last of TOS S1
May. 29th, 2009 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kindkitI've finished season 1 of TOS! I think I've gotten used to British-length series, because 29 episodes seemed like a lot. Not necessarily in a bad way, but still a lot.
Spoilers for "The Devil in the Dark," "Errand of Mercy," "The Alternative Factor," "The City on the Edge of Forever," and "Operation: Annihilate."
"The Devil in the Dark"
This is the first episode where I really noticed how much Star Trek has become The Kirk and Spock Show. It's been happening for a while, of course, but for some reason it really leaped out here. Maybe because Spock was all "No, don't leave me behind to work on the reactor!" Which at first I thought was because he wanted to do science, but in fact was about looking after Kirk, just like Kirk trying to leave Spock behind was about keeping him safe.
So naturally the two of them, captain and first officer, send all the security people in other directions and look for the scary alien monster all by themselves. Uh huh. Guys, it's a mission, not date night. (Speaking of which, they're getting a bit grabby too, including the classic "Having caught you before you fell, I will now hold on to you for several seconds that aren't strictly necessary." Kirk is a bit grabby with everyone, of course, but Spock holds back from touch with anyone else, unless under some kind of mind-altering influence.)
Spock no doubt needs the stealth cuddles to deal with his trauma. After everything he went through in the last episode, now he's got to mindread the wounded Horta, feeling its physical and emotional pain. Poor Spock.
Also on the subject of Kirk/Spock love, I was entertained by Spock's instant turnabout on creature-killing as soon as he thought Kirk was threatened by it--he went from "OMG it's the last one known to science we mustn't kill it" to "KILL IT NOW JIM DON'T LET IT HARM A HAIR ON YOUR PRECIOUS PRECIOUS HEAD."
I really am trying to watch this show for more than just Kirk/Spock slashiness, but that's about all there was to this episode, really. Star Trek plots are nearly always predictable within fifteen minutes (of course the things are eggs!); I don't know if that's because the show was cliched or because it invented the cliches.
Speaking of predictable, I'm getting to the point where I can lip-synch along with the episode-ending banter. This ep's was extra fun, though, and Spock was obviously enjoying it. I'm getting the sense that banter lets him get his equilibrium back after trying times. And it's also a way to show affection without being obviously emotional, which suits not just Spock but Kirk and McCoy as well.
"Errand of Mercy"
Again with the Kirk/Spock show. It makes absolutely no sense for Kirk to take Spock with him and leave Sulu in command. Not that I'm complaining.
In some ways this is one of the more thoughtful political episodes. I love how the Organians turn the Federation's paternalistic stance (we just want to protect you for your own good!) against Kirk, and how Kirk is so irritated at being crossed that he ends up having a temper tantrum because they're taking his war away. Mind you, absolute pacifism is easy to espouse if you're immortal beings made of pure energy. In the real world, I tend to favor Kirk's side on the question of armed resistance.
Kirk, however, makes the world's worst guerrilla leader. Let's blow up a munitions dump for no good reason, with no follow-up plan, knowing that the Klingons will take reprisals! Let's discuss our secret plans in an office that we know damn well must be under surveillance! At least this allowed for a fun running joke, carried over from last episode, about Spock's uncanny precision at calculating the odds of success.
John Colicos is brilliant as Kor, the Klingon commander. It's all cribbed from elsewhere, like Laurence Olivier in Spartacus, but that doesn't make it any less amazing to watch. There's a disturbing sexual tension between him and Kirk, too--perhaps also borrowed from Olivier's Crassus, who as we know liked both snails and oysters.
"The Alternative Factor"
Yawn. Appalling overacting from guest star Robert Brown as Lazarus and dodgy special effects that not only go on for too long, but are repeated. And repeated. The plot was even more nonsensical than the usual run of TOS, too. The downbeat ending was interesting--there haven't been many of those since the early episodes--but heavy-handed.
The best part of this one was Lieutenant Masters. An African American woman engineer, shown in authority over white men, who's competent and brave and doesn't moon simperingly at Kirk or anybody else!!! Please, show, can we have some more?
"City on the Edge of Forever"
The classic episode, the one that crops up all the time in discussion and fic. This means I was spoiled for Keeler's death. In a way that was good, because it meant I could concentrate on the emotional aspects rather than waiting for Kirk to find a miraculous solution. I really did feel for Kirk, although Keeler herself was too undeveloped to let me feel for her.
Maybe it's not in keeping with the overall seriousness of the episode, but I couldn't help imagining that Spock's take on the whole business went something like this: "Great, Jim, we're finally alone together--really alone together because apparently we can only afford one bed--and you fall in love with the first inappropriately well-dressed woman you meet. Hey, did I mention that your girlfriend has to die to save the future?"
It's a great episode for McCoy, which I was especially glad of because the show's tightening focus on Kirk and Spock has rather left him out. He gets the best lines and the bravura bits of acting; I especially loved the scene with the milk thief when McCoy has just arrived in the past, and the things he's saying that are really the most rational (like "what planet is this?" and "I wish I could see a hospital") make him look more delusional than his actual delusions.
The way Edith Keeler would've changed history via a peace movement was a nice twist, I thought. But I was less happy about it after reading that one of the show's producers (not Roddenberry) said it was a deliberate slap against the anti-Vietnam War movement. This almost makes sense of Harlan Ellison's 40-year grudge against the show. Almost, but then again Ellison seems to have always been an angry grudgey dickhead.
There was lovely sharp dialogue throughout (whoever actually wrote it!) and some great humorous moments, such as the clothes-stealing scene and Spock's modest request for five pounds of platinum. I kind of want domestic-comedy fic about them grocery shopping and fighting over who has to sleep on the lumpier side of the bed.
"Operation: Annihilate!"
Now it's Kirk who has the trauma poured on--Edith Keeler dying in the last episode, now his brother and sister-in law. Yet his grief for the family does seem a bit pale in comparison with his worry and grief for Spock. I kind of like that, actually, and I don't think it has to be interpreted in a shippy way. There's no reason to think Kirk was close to Sam; it would've been hard for them to keep much in contact given their jobs. Kirk's real family is on the Enterprise. Since I'm not a fan of the idea that blood family should automatically mean more than anything else, this works for me.
There is, nevertheless, a ton of Kirk/Spock shippiness in this episode. I especially like the way Kirk grabs hold of blind!Spock's arms, which is less about guiding him than it is about comforting him. Again, I think it's notable that Spock will accept this from Kirk when he avoids touch from anyone else.
The Spock-and-McCoy banter at the end is particularly lovely, with Spock giving as good as he gets. "My first sight was the face of Dr. McCoy bending over me!" and McCoy grumbling about how Spock needs more appreciation for beauty. If I wasn't shipping Kirk/Spock so hard I could definitely ship Spock/McCoy. Or Kirk/McCoy. Or all three of them, except I think McCoy would never quite be an equal partner--there's too much intense stuff between Kirk and Spock--so I don't see it working.
My favorite non-shippy moment is Uhura standing up for herself, with immense and graceful dignity, after Kirk snaps at her. Uhura takes no crap from anybody!!!
In a little while I shall watch "Amok Time." I'm massively spoiled for it, of course, but I've never actually seen it. I've seen the infamous Closer vid, though. Um, several times.
*****
Spoilers for "The Devil in the Dark," "Errand of Mercy," "The Alternative Factor," "The City on the Edge of Forever," and "Operation: Annihilate."
"The Devil in the Dark"
This is the first episode where I really noticed how much Star Trek has become The Kirk and Spock Show. It's been happening for a while, of course, but for some reason it really leaped out here. Maybe because Spock was all "No, don't leave me behind to work on the reactor!" Which at first I thought was because he wanted to do science, but in fact was about looking after Kirk, just like Kirk trying to leave Spock behind was about keeping him safe.
So naturally the two of them, captain and first officer, send all the security people in other directions and look for the scary alien monster all by themselves. Uh huh. Guys, it's a mission, not date night. (Speaking of which, they're getting a bit grabby too, including the classic "Having caught you before you fell, I will now hold on to you for several seconds that aren't strictly necessary." Kirk is a bit grabby with everyone, of course, but Spock holds back from touch with anyone else, unless under some kind of mind-altering influence.)
Spock no doubt needs the stealth cuddles to deal with his trauma. After everything he went through in the last episode, now he's got to mindread the wounded Horta, feeling its physical and emotional pain. Poor Spock.
Also on the subject of Kirk/Spock love, I was entertained by Spock's instant turnabout on creature-killing as soon as he thought Kirk was threatened by it--he went from "OMG it's the last one known to science we mustn't kill it" to "KILL IT NOW JIM DON'T LET IT HARM A HAIR ON YOUR PRECIOUS PRECIOUS HEAD."
I really am trying to watch this show for more than just Kirk/Spock slashiness, but that's about all there was to this episode, really. Star Trek plots are nearly always predictable within fifteen minutes (of course the things are eggs!); I don't know if that's because the show was cliched or because it invented the cliches.
Speaking of predictable, I'm getting to the point where I can lip-synch along with the episode-ending banter. This ep's was extra fun, though, and Spock was obviously enjoying it. I'm getting the sense that banter lets him get his equilibrium back after trying times. And it's also a way to show affection without being obviously emotional, which suits not just Spock but Kirk and McCoy as well.
"Errand of Mercy"
Again with the Kirk/Spock show. It makes absolutely no sense for Kirk to take Spock with him and leave Sulu in command. Not that I'm complaining.
In some ways this is one of the more thoughtful political episodes. I love how the Organians turn the Federation's paternalistic stance (we just want to protect you for your own good!) against Kirk, and how Kirk is so irritated at being crossed that he ends up having a temper tantrum because they're taking his war away. Mind you, absolute pacifism is easy to espouse if you're immortal beings made of pure energy. In the real world, I tend to favor Kirk's side on the question of armed resistance.
Kirk, however, makes the world's worst guerrilla leader. Let's blow up a munitions dump for no good reason, with no follow-up plan, knowing that the Klingons will take reprisals! Let's discuss our secret plans in an office that we know damn well must be under surveillance! At least this allowed for a fun running joke, carried over from last episode, about Spock's uncanny precision at calculating the odds of success.
John Colicos is brilliant as Kor, the Klingon commander. It's all cribbed from elsewhere, like Laurence Olivier in Spartacus, but that doesn't make it any less amazing to watch. There's a disturbing sexual tension between him and Kirk, too--perhaps also borrowed from Olivier's Crassus, who as we know liked both snails and oysters.
"The Alternative Factor"
Yawn. Appalling overacting from guest star Robert Brown as Lazarus and dodgy special effects that not only go on for too long, but are repeated. And repeated. The plot was even more nonsensical than the usual run of TOS, too. The downbeat ending was interesting--there haven't been many of those since the early episodes--but heavy-handed.
The best part of this one was Lieutenant Masters. An African American woman engineer, shown in authority over white men, who's competent and brave and doesn't moon simperingly at Kirk or anybody else!!! Please, show, can we have some more?
"City on the Edge of Forever"
The classic episode, the one that crops up all the time in discussion and fic. This means I was spoiled for Keeler's death. In a way that was good, because it meant I could concentrate on the emotional aspects rather than waiting for Kirk to find a miraculous solution. I really did feel for Kirk, although Keeler herself was too undeveloped to let me feel for her.
Maybe it's not in keeping with the overall seriousness of the episode, but I couldn't help imagining that Spock's take on the whole business went something like this: "Great, Jim, we're finally alone together--really alone together because apparently we can only afford one bed--and you fall in love with the first inappropriately well-dressed woman you meet. Hey, did I mention that your girlfriend has to die to save the future?"
It's a great episode for McCoy, which I was especially glad of because the show's tightening focus on Kirk and Spock has rather left him out. He gets the best lines and the bravura bits of acting; I especially loved the scene with the milk thief when McCoy has just arrived in the past, and the things he's saying that are really the most rational (like "what planet is this?" and "I wish I could see a hospital") make him look more delusional than his actual delusions.
The way Edith Keeler would've changed history via a peace movement was a nice twist, I thought. But I was less happy about it after reading that one of the show's producers (not Roddenberry) said it was a deliberate slap against the anti-Vietnam War movement. This almost makes sense of Harlan Ellison's 40-year grudge against the show. Almost, but then again Ellison seems to have always been an angry grudgey dickhead.
There was lovely sharp dialogue throughout (whoever actually wrote it!) and some great humorous moments, such as the clothes-stealing scene and Spock's modest request for five pounds of platinum. I kind of want domestic-comedy fic about them grocery shopping and fighting over who has to sleep on the lumpier side of the bed.
"Operation: Annihilate!"
Now it's Kirk who has the trauma poured on--Edith Keeler dying in the last episode, now his brother and sister-in law. Yet his grief for the family does seem a bit pale in comparison with his worry and grief for Spock. I kind of like that, actually, and I don't think it has to be interpreted in a shippy way. There's no reason to think Kirk was close to Sam; it would've been hard for them to keep much in contact given their jobs. Kirk's real family is on the Enterprise. Since I'm not a fan of the idea that blood family should automatically mean more than anything else, this works for me.
There is, nevertheless, a ton of Kirk/Spock shippiness in this episode. I especially like the way Kirk grabs hold of blind!Spock's arms, which is less about guiding him than it is about comforting him. Again, I think it's notable that Spock will accept this from Kirk when he avoids touch from anyone else.
The Spock-and-McCoy banter at the end is particularly lovely, with Spock giving as good as he gets. "My first sight was the face of Dr. McCoy bending over me!" and McCoy grumbling about how Spock needs more appreciation for beauty. If I wasn't shipping Kirk/Spock so hard I could definitely ship Spock/McCoy. Or Kirk/McCoy. Or all three of them, except I think McCoy would never quite be an equal partner--there's too much intense stuff between Kirk and Spock--so I don't see it working.
My favorite non-shippy moment is Uhura standing up for herself, with immense and graceful dignity, after Kirk snaps at her. Uhura takes no crap from anybody!!!
In a little while I shall watch "Amok Time." I'm massively spoiled for it, of course, but I've never actually seen it. I've seen the infamous Closer vid, though. Um, several times.
*****
