Amazon.com

"Assignment: Earth"
The final broadcast episode of Star Trek's second season was this clever and funny story in which the Enterprise travels back in time to 1968 (the year this program aired) to discover how the nuclear arms race came to an end. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) encounters a strange fellow named Gary Seven (Robert Lansing), who claims to have been trained by extraterrestrials in sabotaging the escalating nuclear threat. With the ambivalent aid of a nervous secretary (Teri Garr), Seven (yes, there was a Trek character with that name before Voyager) attempts to carry out his assignment, but Kirk isn't sure if he can be trusted.Lansing's droll and somewhat imperious performance is nicely counterpointed by Garr's cute confusion, and the eerie presence of his familiar--a black cat named Isis--adds a hint of hoodoo exotica. (Don't blink at the end or you'll miss the really exotic creature Isis briefly turns into.) "Assignment: Earth" was actually the pilot for an intended Gene Roddenberry-produced TV series that never happened. Too bad... But speaking of eerie, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) at one point refers to an important assassination that will soon take place. A week after this episode's original airdate, Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered.

"Spectre of the Gun"
In this taut, exciting episode, the Enterprise trespasses Melkotian space and is punished in a unique fashion. Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Scotty (James Doohan), and Chekov (Walter Koenig) are all transported to the planet's eerie surface, where they are trapped in a re-creation of 1881 Tombstone and mistaken for the Clanton brothers, doomed principals in the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral.Despite their efforts to avoid trouble, Kirk and company can't seem to avoid their fateful duel with the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday (Sam Gilman). When Chekov is shot dead by Morgan Earp (Rex Holman), the danger is all too clear. The strange Twilight Zone look and atmosphere of this episode--tumbleweeds and Old West facades popping up in a black void--grips one's imagination and doesn't let go until the very end. Fans of Captain Kirk's street-fighting style will especially enjoy the thrilling climax. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Star Trek episodes burdened with overcoming weak premises
Although each is interesting in its own way, I must admit I have never been particularly enamored of either of the Star Trek episodes included on Volume 28 of the DVD series. "Assignment: Earth" features Robert Lansing as Gary Seven, who I used to watch on "Twelve O'Clock High," my favorite show as a kid. Seven suddenly pops up on the Enterprise, claiming to be a human being who has been living on a distant planet. He is now heading to Earth to help humanity survive a dangerous situation. Now what is sort of strange about this episode is that this is all happening in 1968, where the Enterprise has gone back in time (remember, they learned how in "Tomorrow is Yesterday") to do historical research. Really? The Federation is risking the time continuum just to do data gathering? Did Kirk and Spock not tell anybody about what happened in "The City on the Edge of Forever"? I like Lansing, and who does not like Terri Garr, but this is just too wild a set up to accept. By the time I get around to being willing to suspend my disbelief, the episode is pretty much over.

DeForrest Kelly played Morgan Earp in the 1957 film, "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," which provides an interesting level of irony to the third season episode, "Spectre of the Gun." The Enterprise ignores the warnings of a Melkotian space buoy and orbits the planet. Apparently he has orders to establish contact at all costs. Well, the costs might be pretty high because the Melkotians order the execution of the landing party, taking the infamous gunfight at the O.K. corral from Kirk's mind as the setting for their deaths. Of course, the Enterprise officers are the Clayton gang and they are about to be gunned down by the Earps and Doc Holliday. There is a nice sense of "unreality" to the entire affair, somehow reminiscent of the dream ballet from "Oklahoma." Ironically, the Earps are actually portrayed rather realistically as the pistol-whipping thugs they were in Tombstone way back when. Again, there is a weakness in the premise, what with Kirk being order to force contact with the Melkotians, which is not exactly enlightened behavior on the part of the good guys (think Commodore Perry being ordered to "open" Japan). But strange situation is played out well and the best part of this episode is that it is Spock who effectively saves the day. "Specter of the Gun" ends up being an above average episode of Star Trek.

AN ODD PAIR OF EPISODES BUT STILL WONDERFUL!!!
Volume 28 of The Star Trek DVD series may be the most bizarre DVD in the series. Partly because it contains the last episode of the second season and the first epiosde of the third. These two episodes differ greatly and it is interesting to compare and contrast between them however both of these episodes are above average Trek tales despite their strange differences.

ASSIGNMENT: EARTH was the season finale of the second season. Essentially it was a pilot for a proposed series by the same name. At the time Star Trek was going to be cancelled and it was quite apparent that Roddenberry developed this to have something to fall back on once the network had made their decision. I'm assuming Roddenberry was planning to have Robert Lansing and Terri Garr as the main charcters in this new series and have the Star Trek cast make various guest appearnaces. Anyways as it turned out Star Trek managed to stay on for a further season and Roddenberry and the network ditched the whole 'Assignment:Earth' idea. All we were left with was this strange episode of Star Trek (which makes you wonder if the show had been cancelled and Assignment:Earth had been accepted by NBC). The episode finds the Enterprise crew travelling back to 1968 (at the time this was aired: modern day earth). Upon arrival they cross paths with Gary Seven (Robert Lansing) and he has come to earth in order to slow down it evolutionary process to put a stop to destroying themselves. He does this by sabotaging U.S. rockets and Kirk feels he will change the course of time. However Seven insists he is doing this for the good of mankind. The episode is rather strange and complicated as most of the screen time is given to Lansing rather than Shatner which is quite a change. The rest of the episode involves Kirk and Spock chasing Seven around trying to stop him. In the end everything turns out fine as usual and the course of time is not affected but many viewers may be left scratching their heads after this episode is over. It is good but rather hard to follow. Terri Garr makes one of her first appearances as Roberta Lincoln a hip chick who applies for a secretary job for Mr. Seven. The casting was great in this one (Both Lansing and Garr are excellent) and perhaps Roddenberry should have salvaged the Assignment: Earth idea after Star Trek was cancelled in June of 1969? Sadly this was never done.

The other episode here is SPECTRE OF THE GUN which kicked off Star Trek's inconsistant third and final season. There is such a big change between this and ASSIGNMENT:EARTH. It's amazing that Star Trek was able stay on for a third season but it's obvious that the production budget was way tighter (which explains the true reason why there are incomplete sets in this episode). Still this is one of the better episodes in Star Trek's haphazard final season.
The Enterprise is abducted by a mysterious alien race called the Melkotians Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty and Chekov beam down to their planet only to end up in a situation where they are the Clampetts in the middle of the historic 'Gun Fight At The OK Corral' against the Earp's. This episode is ironic because Deforest Kelley did play Morgan Earp in the classic 1957 film. Despite being another bizarre Star Trek outing SPECTRE OF THE GUN is an awesome episode of Star Trek in my opinion especially for the majority of lackluster scripts submitted in the third season. Besides the casting of the Earps is impressive and the gunfight at the end is kinda cool.

Overall a bizarre pair of episodes but both are wonderful and interesting in their own ways. SPECTRE OF THE GUN is more enjoyable to watch than ASSIGNMENT:EARTH in my opinion but they are both special. Highly recommended.

Two unusual episodes bridge seasons 2 and 3
Assignment: Earth-This episode, which featured the crew returning to Earth in 1968 to observe a rocket launch, was certainly unusual. it becomes much more than an observation once they are forced to decide whether Seven's role is a positive or negative one in the prevention of nuclear war. Any viewer unaware that this was a pilot episode of a proposed spy show would be forgiven for wondering how the crew ended up in a such a mundane setting. While Robert Lansing and Terri Garr are a big step up from your average Trek guest stars, there is a reason the show was not picked up. Nevertheless, the plotline is entertaining enough to yield one quirky episode.

Tidbit: Kirk was never any rounder than he was right here; well, not until the Trek movies anyway. (3 stars)

Spectre of the Gun was the first third season episode to be produced, and one need watch no more than the teaser to sense that the show would have a very different feel during the 1968-1969 season. First off, those shiny, synthetic-looking uniforms that replaced the corderoys of the first two seasons. A minor point, yes, but perhaps a metaphor for other changes. The third season shows have a slick quality about them, an emphasis of style over substance. There is a sense that everyone is somehow in the know, no longer willing to invest themselves in the simple morality tales so common in the first season. This process was certainly well underway by the midpoint of season 2, when we began to see action (and high camp in the seminal case of I, Mudd) episodes that were light, devoid of moralizing, and somewhat tongue in cheek. By the third season, it could no longer be reigned in. Gone was the moral foundation of the show, but also gone was the feeling that the actors were having fun. What's left is highly formalized episodes.

It should be added though that stylistically season was 3 was by far the most developed season. Musically, scores became more florid and psychadelic, unusual camera angles and cuts became more common, and character' actions became less predictable. I for one enjoy the fluidity, trippyness, and dark tone of the third season. I know I'm in the minority (to say the least) here though.

But this is supposed to be a review of Spectre of the Gun, in which the crew are forced to participate in the events leading up to the gunfight at the OK Corral. Overall this is a pretty good episode, with more action than most 3rd season shows. Better though is the fact that this episode is very atmospheric, with a stong score, wind, and effects contributing to the sense of unreality and futility. But this too is an illusion. We end with the positive message that the crew were tested, and found worthy, for not killing. They are not judged on the basis of wanting to kill, but rather for not killing (although upon scrutiny even this worthiness is undermined somewhat by the fact that at that point the crew knows the Earps are unreal).

This episode doesn't hammer the moral theme as earlier seasons did. Surprising is the extent to which the crew must focus on their own survival, even to the extent of accepting demeaning abuse the Earps.

This episode has it's flaws though. Most notably, only Kirk seems phases by Chekov's death; of course the others were no doubt constrained by the new production team. (3.5 stars)

"I can't just kill them!!!"
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 28- Assignment: Earth © / Spectre of the Gun ©

ASSIGNMENT: EARTH © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into the Ground: Messin' with the space-time continuum; trusting the motivations of complete strangers

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Three incapacitated

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

Was 'Assignment: Earth' just another rip-roaring Star Trek adventure, or was it the teaser for a possible spinoff show? Well, let's see now... the guest stars (Gary Seven and his not-so-trusty receptionist Roberta Lincoln) are given an extensive amount of screen time and character development, much more than what most other guests have been granted on classic 'Trek. The screen time that Kirk, Spock and company use up is minimal, with most of the celluloid dedicated to Gary Seven embarking on and completing his mission, and Roberta getting in the way in a supposedly humorous fashion. And if those two bits of evidence don't seal the deal for ya, there's Mister Spock's statement at the end of the show where he predicts "interesting experiences in store for them (Seven and Lincoln)". I dunno 'bout the rest of ya's but it definitely looks like a set-up to me...

Sadly, 'Assignment: Earth' didn't grab me as a show that would've had much promise if it were made into a series. Robert Lansing's portrayal of Mister Seven could have used a bit more charisma, especially during his bizarrely comic exchanges between himself and the rookie receptionist. Speaking of which, Teri Garr didn't impress me as the young and slightly dense Roberta Lincoln, whose personality consisted of an annoying meld of ditzy naivete and "whoa, far out, man"-style hippiness. She also has way-too-easy access to her new boss' hi-tech equipment, which she always seems to discover by accident. The addition of the shape-shifting feline Isis and her pathetically fake meows (what, they couldn't record a real cat meowing and dub it in where needed?) adds the final death knell to any hope of seeing these folks venturing beyond the confines of the original Star Trek series. Which is probably just as well...

SPECTRE OF THE GUN © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Reality versus unreality and illusions that kill; Humans dealing with and overcoming their instinct for violence

Historical Milestone: Star Trek's second temporary death of a core cast member (Mr. Chekov). This is also one of the small handful of eppies where a crew member other than Kirk (Chekov again) bags the babe-of-the-week. Hah, take THAT, you overacting, starship-commanding horndog!

Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: During the climactic scene at the OK Corral, the lightning strikes cause the trees to cast shadows on the "sky" (back wall) of the indoor set where the scene is being shot.

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: None

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

The Melkotians told ya to stay away, but no-o-o-o-o, that wasn't acceptable to you, was it Jim? You just had to butt in where you weren't welcome! I guess "boldly going where no man has gone before" includes disrespecting the wishes of other beings, as well as trespassing on their territory! And then you had your three head specialists and Chekov beam down with you on the Melkotians' home planet so they could share your punishment! It's a good thing Mr. Spock had special abilities that helped save you and your fellow crewmen's sorry hides from certain death in the end (except for Chekov of course) or else you'd have been-- well, dead I guess. Or would the death have been merely an illusion? Wow, man... that's kinda deep. I gotta sit down and think that one through...

Taking into consideration all of the other historical eras and characters the Enterprise has encountered during its three-year run (Nazis, mobsters, a modern-day Roman empire, the Great Depression, hippies, 19th-century American Indian tribes, an angry Greek god), it was only a matter of time before the wild west got its day in the Star Trek spotlight. Throw in Gene Roddenberry's past work as the self-proclaimed "head script-writer" of the classic western series 'Have Gun, Will Travel', and the status of this episode goes from "destined-to-happen" to... um, "destined-to-happen-and-then-some" I guess. I wish I could describe the whole thing better, but I'm still tryin' to wrap my mind around that whole 'illusionary death' thing I brought up at the end of the previous paragraph...

'Late

Teri Garr on Star Trek? You betcha!
See the planned spin-off of "Star Trek" called "Assignment: Earth"...a blatant Dr. Who rip-off...it's a miracle Gene Roddenberry didn't get sued! The story is good, however..."Spectre of the Gun" is better...Kirk gets to play "cowboy" by being a part of the shootout at OK Corral. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Lighter Side Of Trek TOS
Both of the Episodes on this DVD (Vol. 9) display the lighter side of the original series' cast members. In "Shore Leave" you see definite character expansion for the doctor, the navigator and the captain. Dr. McCoy shows more of his "country doctor" persona as he strolls along a lakeside path, Sulu displays his special interest in weaponry, taking the time to shoot of several rounds, while Captain Kirk reveals his long held desires to "get even" with a past star fleet academy classmate. You indeed see Kirk become a wild adolescent on this planet, when level headed Spock raises a concern about a pending crisis and Kirk shouts, "Go warn the others, I've got a score to settle!" and then bolts off to do some long overdue backside kicking! I think you'll enjoy watching both of these episodes again when your focus is on what these characters do to handle themselves in curious situations.

two of the best
Theodore Sturgeon only wrote two Star Trek episodes (a treatment for a third was novelized recently) but his influence on Star Trek was great, since it was his daring that introduced the idea of Vulcan sexuality, in an era when television was almost devoid of any mention of sex. In fact, a lot of the Vulcan backstory comes from his episode "Amok Time". On this DVD we get "Shore Leave", which in 52 minutes pins down the characters of several Star Trek regulars were were just shirts before this. "The Squire of Gothos" is another pivotal episode in the Star Trek mythos.

Rick Norwood

dvd order
Great! Would buy from this seller again. Rec'd order in reasonable time.

Two above average, if bizarre, episodes
Shore Leave-I find this episode, in which anything that pops into one's mind is almost immediately realized, to be funny, entertaining, and original. Certainly much of the material is very hoaky, but it's never good to watch Trek with too critical an eye. This episode's premise also introduced a flexibility which helped flesh out some of the characters. Examples include the look at Kirk's academy days and McCoy's waggish ways with the ladies here. Overall, an off-beat and upbeat tone prevails, despite the episode's substantial (if temporary) negative twist. (4 stars)

The Squire of Gothos-Another bizarre and campy episode, this one features a spoiled child who has designed himself a baroque castle. Like the former episode, this one presents us with a phantasmagoria of seemingly random, if stereotypical, scenarios. The tone is more ominous here, however, thanks in large part to some well-conceived shots (such as the shadow of the noose during Kirk's trial). The castle's blend of gilded glitz with incomplete realization increase the sense of unreality.

Unlike later shows (most notably 3rd season ones), the unreality here is not dreamlike however. There is a sharpness about this episode; the dialogue is literal and more crisp than in most 3rd season shows, which often felt more detached non-commital and ambivalent, while being softer-edged and more atmospheric.

Campbell, who later returned for The Trouble With Tribbles also gives a strong performance. After a while the gags start to lose their novelty though, and the episode seems to struggle to fill time. Another possible critique (although it doesn't really bother me) is that the episode ultimately doesn't have a lot to say. Still most of us, at some point in our lives, have had the experience of having to jump through hoops at another's whim; there isn't always a lot of meaning behind that either. (3 stars)

Appealing episodes
"Shore Leave" The crew visits a planet in which your very thoughts become reality...no matter how deadly they are.

"Squire of Gothos" Kirk confronts Trelane, an alien who thinks that the crew of the Enterprise are his toys to play with. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Empath"
"The Empath" is an absolute must for fans of Star Trek's recurring shirtless-Kirk-being-tortured motif. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are taken to a strange laboratory and tortured by powerful aliens while a mute woman is forced to watch--a woman whose empathic abilities are being put to the test. There is, of course, a broader scheme to it all--this is one of the early manifestations of Trek's eternal conflict between the needs of the many and the needs of the few, or the one. Keep an ear out for one of the all-time great Bonesisms ("I'm a doctor, not a coal miner!") and hang on to those fragile but oh-so-important human emotions. --Ali Davis

"The Tholian Web"
"The Tholian Web" was conceived when writer Judy Burns went looking for a new angle on ghost stories. A physics student suggested she somehow use the theory of infinite dimensions, and out of that came Burns's script, which finds Captain Kirk (William Shatner) trapped between different kinds of space, floating in and out of view of the Enterprise crew. Adding to the dilemma are time constraints (Kirk's oxygen supply is running low), an effort by the arachnid-like Tholians to trap the Enterprise in a gigantic web, sub-space dementia affecting the crew, and rising hostilities between Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), the latter none too happy with the way the Vulcan is running the ship in Kirk's absence. Burns's original conception was to make Spock the spectral Starfleet officer locked in interspace, but the show is quite effective in the way various characters mourn the presumed death of their leader and figurehead. The Tholians don't make another appearance in Trek lore until The Next Generation, but this particular episode won the original series its first Emmy for special effects. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Two Thought Provoking Treks
Volume 32 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek contains two outstanding third season episodes.

The Empath is a sensitive story written by Joyce Muskat. The Vians, like the Talosians from The Cage, are an advanced race possessing superior intellect, but seemingly lacking a moral center. Since most of this episode's budget was spent creating the Vians' makeup, the producers used a minimalist setting--so nearly the entire episode is shrouded in black. Guest Star Kathryn Hays does an excellent job in what is essentially a mime role.

The Tholian Web is another great story. The script is scientifically plausible, and features fine dialogue and character conflict. It's interesting to see how the crew interracts in the absence of Captain Kirk. It's equally interesting to observe how, no longer having to compete with William Shatner's broad performance style, the cast alters their performances. James Doohan, in particular, has some subtle moments here. The Tholian Commander's appearance, along with the "web" effects, are some of the best of the series.

The picture restoration is excellent here, with deep blacks during much of The Empath, and clear reproduction of the visual effects from The Tholian Web. The sound has been tastefully enhanced for multichannel systems.

I'm givin' ya fair warnin' here...
I was planning on reviewing this and four other 2-episode original Star Trek DVDs I hadn't yet gotten to before I heard the news. And what news would this be, you're askin' yourself? Well, I'll tell ya: I've discovered that Paramount will be re-releasing the original series in full-season DVD box sets, complete with a shebang of extra features, some time later this year. It's yet another sad example of what I call "the dreaded DVD double-dip ploy" (read about this annoying phenomenon at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3CVFIEG84F2PF/ref=cm_aya_av.sylt_sylt/002-5334556-6482418 ) that the major Hollywood studios like to pull on videophile consumers. #ell, they've already got the full-season box sets out in parts of Europe already, so you know they'll be comin' stateside fairly soon as of this writing. BTW why do parts of Europe get to have the old-school Trek season box sets before we do (U.S.)?! Shouldn't the country where the show was shot in be the first to have those discs?! That's kinda like Honduras getting "Monty Python" on DVD before the UK does! Or Brazil gettin' "Akira" before Japan! It's just not right I tell ya...

Anyhoo: if you wanna get alla' the eppies of old-school Trek on DVD (well, perhaps all but the last season, anyway), I recommend you wait 'til the full-season sets come out later this year, or some time next year. I'm sure your gradually disintegrating Columbia House Collector's Edition VHS tapes will last a few months longer. In the meantime, I gotta find a way to palm my own collection of classic Trek platters off on some unsuspecting Trekkies!

Wish me luck...

'Late

Post Script: I know some folks will read this and think of me as some whiny, ungrateful little fiend who doesn't appreciate the fact that Paramount at least bothered to put the show out on DVD. All I can say is... do you people own stock in the company or something?! What are you, members of their sales and marketing department?! Yeah, I should REALLY be grateful for them tryin' to hose me and all the other Trekkie DVDphiles by gettin' us to buy (pretty much) the same stuff twice! Hey, they did it with the Star Trek movies, why NOT the classic TV show?! Howzabout puttin' the best possible product out the first time out, huh?! Buncha avaricious, money-hungry jerks...

'Later

A Little Too Late...
Both The Empath & The Tholian Web could have been much better scripts.

In The Empath the flaws center around the cheesiness of the sets (no backgrounds? what set?) and the repeating S&M theme. Even in late '60's TV sadism & masocism had a place.

The Tholian Web had a great new adversary, just enough hard science to hold the story together (the Tholian Web stands out as well as the subspace jump the Enterprise uses to escape it) and a great emotional ride with the disappearance of Kirk. This would have been my favorite over-all episode (yes, despite its' being part of a terrible 3rd Season) if Spock only used his 'logic' and left Kirk 'floating in sub-space hell'.

Yes, you read that right.

Shatner's thirst for power took Star Trek away from the 'ensemble cast' that it was trying to develop, as seen in some of its' best episodes. I wonder what would have happened in an "Alternative Universe" without Kirk? Maybe Kirk should have been strung up and whipped in 'The Empath', he would have gotten the girl-of-the week again, and again...

One unusual episode, one classic Trek
The Empath-Here is another off-beat and dark 3rd season offering, in which the triumvirate spend their time in the dark with a mute 'named' Gem. We meet the Vians, some of the most frightening and sadistic aliens every encountered in the original series. Yet the refreshingly innocent Gem provides a wonderful counterpoint, giving a light to the episode despite the most minimalistic sets ever seen in TOS. Nothing is as it seems in this episode, and the most creepy and dreamlike scenes actually occur in the light (Kirk running in slow motion to Scottie). While the episode ultimately suffers from a thin plot and shaky motivations for the aliens, it is, like many episodes from the first half of the third season, refreshingly unique and stylistically more advanced than earlier episodes. (3 stars)

The Tholian Web-This episode, in which Kirk disappears and a web is built around the Enterprise, in many ways belongs in another season. It has a lot of action and a straightforward plot. However, it also has some signatures of the third season, such as the trippyness of a winking-out Kirk floating through space, as well as a subtle pitting of illusion vs. reality. Plus it's always nice to meet new aliens--the Tholians even have a visible ship!(4 stars)

TWO WONDERFUL EPISODES FROM STAR TREK'S FINAL SEASON!
Volume 32 of the Star Trek DVD series includes two of the finest episodes from the third season. Both these episodes are extremely well written and are different in there own ways.

THE EMPATH is one of Star Trek's most sensitive episodes ever. The Vians are a superior race with a lack of morals who use inferior beings in their tests of the mute empath who can heal. They torture the beings (sometimes to death) and they put the empath's healing abilities to the test. Kirk, Spock and McCoy however end up being the next subjects for the test! This episode is probably the most intimate Star Trek story ever. A well written plot overshadowed the obvious tight budget. There is no doubt that most of this episode's budget went to the Vian's costumes and make-up which ends of leaving the set almost always a completely black background. However the acting in this episode is excellent especially the guest star Kathryn Hays who plays Gem the mute Empath (somewhat of a mime role).

THE THOLIAN WEB is another excellent episode. The Enterprise ventures into unknown space territory in search of a fellow starship The Defiant. They find the ship but Cpt.Kirk is lost in space when the crew attempts to return to their own ship. This episode is different cause we get to see the crew function without Cpt.Kirk. William Shatner only appears in the beginning and the end, so he takes a back seat and allows Leonard Nimoy and Deforest Kelley to have most the screen time. We also see character development in the rest of the crew members, particularily Scotty. A great episode, good story, nice effects, great acting and scientifically plausible. Definetly one of the third seasons best.

Overall Volume 32 is definetly one of the DVD's from this series to get. Containing two different but both excellent episodes fro Star Trek third season (which is hard to come by, since most of the third season epiosdes were fairly weak). Nonetheless this one is definetly worth a look. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ending With a Laugh
This disc completes the 36 episodes from "I Love Lucy's" incredibly funny first season. And there are some wonderful moments on this disc.

It opens with "Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio." Ricky's attempt to impress his wife by showing off some secret knowledge backfires when she thinks he can win the prize on a radio quiz show.

Next up is the hysterical "Lucy's Schedule." When Lucy makes Ricky late to an important business dinner, he decides to help her make better use of her time. But she has a few tricks up her sleeve to get her out of punching a time clock. This isn't usually listed in any lists of best episodes, but I love it.

"Ricky Thinks He's Getting Bald" is the weakest of the episodes presented here, but it's still worth seeing if for no other reason then the treatment Lucy gives Ricky to get his hair to grow again.

When "Ricky Asks for a Raise," Lucy, Fred, and Ethel have to turn into quick change artists to save his job. Look for Fred in drag.

If you've been buying the other discs, you know what to expect here, and you won't be disappointed. The episodes are presented in their entirety, and they look and sound sharp. There are occasional flaws in the picture, but considering the source material is 50 years old, it really isn't bad at all. The sound is presented in mono. While it won't challenge your sound system, it serves the purpose well and is faithful to the original audio recording. The extras include the now familiar guest cast info, original opening, and mistakes. This time around we get three episodes of "My Favorite Husband" as well as the original tag announcing that Lucy was going on vacation for the summer but would be back in the fall. In addition, we get some behind the scenes trivia and pictures of the cast on the set.

Rumor has it that future season of this classic show will be more in line with other TV show releases. Still, these first season discs have some classic episodes on them that any Lucy fan will want in their collection.

You Gotta Love Lucy
Depsite all the negative comments aimed at Paramount Home Video recently, I want to give them some credit. Yes, I also would have loved to have been able to get Lucy in complete season box sets (but not for anything over $50) yet I had resigned myself to pick them up in these four-episode-per-disc volumes - similar to how the original Star Trek series was released on dvd. (Star Trek got two shows per disc.)

To Paramount's credit, these Lucy dvd's have lots of extra goodies on them...and that is more than many other TV shows on dvd can say. (Most other TV shows on dvd are just the episodes, with NO extras of any kind.) I love that these Lucy dvd's include any of Lucy's old radio show, "My Favorite Husband" that correspond to or inspired the "I Love Lucy" episodes on the disc. How many of us have had the opportunity to hear these classic shows anywhere else? And it's really fun comparing them to their I Love Lucy counterparts.

Also, there are scenes and music cues which have been restored, most of which haven't been seen since the show's original broadcasts in the '50's - especially any footage referring to the show's then-sponsor, Phillip Morris. No, I don't like all the smoking references, but since this was how the show was oringally made, it's great to see all this footage restored for historical interest and accuracy.

Each dvd has included sections on "Flubs" which are very amusing. Some of them I've noticed over the years watching the show, and others I never would have noticed without these supplements pointing them out.

There are "Guest Cast" sections on each disc too. These are wonderful as they give us some little bit of background on the many regular and one-time-only guest cast members that have appeared on the show. Also, for people who made multiple appearances on the show, this section includes a list of all their I Love Lucy appearances. Very nice.

The inclusion of the original animated opening is also very welcome. Before these dvd's, many of us never had a chance to see this footage either. Some of the discs include interesting Production Notes, and Behind-The-Scenes footage or stills. Again, very welcome and interesting.

The most recent disc, Season One, Volume 9 includes a special End-of-Season tag which was only broadcast one time, when the last episode of season one ran back in 1952. While it's mostly a plug for the show's summer replacement that year, and for Phillip Morris, it's still extra footage of Lucy and Desi as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo that I for one had never seen or even heard of before this dvd. What Lucy fan doesn't want to see more of that kind of "lost" footage?

I hope that Paramount is not dissuaded from continuing on with the other seasons in the I Love Lucy show. As far as I'm concerned, Paramount has been doing a grand job with these Lucy discs. Please keep 'em coming!

The Queen of Comedy on DVD.
The ninth volume of I Love Lucy's first season contains episodes 32-35, which feature some great moments. I Love Lucy is still my favorite TV show of all-time. Lucille Ball's classic and one-of-a-kind sense of humor and physical gags transcends time and it shows, like always, on this set. And who doesn't love Lucy?

1. "Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio" (aired 5/19/52)- After Ricky correctly answers all of the questions on a quiz show that's on the radio, Lucy thinks that he's a complete genius and decides to sign him up to be a contestant on the show. But Lucy didn't know that Ricky had already heard the answers to the questions during the taping of that episode.

2. "Lucy's Schedule" (aired 5/26/52)- When Lucy is late for a dinner with Ricky's boss (this is the episode where she gets a fake apple stuck in her mouth after she tries to eat it), he's had enough of her tardiness and puts her on a schedule. After Lucy finds out that Ricky thinks that he has her acting like a trained seal, she decides to get back at him when he invites his boss over for dinner and only allows them a few seconds with each course of their meal and then whisks it away.

3. "Ricky Thinks He Is Getting Bald" (aired 6/2/52)- When Ricky thinks that his hairline is beginning to recede, he becomes so self-conscious that he wears a hat in the house. Just to show him that he has nothing to worry about, Lucy invites a group of bald men (including Fred, who wears a toupee) over to their apartment.

4. "Ricky Asks For a Raise" (aired 6/9/52)- When Ricky no longer has a job at the Tropicana after he asks for a raise, Lucy, Ethel and Fred decide to get him his job back by showing his boss how popular he is. A new performer is appearing at the club, so they call and make dozens and dozens of bogus reservations. They show up at the club (to pretend they're different people, they quickly change into different outfits) and when they discover that Ricky Ricardo is not there anymore, they storm out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lucy's never-ending quest to be an entertainer is spotlighted in these four episodes from December 1951 and January 1952. In "The Adagio," when Fred fails to teach Lucy to dance, a French partner leads to passes and dueling pistols. In "The Benefit," Lucy muscles in on Ricky's act for Ethel's club benefit, turning the tables on her husband during their vaudeville routine. Lucy gets tied up while babysitting bratty twins in "The Amateur Hour," but her nightmare turns into a coveted stage opportunity. In "Lucy Plays Cupid," her attempt to set up an elderly neighbor backfires when the intended falls for her instead. Her solution? A romantic dinner of sticky soup and steak requiring a chisel. Bonus footage includes the radio play of an episode of Lucille Ball's "My Favorite Husband," which inspired the "Cupid" script, as well as flubs and a behind-the-scenes featurette. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Lucy is still pretty much going solo in these early episodes
The notion of who loves Lucy gets expanded by the first and last episodes collected on Volume 4 of the first season of the classic television situation comedy:

Episode 12, "The Adagio" (December 31, 1951) has Lucy all excited about doing an Apache routine at the Club. But then her French dance coach (Shepard Menken) takes a romantic interest in her and suddenly this does not seem like such a good idea.

Episode 13, "The Benefit" (January 7, 1952) finds Lucy blackmailing Ethel into letting her perform at a benefit at a woman's club. It seems Lucy has promised Ricky will perform but has somehow neglected to mention this fact to her busy husband.

Episode 14, "The Amateur Hour" (January 14, 1952) has Lucy making the big mistake of baby-sitting twins at an amateur talent contest. It is a wonder Lucy ever wanted to have a baby after this escapade.

Episode 15, "Lucy Plays Cupid" (January 21, 1952) features a couple of great character actors in supporting roles as Lucy plays matchmaker between the grocery man (Edward Everett Horton) and the neighborhood spinster (Bea Benaderet). But the grocery decides that what he really likes...are redheads.

It is rather interesting to watch these episodes within the context of four episodes to a disc. In a lot of these early scripts Lucy is close to going solo as writers Jess Oppenheimer, Maedelyn Pugh, and Bob Caroll, Jr. have not yet gotten comfortable with the fact that Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley are pretty good comic actors playing pretty good comic characters. Overall these episodes would grade out as slightly above average, but the classics are still waiting for us down the road. See you there.

Funny, but Definitely Not the Best of the Show.
This DVD is a mixed bag with two good and too ok episodes of a wonderful series.

"The Adagio" finds Lucy once again trying to get into Ricky's act, this time as an adagio dancer. But she gets more then she bargained for when Ethel finds her a real French teacher to teach her the dance.

"The Benefit" is the best of the bunch. Lucy agrees to get Ricky to do a performance at a benefit for Ethel's club, but only if she can be part of the act.

"The Amateur Hour" finds Lucy over her head babysitting to earn money for a dress she bought and can't return.

"Lucy Plays Cupid" provides a mix-up in the romance department when Lucy tries to help a shy neighbor win the heart of the grocer. This episode was inspired by an episode of "My Favorite Husband," included on the disc, and I found the radio show much funnier.

This DVD is a collector's dream. The episodes are presented in their entirety, and they look and sound sharp. There are occasional flaws in the picture, but considering the source material is 50 years old, it really isn't bad at all. The sound is presented in mono. While it won't challenge your sound system at all, it serves the purpose well and is faithful to the original audio recording. The extras feature the original opening plugging the show's sponsor (the episodes themselves use the heart we're used to from reruns), info on the guest cast, some mistakes that made it into the episode, and the previously mentioned "My Favorite Husband" episode.

Part of my love for this show is the great friendship portrayed on screen between the four leads. Since the Mertzes are hardly in full time at this point (Fred doesn't appear in the third episode, and both are missing from the fourth), I think that partially contributes to my lack of enthusiasm for these episodes.

While the middle two provide some great laughs, the disc opener and closer leave much to be desired. Still, a Lucy fan will want this disc to complete their set of season 1.

The Adagio, The Benefit, The Amateur Hour, Lucy Plays Cupid
All the episodes here are in correct order as filmed. "The Adagio", episode 12, Filmed on November 23, 1951. Broadcast on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1951. "The Benefit". episode 13, Filmed on November 30, 1951. Broadcast January 7, 1952. "The Amateur Hour", episode 14, Filmed on December 7, 1951. Broadcast January 14, 1952. William Frawley is not in this episode. "Lucy Plays Cupid", episode 15, Filmed on December 13, 1951. Broadcast January 21, 1952. Vivian Vance and William Frawley are not in this episode. Bea Benaderet is in old woman make-up. Bea Benaderet worked with Lucy on the radio show "My Favorite Husband". She was Lucy's first choice to play the Ethel Mertz character, but thank goodness the role went to Vivian vance. Bea Benaderet was already playing "Blanche Morton" on the "George Burns and Gracie Allen" show also on CBS.

The Queen of Comedy on DVD.
The fourth volume of I Love Lucy's first season features episodes 12-15. Although, like many other people, I wish they would release season-by-season DVDs, this is still a must have collection. Lucy's brand of humor and physical gags transcends time and it shows on this set. And who doesn't love Lucy?

1. "The Adagio" (aired 12/31/51)- Lucy, bitten by the showbiz bug once again, is determined to be in the French Apache dance number in Ricky's Paris revue. Ethel finds a real Frenchman to help Lucy out. His name is Jean Valjean Raymand and when he comes to her apartment for lessons and he sees her trying to hide him from Ricky, Jean assumes that Lucy wants to runaway with him. That night, he climbs up a ladder to Lucy's window to take the woman he loves, but it's not that easy.

2. "The Benefit" (aired 1/7/52)- Lucy convinces Ethel that she and Ricky are the perfect husband and wife act for a benefit performance at Ethel's club. Now all Lucy has to do is convince Ricky. When he agrees and comes up with a comedy act for them to do, Lucy is mad when she finds out that Ricky gave himself all of the jokes and left her with nothing. She then decides to tell the punch-line of the jokes before he has a chance to finish them.

3. "The Amateur Hour" (aired 1/14/52)- To pay for a new dress she just bought, Lucy decides to get a job baby-sitting. She's supposed to be watching a little boy, but is her mind playing tricks on her or does Lucy see two little boys?

4. "Lucy Plays Cupid" (aired 1/21/52)- Miss Lewis (Bea Benaderet, who was the original choice for Ethel Mertz), a sweet, elderly neighbor, asks for Lucy's help in asking out Mr. Ritter, the grocer, who she has had her eye on for awhile. Ricky forbids Lucy to be a matchmaker, but, of course, that has never stopped her before. When Lucy tells Mr. Ritter about Miss Lewis, he thinks that Lucy is lying and that she is the one who is interested in him.

bottom line is the dollar
It costs less to make a dvd then to make a vhs, and at four episodes a dvd, you are getting jipped. I agree with the one who said "being nickel and dimed to death." It is true!

179 episodes breaks down into 45 dvds, averaged at $12 a dvd that is $540. I don't have the space to store 45 dvds on Lucy alone; I do have other movies I would like to own. The price is also a little steep. I would rather have it season by season, and at $50 a season, that is still only $300. That is a better deal for storage and value.

As long as people continue to spend the money, we will never see a decent amount of Lucy episodes on a decent priced dvd.

We need to stand up as consumers and stop giving in to the studios by buying these overpriced dvds.

It appears that the diehards are going to kill it for everyone. I think that is sad. Lucy would have wanted more people to enjoy her show on dvd. ... Read more

Description

"A Piece of the Action," Ep. 49 - Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew visit a planet that has developed a civilization based on a book a previous Starfleet crew left: Chicago Mobs of the Twenties. "By Any Other Name," Ep. 50 - The U.S.S. Enterprise is commandeered by the Kelvans, a group of aliens from the Andromeda galaxy who have assumed human form and plan to take over the Milky Way galaxy. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Right? Unquestionably. RIGHT? RIGHT!
Volume 25 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Star Trek contains two stories showcasing superior writing and offering plenty of action.

A Piece of the Action remains one of Trek's most popular episodes. In essence, it's a time travel episode, without the time travel, which frees the story from the usual "Don't alter the future" constraints. The hands of Gene L. Coon, who co-wrote this episode, are evident in the colorful writing, and in the banter between the characters. Deliberately, the Iotians are all made to speak using a nonstop stream of 1920s cliches. When Kirk adopts these cliches, and eventually persuades Spock to adopt them, the course is set for maximum comedy.

By Any Other Name is mostly standard action fare, involving the Enterprise being hijacked by an invading force of Kelvans from another galaxy. These esoteric aliens have taken Human form to be able to function in a human environment. The solution is to introduce them to the pleasures of the senses, which creates a chance for James Doohan to shine as Scotty gets a Kelvan, and himself, drunk. This episode also highlights one of Kirk's finest characteristics: his willingness to forgive. Even after the Kelvan leader has killed one of his crew, Kirk is willing to extend the hand of friendship and offer the Federation's help.

Both sound and picture are fine.

Sometimes the Star Trek universe is a very funny place
Comedy is the telling commonality for the two Star Trek episodes included on Volume 25 of the DVD series. "A Piece of the Action" has the Enterprise visiting Sigma Iotia II, where a hundred years early the USS Horizon visited. Apparently this was before the Prime Directive, because one of the Horizon crew left behind a book: "Chicago Mobs of the Twenties." Now, once you get past the fact that (a) someone was toting a book into Deep Space and (b) it happened to be that particular book, you can really enjoy this one. Bela Oxymy wants the Federation to supply his gangsters with weapons so he can take over the planet, taking down Krako and the other bosses. My favorite part is when Kirk makes up a very complicated card game to play with the gangsters holding him hostage and Spock has to admit having never calculated the odds on the rarest of possible hands. Then there is also the bit where they try to drive an automobile. In the end, Kirk decides if you cannot fight them, join them. "A Piece of the Action" may well be the second funniest Star Trek episode, after "The Trouble With Tribbles," of course.

In "By Any Other Name" a group of Kelvans take ove the Enterprise using advanced technological weapons that allow them to reduce the crew to small blocks of chemicals until only Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty are left. Rojan, the leader of the Kelvans, wants to modify the Enterprise so his group can get back to the Andromeda Galaxy in only 300 years, at which point his descendants will inform their government that the Milky Way is suitable for conquest. Fortunately, the Kelvans have assumed human form, which means they are now susceptible to sensory inputs, a fact that Kirk and the others seek to exploit. Scott introduces one Kelvan to liquor (the "green" type), McCoy slips them stimulants, and Kirk hits on Kelinda, while Spock helps Rojan experience the wonderful world of jealousy. It is rather surprising that "By Any Other Name" goes the comic route, but it does get pretty funny. You know, it is important to have fun when you are out trekking around the universe on a five-year mission.

TWO GREAT SECOND SEASON EPISODES!!!
Volume 25 of the Star Trek DVD collection has two great episodes from the second season. Although season 1 of Star Trek was far more diverse and fresh, season 2 just happend to spawn some of the series most classic and memorable episodes. This DVD contains just two of these great episodes.

A PIECE OF THE ACTION may very well be one of the top five most popular episodes of the original series. The Enterpirse crew arrives at Sigma Iotia II to find a civilization similar to the Chicago Mobs of the 1920's. The planet itself has been divided by gang wars and Kirk feels he must reunite the planet so it can have good relation with the Federation. Kirk resorts to him and Mr. Spock donning mobster gear and talking in slang which leads to A PIECE OF THE ACTION being one of the funniest Star Trek episodes. The episode itslef is quite good and very entertaining especially Kirk driving the old jalopy, the card game and Spock acting like a gangster. However the episode wraps up unevenly and it really makes you think: Kirk completely disobeyed the Prime Directive in this episode! However this episode doesn't fail to please and the end left this plot open for a sequel. Unfortunetly it has never been produced. A PIECE OF THE ACTION is an excellent episode of Star Trek though.

BY ANY OTHER NAME may be one of the strangest episodes of Star Trek ever! Kirk and the crew are abducted by Kelvans who take on a human form. The Kelvans demand control of The Enterprise so they can take a voyage to find a planet suitable for colonzation since there own ship was destroyed. The Kelvans are so ruthless they even go to the extent to killing an innocent enterprise crew member to get what they want. This makes BY ANY OTHER NAME seems like a serious episode that is until the crew discovers the Kelvans weakness: human sense and emotion. This results in Kirk flirting with the beautiful Kelinda, Spock making Rojan feel jealousy, and Scotty getting himself and another Kelvan drunk. This results in BY ANY OTHER NAME to be a comical episode of Star Trek but it's strange how the mood changes. The first half hour is somewhat dark whereas the second half hour is bright and funny. The episode ends with The Kelvans making peace with the Federation even after the death of a crewmate. BY ANY OTHER NAME is an uneven but above average episode of Star Trek.

In conclusion I highly recommend this DVD for it does have twoo great episodes. The picture and quality are fine too! Highly recommended!

One classic and one solid show, with hints of trouble ahead
A Piece of the Action-This gangster episode, and Tribbles, were the two Trek comedies that really worked. While I wouldn't exactly call the humor here subtle, it is intertwined in a fairly traditional action plot. We are able to enjoy Kirk and Spock's thuggishness for its own sake while simultaneously staying focused on the plot, for the simple reason that their behavior is called for by the story, rather than being a gimmick. The idea of a highly impressionable alien race who's cultural evolution could depend so thoroughly on a random event (the leaving behind of the book) is an interesting one as well. This episode is also helped by strong guest acting, most notably from Tayback. (4.5 stars)

By Any Other Name-An average episode, this one sees the enterprise crew reduced to salt (Styrofoam?) crystals for future use by the colonization-bent Kelvans. As others have pointed out, this is an interesting episode in that it has two tones. The events of the first half are frightening (although not as eerily stylized as 3rd season shows), as Kirk seems powerless to prevent the Kelvans' cold blooded homicide and control of the Enterprise. The ominous sense that anything goes is augmented by the surprising turn of having a female crew member killed. The tone changes dramatically in the second half of the show though, as the remaining crew exploit the Kelvans' newfound emotions, with entertaining results. These scenes are not just entertaining, but also insightful; it reminds the viewer that much of our own (only semi-successful) acculturation is devoted to reigning in our emotions.

But one wonders whether the blend of the dark and the comic seen here was for the best; it still worked here to some extent, but the episode's schism is somewhat jarring, and we're not quite as able to go along with the blend as we were in say Friday's Child, or A Private Little War. Why? Because a growing lack of introspection was beginning to border on cynicism. Did this gradual moral drift taint the show? Certainly the shows were becoming more calloused, a process that would accelerate in season 3. Season 3 certainly had other problems, but I believe some of the roots of future problems can be found, ironically enough, even in some of the strong episodes from season 2.

But back to By Any Other Name. Other pluses include Kirk's willingness to forgive even a defeated and cruel foe. And don't forget the lovely Kelinda. (3 stars)

Flivvers, Fizzbin, and a centuries-long trip to Andromeda
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek Original Series DVD Volume 25: A Piece of the Action / By Any Other Name

A PIECE OF THE ACTION PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The consequences of cultural contamination

Historical Milestone: Kirk 'introduces' a few skells to the fictional card game 'Fizzbin'

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: none

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
This is one of the series' most cheesy and fun-filled hours. It's rather apparent that Shatner had the time of his life playing the part of a stereotypical 20s/30s movie mobster. The combination of his legendary acting and the colorful mobster lingo make for some of the most amusing bits of Star Trek hamminess out there! Not to be outdone, Nimoy does an admirable job of playing the straight man to Jimmers' mafioso shenanigans! Makes ya wanna get on the blower and tell alla' yer trekkie buds all about it! Or maybe drive on over to their house in your flivver, and let 'em in on the deal personally! That sound jake to ya, kid?

Notable guest star: the late Vic Tayback, best known on the sit-com 'Alice' as the crusty diner owner/cook Mel, keeps the fun flowin' as Jojo Krako, the chief rival of main heavy Bela Oxmyx. I could almost see one of his molls turning to him and uttering, "kiss mah grits"!

BY ANY OTHER NAME PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The advantages and pitfalls of being human; human frailties and learning to control and deal with them

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
Ah, the ol' shrink-the-crew-down-into-weird-geometric-blocks episode... pure old-school Trek silliness! Throw in Mr. Scott gettin' hooched-up with one of the Enterprise crew's captors, and Jimmers seducing the alien babe-of-the-week (SURPRISE!) in order to regain control of his vessel from his captors, and you've got... well, nothin' you haven't seen before in previous old-school Trek eppies, really. Still, I find it entertaining in its own funny way, and by golly that's all that matters!

'Late ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Whom Gods Destroy"
It's the supporting players who provide the most watchable performances in the 1969 "Whom Gods Destroy," one of the best episodes from Star Trek's final season on NBC. Running an errand to the planet Elba II, an inhospitable place housing a remote hospital for the hopelessly insane, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) discover that a longtime patient and Starfleet icon, Captain Garth (Steve Ihnat), has overtaken the facility. Suffering delusions of absolute power, Garth declares himself master of the universe, though his mastery fails to lure the rest of the Enterprise crew into a trap.With Kirk and Spock subdued prisoners of the brutal Garth, the story opens to Ihnat's flamboyant yet sympathetic performance. You can see behind the character's crazy veneer to the bold starship commander whose exploits fired Kirk's imagination as a cadet. Equally good is Yvonne Craig as Garth's would-be queen, the very sexy Marta, a compulsive killer whose seductive dances, wayward intelligence, and exotic, green skin make her one of the most striking females from the original series. Newbie Trekkers will be happy to know that the story by Lee Erwin and Jerry Sohl clarifies a couple of biographical points about Kirk and Spock, including the captain's own reference to his Starfleet career track before becoming an explorer. --Tom Keogh

"The Mark of Gideon"
Every now and then, the meager budget for Star Trek was helped along by stories set almost entirely on the Enterprise, which required shooting within established sets. "The Mark of Gideon" was a clever way to mitigate the visual monotony of such episodes. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) beams himself down to the planet Gideon, but instead finds himself alone in a mock-up of his own starship. (Translation: it's Shatner on the Enterprise set without the rest of the cast.) Almost alone, that is: Kirk finds himself accompanied by the beautiful Odona (Sharon Acker), an inhabitant of Gideon selected for infection by an outsider, in hopes that a plague of some sort will help the planet's overpopulation problem. Despite, or even because of, the set-bound nature of the story, "The Mark of Gideon" is actually one of the boldest and freshest ideas in the series, and like "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," took on a hot topic of controversy (population control) in the issue-driven 1960s. The script, incidentally, was cowritten by Stanley Adams, who played Cyrano Jones in "The Trouble with Tribbles." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Both stories need a little 'birth control'
Whom Gods Destroy is another visit to an insane asylum, no better that the 1st season show 'Dagger Of The Mind'. At least Dagger introduced the 'Vulcan Mind-Meld". Even the actors looked either 'nut's' or heavily medicated. Note Kirk & Spock slouching in the "table room" scene with more than mild disinterest in their faces (even for a Vulcan!)

The Mark Of Gideon screams for an obvious message. Duh! Birth Control. Anyway, why would a supposedly intelligent race free of disease allow its' population to run amok! Do I see Soylent Green?

2 signs that Trek was getting ready for bed
Whom Gods Destroy (2 stars)-The second of the insane asylum/ penal colony episodes is no better than the first (Dagger of the Mind). The episode has the cold, impersonal feel that was becoming a staple at this point in Trek's run (at least in part attributable to the actors having to act of character [witness the recondite Spock here], the executive producer's let's get this over with approach, and a growing sense that the run was over.) A telling scene has Kirk and Spock seated, with Garth and his cohorts standing behind them. Are the slouching Kirk and Spock's snickering, knowing, and tired expressions aimed at Garth's entourage of misfits, or at us, the audience? Most of the make-up, costumes, and equipment are retreads, and the plot too has nothing new to say. As in other third season shows, we have sadism for its own sake. The cruel and childish antics are reminiscent of the recently finished Plato's Stepchildren. But as in the real world, evil for evil's sake would surface all too often in the 3rd season.
In this sense the stylistically trippy 3rd season is actually more realistic than the idealistic 1st season. Oh well, at least this episode's finale holds out some hope for Garth and company's redemption. Too late for the viewer! (2 stars)

The Mark of Gideon-Another episode struggling to fill up its allotted 50 minutes, this one features Kirk and a beautiful lady alone on the (?) Enterprise. I know I've said in other reviews that I don't hold Star Trek to a high plausibility standard, but this episode even offends my sensibilities. Rebuilding a ship like the Enterprise, to perfection? Spock, and the transporter system in general, getting fooled again (as in the prior episode)? Not to mention the extent of the overcrowding on Gideon!
The episode's few pluses include the subtle, macabre twist on the Kirksploitation element seen in Wink of An Eye (even if it too is farfetched here, and there for that matter), as well as the return of some of the eerie atmospherics of some of the earlier 3rd season shows. Examples of the latter include the faces seen in the windows and the camera shots of Kirk alone on the bridge. Props should alsi be given for the fact that the episode addresses overpopulation, however crudely. (2 stars)

GOOD STAR TREK THIRD SEASON DVD!
Volume 36 of the Star Trek DVD series includes two of the better episodes from the tail end of the TV series' third and final season on NBC. Both these epiosdes are fairly decent despite the typical third season flaws.

WHOM THE GODS DESTROY is simply a fun Star Trek episode. Kirk and Spock beam down to the prison planet Elba II to find that Garth of Izar (Steve Ihnat), an infamous Star Fleet Captin who wiped out an entire race, has taken control of the prison complex from Governor Cory. Using his ability to shapshift into different characters Garth attempts to take over the Enterprise. This episode is actually pretty laughable. Garth's evil plan is way too far fetched to even work. But perhaps the producers wanted to point out that the character was utterly insane. It's the cast of colourful characters and the over the top acting that save this one. Ihnat is great as the bantering Garth and Yvonne Craig (Batgirl from the TV show Batman) makes a great acting appearance as Marta (the green alien woman). Ironically the third Batman guest star to appear in a consecutive Star Trek episode. Too bad Adam West, Burt Ward, Burgess Meredith and Caesar Romero never showed up as guest stars huh?

MARK OF GIDEON is a little more serious and almost creepy. Another Star Trek issue oriented episode. This time tackling overpopulation problems and contraception. Most of the screen time is given to Shatner and guest star Sharon Acker who plays Odana. There is great chemistry between the two and the acting in this episode is quite good. Good casting and a strong plot overshadow the obvious production budget flaws on this episode (most of it was filmed on the Enterprise set). The Gideon council leader, Hodin, is played by David Hurst, who made a hilarious appearance as Baron Von Klutz on the Monkees TV series. Here though he plays a suprisingly serious role as the main antagonist.

Overall a good set of third season episodes. One laughable one a little more dark and serious. Considering that the tail end of the final season was filled with bad episodes this is quite refreshing to watch becuase these are a few better episodes from the wildly uneven third season. Highly recommended!

How lucky can one man get?
Two more great episodes from TOS in which Kirk gets AN ORION SLAVE GIRL in "Whom Gods Destroy". He dukes it out with an insane Starship Captain as well who can morph into anyone he chooses.
In "Mark of Gideon", TOS tackles the problem of overpopulation & birth control...and Kirk gets the girl AGAIN!

Appearances Are Deceiving...
...as Captain Kirk discovers, in these two pretty good episodes.

"Mark of Gideon" isn't terribly plausible, but it is fun, and actually kind of creepy. Captain Kirk beams down to an isolated planet on a diplomatic visit - but never arrives there. Instead, he finds himself still on board the Enterprise, but all alone. Yet the Enterprise can't find him aboard, despite the insistence of the planet's inhabitants that Kirk never materialized among them. Eventually, Kirk encounters a beautiful alien girl (is there any other kind, where he's concerned?) named Odona, who falls in love with him (come on, you knew that, right?). It's all part of a nefarious plot by the planet's inhabitants to thin out their overpopulation - but as to how, you can find that out yourself. The early scenes, with Kirk haunting an empty Enterprise like his own ghost, are rather eerie, and Sharon Acker is delightfully appealing as the childlike Odona.

"Whom Gods Destroy" is just plain fun, no matter how you slice it. The inmates have taken over the asylum on an isolated prison planet, but Kirk doesn't find out until he's beamed into the situation and found himself held prisoner. The man who freed his fellow inmates is a fellow Starfleet captain gone mad named Garth (Steve Ihnat), who learned the unique talent of being able to rearrange his molecular structure to appear like anyone he chooses, and intends to impersonate Kirk and commandeer the Enterprise. Spock smells something wrong, but can't get into the facility to arrange a rescue attempt. While he works that little problem out, Kirk has an assortment of adventures with the mad Captain Garth and his erstwhile concubine, the equally mad green alien dancer girl, Marta (Yvonne Craig).

Ihnat was a lesser-known character actor of the time, whose premature death unfortunately deprived us all of seeing more of him - he's quite good here, as he was in everything he did - and anything with Yvonne "Batgirl" Craig is always a delight. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first episodes of I Love Lucy, in comedy terms, look today like a promising map of great things to come from the hugely influential sitcom.This set of episodes, the first volume in a definitive collection of the classic television series, includes the original three broadcast episodes from October 1951, plus the so-called "Lost Pilot" that finds the earliest I Love Lucy production quite rough but genuinely promising. The actual episodes that American audiences first saw--"The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub," "Be aPal," and "The Diet"--find familiar elements of the classic series already in place. Housewife Lucy (Lucille Ball), restless for excitement, is married to Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz). Ricky's crazy nightclub career, however, leaves him yearning for a quiet home life and a wife content with her simple chores. Alas, it's not to be. With best friends Ethel (Vivian Vance) and Fred (William Frawley) usually aboard for the Ricardos' misadventures, I Love Lucy introduced an engaging blend of sophistication and slapstick, all wrapped in the intimacy of a three-camera TV approach. Bonus material is very satisfying, including a radio broadcast from 1951 later adapted into a TV script, a couple of gaffes, guest cast listings, and a new beginning for the second-season rebroadcast of "The Diet." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Where it All Began
I Love Lucy is a television classic. 50 years old, and it still plays daily on TV and is loved by millions. This DVD features the first four episodes of the classic show starting with the pilot that was found in the early 90's. In addition, it presents the first 3 episodes to air in the fall of 1951 on CBS.

Fans of the show will love this disc. The sound and picture are great. Every episode is broken down into several chapters, including a separate chapter for the musical sequence. There are plenty of extras as well, including an episode of Lucy's radio show "My Favorite Husband" and an excerpt from Jess Oppenheimer's book on the creation of the show.

Like many TV shows, the first episodes aren't the strongest. Lucy is the only character fully developed at this point with the other three delivering straight lines. Still, there are several good laugh an episode.

It would be nice if the show were being released in season, or even half season sets. But this certainly isn't settling for second best since it's a great DVD.

I Love Lucy,Digitally Remastered, Lots of Extras now on DVD!
Paramount Pictures & CBS Broadcasting bring us "I Love Lucy" to DVD digitally remastered with lots of Extra Features.

This DVD series was done perfectly with detailed background information about the show. Each DVD includes 4 episodes in chronological order with picture & sound flawlessly reproduced! So clear, you feel your watching it live through Black & White glasses.

Each DVD will include; 4 episodes in B/W Standard Full Screen, with Dolby Digital sound. Lots of extras; episode flubs, Original series opener, Radio Show Broadcasts, Guest Cast information & Behind the Scenes audio featurettes.

This Original "I Love Lucy" DVD series is a must have for the home library. The genius of Lucy, Desi, Ethel & Fred can now be seen again & again at your leisure. Enjoy.

Against the Flow
Warning: this review contains heretical opinions! I will say up front that I was a HUGE Lucy fan as a kid. I remember laughing and laughing to the original episodes and then again to reruns years later. Truly, her comic timing was genius and the Desilu group assembled an original and historical entertainment. No doubt about that. I purchased several of the first DVDs to come out and savored the fun of introducing the hilarity of Lucy to my 7-year-old daughter. However, my hopes and memories were dashed. Yes, my daughter was really tickled by Lucy and her funny antics. But, as I watched with her, the veil fell from my eyes. This original show has not aged well. I'm not referring to the quality of the classic comedy itself, but the cultural mores of the time. The show was sponsored by Philip Morris and part of the Lucy cast contract was to huff down cigarettes at literally every opportunity. It was frankly gratuitous. Yes, I understand the deal and the times but I don't want my daughter to have that influence. Fair enough, you say, but surely you don't judge the work from this more enlightened era and through the eyes of a 21st century parent? No, there's more. I sat down with the shows to watch without my daughter, after my non-tv-watching wife griped at what I was showing our kid, and realized that there was a kind of mean-spirited and petty spirit that ran though the show, particularly from Lucy. She was vindictive, jealous, alternately seductive and infantile, materialistic, unstable, childish, and other things that perpetuate a historically nasty view of women. Yes, I know that this was all part of the humor (adult acts like a spoiled child), the incongruity of it all. And, yes, from the standpoint of the 50s, she was an opinionated woman and a trailblazer and, in real life, a successful businessperson. But, in seeing Lucy through the eyes of my free and strong daughter, I saw that my tastes have changed as well. This may also be colored by my knowledge of the subsequent Lucy vehicles (The Lucy Show, et al, which frankly ....) and by her famously bitter, unhappy personality, that tainted such failed comebacks as the ill-fated remake of Mame and Stone Pillow. Saddened at my "loss of innocence", I put my DVDs up for sale and they sold within 48 hours. Judging from the many "New and Used" available, maybe others have discovered what I did as well. I know that this new DVD series is a hot item. I say all this not to taint or hamper the Lucy legend; I still respect and "love" Lucy. But, I just have put a realistic spin on things so that other like-minded consumers may fully understand what they are buying before enthusiastically investing in all the new Lucy DVDs. So, in summary, adults: maybe no prob. With kids: think about what you are inputting. (Sigh) Life was so simple and fun back when we didn't know squat . . .

See the very first pilot with Lucy & Desi.
The pilot episode is what you will see first. The pilot was filmed on March 2, 1951. It was Desi's 34th birthday. Lucille Ball was pregnant at the time with Lucie Arnaz. This pilot was never broadcast on television until...the man who played Pepito the Clown was given a reel of the pilot as a gift. When he died, this pilot was found (the story goes) under his bed. CBS aired this pilot episode for the very first time on April 30, 1990. It has never been shown in re-runs or syndication. (A pilot epiosde is made as a test. If the powers that be like it, a series could develop) Jerry Hausner appeared in 11 "I Love Lucy" episodes and in this pilot episode. In this DVD, "The Girls Want To Go To The Nightclub" (filmed 9-15-1951, aired 10-15-1951) is not the first episode filmed, but the first to be broadcast. This is actually episode #2. "Be A Pal", episode #3 (filmed 9-21-1951, aired 10-22-51). "The Diet" episode #3, (filmed 9-28-1951, aired 10-29-1951). Bonus material: Flubs, Radio Show, original "Phillip Morris" opening, and a lost scene and a restored soundtrack.

ground-Breaking Show
even as a Kid I knew there was something truly Unique&special about this Show,but it wasn't until I was a Little Bit Older did I understand Why.Lucille Ball&Desi Arnaz were a Ground-Breaking Couple.Fred&Ethel were something else.Classic Tv. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Bread and Circuses"
Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and First OfficerSpock (Leonard Nimoy) discover that Captain Merik (William Smithers), commanderof the long-missing Starfleet vessel S.S. Beagle, has become "FirstCitizen of the Empire" in a re-creation of ancient Rome on an obscure, unnamedplanet. Under orders from the Emperor, Merik forced his own crew to die ingladiator battles and lured other Starfleet personnel to the same fate. Now withKirk, McCoy, and Spock in hand, the Emperor's barbaric (and televised all overthe planet) amusements carry on another day. While the script takes a swipe ortwo at the sometimes less-than-elevated tastes of global audiences, theepisode's most interesting idea is the existence of a long-suffering cult of sunworshippers, a parallel to the suppressed Christian groups in Roman times. ForTrekkers, however, this one is full of the essentials: a surreal premise, ahostile planet, lots of fighting, and Scotty (James Doohan) on the bridge.--Tom Keogh

"Journey to Babel"
Years before George Lucas knocked us out with his wildly imaginative bar scenein Star Wars (in which a broad mix of exotic creatures mill about),Star Trek did much the same thing in "Journey to Babel." Serving as atransport for a variety of extraterrestrial diplomats, the Enterprisebecomes a warp-capacity hotel for truly eclectic visitors. (Director JosephPevney credits the makeup artist with this episode's impressive array of alienspecies.) The story finds murder committed aboard the ship and an attack onCaptain Kirk (William Shatner), all in an effort to sabotage the imminentsigning of a peace treaty. But against this mystery is an even more curiousfamily drama featuring Spock's conflicts with his parents, the Vulcan ambassadorSarek (Mark Lenard), who disapproves of his son, and his human wife, Amanda(Jane Wyatt). Story editor Dorothy Fontana wrote the script after deciding itwas time to show us the oft-mentioned mother and father of theEnterprise's first officer (Leonard Nimoy). We can thank her forinventing all the fascinating details of a complicated family relationship thatultimately became crucial to a couple of feature films and even a memorableepisode of The Next Generation. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Ambassador Sarek and his wife Amanda ARE Spock's parents
There really is not an obvious connection between the two second season episodes of Star Trek included on Volume 22 of this DVD series, but the cover photograph of Mark Lenard as Sarek tells you why you want this one in your collection. Following the wreckage of the SS Beagle, the Enterprise comes upon another one of those planets that is essentially Earth with a twist (remember Hodgkins' Law of Parallel Planet Development for future reference). In "Bread and Circuses" the twist is that the Roman Empire has never fallen. The Enterprise discovers some of the Beagle crew are still alive because they are being used as gladiators in the Roman's televised Circus. But the worst news is that Merrick, the Beagle's captain, has been helping Proconsul Cladius Marcus in violation of the Prime Directive. When the away team is captured, Marcus tries to get Kirk to help by making Spock and McCoy fight in the arena. But as Merrick tries to explain to Marcus, Kirk is a starship captain who will not give in to coercion. "Bread and Circuses" is an average Star Trek episode, although there is a nice scene between Spock and McCoy as they sit in their cell worrying about Kirk and Uhura's explanation of planet's religion of "sun" worshippers is a surprising twist for network television in the Sixties.

Certainly "Journey to Babel" has the best teaser in Star Trek history. The Enterprise crew is decked out in their formal dress to welcome the Vulcan Ambassador Sarek aboard. Kirk and McCoy are surprised when Sarek snubs Spock and go into complete shock when Spock tells that Ambassador Sarek and his wife are his parents. Sarek is one of several delegates bound for a conference that will debate the admission of Coridan to the Federation (the planet is rich with dilithium). When one of the delegates shows up dead, Sarek is a prime suspect until it is revealed he has a heart condition. McCoy is all ready to perform surgery with Spock serving as a blood donor when Kirk is also attacked by the assassin. With the captain incapacitated, Spock cannot relinquish command, even if it costs his father his life. Mark Lenard as Sarek is absolutely the ultimate Vulcan and even Leonard Nimoy seems to be acting more Vulcan-like in this episode. Jane Wyatt as Amanda is clearly too emotional for a woman who has been living with Vulcans most of her life, but she looks great when she smiles and casting Mrs. Anderson from "Father Knows Best" is just a tad short of being as great as that of casting Lenard. "Journey to Babel" is just a wonderful episode with every scene involving Spock and his parents a treat, especially when father and son comment on Amanda's emotional outburst on the subject of logic. It is just so clear these two love her so much. Simply a wonderful, wonderful episode that deserves to be on everyone's list of Top 10 Star Trek episodes.

Some "Bread" for your "Journey..."
Volume 22 of Paramount's complete Star Trek collection contains one outstanding and one fair episode.

"Bread and Circuses" is another yet episode featuring a "parallel world" mirroring Earth's history in some way (interesting that they never show parallel worlds which mirror Vulcan or other planets). This time, the crew encounters a 20th Century Roman Empire, complete with ratings driven television, gladiator fights, and even persecuted Christians. Although this story sucseeds in some areas (especially the scathing satire of television executives) the episode as a whole does not rise above standard action oriented fare.

"Journey to Babel" is another story indeed. This is one of the very few episodes of Classic Trek which allows the viewer to see the plethora of races in the Federation (even if the makeup for the pig-faced Tellarites is not very convincing). The list of guest stars is very impressive here. Mark Lenard, who played the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" appears as Spock's father, Sarek; Jane Wyatt plays Spock's mother, Amanda; and veteran character actor Reggie Nalder, who played the Assassin in Hitchcock's 1956 The Man Who Knew Too Much, appears as Andorian Ambasador Shras. Striking as these aspects are, however, the heart of the story is Spock's relationship with his parents, the conflicts of which are brought to the forefront when Sarek suffers a heart attack. Leonard Nimoy and Jane Wyatt shine during a heartbreaking scene set in Spock's quarters, where Amanda implores Spock to come to his father's aid.

Paramount has done a fine job restoring the picture and sound. Colors are deep and clear, and there is remarkably little grain on the film (except for stock shots of the Enterprise).

One solid show, and one top tier episode
Bread and Circuses-The Roman episode was the first in a slew of parallel earth episodes, and was one of the better ones. The episode features a lot of action and a number of exterior shots. There is also much violence, and some of it is fairly chilling. While there is some editiorializing on 1) our society's bloodlust this is in my opinion negated by the Pro-Christian bias (I don't have anything against Christianity-I just prefer religion to be dealt with more subjectively on Trek).

For better or worse, the show was becoming less introspective. An argument could be made that some of these episodes should have been reigned in a bit. But Star Trek was riding high at