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Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 3, Episodes 6 & 7: The Man Trap/ The Naked Time
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
Editorial Review:
Volume 3 in this terrific DVD library of original Star Trek programs includes "The Man Trap," the first broadcast episode of the Gene Roddenberry series. Though it was not the first story produced for the show, the process was still new enough that contracted writers were obliged to fill in various blanks, develop some of the key characters, and smoothly introduce some of the Trek technology we've come to take for granted. Writer George Clayton Johnson conceived a story in which an old flame of Dr. McCoy's (DeForest Kelley), a woman named Dr. Nancy Carter (Jeanny Bealy), is in need of medical supplies on a planet where she and her husband (Alfred Ryder) are the only humans. "Nancy," however, turns out to be a shape-shifting creature that sucks the salt from the bodies of humanoids. Once it's loose aboard the Enterprise, the "salt vampire" can look like anyone in its pursuit of nourishment.With McCoy having such a pivotal part in the narrative, Johnson worked with the series' story editor and episode director (Marc Daniels) on fleshing out his underdeveloped character. There were other issues to think about: this premiere show introduced the Enterprise's transporter technology as well as Star Trek's realistic take on scary extraterrestrials. Everyone involved survived the episode, and while it played only to a meager television audience, Trek was off and running for three-plus decades.
Also on this DVD is episode 4, "The Naked Time," in which an alien disease that strips inhibitions from individuals affects the Enterprise crew. Sulu (George Takei) frees the swashbuckler in his soul, Kirk (William Shatner) battles his demons, and a young lieutenant, Riley (Bruce Hyde), serenades the entire starship and steers her toward certain doom. Still early in the proceedings, this episode introduced a psychological aspect that would become a cornerstone for the storytelling on all four Trek series. --Tom Keogh
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 23, Episodes 45 & 46: A Private Little War/ The Gamesters of Triskelion
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9
Average rating: 3.5 of 5
One winner, one loser 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.
A Private Little War-This underrated 'cold war' episode featuring a gorilla-unicorn, is another taught thriller from the second season. In addition to the non-stop action (shootings, Mugatu bites, Klingon intrigue, etc.) we have a well-reasoned ethical debate about the dual perils of intervention and non-intervention by a superpower. Kirk even acknowledges some ambivalence about the arming of the Hill people (think Vietnam) at the end of the show. Other pluses in this episode are the culture of the planet, as well as Nona. Her healing scene with Shatner is pretty racy, even by today's standards. (4 stars)The Gamesters of Triskelion-This episode, in which the enslaved crew are forced by giant brains to engage in arena combat, was a big step down from prior episodes. In fact, I would argue that the drop in quality attributed to the 3rd season really started here; only one of ten remaining second season shows was truly strong (A Piece of the Action). I for one would take the first ten shows of the 3rd season over the remaining ten from the second season.
But that's another story. The Gamesters of Triskelion is a very nasty episode. In addition to violence for it's own sake, there is the strong suggestion that Uhura is violated as the show fades to commercial. It's really unforgivable that the subject is never adressed in the rest of the episode. We also have one of the true bimbos of Trek in the nubile Shana, who is made to utter some truly stupid lines. There isn't much going for this episode; with a bit less action, it would belong in the latter part of season three.
Tidbit: Angelique Pettijohn, who played Shana, went on to adult film fame. (2 stars)
Editorial Review:
"A Private Little War," Ep. 45 - Kirk and company beam down to a primitive planet visited by Kirk 13 years ago. But some of the once-peaceful natives now have sophisticated weapons, courtesy of the Klingons. "The Gamesters of Triskelion," Ep. 46 - Kirk, Uhura and Chekov are enslaved on the planet Triskelion. There they are trained in the art of combat so that their unseen masters, the "Providers," can make wagers on the outcome.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 12, Episodes 23 & 24: A Taste of Armageddon/ Space Seed
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20
Average rating: 5.0 of 5
Eugenics Wars 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Eugenics selects the best strains for a sampling and promotes this survival strain in a limited population group. In "Space Seeds" the Enterprise encounters the "Botany Bay" spaceship, named after a penal colony. The Botany Bay has been a drift in space for centuries and barely operational. It nuclear fission reactors have managed to keep a group of "super humans" alive and, as Kirk and the crew beam on the Botany Bay, they active the revival routine, for the leader, Khan. The enterprise team immediately becomes fearful of Khan's reputation. Khan will manage to revive his small group of genetically enhanced warriors, who are eager too gain control of the Enterprise.
Eugenics has produced a superior human: improved reasoning capability, improved strength, improved beauty, and improved speed. Khan says, "It is true, man has improved. His technology has improved, but man, himself has not changed. Oh we will do well in this generation" It seems superior strength has produced a super ego. The Eugenic wars lead too World war III. The rhetoric of the cold war threatened a weaker nation by a stronger nation and eventually the stronger nation prevailed. Super ego not satified with mere survival; it required domination of the inferiors.
Khan has seduced, the Historian, "Marlin McGiver" into helping him gain control, of the Enterprise. Khan tells McGiver, "such men, as me, take what they will", "open your heart", the rape of independance, and discloses to McGiver her that he intends on taking the Enterprise. Khan becomes disgused with McGiver and tells her too leave. McGiver has fallen for Khan and says, "I will do anything", sells out herself too power, and agrees with his evil plot too take over the Enterprise.
Khan reasons, he needs the Enterprise as means for conquering worlds. After Khan and his team gain control of the Enterprise, Khan attempts too force the crew of the Enterpise into helping him. The crew see their captain being tortured in the decompression chamber and must make a decision whether too help or watch their captain die. Khan threatens to put all of them one at a time in the chamber, if they do not break too his will. Khan would torture and kill 80 percent of the crew in order too gain the cooperation of 20 percent. Khan idealogy of force was resisted by the democratic loving enterprise crew.
The eugenic warriors did not need the humans to navigate the Enterprise; Khan himself had a complete understanding of the operation manuals; Khan wanted slaves, who would obey him against their wills.
Spock, McCoy, and Scotty were aware of the trap and refused cooperation. The Eugenic warriors were the communists dictators and their promises were all lies. Kirk had previously admired the efficiency of Khan, saying of Khan, "I've always admire this one, he was the was the worst of them all." Spock was shocked and immediately protested. Kirk, Scotty, and McCoy laughed and told Spock, they could admire and oppose Khan, at the same time. Spock replied, "illogical". Isaiah states, "The heavan wept for a son of the morning had fallen"
Eventually, McGiver comes too her senses and frees the Captain from the decompression chamber. Kirk immediately takes actions to gain control of his ship against the tyrant. Kirk gases the Enterprise with knock out gas, but Khan manages too escape and gain control of engineering and put the ship on autodestruct. Khan initiates hand to hand combat against Kirk. Khan says, "I have five times your strength" and toss Jim around like a doll. Khan is too arrogant and Kirk knocks out Khan.
Khan behavior is strange. Khan is a conqueror, one moment and a coward then next. If Khan can't control then he must destroy all, mutual annihilation; a reflection of the philosophies of the cold war. Kirk does not want to see his ship autodestruct, so he fights Khan.
A court hearing is held against Khan and all charges dropped. Since, the Enterprise has no jurisdiction over a people from the past, Khan is somewhat freed; Khan is sent to a barren planet. Khan quotes Milten, "A he wept when their were no more worlds to conquer" - a statement about Lucifer before he was thrust down from heavan. McGiver goes with Khan rather than facing a court martial. Khan says, "It will be difficult at first even to survive" McGiver says, "I will go with him!" Khan says, "I will take her. Superior woman." Life would not go on happily ever after, Spocks plant in our minds, this statement, "If we return in a 100 years, I wonder what plants would sprout from the seeds we planted, today.". Khan would not flourish, bad fruit would emerge, communism would not flourish, and eventually it would rise its ugly head in another survival attempt, in "wrath of Khan". Prophetically, Khan would repeat his same strange behavior, ending up in self annihilation attempt which would be Messiahic defeated by Spock, as he aligned the dialithium crystals bring the warp drives online; and the Enterprise escaped, the KobiHashiMaru tactic test and solution, he never took. Kirk would cheat death, "I've never face death like this." Spock would sacrifice the one for the many. Jesus would sacrifice himself, so that all man could have salvation. In search for Spock, Spock would be resurrected by "Tau Pow".
Editorial Review:
"A Taste of Armageddon," Ep. 23 - The U.S.S. Enterprise is caught in a bizarre interplanetary war fought entirely by computers, but with real deaths. "Space Seed," Ep. 24 - The U.S.S. Enterprise is commandeered by a 20th century genetic "superhuman," Khan (Ricardo Montalban), who along with his followers has survived for centuries aboard a "sleeper ship." This episode inspired the film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."
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
The youth from hell and "The Enemy Below." 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Star Trek: The Original Series Volume 4 presents two episodes originally aired in 1966:"Charlie X:" A troubled adolescent with powerful telekinetic abilites comes aboard the Enterprise and horrifyingly subjects the crew to his undisciplined, torturous powers. Writers Gene Roddenberry and Dorthy Fontana serve up a mature and utterly captivating yarn of space horror that further explores the "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" theme, which was well presented in the (second) pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (episode #2). Highly memorable. GRADE A+
"Balance of Terror:" The Enterprise plays cat and mouse with a cloaked (i.e. invisible) Romulan ship in this space version of "The Enemy Below." This is Mark Lenard's first role for Star Trek as the Romulan commander. He is much better known as Spock's Vulcan father Sarek, who first appears in the second season episode "Journey to Babel" (episode #44). Interestingly, Lenard would also go on to play a klingon in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." He thus holds the distinction for being the only actor to play a Romulan, a Vulcan and a Klingon on Star Trek. Bottom Line: Okay, but generally boring; ridiculously overrated by some. Grade: B- (I'm being generous)
Editorial Review:
"Charlie X," Ep. 8 - The cargo ship Antares transfers Charlie Evans (Robert Walker Jr.) to the U.S.S. Enterprise on his way to Alpha Five Colony. When the Antares is destroyed and crew members vanish, Kirk realizes that Charlie is responsible but has little control over his deadly powers. "Balance of Terror," Ep. 9 - It's a game of cat and mouse for Kirk and the Romulan commander (Mark Lenard), whose cloaking device renders his ship invisible--and very deadly!
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 6, Episodes 12 & 13: Miri/ The Conscience Of The King
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
MIRI IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
"Miri" has always been one our family's favorite Star Trek episodes. So much so, that my son named his first-born daughter "Miri". Miri is now almost 11-years-old, lives with us, and remains our favorite granddaughter/daughter. MIRI RULES!
Above average couple of eps, "Miri" the stronger one! 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
These are not two of the stronger eps from the first season but they are still worth viewing. The first ep, "Miri" is the stronger one with a very strong "Lord of the Flies" theme running through it addressing the premise: how would a bunch of kids react in a situation without adult supervision for a long period of time? A mysterious virus infects all adults with a dreaded terminal illness but Bones comes to the rescue with a vaccine. Very competent performances especially by the guest actors in what is overall a good episode.
In the second ep., we address the premise: which is more important; justice or mercy and forgiveness? Reminiscent of the Nazi War Crimes Tribunals of Nurenburg after WWII, a fugitive mass murderer is tracked down as a lead actor in a travelling acting troupe whose daughter becomes Kirk's love interest. Kirk and crewman O'Reily actually have lost family members due to the deeds of this man and now have to struggle with feelings of revenge and justice versus mercy and forgiveness. Overall an average ep with passable acting but mostly forgettable.
Verdict: Save your money for some other volume as this is not really a keeper.
Editorial Review:
"Miri", Ep. 12 - After beaming down to a planet that's identical to Earth, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and a landing party find a decaying 20th century city inhabited only by diseased "ancient children." "The Conscience of the King," Ep. 13 - There's a mass murderer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise! Kirk beams up a man he believes to be Krodos the Executioner, thought to have died 20 years ago.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 9, Episodes 17 & 18: Shore Leave/ The Squire of Gothos
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
Editorial Review:
Volume 9 of Paramount's DVD series of original Star Trek episodes includes "Shore Leave," written by a literary giant in science fiction, Theodore Sturgeon. The story concerns a break in the action for the Enterprise crew, nearly all of whom beam down to the surface of an Eden-like planet for shore leave, where they find that everyone's wish comes true. Individuals from crew members' pasts turn up, fantasies of romance or heroism are instantly realized--and if it all seems too good to be true, it is. In time, the dark side of this dream shows itself when people start getting killed. This episode emerges from the trippier side of Star Trek's personality, and very cleverly sheds light on the personalities of the show's major characters by making their dreams manifest.Also on this disc is a real treat for long-haul Trekkers: "The Squire of Gothos," an entertaining program in its own right and the obvious blueprint for "Encounter at Farpoint," Gene Roddenberry's pilot episode for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Guest star William Campbell plays Trelane, a bratty, impulsive alien given to wearing costumes appropriate for an 18th-century French aristocrat. Equipped with godlike powers that allow him to alter and manipulate the world around him, Trelane is the prototype of The Next Generation's beloved quasi villain, Q (John de Lancie). Like Q, Trelane regards the crew of the Enterprise as playthings, and when Captain Kirk (William Shatner) disrupts his games, the omniscient boy-man puts humanity itself on trial. Great stuff. --Tom Keogh
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 11, Episodes 21 & 22: Tomorrow is Yesterday/ The Return of the Archons
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
One Of My Favorites 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Tomorrow Is Yesterday is one of the best time-travel episodes in all of Trek. It follows all the warnings and some of the potential benfits any time travel story has to reckonize. Too bad they didn't make it the second half of a two-parter along with The Naked Now. I have to give credit where it's due. Leonard Nimoy made this point back on the Sci-Fi Channels Star Trek: Special Edition (back in '99 I think). Anyway, I never forgot the connection of two great stories.Maybe Return Of The Archons isn't near the top of anybody else's list but I think it's underrated. The story takes on a great number of ideas, from "arrested society" to "technological domination". Despite its flaws it tells a good story. My favorite gaff is the feeling of discontinuity, or was it bad editing?
I always saw this episode as a 'Spock like computer' forcing its' logic on the 'emotional inhabitants' who probably would have destroyed themselves otherwise. This to me explains the 6:00 pm mayhem of the people and shows one of the flaws in machines ruling mankind (machines expecting humans to behave like machines). Remember this the next time you find yourself at a drive-thru ATM. Who's the boss?
Editorial Review:
"Tomorrow is Yesterday," Ep. 21 - The U.S.S. Enterprise is sent back to the 20th century by a black star, where it is sighted by the Air Force as a U.F.O. Kirk is forced to beam the Air Force's jet pilot aboard. Now he must somehow manage to return to the future without changing history. "The Return of the Archons," Ep. 22 - The U.S.S. Enterprise finds a planet of blissful people ruled by a computer called Landru. The computer now wants to destroy the U.S.S. Enterprise in order to protect what it believes to be its perfect society.
Star Trek the Complete Original Series
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Editorial Review:
The complete series in a 40-volume set. Set includes original pilot and a re-worked version of the pilot.
Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 18: Doomsday Machine/Wolf in the Fold
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Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 3: Man Trap/Naked Time
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
Two great ones 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
I love these two episodes.
"The Man Trap" scared the hell out of me when I first saw it as a kid. It seems that a lot of people don't care for this episode, but I've always found it supremely creepy--Dr. Crater all alone on that dead, lonely planet with the hideous creature that killed his wife, deluding himself that he has some kind of personal relationship with it. Despite the primitive special effects and cheesy music, TOS managed to produce some pretty scary episodes. The creature design here is exceptional.
In "The Naked Time," a virus results in intoxication and poor impulse control, causing various characters to act out in ways that are very revealing of character. This episode is sometimes quite funny, but it's also very eerie as our cast of characters struggles to maintain self-control while Lt. Riley croons, "I'll take you home again, Kathleen" over the PA system.
Editorial Review:
"The Man Trap," Ep. 6 - When the U.S.S. Enterprise's landing party arrives on a planet to give a routine medical examination to its inhabitants, a nightmare unfolds when several members die--each having every trace of salt mysteriously removed from their bodies. "The Naked Time," Ep. 7 - Sent to pick up a research team, the U.S.S. Enterprise finds the scientists dead. One of the landing party brings the disease back to the crew, forcing suppressed emotions to surface. Kirk must race against time before the ship is pulled into the disintegrating planet.