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"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 this point on a string of strong stories and fun episodes; few could have guessed that the quality would start to deteriorate in just a few episodes.

Tidbit: This episode and Elaan of Troyius were the two that took the longest to get from production to the TV screen. In Elaan of Troyius I always assumed the delay was due to the spacecraft special effects. What was the explanation here? (3 stars)

Journey to Babel-In another classic Trek, we meet Spock's parents, and the Enterprise turns into a veritable 'who's who' of alien dignitaries. Like so many second season shows, this episode is fast paced and dramatic. There are actually several plot lines going at once. Not only do the subtleties of Spock's relationship with his parents play well here, the show is augmented by the fact that so much else happens (murder, Kirk and Sarek's physical troubles, a spy aboard the ship, a Klingon vessel, etc.) A lot to juggle, but the writer and director managed it well, even bringing everything together at the end. True, it's absurd that Kirk and company would know so little about Spock's family, but the bombshell does make for a dramatic close to the teaser. (4.5 stars)

Gladiators & Generation Gaps
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 22: Bread and Circuses © / Journey to Babel ©

BREAD AND CIRCUSES © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Before I go into the review proper, it has come to my attention that the guys at Paramount™ put these original series DVDs out to the market without respect to neither the episodes' canonical-chronological order nor their date-of-broadcast order. This particular volume is a case in point: The first show, Bread and Circuses ©, was originally broadcast on March 14, 1968 (Stardate 4040.7), while the following show, Journey to Babel, was shown on November 17, 1967 (Stardate 3842.3). At first, I was kinda taken aback by this haphazard arrangement of eppies; after all, they could've at least TRIED to release classic 'Trek in some logical fashion, right? But after envisioning the throes of agony that the more anal-retentive/OCD-suffering UberTrekkies would suffer due to this strange quasi-random release of episodes, I actually found myself rejoicing at Paramount™'s brazenness. Anything that gives the uberfans major hissy fits is just fine and dandy in my book!

A rather intriguing 'what-if' type story where the elimination and/or delayed reaction of a an apparently vital historical element (in this case, "son worship" or Christianity) could have a major impact on the course of human history (in this case, the Roman Empire still exists in the 20th century). Throw in a few less-than-skillful-looking gladiatorial death matches and a turncoat starship captain (similar to the rogue C.O. in The Omega Glory ©), and you've got... um... hey, remember that scene in Airplane!™ where Peter Graves asks that kid, "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?" I'm reminded of that scene every time I catch this particular episode! And my name isn't Joey, either! Strange, no?

JOURNEY TO BABEL © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The importance of family; learning to overcome differences; family duties versus career duties

Historical Milestone: First appearance of Spock's parents

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Out of all the crewmen that serve aboard the Enterprise™, who'da ever thought Spock™ would have to deal with family strife? Well, it's true, kiddies- apparently pops isn't quite an approving parent where his son's career choice is concerned. But with the help of a whodunit murder mystery, a bit of espionage intrigue, and Sarek's life-threatening condition that only Spock can help treat, father and son manage to patch things up a little in the end. Which delights mater no end of course. Throw in a ridiculously silly fight sequence between Jimmers and an ersatz Andorian, and you've got a nice dollop of cheesiness to make the whole Spock-family-soap-opera that much tastier!

'Late

SEASON TWO'S HIGH POINT!!!
Volume 22 of the Star Trek DVD collection contains two episodes from season two's high point. By high point I mean that half way through the second season a sudden burst of classic excellent episodes were being produced including the likes of TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES, A PIECE OF THE ACTION and JOURNEY TO BABEL etc; The beginning of the second season was good but just didn't seem to compare to the first until half way through when these episodes were made.

The first episode here is BREAD AND CIRCUSES. The Enterprise crew finds the wreckage of a fellow starship the U.S.S. Beagle and decide to investigate the planet below it. When they arrive on the planet they meet up with a band of sun worshippers and later are captured and taken to a city that looks like Earth's ancient Rome. It turns out that The Roman Empire rules the planet into somewhat modern times where Gladiator games are brodcasted on tv like WWF wrestling. Kirk finds out that Capt. Merik (who was the Beagle's Capt) betrayed his crew and became first citizen of the Empire and is now a close friend to Proconsul Cladius Marcus (played by Logan Ramsey). Marcus demands Kirk to beam down his crew to fight in the arena but Kirk refuses and tries to convince Merik that fighting is wrong in the arena. When Spock and McCoy are forced to fight all hell breaks loose and in the end Merik sees the error of his ways and allows Kirk to escape but unfortunetly Merik is killed by Marcus. This is a very well written episode but the end is somewhat weak. Kirk, Spock and McCoy merely escape. They do not really seem to save all the planet's innocent slaves or anything even Cladius Marcus gets away with all his evil deeds. It's a good episode but has an uneven ending.

The other episode here is the real winner JOURNEY TO BABEL. The episode that features the debut of Spock's father (played by Mark Lenard who also played the Romulan commander in BALANCE OF TERROR). The episode is somewhat of a murder mystery when the Ambassador Gav is killed on the way to the planet Babel. All fingers point to Spock's father until it is revealed of his heart condition. An operation is needed in order to save his life but Spock feels he must Captin the ship after Kirk was almost murdered by a "Andorian" who actually murdered Gav. This episode is another great classic from the second season and should be a favourite among many. Mark Lenard is great as Sarek. He should have appeared on the show far more often.

Overall I highly recommend this DVD because of JOURNEY TO BABEL but BREAD AND CIRCUSES is worth a look too. But Sarek sells this one as he should. After all he is on the DVD cover. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Armegeddon & Khan!
"A Taste of Armegeddon" is a very well written episode about 2 planets that are fighting a war with computers with real casualties. "Space Seed" See the TOS episode that inspired "Star Trek II"

ENTER: KHAN NOONIEN SINGH!!!
Volume 12 of the Star Trek Original Series DVD collection has two classics. However this DVD is highlighted by the introduction of the space tyrant Khan Noonien Singh into the Star Trek world. Khan became one of Trek's greatest villians and returned in the 1982 Star Trek film THE WRATH OF KHAN. Because of his appearance on this DVD it tends to over shadow the other episode.

By the other episode I mean A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON. This episode is a classic in it's own right. The story finds Kirk and the crew dealing with Ambassador Red Fox(who seems to be a real jerk) who demands to beam down to the planet Eminiar VII despite the planet warnigs to stay away. Upon their arrival at the planet it is revealed that the planet has been at war for 500 years with a neighboring planet named Vendikar. Although the planet says it has been at war the crew are puzzled for their are no real signs of destruction the planet is prosperous and peaceful looking. That is until the council members reveal how they fight the war. They use computers no destruction or devestation casualities are recorded and sent to an antimatter chamber and vaporized. In other words the war is pointless and to make matter worse the crew has been recorded as casualities and are demanded to enter a discintgration chamber at once. When Kirk refuses they are taken prisoner. This episode plot is quite fascinating and this is actually one of the Trek series better tales.

The second episode here is the one that sells this DVD. THE SPACE SEED is the notorious episode that introduces Khan to the Trek lore. Kirk and the crew discover an old 20th century ship in the vast depths of space and investigate. Aboard the ship they find a group of humans in hypersleep they revive one of them (of course it's Khan) and beam him aboard the Enterprise. McCoy tests prove that the man is superhuman and Spock believes that Khan is one of the many superhuman from the late 1990's who conquered the world. Khan appears to be somewhat arrogant and evil as he takes advantage of Marla McGivers one of the crew members and plans to take over the Enterprise and revive his crew. After a little research it is proven that Khan is actually Khan Noonien Singh a tyrant from the late 1990's who ruled one quarter of the world from 1992 to 1996 when he was eventually defeated Khan escaped with several superhumans and have been in hyper sleep for 200 years. Now the tyrant is bent on taing of the Enterprise and conquering the galaxy. This is another one of Trek best episodes of season 1. It is a classic that introduces one of Trek most notrious villians. Definetly a must see!

Bottom line Volume 12 should not be passed up. Both episode are great and the added extra of having Khan's debut is definelty a good reason to get this DVD! Highly recommended!

Another of the best Trek DVDs
A Taste of Armaggedon-This thoughtful episode concerns a planet that has sanitized war. The episode explores important themes such as 1) the sacrifice of the individual good for the societal, and 2) the drawbacks of all types of war. The latter issue in particular remains a timely one as science continues to pursue technologies that may (at times unwittingly lead to more efficient and sanitized killing. This is one episode where Kirk offers a convincing and fresh argument against a society's folly. Another plus of the episode is that it admits shades of gray rather than oversimplifying the issues. Add in a plot twist that brings the Enterprise and crew more directly into the action, and you've got a winning show. Strong guest acting, from Opatoshu, Babcock, and Lyons also boost this episode (4.5 stars)

Tidbit: Barbara Babcock would reappear in Plato's Stepchildren during season three.

Space Seed-This classic episode first introduces us to the eugenically bred Khan. Here we have another thoughtful episode that prophesizes an issue ('unnatural' selection) that would feature prominently in the headlines today. It is interesting to see Kirk and company portrayed as 'inferiors' (in a narrow sense of the word) for much of the episode. The scene that ends with Khan threatening Kirk is particularly tense and threatening. Ricardo Monteblan is also effective in his scenes as leader and seducer.

The acting performances and tight script lend an air of subtle believability to this episode that wouldn't always be present on Star Trek. The conflict and drama are well developed. Also interesting is Kirk's ultimate compassion, which of course distinguishes him from the 20th Century leader. Trek, like many great westerns, often found a way to show that compassion and humanity did not have to be synonymous with weakness, passivity, or the absence of charisma. These are important messages for young viewers. Left open here is whether that compassion here will ultimately come back to hurt the Federation. The difficult question is whether one must follow their conscience even when the long term consequences may be detrimental.

Tidbit: This episode features one of Star Trek's most notorious bloopers, in which a dropped phaser visibly distresses several onlookers, particularly DeForest Kelley. (4.5 stars)

Complete season format?
This is not really a review but rather a question. I would love to own the entire Star Trek Original Series on DVD but I have a serious problem with buying them two episodes at a time, which I refuse to do. Does anyone know if the origianl series will ever be released by season in a boxed set format similar to the TNG and DS9 sets? #1) If I were to pruchase them in the current two episodes per disc format it would be way too expensive for me to buy them all. #2) Not to mention that it would take too much storage space. I would NOT be reluctant, however, to purchase a boxed set of each season in the...say $$ to $$$ range. By releasing ST:TOS in this format I believe that Paramount could profit from people like me who do not want to waste their time or money purchasing ST:TOS DVDs in the current format. If anyone has any info on the possible future release of ST:TOS boxed sets, please let me know. Thank you.

Greg West

Apocalyptic Politics
Politics gone wrong is the theme behind these two early Trek winners.

"A Taste of Armageddon" is what Captain Kirk and his landing party get on Ameniar 7, a planet that theoretically has been at war with one of its neighbors for centuries. But Kirk and his party find nothing wrong on the planet - no ruins, no signs of violence, no injuries or bodies. Bureaucrat David Opatoshu sadly informs the landing party that they and their ship were blown up in orbit - and since Kirk and the others are obviously quite well, and a quick call on their communicators confirms that, yes, the Enterprise is, too, the mystery deepens. Opatoshu explains that, in order to avoid the bloodshed of real war, Ameniar and its enemies long ago decided to fight their wars by computers. Those areas listed as casualties are obliged to report their populations to disintegrator booths, for neat disposal. Now, if the Captain and his crew will merely oblige, by walking into the disposal ovens...

A solid script, and a chilling premise. Opatoshu is a squirrelly and cagey bureaucrat, the charming Barbara Babcock a credible tender trap, and Gene Lyons really shines as a humorless by-the-book Starfleet diplomat who nearly gets the Enterprise destroyed by his own lack of common sense.

"Space Seed" was the forerunner story to the second movie in the later film series, "The Wrath of Khan." The Enterprise encounters a centuries-old derelict in space, with the cryptic enough name of "Botany Bay." It contains several dozen cryogenically frozen perfect human specimens, the leader of whom, Khan, is awakened for questioning. Khan turns out to be Khan Noonian Singh, the leader of an uprising of eugenically created Nitzschean supermen that nearly destroyed Earth in an atomic war at the turn of the 21st century. With the aid of the Enterprise's romantic Lieutenant Marla McGivers - who is helplessly smitten with Khan's physique and dominant persona - Khan attempts to take over the Enterprise, and conquer the universe it will give him access to in this new age.

Ricardo Montalban lends his unique charisma to the role of Khan, and Madlyn Rhue sympathetically plays the lieutenant of divided loyalties. One of the more satisfying melodramas of the series, it also contains at least one of Star Trek's famous amusing bloopers, if you pay attention - a crewmember who runs straight back into a gas-filled room he was easily escaping, as if responding to the off-camera director signalling, "No! Go back! Go back!"

Both quite good, "Space Seed" especially. ... Read more

Description

"Spock's Brain," Ep. 61 - A mysterious woman appears suddenly on the Enterprise, renders the crew unconscious and then disappears with Spock's brain. "Is There in Truth No Beauty," Ep. 62 - Kirk must deal with a possessive female telepath, a jealous engineer and an alien ambassador whose appearance drives men insane. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Brain and Brain! What is Brain?
Two very different episodes, which underscore the uneven quality of Star Trek's third season, are contained in Volume 31 of Paramount's complete Trek reissue.

Spock's Brain is generally acknowledged as the worst episode of Classic Trek ever. Viewing it again confirms this. The concept is inane, the plot medically and scientifically ridiculous, and the dialogue laughably bad. About the only positive aspect of this episode was the installation of a rear projection screen on the bridge set, which allowed for new camera angles. Parts of this episode were brilliantly lampooned on TV's The Wonder Years. As with the episode And The Children Shall Lead, this story is best ignored or saved for gag viewing during a party.

Is There in Truth No Beauty? is the antithesis of Spock's Brain. The story is intellectually engaging, and the dialogue at times borders on the poetic. The plot deals with several interesting themes: how non-corporeal and corporeal life would "relate" to each other; love and rejection; beauty/ugliness; and the role of the handicapped in 23rd Century society. The acting is some of the best ever seen on Trek. Leonard Nimoy, in particular, shines during his mind-meld scene with the Medusan Kollos. Diana Muldaur, who has a radiant yet wounded quality, is perfectly cast as Miranda Jones. Some new visuals were created for this episode, and a rarely seen shot of the Enterprise from Trek's 1964 pilot The Cage is used briefly.

The sound restoration is excellent. The picture is mostly fine, except for a few instances of wear visible in Is There in Truth No Beauty. This episode also contains a "flipped" shot of William Shatner, which has never been corrected.

INTERESTING SET OF EPISODES!!!
Volume 31 of The Star Trek DVD Series includes two decent episodes from the haphazard third and final season of the show.

Indeed SPOCK'S BRAIN has become a punching bag for Star Trek critics over the years since it's airing in 1968. I'll agree that it isn't one of the best Star Trek episodes out there but it receives way too much criticism. Yes the episode is too out of this world to comprehend completely however it's still not a terrible epiosode. The plot is entertaining as a race of Imorg humanoids steal Spock's brain. You gotta give the cast credit for this one especially Leonard Nimoy who not only had to play a unemotional Vulcan for three years but also had to play an unemotional Vulcan without a brain! This episode is actually quite nice despite it's constant criticism. There is a delightful helping of eye candy as well with the women humanoids who steal Spock's brain. They will bring "delight" to male viewers indeed!

IS THERE NO TRUTH IN BEAUTY is another average episode from Star Trek's third season. Another episode that focuses on Spock. A strangely dark yet compelling episode with a few thrilling twists and turns. As the crew tries to transport the Medusan Ambassador (whose apparently so hideous that one look at him will drive a human insane) but end up being lost in space! A nice guest star appearance by Diana Muldaur (who appeared perviously in RETURN TO TOMORROW in season 2) Despite her appearance (as a different character then she was in season 2) IS THERE NO TRUTH IN BEAUTY remains an average episode at best.

Overall a nice DVD collection of decent episodes but there is notihng too special about this one. Recommended!

One high camp, and one very original show
Spock's Brain-Many have asked whether airing 'Spock's Brain' first sealed Star Trek's fate. More to the point, any brain trust that thought 'Spock's Brain' the strongest of the early episodes was almost bound to produce more lemons the rest of the way. Particularly destructive is the fact that while the episode is high camp, unlike 'I, Mudd', here the cast attempts to play it straight (presumably Frieberger and Daniels were holding up weapons offstage). This must have contributed to the gradual loss of conviction about the product-always a pernicious thing.
Anyway, about the episode, in which Spock's brain is stolen. The basic premise is silly, and most of the plot far fetched. Just a few examples: 1) Carting Spock's brainless body about, 2) Brain and body surviving independently, 3) the reconnective surgery. There is also seemingly little thought behind the separation of the sexes, although we can thank that premise for the description of women as 'the givers of pain and delight." The S & M theme would make a few appearances before season 3 concluded.
As a third season fan, I can't resist pointing out a couple things I like about the episode. First, there is a pervasive mysterious and surreal feel about the episode. The score introduces several dramatic vignettes that would be repeated (and repeated, and repeated..) throughout the 3rd season. There are also some cool shots of the bridge during an interesting scene in which the officers are invited to participate in some decision-making. Finally, the teaser is pretty strong. (2 stars)

Is There In Truth No Beauty? (4 stars) Here's another 3rd season show (see the Paradise Syndrome and the Empath for other nearby examples) that was refreshingly original (it wouldn't stay that way). It involves the seemingly quotidian transport of an Ambassador too ugly (or is it too beautiful?) for the eye. We have a central character with complex and unique motivations, who is more than just a muse for Kirk's latest escape from danger. One of the most original scores of all Star Trek episodes, plus some very trippy fisheye camerawork and psychadelic special effects, contribute to the episode's unusual feel. This thoughtful, even cerebral episode, nevertheless has a couple surprising plot twists. Also admirable is the strong female character with her own interests and passions, whom the males (not surprising) attempt to control.
Like all 3rd season shows, this episode has faults. Muldaur is as wooden here as in Return to Tomorrow, Marvick is only there as a plot device, and both Spock and Kirk's failures to wear the visor are inexplicable (although for very different reasons). (4 stars)

One good One Bad
While I agree that Spock's Brain is not the best effort of the third season, I would rather sit through this episode than "Plato's Stepchildren" or "The Way to Eden" or "The Mark of Gideon". I think these three should have been scrapped before they were aired in 1968-69.
"Is There In Truth No Beauty" has always been one of my favorite episodes since I was a kid. It would be interesting to bring the Medusans back in a future episode to test their great navigational skills. Lots of sequel potential here.

Brain and Brain, What is Brain?
Maybe you'll all think I'm an idiot, but I loved this episode. For 35 years, I would recall one of my favorite phrases coined for my own amusement. After all, Star Trek is supposed to be amusing! I will admit it's hard to think what the moral to this story would be, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. Also, I never get tired of hearing, "I never should have re-connected his vocal chords" (or was it mouth?) Guess it takes all kinds of Trekkers, or is it Trekkies? I can't keep up. ;D ... Read more

Reviews (27)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

"Return to Tomorrow," Ep. 51 - Kirk, Spock, and Dr. Ann Marshall allow noncorporeal beings to inhabit their bodies so that these aliens can prepare androids for themselves. But one entity secretly plans to remain in Spock's body. "Patterns of Force," Ep. 52 - On a routine check of planet Ekos, nuclear missles are fired at the U.S.S. Enterprise. Kirk and Spock investigate and find the planet is controlled by latter-day Nazis. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Second season slump
Return to Tomorrow-In this offbeat episode, aliens change venue from giant spheres to crewmember bodies. Most of this episode lacks the action feel of many of its neighbors; it has an operatic, schmaltzy feel more akin to Metamorphosis or several 3rd season shows. Yet, I actually feel the episode takes a turn for the worse when the plot takes several predictably threatening turns. The action and drama are turned up, but at the expense of some of the episode's uniqueness; it becomes just another Enterprise in danger episode. It might not have been so bad to have the occasional feel-good show in which an interaction with aliens was synergistic from the get go.

Tidbit: This episode must beat out Spectre of the Gun for the 'longest teaser' award. Doohan, as was so often the case, played the voice of Sargon here. Muldaur would reappear in the superior Is There in Truth No Beauty?, as well as on The Next Generation. (3 stars)

Patterns of Force: The Nazi episode has to rank near the bottom of Trek offerings, if only because it is in such poor taste. What were they thinking? I'm tempted to give the episode at least some support for the fact that it has plenty of action, but after being reminded by other reviewers just have off-base Kirk's speech was (the one that seems to equate the Nazis with other holders of absolute power), I can't give the episode any extra props. There could be no better example than this episode of the dangers inherent in drifting too far away from the tenets the show was founded upon. At times it worked, like in A Piece of the Action, but you can almost watch things getting out of hand as the second season progressed. Bread and Circuses flirted with the line; Patterns of Force crossed way over it. (1.5 stars)

(Mostly) Benevolent Body-Snatchers and Goose-Steppers
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 26: Return to Tomorrow © / Patterns of Force ©

RETURN TO TOMORROW © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Coping with human frailties; taking risks

Milestone Moment: First appearance of Diana Muldaur on Star Trek, as Ann Mulhall. She would appear in a later episode of the original series ("Is There in Truth no Beauty?"), and spend the second season on NextGen as Dr. Crusher's replacement.

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
The rehashing of the aliens-who-take-human-form-and-start-acting-human-but-cannot-handle-it story (also covered in 'By any Other Name' and 'Requiem for Methuselah') doesn't exactly make this particular outing a paragon of originality. Fortunately, Shatner's exaggerated gestures and pantomimes during the scene where Sargon's consciousness takes over Kirk's body helps lighten things up quite a bit. I also loved the piping up of the Star Trek love theme when Kirk grabs his first glance at Ms. Mulhall. Man, the guy just ain't got no self-control at all, does he! It's like he's the Bill Clinton of Starfleet- well, except he has far better taste in women!

Oh, and let's not forget his "risk is our business" spiel, which I consider to be THE most overdone bit of heavy-handed monologue in the whole series! Talk about driving your point home with a sledgehammer...

PATTERNS OF FORCE © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Cultural contamination; the horrific result of a cause gone wrong; the folly of hatred

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

All right my fellow Trekkies, let's go down our list:
A planet of 1930s-era mobsters (A Piece of the Action)- check. A planet populated by an American Indian tribe ('The Paradise Syndrome')- check. A world where Kirk and crew are forced to live-and perhaps die- in a western ('Spectre of the Gun')- check. A world where the Roman Empire survived and continued conquering all the way to the 20th century ('Bread and Circuses')- check.

All right, looks like all of Earth's most significant historical periods have been exploited to their fullest extent by our gallant Enterprise stalwarts, and- what's that, you say? Nazi Germany? Well, um... wouldn't that be kind of touchy? Oh, we're NOT gonna go with the parallel-planet evolution/history theory gimmick to explain this one? Well, that's new, but how- oh, some ET-studying professor's gonna ignore the Prime Directive (can't blame Jimmers on THIS one!), and come up with the bright idea to unite and guide an alien society using a form of government that led to earth's most horrific conflict? Wow, what a GREAT idea! Why didn't I think of that? Fortunately (or in this instance not-as-unfortunately), Jimmers and everbody's fave 'pointed-eared hobgoblin' manage to keep things from gettin' worse, as well as teach the TV audience a lesson in what results when you mess with another culture. Go team!

My favorite moments in this particular eppie are the ones where Kirk and Spock are disguised in their Nazi military uniforms. Every time I see them in their fascist garb, flashes of the bumbling Colonel Klink and his incompetent sidekick Sgt. Schultz from 'Hogan's Heroes' run through my mind! They just look so goofy in their getups, it's almost laughable (Kirk and Spock, that is). Adding to the hilarity, albeit unintentionally, is the ironic fact that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are Jewish!

'Late

TWO MORE EXCELLENT SECOND SEASON EPISODES!!!
Volume 26 of the Star Trek DVD collection contains two more excellent episodes from the second season. Both the episodes here are very well written and are classics!

RETURN TO TOMORROW has some wonderful acting performances by the cast which tends to overshadow the story. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Dr.Ann Mulhall (played by Diana Muldaur) discover a lost race of beings on a distant planet. The only surivivors left of this race are Sargon, his wife and Henoch (an old enemy of Sargon's). The aliens ask for the use of Kirk, Spock, and Mulhall's bodies to construct robot structures for themsleves to live in. In return the beings will give the Enterprise crew all the advanced knowledge they possess. Things work at first but Henoch decides he likes Spock's body and turns against Sargon in order to keep the vulcan's body. Now it's up to Kirk and Sargon to try and get Spock back into his own body! RETURN TO TOMORROW has some memorable performances particularily by Diana Muldaur whose character was excellent and I thought she should have been a regular on the show. With all do respect to Nichelle Nichols and Majel Baret but I don't know if they could have pulled this performance off. This episode really brought out the fact that Star Trek lacked a strong female role indeed, and perhaps Dr. Ann Mulhall was the character the series needed. Unfortunetly her character was never used again and Muldaur only returned in the third season as a different character. RETURN TO TOMORROW is a very good Star Trek episode and it's priceless to see Kirk's bonding with Sargon because we get to see Wiliam Shatner overreacting at his best.

PATTERNS OF FORCE is one of my favourite Star Trek episodes and I am amazed at how many reviewers have lamb-basted this episode. I always thought this episode was one of Star Trek's finest. It dealt with a real life Nazis and the fear of a Holocaust. It was well written and well acted and in my opinion it may be on of the best Star Trek episodes ever. The Enterprise crew arrives at Ekos where Federation cultural observer John Gill was working to find a planet run by a Nazi government and John Gill being The Furor. The Zeon people, from a neigbouring planet of the same name, are considered to be a plague to the Ekosians and the Nazi government will stop at nothing to wiped this race of people off the galaxy. Kirk and Spock beam down to find themselves sneaking around in Nazi uniforms trying to figure out what caused this madness and how to correct it. PATTERNS OF FORCE tackles the holocaust issue head on and that may be the reason why some reviewers were offended by this episode. However PATTERNS OF FORCE is an excellent episode of Star Trek. The hatred that Ekosians have for Zeons is simliar to that of the hatred the Nazis had for Jewish peope. Keep in mind that this was the 1960's and it's amazing that PATTERNS OF FORCE was even excepted passed first script reading, being as offensive as it was (especially to Shatner and Nimoy who are both Jewish and being asked to run around in Gestapo outifits). To this day it remains the only Trek episode banned in Germany but PATTERNS OF FORCE is still one of Star Trek's gutsiest scripts written. This episode's message comes on strong and clear and the story is quite compelling. This makes PATTERNS OF FORCE one of the finest Star Trek episodes ever in my opinion.

Overall Volume 26 is wonderful. Both episodes are some of the best and PATTERNS OF FORCE must definetly be seen. I found that episode fascinating and it brought out the sad truth of how absolute power corrupts even with the best intentions. A few sounds problems in the episode apparently but other than that this one is a keeper! Highly recommended!

Kirk and Spock deal with alien possession and Nazis
"Return to Tomorrow" is one of those delightful Star Trek episodes where the characters have their bodies taken over by aliens, giving the actors a chance to show their skills. On an uncharted planet Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Dr. Ann Mulhall find a trio of entities confined to spheres, representing all that is left of a once great race that destroyed their civilization in a horrible war. The three--Sargon, his wife, Thalassa, and Henoch, a former enemy--want to transfer their minds, temporarily, into the bodies of Kirk, Mulhall and Spock, so they can build android bodies. Promising such great wonders as warp engines the size of walnuts, everyone agrees. But then, of course, Henoch decides he really, really likes Spock's body and wants to keep it. By the way, "Return to Tomorrow" highlights the fact that the original Star Trek really lacked a strong female character. Dr. Mulhall pops up out of nowhere as the requisite female body. This is still the second season and "Plato's Stepchildren" is not until the third season, but why not use Uhura? That would have been interesting. So would having Nurse Chapel be the body and then having Sargon in Spock's body. That would have been even more interesting. But then it is always fun watching Spock play the heavy. Of course, the only realistic scenario would be to use two other males besides the Captain and First Officer, but then what fun would that be for Shatner and Nimoy? "Return to Tomorrow" is one of those episodes where the performances overcome the liabilities of the story.

The Enterprise visits Ekos, another one of those fun planets that is like Earth with a twist in "Patterns of Force." This time around they show up to check on John Gill, a Federation cultural observer, who has been sutdying the progress of the planet's primitive and warlike people. Instead they find a society patterned on Nazi Germany, with people from the neighboring planet of Zeon serving as the scapegoats for the Ekosians. Eventually it becomes clear that Gill introduced Nazism to make it more efficient (the whole trains running on time bit), but, gee, the "bad" side of Nazism seems to have taken hold along with the "good." I always thought this episode was was an implicit attack on academics, who like to get involved in spirited debates on such things but usually lack the power or opportunity to put their theories into practice. You have to remember this was still the Sixties and the Nazis were still the big villains of the day; it would be another decade before they were replaced in Hollywood by psychotic Vietnam vets as the top villains. In the end this episode justifes the Prime Directive, which is not exactly a vote in its favor. But "Patterns of Force" certainly makes a compeloling case for its anti-revisionist argument. Yet there is still that subversive element that those black Gestapo uniforms look pretty good on Kirk and Spock.

A Mixed Bag
Volume 26 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek contains one of the series' finest stories, coupled with an episode which never should have been made.

Star Trek has touched upon the concept of non-corporeal life before, but in Return to Tomorrow the issue is more fully explored. Sargon's race is a cross between the Talosians and the Organians. Kirk's pep talk in the briefing room has been lampooned in the movie Free Enterprise--but it is actually well acted, well written, and encapsulates everything Star Trek is about. Diana Muldaur, who would later appear during the second season of The Next Generation, makes her first appearance here. The voice of Sargon was supplied by James Doohan, Trek's best all-around vocal talent.

Patterns of Force is a standard action-adventure story which never should have made it past the first script-reading. Setting the story in an alien version of Nazi Germany offered no historical lesson, and only served to rub salt into what was then a rather fresh wound. By using Nazi Germany as the historical example for this story, the writer has managed to trivialize both the Nazi regime and the Holocaust almost as badly as Hogan's Heroes did. In addition, the handing of the historical parallels is fatuous, substituting the phrase "final decision" for "final solution" and "Zeon" for "Zion." (This remains the only Trek episode to be banned in Germany.) One wonders how William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, both of whom are Jewish, felt about the dubious proposition of donning Nazi uniforms and participating in such fluff. Kirk's "lesson" at the end of the episode, to the effect that the problem with the Nazi's was not that they were evil, but rather that "power corrupts," is dead wrong. History has been filled with leaders, from Augustus Caesar to Franklin Roosevelt, who could wield great power, without needing to "play God." The problem with the Nazi's was, indeed, that they WERE evil, motivated by racial hatred, led by a lunatic, and had no redeeming value.

The picture has been restored and looks fine. The sound is mostly fine, except for some deleted foley near the end of Patterns of Force, where a slap across the face and pounding on a door are curiously silent. But, as I have indicated, it's best to skip this episode anyway. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

One of the best Trek DVDs
Miri-One of the most disturbing of the 1st season shows, Miri concerns a fatal fungus-like disease that strikes only adults. The early parts of the episode wield a claustrophobic suspense more akin to a sci-fi/horror movie. The kids are quite chilling as well in the extent to which they have gone wild, and in their capacity for denial in the face of trauma. Kim Darby's performance also boosts the show, injecting an element of hope and a bridge between the 'young' and the 'old.' The taboo subject of adolescent female sexuality is handled gracefully and respectfully. The solution found to the illness is a bit anti climactic, but Star Trek certainly saw worse. At least here McCoy is allowed to shine; by the 3rd season all to often only Kirk, and Kirk alone, was allowed to be hero. (4 stars)

The Conscience of the King-This Shakespearean episode, in which a father and daughter lead an acting troupe being transported by the Enterprise, is one of the most underrated. The episode has a very distinctive feel, from the opening shot of the bloody knife to the medieval-sounding musical score. The parallels between Macbeth (and other Bard works) and the episode are also quite intriguing. Themes explored in this thoughtful show include 1) the impossibility of escaping the past, and 2) the strength (for better or worse) of familial bonds. Add to this the fact that the episode is a murder mystery with three plot twists (one of them is admittedly revealed far too soon), and you have a winner. (4.5 stars)

Two Atypical Star Trek Episodes That Drove the Censors Crazy
This volume of Star Trek on DVD contains two rather unusual episodes. "Miri" starts out with a weak plot point, the crew of the Enterprise stumbles upon a duplicate earth (with no clouds!) and beams down. There is no explanation of how this "other" Earth came to be--no ion storms or parallel universes here. Our heroes beam down and find the planet devoid of all human life except impossibly old children. No more spoilers here, except that we hear several cast members say the forbidden word "puberty."

"Conscience of the King," directed by Sean Penn's father, Gerd Oswald, is an unusual episode in many respects: scoring, sets, and general mood. The only plot points I will give away are that Kirk faces a ghost from his past, and picks up a real looney chick who likes to talk about his "surging and throbbing" starship.

But seriously, even though the network censors were thankfully snoozing when these episodes were screened, these are well crafted stories featuring some fine acting from the consistently underrated William Shatner.

Oh the humanity...
As wretched as these two are, it's worth owning Miri just to witness a 20-something Michael J.Pollard passing as a pre-teen and hearing Shatner emote "NO BLAH-BLAH-BLAH!"

The last two episodes featuring Janice Rand.
Star Trek: The Original Series Volume 6 features two episodes originally aired in 1966:

"Miri:" Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Rand beam down to a planet inhabited by 300 year-old 'children' wherein they are infected by a maddening disease that is fatal to adults. This segment attempts to be a haunting take on the Peter Pan fable about children who never grow old, but fails to sustain interest (one's mind keeps wandering); there's also too many melodramatic scenes that simpy don't work. On the plus side Yeoman Janice Rand figures prominently; her horror at the disease' progress on her body, and hence the deterioration of her beauty, is an excellent analogy of the universal human struggle with the accursed reality of aging and death. Anyway, the episode provides adequate proof that kids and Star Trek don't mix (so why did they end up featuring Wesley Crusher so prominently in Star Trek: The Next Generation two decades later?) (Of course he only lasted four seasons as Trek fans universally despised him -- including me). GRADE: D-

"The Conscience of the King:" Kirk becomes convinced that the leader of a Shakespearean troupe, Anton Karidian, which the Enterprise is transporting, is a notorious political figure responsible for a massacre twenty years earlier. This episode sadly marks the seventh and final appearance of Yeoman Janice Rand played by Grace Lee Whitney. Unfortunately her appearance here is merely a cameo. Apparently the network felt the presence of Rand would hinder Kirk's succession of romantic interests (an argument that really holds no water). Over the years Gene Roddenberry has stated many times that he should have kept Grace as part of the cast. She would return to Trek twelve years later in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Arnold Moss, who plays Karidian, gives an outstanding performance portraying Karidian when he painfully exclaims, "I no longer treasure life, not even my own... I AM TIRED...!!" Powerful! Bottom Line: An original, mature and well-written drama, not to mention heartbreaking -- kids won't like it. GRADE B+

Some fine acting in these shows.
William Shatner was able to put his stage training to very effective useage in Conscience of the King, one of Trek's best shows from the first season. It;s a tale of love, Revenge, and Tragic story elements all coming from the plays of William Shakesphere, and starting the tradition which continues to this day of Star Trek using actors with extensive stage and theater training to appear on both the Trek shows and the movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

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

Reviews (20)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (13)

Spock and Kirk take their turns facing severe trials
On Volume 7 of the Star Trek DVD series, Spock and Kirk under go severe tests. Spock learns about the burdens of leadership in "The Galileo Seven," when the Enterprise's First Officer is in command of a shuttle mission gone awry. The Galileo is investigating a space anomaly when it loses sensors and crashes on an unknown planet with Spock, McCoy, Scott and four crew members (totaling seven). Meanwhile, the Enterprise has to delivery emergency medical supplies to Markus Three and cannot spend much time looking for the missing shuttle. Back on the planet, Spock discovers the place is inhabited by savage giants who are no more impressed with Vulcan logic than the damaged shuttlecraft. The best parts of this episode have to do with the confrontations between Spock and McCoy, who do not have Kirk acting as a buffer this time around. "The Galileo Seven," one of the better first season episodes of Star Trek, also pretty much proves once and for all which of the pair of senior officers is the most stubborn.

"Court-Martial" finds Captain Kirk on trial for having caused the death of one of his officers, Lt. Commander Benjamin Finney. During an ion storm Kirk had sent Finney into a pod to take measurements. Kirk insists he sounded red alert before jettisoning the pod, but the computer records show the exact opposite. Refusing to accept a ground assignment, Kirk is court-martialed at Starbase 11. During the trial things go from bad to worst, but as all the evidence piles up against the Captain, Spock discovers that he can beat the ship's computer at chess. Certainly people try to fake all sorts of things using computers..., but I find it hard to believe that it would be easier to get away with it in the Star Trek universe. "Court-Martial" is another one of those early episodes from the series where it turns out Kirk has had a long relationship with one of the guest star crewmembers for which we are given insufficient back-story. Like the other episode on this DVD, the best scenes in this one are the exchanges between Spock and McCoy. But the court proceedings are nothing special.

VOLUME 7 IS MEDIOCRE AT BEST!!!
Volume 7 is truly one of the lesser DVD's in The Star Trek Original Series collection. Not that it's bad but it contains some of the standard (and somewhat boring) episodes. Both however are watchable and if you love the original series like me it is a must.

The first episode is titled THE GALILEO SEVEN. The episode finds Kirk under pressure by the Federation to deliver supplies to the plague-ridden Hansen's planet however Spock and six other crew members (including Scotty and McCoy) are sent to inspect a galactic phenomena but are pulled off course and crash land on Taurus II which is inhabited by giant hostile humanoids. As Scotty tries to repair the shuttle Galileo two crew members are killed by the Humanoids. Meanwhile Kirk is being pressured by High Commissioner Ferris to deliver his supplies and abandon Spock and the others. The episode is watchable and entertaining it also devlopes Spock's character quite a bit. Especially his logic against emotion situation.

The other episode is COURT MARTIAL is a court room drama that was done less than an episode later and better in the two part MENAGRIE episode. However it's still worth a watch as Kirk is accused of sacrificing a crewman unnecessarily during an ion storm. The episode has some bizarre twists and turns that make the plot quite interesting. However COURT MARTIAL pales in comparison to the other Trek court room episode THE MENAGRIE. Still it is worth watching though.

Overall volume 7 is a standard Star Trek collection but it is not essential. It is worth a peek though. So if you manage to get you hands on this one get it. Recommended.

Below average, by season one's standards
The Galileo Seven-This episode, in which a shuttlecraft is forced to land on a planet with giant bear/ape-like creatures, was an average offering by first season standards. The episode has sufficient action, and explores the circumstances under which even otherwise well-behaved crews may be led to (?) mutiny. As others have noted, this episode, one of the few in which Kirk has a secondary role, was seminal to Spock's development. Unfortunately, the logic vs. emotion arguments are overdone, to the extent that they-and the participants-become somewhat tedious. The creatures also looked pretty silly, but as I've said before I try not to hold Star Trek to a high standard when it comes to such things; the effects weren't bad enough to totally compromise the 'primal fear' element so central to this (and few other) episodes. (3 stars)

Court Martial-This courtroom whodunit, featuring Kirk in the hot seat, is a slightly below average episode. As in virtually every courtroom drama ever put to screen, the trial scenes drag. But this whole episode, quite frankly, is dull. Shatner definitely gets up for his "request it?..I demand it!" line, but somehow this episode just feels flat, despite the strong performance by Elisha Cook Jr. as an eccentric lawyer. It doesn't help that the finale's bombshell, pulled somewhat out of left field, just isn't explosive. Themes explored here, including the importance of 1) presumption of innocence, and 2) recognizing the fallibility of machines, would be better explored in other episodes. (2.5 stars)

"Books young man, books!"
Despite what is a goofy, techno-babble ending for "The Court Martial", this episode is one of my favorites for that most wonderful of Star Trek quotes, applicable in 1966 and applicable even moreso in 2003:

(Elisha Cook Jr speaking to Shatner, refering to a computer terminal's sterility over the stacks of books apparent in the scene)

"Books, young man, books. Thousands of them. If time wasn't so important, I'd show you something-- my library. Thousands of books. ... This is where the law is, not in that homogenized, pasteurized, synthesized--Do you want to know the law,
the ancient concepts in their own language, Learn the intent of the men who wrote them, from Moses to the tribunal of Alpha 3?
Books."

By golly if this line isn't worth every deus ex machina and boring, ignorant techno-babble, I do not know what is. It is one of the great lines ever made by Hollywood. More than that, it inspired "My own library. Books. Thousands of them!" And I can't think of a greater gift from Star Trek to my life.

Shuttles & Tribulations
"The Galileo Seven" A band of Kirk's crew is stranded on a planet. How will they get back before the Enterprise is forced to leave?

"Court Martial" Kirk is put on trial for entering a false log entry involving a crewman's death. Riveting! ... Read more

Description

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

Reviews (11)

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

The other episode on this disc is The Changeling which is an interesting storyline. It's one of about three or four episodes that influenced the storyline of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It's got nice performances and it works fairly well as a ship in the bottle type of story (done to save money as Trek was an expensive show). However, compared to other ship in the bottle classics such as the Doomsday Machine it falls a bit short.

Classic Trek
These two episodes are great summaries of the original series. "The Changeling" is an inexpensive ship-bound script, with a standard defeating-computers-through-logic riff. It still stands better in its own way than the first motion picture, which used the same theme. Ironically, it stands as an example of what happens when one lets personal criteria determine whether or not an encountered culture should survive -- something Star Fleet's Prime Directive is supposed to prevent, and which is no more clearly violated than in the other episode, "The Apple," where Kirk decides that having a computer make you contented nature children is somehow "unnatural" and therefore has to be ended. This episode is noteworthy both for the number of "red shirts" killed (they have to beam down in two groups there will be so many), and for having a female crewman actually do some hand-to-hand fighting. Good entertainment to be had by all.

These two don't quite measure up to their neighbors
The Changeling-This episode, which features a confused and destructive floating robot, is an unspectacular offering. Like several episodes, it ably enough explores the unfortunate fact that technology is fallible, and that even with the best intentions, things can and do go wrong. This ship-based episode is less exciting than some of its neighbors, although there are a few dramatic scenes. On the negative side, the idea that Uhura could be rapidly re-programmed would be laughable if it wasn't so insulting to her. Also tedious is Kirk's outwitting of Nomad. (3 stars)

The Apple-This episode, in which the crew beams down to a 'pre-fall' planet where the lizard-god still controls his followers, is an unpleasant surprise. Star Trek was in the middle of a strong rhythm that was broken by this silly episode. I suppose the basic biblical premise is OK, but it doesn't go anywhere. The planet is just a vehicle for red-shirt carnage, and none of the guest actors are convincing in their admittedly silly roles. I suppose the question of whether these people will be better off after their paradise is lost is an interesting one, but unlike in Who Mourns for Adonais?, the question is not taken up here. Basically just a half-hearted, 3rd season-like show, but without the trippy style many of the later shows at least contributed. (1.5 stars)

Before V'Ger, there was... NOMAD!
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 19: The Changeling © / The Apple ©

THE CHANGELING © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Man vs. Machine / Inperfection

Historical Milestone: The first temporary death of a core character (Scotty™); Spock™'s first mind-meld with a machine life-form

Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: In a few of the long shots of Nomad™, you can just make out the line that keeps him 'suspended' in mid-air.

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Out of all the Kirk™-outwitting-the-computer-by-talking-it-to-death episodes, this one is likely the most notable. It also was something of an inspiration to Star Trek: The Motion Picture (and you thought ST:TMP was uninspired!) with the whole The-Enterprise™-crew-must-stop-a-senitent-machine-trying-to-return-to-the-planet-of-its-creators-AKA-Earth-and-eliminate-all-imperfect-lifeforms scenario. Fortunately, unlike its big-screen clone, The Changeling™ isn't chock-full of overlong special effects sequences, nor does it lack primary colors. Bottom line: if you're thinkin' of taking a look at ST:TMP, just watch this eppie instead. You'll thank me for it some day...

Aside from this show's parallels to the Trek crew's first big-screen adventure, The Changeling™ features one of my all-time fave Trek moments: Nomad erases the mind of Uhura after taking a listen to her infernal caterwauling some tin-eared folks would call 'singing'. Now if that ain't a blessing in disguise, I don't know what is! Oh yes, don't forget to check out Uhura's re-education sessions with Nurse Chapel; you'll see what likely inspired the creators of Hooked on Phonics™!

THE APPLE © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The