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| My reviews of Star Trek - The Original Series | |
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| Topic Started: 4 Aug 2009, 17:54 (120 Views) | |
| Kevin Thomas Riley | 4 Aug 2009, 17:54 Post #1 |
Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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These will be my retro-reviews of the episodes of Star Trek - The Original Series as I go through the remastered DVD sets I recently purchased. They will be presented in episode order, and not in when they were aired even though they for some unfathomable reason are put that way on the DVDs. Why should we adhere to when they were first aired some 40 odd years ago escapes me. The review will be about the episodes with a small mention if necessary about the new footage. Feel free to chime in with your views if you want to. They can also be read at my website. |
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| Kevin Thomas Riley | 4 Aug 2009, 17:56 Post #2 |
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Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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1-00 The Cage Posted Image While not technically the pilot episode of Star Trek, the episode named The Cage was the first pilot made but that was ultimately rejected by the suits at NBC for being "too cerebral". But they were sufficiently impressed by Gene Roddenberry's creation that they ordered a new, second pilot, which was almost unheard of at the time. A lot of footage from The Cage was nevertheless reused in extensive flashback scenes in the show's only two-parter The Menagerie, which won critical acclaim and proved that the story in The Cage could well stand on its own legs. I agree whole-heartedly with this. The Cage is great Trek, it's great science fiction and it's a great story. I often wonder what Star Trek would have been like had it been greenlit after The Cage. And I often find myself intrigued by the thought of all those adventures that Captain Pike and his crew must have experienced before the more familiar James T. Kirk took over the helm of the USS Enterprise. In fact, I think it would be nice to see a Captain Pike series. Christopher Pike is a different Captain than Kirk. He's more brooding and contemplating and resembles Horatio Hornblower more than the space cowboy Captain Kirk, which was probably intentional and one of the reasons they switched Captains for the second pilot. But Pike doesn't come off as a Picard either. All in all, Jeffrey Hunter suffused a lot into Pike in this hour that made him a worthwhile and interesting character, which makes his ultimate fate all the more tragic. Pike's relationship with the ship's doctor Philip Boyce is reminiscent of Kirk's with McCoy, and Boyce also makes an interesting and well-developed character, serving Pike a martini since there are thing someone will tell his bartender but not his doctor. Spock is the only character that survives from the first pilot and we can see that he's still in development. He looks and acts a bit different, talks more stilted and almost shouts out his orders and observations. He even smiles at one point. But he was also younger and presumably rather fresh from the academy. Other characters aren't as developed, which is natural, but one of the main controversies among executives back then was putting a woman at the first officer (Number One). This is too bad in many ways, and not because it was sexist of the network to insist on ditching her, but because her character was interesting. Majel Barrett was far more interesting as the dark-haired Number One (and better looking too) than she was as the blonde Nurse Chapel. Oh, well… And I must also admit to having a soft spot for Yeoman Colt, who I still think is rather cute, and with hidden passions underneath her mousy persona if we're to believe the Talosians. While I think The Cage could've held its own I can also see why the suits would think of it as being "too cerebral", especially considering that no one up until that time had ever tried to make an attempt at a serious science fiction show on TV. And powerful aliens that can project thoughts and images into people's brains are certainly cerebral even in a literal sense. It's still an excellent an engaging story that presents a lot of good ideas and a compelling message. Living off illusions is dangerous and it can destroy you, but also that humans (and presumably other intelligent beings) aren't prone for such an existence, as Pike keeps rejecting them. Even a gilded cage is still a cage. It's a good Trekkian message, even though the pessimist in me says that many humans would indeed like such a life of illusions. The Talosian keeper even says as much in the end, and I cannot help think about the holodeck in later era Treks. The episode does have some plot holes, like why the Talosians originally just thought that Pike, one prime specimen for Vina, would be sufficient enough to repopulate Talos IV. There is a whole ship in orbit with a lot more diversified genetic material to use. It's only later that they bring down Number One and Yeoman Colt as alternative Eves to Pike's Adam. The Talosians themselves are very well realized. Their huge brains (nice touch with the pulsating veins) and eerie telepathic voices make them creepy indeed. And the glass cages underneath the surface are a good visual. Speaking of good visuals, Vina dancing as an Orion Slave Girl has become an iconic image ever since. I actually prefer the look and feel of the uniforms and sets on The Cage (and on Where No Man Has Gone Before) to that on the rest of the original series. The more subdued colours appeals to me more than the bright ones seen later, but I do understand why they went with the latter since colour TV was new at the time and it could be used as a marketing tool. The remastered version offers little new (as it should), but I do appreciate the better look of the Enterprise travelling through space and the fact that they didn't change another iconic Trek image, namely that of the Rigel fortress. Summing up, I give this, the very first outing (even if it was the last one to be aired, and that a couple of decades later) of Star Trek a perfect grade of 10. And as much as I like the rest of the original series and cast, as I've said, I wouldn't have minded a Pike Trek. Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image |
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| sipovic | 4 Aug 2009, 20:28 Post #3 |
Cultist
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Great idea, KTR, I'm with you on this one. Unfortunately, I'm too lazy to watch remastered TOS which is laying right under my table, but I remeber my first TOS experience pretty well, so I think it would be enough. Actually The Cage was the last TOS episode I saw (since somehow, it wasn't on my DVDs and I searched it separatelly after I saw the whole show) and unfortuantelly it really , really dissappoint me. The cheesy and uninteresting plot which came directly from 50th, faceless crew with unmemorable captain (I don'treally disliked Pike but Thanks God their re-cast Shatner), Spock without personality and doctor who is one foot in grave (again, thanks god they're re-cast Kelly). In my believe if studio didn't force Roddenberry to re-shot this, the show wouldn't survive even for a year. And I can give it higher then 4/10. |
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| Kevin Thomas Riley | 5 Aug 2009, 10:12 Post #4 |
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Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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Cannot disagree more about the "faceless crew with unmemorable captain". That does not in any way diminish how I feel about Kirk, McCoy and the rest. Oh well, different strokes and all that... And I do know that the studio did force a lot of these changes on Roddenberry for the second pilot. One thing they insisted on, and that Gene refused to do, was to get rid of the devilish looking Mr. Spock. Lucky for him and us, he prevailed. I cannot imagine a Star Trek without Spock. |
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| Kevin Thomas Riley | 6 Aug 2009, 13:27 Post #5 |
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Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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1-01 Where No Man Has Gone Before Posted Image When the studio felt that The Cage was "too cerebral" they nevertheless commissioned a second pilot, something that was almost unheard of at the time, and Where No Man Has Gone Before is the result. It was however aired third, which was bound to confuse viewers since the look is still different from later episodes, just like it is in the first pilot. But the ship's interiors had gotten a bit more red on doors and railings. Notably absent are Dr. McCoy and Lt. Uhura, and we see Sulu wearing science blue. And for some reason Spock, the science officer, is wearing command gold. Well, he is the first officer too, but still… And just like the rejected pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before is an excellent episode of Star Trek and one can see why the network accepted the show. While a bit more action-oriented than its predecessor, it still dealt with a lot of heavy stuff. We have a Captain that, for the sake of the ship and perhaps humanity as a whole, has to kill Gary Mitchell, his best friend, who has obtained god-like powers. Already in his first appearance James Kirk has a defining moment. While I had nothing against Pike (see my review of The Cage) I certainly didn't mind that they switched to the more cowboyish Kirk. After all, Kirk has to me become the quintessential Trek Captain that no one has surpassed since, even if Sisko comes close. Where No Man Has Gone Before was also the first Trek episode I ever watched as a kid, and as such it holds a special place in both my memory and my heart. I remember being creeped out by Mitchell's transformation, with the booming voice and glowing eyes, and those feelings haven't subsided as I've grown older. It still holds up extremely well. One of the most chilling moments where when Kirk was watching Mitchell speed-reading on the monitor, then Mitchell slowly turns and looks at him, knowing he's being watched. The subtle greying of Mitchell's hair as he grows more powerful is another nice touch. The camaraderie between Spock, Kirk and Mitchell are conveyed in the beginning, if a bit short, but that's necessary this being a one hour episode after all. While still having some rough edges and yet to be worked out kinks, the 3D chess-playing scene between Kirk and Spock established their relationship of friendly banter. And even though Kirk is more of an action hero than Pike, he's still more serious than Mitchell, who described Kirk at the academy as "a stack of book with legs". Mitchell is the hell-raiser and we can see that they completed each other as friends. This makes what happens in the episode all the more tragic. The episode also showcases the interesting concept of a man acquiring great mental powers while still essentially being a human with all our frailties and flaws. A God has no need for morals, Mitchell exclaims, but Kirk rightly realizes that above all a God needs compassion. Power corrupts and absolute powers corrupts absolutely! That's why Mitchell has to be stopped, has to be killed, just as Mr. Spock rationalize in one of the first scenes where he uses cold Vulcan logic. But this doesn't diminish the torment Kirk feels. It's a great human drama. At first they try to maroon Mitchell on the automated lithium cracking station Delta Vega (shown as a beautiful well-known matte painting which they thankfully kept most of in the remastered version). But his powers grow and he escapes together with Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, a psychiatrist who's also now acquired these powers. Thus we get the final confrontation between Kirk and his former friend, and with a little help from Dehner, Kirk is able to kill Mitchell. In the remastered version they did a touch up of the lithium cracking station, and made sure the passage of time could be seen as the sun rose. They also redid the whole trying to pass the galactic barrier effects, and it looks a lot better now. So no real complaints here. The grade for Where No Man Has Gone Before will be a 10 on my 10-graded scale, just as the first pilot got. All in all, the original Star Trek had a terrific start. Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image |
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| Reanok | 6 Aug 2009, 17:29 Post #6 |
Vice Admiral
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Great review Kevin. :thumbsup: I saw the remastered pilot The Cage in a movie theater watching it on the giant screen with other trek fans was an enjoyable experience. I really liked what they did cleaning up the film and the special effects were well done, it still holds up as good story telling and great characters.I also got to see Billy Blackburns movies too.Where No Man has gone before with Kirk and Gary Mitchell is still my favorite of the 2 pilots for the series.All the difficult choices between his friendship for Mitchell and risking the crews lives if he doesn't abandon Mitchell on the planet.He has to finally heed Spock's cold Logical advice it's difficult to see Mitchell changing into a cruel inhuman Godlike being .Really great acting by the guest stars in the pilot.I've seen some of the remastered series TOS on fox on Sunday afternoon and like the job Denise and Mike okuda did with the special effects.
Edited by Reanok, 6 Aug 2009, 17:35.
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| sipovic | 7 Aug 2009, 07:32 Post #7 |
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Cultist
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ok, it is really suck, when one is watching and others are remembering. I'll watch remastered version at evening and will write my thoughts. |
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| Kevin Thomas Riley | 7 Aug 2009, 09:47 Post #8 |
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Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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Well, there's no hurry. I'm unlikely to put up any more reviews until I get back from my vacation trip. |
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| sipovic | 8 Aug 2009, 15:54 Post #9 |
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Cultist
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Just rewatched Where No Man Has Gone Before. It was the true pilot for me and it was really very good. Shatner was nothing but great, his character somehow manage to be a real tyrant, and ironman who is doing things only his way but be very sympathetic in the same time. It is probably one of the few god-like alien trek episodes which I really enjoyed and Gary Lockwood did a very nice job portrayting Gary Mitchell. (btw, I just checked the guy, he played one of the main roles in 2001: Space Odyssey !). And the Fight between Kirk/Mitchell looks pretty even by today standarts What I disliked about this episode that it stil didn't fully feel like Trek without Mccoy and Uhura, with smirking and yelling Spock and with this stupid "shades of yellow" uniform. But I like this episode anyway. 8/10 Some wallpapers to this episode Posted ImagePosted Image |
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| Kevin Thomas Riley | 26 Sep 2009, 13:31 Post #10 |
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Jolene Blalock Worshipper
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1-02 The Corbomite Maneuver Posted Image You can tell that The Corbomite Maneuver is the first regular episode of Star Trek. It's evident that they were still ironing out the kinks, and not just from Spock's high collar and Uhura's yellow uniform. Still, it's pretty amazing that they essentially had nailed down the characters and their interactions this early on, even if some smaller moments seem a bit off. Spock is a bit harsh at times for example. But the dialogue is great and the characters are already as we've come to know them. Other shows can take seasons to develop this kind of characterization, but not the original Star Trek, which goes to show you the quality of the writing and acting. The relationship between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is already established and it feels natural. It's clear that even if Kirk may have made up his mind sometimes, he needs the input of the others. McCoy is more than willing to point out any flaws and Spock, while offering different opinions, is comfortable in his role as Kirk's "consigliore". This triad, The Big Three, is what more than anything will sustain Star Trek as the years progress. Even a guest star like Lieutenant Bailey is well developed. He's prone to crack under pressure and was promoted over McCoy's objections. But Kirk feels the young man has potential, and in the end he does prove himself. While Bailey could come off as a bit annoying at times, he felt real, he felt human. The basic plot is simple enough but does its job of conveying a sense of danger from the unknown. The main problem though, is that it's too drawn out and that makes it lose suspense after a while. There are too many "ticking clocks" present and that makes the urgency seem, well, less urgent, which might explain the lack of crew reactions (except for Bailey's) in the face of imminent death. Here the episode would've benefited from a tightening of the story. Kirk's Corbomite bluff is very clever though, and it's one he'll use again against the Romulans. This is what makes Kirk such a good Captain. For all his cerebral properties, it's not something Spock would've thought of, which co-incidentally explains why Kirk can win a game of chess against his first officer. And despite his reputation as someone who likes to shoot first and ask questions later, here Kirk displays a much more nuanced personality. He only destroys the cubic probe after it threatens the ship with destruction and he refuses to blast Balok's ship when he has the chance. So even in the face of an unknown enemy he can't understand, Kirk still feels compassion and the need to seek out new life forms and new civilizations in order to hopefully come to understand them. Like he said in his address to the crew: "You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood." Still, there are some plot holes present, especially considering Balok's motivations and his modus operandi. OK, so he's an alien who conceivably thinks different, but there are numerous times when things could have gotten wrong with his test. What if the Enterprise indeed had been destroyed by the first probe, or if Kirk hadn't come up with his Corbomite bluff? What would Balok have done then? Or what if a more trigger-happy Captain had fired on the smaller Fesarius ship? The plot resolution hinges on a lot of rather convenient actions from Kirk. And how is not firing on Balok's damaged ship a sign of peaceful intentions, especially after Balok has proven himself to be perfectly capable to destroy them numerous times before? Anyway, the surprising twist ending remains a classic, with scary-looking Balok just being a puppet and the real Balok being a six-year old Clint Howard drinking a "grapefruit juice" called Tranya. And of course Bailey volunteers to become the liaison officer to this First Federation, whoever they are. In episodic fashion, neither are heard from again. I sometimes wonder what happened to Bailey and Balok. The remastered version of this episode features some new and much more striking visuals both of the Enterprise in space and especially of the sphere-like Fesarius, which is much more believable as a major threat than the one seen before. And they did stay true to the original design and intent. I'll give The Corbomite Maneuver a grade of 7+ on my 10-graded scale. Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image |
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