Star Trek – The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
Nov/095
Description
“Arena,” Ep. 19 – While pursuing a ship that destroyed a Starfleet base, Kirk intrudes into the territory of the highly advanced Metrons, who decide to settle the conflict. “The Alternative Factor,” Ep. 20 – The Enterprise takes on board a man with a dual personality. It is soon discovered that there are really two of them–one with the power to destroy the universe!Amazon.com
Volume 10 of Paramount’s DVD series of original Star Trek episodes includes “Arena,” based on a script by Trek producer Gene L. Coon, the other indispensable figure (besides Gene Roddenberry) in making Star Trek what it was. After writing what he believed was an original teleplay about a one-on-one battle between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the reptilian commander of an enemy vessel, Coon realized he had probably been subconsciously inspired by a similar short story written by Fredric Brown (who was promptly credited and paid). The concept of a human-and-alien duel to the death in primitive terrain, however, was slightly ubiquitous in the 1960s (see “Fun and Games,” a masterpiece from the original The Outer Limits TV show), and was revisited in the ’80s via the Arnold Schwarzenegger feature, Predator. But under Coon’s guidance and direction by Joseph Pevney, “Arena” stands on its own as a particularly strong story of what battle does to one’s humanity. Shatner is in great form for this one.
Also in this volume is a minor episode, “The Alternative Factor,” in which Kirk encounters two versions of a fellow named Lazarus (Robert Brown), one from our own dimension and the other from an antimatter cosmos. The latter Lazarus intends to create an opening between worlds, potentially causing an intergalactic Armageddon. Though directed by Gerd Oswald, an interesting feature filmmaker from Hollywood, “The Alternative Factor” has to work a little too hard to make its point. Still, it isn’t boring, and the theme certainly fits that long-standing Star Trek obsession with dualities. –Tom Keogh
Star Trek – The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
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2:34 am on November 11th, 2009
While this DVD was not the best Volume in the series yet, it had a whole bunch of wonderful moments…Kirk’s ingenuity, the devotion to his ship…etc.
This was also the first time I can remember where something larger was at steak. Not just the crew nor the ship, but two universes!
Arena and the Alternative Factor, while not the creme de la creme, are certainly worth watching and owning.
The Sound Quality was great, and the visuals were specticular.
Rating: 4 / 5
3:19 am on November 11th, 2009
If you are picking and choosing which volumes to collect, give this one a miss. The 2 stars are for “Arena” which although requires a massive leap of faith to believe Kirk invents a “gun” while on the run in a manner which to any observer would realise is much, much more likely to blow up in his face instead does have a very good moral about how jumping to conclusions and fighting before diplomacy is not the best way to solve differences (George Bush, you listening?)which redeems an otherwise very average episode.
Too bad you can’t give negative, anti-stars, as the “Alternative Factor” to put it candidly, really sucks big-time! The storyline is just simply ridiculous and the whole episode is riddled with errors. In the beginning, Spock tells Kirk there is no life on the planet below; if he meant animate life, he should have said so as we are soon transported to the surface where all manner of plant-life is seen. This is just one example but overall, the script-writing and acting are among the worst of this the first season.
Save your bucks for another volume.
Rating: 2 / 5
5:55 am on November 11th, 2009
This episode contains one of Star Trek’s most popular episodes, “Arena”, and what can be best described as Star Trek’s for truly BAD episode, “The Alternative Factor.”
Paramount is following a very logical schedule in releasing these episodes: their plan is to release them gradually over the course of three years, meaning the release scheme will take the same period as the series’ original run.
As in the earlier issues, visual and audio transfer and enhancement are superbly handled. The film elements, fortunately, have held up well over the last three decades.
Trivia buffs will remember Arena for being the episode which extended Star Trek’s philosophy that the unknown was something to go toward, rather than retreat from. (It is also the episode where a mis-timed onset explosion gave William Shatner a permanent case of tinnitus.)
“The Alternative Factor” is a mostly incomprehensible episode which, in its’ preponderance of technobabble, previews The Next Generation.
Rating: 4 / 5
8:03 am on November 11th, 2009
I remember as a little guy watching the Gorn on TV when it first aired.Kinda scaird me at the time but it is now one of my favs because the show surrounds Kirk and the Gorn being “Equal” but from other planets. This is the lesson I think Joseph Pevney tried to convey in that two “creatures” that are forced to fight do so unwillingly and in the end they become allies in so many ways. I think there is a lesson to be learned in this episode that people from different backrounds, if they work out their differences can and must co operate to “survive” this place we call Earth. Gene Roddenberry surely was a man of distinct foresight and I know that his spirit will Live Long and Prosper in the spirit world.
Rating: 4 / 5
8:51 am on November 11th, 2009
1. The Enterprise is invited by Commodore Travers encouraging a visit to remote colony, Cestus III Outpost
2. On landing the away team discovers the colony has been destroyed.
3. The Enterprise team, Spock, McCoy, and Kirk has come under attack prevent beam up. Sulu is acting as Captain. The enemy out numbers the away team and have taken high ground.
4. Laser and photon beams are ineffective against the enemy ship. Communications are being interfered with. Kirk order Sulu too “Protect my ship.” A strategy to draw the enemy into believe the away team is helpless. The enemy locks onto Spock’s tri recorder and creates a feedback loop that destroys it.
5. Enemy ships actives their transports and the Enterprise beams up the survivors and the team.
6. The aliens are merciless, murdering woman and children, they wouldn’t let for a moment. Commodore Travers asks “Why did they do?” Kirk says, “It has to be a trap.” Enterprise is the key to protection in this section, “Clear and Immediate, Invasion”. Spock conjectures that “it is an invasion”. Spock says, “very well, you must make sure the alien vessel near reaches its home base.” The implication is that Federation vulnerability has been ascertained and the enemy knows that invasion is possible with little resistance.
7. The alien vessel has moved to an area of space with little knowledge, more like “space legends”. The Enterprise chases the enemy at wrap seven.
8. Spock does not want to obliterate the enemy. Spock advocates comprehension of the sentient being. Spock does not see the immediate military threat nor does he acknowledge the large loss of life. Kirk declares “a crime has been committed” and he wants punishment, the policeman of the Universe. Kirk ends the discussion with Spock by asking ,”Is that clear”. Warp eight.
9. The alien scans the Enterprise. Uhura observes the scan does not demonstrate hostility. The alien ship drops to sublight and stopped dead in space. Phrasers locked to fire. The same phenomena affecting the alien ship incapacitates the Enterprise leaving no power. A tractor beam from an unidentified power from a distant solar system is holding the Enterprise.
10. The Metrons perceive the two ships have entered their space on a mission of violence. The dispute will be settle by one on one combat. The Metrons perceive they are putting a stop to the violence rather than interfering. The loser’s ship will be destroyed. The Metrons pass judgment stating “There will be no discussion.”
11. The asteroid has been provided with air and weapons. The alien Agorn is a reptile being who is extreme strong but slow, possibly a hundred times stronger.
12. McCoy says to Spock, “You’re the one always talking about logic. What does logic say now? What are you going to do to help the Captain.” Spock says “there is nothing that can be done.”
13. Agorn makes a sinister and evil laugh while he makes a rope trap.
14. Kirk rolls a rock on the alien but alien survives uninjured.
15. Kirk builds a canon use bamboo tube, gunpowder (sulfer & potassium nitrate), and diamonds. The canon injures Agorn.
16. Spock falsely persuades McCoy into believing that “they may be in the wrong. The aliens may have been trying to protect themselves when they attacked the outpost.” The aliens are the aggressors. The aliens were the aggressors killing all the Cessus III Colony. The aliens did not react with a defensive strategy. Kirk decides not kill the alien captain. One moment Kirk demands retribution and justice and in the next he decides to be merciful. The end result was no justice and no punishment. It seems Kirk believed Spock in the end. Kirk does not insist that Metrons imprison the aliens, a trial be held to determine guilt or innocence, just an arbitrary decree, “let them go”.
17. The Metrons are 1,500 years old and appear like a boy. The Metrons complement Kirk for demonstrating the advanced trait of mercy.
Rating: 5 / 5