"Court Martial"

Beginning with this entry, I'm going to try and more briefly encapsulate the plot of each episode, to save disk space and time, as well as to get more "lean" in my writing.

The plot: Kirk is nearly drummed out of the service when computer records indicate he had a lapse of judgment brought on by stress, leading to the death of a member of his crew, also an old friend. Kirk demands the court martial hearing that Starfleet would rather avoid, and during the proceedings, Spock learns that the computer records were falsified, leading to Finney, the man presumed killed by Kirk's alleged inactions. Finney admits he set Kirk up to get revenge for a report Kirk filed years earlier,
which stalled Finney's career. Finney is brought to justice and Kirk's honor is restored.

"Court Martial" was the second episode to involve legal drama and Starfleet regulations, the first being the two-parter "The Menagerie." This episode's tight plot and focus on courtroom drama was the main inspiration for the equally successful "Measure of a Man" in Star Trek: The Next Generation's second season.

We also meet another former flame of Kirk's, Areel Shaw, who has to serve as his prosecutor since she's the JAG officer for the sector, and Samuel T. Cogley, whose only appearance was well-received by fans due to a passionate speech on law and humanity and his romantic view of books and the law itself.

Screencaps from "Court Martial."

The episode's title card.



Kirk stands trial for the death of a crew member. Samuel T. Cogley stands with Kirk as his legal counsel.



Finney reveals himself and his reasons for framing Kirk.



Kirk and Areel share a kiss on the bridge.

"Tomorrow is Yesterday"

Captain's Log: 11240.6. 0714 hrs.

Yet again, The Trektastic Voyage is running a little behind schedule. I'm a week late, but it's a holiday week and there just hasn't been time. Today I'll discuss what would have been last week's entries, and hopefully by Monday, this week's entries will be added as well.

"Tomorrow is Yesterday" is up first, a fun little episode that would set the stage for other Trek episodes featuring time travel. The Enterprise encounters a "black star" which sends her back in time to late 1960s Earth, where she's discovered by the Air Force and labeled a UFO. A fighter is sent to investigate, and Kirk has the tractor beam locked on to bring it aboard before it lauches missles on the weakened Enterprise. The beam is too much for the 20th century ship, and its pilot, USAF Captain John Christopher, is beamed aboard the Enterprise. He's given a quick tour of the Enterprise's bridge, and is then informed by Kirk that he can't go back since he has knowledge of the future. Compounding matters is Christopher's revelation that the Enterprise was photographed by his plane's wing jets, which would have survived the crash. Kirk and Sulu beam down to the get the film, but Kirk is captured and interrogated. Spock figures out how to get the Enterprise home and Scotty makes the ship ready. Spock and Christopher rescue Kirk, but Christopher tries to stay on Earth. A Vulcan-nerve pinch later and Christopher is back on the Enterprise. Spock's plan to have Christopher and a guard beamed up out of necessity is successful, as both men are returned to the time right before they made their discoveries of the Enterprise crew. Christopher will now have no memory of his unborn son's destiny as the first human to journey to Saturn, and the future is secure.

"Tomorrow is Yesterday" is a classic Trek episode well-loved by many Trek fans. There's a wonderful sense of excitement in seeing the Enterprise and her crew in our time, and there's much fun and humor resulting from their interaction with people and situations alien to them because of time. There are great scenes here for Kirk, Spock, and Bones, and John Christopher's role allows Trek fans to live the dream of visiting the Enterprise, if only briefly.

The episode would go on to inspire other time-travel episodes in all the series, and was the basis for the story for the most well-received Star Trek feature film, "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," which also involved time travel.

Screencaps for "Tomorrow is Yesterday."

The episode's title card.




Captain John Christopher: a man out of time.



A bona fide UFO: The Starship Enterprise in orbit of 1960's Earth.



Kirk and Sulu: "Little green men."

Captain's personal log...

Well, here I am a little over two months into The Trektastic Voyage, and I have to say, this isn't an easy thing to do each week.

The life of a husband, high school teacher, college student, and father of a one-year old is a busy one. I find it more and more difficult to allocate time each weekend to viewing the episodes and then doing the entries for the blog.

But I'm not giving up. I want to complete this year-long odyssey and I know I'll be proud of the accomplishment when I look back on September 8th, 2007 and see a year's worth of Trek episodes and six feature films.

I've been a few days late with the entries, but I haven't missed a week yet, and I'm going to continue to try and get them in as best as I can. This weekend and the Thanksgiving holiday following it might make it hard to do, but I will watch the episodes and make entries here.

To those of you who still check in from time to time but who don't post, thanks for continuing to visit the site and thanks also to those who occasionally post with your thoughts.

Peace, Chris

"Arena"

"Arena" is one the episodes of the original Star Trek series that is iconic in the memories of die-hard and casual fans alike. It features an alien that was feared at the time the episode was released and which is mostly mocked now, and a battle between Kirk and that alien which became the basis not only for many future hours of Trek, but also, other television shows and films as well.

The long and short of the story: the Enterprise is called to the Starfleet base on Cestus III. Kirk and a landing party beam down to discover that the base is in ruins, destroyed by a mysterious enemy who begins attacking the party. The party finds a survivor, who informs Kirk that the base was destroyed before the message was sent to the Enterprise, meaning the enemy wanted to lure the ship there. While Kirk and his team struggle to survive the disruptor barrage on the surface, the Enterprise is engaged in a fight with a ship never seen before. Kirk defeats the aliens on the planet and returns his team to the Enterprise and orders a pursuit of the enemy vessel. The Enterprise catches up to the alien ship, but Kirk is spirited off the bridge to the surface of an unexplored planet after being told by a mysterious alien race called the Metrons that he must battle the captain of the alien vessel. Planetside, Kirk meets the enemy captain, his first encounter with a Gorn, a large humanoid reptile. Kirk must use his wits to construct a weapon from the raw materials of the planet to survive against the Gorn, who is also given the same challenge. Kirk eventually defeats the Gorn, but proves to the Metrons that humans are not all savages when he spares the helpless Gorn's life. Kirk is returned to the Enterprise after a Metron tells him that one day far in the future, humans will be worthy of a partnership with the advanced Metrons.

"Arena" features a classic battle/survival scenario played out in a rugged, alien environment every bit a character in the story as Kirk and the Gorn are. Kirk's admitted aversion to reptiles and frustration with the Metron's never sways him from keeping his wits and his humanity about him, despite his injuries and the psychological rigors of the situation. The underlying theme of this episode, the dangers of prejudice, bigotry, and violence, are at the core of the principles treated not only by TOS but also by the spin-off series as well. The Gorn would go on to become a beloved fan design, and wouldn't return to the on-screen Trekverse until an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, featuring a CGI Gorn. The treament of human failings and potential in "Arena" will keep the episode forever among the favorites of fans of the original series.

Screencaps directly off the bow...

The episode's title card, with the shattered Cestus III base in the background.



The face of the enemy: the Gorn captain.



A glimpse of a Metron, who informs Kirk that in a thousand years or so, humanity might warrant further attention.

"The Squire of Gothos"

Captain's Log 11150.6.

The Trektastic Voyage continues boldly going with "The Squire of Gothos" and "Arena," two classic episodes from what is generally considered Trek's greatest season.

First up this week is "The Squire of Gothos," an episode filled with adventure, comedy, and a few chilling moments as well. The Enterprise is passing through a "stellar desert," an area devoid of any stars or planetary bodies. Spock discovers a planet that should not be in the area, and Kirk orders the coordinates sent to Starfleet Command so that another ship can visit the planet, as the Enterprise doesn't have the time to spare. Suddenly, Kirk and Sulu disappear from the bridge, and Spock orders the Enterprise to the planet to investigate.

A landing party of McCoy, navigator DeSalle, and science specialist Jaeger beams down to investigate a planet sensors indicate is a harsh and desolate wasteland overrun by tornadic storms and a nitrogen-helium atmosphere.

The landing party soon finds that a pocket of air on the planet is breathable, and they happen upon a large castle, wherein they find many trophies from Earth's eighteenth century, as well as Kirk and Sulu, frozen like statues. McCoy moves to investigate when a man dressed in the uniform of an 18th century military uniform appears, introducing himself as Trelane. Trelane frees Kirk and Sulu, and then explains to the party that he is the "squire" of the planet Gothos. Kirk demands that the party be allowed to return to the Enterprise, but Trelane refuses, demonstrating his amazing ability to produce anything the crew desires. This ability and setting will be revisited with lesser success in season three's "Catspaw," which is still many months away. Spock is able to break through the barrier with the transporters, and beams the party back aboard ship. Trelane reappears and brings the bridge crew back to the castle to entertain him.

Kirk destroys what he thinks is Trelane's source of power, and Trelane puts Kirk on trial. Kirk uses his quick wit to trick Trelane into a contest of strength, staying off his execution and giving him more room to play with. Trelane corners and almost kills Kirk, who strikes Trelane and assures him that even if Trelane kills him, Trelane will still have lost. A frustrated Trelane is visited by other beings like him, who appear only as green energy. They scold Trelane, who shows his true colors and acts like a spoiled child. Kirk is returned to the Enterprise, and classifies Trelane to Spock as a child.

The appeal of "The Squire of Gothos" comes mainly from the mysterious and even deadly nature of the being Trelane, given wonderful, vibrant life by actor William Campbell, who also portrayed Klingon commander Koloth in "The Trouble with Tribbles." Campbell makes Trelane an engaging and entertaining foil for Kirk, and plays well with Kirk's serious, determined nature. What's most interesting about the episode is that much of Trelane's character and the plot of "The Squire of Gothos" was lifted by Gene Roddenberry in "Encounter at Farpoint," the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In that episode, Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D meet Q, a being of great power also familiar with human history who also puts humanity on trial. Most fans believe Trelane was in fact a young Q, and popular Trek author Peter David used this conceit as the basis for his novel, "Q Squared," which forced Picard to face down both Trelane and Q.

Screencaps ahoy...

The episode's title card.



Trelane: The Squire of Gothos



Trelane is chided by his parents and sent to his otherdimensional room, presumably without dinner.

"The Galileo Seven"

Captain's Log, 1160.6

The Trektastic Voyage continues with yet another true Trek classic, "The Galileo Seven."

"The Galileo Seven" remains one of the most beloved of all Trek episodes. It deals with themes of prejudice, loyalty, and courage, all of which are part of the universal human experience.

The Enterprise is delivering a vaccine to a plague-stricken colony but has standing orders to investigate celestial phenomena along the way. Kirk is constantly reminded of his duty to the plague victims by the Federation commissioner on board. Kirk dispatches the shuttlecraft Galileo to investigate a nearby gaseous anomaly. The Galileo is forced to land on a planet within the anomaly that supports life. Once there, the situation rapidly degenerates as the seven Enterprise crewmen, under Spock's command, discover that they must leave two men behind to achieve lift-off and that there are giant ape-like creatures on the planet with murder on their minds. Two crewmen are killed by the beasts, and Spock is forced to realize that logic may not be enough to save the day. Scotty works one of his patented miracles, and is able to refuel the Galileo with the hand phasers on board. The Galileo takes off despite the attempts of the creatures to stop them, and the Galileo achieves a low orbit. Spock, realizing the Enterprise won't see them if she even is still around, gives in to a moment of human desperation and ignites the shuttle's fuel, getting the attention of the Enterprise. Once safely back aboard, Kirk and McCoy have a laugh of relief when Spock refuses to admit that he did indeed give in to a human impulse when using the fuel as a flare.

Spock's dilemma in finding ways to keep those under his first command alive is what drives the tension of the episode. The crewmen aboard the Galileo distrust and eventually loathe Spock's adherence to logic, and speak unkindly to him as a result. Spock's inability to realize that logic sometimes fails in illogical situations could be seen as the reason two crewmen lose their lives, but it's hard to blame Spock for decisions he feels are the best for the crew. McCoy's usually playful banter with Spock becomes cruel and biting here, evidence that the writers were still working out the details of the Spock-McCoy dynamic. The episode is a nail-biter because of its dire situation and the struggle Kirk must also face aboard the Enterprise, torn between his duty to his ship and his duty to Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the Galileo crew. This episode also features themes that would later be explored in the Star Trek films, especially Star Trek II, III, and IV.

Beaming up screencaps...

The episode's title card.



The Galileo Seven.



The fearsome beasts who seek to destroy the Enterprise crewmembers.



Spock, faced with the loneliness of command and the prejudice brought on by his alien heritage.

"Shore Leave"

Captain’s Log: 1150.6

The Trektastic Voyage is back on schedule with this week’s entries.

First up this week is “Shore Leave,” a fun little episode that serves as quite a diversion after the heaviness of last week’s episodes. As the episode open, Captain Kirk mentions in his log that his crew has been through a great strain in the last five months. We can only assume he’s talking about the events we’ve seen prior to this, and boy, is he right. From finding a parallel Earth which almost killed Kirk and other crewmembers to being tortured in an intergalactic asylum to almost being destroyed by a powerful race of aliens who turned out to be little folk to a deadly chase with a Romulan starship, the Enterprise has indeed seen a lot of action.

McCoy, Sulu, and the very lovely Yeoman Barrows (beauty must’ve been a condition for becoming a yeoman in Starfleet) are down on the surface of a planet that is as “beautiful as Earth once was,” suggesting that the writers were still not sure A) how Earth looked at the time of Star Trek or B) if Earth even still existed. Nevertheless, McCoy and Sulu give the planet their stamp of approval, though McCoy has a run in with a giant white rabbit and a blonde girl he realizes is Alice. Kirk beams down after hearing McCoy’s story and soon realizes something’s rotten in Denmark. Kirk thinks of a bully from his Academy days, Finnegan, and sure enough, ol’ Finnegan appears to taunt “Jimmy Boy.” Finnegan attacks Kirk, and Kirk eventually meets an old flame from his Academy days, Ruth. Meanwhile, other Enterprise crewmembers are meeting physical manifestations of their thoughts and desires. After beating the tar out of Finnegan and McCoy's death at the lance of a knight, Kirk and Spock realize that something on the planet is reading and manufacturing the thoughts of the crew. The planet's Caretaker appears and tells Kirk that the planet exists as the ultimate fantasy world. Kirk orders the rest of the crew to beam down for shore leave, advising them to monitor their thoughts carefully, and the episode ends with a rested Kirk giving the order to depart days later.

"Shore Leave" has some nice character moments for all of the major players. We learn that Kirk was a severe "bookworm" who was tormented by Finnegan. It's hard to imagine that someone with Kirk's charm and heroic bearing could have ever been bullied, but the revelation adds a nice dimension of humanity to the character. We see McCoy's interest in Yeoman Barrows, which is more than understandable, and it shows us that love in the 23rd century seems not to know boundaries of age, as Barrows is likely fifteen years McCoy's junior. We also get nice moments for Spock, who is faced here with what he admits is a foreign idea to him: engaging in activity as a means of rest.

"Shore Leave" offers a nice mystery and a light-hearted, fun adventure for the crew, the kind of episode that likely inspired "The Trouble with Tribbles" and the film "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." The Original Series worked so well because it could balance drama, tension, action, romance, and even flat-out comedy in a way few other shows were able to. That mixture was lacking in most of the episodes of the spin-off series that began with "The Next Generation." Hopefully, the fun of "Shore Leave" will be remembered by J.J. Abrams when he begins working on Star Trek XI.

Screencaps below!

The episode's title card.



The beautiful Yeoman Barrows, about to be even more beautiful in the dress of a princess.



Kirk relishes giving Finnegan his just desserts after all these years.



Leonard McCoy: Star Pimp. The good Doctor reappears, alive and in great spirits.

"Balance of Terror"

Captain's Log: 11030.6.

The second episode in what would have been last week's leg of The Trektastic Voyage is one I'm almost afraid to write about, the classic "Balance of Terror." I say I'm almost afraid to write about it because from the performances to the set lighting to the camera work, this film is a symphony of drama and tension. Every aspect of the episode's production hits all the right notes, making "Balance of Terror" one of the top three episodes in the history of Trek, along with "City on the Edge of Forever" and "Space Seed."

"Balance of Terror" begins with a joyful occasion: the wedding of two crewmembers. Kirk begins the ceremony when Spock calls for Kirk, informing him that the Earth outposts (which we'd later know to be called Starbases) the Enterprise was heading for have winked out of contact. Kirk sounds red alert and the crew snaps to attention, leaving Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson standing at the altar. They exchange worried glances and then head to their duty stations as well, and we follow Kirk as he strides determinedly towards the bridge.

So begins one of the most tense episodes of any Trek series to date. The episode is so well-paced, we don't have to wait to find out what's up. The Enterprise crew witnesses the destruction of the last Earth outpost by what is clearly a Romulan vessel. In a scene that builds the crescendo of the episode's action, we learn from Spock's address to the crew that the Romulans and Earth and her allies were engaged in a bloody war two hundred years earlier. The state of technology at the time made visual communication impossible, and thus no one has ever seen a Romulan.

Shortly thereafter, Spock is able to intercept the Romulan ship's transmissions, and in a powerful scene which switches from the Romulan on the screen to Kirk and Spock and then back to Kirk and Stiles, showing their reactions, a Starfleet crew gets its first glimpse of a Romulan: the ship's commander, played by the talented Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Spock's father Sarek for many years afterwards. The huge revelation here is that the Romulans look almost exactly like the Vulcans, which leads to a great deal of unease for Spock. After Spock presents his analysis of the debris leftover from one of the outposts, Kirk decides the Enterprise must pursue the Romulan vessel and prevent it from reaching the Neutral Zone, a space established after the Earth-Romulan War that is off limits to both parties.

After a tense game of cat and mouse that damages both ships, Kirk finally gains the upper hand and has the Romulan commander and his ship at Kirk's mercy. Kirk signals for the Romulans to surrender and prepare to be boarded, but the Romulan commander refuses, and expresses his sorrow that he and Kirk did not know each other in a differnt context, for they might have been friends. The Romulan commander activates his ship's self-destruct, and the ship is vaporized before the eyes of the bridge crew. We also learn that the only fatality from the encounter with the Romulans was Tomlinson, and the episode closes with Kirk comforting Martine over the loss of her fiance.

"Balance of Terror" is one of the truest examples of what Star Trek is and what it's about. If someone asked me to show them an episode that would hook them on the show, this would be it. From Kirk's resolute determination and tactical brilliance, to the prejudice Spock experiences from Stiles, this episode shows us a very bold future, peopled with characters who remain human despite the advancements of the future. Unlike what became of Star Trek The Next Generation, The Original Series characters are real and human, and this episode gives us the tension and frailty that makes this show so resonant even forty years later. We feel terror as we watch Commander Hansen of the outpost die, we feel Kirk's hopelessness as he struggles with whether or not he should pursue the Romulans and possibly start a costly war, we identify with Stiles's fears about the Romulan threat, and we sympathize with Spock, misunderstood and feared because of his link to the Romulans. All in all, "Balance of Terror" does what good Trek always did: it makes us confront our own convictions and indeed our very selves and consider what it means to be human.

Screencaps from "Balance of Terror."

The episode's title card.



Kirk enjoying a rare pleasant duty: the marrying of two members of his crew.



Cdr. Hansen's violent death at the hands of the Romulans.



The first appearance of a Romulan in Star Trek, played by Mark "Sarek" Lenard.



In a gripping scene, Kirk and Stiles react to seeing the Romulan's resemblance to Vulcans.



Spock as he takes in the view of his Romulan cousin on the viewscreen.



Captain Kirk, determined to stop the Romulans from returning home at any cost.



Kirk walks the corridors of his ship after consoling Martine, perhaps realizing that he and his ship could have very easily suffered the fate of the his Romulan counterpart.

"The Conscience of the King"

Captain's Log, 11030.6.

Well, I knew it would eventually happen: I'd run late in watching the episodes for the week and updating The Trektastic Voyage. I was out of school two days week before last, and my wife's birthday and our annual Halloween party were the same weekend. So here I am, updating a week late. But as the old adage goes, "Better late than never."


The first episode in this week's installment of The Trektastic Voyage is "The Conscience of the King," a fantastic episode that focuses heavily on characterization and drama. The story begins with Kirk being told by an old acquaintance, Dr. Thomas Leighton, that Leighton suspects traveling actor Anton Karidian is in fact Kodos, one-time governor of the colony on Tarsus IV, where both Leighton and Kirk once lived as youths. Kirk refuses to believe at first, meeting Karidian's lovely daughter, Lenore. Kirk and Lenore are enjoying a nighttime walk together when they find Leighton's dead body. Kirk decides to arrange for the Enterprise to transport the Kardian troupe to their next gig, and becomes tormented by the possibility that Karidian could be Kodos. He falls more and more for Lenore, and eventually confronts Karidian. The two men have a passionate exchange, and Kirk realizes he still can't prove anything. Lenore hear's Kirk's accusations and spurns him. An attempt is made on Enterprise lieutenant Kevin Riley, and Spock suspects Karidian is behind it. Riley learns that Karidian may be Kodos, who years ago killed Riley's parents, and heads to the ship's performance hall to kill Karidian. Kirk intervenes and stops Riley from killing Karidian, and then overhears Karidian and Lenore talking. Lenore reveals that she has been killing the Tarsus IV survivors, in an attempt to protect Karidian. He's furious, and we learn that while he really was Kodos, he was trying to forget his past and give his daughter a life free from the burdens of that past. Kirk confronts Lenore and Karidian, and Lenore accidentally kills her father. The episode ends with Lenore en route to a rehabilitation colony and Kirk mourning not only Tarsus IV but also the loss of Lenore.

"The Conscience of the King" is the first episode of Star Trek to utilize Shakespearean themes and moods. Shatner's often criticized for his acting ability, but the truth is, he's a Shakespearean-trained actor, and that skills comes to the forefront here in what is one of his best Trek performances. The same is also true of Arnold Moss, who plays Karidian/Kodos. These two men carry the episode and give it its strength. Oddly, Spock is still not quite the Spock we know and love later on. He's clearly emotional in his conviction that Kirk suspects Kodos is Keridian. And McCoy is also a little too far out of character, more interested in knocking back shots than doing his duty as ship's physician and at least considering that Kirk might be mentally and/or emotionally compromised. Nonetheless, this episode is a strong one and remains successful even now.

Screencaps ahead!

The episode's title card.



The lovely Lenore.



The tortured Kodos.