Star Trek-RM: The Alternative Factor… Grading/Discussion

[AstroSmurf]

This is the grading & discussion thread for Star Trek Remastered episode for the weekend of 12/01/07.

The Alternative Factor

While in orbit of a dead planet, the U.S.S. Enterprise experiences a brief moment of "nonexistence" and is asked to investigate the strange occurrence by Starfleet Command. While attempting to locate the cause of the stellar system disturbance, Kirk discovers an injured man named Lazarus on the planet below. This traveler informs the Captain the effect was caused by his enemy, who he has been chasing with the aid of a time/space craft. But soon Kirk finds himself caught in the middle of Lazarus’ battle and must choose to either aid or stop the man before his “enemy” destroys the Enterprise and possibly the galaxy.


Official Website for Star Trek
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[cooleddie74]

Well, since my local FOX station for some half-assed retarded reason decided to preempt and move the episode somewhere else(unannounced to boot)on the schedule I haven't seen it yet. Normally by now on Saturday afternoons I'd have seen the new episode.

 

[Kelso]

The remastering was okay. It was realy nothing spectacular.

 

[Stag]

Weak episode, nice closing shot of Ent pulling away from planet with a peak into one of the deck 2 or 3 windows.

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ Yeah the few "hull scraper" shots in this episode were nice. I don't know why but when the camera gets really close to the ship she feels big and massive to me. But it is the new angles and the different views that again and again keep making me fall in love with this ship. But I did have to give the remastering an Average rating though. I really think the "time tunnel" shots needed a little work to fix the glaringly visible set wall seams. Even as a kid I thought those dark lines running through the frame distracted from the Lazarus struggle. Even a gradient matte added to the edges would have been enough to cover up the lines and suggest a tunnel.

As for the episode... I have to give it a solid D. The story had a nice premise and interesting character elements but it was poorly executed. I still to this day get confused who is who and what is what. (It also doesn't help that Lazarus' beard disappears in one of the Sickbay scenes. Was it a third duplicate McCoy was treating or just poor continuity? )

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Well, Robert Brown was hired literally at the last minute (when John Drew Barrymore didn't show up for filming) so they were bound to get some of the makeup effects wrong, as it was very hastily done.

Me, I'm still wondering 1) how Kirk learns Lazarus' name (Lazarus never says it himself), and 2) in that early scene where they're down on the planet, clustered around Lazarus' ship, and Kirk says something about "I want answers. The TRUTH this time.", he's actually saying something completely different - WHAT, exactly?

 

[Borjis]

cooleddie74 said:
Well, since my local FOX station for some half-assed retarded reason decided to preempt and move the episode somewhere else(unannounced to boot)on the schedule I haven't seen it yet. Normally by now on Saturday afternoons I'd have seen the new episode.

Same here. Some Bullshit NFL show is on.

I miss the days when networks were consistent with their programming.

 

[nx1701g]

TOS Remastered is also preempted in Pittsburgh. Chuck will be airing in its place.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Re: Star Trek-RM: The Alternative Factor… Grading/Discussion

I got real tired of Kirk saying "And what if Lazarus?". It got so damn annoying.

 

[Maurice]

Babaganoosh said:
Me, I'm still wondering 1) how Kirk learns Lazarus' name (Lazarus never says it himself)...

I think it's one of those implied things...since, if I recall correctly, we join Kirk talking to Lazarus in sickbay in process. It's possible the script (SirRhosis?) may feature an earlier line where he's named but that the line was left out.

 

[Hambone]

Re: Star Trek-RM: The Alternative Factor… Grading/Discussion

Jolly Jack Bauer said:
I got real tired of Kirk saying "And what if Lazarus?". It got so damn annoying.

"...and what of Lazarus." He says it twice because there are two Lazaruses (Lazari?).

I give this episode a D...barely a passing grade, but the effort was there. With a massive re-write this could have been a very good story.

 

[Outpost4]

cooleddie74 said:
Well, since my local FOX station for some half-assed retarded reason decided to preempt and move the episode somewhere else(unannounced to boot)on the schedule I haven't seen it yet. Normally by now on Saturday afternoons I'd have seen the new episode.

And with this episode you're complaining? I think you'd pay them extra as long as they preempt And The Children Shall Lead, too.

 

[Mallory]

I couldn't bring myself to watch this when it aired, so I have it on my DVR. Now I just have to work up the courage to sit down and play it.

 

[Outpost4]

Alcohol, Mallory. You need liquid courage. Lots and lots of it.

I didn't even bother to record it. Why? I'll have to watch it when I buy the HD-DVD version. That once will be more than enough.

 

[ClayinCA]

Re: Star Trek-RM: The Alternative Factor… Grading/Discussion

Jolly Jack Bauer said:
I got real tired of Kirk saying "And what if Lazarus?". It got so damn annoying.

Oh sure, you may have gotten annoyed...but what of Lazarus?

 

[cooleddie74]

Borjis said:

cooleddie74 said:
Well, since my local FOX station for some half-assed retarded reason decided to preempt and move the episode somewhere else(unannounced to boot)on the schedule I haven't seen it yet. Normally by now on Saturday afternoons I'd have seen the new episode.

It was moved to after midnight on the same day. Caught it. So the channel didn't dump the series or anything, just move it to accomodate some moronic infomercials someone paid to have them air in the early afternoon.

 

[cooleddie74]

DrunkenSanta said:

cooleddie74 said:
Well, since my local FOX station for some half-assed retarded reason decided to preempt and move the episode somewhere else(unannounced to boot)on the schedule I haven't seen it yet. Normally by now on Saturday afternoons I'd have seen the new episode.

And with this episode you're complaining? I think you'd pay them extra as long as they preempt And The Children Shall Lead, too.

Nah, I don't like either to be frank. They're both boring and dumb. But I just hate it when there are unannounced schedule changes and you have to spend an hour online checking local TV affiliate websites to see where the hell the geniuses at programming moved it.

 

[Mallory]

DrunkenSanta said:
Alcohol, Mallory. You need liquid courage. Lots and lots of it.

I tried. I had a couple of beers with dinner, sat down in the recliner, switched to the DVR and then played The Doomsday Machine instead.

Maybe tomorrow.

 

[Diesel Micky Dolenz]

Mallory said:I tried. I had a couple of beers with dinner, sat down in the recliner, switched to the DVR and then played The Doomsday Machine instead.

I made it about half-way through before hitting "Delete." I'd forgotten just how painful "The Alternative Factor" can be to watch.

 

[cooleddie74]

And it didn't help matters that the effects were left almost totally untouched. The thing was such a cheesy mess that even Mike Okuda couldn't come up with practical ways to fix and improve it.