Star Trek – The Original Series, Vol. 9, Episodes 17 & 18: Shore Leave/ The Squire of Gothos
Nov/095
Amazon.com
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. 9, Episodes 17 & 18: Shore Leave/ The Squire of Gothos
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4:37 am on November 24th, 2009
La mala calificación no es para la serie de “Star Trek” original obviamente. Como fanático me parece una estupidez que el estudio no lance este tipo de series conocidas en todo el mundo como una versión estándar para todas las regiones con los subtítulos en todos los idiomas posibles. Es prácticamente imposible conseguir la serie original COMPLETA, con subtítulos en ESPAÑOL y Zona 4 para Sudamérica; la versión que se consigue en Región 4 con subtítulos en español son de Australia o Nueva Zelanda formateadas para PAL y no para NTSC. El estudio – PARAMOUNT – debería seguir el ejemplo de FOX o UNIVERSAL que lanzan sus series más famosas en DVD con soundtrack y subtítulos en español. Seguramente los responsables de las ediciones en DVD de PARAMOUNT no les interesará este comentario, porque seguramente ni lo entenderán por estar escrito en ESPAÑOL, pero por lo menos me sirve para compartir mi frustración por su actitud con otros compradores de habla hispana de Amazon.
Rating: 1 / 5
6:03 am on November 24th, 2009
Oh, dear, it’s all a bit dated, isn’t it? I watched two episodes back to back with the same plot. “Oh, my God, the universe has disappeared! (again.)” I chose them because I like those space trumpets that sound up whenever the giant menace approacheth. I assume they’re space trumpets, they sound like nothing on earth. In the former episode, it’s a long blue turdy thing with a design flaw so obvious that you wounder why they even bothered building it. I think they call it planned obsolescence. Every doomsday weapon has one. The lads are also threatened by some over-acting from a commodor that has to be seen to be believed. The average commodor in Star Trek is always pompous and inept, so as to make Kirk look good. Anyway, Kirk and a couple of crewmen are stuck onboard the USS Intrepid, Valliant or Sooperdooper or whatever, when they get a call from the Enterprise that the transporter is now working again. “Right” says Kirk. “Beam back Scotty and I’ll follow by the seat of my pants in the dying seconds before this starship blows up.” Haven’t you forgotten something, old chap? Like that other crewman whose name escapes me and you too, it appears. “Captain? Scotty? Where the **** is everyone? Oh my God, AAAAAAGH!”
In the latter episode the space boyos are menaced by a giant amee…omeab..(in space, nobody can see you spell.) Anyway, it’s a giant blob that sucks the life out of you. Captain Kirk already looks the worse for wear in this second series. His hair is greyer, he’s lathargic and looks pained. I guess that guy who used all those fancy filters on series one had left. Is he suffering from piles? The notorious lack of a toilet on the bridge can’t help while you’re being detained by yet another universe cruncher.
Is this the set that has Scotty getting plastered with an alien? Very funny scene that. Apart from that, it’s hard to imagine who this box set is aimed at. Old people who remember it from childhood will find themselves too old for it and younger audiences will find it too cheesy. Don’t get me wrong, it was good in it’s day, but this is one to hopefully get in your Christmas sock, rather than open your wallet for.
Rating: 3 / 5
7:17 am on November 24th, 2009
I waited and waited for Season three to come out. Why? Because it has the episode where Sulu is fighting with his shirt off. This was groundbreaking. It was the first time the American public was able to realize how sexy the Japanese culture really is. Nowadays, you have teenagers with numerous Japanese writings on their shirts and many people getting tattoos with Japanese characters. For instance, my friend went to a tattoo parlor a few years ago and got into the trend. He saw a cool looking set of Japanese characters and told the tattoo artist to put it on his bicep. My friend had no idea what it meant until a waiter at a sushi restaurant translated the characters for him. Turns out he had the words, “Turtle Wax” in Japanese on his bicep. Anyway Sulu is a Japanese icon. His contribution and acting skills to the science-fiction community has made me make peace with the Japanese for bombing Pearl Harbor. I believe we are now official square.
Rating: 5 / 5
8:35 am on November 24th, 2009
This season never should have been made! It was the worst season of any Trek, with the possible exception of TNG Season 1. The only reason it was saved from oblivion was its loyal fans, who wrote in to stop it being canceled after it’s second season.
Stardate 5431.4 “Spock’s Brain” Very creepy. Aliens steal Spock’s brain and Kirk and McCoy have to save him. Kind of dumb. 1 star
Stardate 5027.3 “The Enerprise Incident” One of the better episodes of this season. Kirk and Spock infiltrate a Romulan ship. Watch out for the Vulcan Death Grip! 3 stars
Stardate 4842.6 “The Paradise Syndrome” Also a better episode from this season. Kirk loses his memory and begins to live in a native village. Heartfelt, and features the only woman Kirk ever married. 3 stars
Stardate 5029.5 “And the Children Shall Lead” I don’t even remember this one, which means I probably didn’t watch it. Oh well didn’t seem like that much of a loss.
Stardate 5630.7 “Is There In Truth No Beauty?” Supposedly one of the better episodes. I never understood that. Ambassador comes onto Enterprise that can make everyone go insane. 2 stars
Stardate 4385.3 “Spectre of the Gun” interesting theory of reality vs. illusion, but could have been done in a better situation. 2 stars
Stardate Unknown “Day of the Dove” Klingons and Enterprise fight, then make small peace treaty. A shodow of what is to come with the Klingon empire in later shows. 2 stars
Stardate 5476.3 “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” The best episode of the 3rd season. Race of people who o=are on a ship but don’t realize it. 3 stars
Stardate 5693.2 “The Tholian Web” Alien race tries to capture Enterprise and Captain Kirk disappears. Good scenes with Spock and McCoy. 3 stars
Stardate 5784.2 “Plato’s Stepchildren” Weak plot- how would aliens have heard of Plato? 1st interracial kiss though. 1 star
Stardate 5710.5 “Wink of an Eye” Superfast aliens take over Enterpise…interesting theory and cool the way Spock and McCoy figured it out. 3 stars
Stardate 5121.5 “The Empath” Never saw this one because we couldn’t find the tape it was on. No loss apparently.
Stardate 4372.5 ‘Elaan of Troyius” I remember liking this one because Kirk was pretty good here. 2 stars
Stardate 5718.3 “Whom Gods Destroy” also one of the better episodes of the 3rd season. Deals with insanity and is one of the episodes where it;s easy to see how close the crew was, especially Kirk and Spock. 3 stars
Stardate 5730.2 “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” Terrify look at how hate can destroy a society. I think it’s lost some of it’s appeal since ENT copied it. 3 stars
Stardate 5423.4 “The Mark of Gideon” Planet tries to use Kirk’s latent illness to solve population problem. interesting theory. 3 stars
Stardate Unknown “That Which Survives” I don’t remember this one. It must not have been that good.
Stardate 5725.3 “The Lights of Zetar” Scotty falls in love with girl who gets attacked by aliens. Predictible 2 stars
Stardate 5843.7 “Requiem for Methuselah” Interesting look at immortality. 3 stars
Stardate 5832.3 “The Way to Eden” STAR TREK HIPPIES!!!!!! 3 stars
Stardate 5818.4 “The Cloud Minders” Really weird episode featuring class struggles and one of Spock’s infrequent love interests. 2 stars
Stardate 5906.4 “The Savage Curtain” One of the more ridiculous plots, but good battles. 2 stars
Stardate 5943.7 “All Our Yesterdays” A good episode with some interesting looks into Spock’s character and of course time travel. 3 stars
Stardate 5928.5 “Turnabout Intruder” One of Kirk’s former love interests switches bodies with him. One of the more laughable plots and easy to see why it was canceled based on this episode. 1 star
And so TOS ended, but there were good things to come in 4 spin-off series and 10 movies so it’s ok.
Rating: 3 / 5
10:31 am on November 24th, 2009
For starters, what is with all that RED on the cover? This reviewer, along with many others, notes that YELLOW is used for the Season One credits (thus matching with the cover colour of the DVD set) and BLUE is used for both Seasons Two and Three (draw your own inferences).
Aside from the unaccountable designation of RED for the cover colour, many people have expressed dismay at the bulky design of the cover case itself. Upon reflection, this reviewer finds it a not-so-trivial point of complaint.
Contrary to popular myth, Season Three IS NOT as abominable as (almost) everyone makes it out to be. Like all stereotypes, this one indeed does contain a grain of truth – as evidenced by such duds and dregs as “Spock’s Brain” (the season opener; a classic case of The First Impression Effect) and “The Way to Eden”. But the same bias can also be made against Season One – consider “Mudd’s Women” and “What are Little Girls Made of” among others. Generally speaking, the original series tends to be solid from the latter part of Season #1 through the early part of Season #3 and not as solid at both ends thereof. Therefore, on balance, the fact that only some episodes here and there are worthy of viewing un-edited and un-interrupted (by commercials and/or police chases) makes this set rather easy to pass on – at least if the price tag is C$125 or so.
Some noteworthy episodes:
-The Enterprise Incident
-The Day of the Dove
-Wink of an Eye
-Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
-The Savage Curtain
-All Our Yesterdays
Rating: 1 / 5