Star Trek - DVD

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 31 - Episodes 61 & 62: Spock's Brain/ Is There In Truth No Beauty?

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

One corny episode, one complex episode 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Why does Checkov take the foreground on the cover? He only had bit parts in these episodes.

OK, on to business.

Spock's Brain. It's the corniest premise, with the corniest lines, with the worst acting. If Star Trek has a reputation for bad acting, it's because of this episode.

Maybe it's the directing, not the acting. Dammit Jim, I'm an engineer, not a TV producer. But someone is to blame.

These are a few of my favorite things: Shatner trying to deliver the line, "His...... brain???" with due disbelief, while trying to hide his own disbelief in the silliness of the script. McCoy waving his arms around exclaiming, "Where are we going to go to look for Spock's Brain?" looking as if he can't find the motivation for making such wild gesticulations. The "special effect" where the camera shakes as they go down the elevator. The unknown reason their pain bands knock them out in a few seconds the first time, but the second time they can stay conscious long enough to manipulate Spock's body with a remote control to make him push the button on the girl's bracelet. How they managed to make the remote control -- with only four buttons -- control fine movements of Spock's left forefinger. How Spock jumps off of the operating table as soon as McCoy sews up his skull.

On the other hand, the subterranean society is filled with slender, Presbyterian women wearing their thighs up to their miniskirts, which is still relevant 35 years later. Only one picture of Sheila Leighton on all of Google. Unfortunately it's only a bust shot, and I'm a leg man.

Ironically, it's episodes like this that may have led to the Star Trek craze, and ultimately the Movies. Wasted talent during production of the TV show caused an overcompensation -- a yearning to see this great ensemble deliver more quality material, because in The Original Show, they occasionally didn't have any.

This episode is not camp. This is an episode that is totally accessible to 11 year olds.

However, I don't have a clue about "In Truth No Beauty," any more at 44 years old than when I was 11. Maybe I should figure out the deeper symbolisms before passing judgment on this episode -- figuring out what the title means would be a good start. Maybe if I watch it another hundred times. No problem.

I was always annoyed that Diana Muldaur's costume didn't do justice at all to her [endless] beauty. (Do I recall her hair was in a "bun?") Maybe that was intentional, for a symbolic sort of reason. As usual, her acting is Royal Shakespearian, even if I don't quite understand what her character's problem is.

Here's another historically interesting example of Star Trek innovations preceding 1960's technology. Spock retreats to a cubicle to meld with Ambassador Kolos, and within a couple of decades, everyone's working in a cubicle. Without Star Trek, there would be no Dilbert. It's also interesting that Diana Muldaur's daughter, Maria (from Midnight at the Oasis) wrote the incidental music for this episode.

The rest of the Enterprise crew won't leave much of an impression in this episode, because they're all in the shadow of Nimoy's breakout, garrulous character, whom he gives a strong component of Sci-Fi. It really belongs to Muldaur and Nimoy.

The directing is good, but the characterizations are a bit nebulous. Characters are supposed to arrive at this point with strong emotions, but it's our homework assignment to fill in their implied histories. The script provides a canvas with lots of room for the audience to go back and discuss such details, like an exercise in Philosophy, but I would have been more satisfied if they provided a little more "on the surface."

Lastly, I always thought those swirling colors at the southern edge of the galaxy were apropos for the Psychedelic 60s. I wonder if I can program my computer to make my monitor do that.

A generous 2 stars for Spock's Brain (includes one star just for being a Trek), and 4 stars mostly for Nimoys' big scene in "Beauty," for an average of 3.

Editorial Review:

"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.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 13, Episodes 25 & 26: This Side of Paradise/ The Devil in the Dark

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Vulcan-born first officer of The Enterprise, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), generally smiles about as often as Greta Garbo. But in "This Side of Paradise," Spock not only smiles but laughs, dangles from a tree, kisses a good-looking blonde woman, and gets into a fight with his best friend. It all starts when Spock, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Sulu (George Takei), and a couple of crew members beam down to Omicron Ceti III to find out what happened to a group of scientists who built a research colony on the planet. What they discover is a little spooky. The colonists claim they've created a true paradise where everyone is part of a collective mind bent on positivity. Kirk, naturally, argues that paradise robs people of their need to suffer and crawl toward progress.

Meanwhile, Spock is zapped by an exotic flower that is the real source of all this community goodwill, and he instantly gets happy, acting like a kid, renewing a romance with a comely biologist (an angelic Jill Ireland), and giving the sputtering Kirk an earful of entertaining insubordination. Story editor D.C. Fontana's script contains some obvious parallels between a chemically induced "paradise" and a drug-induced high in the 1960s. But the real draw here is Spock's uncharacteristic joy and the drama behind Kirk's shattering decision to break his friend's heart.

"Devil in the Dark" opens with an emergency on Janus VI, a planet rich in raw materials crucial to the running of Federation operations. There's a lot of money to be made by the mining contractor involved, but a swift, unseen monster is roaming the snaky tunnels of Janus's interior, turning miners into acid-drenched goo. It's up to the Enterprise crew to find the alien culprit and defuse the lynch-mob mentality spreading among the paranoid working stiffs there. Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to initiate the detective work, leading Spock to quickly conclude that the thousands of silicone balls mysteriously strewn about the planet's deepest level might have something to do with the reasons behind the atrocities.

Written by series guru Gene L. Coon and directed by mainstay Joseph Pevney (who alternated directorial chores with Marc Daniels during the show's second season), "The Devil in the Dark" is a breathlessly paced episode reflecting a delightful variety of cross-genre influences--Westerns, creature-features, gritty noir. Add one of the most effective and moving instances of the Enterprise's search for new life on Star Trek (plus McCoy's infamous complaint, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"), and this is a memorable program indeed. --Tom Keogh

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 14, Episodes 27 & 28: Errand of Mercy/ The City on the Edge of Forever

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Drama! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" is great drama presented during Star Trek's phenomenal run in the sixties. The story was genuine and unique for the time and addressed the issue of time travel quite intelligently..Based on an original story by Harlan Ellison, this wonderful episode starred the beautiful Joan Collins in a sensitive and touching role as Edith Keeler..a social worker who's death has an impact upon history.

The chemistry between William Shatner and Joan Collins works well in this episode and Shatner's acting is very subdued but very effective..He conveys his emotions quite effectively in his closeups! I can understand why this particular episode is considered one of the best in the series! Every time I used to run across it as a rerun I would find myself stopping what I was doing to watch it! Now I have it on DVD and still enjoy watching it! One of my favorite scenes is the close up on Joan Collin's face when Spock was trying to explain what he was trying to buid with all the the tubes and antennas chirping in their bungalow..Her expression is priceless! I loved Joan Collins in this role..I wish she would have done more in this vein..

The Guardian of Forever was a unique design and worked very effectively for the show..It must have been quite a feat putting together all of these props for this show..

I would say I am a true Trekkie in that I have read practically every autobiography written by the cast and all the supporting books on the show..I can say honestly that I have seen all 79 episodes at one time or another in my life but now that they are available on DVD I plan on rewatching them and adding my favorites to my collection!

Also DeForest Kelley was superb in this show! DeForest was a brilliant actor who has made such an indelible impression as "Bones" McCoy..In this episode his frenzied state of mind is portrayed convincingly and his scene with Joan Collins is one of the best in the series in my opinion. This show had it all..great writing..great directing..great acting!!

Editorial Review:

"Errand of Mercy," Ep. 27 - Kirk and his crew come face-to-face with the Klingons, and both learn the meaning of war when beings from the planet Organia interfere. "The City on the Edge of Forever," Ep. 28 - Kirk and Spock go back in time to rescue McCoy. Arriving in 1930, Kirk falls in love with Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), only to learn that for time to return to normal she must die.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 36, Episodes 71 & 72: Whom Gods Destroy/ The Mark of Gideon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

GOOD STAR TREK THIRD SEASON DVD! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review:

Whom Gods Destroy, Ep. 71 - After Kirk and his crew deliver wonder drugs to a group of criminally insane beings on Elba II, they meet the colony's director, only to learn that he is one of the inmates, with the power to assume any form.
The Mark of Gideon, Ep. 72 - Kirk beams down to Gideon, only to find himself aboard a deserted U.S.S. Enterprise. The only being he encounters is a mysterious and beautiful woman named Odona, who claims to know nothing.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 29, Episodes 57 & 58: Elaan of Troyius/ The Paradise Syndrome

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

ONE GREAT LOVE STORY WITH ONE TERRIBLE!!! 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Volume 29 of The Star Trek DVD Series features two of the show's early episodes from it's haphazard third and final season.

Although it is not necessarily a terrible episode of Star Trek, to be honest I have never been to fond of ELAAN OF TROYIUS. The story is rather weak as is the totally unconvincing love story between Kirk and Elaan The Dohlman Of Elaas. The story basically has Kirk and the crew trying to get the two planets (who have been at war for many years) Troyius and Elaas to be at peace with one another by wedding the royal members. However of course the ship turns into a battelfield between Elaan and Petri the Troyan negotiator. Elaan and her guards act completely barbaric and Krik tries to teach her some disipline. Of course Kirk falls in love with Elaan after he touches her tears and they make him her love slave. It's pretty far fetched if you ask me and thats why this episode suffers. The love story is simply not realistic and in the end Kirk acts if he lost true love to the Troyan leader. Uhh? he was seduced and became a tool! There was no love! I'm sorry but I just think this episode was just downright lame besides Elaan isn't that attractive in my opinion. Still this episode is worth one view, you never know you may like it?
There is a good scene with The Klingon battle cruiser but other then that this episode is a dud to me.

On the otherhand THE PARADISE SYNDROME is one of the third seasons finest episodes. Kirk and the crew beam down to a planet that is being threatened by a collision by an asteroid. They find Natives American inhabitants as well as a strange Alien Obelisk. Kirk accidently gets trapped inside the Obelisk and triggers a device that gives him amnesia. Found by the natives Kirk states he is Kurok (from his damaged memory) and the natives believe he is a god from the Obelisk. He seems to settle in fine with the natives as he becomes the new tribe medicine chief and marries the priestess Miramanee. Meanwhile on the Enterprise Spock and the crew attempt to figure out how to stop the asteroid from colliding with the planet. This episode was extremely well written and the casting was superb. Some nice acting scenes between McCoy and Spock, and Kirk and Miramanee make THE PARADISE SYNDROME one of the best episodes from Star Trek's final season. The ending has a nice tragic effect to it as well. Superb!

Overall Volume 29 has some good and some bad in my opinion but it's all classic Trek so it is worth getting regardless. Besides PARADISE SYNDROME is a lcassic Star Trek episode that is well made especiallt for the third seasons stabdards. Recommended.

Editorial Review:

Episode 57 - Elaan of Troyius - Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise are assigned to deliver Elaan, the beautiful Dohlman of Elas, to her rival planet Troyius. But her unruly behavior threatens to cost Kirk his ship.
Episode 58 - The Paradise Syndrome - The Enterprise's mission: to deflect an asteroid from colliding with a planet. But shortly after Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to survey the planet, Kirk vanishes.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 2, Episodes 4 & 5: Mudd's Women/The Enemy Within

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Three babes and a psychological study. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

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

Editorial Review:

"Mudd's Women" (Ep.4): Conman Harry Mudd brokers the marriage of three beautiful women to a mining colony to escape Kirk. "The Enemy Within" (Ep.5): A transporter malfunction splits Kirk into good and evil entities.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 24, Episodes 47 & 48: Obsession/ The Immunity Syndrome

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Problem: Killer Clouds & Giant Germs. Solution: Anti-Matter! 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful.

REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek Original Series DVD Volume 24: Obsession / The Immunity Syndrome

OBSESSION PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Obsession (no, really...); dealing with guilt; priorities; Making the right choice when caught in a dilemma

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Four dead, one injured

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:

Oh, what to do: destroy a gaseous vampire-cloud that has killed half a starship crew and will doubtless kill endless more beings in the future, or transfer and deliver a highly-perishable vaccine to a world stricken with a deadly plague that could claim millions of lives? As might've guessed, that's the little dilemma ol' Jimmers has to turn around in his head here. Throw in his guilt over hesitating to destroy the same creature years before-- a seeming error that claimed the lives of several shipmates-- and the son of one of those crewmen, and Kirk is firmly entrenched in the stickiest of wickets! Fortunately, ol' Jim manages to overcome his single-minded obsession towards the deadly cloud-being, and saves the day once again! But not before he has that obligatory moment of self-doubt over the course of action he's taking, which naturally is chock-full of that Shatnerian method acting that you all know and love! McCoy's confrontation with Kirk following this precious moment adds a bit more meat to the ham sandwich with one of the series' most memorable bits of character-developing dialogue!

Also thrown into the mix: Thanks (once again) to his differing half-Vulcan physiology, Spock manages to survive the vampire cloud's shipboard attack with narry a missing red corpuscle (mainly `cuz he doesn't possess any)! And there ain't many just-in-the-nick-of-time transporter rescues that are more suspenseful than the one that puts the final punctuation on this eppie's climax! Tricky stuff, that anti-matter...

THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: A Macrocosm of the Immune System

Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: The shadow of the camera man can is just noticeable as he pans/dollies in for a close-up on Kirk's reaction to McCoy's intercom statement that the crew is "all dying".

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

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
Continuing this disc's "killer-parasite-creatures-that-must-be-stopped-at-all-costs" format, the Enterprise enters and must destroy a giant space amoeba that threatens to destroy life on other worlds. Thanks to a little shuttle-bound research from Mr. Spock and a dollop of anti-matter, the Enterprise endeavors to act as a galactic antibody to keep the horrible cosmic disease from spreading even further out through the ether!

This particular show highlights the advantages of DVD technology: the high-pitched whining sound that pops up when the Enterprise enters the amoeba's outer membrane caused me to react in a similar manner as the crew did when the noise hit their ears- a bit annoyed, and a tad nauseous. Now, THAT'S interactive TV!

`Late

Editorial Review:

"Obsession," Ep. 47 - A "vampire" cloud, which Kirk failed to destroy 11 years ago, has returned to stalk the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. "The Immunity Syndrome," Ep. 48 - Kirk, Spock, and McCoy frantically try to devise some means of stopping a gigantic single-celled creature that has destroyed an entire solar system.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 4, Episodes 8 & 9: Charlie X/ Balance of Terror

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Volume 4 from the DVD collection of original Star Trek programs includes broadcast episode 2, the memorable "Charlie X," starring Robert Walker Jr. as a troubled teen presenting two big problems: pathological immaturity and powerful telekinetic powers. After he wills the destruction of a starship that drops him off with the Enterprise, the titular delinquent stalks a female member of the crew and creates havoc using his terrifying ability to make people, in his own words, "go away."

Also on this disc is "Balance of Terror," a terrific drama that was essentially an outer-space version of a 1950s submarine movie. Writer Paul Schneider introduced both the Romulans and the concept of a "neutral zone" to Trek lore, wrapped up in this story about the first encounter between a Federation and Romulan ship in 75 years. The resulting face-off between two vessels and their strong, noble captains--Kirk (William Shatner) and his Romulan counterpart (Mark Lenard, who later played Spock's Vulcan father, Sarek)--is directed and edited with suspense worthy of the classic sub movie, The Enemy Below. It's an example of how the original Trek series took lots of risks and constantly invented itself, in contrast to the more codified look and feel of The Next Generation and subsequent series. --Tom Keogh

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 37 - Episodes 73 & 74: The Lights of Zetar / The Cloud Minders

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Scotty's Fey Lassie; Kirk's Gotten Brassy 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review:

"The Lights of Zetar," Ep. 73 - Strange-colored light entities take possession of Lt. Mira Romaine, Scotty's new love. If Kirk can't exorcise these Zetarians, they'll kill Romaine and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew. " The Cloud Minders," Ep. 74 - Suspicious Troglytes, subservient miners on the planet Ardana, refuse to give zenite to Kirk and his crew. Without this antidote, billions will die on a Federation planet.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 7, Episodes 14 & 15: The Galileo Seven/ Court-Martial

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Volume 7 in this excellent DVD series of original Star Trek programs includes "The Galileo Seven," which teleplay writer Oliver Crawford says was inspired by his viewing of a 1939 film called Five Came Back. (A catty footnote: David Gerrold, scribe of the famous "The Trouble with Tribbles" episode, called "The Galileo Seven" a rip-off of the Jimmy Stewart film The Flight of the Phoenix. Meow.) Five Came Back concerned a plane crash in the Andes and the survivors who faced the constant threat of surrounding headhunters. Crawford toyed with the idea and came up with a story line in which Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and a couple of other crew members crash on the surface of a hostile planet during a shuttle mission. With communication between the small craft and the Enterprise disrupted by quasar activity, Spock and the others must defend themselves against a formidable threat with only primitive, handmade weapons. That's the scenario, but the real drama is in the rising conflict between the half-Vulcan Spock's coldly logical approach to survival and the passions of his human crew, who soon come to regard him as a hateful, unfeeling monster. This is an interesting episode, both as a taut action piece and, somewhat indirectly, as a portrait of intolerance (specifically, an intolerance of individual differences) developing under stress.

Also on this disc is "Court Martial," a courtroom drama in which Captain Kirk (William Shatner) stands trial for negligence in the death of an Enterprise crewman. As the proceedings rumble on, Spock investigates some hidden truths about the dead man and the apparent computer malfunction that led to the tragedy. While "Court Martial" is a lesser episode from the Star Trek canon (the action is a bit mired in trial proceedings), it's still a lot of fun and features a supporting role from veteran Hollywood character actor Elisha Cook Jr. --Tom Keogh