by the whole redshirt reputation. Feel bad for those guys.

Catspaw

When I first got the DVDs, I would watch this episode every Halloween. It was basically Trek's only Halloween episode and I felt it was a nice way to celebrate my favorite franchise and a holiday I don't entirely like. The thing is this episode is kind of just average and I stopped watching it every year. Maybe I just got a little tired of it. Did love the black cat though.

I think Plato's Stepchildren is one of the worst eps. It was hard to watch them doing ridiculous things, like Kirk prancing around like a horse and Spock doing a Flamenco dance around Kirk. The Apple was rather abusive to poor Spock. He gets hit with thorns from a plant and lightning bolts came to hit him. come on he's a nice guy who did he piss off that day? ;)
 
Mirror, Mirror

I'd say this is a top 5 episode of the series. It might even be my favorite when all is said and done. I loved how fully realized the mirror universe was, from the rising in rank through assassination, to the agony booth. Even Marlena was great in her role as Captain's Woman (Man that sounds so politically incorrect in this day and age). Also, I do wish Spock kept the beard. I think I liked Mirror Spock more than I like our Spock and I really like our Spock. There was just something even more intimidating bout Mirror Spock, yet he was still a Logical wise man. Other episodes in the Trek franchise has tried to match what Star Trek did in the mirror universe, but there can only be the original. The other episodes are good, but the Original is awesome.

I LOVED Spock in a beard, and this Spock was not so different from our Spock. If anyone has watched the fan series ST Continues there is an ep that follows what happens after everything goes back to the way things were and how Mirror Spock handles his Kirk. It's very well done.
 
I, Mudd

I still think Mudd is an annoying irritant, as Kirk said, but I like this episode a whole lot more than Mudd's Woman. It was fun, the androids were funny, and the scene with Stella at the end was hilarious. The crew jumping around being all stupid to beat the Androids was stupid fun, and overall, this episode was just that, fun.
I can't stand Mudd, but he's not the most annoying antagonist. I do like the scene where Mudd tells Spock about selling falsified patents to his mother. Spock is precious in his typical response. If anyone says this man doesn't have a wonderful sense of humor they are blind.
 
I think Plato's Stepchildren is one of the worst eps. It was hard to watch them doing ridiculous things, like Kirk prancing around like a horse and Spock doing a Flamenco dance around Kirk. The Apple was rather abusive to poor Spock. He gets hit with thorns from a plant and lightning bolts came to hit him. come on he's a nice guy who did he piss off that day? ;)
I've only seen that one once, and I remember it being painful because it was our heroes being embarrassed/tortured for 50 minutes. I'll be interested to see if my opinion improves on it (Like The Alternative Factor) on this rewatch.
 
Metamorphosis

A Star Trek love story...d'aaaawwwww

This was a pretty good episode. We got to meet Cochrene and I thouht the companion was well realized. I also liked what this episode said about love and how Cochrene and Hedford got to have what they wanted.
 
Journey to Babel

I rewatched Enterprise last year and I listen to an Enterprise podcast which has given me a whole lot more appreciation for the series. I bring that up because of the Andorian episodes in Season 4 and how that was a Journey to Babel type episode too. Knowing about what happened in those episodes, I wish Journey would have been a two parter, so we can have more in relation to Coridon and the conference. This episode is kind of two episodes of sorts. The first half focuses on the Federation and the camaraderie between the ambassadors. Then it switches gears and becomes a personal story for Spock and his father. I liked that plot a lot, but I wish we had focused on the Federation plot a little more.

Overall, though, I love this episode. We do get a glance on how the Federation works, and it was a great spock story about father and son. I also loved the end and the dialog between Sarek and Spock and then McCoy gleefully saying he finally got the last word.
 
I like this ep for the most part. I still wince at some of the portrayals of women in the show, but the show is worth it for the ending alone where McCoy wins.
 
Journey to Babel is one of my fave eps. We get to see Spock's parents and see the father and son relationship. And how Sarek wasn't crazy about Spock joining Starfleet instead of going into the Vulcan Science Academy. They are not the only ones who have that kind of conflict.
I also like how dedicated Spock is to his duty, he wouldn't leave his post while Kirk was injured. But Jim wasn't going to let his Vulcan friend sacrifice his father.
 
I like this ep for the most part. I still wince at some of the portrayals of women in the show, but the show is worth it for the ending alone where McCoy wins.
I thought Amanda was one of the stronger woman portrayals. The scene where she was talking about Spock's Sehlat was kind of adorable. Heck, I thought this was one of the select few episodes where McCoy really shined more than Kirk or Spock.
 
Friday's Child

Um, what exactly happened in this episode? The crew goes down to negociate a treaty, a red shirt predictably dies doing something really stupid, and all of a sudden fights break out and half the episode is spent in rocks. This was a culture that wasn't really well realized, and the woman, Eleen was kind of annoying. The only good thing about this plot was McCoy who seemed to not take any crap from anyone in this episode.

I did like the story on the Enterprise with Scotty discovering the trap. That saved the episode somewhat for me, but yeah this is not one of the better ones.
 
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