Season 3
Air date: September 27, 1968
Written by: DC Fontana
Directed by: John Meredyth Lucas
Quote of the episode: "It would be illogical to assume all conditions remain stable."
I decided to go with this episode because to me it helped prove that Phase 2 could have a great story without beaming down to a planet, plus it is one of the few Romulan episodes in TOS.
Stardate 5027.3, The Enterprise entered the Romulan Neutral zone and is caught by the Romulans in Klingon vessels (the model of the Romulan Bird of Prey was destroyed, not wanting to make another model they used the D-7 models)
Kirk is held in confinement because Spock "betrayed" him. Dr.McCoy and the Romulan Commander watch as Spock uses the Vulcan Death Grip (no Peter if there is one we won't tell you) on Kirk. We find that this was all a ruse so that Kirk (as a Romulan) could steal the cloaking device. Spock has been distracting the Romulan Commander as they search for the device and Mr. Scott is installing it into the Enterprise's power systems. Of course Kirk, Spock and the Romulan Commander are onboard the Enterprise and escape the Romulans and return to Federation space.
My Thoughts
- One of the things that I like about this episode that is rarely done is the whole James Bond, spying thing.
- If you hadn't noticed the Romulan vessel interior looks exactly like the Enterprise (Yeah I noticed, its called a bottle show we stayed on a ship the entire time.)
- It was really out of character for Kirk and Spock to act as they did during the first two acts, but you had to have some feeling that was going to happen.
- And you have to give it to Scotty being that miracle worker in the end.
My Honest Opinion: There is a lot to say about the acting that went on during this episode, but the story like in many of the Great trek episodes is what carries this episode.
Side note: The third season of TOS is usually considered a dud, because of the lack of great story telling, but here is one of the exceptions. It was well written and directed, more importantly it gave more for Spock to do, something that they would later go against later in the season.
If you have ever worked on a shoot for Phase 2, you know that most of the sets you see are re-dresses of some sets. Even in Hollywood they had to cut corners.
Next up I will Talk Scotty and a Mystery Character
Go watch some Phase 2:
To Clarify my Peter comment, those of you have watched "Blood and Fire, Part 2" know what I was talking about
"There is no such thing as a Vulcan Death grip! Is there?" - Peter Kirk
"We are not allowed to tell."- Spock
Actually, the acting in this episode is terrific, it's just over the top. And it's one of the convention of 60s episodic TV that you could put a question mark on a character by having him behave unusually at beginning. that device works or not depending on audience expectations, and in the 1960's it was not really a problem. It was more likely people assumed that something was really wrong with Kirk than that he was running a scam, and Spock's loyalty had to the Enterprise and its crew over Kirk had been established many times in many episodes.
ReplyDeleteWhen I said there was a lot to talk about the acting, it was that I was enamored by the way each actor went about their lines. And as for story, many shows now dumb down the substance of the story for the "normal" crowd. So I love the somewhat complex aspects of the episode
ReplyDeleteIt has been so very long since I've seen this one. I want to get a box (I've lots of choices...) to stream the Netflix to the TV. I hate watching on the computer.
ReplyDeleteIt was lots of fun watching the guys at PII rearrange the "furniture" so that the hallway would look slightly different! And the fun names they came up with for the various movable furniture. I so wanted to climb the ladder to nowhere...