Description

"The Way to Eden," Ep. 75 - Kirk and crew must deal with the insane leader of a band of rebellious idealists who are searching for the fabled planet Eden. " Requiem for Methuselah," Ep. 76 - An outbreak of Rigellian fever aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise forces Kirk to find an antidote on Holberg 917-G, where he meets the mysterious genius Flint. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Enterprise encounters two wise men seeking paradise
Volume 38 in the Star Trek DVD series offers up a very uneven pair of episodes from the show's final season. "The Way to Eden" is probably the episode that most smacks of the Sixties in a blatant attempt to be groovy, hip, cool, whatever. The Enterprise intercepts a stolen spacecraft carrying Dr. Sevrin (think Timothy Leary) and his followers, all young futuristic hippie types. There are seeking the legendary planet Eden in an attempt to get away from it all and back to paradise. After Spock locates Eden on the ship's computer, Sevrin and his followers take over the Enterprise. However, when they arrive at Eden they find that the planet is as deadly as it is beautiful. The storyline in "The Way to Eden" is okay, it is the transplanted hippies following their guru that grates a bit. It was bad enough when Chekhov showed up with his Beatles/Monkees wig to cater to the younger generation. I do not see any reason to have these people be earnest seekers of a more pastoral lifestyle instead of anti-establishment types. At least they groove on Spock.

On the other hand, "Requiem for Methuselah" is one of my picks for Top 10 Star Trek episodes, although admittedly it might be my most idiosyncratic selection. Rigelian fever has broken out on the Enterprise and the crew discovers the necessary antidote, ryetalyn, on an uninhabited planet in the Omega system. However, the landing party discovers a man named Flint, his robot M4 and his ward, Rayna Kapec. Slowly but surely Kirk and Spock put together the pieces of the mystery--e.g., a "new" work written in the hand of Johannes Brahms--and Flint finally tells them his fantastic story. Born on earth in Mesopotamia in 3034 B.C., he was Akharin, a soldier who was pierced in the heart in battle but did not die because of instant tissue regeneration. Apparently immortal he has lived dozens of lifetimes as Brahms, da Vinci, Solomon, Alexander, Merlin and many others (he claims to have been both Methuselah and Lazarus, and let us just ponder the implications of the latter claim, which is probably the biggest gaff in Star Trek history). Having outlived countless female companions he has constructed a woman equal to himself: Rayna is an android. However, Kirk has fallen in love with this perfect woman and refuses to let Flint have her, with tragic results. The epilogue to this episode, in which Spock seeks to ease Kirk's pain, is one of the most touching of the original Star Trek. James Daly plays Flint and brings a nice sense of weariness to the role of a man almost 6,000 years old. I have always liked this episode and Flint is one of my favorite characters from the Star Trek universe. As much as I have ambivalent feelings towards "The Way to Eden," I hold "Requiem for Methuselah" in high enough regard to end up rounding this one up on my magic scale.

Third-season 'Trek: good for geekin' AND goofin'!
If ever there was a nice, creamy (yet sharp), salaciously-melting, pleasantly-pungent-aroma-producing (whoa- for some strange reason, I've got a sudden hankerin' for clabbered & processed dairy products!) chunk off the cheese ball that was the third season of Star Trek, 'The Way To Eden' is it! Along with 'Spock's Brain', this little misadventure proves that even at its worst, classic 'Trek is pretty freakin' entertaining! Even the squarest 'Herbert' will enjoy goofin' on this one! Space hippies takin' over the Enterprise, and a 'paradise' planet that's not as idyllic as it seems is what awaits you in this cornball 'Trek!

Then there's 'Requiem for Methuselah', featuring yet another version of the "would-be-romance-between Kirk-and-the-show's-babe-of-the-week-going-tragically-awry" plot element. Speaking of tragic Kirkian romances, I heard rumors about William Shatner insisting on doing take after take after take of the kissing scenes until he felt he'd gotten it just right! Who knew the man behind Jimmers was a perfectionist with a strict work ethic? I tell ya, if it were me, I'm not sure I would've been able to endure that much punishment! But Shatner managed to take it like a man, and his extra effort really paid off!

'Late

A Pale Flicker In A Dark Season
I'm not a big fan of Star Trek's 3rd season. Even when I saw the original broadcasts (I was barely a teenager) I sensed the degradation of the show. I was completely unaware of the 'back story' - the 'Save Trek' campaign. There were a rew exceptions.

The Way to Eden - One of the most 'dated' of episodes, it should have been down without the obvious bow to the 'sixties hippy movement'. Spock was definitely 'out of character'in this episode. Walter Koenig got a decent piece of on air time for Chekov, one of the few pluses in the episode.

Requiem for Methuselah - Another episode that had a lot of promise, the writers fell back on a 'mountain of cliche's' in this story. Extending the story by staging accident's while allowing Kirk to romance an android?

Side Note: The Star Trek Universe has a big flaw when it comes to androids. In ST:Next Generation they make it look like Data was the first sentient android? What? Come on fans, would could forget Rayna?

This only the 2nd time a Kirk romance had any substance. But Spock should have used his "Forget" mind meld with Kirk in "The Paradise Syndrome", Shatner's best performance of the series.

More camp, plus one thoughtful show
The Way to Eden-The notorious hippie episode is-like many Treks-best watched with tongue-in-cheek. Few episodes offer stronger proof of just how stodgy many of the older white men behind the scenes must have been. Plenty of episodes are sexist, but this one is decidedly anti-youth. On the other hand, if these youths are representative of the 23rd century, who could blame them? There is hardly a tint of idealism present, and they are lead by a madman (although I have no idea how Spock came to this-ultimately correct-conclusion so quickly.

This is one of the most embarrassing examples of just how easy it is for an outsider to take control of the Enterprise. Equally implausible are Chekov's lack of loyalty to his insignia (although Irina was attractive), and Spock's participation in the jam session. Skip Homeier, who we last saw in Patterns of Force, is no more believable here as an insane Dr. Severin. The ending on the planet 'Eden' is also extremely rushed (and why? so many earlier scenes were begging to be snipped), although honestly I was ready for the episode to end.

One a positive note, this episode is different and it is campy, and those are both things that many of us look for in Trek TOS. Kirk's perturbation at being labeled a Herbert, and Spock's subtle enjoyment of the Captain's insecurity, also make for a few (hard earned) laughs. (2.5 stars)

Requiem for Methuselah-This episode, which features the immortal Flint, is one of the stronger late shows. The premise is interesting, and Flint's performance is nuanced and convincing. Reena is also a sympathetic character, and her conflict in the romantic imbroglio is the most plausible. Granted, love can do strange things to people, but both the otherwise-refined Flint and the always-vulnerable Kirk really act like cavemen here. Ri-talin certainly seems to be the furthest thing from Kirk's mind for much of the episode. Reena ends up being the most tragic and sympathetic figure (ironically enough), but it is Kirk who ultimately receives the salve from Spock in one of Trek's oddest scenes.

Tidbits: By looking closely at Shatner (not his face) you can tell that he enjoys the Waltz with Reena. (3.5 stars)

"I'M TALKIN 'BOUT YOU!...I'M TALKIN' BOUT ME!..."
Volume 38 of The Star Trek DVD series contains one decent third season episode and one of the most infamous episodes in the entire Star Trek series.

THE WAY TO EDEN has to be one of the worst Star Trek episodes ever. By 1969 it was obvious that Star Trek's ratings had hit rock bottom. In order to appeal to the younger generation and the fast growing hippie culture. A bunch of very unhip network executives came up with the idea of bringing flower power to Star Trek. This was a blatant and weak attempt to try to make Star Trek hip. The results are completely laughable. This episode basically finds the Enterprise picking up a band of space hippies. Led by the mad Dr.Sevrin (played quite well by Skip Homeirer) these hippies basically run around the ship singing awful songs about the legendary planet they want to venture to called Eden. Eventually the hippies take control of the ship when their demands are not met but in the end Eden proves to be as deadly as it is beautiful. This episode is really bad. Chekov's relationship with his old flame is totally unconvincing and the acting is so bad it's laughable and the hippie songs will make you cringe. In fact this episode is so bad it's great. This may well be the (unintentionally) funniest Star Trek episode ever! Ungroovy people trying to make something groovy. This episode is a campy joke but that's what makes it a hilarious classic.

The other episode here, REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH is actually better but it's overshadowed by the colourful campiness of THE WAY TO EDEN. This episode however has a plausible plot about control and the value of life in general. Good acting and nice plot twists and turns makes this episode a must. Somewhat of a tragic story brings out how serious this Trek outing actually is. This episode ends on a very low note, however it's incredibly effective showing us that (despite the production wos) the Star Trek series still had some life in it, even by 1969.

Overall a good pair of episodes definetly worth getting. WAY TO EDEN is so laughable it has to seen no matter what and if it disappoints you then REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH can always compensate for it. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Finally!About time
I bought the entire set from Australia, not knowing they were not "region free" as stated.Been watching them on my PC. Fabulous!What can one say about Roger Moore that hasn't been said.Can't wait to finally watch them on my TV!! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A fine tribute to John Colicos
The late John Colicos of "Battlestar Galactica" fame shines as the Klingon commander Kor in "Errand of Mercy," an episode which has an ambiguous title. Whose "errand" is it anyway - the Federation's? As it turns out, the mercy is shown by the Organians who act to prevent an interstellar war, establishing one of the political cornerstones of the Star Trek future history. Given the significance of the so-called "Organian Peace Treaty" which is referred to in many later episodes, I always felt this episode was too subdued; we don't see the two starfleets in space and the Klingon occupation forces on Organia are small in number. Still, Colicos' scenes with Shatner are well acted and establish the aggressive nature of both captains, a theme which comes up again and again. DVD lets us see the fog around the Organian castle as well as the writing on the Klingon occupation notices - they're printed in English!

SF writer Harlan Ellison is known to have hated the TV adaptation of his story "The City on the Edge of Forever" and we can see why. Although it is undeniably one of Star Trek's more emotionally powerful episodes (Bill Shatner's last line still sends chills up and down my spine), as a science fiction story it does not hold up to repeated viewings. But this is a strong pairing on DVD; if only there were more interactive options and liner notes. By the way, somebody goofed on the package design - there's a photo from a different episode ("Metamorphoses") for "City on the Edge of Forever."

Why this was the Best Star Trek Episode
The original Star Trek was far superior to the followups for many reasons and City on the Edge of Forever, the pinnacle of that series. Harlan Ellison's legendary feud over script revision with Gene Roddenberry is well known, and supposedly the original script is even better than the one used. Nevertheless I've not seen any other TV script that approaches the profundity of this. Kirk and Spock track Bones through a time/space portal to 1930 and meet Edith Keeler, a person who changed history after being saved by Bones. Kirk falls in love with her, but has to decide between love and the Allied WWII victory. This whole episode is thought provoking, the characters are believable, the fact that this was done in 1967 shines through in its creativity and emotional intensity. Such a contrast to the ridiculous follow-up series and films. All episodes of the original are worth seeing, but this is the best.

One well above average, and perhaps the best
Errand of Mercy-This thoughtful episode introduces us to the Klingons, who along with the Federation are seen here currying the favor of the peaceful and pastoral Organians. While thoughtful and somewhat slow, this episode is not without it's share of tension. We share the anxious feeling of time having stopped before the onset of war; only the Organians seem curiously subdued. The episode eventually hits us with a very nice twist, which is intelligent in that it eventually forces us to see the Klingon and Federation positions as more similar than different; the real distinction is with the more advanced Organians. This is one of those examples of how watching Star Trek could be simultaneously humbling in its depiction of our current society and uplifting in its optimistic vision of a possible future. (3.5 stars)

The City on the Edge of Forever-The final issue in an unprecedented string of six consecutive well-above average episodes was probably the greatest of them all. Here we have the classic episode in which The Triumvirate pass through a portal into Depression Era Earth, where they must try to reverse changes that have been made to history. This episode in addition to being packed with tension, somehow feels more professional than most other episodes; as one reviewer noted, it truly does feel like you're watching a short movie. And while most of the other past/parallel Earth episodes relied primarily on the comedic aspects, those are clearly secondary here (all though by no means absent). This is a serious show, and the actors and production team took it as such. Kirk's love affair with Keeler is probably Trek's most convincing, and it is no coincidence that she is one of the strongest female characters to appear on the show (the lack of more was in my opinion perhaps Trek's greatest failure). And lets face it, for the climax of the episode everything gels; the scene simply feels 'right' to an extent almost never witnessed on network TV. We feel Kirk's choice and his loss, but realize it had to be. Sacrifice. The tone is carried over perfectly to the final scene, in which Shatner issues the final, bitter and disgusted line of the episode perfectly. (5 stars)

Two of the finest episodes of the original Trek
Gene L. Coon's Errand of Mercy and Harlan Ellison's City on the Edge of Forever (extensively rewritten by Coon, Gene Roddenberry and story editor D. C. Fontana although it's true to Ellison's original concept)are two of the finest episodes produced for Trek. I would argue the point that City is the best (there were others equally as good if not better and, in fact, Ellison's original script was much, much better than the version that was shot and aired). The former was totally Coon's creation. Coon was the unsung hero of Trek writing many of the original series finest episodes and using his experience as a hands on writer/producer to help Roddenberry fine tune his vision for the series.

Essentially this is a conflict between the Federation (read the United States) and the Klingon Empire (read the Russians or Chinese however you want to look at it). It details a power struggle over a backwater planet where each group wants the planet as part of an ongoing power struggle. Kirk wants Organia to join the Federation as they are strategically valuable. The Klingon Empire invades the planet. They know Kirk and Spock are there and threaten to kill the inhabitants one at a time or in groups unless they give up Kirk and Spock. The Organians refuse as they've got a couple of tricks up their sleeves.

City dealt with time travel. The Enterprise discovers a planet that is almost unstuck (to borrow from Vonnegut)in time. There are portals all over the planet that provided the original inhabitants with gateways to the past. Accidently injected with a powerful but dangerous drug, McCoy loses his mind, attacks crew members and escapes from the ship. Kirk, Spock and a landing party pursue him. They discover the portals, their purpose (they're intelligent and alive in a sense) and McCoy at the same time. McCoy travels into Earth's past to escape the landing party and, somehow, changes the past so World War Two is won by the Axis powers. The result is a stranded landing party and a nonexistant Federation to save them. Kirk and Spock choose to travel to the past to undo whatever damage McCoy has done.

Featuring top notch art direction, effects (for 1967), performances (Shatner is, for the most part, very restrained and very, very effective in both)and direction, both episodes rate highly in the Trek canon and science fiction. City won the Hugo award and Ellison's original (much more emotionally complex)script won the Writer's Guild of America Award (where it was pitted against all episodic television shows submitted for that year).

While City IS a classic and a great episode of Trek, you owe it to yourself to read Ellison's original script which has been published as a trade paperback with introductions by original series writer David Gerrold, story editor/writer D. C. Fontana, Next Gen writer Melissa Snodgrass, actors Nimoy and Walter Koenig. It's a great piece of writing and it's a pity that it has never been produced. Errand, on the other hand, is fairly close to Coon's original conception (although Roddenberry may have had a hand in rewriting it).

My Favorite "Original" Episode But....
The City On The Edge Of Forever is the best series episode despite the rewrites that nearly ruined it. Real Drama in Science Fiction....what a concept! Very few atttempts at TV Science Fiction have come close to this one episode.

But I digress....where does Paramount get off packaging this series in 40 separate sets? There are now two other ST series available in a much more convenient package (season sets).

If ST:TOS would be packaged this way I'd grab the first two seasons in a heartbeat....the third season should be burned!

Just My Opinion.... Live Long And Prosper! ... Read more

Description

This 12-part serial made in 1939 places Don Diego (Reed Hadley) in Mexico. Disguuised as Zorro, he joins the conflict between the Mexican state and the Yaqui people where It seems a strange and mysterious figure in gold armor and a mask is being worshiped by the Yaqui, who rally behind their new leader to steal gold shipments from their Mexican neighbors. Diego must find out who is behind this false golden god and expose him for the good of peace!

The legendary masked swordsman Zorro dodges a variety of deathtraps, including exploding barns, runaway elevators and avalanches in his effort to thwart the insidious plan of armored bad guy Don Del Oro to rule Mexico. Directed by John English (TV’s "Gunsmoke", "Lassie") and William Whitney (TV’s "Bonanza", "The Virginian"). The original 12 chapter serial that inspired a number of Zorro adaptations including Walt Disney’s classic television series and Antonio Banderas’ blockbuster The Mark of Zorro. Early western directing style cited as an influence on later westerns including Rio Bravo, The Wild Bunch, and Unforgiven. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Zorro ride again in superior Republic Chapterplay!
There have been four serials made that use the actual "ZORRO" name and two or three that use a character similar to Zorro, but this 1938 chapterplay is the only one with the one and ONLY Zorro! With Zorro played by Reed Hadley, Republic's original story takes Zorro to Mexico after Juarez's successful revolution aainst Spain to stop the reincarnated Yaqui god Don Del Oro from stealing much needed gold and fomenting a Yaqui uprising. The twelve chapters of this serial keep Zorro and his Fighting Legion in continual peril from Don Del Oro and his Yaqui followers, and trying to deduce which one of four evil councillors is Don del Oro will keep everyone guessing until the final chapter! One of Republic's best serials ever and a worthy addition to the Zorro legend. END

One of the greatest movie serials of all time
This is also the ONLY Zorro serial dealing with the original Zorro character, set in the original time period (early 1800's). The serial is very well made. Reed Hadley is an excellent Don Diego/Zorro. The sword fighting scenes are very impressive. The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter are excellently done. Don Del Oro is one of the greatest movie serial villians of all time. If you are a fan of the Zorro legend or of movie serials in general, this is one of the best. A must have!

ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE VERSION!!
Read the horrid reviews (as usual) for the Madacy product, then grab this Hal Roach Studios/Image version of this classic Republic Serial, perhaps second in fame only to THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. This version is meticulously mastered from the original camera negative with fine grain shots substituted wherever necessary. Where Madacy "simply" eliminates(!) the beginnings and ends of each of their twelve 16mm chapters, making it more into a herky-jerky feature film that runs 3-1/2 hours (then making you buy TWO separate discs in order to obtain the whole story), this Hal Roach Studios version is absolutely complete--four hours on one disc (double-coated, no turning over!) and boasts trailers for six other top serials to boot. All from 35mm, with the visual power and dynamic soundtrack range the use of those elements brings to the table. This is the one you've been waiting for, so get the best possible version. (Same for ROBINSON CRUSOE OF CLIPPER ISLAND, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN and ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP, also mastered from the original 35mm nitrate camera negatives and fine grains. They're all being released by Image in the coming months.) As the reviewer from the Knight-Ridder Newspaper chain recently published "Do yourself a favor--wait for the Hal Roach Studios version from Image--it's the real deal". I concur. It's worth the little bit extra you have to pay to be able to see the picture and hear the sound the way it was all meant to be presented. ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION is worth the money for the twelfth chapter alone, with it's great unmasking scene (but, no peeking till you've built up to it by watching the first eleven!). You'll love it.

Enjoyed my 10 year old tape better
I was going to write my own review but michaeljmoore2 beat me to the punch. My old VHS version of this serial beats this DVD hands down. I still can't understand why the DVD version did not include the synopsis from the previous chapter. For me, this was one of the fun parts of the serial. It can't be because they ran out of space on the DVD since there are two DVDs with this set. Go figure.

GOOD FOR MADACY, BUT STILL DISAPPOINTING!
While Madacy may not have digitally remastered their version of Zorro's Fighting Legion, this disc does have decent picture and sound quality. The print is at times a little dark, but overall it is not bad to look at. The biggest problem with Madacy's version is that they not only have cut out the title's beginning and endings, they also removed the chapter recaps as well. This seems an odd choice on their part, considernig all chapter recaps were left in on their Painted Stallion, and New Adventures of Tarzan DVD's. Without the chapter recaps the serial loses some of its flare. I would reccomend waiting for the Image version of the serial. I understand that theirs comes from the original negative. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Ultimate Computer"
Kirk reluctantly agrees to play along with a Federation test of a new supercomputer, designed by the brilliant Dr. Daystrom (William Marshall, the booming baritone stage actor most famous for Blacula) to run a starship almost single-handedly. It does its job too well, locking the human crew out of ship operations and using deadly force during the Federation war games. Spock and McCoy continue their now-legendary banter about man versus machine while Kirk muses over the obsolescence of his own command. Marshall is excellent as a former-boy-wonder genius banking his reputation on this breakthrough, treating his creation like a son. That's not too far from the truth: designed after his brain pattern, this thinking, reasoning, learning machine carries with it the insecurities and desperation of its creator. The fears of the emerging digital revolution explored in The Ultimate Computer in 1968 remain today: what is the fate of man in the face of technological efficiency? Films from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Colossus: The Forbin Project to Demon Seed and The Matrix have echoed these themes, and this Trek episode--primitive special effects, zero-budget sets, and all--stands up to them quite nicely. --Sean Axmaker

"The Omega Glory"
What is it with Starfleet captains? So many of them become wildly grandiose. Witness "The Omega Glory," in which another starship commander, Ronald Tracey (Morgan Woodward), tramples the Prime Directive by interfering in a long-running conflict between primitive societies, in this case the Yangs and Kohms of planet Omega IV. Siding with the Kohms, Tracey creates an imbalance of power that Kirk works to adjust by arming the Yangs proportionately.The script by series creator Gene Roddenberry is one of his not-so-subtle allegories for the state of the world in the 1960s, specifically our own cold war between nuclear superpowers. So bluntly drawn is Roddenberry's parallel between Omega IV and 20th-century Earth that this is one of the few Star Trek episodes that risks becoming completely absurd after a point. William Shatner (Captain Kirk) takes the biggest risk of all with a passionate, lengthy speech of the sort pranksters like comic actor Kevin Dunn are wont to imitate today. But the fact is that Shatner pulls off such chancy material very well, and certainly does so here. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Two interesting variations on standard Star Trek plotlines
Some interesting variations on a couple of standard Star Trek plotlines are offered up on Volume 27 of the DVD series. "The Ultimate Computer" finds Kirk confronting another dangerous super computer, albeit one actually created by an Earthling rather than an alien. Dr. Richard Daystrom is not only the inventor fo the M5, but the "father" of all the computer designs on the Enterprise. Daystrom hope is that the computer can run an entire starship, saving humans from the dangers of exploring deep space. Kirk is not happy with this idea, especially when Starfleet decides the Enterprise should be the vessel for this test. Of course things go nicely at first and then M5 destroys a freighter and then wipes out four ships that were supposed to engage in a simulated battle. However, the ending is the same as with most of these episodes (e.g., "The Changeling") as Kirk uses logic to stop the crazy machine, while Spock watches from the sidelines. You would think just once Spock would be the logical one to employ such a weapon, but you should not hold your breath.

"The Omega Glory" is far and away my favorite Star Trek episode involving a parallel Earth, mainly because the similarity is saved until the thrilling conclusion of the episode (cf. "Miri," where the planet looks just like Earth in the teaser). The Enterprise discovers the USS Exeter in orbit around Omega IV with everyone dead on board. On the surface Kirk, Spock and McCoy find Captain Tracey, who explains that some biological agent on the planet killed his crew, except for those few who stayed on the surface. However, it becomes clear Tracey has violated the sacred Prime Directive, uisng his phaser to aide the Kohms against their ancient enemies, the Yangs. However, the Yangs overwhelm the Kohms in a final battle and the Starfleet officers are all stunned to learn that the Yangs worship the flag of the United States of America. I have to admit, the first time around this one had me completely fooled. Realizing that Kohms and Yangs are corruptions of Communists and Yankees, Kirk is able to recognize the garbled words of the Pledge of Allegiance. But then the Yangs bring out their most sacred Holy Words, which also sound so familiar to Kirk. But before he can supply the answer Kirk has to fight Tracey, thereby proving the ancient dictum that good will always triumph over evil. "The Omega Glory" is one of my personal favorites. I think it has something to do with all that time spent in college studying "ideographs," what Cloud William and Kirk would call "worship words." Certainly it is the most pro-American episode from the Star Trek universe.

Jim Kirk's Voice: The ORIGINAL Computer Virus!
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 27: The Ultimate Computer © / The Omega Glory ©

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The Series' Umpteenth "Man-Versus-Machine" Scenario

Historical Milestone: The first and only time the term 'Captain Dunsel' (defined as 'a component that serves no useful purpose') is brought up on the show.

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: One dead

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
If you're familiar with the episodes 'Nomad' and 'Return of the Archons', you'll probably feel a sense of déjà vu while watching 'The Ultimate Computer'. Once again, a computer goes haywire (in this case, one that's been installed & patched into the Enterprise's systems, in preparation for ship-to-ship battle simulations), and it's up to the resourcefulness of our gallant crew to save the day once again. As expected, Kirk manages to talk the computer 'to death', but not before he shares his feelings of self-doubt, fear of losing his job to a machine, and a stiff drink with the always-sympathetic Doctor McCoy. Nothin' like a nip of the hooch with your chief medical officer to get yourself back on track, I always say...

THE OMEGA GLORY © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Allegory of the Cold War; The true meaning of freedom and liberty

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: One dead

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
This particular show features the return of Morgan Woodward, one of my all-time fave Star Trek guest stars. As the mentally-tormented Dr. Simon Van Gelder in 'Dagger of the Mind', Woodward's unbelievably overdone facial expressions of pain and anguish were really fun to watch. His mush undergoes further manipulation-- this time showing off his 'angry' faces-- in his second Star Trek go-round as he fills the role of rogue Starfleet Captain Ronald Tracey.

But if that ain't enough of a laugh, there's Jimmers' "lesson-of-the-day" that manages to milk a few more yuks outta me. His "we the people" spiel where he discusses the spirit of the United States Constitution to the planet's natives, while heartwarming to the average patriotic American Trekkie, is also quite cheesy when it's done in that unique Shatnerian delivery that has become a component of every modern two-bit standup comic's repertoire of backup gags. Throw in the unintentionally ironic fact that William Shatner is Canadian, and the guffaws don't die down 'til the closing credits roll!

'Late

Two episodes suffering from the late 2nd season doldrums
The Ultimate Computer-This war games episode, in which command of the Enterprise is handed over to a computer (with predictable results) is a solid offering. The episode has it's share of action, and touches on important issues such as human obsolescence, pratfalls (to put it mildly) of technology, and the risks inherent in putting too much into your work. But the episode ultimately suffers from being both two predictable (you'll never guess who outwits a computer!) and too talky.

It should be noted that this is one of the most prominent roles played by an African-American on Star Trek TOS. While one is initially frustrated by the character's fate, further reflection suggests a lack of prejudice in this episode. Rather than walk on eggshells, the brain trust gave him the same fate (collapse of some sort) that (almost) always befell all Federation elite. (3 stars)

The Omega Glory-This patriotic episode, in which the Yangs (American whites) are oppressed by the Colms (Communist Asians), is a real stinker, no matter what your political philosophy. The Roddenberry-written episode starts strongly enough with an intriguing and disquieting teaser, but despite plenty of action it's a downhill ride once we reach the planet's surface. I can see the appeal of the 'what-if' stories; they allow us to imagine other possible historical trajectories on earth, and they are cheap to make. But the second season really overloaded us with them. Worse, this episode is in my opinion totally biased, presenting Asians as savages and Americans as heroic. A more measured approach with some heterogeneity would have been nice; on the other hand it wouldn't have made for as viscerally-gripping an episode. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't mind simplistic, but this goes too far, and it's too offensive along the way. By the time we get to Old Glory, we feel almost embarrassed for Shatner. I give him credit though for being professional enough to play the scene seriously.

Tidbit: Morgan Woodward, who plays Tracey here, was also Dr. Van Gelder in Dagger of the Mind. (2 stars)

Another parallel-development world & another killer computer
Not the very best episodes among the original series offerings; they're weighed down a bit by, respectively, too much heavy allegory ("The Omega Glory") and excess preachiness ("The Ultimate Computer"). Both episodes, however, showcase some good character moments and humor. And, like all the original series Treks on DVD, the picture is sharp and clean. One could do worse.

WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE!!!
Volume 27 of The Star Trek DVD series contains two of the second season's typical plots. Both episodes are watchable and entertaining However neither of these episodes are not the most successful variations of these blueprint plots.

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER is one of those man v.s. machine episodes of Star Trek. Only this time Kirk must sit and watch the Enterprise be contolled by a computer called the M-5 rather than his crew. At first the M-5 seems as flawless as it's creator Daystrom says. Of course the computer goes haywire and begins destroying Starfleet ships. Sure this episode is written ok and all but we've seen this a thousand times before and it's been done better. Still this episode's story is entertaining and worth at least one watch but it is at best a standard Star Trek episode.

THE OMEGA GLORY follows a similar pattern as THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER. This is a typical second season Star Trek episode but it is by far one of the worst varaitions of the whole "journey to an unknown planet run by a cruel race or empire" plots. In a somewhat patriotic episode where the planet is run by Comms (chinese communists) led by a insane Starfleet Captain (Morgan Woodward from DAGGER OF THE MIND). When the Comms are excuting violent slaves called Yanks (as in Yankee) this episode gets a little far fetched. A few suprises here and there, but other than that THE OMEGA GLORY is a below average episode of Star Trek in my opinion. Partly because it's story is pretty far fetched and disappointing in the end. Also because this plot has been done to death in Star Trek and far better other times.

Overall a decent collection of standard Star Trek shows. There is really nothing super special here but if you love classic Trek then you probably will want to get this DVD. Mildly recommended. ... Read more

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This second volume of episodes on DVD from the original Star Trekincludes the popular and sexy "Mudd's Women," which introduces the characterof interstellar huckster and fugitive Harry Mudd (Roger C. Carmel, later to return in another classic episode, "I, Mudd"). The Enterprise beamsaboard Harry andthree beautiful and scantily clad women whom the con man is carrying as cargo.The transport damages the starship, forcing Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to take a detour to a mining world for a supply of dilithium crystals. Harryuses the women as bait to get the miners to help him flee from theauthorities--but a revelation about his liberal use of anattraction-enhancement drug adds a twist to things. This clever and novelinstallment in the series grafted the unlikely element of a petty, colorful crook onto a science fiction show, an obvious forerunner of Deep SpaceNine's inclusion of Quark among its own major characters.

Also in this volume is another outstanding episode, "The Enemy Within."Written by renowned novelist-screenwriter Richard Matheson (The IncredibleShrinking Man), the story proposes a transporter malfunction that resultsin Captain Kirk being divided into two versions of himself, one aggressiveand brutal, the other sensitive and good. Essentially, the personality mixthat makes Kirk an effective leader and balanced man is scattered like somany marbles, and the result is one captain running around mauling women andwreaking havoc while the other is frightened and indecisive. The production is very effectively done, and Shatner's performance is among his mostinteresting. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Get this one for Shatner
Those who claim Shatner can't act should be shown "The Enemy Within," an episode that shows that, yes, Shatner can act. The premise is simple enough--Kirk is split into two halves, one that is the "good" side of humanity and the other the "evil" half of humanity. Over the course of the hour, Kirk learns he needs both halves not only to command but to be human. It's a powerful and moving episode and it certainly features Shatner at his finest as he brings both half of Kirk to life. This is one of the finest explorations of Kirk's character in the entire original series and this episode proves again and again why the original series is so loved and has endured for so long.

As for "Mudd's Women," this was one of the three scripts for the second pilot that Roddenberry wanted to do. Thankfully, he went with "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and the rest is history. Not that "Mudd's Women" is bad, mind you. It's a standard Trek story that features some nice moments with Kirk. It also deals with how far humans will go to find acceptance and love and certainly has some rather interesting, thought provoking themes. But, overall, it's not one of the stronger early entries the series had.

One Harry Mudd, Two Captain Kirks and Three Beautiful Women
Star Trek starts to find its footing in this pair of early first season episodes collected on Volume 2 of the DVD series. Of course I like the beautiful women in "Mudd's Women," it is Harcourt Fenton Mudd I could never stand. Certainly, the episode is one of those thinly veiled allegories where Star Trek spoke to contemporary concerns, in this case the reliance of women on artificial aids, such as the "Venus Drug," to enhance their beauty. I really think that the entire plotlines would not only function okay but even better without the abrasive Harry Mudd. I also like the brief glimpse at what it is like for people trying to make a life on some barren rock out in the middle of nowhere. "Mudd's Women" is one of the rare Star Trek episodes that gives us a glimpse at life on the final frontier. On balance, this is an average episode. Get rid of Mudd and it would be above average.

"The Enemy Within" proved early on that William Shatner could certainly act when the spirit moved him; maybe the key factor was not playing Captain Kirk, per se. When Kirk beams back from Alpha 177 a transporter malfunction splits him into two halves: one good, the other evil. When Spock and the others catch on that there are two Kirks they are forced to leave Sulu and the rest of the landing party stranded on the freezing planet. Meanwhile, Yeoman Rand finally has a close encounter with the Captain, which turns out to be not all that enjoyable. Yes, it makes absolutely no sense for the transporter to split Kirk's personality in half like this, but that is why they call it science fiction (besides, the transporter was just a cheaper way of showing the crew getting to planets than doing special effects with shuttle crafts). Plus we get the philosophical discourse on how Kirk needs his "evil" side to be a good starship captain. "The Enemy Within" is an above average episode.

Three babes and a psychological study.
Star Trek: The Original Series Volume 2 presents two episodes aired in 1966:

"Mudd's Women:" In this segment we are introduced to the galaxy's most likeable adversary, Harry Mudd. Mudd brings aboard the Enterprise his "cargo" -- three beautiful women. There's a surprising drug angle to the story regarding the illegal Venus drug which supposedly enhances the beauty of Mudd's gals (uh, I don't think the need any help -- especially Ruth and Magda). It's interesting to note that this story was one of the three candidates for the (second) pilot; the two others being "The Omega Glory" and the accepted "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Good choice because otherwise Star Trek wouldn't exist. Anyway, the episode starts to drag a bit in the third act, but other than that it's a fun, enjoyable outing. GRADE: B

"The Enemy Within:" Kirk gets split into two separate versions of himself a la "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Watch out for the dark Kirk's bestial expression at the end of the teaser -- it's great! Note the top two items on the dark Kirk's 'things-to-do' list: 1.) Get some booze off of Dr. McCoy and 2.) Go after sexy Yeoman Janice Rand in her red miniskirt. It is revealed that Kirk's command abilities and decisiveness stem from his carnal side, not his spiritual side. Spock theorizes that the 'evil' side of the human psyche, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to our strength. Thus with Kirk's negative side removed from him, the power of command starts to elude him. (Though McCoy rightly points out later that a human being's essential courage stems from his/her 'good' side). Bottom Line: A brilliant and captivating psychological exploration; fails to achieve "A+" status only because it starts to plod a bit in the second half. GRADE: A

Still fine-tuning the show
Mudd's Women-This episode, in which we meet Mudd and his three sirens, has never really worked for me. For one thing, it moves like molasses. The 'inquest' scene, for example, in which the women seduce the crew, in addition to being ineffective is at least twice as long as it need have been. Other evidence of low production values at this point in the show include the cheesy music and use of the (grossly) soft lens in the scenes with Mudd's Women. Other problems include the hopeless moralizing and cornball twist at the close of the episode. While it's true that later shows could be too cold, it's also true that first season episodes were often smarmily warm and cloyingly sincere.

The episode is not without it's pluses. It does explore some of the contradictions surrounding perceptions of beauty and the objectification of women, and I suppose makes a statement about drug use. They also did a nice job making the women look ugly (although in my opinion--probably by design--they weren't too eautiful to begin with). (2 stars)

The Enemy Within-With this episode, in which a transporter malfunction creates two wildly different Kirk's, the show begins to hit its stride. Like many first season shows, this one is sharply focused on dynamics of human personality and interaction. We are shown subtle aspects of both the two Kirks, and the thought process of the rest of the crew as the relate to the new Kirk's. Such attention to internal details, for better or worse, really fell off in the 2nd and 3rd seasons as the show become more extroverted. As others have noted, Shatner turns in a nice performance here, although that absurd make-up they put on the male crew members for the early shows is kind of distracting in the close-ups. One other nice thing about this episode is that its central theme, concerning our dual nature, is not presented in an overly simplisitic way; by this I mean that even each of the two sides of Kirk are somewhat nuanced, and the description of how the two parts need to be together not overly cliché. Nevertheless, the show like many early ones, is way too talky. While the show was beginning to hit it's stride, it wasn't there yet; this episode does drag, and feels somewhat clunky despite a fair amount of action (3 stars)

2 great Kirk episodes
Mudd's Women...Kirk beams up Harry Mudd & 3 ultra-sexy women who no man can seem to resist. But are they really that beautiful? Watch & find out.

The Enemy Within...Kirk is duplicated in a transporter accident. See Shatner portray Kirk's "evil side" with absolute brilliance. ... Read more

Description

That Which Survives, Ep. 69 - Kirk and company are stranded on a hostile planet where they are greeted by Losira, a beautiful woman whose touch means instant death. Meanwhile, a power surge has hurtled the U.S.S. Enterprise 1,000 light-years from the planet.
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, Ep. 70 - Kirk beams aboard two warring half-black, half-white beings, named Lokai and Bele. When Kirk tries to intervene, Bele gains control of the U.S.S. Enterprise and threatens to destroy it. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

My Collection of The original Series
"That Which Survives" is the reason I am adding Vol.35 to my collection. There are a lot of episodes I could not stand and will not purchase. I will purchase one or two more as they become available. Video quality of these episodes is incredible. They must have produced the original series in 35mm film.

HOLY GUEST STARS!
Volume 35 of the Star Trek DVD series features two good episodes from the third season with guest appearances from stars of the recently cancelled Batman TV series.

Lee Meriwether plays Losira in THAT WHICH SURVIVES, the last of a long extinct alien race on a deserted planet. When the Enterprise arrives at the planet, crew men are being fatally assaulted by Losira, who keeps appearing and disappearing from the Enterprise to the planet's surface. To make matters worse The Enterprise runs into technical problems leaving Scotty to try and sort them out. In the end it turns out that Losira is nothing more than the planet's defence system which is still runnning long after she and her entire race died out. This ending is somewhat strange and leaves the viewer scratching their head. None the less THAT WHICH SURVIVES is still a good episode. The story is pretty good despite the confusing ending and ee Meriwether has always been top notch eye candy. Strangely Mr.Spock is rude to almost everyone in this episode which makes the viewer wonder......

Frank Gorshin plays Bele in LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD a Charonian Police Officer tracking down an outlaw named Lokei (played by Lou Antonio). His search brings him to The Enterprise. Bele insists that Lokei has committed some terrible crimes nad must pay the price. However Lokei pleads that his kind on Charon are treated like this by authority regardless of what they have done. Essentially this episode tackles the racism issue head on. Bele and Lokei are both Charonians but Bele has black skin on the right side and white on the left while Lokei is the reverse. The entire conflict seems to be a big joke but thats what the producers wanted to get across. That racism was ridiculous and pointless. The problem with this episode is it is way too preachy. The story is basically Bele and Lokei screaming at eachother about morals throughout. Thus the message is crammed down viewers throats. Still this is a great Star Trek episode despite the lack o developed plot. Good casting and a stragnely effective episode that deals with this issue that plagued the 60's.

Overall this is one of the better third season DVD's. There are flaws but it's not terrible. These are two goods episodes with great guest stars. Highly recommended!

Trekking with Catwoman and the Riddler
Actors from the then recently cancelled Batman TV series turn up in Volume 35 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek.

Lee Meriwether (one of three actresses to portray Catwoman) appears, and disappears, in a severely underwritten guest role in That Which Survives. Poor pacing, weak dialogue, and out of character behavior by the crew all but ruin an interesting premise. Spock, in particular, acts rather snippishly throughout the episode, being downright rude to Scott, McCoy, and Chekov. Leonard Nimoy was so distressed by some of his dialogue he sent third season producer Fred Frieberger a lengthy memo in protest. It was of no use, as Frieberger had little grasp of what made the first two seasons' best stories so noteworthy.

Let that Be Your Last Battlefield is a very obvious allegory on America's black/white conflict. Too obvious, really. As with Patterns of Force, the parallels are so upfront that the story loses its effectiveness. Star Trek's social conscience worked best when The Message was integrated into an entertaining story (as in The Undiscovered Country) rather than being shoved down the viewers' throats. The ridiculous overacting by guest stars Lou Antonio and Frank (The Riddler) Gorshin makes William Shatner's performances look like paragons of subtlety.

As with most of the rest of this series, picture and sound are fine.

Holy Pork Fat, Batman!
These two episodes are so bad that fans are looking for something to say and find the "Batman" connection with the guest stars (Meriwether & Groshin). Yechh!!! Holy Pork Fat, Batman!

But on a postive note, "That Which Survives" could have been so much more if they only bothered to do a few more rewrites. The stark cheap sets on that episode didn't even stick out! Well, maybe when Kirk told Spock to fire at the 'computer' and the unnamed Lt. fired at the 'cube' hanging from the ceiling, which made no sense at all! And that's with the full-length original episode. It looks like they edited something important out of the story, or more probably just ran out of time.

On a negative note, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield was a poor excuse of a 'moral story' about prejudice. The plot had some stupid points (left side, right side skin color) while it clobbered you over the head with the lesson, the home planet destroyed itself! Long gone are the 'morals' being nested in a good story.

p.s. Will Amazon ever allow us to give out a zero rating?

One true lemon, one thought-provoking show
That Which Survives-Only the Sulu fan club (he features prominently here) could disagree that the best thing about this episode is Lee Merriweather-and she plays an automaton! A lot of the old tricks are here, like Kirk outsmarting a computer (come to think of it, even the computer console looks familiar!).
Basically, this should have been a half-hour show (actually it shouldn't even have been a show). Senseless dialogue is contrived, both on the planet and on the Enterprise, just to pass the time until the next commercial. Hard to find a worse episode, in my opinion.
Tidbit: For the remainder of the show, the final credits would
feature the 2nd season theme music. While this is a very minor detail in itself, it seems symbolic of other changes. The episodes become more formulaic as the parties concerned begin to see the writing on the wall for the show. The absence of new music, as budgets draw tight, also contributes an increasingly stale and defeatist feel to the late episodes. (1 star)

Let that be your Last Battlefield-This episode, employing actors done up in half-black, half-white face makeup, is a none-too subtle statement about race relations. While Star Trek is to be commended for not ignoring controversial issues, the show's forays could be grossly oversimplistic; this episode is a case in point. Most viewers will have gleaned the difference between Lokai and Bele long before the crew becomes aware. This is also another talky episode, and while the actors do a good job expressing their choler through some truly acrimonious exchanges, the viewer gets the idea pretty fast.
The second half of the episode is not without its plusses though. The auto-destruct sequence was a nice touch, as were the montages of burning cities (which must have struck a cord in early 1969, as today). The conclusion leaves the viewer with much to ponder, both specifically about Bele and Lokai's fate, and more generally about hatred's powerful momentum. One other welcome aspect was the fact that the Enterprise and her crew were basically powerless here. This thankfully (in my opinion) spares us the need for a pat conclusion to such a complex problem. On the other hand, it is interesting to ask whether a first season episode would have been so pessimistic. The answer is almost certainly no. But a lot had changed in two years, and not just in the Star Trek universe. (3 stars) ... Read more

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Like Hitchcock, Atom Egoyan envisions family life as a potential hotbedofliteral or figurative violence and incest. In Felicia's Journey, Egoyan'sadaptation of William Trevor'sshattering novel, one dreads to imagine what TV-cook mom (Arsinée Khanjian) did to so damage her pudgy son that grown- up Hilditch (Bob Hoskins) still prepares meals in perfect unison with fadedvideotapes of her show--and, as we eventually discover, often takes moresinister trips down Memory Lane. Distant kin to Psycho's Tony Perkins,Hoskins's troll is so obsessive, so traumatized, his every short-armed,fat-handed gesture and sing-song utterance is precisely calculated to keepreality safely buried.

Egoyan's movies often seem located underwater, in some surreal dreamscapewhere one's breath is perpetually suspended while a slow horror seeps everdeeper under the skin. Helpless, transfixed, one watches as his characters drive inexorably toward mined intersections where lives and souls may be lost orredeemed. When Hilditch's path crosses, diverges from, and finally coincideswith that of young, pregnant Felicia (Elaine Cassidy)--an Irish innocentsearching for her errant boyfriend--it leads to terrible epiphany for these fellow travelers. Trouble is, creepy Hilditch and too-naive Felicia come upa bit short in the psychological complexity department, so by film's end,revelatory payoffs are mostly penny ante. Felica's Journey tours familiarEgoyan territory--an industrialized wasteland full of hungry hearts--but thislatest fairy tale (think perverse variations on Hansel and Gretel) isn't inthe same league with such "family values" masterpieces as Exotica or The SweetHereafter. --Kathleen Murphy ... Read more

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"The Lights of Zetar"
A planetoid called Alpha Memory is chosen to become the Federation's official library, and Lieutenant Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan), charged with transferring records to the site's computers, is en route to that destination aboard the Enterprise. Along the way, she acquires a new beau in the adoring Scotty (James Doohan), and big trouble when the collective consciousness of the Zetars, a lost and disembodied race, attack the Alpha Memory project and take possession of her and her voice.Not surprisingly, the story was written by someone who knew a lot about projecting personalities and voices into hapless third parties: puppeteer Shari Lewis and her husband Jeremy Torcher, both big fans of Star Trek. Typical of the original series' troubles with ever-shrinking budgets, the Zetar entities are represented as mere colored lights, an adequate effect improved immensely by the scary-dramatic context in which they appear and by a good vocal performance by Barbara Babcock (lately of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) as the merged creatures. Shutan is just fine as the comely librarian, and Doohan is great in his impassioned-Scotty mode.

"The Cloud Minders"
All the signs that Star Trek was creatively strained late in its third season (following the departures of key creative personnel and the absence of Gene Roddenberry's full attention) can be seen in "The Cloud Minders." David Gerrold, author of the hugely popular "The Trouble with Tribbles," conceived an almost Dickensian story about the exploitation of miners, called Troglytes, on the planet Ardana, and the way Troglyte labor enriches the lives of an aristocracy that literally lives in the sky, above the fray. Third-season producer Fred Freiberger wanted fewer ideas and more action, and he had another writer deeply revise Gerrold's notion that Captain Kirk (William Shatner) should broker positive change on behalf of the have-nots. The finished production finds Kirk more irritated than anything that a domestic problem is slowing his mission to retrieve zienite, a medicinal mineral. Meanwhile, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) uncharacteristically sniffs around an Ardanian cutie who flirts with him, and a ridiculous torture-the-space-babe scene belongs in a midnight movie from the 1950s. "The Cloud Minders" is like a junk-food snack: chunky in its organization and cheesy in its production values. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A real lowlight, followed by a reprieve
The Lights of Zetar-Yet another dull and pointless episode, this one sees Scott's love (Mira Romaine) possessed by an alien life form represented by flashing lights. Scotty's romance plays only slightly better than McCoy's earlier in the season; whereas McCoy's romance seemed flat, Scotty is over the top, acting
completely irrational and out of character. At least Jan Shutan's stiff performance provides some counterpoint to Doohan's overacting! The episode has few highlights, and no ultimate message. It also lacks the quirky style of many 3rd season shows; there is no original music (although revisiting the Where no Man has gone Before soundtrack was an interesting decision, and they were running out of money after all), and the close up shots of the eye were kind of interesting. When such
minutiae are the best thing going for an episode, you've got problems. (1.5 stars)

The Cloud Minders-This episode, concerning a socially and
vertically stratified society of mine and cloud dwellers, temporarily staunched the haemorraging occurring at this point in the 3rd season. While not exactly action-packed (not many 3rd season shows were) this episode has an ebb and flow lacking from many of its contemporaries. The premise is also interesting enough, with obvious implications for our own society. The decision to take on the nature vs. nurture question was all admirable. While they were of course correct to pick nurture, the zenite quick fix was a copout. Obviously those deprived of knowledge for generations will require some time to get up to speed (the same could be said of Uhura's experience in the Changeling).
While the Spock romance was out of character, I didn't find it totally implausible or regrettable. They did seem to have a rapport, at least. The episode is hurt by weak performances from the other two guests though.

Tidbits: Production was getting really sloppy by this point. For example, after the crew have been corralled on the planet's barren surface, Kirk is heard to utter through totally unmoving lips, "Who are you? What is the meaning of this attack?" (3.5 stars)

2 EPISODES THAT POINT OUT THE LOW POINTS OF SEASON 3!
Volume 37 of The Star Trek DVD series contains two of the lesser episodes from the show's third and final season. This collection points out the low points of the third season because both episodes are quite weak.

THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR is the better of the two here. However that's not saying much. An evil alien entity invades the body of Lt. Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan) Scotty's new love interest. The alien is from Zetar and threatens the crew that Mira will die. Essentially this episode is a blue print for the famous horror film 'The Exorcist' however this episode lacks any distinct depth. The episode isn't the worst in the series and Jan Shutan makes a nice acting appearance here. However the story is weak, Scotty's love interest is completely unconvincing (like all the others he had), and the ending of this episode is completely lame. I don't think evil possessive aliens can be defeated so easily by a pressure chamber!

It's gets worse though. THE CLOUD MINDERS has to be one of the weakest Star Trek scripts ever to make it into production. The episode try to tackles the discrimiantion issue between upper and lower class people, but ends up flopping over and the message is not only vague but incomplete. The budget (which was really low at this point) was spent entirely on set and costume design. Therefore we have a really weak script and some pretty mediocre and shoddy acting. Although this episode may have been good had the budget been spent better and the plot developed more. Even a double serving of eye candy with Diana Ewing (who plays Droxine, a rich Stratos girl who becomes a totally unbelieveable love interest for Spock) and Charlotte Polite, cannot save this episode from the depths of humilation. It's bad but there has been worse so this is still watchable.

Overall not the best thing to come out of the Star Trek production crew but this is still classic Trek and worth picking up. Recommended to fans of the Original series.

Scotty's Fey Lassie; Kirk's Gotten Brassy
'The Lights Of Zetar' is an episode that plays by it's own rules and the result is one of the poorest efforts of the original series. The story was written by Shari Lewis, of "Lamb Chop" fame, and her husband Jeremy Tarcher, with the thought that she would be the female lead. Thank goodness clearer heads prevailed! The idea of a conscious body of interstellar beings traveling the galaxy looking for an escape from their incorporeal state isn't really a bad concept at all. It's the way that they are defeated that's the problem here.

In the beginning we are introduced to Lt. Mira Romaine who the Enterprise is taking to Memory Alpha, an immense library sanctioned by the Federation and open to all. The starship encounters an unusual phenomenon just before reaching their destination. It appears onscreen as a multi-colored cloud that gives no discernible readings when scanned. It soon penetrates the hull and disables the crew in various ways; the cloud assaults Lt. Romaine momentarily and later she has what she believes is a disturbing premonition concerning the Memory Alpha facility. Within time the true identity of the mysterious cloud is discovered - and the crew also learns that Lt. Romaine has been chosen by them to fulfill a sinister and costly purpose.

What really hurts this episode is that Kirk, Spock and McCoy devise a way to defeat the Zetars that isn't quite plausible. How will this method defeat the beings? While you are watching this keep in mind they penetrated the ship's hull with no problems in the beginning of the show and also they have existed in zero gravity for millennia. I'm going to guess that the episode may have had an earlier solution that wasn't practical in view of budget concerns; this ending was written as a substitute and was certainly easy for the special effects crew to pull off. The result: It Stinks! Any reasonably educated person isn't going to buy this explanation as presented. The romance between Scotty and Lt. Romaine is a limp-legged plot element as well and it only gets in the way of the story, bogging it down with sappy and unlikely dialogue from the normally levelheaded engineer.

'The Cloud Minders' fares much better and introduces the city of Stratos that floats on a cloud, one of the most memorable fantasy elements created by Star Trek. Upon arrival Spock meets an attractive and intelligent woman whose beauty so impresses him that he gives brief consideration to a romance. But as you might have guessed something "sours" the milk for the first officer.

The Enterprise goes to the planet of Ardana to pick up a shipment of zenite, the antidote to an epidemic that has struck a Federation planet's vegetation and may destroy it all. On the surface of Ardana Kirk and Spock are attacked by terrorists known as Disrupters; they are rescued within seconds by the ruler of Stratos, Plasus, who has come to the surface with two guards. Returning to Stratos with Plasus, Kirk and Spock receive the explanation that the miners who live on the surface of Ardana are rebelling against their superior counterparts who live in the city of Stratos. Kirk and Spock see the clear distinction between the classes of citizens and attempt to negotiate an understanding of their differences, running afoul of both of the warring parties, leading to several complications.

The mutual attraction between Droxine and Spock develops nicely; their conversations are believable and revealing, adding necessary insight to the two cultures depicted here. Kirk takes the dire matters into his hands breaking all rules of diplomacy and shooting from the hip. It's hard to believe that the Federation would tolerate Kirk's actions in this case despite the severity of the situation. Apparently the creators of Trek realized this as you'll note by the final line of dialogue between Plasus and Kirk. Another unintentional comical moment happens when the elegant and refined Droxine tells Spock that she will go to the surface to work in the mines. Yeah, right! She wouldn't last 30 seconds in the completely foreign and harsh environment of the underground caverns. Obviously she wishes to continue to further impress the intrepid Mr. Spock.

Where All Plots Have Gone Before...
Star Trek had grown remarkably flaccid during its third season, the result of the production crew realizing that their diminished budget and weak new time slot had already all but spelled out the series' end. The season had moments of rallying, putting forth some of the best scripts the show ever had - but the majority were pretty weak. These two are of the latter category.

"The Cloud Minders" is a pretty piece of fluff with nice sets, costumes and matte shots, a reasonably good cast, and a terribly trite "socially progressive" script that is just a cheap retread of the classic silent sci-fi film, Metropolis: the title characters are effete socialites, whose wealth is derived entirely from the exploitation of a permanent mining underclass. Can Captain Kirk demonstrate to them the ethical folly of their ways, before the end of the hour? (What do you think?) The episode does have Jeff Corey, who is never less than stellar, and a generous helping of eye-candy in the form of Diana Ewing and Charlotte Polite, one of whom has an entirely unconvincing romantic subplot with Mr. Spock.

"The Lights of Zetar" fares little better, but is at least a serviceable semi-horror story, rather like a sci-fi version of The Exorcist. Scotty's new love, Lieutenant Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan), becomes the target of a number of celestial space-lights that have already destroyed a planetary outpost. The lights are the surviving personalities of the long-dead planet Zetar, seeking a host body in which to live. Can the Enterprise find a way to exorcize the evil invading lights from poor Lieutenant Romaine, before the end of the hour? (What do you think?) Jan Shutan is pretty and genuinely likeable, but you have to pity poor James Doohan being saddled with yet another of Star Trek's third season absurd love-interest roles.

You could do worse than these two, but they're pretty unimpressive overall.

Lights of Zetar/Cloudminders - The Mindless Trek
With the possible exceptions of Spock's Brain and Way to Eden, The Lights of Zetar is arguably THE worst Star Trek episode ever made. Even though Spock's Brain and Way to Eden are rediculous, they are often humorous, sometimes unintentionally, but somehow entertaining, none the less. Zetar just bores me to tears and James Doohan's character is simply wasted on another fruitless love interest. Cloudminders is melodramatic Trek at it most mediocre but exceeds Zetar, marginally. However, if you are a Trek fan, you simply have to possess every episode in the collection and watch them over and over like myself! Paramount's DVD quality, in my humble opinion, is excellent regarding the Trek series and I hope they continue. It would behoove them to add some commentary tracks or deleted footage/bloopers for extra interest. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great, Beef-cake Extravangza!
I'll shamefully confess that although I've always been an addict of Republic's fabulous serials, I brought this one primarily because of its exploitation of the macho male hero. Ray "Crash" Corrigan is simply fascinating to watch in all of his virile glory. This Adonis should have been one of the great stars but Samuel Goldwyn turned him down as the lead in his big-budget production of "The Hurricane" because he was too muscular! So, we got Jon Hall instead--who wasn't bad looking at all--but Crash was bigger and more muscular and moved with stunning beauty. Some of the other warriors in this serial are very easy on the eye, too, especially the one that Crash saves from death. If Crash had only come along when Italian muscle men epics were in vogue, he would have been the biggest of them all. So would Buster Crabbe, another stunning male beauty who was relegated to the backwaters of Poverty Row because he was considered a "physical" star--as adverse to the skinny types who prevailed through the 30s and 40s.

Whips Flash Gordon any day.
My favourite Republic serial - it's way over-the-top, bordering on camp in places and loads of fun! Superb stunts and effects for the time, non-stop action and a huge supporting cast of extras playing soldiers in chariots. What must the budget have been like for these things?
Also first class music. Listen closely and there's a bit of Liszt thrown in!

A little cheating, but spectacular.
Special effects and set decorations make this definitely one of the best serials of all time. I do give it 4 stars rather than 5, because of the cheating in a couple of chapters. Especially one of the great chapter endings ever, Chapter 8, only to discover the cheating at the beginning of Chapter 9. Also a little more than usual carelessness...Corrigan is bare headed at the beginning of one sequence and is suddenly wearing the cumbersome helmet...A chariot and team of horses unexplainably is waiting right by where they need it... But hey, don't you expect a bit of that in serials?

It's the spectacle, developing plot, good acting that make this an important serial for your collection. Lots of familiar names in this one including Lon Chaney Jr., William Farnum, Monte Blue (as the villain), Smiley Burnette as the comic relief, Lee Van Atta as the feisty kid.

This definitely should be in your basic serial collection.

Crash Corrigan vs. Unga Khan
While it is true that there are better serials, this one is a fine sampling of early Republic chapter-plays.

Professor Norton has discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and learns that it is the source of mysterious deadly earthquakes. Naval hero Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his reporter girlfriend Diana join Norton in his rocket powered submarine to investigate the mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Along for the ride is young Billy, Norton's son, who idolizes the dashing and heroic Crash.

When they arrive in the undersea city, Norton and Diana are quickly captured by Unga Khan, evil ruler of Atlantis. Khan uses his Transforming Ray to weaken Norton's mind and make him Khan's slave! His plan is to have Norton build rockets powerful enough to lift his war tower to the surface of the sea, so Khan can capture the world with his atom guns.

Corrigan eventually earns the trust of the Atlaneans in the Sacred City, and tries to rescue Norton and his sweetheart.

The co-director of the serial, 'Breezy' Reeves Eason, served as second unit director on the silent epic "Ben-Hur" (1925), most notibly on the famous chariot sequence. No wonder this serial is full of chariot chases and races!

Lon Chaney plays one of Unga Khan's henchmen, as Captain of the Black Robes. Smiley Burnette is along as unecessary and annoying comedy relief. The youngster who plays Billy also played Junior in some of the Dick Tracy movies.

There is some silliness with the costumes; Sharad, the leader of the Sacred City, looks like a low-rent Bishop, and Crash's helmet looks like it came from a hood ornament. Crash's costume is kind of silly-looking, too, with fish-scale shorts. The bad guys wear lightning bolts on their heads, which actually look pretty good for soldiers in an atom-powered army.

The Volkites are the coolest thing about the serial. They are the original walking trash can robots, similar to the ones that appear in the Captain Proton segments of Star Trek Voyager.

The real question is why Unga Khan has all of the technology, while the Sacred City has none. And why does Khan attack with horses and archers, when he has technology like the Volkites, atom guns, and aircraft. And let's not even ask why a domed city under the sea can have day and night.

The Roan print is great, as usual. They include lobby art and the serial's history with production notes. The interactive menus are nice, too. Each chapter is shown in a "reflecting plate" (what the bad guys call their TV communicator screens).

Atlantis or Bust!
A worthy competitor to Universal's "Flash Gordon", which
preceded it in theatres by about two months, "Undersea
Kingdom" begins with strange earthquakes on the ocean floor that
draw the attention of kindly but doddering old Professor
Norton. Norton finds a statue down there and immediately decides that
the long-lost continent of Atlantis is to blame for the trouble. He
puts together an expedition that consists of himself, a naval officer
named "Crash" Corrigan portrayed, interestingly enough, by
"Crash" Corrigan in a role he was evidently born to play, and a
handsome crew of sailors, misfits, stowaways and ...a liberated
lady-type reporter.

Well, to make 12 episodes short, Atlantis is
indeed to blame for the seaquakes, as the nefarious Unga Khan seeks to
overthrow Sharad, High Priest of the Sacred City. Or something. They
all look alike and the only real way to tell the difference between
any of them is that (a) they all wear different silly hats, and (b)
one of 'em looks just like Lon Chaney, Jr. In fact, it IS Lon
Chaney, Jr., who, the narrative would've told us if it had been
pertinent, was hiding out at the bottom of the ocean because there's
no full moon down there. Although, believe it or not, there's clouds
and dust and horses. Don't ask.

Unga Khan is ready for the outside
interlopers, however. He unleashes a plethora of perilous devices to
entrap/enslave/murder our heroes (depending on the chapter), including
a giant magnet to capture the submarine, an army of Volkites,
mechanical men who resemble port-o-potties with legs, and a death-ray
gun that looks like a vacuum cleaner and probably is. Best of all is a
particularly nasty-looking tank, to which Crash finds himself chained
and helpless as the machine is about to ram the wall of the Sacred
City. In the chapterplay's best moment, Crash stoically shouts, "Go
ahead and ram!" rather than divulge whatever bit of information
Khan is after... I kind of fell asleep in that chapter.

Well, lots
more really exciting stuff happens, although I can't remember what
just now. Suffice to say that virtue triumphs in the end. As it always
does. Except in politics.

The supporting cast is fine, particularly
Monte Blue as Khan and C. Montague Shaw as Norton. As mentioned, the
silly hats are delightful; really, no kidding, you are going to come
away from this serial remembering the hats which adorn virtually every
head. Unless you were admiring all the really muscular guys wearing
short skirts, but that's none of my business. Oh, and the shoes are
really stylish and snazzy, too.


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Description

"The Changeling," Ep. 37 - Nomad, a deadly robotic space probe, is on target for Earth. Can Captain Kirk outsmart the killer computer? "The Apple," Ep. 38 - Vaal, protector of Gamma Trianguli VI, tries everything is its power to destroy Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise during an ill-fated visit to the strange planet. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Not the best Original Series episodes but stil enjoyable.
At this point, in the TOS run, the number of truly great episodes is starting to dwindle a bit and being replaced more and more by episodes that have good intentions but they aren't always realized on screen. Case in point is "The Apple" (or as I call it--"Spock's Really Bad Day") which is once again an examination of the theme that humanity wasn't intended for a paradise we don't work to achieve and the classic Trek theme of Kirk vs. Computers. Yes, this one has some great moments--Kirk firing Scotty, Spock getting repeatedly abused by plant spores/darts and lightning and Kirk using the Enterprise's phasers to destroy Baal. It's campy at times, but it's still always entertaining (a claim that certain modern Treks can't always claims--namely Voyager).

The other episode on this disc is The Changeling which is an interesting storyline. It's one of about three or fou