Description

"Plato's Stepchildren," Ep. 67 - Kirk, Spock and McCoy suffer humiliating experiences via an alien with telekinetic abilities. This episode also features the first interracial kiss on network television. "Wink of an Eye," Ep. 68 - A Scalosian queen sabotages the U.S.S. Enterprise and makes Kirk her love-slave, planning to use him to help repopulate her planet. Can Kirk escape her charms and save his crew? ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A classic that's one of my favorites!
Plato's Stepchildren is one of my top four favorite episodes, along with Space Seed, the City on the Edge of Forever, and Mirror Mirror. I've been waiting a long time for it to be released on DVD and am very happy that it will be soon. It also has historic value in the fact that the first inter-racial kiss on national television took place in that episode. Don't let overly sarcastic commentary spoil your fun!

Not prime "Star Trek."
Plato's Stepchildren has an intriguing set-up, but the episode simply goes way too far in silliness when Kirk and Spock are being forced to perform. Apparently this was necessary in order to fill up time, but it's an insult to the viewers and an example of how the creator's abused the endless possibilities idea of the future. It has interesting moments, though, but forget the infamous interracial kiss--it was forced and completely unemotional. In this episode, Nichelle Nichols is absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous in that classic gown, but she is outdone by the more stunning Barbara Babcock, who gives a wonderful performance here.

Wink of An Eye is also very intriguing, and superior to Plato's Stepchildren, but it bites off more than it can chew. The situation with hyperaccelerated existence and normal existence is very interesting and fun, but it is carelessly done, and the episode becomes more confusing than anything else. An average, but passable episode.

Two solid, transitional episodes
Plato's Stepchildren-Another menacing and sadistic 3rd season episode, this time involving an Ancient Greek-like people
with telekenetic powers. This is one of those episodes-there would be many more ahead--that doesn't have a lot to say. It is most noteworthy for the kiss between Kirk and Uhura (too bad it had to be forced upon them), the absurdly camp antics performed by Kirk and Spock in particular, and the icy malevolence of Parmen and his cohorts. Whatever moral the episode conveys could probably best be summarized as "absolute power corrupts absolutely." There's nothing very deep about the crew's 'escape' either, although they are able to teach Alexander some valuable lessons before they go. (3 stars)

Wink of an Eye-This episode, involving an accelerated species, has always been a favorite of mine. It is a very dreamlike episode; the scene depicting Kirk's acceleration must be one of the show's most bizarre segments. Tilting the camera and returning to music used in 'The Cage' were nice ways of embellishing acceleration. The idea also struck me as quite original (although I must confess I've read very little science fiction). Others have noted that when you sit down and work out the times involved, there are a lot of inconsistencies and implausible outcomes, but I do not look to Star Trek for that kind of realism.
Kathy Browne does a nice job as Deela. While clearly serious about the business of reproduction, she has a light, flirtatious quality which, along with her power, forces Kirk out of his usual domineering role. Of course, the two of them generated a scene for the sensors to miss nonetheless!
One final note: Even after several viewings I'm still not sure I understand the final scene, when Kirk utters the cryptic line, "That's..no malfunction." Did the production team just run out of steam at the end of the episode? Or did Deela intentionally leave the tape nearby (for Uhura to mistakenly pick up) as a momento to Kirk? Not clear. What is clear is that things were starting to get sloppy by the middle of the 3rd season; it would only get worse.
Nevertheless, I feel this episode, number 12 of 24) sits solidly on the winning side of what would be a turning point for the show. The remaining shows as a rule wouldn't feel as stylized as those from the first half of the third season, and were somehow less quirky and more formulaic. Given that they also tended to have thin plots, this would be a formula for disaster. (4 stars)

One of the best Star Treks!
I absolutely love this episode! Of course, this may have something to do with the fact that I'm a huge Spock fan, and love to see him act more human, which is rare. But there are also a lot of other great things about this episode. It's really fun, although you should probably watch it twice if you want to experience the fun in the silliness as much as possible, since you're worrying too much the first time about whether they'll ever get out! And, of course, the show itself took great strides with the showing of the first inter-racial kiss, between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols, not to mention the one shared by Leonard Nimoy and Majel Barrett! But that's really what Star Trek is all about, isn't it? "To go where no one has gone before' and in this episode, they did that with a lot of fun involved.

DON'T BUY INTO THE HYPE.....
Volume 34 of the Star Trek DVD series contains two episodes that have been considered good cause they were supposedly very risqué during the time they aired. Partly because each has it's own "landmark moment in American television". In reality these moments are barely noticable and these two Trek episodes are just as mediocre as the rest that came out of the third season.

PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN opens this one. Yeah I know. I've heard it a thousand times: "tv's first interracial kiss" between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols. The truth is (according to Shatner himself) that two scenes of this were shot. One that was actually a kiss and the other that wasn't. The latter was chosen in the original airing and they have never bothered to put the actual kiss in any reruns. Therefore technically there is nothing special about this one. The plot is typical Star Trek and this episode showcases some of the actors most embarassing moments. Still this is good for a laugh. Especially when the dwarf Alexander mounts Kirk like a horse and our good Capt. begins to 'neigh'. Apart from those embarassing moments and a few touching acting scenes between Kirk and Alexander this episode is pretty forgettable.

The second episode here is WINK OF AN EYE which fairs little better than PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN. For whatever reason I have always felt the sound in this one was muffled. Maybe it was just me? Anyways the supposed off camera sex scene between Kirk and the girl isn't very noteworthy. As a matter of fact I didn't even notice it until another Amazon.com reviewer mentioned it! The plot to WINK OF AN EYE is interesting but in the long run it's merely the Star Trek crew being invaded by bizarre aliens once again. As I said many times before, it's been done! Anybody else notice that the camera work of this episode was almost always on a slant? Just a thought...

Overall these two episodes are definetly watchable but I find neither them are as special as they claim to be. Keep in mind these were released in 1968 so perhaps they were considered more shocking back then but I find it hard to believe since Star Trek's ratings and popularity were at an all time low when they aired. Not the best but it's classic Trek so go on try it! Recommended! ... Read more

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"The Enterprise Incident"
An overwrought, highly-stressed Captain Kirk blunders into Romulan space and finds the Enterprise surrounded by enemy vessels, all equipped with strategically valuable cloaking technology. Along with Spock, Kirk is invited to meet with the Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) to discuss the situation, leading to a crisis when the captain suffers a breakdown following Spock's apparent betrayal. Written by story editor Dorothy Fontana (who was unhappy with the final results) and directed by John Meredyth Lucas (who briefly took the producing reins from Gene L. Coon during season two), the episode has a colorful espionage angle, but depends heavily on an improbable romance between Spock and Linville's character. Still, there are things to savor here, especially Kirk's one-and-only appearance with Vulcan/Romulan pointed ears. --Tom Keogh

"And the Children Shall Lead"
The Enterprise arrives at a distant research outpost to find all the adults dead and their children eerily cheerful. No sooner are they aboard the ship than the children begin taking over, using strange powers bestowed on them by a malevolent "friendly angel." The kids make for an engagingly creepy episode as they alter the crew's perceptions to play on their worst fears, all with angelic smiles on their faces. Kirk's stiff-necked nature is well played against the manic playfulness of the kids, and legendary attorney Melvin Belli (who enjoyed a moderately busy acting career in the late '60s) does an interesting turn as the smooth-talking angel. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Without Followers, Evil Cannot Prevail
Volume 30 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek contains two contrasting episodes from Season Three.

The Enterprise Incident is a successful and riveting story, even though its plot--full of Nixonian plotting and plausible deniability--runs counter to Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek philosophy. What makes this episode work is the taut writing, tight editing, powerful scoring, and excellent performances from all involved. The scenes between Leonard Nimoy and guest star Joanne Linville--as the Romulan Commander smolder with erotic tension. The visuals are also superior to most of the series. However, some of the Romulan makeup looks rushed, with some clumsy ear appliances.

Despite an interesting concept, And The Children Shall Lead is not a success. The episode, essentially an allegory about religious cults, is undone by tortured dialogue, weak plotting, and the most egregious incident of "stunt" casting in Trek history: Lawyer Melvin Belli portrays the evil Gorgon. Dressed in a silver gown with a floral patterned collar, Belli looks like a second-rate televangelist in drag. Most of this episode is so laughably ridiculous that it's best ignored or viewed as a party gag. What a wasted opportunity.

No complaints about the picture and sound restoration. However, Al Francis' lighting and camerawork lacks the beauty and subtlety of Jerry Finnerman's, who resigned after the second season.

ONE OF THE BEST AND THE WORST STAR TREK EPISODE EVER!!!
Volume 30 of the Star Trek DVD series will draw the buyer because of the classic ENTERPRISE INCIDENT episode. However it will also repel many because the episode has had the ill luck of being coupled with the worst episode that came out of the original series; AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD.

Those who say the entire third season of Star Trek is bad obviously didn't see THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT. The episode finds the Enterprise crew venturing into Romulan territory under a secret mission. The episode is well written and well acted. Joan Linville makes a fine appearance as the Romulan Commander. Her scenes with Spock are very memorable. A great action packed story with some great moments make THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT a classic definetly worth seeing. Especially when Kirk is disguised as a Romulan.

There is no doubt in my mind that AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD is the worst Star Trek episode of the entire series. The plot tries to take a sort of 'Children Of The Damned' status but comes out as a joke. The casting is terrible as several bad child actors were hired as well as lawyer Melvin Belli (of The Rolling Stone's Gimme Shelter fame) who was cast as the evil spirit whom controls the children. The entire episode is totally unconvincing but particularily because Belli looks more like a Christmas tree than a threatening entity. This is best viewed as a joke but watch it at your own risk.

Overall the DVD is worth getting for the classic ENTERPRISE INCIDENT and perhaps if you are bored you should watch AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD but it is the worst episode of the bunch. Recommended but don't get mad at me if your disappointed I warned you about AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD : )

One action episode, one creepily surreal show
The Enterprise Incident-This Romulan intrigue story is one of the 3rd season's most solid offerings. It offers a tight and dramatic plot, with plenty of twists and surprises. The teaser is particularly well-executed, and may be second only to Mirror, Mirror's opening in dramatic effect. I also enjoy the moral ambiguity of this episode. By that I mean not only that we are left to ponder whether the ends justify the means, but also that WE are left to ponder that question, rather than being beaten over the head with it and having it answered for us. Would a 1st season episode have been comfortable with this ambiguity, let alone keeping it implicit? No normative judgments implied, but Star Trek had in some sense grown up by the Fall of 1968, for better or worse. (4 stars)
Tidbits: Spock was able to stay fairly true to himself in this romance; others weren't so lucky in their 3rd season romances, which generally yanked crewmembers far out of character. As a result, here the sacrifice Spock makes is a real one, in which he compromises himself. The production team did a nice job of giving the Romulan ship interior a different feel.

And the Children Shall Lead-Incredibly, the second of the 'children' episodes is even darker than the first (Miri). This atmospheric episode is shrouded in a sense of mystery and dread. I would go so far as to call the episode courageous in it's depiction of evil and willingness to give the children complicity in the adults' deaths. Each individual's insecurities and fears are exploited by the Gorgon, and at the height of the episode Kirk has lost control both of his ship and his entire sense of reality.
While some of the effects are quite gimmicky (the knives), others are effective in their simplicity (such as the summoning of the Gorgon). Overall I found this to be an effective, eerie and surreal episode, although some may dislike the fact that there is no simple moral. The cold finality of much of the death (such as being beamed into deep space) may also upset some. The conclusions/ means of dealing with the Gorgon were also admittedly weak.
Tidbits: It would be interesting to know how attourney Melvin
Belli ended up in this role. (4 stars)

I'm gonna lead myself away from this unfortunate incident...
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 30: The Enterprise Incident © / And the Children Shall Lead ©

THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The balance of power; military one-upmanship

Historic Milestone: the introduction of the fictional "Vulcan death grip"

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

Jimmers' libido takes a rest in this outing as Spock takes on the task of romancing the babe-of-the-week. And what a job he does: he melts the heart-- whilst earning the trust-- of a Romulan ship commander with his little routine of logic and lack of emotion following the capture of the Enterprise after encroaching into the Neutral Zone. Adding to his credibility with the Romulan commander is his application of the aforementioned 'Vulcan death grip' on the good captain when it appears he may've gone a bit loopy. Um, the captain that is. Meanwhile, Jimmers' 'corpse' is returned to the Enterprise, where he's revived, disguises himself as a Romulan officer, and sets out to steal the enemy's cloaking device. Scotty's expression of joyful surprise as he sees the good captain in Romulan togs is absolutely priceless! Eventually, the Enterprise makes off with their prize, and with a touch of Scotty's miracle-working, uses it to escape detection. In the end, Spock has the temerity to try and salvage his 'relationship' with the captured Romulan officer after using her like a wad of tissues! And apparently she falls for it to a degree, the silly fool. Oh Spock, you smooth character you!

AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The folly of giving Melvin Belli a part on a TV show-- or an acting part of ANY kind!

Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: The entire freakin' episode!

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: 2 killed

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

I was pretty freaked out by the teaser to this particular eppie, featuring a buncha kids playin' and carrying on whilst their parents lie dead all around 'em! Was Stephen King a contributor to the script, or what? Unfortunately, things break down after the teaser, and never improve one iota. Melvin Belli's ultra-stiff performance as the evil Gorgan proved to me that, as an actor, he makes a pretty good lawyer. Actually, his character is very lawyer-like: he produces and feeds off of the anxiety & paranoia of others! Okay, so I made a cheap shot with that last crack. What'cha gonna do about it-- sue me? No wait, I was only kidding... honest! Please put that summons down...

Anyhoo, after pickin' up the adolescent survivors, the Enterprise encounters all sort'sa troubles... like the kids using mind-control to systematically take over the Enterprise, and making Sulu hallucinate huge knives out in space. Fortunately, the Gorgan's power over his prepubescent charges is broken when Jimmers shows 'em a few home movies with their late 'rents. This causes the young'uns to bawl somethin'awful, and frees them from their captor. I can't really blame 'em for their reaction; if I were forced to watch old home movies, I'd be cryin' too...

'Late

The Classic "Enterprise Incident" and the Worst ST episode
Volume 30 of the Star Trek DVD series certainly offers the most uneven pair of episodes in the entire collection. First up is the classic episode, "The Enterprise Incident," in which Kirk apparently goes off the deep end, ordering the Enterprise into Romulan space. Surrounded by Romulan ships, Kirk and Spock meet with the Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) in which the First Officer declares Kirk acted alone, without authority, in a blatant attempt to grab some glory. An enraged Kirk attacks Spock who then uses the "Vulcan death grip" to kill the captain. Of course, that was the last episode of the show and nothing was heard from Star Trek ever again. Actually, it is all a complicated plot for Starfleet to get their hands on the Romulan's cloaking device. But while Kirk goes undercover as a Romulan, it is up to Spock to keep the Romulan commander distracted. Leonard Nimoy and Joanne Linville deserve a lot of praise for this episode, because their scenes are arguably the most erotic in the entire series. Take that William Shatner! "The Enterprise Incident" is on my Top 10 list of Star Trek episodes and I know I am not alone in that regard.

On the other hand I think I actually sat through "And the Children Shall lead" them ONCE in all the years I have been watching Star Trek. The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a scientific expedition on Triacus where they are shocked to find not only that all the adults have killed themselves but that their children do not seem to care. It turns out the children are enthralled to Gorgon, a sort of demon entity that lives on the planet. Lawyer Melvin Belli portrays the evil Gorgon is one of those horrendous casting decisions that get made from time to time. Anyhow, now Grogon wants to find a planet with millions of people he can make suffer and to distract the Enterprise crew he has them each imagine their worst fears coming true. If I bothered to put one together, this episode would be in my Bottom 10 episodes of Star Trek. Actually, I think it is the worst of the bunch, mainly because Belli makes the most unthreatening evil etity you have ever seen while the children do not even come close to "Children of the Damned" status. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Brilliance and fun
Lost love, new enemies, hidden and resurfaced emotions become the underlying theme for these two episdoes, The Man Trap and The Naked Time.

Bringing hidden issues to the surface - confronting what we wish to forget, Star Trek goes boldly where no one has gone before with this innovative series.

In "The Man Trap", lost love of Dr. McCoy's Nancy Carter is isolated on Planet M113. There, during an away mission, crew members mysteriously are killed by being desalinated. Confrontation of emotion vs. fact - this episode yields a heart wrenching and character defining moment for our dear Dr. McCoy.

In "The Naked Time", the crew becomes exposed to a virus which allows them to act emotionally without thought. The virus is passed on through bodily fluids (in this scenario, perspiration) The forefront of sexually transmitted infections is hidden but very much so an issue in this episode.

Overall, two wonderful episodes backed by high quality of sound and picture. This DVD is a must have for the TOS collection.

Two early Star Trek episodes that were really too early
The one thing that the two episodes on Volume 3 of the Star Trek DVD series have in common is that they both should have come much later in the show's run. In "The Man Trap," we find out that once upon a time Leonard McCoy was romantically involved with Nancy Crater, who is working with her husband Robert on the distant planet M-113. When the Enterprise arrives to give the researchers their yearly physicals, crewmen start dying from complete salt deprivation. It turns out that Nancy has been dead for a year, and her place has been taken by a salt vampire. But this is "Episode 6," a point where we are still finding out about McCoy and his relationship to Kirk and Spock; i.e., too soon to really care about his past. Besides, Star Trek never really did all that well with traditional monsters. "The Man Trap" is a slightly below average Star Trek episode.

Then, in "The Naked Time" an away team finds six scientists dead on planet Psi 2000. When one of the crew takes the glove of his isolation suit off, a small drop of red liquid moves onto his hand. When they return to the Enterprise the crewmembers start acting strangely; Sulu runs around with a fencer's foil, Riley takes over engineering and keeps singing "I'll Take You Home Kathleen," and even Spock becomes an emotional wreck. The strange liquid from the planet affects everyone like alcohol and bares their souls. This is absolutely a great idea, but for "Episode 7"? This is just way too early for Spock to have his meltdown. Ironically, STNG made the same mistake with "The Naked Now" being Episode THREE for crying out loud. Of course, in syndication these concerns are less important because we the second/third/nth time you want a Star Trek episode you can put it in the context of the entire series. Still, way back when, they were really getting a bit ahead of the game with this pair of episodes, although "The Naked Time" is an above average episode.

Bare empty DVD....
I'm starting to find these DVDs of the original Star Trek television series to be very poor. Made when DVD production was just getting started in 1999, the last few years have seen whole TV shows released as four disk DVD sets labled with the complete episodes of each season. I am suprised and disapointed that Paramount has not extended this to the original Star Trek episodes either. Or a show to be as loved and admired as it has been, it deserves to be re-released as a four disk set with each season's episodes complete with commentery and behind the scenes featureets on how the show was made. But Paramount has given no indication that it plans to do so. The current management has not been that great in delivering high quality DVDs on Star Trek, and this inconstistency can be seen with the release of the Star Trek movies as Special Edition two disk DVD sets. Paramount seems to be on the decline in recent years. They have not had a big office movie in some time. They have done more with releasing their TV shows as full season disk sets, but why not TOS. There is a large fan base that would like it. Who knows? All I know is that with the recent failure of Star Trek; Nemesis at the movies, and with ENTERPRISE barely making the cut on TV, it seems that for the near future, the space dock is closed.

A hideous salt-sucker and a drunken party.
Star Trek: The Original Series Volume 3 presents two episodes originally aired in 1966:

"The Man Trap:" A shape-shifting creature that drains its victims of their natural salt content terrorizes the Enterprise crew. Even though this segment was the sixth Trek episode produced (if you count the first pilot, "The Cage") it was the public's first taste of Star Trek, debuting September 8, 1966. The creators obviously chose "The Man Trap" to lead off the series because it best exemplified Star Trek's "strange new worlds" concept. This is an excellent horror/mystery story, both haunting and tragic (inexplicably criticized by William Shatner in his book 'Star Trek Memories' as "a dreadful show, one of our worst ever" -- Huh? Did we see the same show?). A great first exposure for the masses, which nicely establishes the tone of the series; but it strangely got mediocre reviews -- the fools! GRADE: A

"The Naked Time:" This is one of my personal faves. The Enterprise crew gets infected by a space virus that causes them to lose all inhibitions resulting in ship-wide pandemonium. This episode answers one of the most burning questions of the series: Why does Kirk go after EVERY female he meets in the galaxy -- including aliens and androids? Because he's not allowed to fraternize with any of the women on his ship! (If this is true then what was he doing with Helen Noel at the ship's Christmas party as revealed in "Dagger of the Mind" [episode #11]? Ms. Noel is so incredibly gorgeous that Kirk can be forgiven this one transgression). Bottom Line: A fan favorite because it's got everything a viewer might be in the mood for -- mystery, drama, comedy, romance, action and suspense. It also happens to be a great episode in which to get to know the characters, seeing as how they all get to 'let loose.' WATCH OUT for the powerful scene in which Chapel admits her love to the emotionally distant Spock. GRADE: A+

Star Trek gaining momentum
The Man Trap-This episode, in which we meet a salt-craving creature with shape-changing abilities, was the first Trek episode to air. While decent enough, it certainly is not an exceptional episode. While it is conceivable that this was the only episode completed in time, more likely it was selected because it was not what NBC had called 'too cerebral'. Other factors that NBC might have liked include the fact that it was largely planet-based and had an alien that 'looked like an alien.' While this episode does touch on loneliness, the subjectivity of beauty, and all creatures' right to survival, it does no more than touch on these themes. As an action episode, it's no more than passable, and again everything from the delivery of the lines to the music is slow, slow, slow (compared to even one year later). The episode is, quite honestly, most memorable for 1) the well-designed vampire, and 2) the shock-value of humans being preyed upon. (2.5 stars)

The Naked Time-This episode, in which a virus causes the crew to lose their inhibitions, was the best offering yet from the new show. The episode commences with an effective teaser, and the story unfolds at a good pace once aboard the Enterprise. The basic premise is a good one, since it enables the cast to both playfully embellish their roles and have some serious ruminations. The episode certainly has its share of action, and is one of the more creative 'Enterprise in danger' shows. We are also introduced to adult themes such as tradeoffs between duty and responsibility on the one hand and joyous, unconstrained intoxication on the other. Some of the soul-searching monologues are a bit much though for characters who weren't exactly our friends yet (this was the 3rd show to air), and as others have noted Nimoy-who seems to really need to believe in the material-was not terribly effective here. The same can (as usual) be said of Takei, and the inclusion of a 'drunken Irishman' character was also somewhat unfortunate. The boomerang premise is also kind of silly, but what the heck, enough hating; this is Star Trek, and it's a good episode. (4 stars) ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Worth getting just for the Arena episode
Star Trek - The Original Series Vol. 10 isn't the best volume of the original series made for DVD yet, but it's not bad either. It has the classic episode, "Arena", where Captain Kirk goes up against a powerful lizard-like creature called a Gorn who wants to kill Captain Kirk. Kirk must find a way to defeat the Gorn in order to get his ship back and in order to stay alive. On the other hand, a lot of people probably won't be too crazy about "The Alternative Factor" because it can be hard to understand. Captain Kirk and the crew deal with a strange man named Lazarus who says he is being terrorized by an evil spirit, or man. Lazarus needs some crystals in order to get his flying-saucer looking ship back into space and off of this evil spirit's planet. And the only place that Lazarus knows of that has the crystals he needs is the Enterprise.

If you're a fan of the original series, I recommend getting Vol. 10 of the original series. It contains one of the best episodes of Star Trek with "Arena" and a mysterious, but likable episode with "The Alternative Factor."

KIRK BATTLES THE GORN IN ARENA!!!
Volume 10 of the Star Trek DVD series contains two episodes that may or may not be considered classics depending on your point of view but none the less both ARENA and THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR are quite memorable.

ARENA is easily considered a classic. In the classic tale Kirk and the crew are in an intergalactic battle with a enemy Gorn ship. The Gorn ship attacks the Enterprise after it invaded their territory. Soon however a "superior" peaceful race captures the two ships and takes Kirk and The Gorn Cpt. to a nearby habitable planet to do beattle. The winner can continue on his mission the loser will be destroyed along with his ship in the interests of peace. The episode sontains two hilarious moments the Gorn (who looks really fake) and the ridiculous superior being whom appears in the end. He asks "Does My Appearance Shock You Captain?" Well it sure shocked me. Later on he says there is hope for the human race and that they can be like the superior race. I don't know but if thats the superior race then I would prefer to stay the way we are! Anyways the episode is a classic. Easily one of the best Trek episodes of the first season.

The second episode here is THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR where Kirk meets a crazed mad man named Lazerus who is bent on destroying his double in a parallel universe. I have always found this episode a headache to watch (similar to the Dagger In The Mind episode). Sure the episode has a deep complex interesting plot but it was not translated well into an episode as it would have belong better in a book. That is why THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR is reviewed so negatively. The episode is quite trippy and complex but I understood it although many viewers don't.

Overall Volume 10 is worth a look particularily for the classic ARENA but you may like THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR depending on your taste. It wasn't my favourite but the plot was quite good. This collection is definetly worth it though.
Highly recommended.

An Alternative Opinion
Being an ORIGINAL trekkie (I care not for johnnie-come-lately Trekkors who have no clue what this series meant in '66), I have strong memories of watching Kirk and Spock every week. When the reruns began to be aired locally (some years after the rest of the country, apparently), I got to see stuff I did not remember. The Alternative Factor became my personal favorite because of the struggles: 1. Kirk and Spock not understanding the nature of the situation 2. Lazarus dealing with his opposite self's actions after they swap universes 3. Stopping anihilation successfully.
The state of budgets and special effects somewhat hurt the visual storytelling, but the rest of the show I find heroic in a very classical sense. I was always blown away by the magnitude of the sacrifice of the rational Lasarus, and Kirk's words at the end chill me even today. Maybe having a friend who looked like, and whose intellect was on the order of Spock's, gives me a different perspective toward this tale. I always felt like Kirk to his Spock, but without a ship to command (Boy, did we need one). Hey, If networks today would pay attention to what Gene and the guys were up to, we'd have shows like...like...like...Enterprise today. Hey, we do! Trek Lives! Long Live Treckkiedom!
This is story telling at it's peak, galactic in scope, human at it's heart, and gut wrenching in it's conclusion. They don't come better than this, even with bigger budgets. This is the stuff that inspires kids to be great achievers, and grown-ups to think about why we do what we do. Great stuff, if you pay attention.

One strong episode, and one very weak one
Arena-This strong episode sees Kirk locked in a life and death struggle with the lizard-like Gorn. The episode commences with the kind of in-the-trenches warfare rarely seen on TV. The brutality of the killing brings out bloodlust in Kirk, who seems ready to exact revenge until control is taken out of his hands. A rather innovative take is then applied to the battle, one which forces Kirk to rely on his wits and keep a level head. It is one of the trademarks of Trek that Kirk eventually shows mercy. Here that mercy is rewarded; if only it were so simple in the real world. (4 stars)

The Alternative Factor-This episode, in which a loner travels between universes in a small ship, just never comes together. Despite the fact that nothing short of the universe is at stake, the episode feels trivial. While Robert Brown certainly has a tough assignment here as the two Laseruses (Laserii?), he seems torn between trying to make each of them 'real' while still being sufficiently different that the viewer will not become confused. Unfortunately he does not succeed in either regard, and the seemingly haphazard storyline doesn't assist the viewer any either. The team also seems to struggle to fill up the episode's allotted hour, but the main problem is the story is presented in a way that doesn't make sense; everything feels arbitrary and desultory. The self-flagellation between universes, while memorable, is not particularly effective either. About the best thing about this episode is the end-the disturbing idea of someone spending eternity battling a madman. (2 stars)

Two Classic Episodes for a Classic Series
"Arena" - Episode 19 - This episode features a duel between our Capt. Kirk and the Gorn. An interesting plot, surreal music, location and the Gorn character give this episode a wonderful campy feeling. Great episode to watch at pitch black night!!

"Alternative Factor" - Episode 20 - An excellent episode that deals with the orignal crew being thrown into unfamilar territory. A man named Lazarus is thrown into an odd state of flux where him and his counterpart switch between a positive and negative universe. An insane Lazarus on one of the sides is bent on destroying both universes. They both eventually meet to fight in the gap between universes eternally. Great epsiode that explores a more complex concept of the universe than the crew usually deals with!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The pilot episode is not time comressed.
After reading a claim of time compression by another reviewer,I checked the time of the pilot and it is 22 minutes and 29 seconds and not the 21 minutes that he claims.
It has to be remembered that this was the pilot and not a regular episode so comparing times is not valid. Also if it was time-compressed the voices would be one semitone higher as they are on PAL versions of American shows in whuch the shows are sped up by 1/25th of a second. The voices sound exactly the same on the pilot as the other episodes.
My verdict on the show,four episodes with clear pictures and good sound. A good job done by Rhino on this production.

Pilot episode TIME COMPRESSED!!!!
Notice how everything in the first episode or pilot is un-naturally rushed. Listen to the music. Check it's running time. Then check the running time of the additional episodes. The pilot 21 min. the others 25. Rhino has released this otherwise great show in a TAMPERED with digitally time compressed/edited version. All dvd collectors of classic t.v. want versions better, sharper and at the very least UN-CUT then those shown on Nick at Nite and T.V. Land. Rhino did us no favors with THE REAL McCOYS (EDITED), THE LONE RANGER (EDITED) and add to their list My Favorite Martian!

I like old time tv shows
I have always liked black & white tv programs!{ in FACT I STILL OWN A 20INCH BLACK AND WHITE TV SET} my favorite martin ran on tv when I was kid. today I like the program even more because it is clean and it is still funny after all those years! I would love to see more of the programs released on DVD. I don't mind that some older prints have minnor defects in the film. it is the story and the plots that our the most important to me. I realize that rino did the best they could with the prints they had to work with. the recent passing of ray watson was a great lost to me. I would recommend this disk to anyone looking for funny and fresh stories. I detest the foul mouthed south park that every "thinks is so good today" we need more clean comdy on television today.

A gem
Startlingly good comedy from a bunch of pros. I hadn't seen these episodes in thirty-five years, and I was amazed at how fresh, light, and full of heart they were. Watched them with my kids, 6 and 9, and they both loved the episodes and keep demanding more. Get to work Rhino! Rhino did the best it could with the source material, but one doesn't watch these episodes for the David Lean directorial qualities: just the wonderfully haywire plots and the tight, consistent characterizations of Bixby and Walston. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When viewed through the rose-colored glasses of happy nostalgia, thesefour well-chosen episodes of The Monkees TV series (1966-68) provide 100 minutes of shameless anarchy, courtesy of Mike, Davey, Mickey, and Peter. The show--and the Monkees themselves--were conspicuous attempts to capitalize on the Beatles (by copping their Help! and A Hard Day's Night formula of pop music and comedy), but these episodes demonstrate the show's emerging identity, from its original pilot (filmed a full year before its November 1966 broadcast) to the casual lunacy of two above-average episodes ("The Picture Frame" and "Hillbilly Honeymoon") from the series' second season.

The pilot (which features cowriter and series developer Paul Mazursky as a TV reporter) shows the Monkees in embryonic form; their hair's much shorter, and you can even spot a Beatles poster in their Monkee-pad. But it wasn't long before the group's distinct personalities emerged (Davey was always molded as the heartthrob), and by the time "The Picture Frame" aired on September 18, 1966, the show's combination of silly slapstick, groan-worthy punch lines, and catchy pop tunes had become a ratings smash. (Indeed, that episode's featured song, "Pleasant Valley Sunday," had recently topped the Billboard pop chart.) And while "Alias Mickey Dolenz" is clearly a Mickey showcase (in which he aids police by doubling as a wanted killer), it also features two songs ("Mary, Mary" and "The Kind of Girl I Could Love") that established Mike Nesmith as a talented songwriter. All in all, these four episodes neatly summarize what the Monkees were--a marketing ploy that took flight as a legitimate pop-cultural phenomenon. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Monkees were the best and still are...........
I always loved watching there shows when I was growing up. And I still do. My two nieces love watching it too. And I know my children will too someday. There show was the first rock and roll show ever shown that played rock music. They were the first mtv. That's Classic......

The Debut, The Frame, The Alias, & The Shotgun Wedding
Four of the strongest episodes of The Monkees series are on display on this two-disc set covering much of the show's evolution.

Here Come The Monkees - the debut episode filmed in November 1965, the episode telegraphs that this series will not be like anything on TV to that point in its brilliant prologue as Paul Mazursky conducts man on the street interviews and elicits from a doctor a vow to break up any outburst of violence - which goes out the window when Davy appears, being beaten senseless by Micky, Mike, and Peter.

The episode then proceeds into its main plot - The Monkees are hired for the sweet-sixteen party of Vanessa Russell, a gig that nearly gets the boys canned when Vanessa and Davy's dating ruins her history studies. A corporate board meeting ensues and the boys work out a plan. When Vanessa aces her makeup exam as a result, her teacher tries to persuade Vanessa's father to relent, but initially he won't, until shamed into doing so by his distraught daughter.

Following the madcap events of the episode - highlighted by both versions of "I Wanna Be Free" and the party rocker "Let's Dance On" - the episode closes with the October 1965 screen tests of Davy and Mike being interviewed by off-camera Bob Rafelson - scren tests that reveal Davy's love affair with horses and being a jockey, and also Mike's love of music and his anxiety to get this series.

The Picture Frame - The most overtly slapstick episode of the series, The Monkees are tricked into robbing a bank by a phony movie director. Bank cameras film the incident - which Micky, Mike, and Davy think is just rushes from the movie - and interrogation by the sergeant who manages to out-Friday Joe Friday ensues, highlighted by the boys' comedic turns - such as wehn they agree to spill the beans, and use the empty cans as phones, and when Mike catches the overdue book thrown at them.

Trial then ensues, and Micky, Mike, and Davy make a shambles of the results, complete with bribery of the judge, hilarious cross-examination by Micky, hotdogs, and Mike's Wile E. Coyote gag on the prosecutor. All the while Peter is snooping around the studio and finds the evidence that will clear the others - but he must outrun the real crooks amid the snarling strains of "Pleasant Valley Sunday." When Peter succeeds in getting the boys acquitted, they celebrate with the video of Micky's London mod scene anthem "Randy Scouse Git."

Alias Micky Dolenz - Members of the gang of Baby Face Morales mistake Micky for their jailed boss, and two attempts on Micky's life - the second, a drive-by machine-gunning, leads to the show's funniest speed-up photography shot - force him to impersonate the jailed malfeant and infiltrate the gang. A bar brawl establishes Micky's bona fides with the gang, but the worst ensues when the gang force Micky into helping them spring the loot they've hidden, and Mike and Peter must go along as "specialists" - until the real Baby Face Morales escapes and appears.

Hillbilly Honeymoon aka Double Barreled Shoutgun Wedding - The first episode to feature Micky's second-season afro hairdo, it finds the boys caught in the middle of a feud between two hillbilly families, which snares Davy when the sweet young thing of one of the families seduces him and he is kidnapped - leading the show's funniest wordplay: the girl's father snarls, "All right, say it! 'Will you marry me?'" Davy replies, "Will you marry me?" and Mike deadpans about how millions of chicks (Dixie and otherwise) are madly in love with Davy.

100 MINUTES OF GREAT MONKEE BUSINESS!
If you grew up when I did (during the 1960s), and you're into Monkees (like I was and still am), and you're into DVD (like I am), then I think you'll like this DVD. It doesn't feature the best four episodes of the TV series (in my judgement), but the episodes are an excellent representation of the series. I think that Rhino Records and Video should be congratulated for their contribution to "Monkee madness." I hope they market all the Monkees TV episodes on DVD--soon!

Buy it for the episodes, not for the extras.
The actual episodes on this DVD look terrific! I've seen episodes such as "Here Come the Monkees" dozens of times through out the years and I saw many things in the background on the DVD that I've never noticed before. I've watched the VHS copies of Monkee tapes put out by Rhino and even though I thought those episodes looked good, they look even better on DVD.

The extras were a little disappointing. There are some brief cast bios and a short band history but I thought it was rather odd that Micky Dolenz's name was spelled wrong (with an E) and even the title of one of their songs was listed incorrectly. Rhino has a long and extensive history of releasing Monkee products so mistakes like these are inexcusable.

Overall, I hope Rhino releases more Monkees episode on DVD (especially the alternate version of the pilot). I think the following would make great extras on future Monkee DVDs: 1)Include the original Kellogg's and Yardley commercials, as well as the Kool-Aid commericals from the CBS reruns. Network promos would be nice too. 2)Have the ability to swich the soundtrack to play the original songs, songs from the summer 1967 reruns and CBS reruns. 3)Have a chaper break for each of the songs. 4)Captioning. 5)Interviews or audio commentary with the Monkees. 6)A booklet about the episodes instead of just a piece of paper with the chapter breaks.

More Monkees on DVD PLEASE?????
I got the DVD today and I LOVE it! The whole series should be released in the DVD format. The Bio Screens as well as the Main screen were cool! The guys at Rhino Home Video did a superb job at restoring these episodes to top notch quality!

The picture was sharp, and colors were crisp and clear.. Much better quality then in the VHS format.

The Pilot was cool to see as well as the one about Micky impersonating Babyface Moralas. The picture Frame has me on the floor when Peter is in a shower and covers himself while having a funny look on his face.. Hillbilly Honeymoon is not my favorite episode but the scene where Mike "Plays his nose" was a scream! Aside from that, it is a worthy addition to my DVD collection... THANK YOU RHINO HOME VIDEO! Keep them coming on DVD... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sci-Fi and Laughs
"My Favorite Martian" is for Science Fiction what "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie" are for Fantasy: a sitcom based in a fantastic scenario. Bill Bixby (later Doctor David Banner in "The Incredible Hulk" TV series) is Tim O'Hara, a journalist in which roof a flying saucer fells. The occupant of the saucer is a Martian with retractile antennae and the capacity to became invisible and levitate objects. Stranded in Earth, the alien is forced to disguise himself as O'Hara's Uncle Martin. For then on, O'Hara and Martin lives in a "Odd Couple" situation. The Martian's unfamiliarity with Earth customs provided much of the comic situations. The high point of "My Favorite Martian" was Ray Walston's characterization of Uncle Martin. The chemistry between Walston and Bixby was a decisive factor to the success of the series. Walston can be seen in 1999's big screen adaptation, as Uncle Martin's (Christopher Lloyd) fellow countryman, stranded here in Earth since the sixties. The series opened in 1963. The first two seasons were in black and white, and the third in color. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

i want wbk on dvd now!!!
I too was not around when this show was released. but i love it.. it is classic tv at its funniest. come on if they have punky brewster on dvd this shows should be soo much more funnier to watch

WHAT.....WHERE.....WHEN......
.....will they put this on DVD? Ah mean, it's like so weird dat it aint. Up the studio's nose with a rubber hose if they don't....

Ow, ow, ow!!!!!!
Arnold: Comonnnnnn Mr Kotterrrrr, wouldn't you like to inmortalized in
DVD format ?
Juan: Mr Kotter, this note signed "Epstein's mother" is wet. She will cry until the show is released in DVD.
Vinne: What? WBK in DVD, Where? Here at Amazon, Why? because it will sell millions
Freddy: Release it so we can all go Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.......

Best show ever.
I wasn't even born when the show came out, but I watched it in re-runs whenever I could. This is one of my favourite shows of all time. Great characters, and good comedy.

First Season (1975-76)
I think the first year of this show was the best.John Travolta was still an equal player in the cast and hadn't skyrocketed out of the classroom with his "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease" movies, and Horshack was still really wierd--which I always thought was hysterical.And those Uncle jokes of Gabe Kaplan's were unforgettable.

Here are the first season episodes--all of which would make for an excellent DVD set.

01 - Welcome Back (9-9-75)
Gabe Kotter starts his new teaching job and meets all the Sweathogs for the first time!

02 - Basket Case (9-16-75)
Freddy 'Boom-Boom' Washington wants to ignore his education for a career as a professional basketball player, but Mr. Kotter intervenes.

03 - The Great Debate (9-23-75)
The Sweathogs try to compete in a debate with the smart kids.

04 - Whodunit (9-30-75)
Rosalie 'Hotsy' Totsie (the late Debra Lee Scott) accuses one of the Sweathogs of getting her pregnant.

05 - The Election (10-7-75)
Vinnie Barbarino runs for student body president.

06 - No More Mister Nice Guy (10-14-75)
Mr. Woodman suddenly turns into everyone's pal, and Mr. Kotter is forced to play their disciplinarian.

07 - Classroom Marriage (10-21-75)
Freddie and Vernajean (Vernee Watson) want to get married.

08 - One Of Our Sweathogs Is Missing (10-28-75)
Juan Epstein loses a fight to school nerd Todd Ludlow.

09 - Mr. Kotter: Teacher (11-4-75)
Mr. Kotter is suspended by the schoolboard for his unusual teaching methods.

10 - The Reunion (11-18-75)
An onld high school friend visits Mr. Kotter.

11 - Barbarino's Girl (11-25-75)
Vinnie starts dating the unpopular girl who's been tutoring him, but he's embarrassed to show her off to his friends.

12 - California Dreaming (12-2-75)
The new girl in class turns all the guys' heads with phony stories about her former life in California.

13 - Arrividerci Arnold (12-16-75)
The Sweathogs miss Arnold after he transfers to a higher level class.

14 - The Longest Weekend (1-6-76)
Mr. Kotter worries when his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman, who wasn't featured enough on the series if you ask me) goes on a vacation trip without him.

15 - The Sit-In (1-13-76)
Mr. Kotter leads the Sweathogs in a protest against the school's lousy cafeteria food.

16 - Follow The Leader: Part 1 (1-20-76)
Freddie replaces Vinnie as leader of the Sweathogs, so Vinnie quits school and moves in with the Kotters, which causes Julie to move out.

17 - Follow The Leader: Part 2 (1-22-76)
Julie moves back home after Vinnie moves out and returns to school.

18 - Dr. Epstein I Presume (1-29-76)
Juan Epstein decides he would like to become a veterinarian.

19 - One Flu Over The Cuckoo's Nest (2-5-76)
A flu epidemic hits Buchanan High School.

20 - The Telethon (2-12-76)
The Sweathogs put on a telethon to raise money for school supplies.

21 - Kotter Makes Good (2-19-76)
Mr. Woodman reveals the shocking truth that Mr. Kotter never completed his high school exams!

22 - Father Vinnie (2-26-76)
Vinine Barbarino tries to honor his dying grandmother's wish by becoming a priest.

Now get these discs out for the public to buy ASAP!!

Signed,
Epstein's Mother ... Read more

Reviews (2)

DON"T BUY THIS IF---
Don't buy this dvd set if you already have the first Dick Van Dyke Show DVD, as this set has the EXACT 6 same shows on it--"The Night The Roof Fell In", "Never Name A Duck", "Show Me Your Walls", "A Man's Teeth Are Not His Own", "Hustling The Hustler", and "Bank Book". They mislead you by saying there are 10 episodes, but only 6 are The Dick Van Dyke Show. The other 4 are The Lucy Show-- "Lucy Meets John Wayne", "Lucy The Fight Manager", "Lucy Meets Tennessee Ernie Ford", and "Lucy Gets Caught In The Draft". I already had ALL these SAME episodes!!

Nothing New
This is NOT more Dick Van Dyke. It's the same as the previously offered DVD, but plus a second disc with the Lucy Show. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dick VanDyke DVD
Disappointed - not because of the shows but because it had the same episodes as a previous Dick VanDyke DVD I recently purchased. I was hoping for some diffierent episodes like the one when Laura opens all Rob's mail! ... Read more