Stardate: Unknown
Synopsis: When Kirk and crew beam up to the Enterprise during an ion storm, they switch places with the Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty of a different, parallel universe. They're still on board the Enterprise, but everyone has changed, becoming more savage and treacherous, including an evil Spock sporting a goatee. Amid multiple fights and assassination attempts, the evil Spock figures out the truth and, together with evil Kirk's girlfriend, Marlena, actually help the good guys beam back through the ion storm to the familiar Enterprise we all know and love.
Review: This episode is a classic because of the juxtaposition between the hero Enterprise crew we've gotten to know versus the potentially villainous versions of the same characters which are apparently possible in this alternate universe. It's a testament to the enticing curiosity produced by extreme opposites.
To give just one example of how this works in such a delicious way, consider the scene where the evil Kirk is placed in a holding cell. He threatens violence, then tries to bribe Spock with money and power. Spock's reaction is simply to deadpan, "Fascinating!". Meanwhile, when the good Kirk is attacked in the other universe by the evil Spock, Kirk, after defeating him, nevertheless makes sure to bring him to sick bay to treat his injuries so that he won't die, even if it means the demise of his own escape.
It's so addicting to see our favorite Star Trek characters, not becoming evil, but actually being evil. But the real heart of this episode is in how, as a consequence, it highlights the great extent to which these characters have already been shaped and developed and defined in our minds. The evil versions of Spock, Sulu, Chekhov, etc. are only delicious because it's already so clear that that's not who they are.
This is the turning point from which we can definitively say that the show has come of age.
Simply iconic.
Review: 5 stars
Episode 33: The Changeling
Stardate: 3541.9
Synopsis: As soon as the Enterprise discovers that 4 billion Malurains have been killed, a mysterious force attacks it. A small robot named NOMAD is behind the attack and, once it comes on board, mistakes Kirk for its creator, Jackson Roykirk. What we uncover is that NOMAD was a probe sent from Earth centuries ago to discover new life, but after a debilitating collision with a meteorite, took the form of The Other it encountered, and now seeks to sterilize all imperfect life forms - including the entire Enterprise crew and, eventually, Earth itself. Ultimately, Kirk confuses NOMAD describing how it itself is imperfect and that it must sterilize itself - leading to NOMAD freaking out and exploding after being launched into deep space.
Review: Despite NOMAD being a lame boxy non-futuristic robot, a few plot elements here really stick in your head. The writers could have taken the predictable Terminator-style route of an artificial intelligence becoming self-aware and murdering its human creators, but instead NOMAD somehow merged with a second probe, this one of alien origin, and that is the "Changeling" being referenced in ancient mythology - a foreign being taking the face of a human child. Very cool stuff.
Whoever knew that Spock could perform a mindmeld on a computer? My immediate question is, while their "minds" were merged as one, couldn't the computer upload, essentially, a sort of self-propagating recursive virus that would destroy the Vulcan's mind? Like I said, "COOOOOL!".
Even the episode's final punchline seemed to come out of the unexpected nowhere - Kirk referring to NOMAD as "my son, the Doctor" - was funnier than usual. There's a lot here that will have me rethinking this episode for a while.
Review: 4 stars
Synopsis: As soon as the Enterprise discovers that 4 billion Malurains have been killed, a mysterious force attacks it. A small robot named NOMAD is behind the attack and, once it comes on board, mistakes Kirk for its creator, Jackson Roykirk. What we uncover is that NOMAD was a probe sent from Earth centuries ago to discover new life, but after a debilitating collision with a meteorite, took the form of The Other it encountered, and now seeks to sterilize all imperfect life forms - including the entire Enterprise crew and, eventually, Earth itself. Ultimately, Kirk confuses NOMAD describing how it itself is imperfect and that it must sterilize itself - leading to NOMAD freaking out and exploding after being launched into deep space.
Review: Despite NOMAD being a lame boxy non-futuristic robot, a few plot elements here really stick in your head. The writers could have taken the predictable Terminator-style route of an artificial intelligence becoming self-aware and murdering its human creators, but instead NOMAD somehow merged with a second probe, this one of alien origin, and that is the "Changeling" being referenced in ancient mythology - a foreign being taking the face of a human child. Very cool stuff.
Whoever knew that Spock could perform a mindmeld on a computer? My immediate question is, while their "minds" were merged as one, couldn't the computer upload, essentially, a sort of self-propagating recursive virus that would destroy the Vulcan's mind? Like I said, "COOOOOL!".
Even the episode's final punchline seemed to come out of the unexpected nowhere - Kirk referring to NOMAD as "my son, the Doctor" - was funnier than usual. There's a lot here that will have me rethinking this episode for a while.
Review: 4 stars
Episode 32: Who Mourns for Adonis?
Stardate: 3468.1
Synopsis: While approaching Pollacks 4, a gigantic hand seemingly reaches through space and grabs hold of the Enterprise, holding her captive. After a request to beam down to the planet, Kirk and crew find one scantily-clad individual behind the energy force, calling himself the Greek god, Apollo. He shows off incredible supernatural powers and demands to be worshiped. Clearly this doesn't go over very well, so the situation finally gets resolved with the Enterprise firing its phasers on Apollo's temple - the source of his power.
Review: A couple of great campy lines in this one. Apollo: "I am Apollo"; Chekhov (incredulous): "And I am the czar of all Russians!". Also, Kirk to Scotty: "Besides you stiffed-neck thistlehead, you could've gotten yourself killed!" as he caresses Scotty's shoulder in a noticeably homoerotic moment. And let us not forget the sexist portrayal of Lt. Carolyn Ballamis who is too-easily brainwashed by Apollo and quips, "You seem wise for a woman" (Carolyn later gets in her own two cents with, "I could no more love you than a species of bacteria!" - ZING!)
The storyline is oddly different and unique with the central question being why mankind wouldn't be content serving a god if, in return, all mankind's needs would be provided for. But, of course, this isn't exactly the most profound question in the universe. I'm more interested in the philosophical nugget that was dropped about how "the only thing that is truly yours is the rest of humanity". Or what are the repercussions of the Greek mythological gods actually just being an alien species, or that, as Apollo concludes, humanity no longer has any room for gods. And, while I'm ranting, why the resistance to Spock beaming down to the planet? And when did the Enterprise get a "nuclear electronics lab"? And a few simple phaser beams destroying a temple to end it? Blah.
Promise unfulfilled.
Review: 3 stars
Synopsis: While approaching Pollacks 4, a gigantic hand seemingly reaches through space and grabs hold of the Enterprise, holding her captive. After a request to beam down to the planet, Kirk and crew find one scantily-clad individual behind the energy force, calling himself the Greek god, Apollo. He shows off incredible supernatural powers and demands to be worshiped. Clearly this doesn't go over very well, so the situation finally gets resolved with the Enterprise firing its phasers on Apollo's temple - the source of his power.
Review: A couple of great campy lines in this one. Apollo: "I am Apollo"; Chekhov (incredulous): "And I am the czar of all Russians!". Also, Kirk to Scotty: "Besides you stiffed-neck thistlehead, you could've gotten yourself killed!" as he caresses Scotty's shoulder in a noticeably homoerotic moment. And let us not forget the sexist portrayal of Lt. Carolyn Ballamis who is too-easily brainwashed by Apollo and quips, "You seem wise for a woman" (Carolyn later gets in her own two cents with, "I could no more love you than a species of bacteria!" - ZING!)
The storyline is oddly different and unique with the central question being why mankind wouldn't be content serving a god if, in return, all mankind's needs would be provided for. But, of course, this isn't exactly the most profound question in the universe. I'm more interested in the philosophical nugget that was dropped about how "the only thing that is truly yours is the rest of humanity". Or what are the repercussions of the Greek mythological gods actually just being an alien species, or that, as Apollo concludes, humanity no longer has any room for gods. And, while I'm ranting, why the resistance to Spock beaming down to the planet? And when did the Enterprise get a "nuclear electronics lab"? And a few simple phaser beams destroying a temple to end it? Blah.
Promise unfulfilled.
Review: 3 stars
Episode 31: Amok Time
Stardate: 3372.7
Synopsis: While heading for Altair 6, Spock exhibits signs of uncontrollable insanity. He is experiencing the "Pan Far", or Blood Fever, when Vulcans feverishly feel the instinct to mate, and if he doesn't return to Vulcan within 8 days, he'll die. So in defiance of Starfleet orders, Captain Kirk diverts the ship to Vulcan, where in a highly ritualized ceremony, Spock is to marry his predetermined wife, Duprene. But it's not so simple. Duprene insists that Spock must fight to the death for her hand, and in a surprising twist, she selects Kirk to be his opponent. Kirk fakes his own death so the ceremony can be completed, thus also getting Spock off the hook for marriage.
Review: I apologize in advance for the horrific spelling of Vulcan names and rituals that's about to ensue, but this episode really has nothing much going on other than indulging Spock fetishists' desire for more details about Vulcans and their culture.
We finally meet Chekhov behind the navigation station, and if it doesn't make you smile than you haven't got a heart. Vulcan is extremely red-colored. Tapowl, the Vulcan officiating the wedding ceremony, is a wasted character - in a position of extremely great power and importance on the planet, yet the only purpose this serves is to get Kirk out of trouble for defying Starfleet's orders. We want to know more about Stan as well - Duprene's true love who was expecting to duel with Spock before she blindsided Kirk. And Kirk's supposed death, and Spock's ridiculously exaggerated show of joy at discovering him alive back aboard the ship, were far too predictable.
Spock was a pop culture phenomenon after Season One, and this opening to Season Two brings practically nothing to the table except to give Spock a little more depth and context. But it hardly succeeds at that either.
Review: 2 stars
Synopsis: While heading for Altair 6, Spock exhibits signs of uncontrollable insanity. He is experiencing the "Pan Far", or Blood Fever, when Vulcans feverishly feel the instinct to mate, and if he doesn't return to Vulcan within 8 days, he'll die. So in defiance of Starfleet orders, Captain Kirk diverts the ship to Vulcan, where in a highly ritualized ceremony, Spock is to marry his predetermined wife, Duprene. But it's not so simple. Duprene insists that Spock must fight to the death for her hand, and in a surprising twist, she selects Kirk to be his opponent. Kirk fakes his own death so the ceremony can be completed, thus also getting Spock off the hook for marriage.
Review: I apologize in advance for the horrific spelling of Vulcan names and rituals that's about to ensue, but this episode really has nothing much going on other than indulging Spock fetishists' desire for more details about Vulcans and their culture.
We finally meet Chekhov behind the navigation station, and if it doesn't make you smile than you haven't got a heart. Vulcan is extremely red-colored. Tapowl, the Vulcan officiating the wedding ceremony, is a wasted character - in a position of extremely great power and importance on the planet, yet the only purpose this serves is to get Kirk out of trouble for defying Starfleet's orders. We want to know more about Stan as well - Duprene's true love who was expecting to duel with Spock before she blindsided Kirk. And Kirk's supposed death, and Spock's ridiculously exaggerated show of joy at discovering him alive back aboard the ship, were far too predictable.
Spock was a pop culture phenomenon after Season One, and this opening to Season Two brings practically nothing to the table except to give Spock a little more depth and context. But it hardly succeeds at that either.
Review: 2 stars
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