tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post5042939058792287775..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: Star Trek at 50: The Corbomite ManeuverDoughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-76529507904222833152016-02-11T01:29:01.588-06:002016-02-11T01:29:01.588-06:00When JJ Abrams can come up with a Nu-Trek story to...When JJ Abrams can come up with a Nu-Trek story to match this, then I'll start paying more attention to it. <br /><br />Though a very early episode, this one went a long way in defining the characters. There is Jim Kirk written as a character that Chris Pine's version misses by a country mile. Someone who can be calm in tense situations. but occasional still snapping, who shows an ability to improvise solutions when the pressure's on, and yet willing to take the risk of showing compassion when it may well work against him. And willing to deal with a situation such that will benefit both a former foe/new potential friend, and skittish crew member (can you imagine the new Kirk - or any modern commander - not only admitting that his crewman will likely make mistakes, but "You'll find out more about us that way - plus I'll get a better crewman in return"?)<br /><br />And this was a much better Spock than the lugubrious near-caricature he'd become in the TOS movies - reserved without being detached, concerned with overdisplaying it (the way he looks around and notes how worried his fellow crew are, so attempts to break the alarm by comparing Balok to his father).<br /><br />You might get the idea that this was one of my fave TOS episodes...I would not disagree with the notion.B Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16618583443442543086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-26625688575479070512016-02-10T18:51:27.617-06:002016-02-10T18:51:27.617-06:00Nichelle Nichols has recounted that story about Dr...Nichelle Nichols has recounted that story about Dr. King frequently. Obviously it has resonance. And it's a good story. I don't really want to say much more than that.<br /><br />At some point someone with Mego experience should do a post on the Star Trek Mego figures. I only ever had Spock. I just never got into them. But I do recall they had some weird versions of aliens, as J.A. notes.<br /><br />The real Balok IS pretty weird, come to think of it. The Star Trek make-up and wardrobe people had a lot of different ideas on how to handle him before settling on what we got. They considered using a little person too. But I think Clint Howard's performance is charming. It's offbeat without being too weird to be laughed off the screen. He and his brother Ron were always solid child actors, but it made sense, coming from an acting family. Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-33640822166160303412016-02-10T12:56:59.686-06:002016-02-10T12:56:59.686-06:00I'm with Edo on this one...Balok never bothere...I'm with Edo on this one...Balok never bothered me, but that weird voice still kinda creeps me out! But I agree this is definitely better than "Where No Man Has Gone Before"; it's nice to see all the elements coming together.<br /><br />Mike WilsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-35267368457809995802016-02-10T12:13:50.165-06:002016-02-10T12:13:50.165-06:00This episode frustrated me a bit as a kid. I had ...This episode frustrated me a bit as a kid. I had the Mego Balok doll. It was labeled "The Keeper" (as in 'The Menagerie) but it looked just like Balok. That was one of the last episodes I saw. I was disappointed that they made a Mego that didn't really exist in the Star Trek universe, he was just a puppet. I still used him, but my friends were too literal and didn't want to involve him in our Mego adventures. J.A. Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15800901321134394272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-16267729874613329162016-02-10T11:33:46.746-06:002016-02-10T11:33:46.746-06:00This wasn't my favorite episode-- found it a b...This wasn't my favorite episode-- found it a bit dull. But I appreciate the review and the links, and looking forward to more of these Karen! I think of Apollo 13 for Clint Howard.<br /><br />As little kids, my friends and I would play Star Trek (would've been Cowboys and Indians in an earlier era). Most popular characters to play: Spock, Kirk, and Scotty.Garettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-53182686058102781632016-02-10T08:58:21.140-06:002016-02-10T08:58:21.140-06:00Colin, Nichols recounted that MLK story in an inte...Colin, Nichols recounted that MLK story in an interview she did with Neil deGrasse Tyson on Star Talk Radio some years ago - it's really amusing (and kind of cool that MLK was something of an early Trekkie).<br /><br />Corbomite Maneuver is indeed a good episode, and it's really too bad it wasn't aired first (or second), because it does a nice job of establishing some of the core characters and interactions. It's so jarring when watched 10th.<br />By the way, Balok never scared me that much (in fact, I vaguely recall finding Clint Howard speaking with an adult voice more unsettling), but that 'angel' in the episode And the Children Shall Lead (season 3) really scared me when I first saw him as a kid - even before he the children realized he was evil and his appearance began to change.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-56314887015347890742016-02-10T08:09:01.461-06:002016-02-10T08:09:01.461-06:00Yeah, I was in 5th grade when Pete Duel (formerly ...Yeah, I was in 5th grade when Pete Duel (formerly "Deuel") committed suicide, Colin. Geeze, the poor guy. It was THE tabloid shocker of the year. I'm not kidding-- girls I knew cried over it.<br /><br />But yeah, ol' Clint Howard. If you just listen to his voice, you can <i> totally </i> hear a distinct vocal similarity to brother Ron's. 'Round here we probably mostly remember him as Mark from Gentle Ben, the voice of Roo in several Disney Winnie-the-Pooh shorts, and a number of slightly-expanded bit roles in pretty much every film Ron Howard has made (which, honestly, I don't really have a problem with. It speaks very well of Ronnie's fraternal devotion, and Clint's a pro who doesn't drop the ball.) And even in this episode, although the effect with the voiceover never convinced me at all, and is jarring and kinda hard to sit through, you can still see that this little 7-year old kid is indeed inhabiting this rather smug-but-charming character of Balok. He surrenders to it convincingly, which is much to his credit.<br /><br />Yeesh-- that creepy puppet/head! Since re-runs were so haphazard, I think it was years and years before I ever actually saw this episode-- it may have been into early adulthood, even. So there it ALWAYS was during the end credits. . . eerie, malevolent, menacing. . . a disturbing mystery from the show's past that MUST have been explained at some point! And then what's so great is that it ends up being practically an homage to The Great And Powerful Oz, doesn't it? I mean, that similarity cannot have been accidental (otherwise it becomes darned close to plagiarism in its execution!).<br /><br />Also glad to see the uniform design in MUCH better shape than the previous episode. . . <br /><br />HB Humanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-58925655821021148002016-02-10T07:25:55.911-06:002016-02-10T07:25:55.911-06:00Gosh, I didn't know that little guy was Ron Ho...Gosh, I didn't know that little guy was Ron Howard's brother - I'm a bit slow, I only recently discovered that Pete Duel from 'Alias Smith & Jones' died in 1971. I remember reading an interview with Nichelle Nichols in which she said that she had planned to quit Star Trek but Martin Luther King persuaded her not to - "A door has been opened that absolutely must not be allowed to close" he said...so she stayed. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-55951811662265696582016-02-10T06:35:22.365-06:002016-02-10T06:35:22.365-06:00I've always like the concept of the "Firs...I've always like the concept of the "First Federation." It's interesting to wonder if the First Federation co-existed with, or was absorbed into, the UFP, since the FF was presumably also an alliance with other species (or perhaps one species, spreading its net widely among other systems). If the FF continued to exist separately, you would think it would have played a more pivotal role in Trek lore and the UFP's expansion.<br />Comicsfanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10064955427593820783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-51791524722565122632016-02-10T06:16:22.575-06:002016-02-10T06:16:22.575-06:00Ditto on the dummy used by Balok to scare his oppo...Ditto on the dummy used by Balok to scare his opponents. It was totally creepy and I still remember being unnerved by it. Saw it for the first time in those closing credits or whatever when they showed old scenes. Didn't know what it was forever. <br /><br />Rip Off Rip Jaggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09936426877024852134noreply@blogger.com