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50th Anniversary Viewing (Part 3)
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Super Friends
"The Menace of the White Dwarf"
Originally aired November 24, 1973
iTunes said:
A strange UFO penetrates Earth's airspace. Along its flight path, it has managed to "pull up" and carry along a number of objects. Col. Wilcox explains to the Super Friends that the UFO snatched up a total of fourteen thousand tons. Superman soon learns that his old arch enemy, the Raven, is behind these strange occurrences.
Raven is not, to my knowledge, a character from the comics...though alien foes were a dime a dozen in the Bronze Age Superman continuity.
Objects that the spacecraft causes to disappear include a locomotive engine, a building under demolition, Wendy and Marvin's tandem bicycle, and four pickup trucks. For some reason, the Super Friends come to the conclusion that the gravitational pull of a white dwarf is responsible, with Aquaman explaining to the JSF and the audience what a white dwarf is. After triangulating from the locations of the stolen objects, the Dynamic Duo and JSF find the location that the objects have been transported to...where Wonder Dog comes upon a ring in a balloon bearing an insignia that Batman recognizes as that of the Raven (Casey), an alien villain whom Superman captured, following which he was sentenced by a member of his own race, but incarcerated in a special prison on Earth. The ring transmits a taunting message for Superman. The Super Friends go to the prison to find Raven's cell occupied by a robot facsimile. While they're pursuing it out of the prison, the prison itself is transported. Superman and Wonder Woman chase after it, but Raven's spacecraft emits "anti-photons" (which look like shards of glass), blocking Superman's X-ray Vision.
The Super Friends respond to a distress call from the USS Narwhal, a sub that's being pulled by a mysterious force toward shoals off Cape Hatteras. Aquaman uses seaweed to team with a pair of blue whales in pulling the sub out of danger. As Superman and Wonder Woman approach Raven's craft, the villain directs gravitational energy at them, which knocks Wonder Woman out, forcing the Man of Steel to rescue her, which includes taking the controls of the Transparent Plane.
At the Hall of Justice, Marvin posts Ravens flight paths and finds a point of intersection. Going to check it out, the JSF find a family of hillbillies, the Martingales--Paw (Alden), Mace (Casey), and Vinnie (Soule). Paw relates how Raven's been pestering him for a "sky stone" that fell on his farm when he was younger...which had the side effect of providing him with a bumper crop of mushrooms. As the kids are friends of Superman and company, Paw lets the JSF take the stone back to the Hall of Justice, where it's discovered to be Kryptonite. A brief flashback of the sorta destruction of Krypton ensues...it's depicted as the planet hurling Kryptonite into space via volcanic activity, without showing the planet actually blowing up. The Super Friends deduce that the rock carried Kryptonian mushroom spores, and that the mushrooms are canceling out the gravitational effects of Raven's white dwarf, hence his inability to just take the cabin, Kryptonite and all.
While the Super Friends address the National Strategy Council in Washington, Raven transmits to the JSF via his ring, threatening to abduct an unspecified building at 5:00. The JSF immediately fly to Washington to alert the Super Friends...because the Super Friends don't have communication devices, or access to phones. After Wonder Dog chases a cat into the Washington Monument, Raven sends the spire rocketing up to his secret hideout,..an island in the sky, where he's keeping some of the structures he's abducted. Superman goes to the farm to gather mushroom spores in an envelope, then uses the ring to offer to bring the Kryptonite to Raven...who's been demonstrating to the JSF how he uses a white dwarf fragment the size of a marble to move large objects. Superman proceeds to the sky island, where he surreptitiously scatters the spores on the ground, and Raven opens the lead box to find that the Kryptonite is genuine.
Raven puts Superman on trial, with himself as the judge and prosecutor, and a jury of twelve robot doubles. Wendy and Marvin argue in Superman's defense, but the jury is stacked against him. Superman agrees to stay on the island, with Raven threatening to imprison the Man of Steel in his old cell in the abducted prison, while Raven sends the JSF back to Earth. As the mushrooms grow, the island begins to sink from the sky. A panicky Raven agrees to toss the Kryptonite over so that Superman can save the island. After putting Raven back in his old cell, Superman flies the white dwarf fragment (now larger and emitting green radiation like Kryptonite) into space and tosses it into the Sun.
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Star Trek
"The Time Trap"
Originally aired November 24, 1973
Wiki said:
While exploring the Delta Triangle, where many starships have disappeared, the USS Enterprise is attacked by several Klingon vessels. During the battle, they are caught in an ion storm. The Enterprise and one Klingon battlecruiser are drawn into a spacetime vortex and end up in a timeless dimension.
Captain's log, stardate 52.2 [That's what he said!]: We have just entered the Delta Triangle, a vast, uninhabited sector of our galaxy in which a high number of mysterious disappearances of starships have been recorded since ancient times. The Enterprise has been assigned the mission of surveying this area and, if possible, determining the cause of these disappearances.
A monochrome fireworks display outside the ship interferes with sensors, and the ship is attacked by a Klingon battlecruiser commanded by Kor (you-know-who filling in for John Colicos). When the
Enterprise returns phaser fire, the Klingon ship's shields absorb the fire, but it disappears in a way that isn't consistent with a cloaking device. Two more Klingon ships approach, with Klingon commander Kuri (Takei; the animation being a reuse of that for Koloth) demanding an explanation for the disappearance of the
Klothos and attacking the
Enterprise as, at Kirk's order, it heads for the exact spot where the
Klothos vanished. The
Enterprise then disappears in the same way, with the crew onboard experiencing weakness for the transition.
Captain's log, supplemental; First Officer Spock recording: We appear to be in an alternate universe, position: undetermined. Captain Kirk has been transported from the ship by an unknown power. His present location also is undetermined.
Kirk is brought before the Ruling Council of Elysia, a makeshift civilization comprising 123 races and over 1,000 years old; which includes Romulan leader Xerius (his race not clarified in the episode, at least that I caught, though I verified it via Memory Alpha), a Klingon, an Andorian, a Tellarite, a Gorn, a Vulcan, a plant guy from the Giant Spock episode, and Devna (Nichols), the Council's interpreter of laws, an Orion woman who describes their locale as a pocket in the garment of time and explains their strict peace-enforcing laws. Xerius explains that they're original crew members of their trapped ships, as time passes very slowly there. Kirk wants to get out, but Scotty indicates there's only a narrow window for action, as the dilithium crystals are deteriorating rapidly. (What's new, Scotty?) The Klingons also plot an escape, and the Council monitors both ships' efforts via a psionic named Magen (also Nichols). After an unsuccessful attempt by the
Klothos to break out, Spock comes up with a formula that involves connecting the
Enterprise to the
Klothos to function as a single ship. In a face-to-face meeting on the
Klothos, the Klingons agree to the plan, but Kor plots afterward to arrange for the Enterprise to be destroyed following their escape.
Captain's log, stardate 5267.6: We are in final stage preparatory to making our escape from Elysia. We must make our escape by tomorrow, or our dilithium crystals will be too depleted and we will be trapped here forever.
After Security Officer Gabler catches a pair of Klingons poking around near the dilithium vault, Spock brushes it off and, repeating an out-of-character bit of business from the Klingon ship, acts palsy toward the Klingons. When questioned by Kirk in private, Spock explains that he was using physical contact to telepathically glean vague indications of the Klingons' plan...which we learn about at the beginning of our climactic clip:
I'm somewhat surprised that they did a bikini-clad Orion woman on a Saturday morning show. Back in the day, I recall
Spidey Super Stories and the special Teen Titans drug issues in the '80s altering the costumes of female characters like Storm, Shanna, and Starfire to show less skin, particularly covering up their midriffs.
It's said at one point before they enter the pocket dimension that a transmission to Starfleet will take three weeks to reach the nearest Starbase...that's how I like my Trek! None of that real-time connectedness to Mommy and Daddy that caters to kids who couldn't imagine living without it.
IMDb says that this is the last time we see Original Recipe Klingons before their dramatic makeover in TMP.
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Emergency!
"Zero"
Originally aired November 24, 1973
IMDb said:
When the paramedics are interviewed on a TV program, Johnny freezes in front of the camera and Roy must bail him out. A young boy attempts suicide by leaping off an apartment ledge; at the hospital, the doctors suspect he may be an abused child.
The episode opens with the paramedics responding to a call about a screaming woman at a construction site (no chicken jokes, it's Jo Anne Worley). It turns out that she's just engaging in a form of therapy, and has the foreman's permission to be there before work starts. (So paramedics aren't needed for girls lying in the street after being hit by a car, but they're sent to investigate screaming women? Seems like that would be a job for Adam-12.)
At the station, the crew gathers around the TV to watch Roy and Johnny appearing on a taped local talk show (hosted by an uncredited Dick Enberg). Johnny freezes up on camera and stammers incoherently at every question. An embarrassed live Johnny is saved by the alarm as the squad is called to a child on an apartment building ledge. The paramedics climb Engine 85's ladder up to the ledge, where Roy tries to engage the silent boy, Tommy Mannering (Bobby Eilbacher), whose face looks battered...eventually catching him as he jumps! On the ground, they examine the still-unresponsive boy and he's taken to Rampart, where Brackett examines him and asks the paramedics some questions about his behavior on the scene.
The boy's mother, Vera Mannering (Mariette Hartley's getting around these days), arrives at Rampart for firm, gentle questioning in Brackett's office. She gives the usual excuse about Tommy being prone to clumsiness, and acts genuinely shocked when informed that he jumped. Tommy proves to be more responsive to Early, who has some experience in pediatrics, and the story he gets out of the boy doesn't match the one from his mother. Mrs. Mannering gets uptight when she's confronted with this; and when she goes in to see Tommy, he cowers from her.
On the street, the squad is flagged down by a woman outside of a donut shop whose adult son is inside with his tie and sleeve caught in a mixing machine. Roy cuts both off to free him while Johnny looks for a shut-off panel as a precaution.
Back at Rampart, Tommy shows signs of recovering, drinking chocolate milk and playing with Lincoln Logs; and is more enthusiastic about a visit from his previously out-of-town father, Jake (Robert Conrad's old boss from the islands, Anthony Eisley). Mr. Mannering is outraged at what the doctors suggest and wants to take Tommy out, though they produce a security guard and insist on keeping Tommy in protective custody. When the Mannering parents are alone with the doctors, Jake's denial that Vera could be capable of such a reprehensible act sparks a reaction from her that makes him realize that it's true. Early expresses his understanding that parents who do such things need help, and recommends Parents Anonymous. Vera is allowed to make an apologetic visit to Tommy.
Back at the station, the other firefighters rib Johnny about his performance on the show. Later the station and other units are called to a fire at a waterfront industrial building where some boys had been playing with matches. The firefighters search the structure for a boy who's still inside. The paramedics find him down a shaft and pull him out while the firefighters axe a partition to get to the fire behind it. Outside, Johnny freezes up again when questioned by a TV reporter on camera, and as on the show, Roy does all the talking.
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The Mary Tyler Moore Show
"Just Friends"
Originally aired November 24, 1973
Wiki said:
When a depressed Lou starts having dinner at Mary's every night, she quickly decides to reconcile him with Edie.
This episode was directed by Nancy Walker.
Mary's nursemaiding Lou while he's taking his separation from Edie hard...which includes making his breakfast at work and doing his laundry. What's more, he gets in the habit of dropping by Mary's place every night for dinner. Lou asks Mary to spy on Edie to see how she's getting on...and while Mary doesn't want to be in the middle, he guilts her into it. When she visits Edie, Mary's recruited to ask Lou to come over for dinner, but Ted and Murray pop by Edie's place and threaten to spoil things with Ted's off-the-mark attempts to intervene in the Grant/McKenzie marital situation.
Lou interrogates Mary the next day for details about how Edie's living before Mary finally gets out the dinner invitation. Taking the date seriously, Lou grooms himself and resorts to borrowing aftershave from Ted. Lou arrives at Edie's and scopes the place out, but when she rebuffs his attempt to get back to marriage as usual and instead expresses an interest in trying to just be friends with him, he gets aggressive about not being willing to settle for that. When the others ask him how things went the next day, he indicates that it was pretty much like it was when they were dysfunctionally married, the evening having ended with her going to bed and him going out to a bar.
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The Bob Newhart Show
"Fit, Fat and Forty-One"
Originally aired November 24, 1973
Wiki said:
Bob goes on a diet, determined to keep his resolution to lose weight before his forty-first birthday.
Bob has a physical and learns that he's eight pounds overweight, with Dr. Klein (Bruce Kirby) indicating that each pound is a year off his life, then giving him an overwhelming series of charts, counters, and instructions. Bob immediately goes on a diet and starts watching his weight, expecting instant results, which motivates him to attend an exercise class with Jerry, which is taught by a Germanic woman named Olga (Lilyan Chauvin). Meanwhile, Bob is apprehensive that Emily and Howard are planning a surprise party--DRINK!
At the office, Bob cheats when he has the opportunity to take a liverwurst and Swiss cheese sandwich from an elevator repairman (Robert Ridgely) who's lunching with his partner (Ron Glass). At home, Emily insists that she's only planned a small party with a few friends, and Bob's resolve is tested by the food she's making for the company that he's not allowed to have. Bob admits that he's been cheating, the sandwich having led to a snacking binge. Emily tries to motivate him by showing him his present early--a (plaid) suit that he's been looking at, but with a waistline a couple sizes smaller than his current one. Howard shows up for the party with a weight-loss belt that he bought in Tokyo. Carol arrives with Jerry, bearing a cake made from healthy but unappetizing-sounding ingredients and a diet book, respectively. When Bob gets up to go to the bathroom, he finds that it is a surprise party, a dozen more gift-bearing guests having been waiting in the corridor (including the doctor and his nurse [Samantha Harper]).
In the coda, Bob's lost ten pounds and is fitting into the slacks of his new suit.
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Sadly, no evidence of a Monolith was seen-- or was there?
We'll have to wait until '79 to see if we're in the novelverse.
Exactly why I posted it.
I don't remember this one. It does have that early 70s sound.
This one's been in my playlist for a while as an album track. While the current work pales before Sly & the Family's late '60s peak, I do prefer the sound of the tracks I have from
Fresh to that of
There's a Riot Goin' On.
Ah, I do remember this one. Cute. I wonder if that good mood was chemically induced.
For me, this week's "Can't say I ever heard this before in my life" surprise entry.
Also kinda sounds like the 70s, but is otherwise forgettable.
Easily the most memorable of this week's entries for me!
Get down, get down...get down, get down... I should note that Kool & the Gang have been lurking around on the single and album charts since '69, so it's like the other shoe dropping that they're finally breaking out.
. The couple are settling back into the bed when they're approached by two other couples who live in other departments of the store, and are informed that a third couple who happen to be out of town normally occupy the apartment!
