That Which Survives

[evangelist6589]

Just was watching this one tonight and a previous episode was mentioned but I can't recall it. Was it the Devil in the Dark episode from season 1? Also the person filling in for McCoy in Sick Bay was he the same man from a season 2 episode about a computer that controls the enterprise? Bare with me as most episodes I have seen only once. After I finish season 3 I will go back and re-watch certain episodes. What would be your picks? I have a number of them from season 1 including the episode with the same machine from "whom gods destroy" and some from season 2 including Bread and Circuses, and the episode where Kirk and Spock are transported to a planet to investigate the disappearance of a historian.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Hi there, evangelist6589! You're in for a good time!

Yes, in That Which Survives, Sulu references the silicon creature of Janus VI from The Devil In the Dark (good catch for a new viewer!). And Dr. M'Benga, filling in for McCoy, was In the episode A Private Little War. He's presented as an expert on Vulcan physiology. Too bad he only appeared twice, as he just oozed with character.

It's impossible to recommend any episodes, as everyone's tastes and interests vary. But like I said, you're in for a good time whatever you decide to do!

 

[Wingsley]

Just was watching this one tonight and a previous episode was mentioned but I can't recall it. Was it the Devil in the Dark episode from season 1? Also the person filling in for McCoy in Sick Bay was he the same man from a season 2 episode about a computer that controls the enterprise? Bare with me as most episodes I have seen only once. After I finish season 3 I will go back and re-watch certain episodes. What would be your picks? I have a number of them from season 1 including the episode with the same machine from "whom gods destroy" and some from season 2 including Bread and Circuses, and the episode where Kirk and Spock are transported to a planet to investigate the disappearance of a historian.

The episode in which the Starship Enterprise conducts test maneuvers and war games while being piloted by the M-5 computer was Year 2's "The Ultimate Computer". In it, William Marshall played M-5 creator Dr. Richard Daystrom. Marshall did not play any other parts in TOS.

Booker Bradshaw portrayed Dr. M'Benga in Year 2's "A Private Little War" and Year 3's "That Which Survives".

"Devil in the Dark" is very much a Year 1 episode. It has a strong TWILIGHT ZONE vibe, as several Year 1 stories were written that way as TOS' identity was still being forged.

The missing historian was probably John Gill in Year 2's "Patterns of Force" (sometimes derisively referred to as "Planet of the Nazis").

 

[Melakon]

DeForest Kelley used to joke at conventions that M'Benga was brought in whenever his contract was coming up for renewal.

 

[GeorgeKirk]

A lot of people don't like "That Which Survives" but I've always found it to be a fun little outing. Losira's disappearing effect (and the accompanying musical sound effect) is still cool even after all these years.

 

[BillJ]

A lot of people don't like "That Which Survives" but I've always found it to be a fun little outing. Losira's disappearing effect (and the accompanying musical sound effect) is still cool even after all these years.

+1.

Another fan of "That Which Survives" here.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Lee Meriwether is really the only reason to watch this episode.

 

[Robert Comsol]

A lot of people don't like "That Which Survives" but I've always found it to be a fun little outing. Losira's disappearing effect (and the accompanying musical sound effect) is still cool even after all these years.

I just love this episode, some of the dialogues are really funny and it's a nice example that you shouldn't take the series or this episode too serious (well, look who's talking ).
How Spock is criticizing everyone for being too vague and not precise enough - wonderful!

Of course, sorry guys, you haven't experienced the comedic potential of this episode unless you watched it in the original German version, titled "Dangerous Planet Girls" (to paraphrase the Klingons from ST VI-TUC).

Bob

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

A lot of people don't like "That Which Survives" but I've always found it to be a fun little outing. Losira's disappearing effect (and the accompanying musical sound effect) is still cool even after all these years.

Yeah, and it is good to see the landing party able to react while in the beaming process. Sulu getting something else to do was a treat,

 

[Wingsley]

(RE: "That Which Survives") If you listen closely to the audio when Sulu first discovers Losira, you can hear the flooring of the soundset creak slightly as they walk on it.

It was also good to see a woman at the helm of the Enterprise (a speaking role, no less!) for once during the series.

The story seemed cobbled-together, but still a fun (though guilty) pleasure. I would be interesting if TOS had been even somewhat semi-serialized, and this discovery had been the first chapter of a broader story arc where they find remains of long-dead civilizations that got caught up in some cosmic design. I understand there was at least one novel about the subject.

The only really embarrassing scene in the whole show was when Losira has her first confrontation with Kirk, "Are there men on this planet?" And I love how Losira seems to blush at Kirk when he asks "Are you lonely?" Very a propos.

Neat how Losira identifies the ill-fated Watkins as an "Engineer, Grade Four", another of the few very vague references to enlisted personnel serving in Starfleet. It's cheesy, but I love that scene, and how Scott reacts, running in that Integrator Room, then expresses concern for his engineer, then he wires-in to Spock and the whole ship is on alert in a matter of seconds. And the whole thing is wrapped up with a beau, complete with a musical score from Rigel VII (or the disappearing bum scene, if you prefer).

 

[evangelist6589]

Just was watching this one tonight and a previous episode was mentioned but I can't recall it. Was it the Devil in the Dark episode from season 1? Also the person filling in for McCoy in Sick Bay was he the same man from a season 2 episode about a computer that controls the enterprise? Bare with me as most episodes I have seen only once. After I finish season 3 I will go back and re-watch certain episodes. What would be your picks? I have a number of them from season 1 including the episode with the same machine from "whom gods destroy" and some from season 2 including Bread and Circuses, and the episode where Kirk and Spock are transported to a planet to investigate the disappearance of a historian.

The episode in which the Starship Enterprise conducts test maneuvers and war games while being piloted by the M-5 computer was Year 2's "The Ultimate Computer". In it, William Marshall played M-5 creator Dr. Richard Daystrom. Marshall did not play any other parts in TOS.

Booker Bradshaw portrayed Dr. M'Benga in Year 2's "A Private Little War" and Year 3's "That Which Survives".

"Devil in the Dark" is very much a Year 1 episode. It has a strong TWILIGHT ZONE vibe, as several Year 1 stories were written that way as TOS' identity was still being forged.

The missing historian was probably John Gill in Year 2's "Patterns of Force" (sometimes derisively referred to as "Planet of the Nazis").

Thanks you nailed it. You know allot about Trek. I bet you hate the newer non TOS Trek as I do. I love the original series. Grew up watching it as a kid in the 80's.

 

[evangelist6589]

DeForest Kelley used to joke at conventions that M'Benga was brought in whenever his contract was coming up for renewal.

You like the Stooges also? I love them as well. They have their own SCI-FI episodes from the later years. Which one is your favorite? Have Rocket Will Travel? Or one of the episodes with Joe?

 

[evangelist6589]

A lot of people don't like "That Which Survives" but I've always found it to be a fun little outing. Losira's disappearing effect (and the accompanying musical sound effect) is still cool even after all these years.

Yeah, and it is good to see the landing party able to react while in the beaming process. Sulu getting something else to do was a treat,

It may also appear that the set was used in more than one episode. Perhaps one episode was Spock's Brain, and another was a certain episode from season 1 where the crew lands on a planet and meets those Giant Ape like creatures and Spock goes wild trying to use his logic. That was a CLASSIC episode as most in Season 1 where.

 

[Melakon]

You like the Stooges also? I love them as well. They have their own SCI-FI episodes from the later years. Which one is your favorite? Have Rocket Will Travel? Or one of the episodes with Joe?

I'm primarily a Curly Howard fan when it comes to the Stooges. I've had several books about them, but the only ones I have now are the Three Stooges Scrapbook and Book of Scripts Volume 2. Lately I've been watching "Hoi Polloi" a lot. Curly is even more hilarious if you're under the influence of a controlled substance.

I can handle Shemp in small doses, but was never a Joe Besser fan, and not much for Joe De Rita either. Though I did see the boys in person around 1961 when they appeared with the St. Louis Police Circus. I always liked Moe, and Larry was probably the best actor in the bunch with all the reacting he had to do.

Regarding "That Which Survives", my favorite moment is probably the rocking planet set.

 

[Push The Button]

Spock was a bit of a jerk in this episode, but Scotty was on his game, as always, working in that horizontal Jefferies tube with his sonic screwdriver.

Weirdest Sulu line ever: "Get back, I don't want to have to kill a woman!"

 

[Botany Bay]

I think this one is pretty good by Season 3 standards, probably because it had the hands of D.C. Fontana and ex-producer John Meredyth Lucas at the typewriter at various stages. You are right though, Spock is off in this episode.

Rahda, the helm officer, was an interesting character : a rare sighting of an older female on the Enterprise, and one of the few Indians we see on TOS.

 

[Robert Comsol]

Spock was a bit of a jerk in this episode, but Scotty was on his game, as always, working in that horizontal Jefferies tube with his sonic screwdriver.

That would be your avatar you are describing. Scotty entered a different tube (and different set), somehow enabling access to the matter-antimatter integrator.

The room allowing access was a redress of the K-7 space station cargo hold area, where Kirk was showered with tribbles.

I though Spock was just "Spock". With Kirk and the good doctor absent from the bridge we got a rather "unrestrained" Spock.

Bob

 

[Timo]

...For once, Scotty should have been extremely thankful for a countdown that was accurate to the second rather than, say, to the nearest ten seconds!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Ssosmcin]

I didn't like this one as much when I was a kid, but I grew to enjoy it over the years. Even with the plot holes, it’s a fun adventure and feels very much like a John M. Lucas script.

"Wait! You must not go!" Love that opening and the super long transporter sequence. I love how the series plays with time occasionally for effect.

D’Amato is a welcome addition to the landing party (even if he calls himself "lucky Dee-Amanto"): warm, personable, an all around nice dude. So when he dies, it’s actually sad. Unlike the majority of the anonymous security guys who get zapped by a laser bot of something. His death was actually pretty horrible and Kirk’s sadness is palpable.

The library re-recordings of the Man Trap score are used beautifully in this episode, so memorably and effectively that they were never used in another. Now that we have all of the series’ scores, I’m amazed at how well the music was spotted, even late in the run when other aspects got a tad sloppy. There was eventually an over reliance on the same Spock’s Brain cues, but all in all, great work. Especially during the countdown scene, when the Elaan of Troyius music was used. When I play that CD, I think of this scene more than the original episode it was composed for.
This one is a third season high point for me.

 

[Vandervecken]

...For once, Scotty should have been extremely thankful for a countdown that was accurate to the second rather than, say, to the nearest ten seconds!

Timo Saloniemi

Scotty in the Jeffries tube (or whatever it is). AWESOME!

"I know what time it is. I don't need a blooming' cuckoo clock."

And then telling Spock to jettison him later! Great stuff. Scotty stole the ep.

By the way, this is a good example of a weaponized transporter--I mean the one used on the Enterprise by the Kalandan computer. Friggin' awesome power! The chromosome disruption effect is a pretty nice close-in weapon, too, if you could make it work on anyone; and Losira's weird-ass dimensional door transporter is something I'd think someone would want to look into.

I believe this is the last installment of the "Kirk the Computer Destroyer Show" in TOS.