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TOS Assignment Earth -- Review
Jul. 3rd, 2024 11:36 pmG: 2 stars - This was a quite watchable episode but wasn't really satisfying. The setting and interactions between the twentieth century humans and the other characters were reasonably fun. I liked how no one was trying to hurt anyone and the different positive aims of the characters created the conflict. The plot absolutely had rails, and neither the enterprise nor anyone else really got to affect it. It was interesting that the historical events were not real history, I guess because it was set when the episode actually came out.
C: 2 stars - It was fine. Felt like the usual writers and most of the cast were on holiday, there were more plotholes than usual. Easy enough to overlook because nothing had any real impact on the ending, but just a different feeling from other episodes. They could have been a reasonable Dr Who inspired few episodes, except perhaps for the LadyCat. I liked the young woman character - one of the few women in the show that actually get to say anything.
Is this Star Trek? Yes, the characters are mostly competent, though the crew of the enterprise feel like bystanders in the story.
Plot Summary: The Enterprise travels back in time to the twentieth century and meet someone who in no way resembles Dr Who.
TOS Bread and Circuses -- Review
Jun. 29th, 2024 06:40 pmG: 1 star - This episode sucks. The plot is totally predictable and dull. The dialogue is so so, and the history and philosophy is shallow and empty. Spock and McCoy get one good scene together, and Kirk at least makes some decisions in a realistic and morally brave way, albeit extremely obviously. I wish the pseudo time travel episodes were more subtle and didn't copy the symbols and names of the cultures they are inspired by. The other starship captain character was an interesting idea but didn't ultimately make sense.
C: 1 star - a nice/interesting 40 seconds between McCoy and Kirk in prison, as Kirk is stressed about the situation. Other surprises to note are that Uhura doesn't sing after her religion bit, and that there's less Sexy Lady time screentime than usual. Worth adding that scene to the Best Of Compilation Episode, otherwise, skip.
Is this Star Trek? No. The characters weren't particularly competent and the magic/coincidence in which Scotty interfered in the nick of time was bad writing.
Plot Summary: Kirk & Co visit twentieth century version of ancient rome, what follows is totally predictable, except Kirk's shirt isn't torn.
TOS The Ultimate Computer -- Review
May. 17th, 2024 11:30 pmG: 2 stars - A good premise with reasonable execution it nevertheless didn't quite come together at the end. Highlights were some particularly good banter and character work, from the core three, with Spock in particular getting some zingers. As a piece or historical media that is now retrofuturist, the 60's approach to madness is pretty hilarious too; everyone needs sedation and heavy restraints!
With a bit of tweaking the plot holes could have been filled and the manual override could have worked properly. So dissappointing as there were so many things the crew could have tried to do but didn't even consider. They just seemed a bit lame.
C: 0.5 stars - Should have been a 4 but the charachter/plot failings made it a fairly pointless episode. How was there a creweless oil tanker? Why was this guy so resistant to talking to M5? Why did no one explain to M5 a) the definition of 'mock attacks', and b) that if it continues to attack, it will be destroyed, so its best chance at survival is to run away.
Is this Star Trek? Yes but not very good star trek. The characters are generally competent though I wish the characters had been more professional and respectful under stress.
Plot Summary: The enterprise tests out a new computer and is taken over completely and the crew proceed to do very little to actually regain control.
TOS The Omega Glory -- Review
May. 14th, 2024 11:43 pmG: 1 star - This episode started out strong, with an interesting setup and a good guest character. Then it got progressively worse and worse.More dissappointing because of the strong start, and the guest star's descent into full evil didn't make any sense. The plot could have been about the choices of when to intervene and when not too as well as the dangers of making quick judgements but it became a vehicle for literal US flag worship. Ghastly.
C: 0 stars - Genuinely impressively US centric, and a double coat of US imperio-facism. This is why we sometimes don't watch TOS for three months at a time. Should have been at least a 3, but it's just shit.
Is this Star Trek? I really hope not.
Plot Summary: Kirk and co are stuck on a planet and can't leave because of space sickness and the starship captain already there has gone native. The starship captain wants to exploit the elixir of life and then it turns out the savages are actually yankees who carry an american flag and need help understanding the true meaning of manifest destiny and why the US constitution is the best.
TOS By Any Other Name -- Review
May. 10th, 2024 03:53 pmG: 3.5 stars - I liked the idea, and the way that the crew made many attempts to solve the problem. The antagonists were capable and interesting without being OP or trivial either. The 1960's ideas about romance were basically a porn plot - I can see why Star Trek was one of the early things to have fan fiction written about, the formula is in some ways very obvious. The theme about being human was reasonably interesting if a little heavy handed. Overall, a good episode with standout moments, and if the ending had more time to be developed it would have been really good.
C: 4 stars - This would have been better with another 20 minutes at the end. Almost really good.
Is this Star Trek? Yes, competent characters, and the conversations were important for the plot. Definitely set in space rather than the old west.
Plot Summary: The enterprise is captured by paralising aliens who want to get home, Kirk and Co have to figure out a way to recapture the ship.
TOS Patterns of Force -- Review
Dec. 4th, 2023 11:20 pmG: 1 star - Kind of incoherent, as an idea the various plot threads come together eventually and the characters mostly follow legible motivations. I like the spy vs spy stuff, like how the characters mostly avoid fights and do some clever stunts to get into and out of locked rooms etc, but I wish that the absolutely exact nazi paraphernalia went in the bin. The nazi apologism sucked and there were many other dated aspects to this one. Ending banter rebutted some of the worst of the apologetics but my ratings is still one because the inherent message is so bad.
C: 0 stars - No.
Is this Star Trek? Yes, but not necessarily in a good way. Anyone with a sane moral code and command of a starship like the enterprise should intervene more heavily and more immediately. The prime directive is already out the airlock.
Plot Summary: Kirk and Spock visit the Nazi section of disneyland, created by people who think the nazi regime was "!So Efficient". This is another morality play about the evils of interfering in the development of "primitive" cultures.
Best comment on this episode found elsewhere - (https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/2013/05/27/tos-patterns-of-force/):
I strongly dislike the depiction of Nazi-Germany.
So the Zeons are the Jews? Yet they seem like some underground organization wanting to bring down the Nazis. They are not treated as victims. They infiltrate the Nazi-organizations to assasinate the Führer, matching the image Nazis tried to spread of Jews. The oppression against Zeons is hardly shown. It seems like they were about to kill them, but didn`t so far, and when their real Führer tells them not to they are ready to form a multicultural society? It`s not that racism is one flaw in an otherwise benevolent and efficient system. It`s a core element of the Nazis world view. The policies and mindset of actual Nazis had "antisemitic" written all over them, even before the "final solution". The writers could not have ignored that Antisemitism in Germany did not stop on May 8th, there were synagogues burning after the war, too.
The next (in my opinion even worse) part is that the Führer himself is a good guy and only wanted efficiency and progress. Many Germans who had twelve years of being taught Hitler is their savior reacted to learning about the holocaust exactly like this. "It wasn`t Hitler, it was some officers, had Hitler known of this, he would not have let this happen" ... no. I don`t think I have to explain Hitler was evil. This episode would reaffirm these dangerous myths, and it wasn`t aired in Germany until 1999, I understand why.
It is great a topic like Nazi ideology is being dealt with, but it needs to be done carefully. This is a showcasing of uniforms while being just one step away from saying "Hitler wasn`t that bad".
This show often gives us some kind of message for our time, especially when Spock comments on 20th century earth. What is the message here? Let`s be Nazis but without the death-camp-thingies?
TOS Return to Tomorrow -- Review
Nov. 22nd, 2023 11:48 amG: 1 star - Another episode with some good ideas but overall poor execution. The godlike entities needed more limitations and the crew needed to make more choices and take charge rather than merely being puppets while the entities did everything. It was nice that the entities had a bit more variation in their characters, which we saw more in the latter half of the episode.
C: 2 stars - There is not much to recommend this one. It's ok if you like evil Spock and magic. Star Trek as written by an 8 yr old.
Is this Star Trek? Not really, it definitely doesn't show off the good bits of star trek. Definitely lacking in the science aspect - the magical powers didn't follow any sort of rules except the rules of narrativium.
Plot Summary: Kirk, Bones, and Spock hangout with some godlike entities who want to borrow their bodies, "wackiness" ensues.
TOS A Private Little War -- Review
Nov. 17th, 2023 11:17 pmG: 2 stars - I like the idea of this episode, and there are some good moments. Overall, it doesn't quite come together and it's bit held back by the weird sexist bullshit. Things to like: the episode is grounded in more real and "current" history, and I also like how they go into more detail about the reasons for the prime directive. The big letdown is the ending is which is sadly lacking in a clear decision made by two "decisive" characters. They needed a better B plot about the enterprise in conflict with the Klingon ship.
C: 0 stars - Sometimes it is hard to believe Mr. Rodenberry ever met a woman. This is another stupid episode with non-Enterprise characters that make no sense (why would they not recognise Kirk?) other than the Romulans. Kirk advocates for starting a proxy war, Bones doesn't have a single argument against it, and the only woman is so bizarre in her characterisation that the director has her continuing her sexydance while fighting against being sexually assaulted. This episode has no redeeming features, no 'valuable for later' anything, and I am stunned it made it to TV.
Is this Star Trek? Yes. Kirke and Bones debate what they should do and think about the long term effects of their decisions, and the ramifications of the prime directive substantially create the central drama ( I think you can tell who wrote this bit ;) )
Plot Summary: Kirk and Bones investigate the guns wielded by natives of a primitive planet, as part of their ongoing colonialist proxy war with the Klingons.
TOS The Immunity Syndrome -- Review
Nov. 7th, 2023 02:16 pmG: 3 stars - The competition between Bones and Spock over who gets to go on the suicide mission was quite amusing. The episode felt a little slow but it was nice to see them working through just one problem and try a few different things, it felt a bit more like a procedural in that way.
C: 5 stars - It was good, the only way to make it better would be if Picard was in it. The banter was mostly very good, except for the very end. The could have cut off a half second at the end and it would have been even better.
Is this Star Trek? Yes. Everyone is competent, they work together, and the premise is science fiction.
Plot Summary: The Enterprise is pulled into a magic space amoeba.
TOS A Piece of the Action-- Review
Oct. 23rd, 2023 11:48 pmG: 3.5 stars - This was a fun episode, a bit silly as usual but more cohesive and without the cringe. The dialogue is fun and Kirke is clearly having a good time working out how to make the gangsters cooperate. This one is actually science fiction because the conflict is about the characters visions for how society can work being different and trying to explain concepts across cultures.
C: 3 stars - a good 3. The communicator being left behind is silly.
Plot Summary: Kirke, Spock, and Bones play Chicago Gangsters
TOS The Trouble With Tribbles -- Review
Oct. 21st, 2023 10:23 pmG: 3 stars - This episode was ok, the plot makes more sense than most. The tribbles are super daggy so you have to get through that. Kind of a scooby doo episode in space.
C: 1 stars - Eugh.
Plot Summary: The enterprise goes through a pet craze, oh and there are some klingons around.
TOS The Gamesters of Triskelion -- Review
Oct. 21st, 2023 10:16 pmG: 1 stars - This was really, really bad. The B plot with Spock and the rest of the enterprise was actually fun though. Spock gets to do a bunch of sensible stuff, pity it was attached to such a dismal A plot.
C: 0 stars - I agree with G, but zero stars. The Spock stuff was good could we cut it and move it to a different episode?
Plot Summary: Another tedious random omnipotent being does stupid stuff episode, this time with slaves and gladiatorial fights.
TOS Wolf In The Fold -- Review
Oct. 19th, 2023 11:48 pmG: 3 stars - Not a terrible episode, nothing really standout good or bad. The government head and the administrator interaction was probably the most interesting. It was nice having a reasonable local ruler for a change. Kirk gets to be competent this time which was refreshing.
C: 3 stars - Hopefully the actors all enjoyed getting to pretend to be high, they looked like they did. The belly dancing scene in the beginning went for at least four minutes too long. I was invested in the story so I guess it was told well.
Plot Summary: Did Scotty murder a bunch of women? We can't be sure. We can only be sure that Gene Rodenberry was horny.
TOS Obsession -- Review
Oct. 16th, 2023 11:18 pmG: 2 stars - Some nice moments but the poor decisions of a usually capable character annoyed me too much to enjoy the episode. McCoy and Nurse Chapel really shine in this episode, and Spock is great as usual.
C: 3 stars - There were a few irritating plot points but it was interesting enough. Didn't hurt to watch. Also, there was a weird lack of banter at the end.
Plot Summary: Kirk is obsessed with hunting down a killer space whale gas cloud.
TOS The Deadly Years -- Review
Sep. 29th, 2023 11:10 pmG: 3 stars - A silly idea done reasonably well. The resolution was good but the conflict in the middle took too long and was, again, kind of stupid, or at least stupidly carried out. Some great zinger lines, Chekhov shines here as comic relief.
C: 3.5 stars - It was an interesting problem, I largely enjoyed it. The tribunal scene was tedious, especially given previous precedent which occurred differently. This could have been a four with better editing.
We both wanted the tribunal scene cut and more of the science plot or naval tactics to be fleshed out.
Plot Summary: The command crew have all contracted aging sickness, and must race against time to find a cure.
TOS Friday's Child -- Review
Sep. 28th, 2023 11:12 pmG: 3 stars - Some good ideas, and the aliens mostly followed their own moral/social code. Some elements were bit too stupid, and the resolution handwaved away the actual negotiations the episode was supposed to be about. If the various story threads had come together better this would have been actively good instead of just decent.
C: 3.5 stars - Maybe if birth wasn't something I knew about it could be a four.
Plot Summary: Convince some natives to sell their valuable minerals. Lawrence of Arabia style, plus a baby.
TOS Journey to Babel -- Review
Sep. 25th, 2023 10:47 pmG: 4 stars - The plot mostly makes sense and the family conflict mostly worked well. Dialogue pretty good and I always like the more political diplomatic type episodes. I like the way that the tension ratcheted up as multiple issues happened at the same time, each one requiring the full attention of the commanding officer of the Enterprise. There were a few dated and naff moments. The depiction of a human/vulcan couple was mostly pretty good except for the end. I liked the various aliens.
C: 4 stars (if it was edited) - If you could edit out 3 or 4 lines of banter at the end this could have been a really great episode. Everybody's motivations made sense it was a much more Next Generation style plot. The only thing that really irritated me was Spock's mother saying that he shouldn't do the transfusion thing and then changing her mind the opposite way without any reason. It feels like that event was meant to highlight how emotions are illogical. Having her character act that way is really unfair and sexist. The closing banter was just rampant misogyny and verbally abusive; it should/could have been a touching ending.
Plot Summary: The enterprise has to host and transport a heap of diplomats for a conference - murder, sabotage, and hospitalisation ensue. Family story segues into detective story, into medical drama, into space opera.
TOS Metamorphosis -- Review
Sep. 23rd, 2023 10:26 pmG: 1 star - The plot vaguely makes sense and this has some interesting ideas. If it was executed better, and the character choices at the end were different it might have been a good episode. Fundamentally the ending was the worst part, mostly caused by the Cochran character's flip flopping feelings and attitudes. The decision to accept the murder of a character by Kirk and co was also the worst part. Some good moments between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy who interact well and show enjoyable imperfections and support to each other.
C: -9001 stars - Let's just spend the rest of our life with the malicious body snatcher with literally nothing to do. This is a dumpster fire of a plot, more sexism please, perhaps racism also, get fucked.
Plot Summary: Hijacked shuttlecraft, random pseudo god like entity, who keeps a human like a pet, followed by bodysnatching as a resolution.
