“Balance Of Terror”
Air Date: December 15, 1966
Mom Title: “Spock’s Dad
Plays a Romulan”
The episode opens in a chapel, which is odd considering that Roddenberry specifically created a secular future. There can’t be that many shipboard marriages can there? Sadly, this issue is resolved at the conclusion, for there certainly must be a great many shipboard funerals.
The introduction of the
Neutral Zone comes with drawings on paper projected on the main view screen. I
guess Starfleet doesn’t use “Google Galaxy” for maps anymore.
The anti-Racism is
pretty heavy handed this time, as opposed to everyday episodes where showing
all races working together as equals gets the point across nicely. Normally
classic Trek is story first, but sometimes the moral smacks you in the face
like a wet tribble. Sulu’s eye rolls at Stiles's outbursts help
add some entertainment value to the sledgehammer subtlety.
It's kind of amazing that when compared to those who preceded him, when the impulsive, immature and scream filled Chekov shows up in season two, he's one of the most emotionally stable officers to sit in the Navigation post. Starfleet's HR department must be run by the same group that handles safety protocols.
It's kind of amazing that when compared to those who preceded him, when the impulsive, immature and scream filled Chekov shows up in season two, he's one of the most emotionally stable officers to sit in the Navigation post. Starfleet's HR department must be run by the same group that handles safety protocols.
But hey, enough
complaining; it’s the first appearance of the Romulans! Yay!
The fact that it is Starfleet’s initial encounter with one of the two
prime adversaries is huge deal. At least
it was until the prequel stories messed that up. Prequel stories can do that to continuity
sometimes. (Hello Star Wars!)
There’s still some early
clunkiness here. What they call
“phasers” are actually “Proximity Photon Torpedoes” as anyone else who has
wasted countless afternoons playing Starfleet Battles can tell you.
The Romulan technology is somewhat schizophrenic as well. Their ship is clearly stated as sub-light, but the Plasma Torpedo it fires is catching up to the Enterprise moving at warp speed. I know bullets move faster than tanks, but not to the extent that they use modified physics. Then there’s the cloaking device, which works both ways. This may be the most advanced version ever of the Bugblatter Beast of Traal’s idea of, “if you can’t see it, it can’t see you,” but played completely straight. I think that should have served as ample evidence that this was a stolen “Destroyer vs. Submarine” plot, and they could have forgone the “hear a wrench dropped through the vacuum of space” panic moment.
The Romulan technology is somewhat schizophrenic as well. Their ship is clearly stated as sub-light, but the Plasma Torpedo it fires is catching up to the Enterprise moving at warp speed. I know bullets move faster than tanks, but not to the extent that they use modified physics. Then there’s the cloaking device, which works both ways. This may be the most advanced version ever of the Bugblatter Beast of Traal’s idea of, “if you can’t see it, it can’t see you,” but played completely straight. I think that should have served as ample evidence that this was a stolen “Destroyer vs. Submarine” plot, and they could have forgone the “hear a wrench dropped through the vacuum of space” panic moment.
Some interesting
character revelations in this one-
Based on his
conversation in this Episode, and even more so on what is revealed later, Spock
had to know Romulans looked like Vulcans.
Yet, he looks equally as surprised as the rest of the bridge crew. This
is likely because the Romulan commander looked exactly like his dad.
The reason the Romulans
lose is obvious. Parallels are set up between Kirk and McCoy, and the Romulan
Commander and the Centurion. The Rom’s
are missing a Spock to finish the awesomeness triangle.
Actually, both
relationships and conversations in this one sound more like Captain Pike and
Doctor Piper. Maybe it was an old
script?
The effect of Kirk’s
hypnosis shows during the attack as he grabs Rand in a “Danger Hug” for the
first time.
Lieutenant Uhura has a
couple moments of awesome. Not only is
she at the Navigation board again when “Lieutenant Diversity Training” gets
fired, but watch the scene when Kirk calls everyone to the briefing room. She spins her chair around to face forward as
they leave.
Based on who else was
left on the bridge, she was in command.
Interesting technical
note: after the inability to fire phasers caused by the leak in fire control during
this story, the weapons are all fired directly from Sulu’s console in future
episodes. Scotty must have rewired it to
avoid the issue recurring.
“Shore Leave”
Air Date: December 29,
1966
Mom Title: “Finnegan”
Sulu still likes botany, yay for continuity. He also has a gun collection. George Takei managed to use a bunch of throw away moments to build Sulu into a complex personality. Sulu also shows the most panic, not about the weirdness they’re encountering, but about being stranded. Given what happened last time he was stuck on a planet, this is perfectly believable.
Spock, of course, finds
the whole idea of shore leave illogical.
Sure thing Mr. First Officer, just wait until you meet Jill Ireland.
Deforest Kelley deals
with a giant rabbit six years before starring in Night of the Lepus. He also gives the Captain a run for his money
in the “you old dog” department with the much younger Lieutenant Tonia Barrows,
who was nearly a victim of a self-fantasized assault, which we’ll try not to
think about too much, ‘cause it’s icky.
(In fact, we’ll leave it
in the same bucket Kirk thinking his back rub came from Spock in the opening scene
is, and move along.)
We also will have no
jokes about Bones “bequeathing” the dancing girls to Sulu, thank you very
much. There will be a character versus
actor discussion on those issues next season.
There’s more evidence in
this one that the hypnosis has changed the good Captain. We learn he was known as a “Stack of books
with legs” at the academy. Also, he
meets Ruth, who has impossibly not aged since he last saw her. That was a big red flag for him figuring out the
Salt Vampire, and that creature wasn’t able to find a seductive form for
him. Now, Jim sees an impossible beauty
and just goes for it.
Finnegan gives us
additional peeks in to Kirk’s psyche, and not only because the main fantasy he
conjures up is a fight with a bully on Vasquez Rocks. Kirk is carrying a phaser and the revolver he
took from Sulu. Thus armed, he confronts
Finnegan, who he suspects of threatening his ship and crew…and charges straight
at him to engage in a fist fight. Sometimes the good Captain’s machoness
overwhelms his tactical abilities.
The Episode leads to
several questions, some of which can be easily answered:
Because the Captain
“wished” to understand what was going on.
Why didn’t Uhura get any
shore leave?
Because she was alone on
the Bridge with Spock. (Woo woo!)
And other questions
which are not:
Why, when they find a
terrifyingly advanced culture that can pull thoughts out of anyone’s mind,
create lethal items at a whim, and wield the power to raise the dead, do they decide
it’s a bitchen’ vacation spot instead of imposing a Talos IV level quarantine?
Why is no one on the crew concerned that the Captain is heading off, yet again, to fool around with a robot while highly romantic music plays?
“The Galileo Seven”
Air Date: January 5,
1967
Mom Title: “Spock
Commands a Shuttle…Badly”
Hey, this episode marks the introduction of the first butt headed administrator outranking Kirk that the Captain annoys and outwits. With senior staffers like this, it’s clear how the terrible safety protocols came into effect…
Like, maybe, putting
three senior bridge members on one shuttle in a dangerous area.
For shame!
The special edition is
another episode where the space scenes shine.
Sorry, felt the need to point out how wrong I was about nay saying that idea when first announced.
The thread of Sulu
showing extra concern for those stranded on a planet (like he was) continues in
this one, as genuine empathy can be seen for his lost crew mates.
There’s two ways to view
the main conflict of this episode:
One is that Commander Spock
somehow forgot everything he knew about humans after bonding with Kirk, McCoy
and others in this crew, plus his time under Captain Pike.
The other, is that he
was purposely being a jerk to make the crew accept the fact that he was planning
to stay behind himself. He implies the “needs
of the many outweigh the needs of the few” almost verbatim. He sacrificed himself the time that he’s most
famous for using that sentiment.
He probably was also
faking being stuck under that big rock on the last run to the shuttle for the
same reason since:
A) His incredible
strength has already been demonstrated,
and
B) It was clearly made
of Styrofoam.
It’s also interesting to
compare how the shuttle’s crew views the two senior officers.
It might be another case
or Vulcan racism, but it seems more based on the way they go about their
job. From personal experience I can tell
you this is accurate. Spock, as the scientist,
gets grief from those under him as he ignores their feelings while he over
analyses every situation to try to find the perfect solution before
implementing it.
The same crew members
have no problem with Scott, as the engineer, who keeps cranking out whatever
options he thinks will work and ignoring impromptu funerals, and other
“distractions.”
Scott’s also the first
one that figures out the brilliance of Spock’s last minute Hail Mary play,
continuing the trend of supporting his temporary commander’s decisions
throughout.
McCoy supported him where others were concerned, but also called on him to be more accountable as only a true friend could.
McCoy supported him where others were concerned, but also called on him to be more accountable as only a true friend could.
No red shirt losses, but
they lose a couple other colors due to the high quality Starfleet training
again. A giant roaring caveman managed
to sneak up on the highly observant Blue and Gold Shirts, disarm one of his phaser with a rock, and
kill another using a big pointy stick..
Upon the safe return of
the Shuttle crew, Uhura is in full on mooning mode, and laughs the hardest when
they all point out his human side.
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2 comments:
I just rewatched G7 today.
Two points
1) As you mentioned, three senior officers aboard the shuttle to study the quasar. Really no explained reason for Scotty and certainly none for McCoy. Ok, popcorn logic, wha'evs
2) more concerning, when the shuttle is lost to ionizion or what-not, the Enterprise races in to the one habitable planet without any kind of scan (they can't) to assure them that they too will get all fried by the radiation.
Also, I love Scotty in this episode and the way Spock has a highly suppressed respect for him that develops throughout the series.
Thanx for playing along at home.
There's only one episode where they seem to show any concern about putting multiple command officers in danger at once. Its in the 2nd season, and gets overridden by circumstances immediately. Safety protocols of any time (crew or ship) are woefully lacking.
Scotty is awesome, and generates respect from the rest of the gang more and more as the series progresses.
thanx again!
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