Star Trek at 50: This Side of Paradise

Season 1

Episode 25: This Side of Paradise
Filmed:  January 1967

First Air Date: March 2, 1967

Karen: Mr. Spock in love. What else need be said?

Karen: Well, OK, it's more than just that. Similar to "The Naked Time," everyone loses their inhibitions and basically goes awol. But this time, they all go to their happy place, even our favorite Vulcan. Was it a take on 60s drug culture? It seems so. When people are inoculated with the 'spores' they are blissful and contented - but not very productive. The colonists have done almost nothing for three years on Omicron Ceti 3, and the crew of the Enterprise, once under the spell, all decide to chuck it and beam down to the planet. This crew, said to be the finest in the fleet, suddenly abdicates all responsibility, and happily heads to the transporter to beam down and spend their time on the planet, staring at clouds. I suppose to many adults in the 60s, they probably thought that was a fair description of what was happening with the youth, with their own kids, back then!

Karen: Jerry Sohl came up with the premise and the story outline. Surprisingly, it had Sulu falling in love, not Spock. When the story was turned over to D.C. Fontana to turn into a full-fledged script, she immediately felt that it had to be Spock falling in love to really make an impact. Producers Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman loved it, and so the change was made. It's a wonderful showcase for the character, and for actor Leonard Nimoy, who was initially hesitant about the idea, but did a terrific job, particularly when the effect of the spores is violently stripped from Spock, and he realizes exactly what he's lost. 

Karen: Although this is typically thought of as a Spock episode, it is also a great vehicle for Captain Kirk, providing insight into his character as well. Above all, Kirk is driven by his dedication to his ship, and his mission. Of the entire ship's complement, it is Kirk alone who resists the spores' influence. Being the commander of the Enterprise is his paradise. He quickly shakes off the effects. But he must get his crew back. The Enterprise is nothing without the people running it. He knows he needs Spock to do this. The scene where Kirk provokes Spock into a fight in order to negate the effect of the spores is one of the most memorable of the season, with Kirk getting verbally abusive towards his First Officer, questioning his parentage and his manhood. It might be considered tame today but knowing these characters as we do, it's still hard to take.

Karen: "All right you mutinous, disloyal, computerized half-breed, we'll see about you deserting my ship." Whew! The only really flaw with this scene was the (once again) obvious use of stunt men for the two leads. It might not have been as noticeable years ago with smaller TV screens and standard definition, but with today's high definition format and giant screens, it is just painful.

Karen: Freed from the spores, Spock's sense of duty, and loyalty to Kirk, kick in. He helps the Captain rig a signal that will cause irritation in the crew on the planet and bring them out of their stupor too. But  Leila Kalomi (Jill Ireland), the woman with whom he's become involved, is released by her discovery that Spock is no longer "one" with them (sounds a bit like 'Return of the Archons', doesn't it?). The Vulcan treats her kindly, but it's clear that the laughing, smiling Spock of the spores is gone. And both the dialog, and Nimoy's acting, let us know that he feels some dismay at this, even while he accepts it. The music that plays in this scene is the "Ruth" theme recycled from "Shore Leave", and it's quite effective here.

Karen: It must have been quite a shock to fans watching the show when it first aired to see the stoic Mr. Spock grinning and hanging from a tree branch, and smooching with a pretty girl. This could have been a disaster for Trek, if handled poorly, but instead, it was a breakout episode that gave not only Nimoy but Shatner chances to shine and expand their characters. 

Star Trek at 50: The Menagerie, Parts 1 and 2

Season 1

Episodes 15 and 16: The Menagerie, Parts 1 and 2

Filmed: October 1966 (The Cage filmed November -December 1964)

First Air Dates: November 17, 1966 (11th episode aired), November 24, 1966 (12th episode aired)

Karen: This two-part story is well-loved by most Star Trek fans - and why not? It surely gives us a deeper understanding of Spock, and expands our sense of wonder at the universe out there that the Enterprise crew is bravely exploring. It's also a huge 'what if' - what if the network had given the original pilot ('The Cage') the greenlight, and we had received a very different Star Trek?

Karen: Gene Roddenberry had the idea to incorporate footage from 'The Cage' as not only a cost-cutting measure, but to help fill out the production schedule, as the network had ordered more episodes of the show. However, rather than producing a crass product, the move created two fine episodes which invariably make top ten lists. 

Karen: Roddenberry put forth his proposal to NBC, and they agreed, stipulating that the new content be approximately 50% of the two episodes and feature current cast members. An 'envelope' story, to encompass the footage from 'The Cage,' was developed. John D.F. Black made a first pass at it, but Roddenberry wasn't satisfied and did his own version.  Black filed a complaint with the Writer's Guild for credit but lost, a result he was always bothered by. Roddenberry felt he had been the originator of the concepts. As noted in previous posts, these sort of disagreements would occur frequently with the show, particularly in the first season. Gene Coon would provide some additional script work before it was final.

Karen: According to Marc Cushman in These are the Voyages Volume One, NBC was gratified that the script highlighted Spock. In a memo from NBC rep Stan Robertson to the producers, it reads, "We are very pleased that you have written in Mr. Spock as the primary character since, as you know, he is emerging as one of the definite "pluses" in the series." It had become apparent that the viewing audience 'grokked' Spock. This story would be a nice vehicle for the Vulcan.

Karen: Malachi Throne was cast as Commodore Jose Mendez. Of note is that Throne originally did the voice of the head Keeper in 'The Cage' (which you can hear in the trailer below) but it was redubbed for 'The Menagerie. Sean Kenney had the unenviable role of the injured Captain Pike. They needed an actor who had at least a basic resemblance to Jeffrey Hunter, who had played Pike in the pilot. But poor Kenney was literally slathered in latex, stuck in a bizarre futuristic wheelchair, and had no lines! Luckily he was also cast on two other episodes ("Arena" and "A Taste of Armageddon") as Lt. DePaul -happily without any makeup.

Karen: 'The Menagerie Part One' is very much a mystery -why is Spock hijacking the Enterprise? Why is he kidnapping his former commanding officer, Captain Pike? Why go to Talos IV, a forbidden world? It's all very exciting. We know how incredibly loyal he is to Captain Kirk, as well as Starfleet, so his actions are shocking. Kirk is especially dismayed that his First Officer -his friend -would betray him. But as the story of the earlier Enterprise crew's mission on Talos IV unfolds, things become clear.

Karen: Ultimately, we discover the depths of Spock's loyalty and friendship towards Pike -and also Kirk, whom he keeps out of his plans, so he cannot be implicated. It reveals Spock not as a person devoid of emotions, but rather one who feels deeply, but keeps those emotions held rigidly in check.

Karen: It is intriguing to get this glimpse of a Star Trek that might have been. I think that the actors and characters we wound up with are much superior to the ones in the pilot. Kirk (and Shatner) is far more dynamic than Pike; and McCoy seems much more human and likable than Dr. Boyce. I have to admit that Number One was rather interesting, but it's been stated that many of her characteristics were transferred to Spock. Of course, Spock himself behaved quite differently at that point. In any case, having 'The Cage' as part of Star Trek lore provided some nice history and backstory. 

Karen: Pike's struggle with the Talosians was deemed 'too cerebral' by NBC at the time, but it seems like pretty good science fiction/adventure to me. Overwhelmed by illusion, the captain is unsure of what to believe - but pieces together a way to to overcome his captors. Susan Oliver as Vina, the only survivor of a spaceship crash, provides Pike with insights -and is well-remembered for her turn as a green-skinned Orion 'slave girl.'

Karen: The idea that the gravely handicapped Pike might prefer a life of fantasy to reality would certainly be controversial today. At the time however, it was a rather beautiful expression of Spock's desire to see his former commander live out his life peacefully. I'm curious what you all think of this ending.

Karen: On a lighter note, as a kid, the alien Keepers really freaked me out. They had those pulsating veins on their heads -ewww!! I remember I called them 'the buttheads.' Nuff said.

Star Trek at 50: The Galileo Seven

Season 1

Episode 13: The Galileo Seven

Filmed: September 1966

First Air Date: January 5,1967 (16th episode aired)

Karen: I have mixed feelings on this one. What should be a great showcase for Mr. Spock as he commands a shuttle mission is really quite aggravating, because everyone under Spock's command not only questions his every order but make some fairly derogatory remarks about him. These are highly trained, disciplined Star Fleet officers? 

Karen: However, this was our first chance to see the shuttlecraft up close, in both space and on a planet, and it was a thrill. This episode was only possible because the model kit company AMT wanted to make kits of the Enterprise, and a deal was cut that AMT would actually build the TV series shuttlecraft  as part of the package to get the rights to make the starship kits. Two full-size  shuttlecrafts were built: one for exterior filming and the other for interiors, along with a miniature for special effects shots. 

The full-sized Galileo under construction.

Shuttlecraft interior sketch by Matt Jeffries

Karen: The story, by Oliver Crawford,went through a number of rewrites. The first one was major. The original script had Kirk leading the team, with Spock still on the Enterprise. Roddenberry suggested the switch. Crawford did a complete rewrite of the script, this time with Spock in charge. But the staff was still dissatisfied with the work and brought in Shimon Wincelberg, who wrote "Dagger of the Mind," to try to add some depth to the story. His draft brought in the annoying HIgh Commissioner Ferris, who added some tension on the Enterprise, and he replaced Yeoman Rand with Yeoman Butler (later Mears). At some point too, McCoy and Scotty were added to the shuttlecraft team. However, they still weren't satisfied with the script. 

Karen: So the rewrites continued. Gene Coon came in and did a couple himself. His major contribution appears to have been upping the antagonism between McCoy and Spock, as well as the touch of humor at the end.

Karen: Despite all of the work on the script, Spock and McCoy seem out of character to me. Spock is rigidly logical, to the point of stupidity. McCoy barks at Spock's every action and comment, So does Lt. Boma, played by Don Marshall, whose insubordination seems like it should be enough to get him court martialed. But I guess it doesn't count when a Vulcan is involved.

Karen: Thankfully Scotty is rock-steady in this one. He's the only one who does not question Spock's commands or decisions but instead works with him to get the shuttle off the planet. 

Karen: The giant humanoids who attack the crew on the planet are an interesting story. All played by one actor, Robert "Big Buck" Maffei, a seven foot one inch tall giant of a man, they are never shown clearly. Apparently, the network thought the makeup devised for the creatures was too frightening, so we never get a good look at it, and a publicity still that showed it in all its neanderthal-ish glory was axed. But here's that publicity photo just for you to feast your eyes on. I think it was pretty cool myself!

Karen: Unfortunately, the primitives' attacks were a little less than convincing, with spears sort of haphazardly tossed towards the shuttle, and Spock pinned by what appeared to be the lightest boulder in the universe. Still, this episode did give us proof that it wasn't only the guys in the red shirts that were in jeopardy:

Karen: In the end, Spock's decision to jettison the fuel and set it alight saves the crew, and he is rewarded by having Kirk suggest he panicked and having everyone on the bridge break up laughing...seriously, it must suck being the only Vulcan on the Enterprise.

Star Trek at 50: The Naked Time

Season 1

Episode 6: The Naked Time

Filmed: June/July 1966

First Air Date: September 29, 1966 (4th episode aired)

Karen:"The Naked Time" is nearly universally considered to be one of the best original Star Trek episodes. It was even nominated for a Hugo Award in 1967. As the fourth episode broadcast, it provided viewers with insight into the personalities of Enterprise crew, particularly Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. A strange infection causes deeply buried desires and traits to come to the surface, causing chaos on the ship. At the same time, the planet the Enterprise is orbiting is beginning to break up, creating a difficult navigational situation. This only gets worse when Lt. Kevin Riley, under the influence of the contagion, takes over engineering and shuts down the engines, resulting in the ship heading dangerously towards the planet's surface.

Karen: This episode was written by John D.F. Black, associate producer and script editor at the beginning of the first season. Black had both science fiction and TV and film screenwriting experience, and had even won a Writers Guild award for one of his screenplays. This had brought him to the attention of Gene Roddenberry. However, when Roddenberry decided to do some rewriting of Black's script, it caused irreconcilable issues between the two, as Black felt that Roddenberry had been tinkering too much with the scripts of other writers, particularly talented science fiction authors, and now his own script was getting the same treatment. Author Marc Cushman, in his excellent These are the Voyages Vol.1, looks evenhandedly at both sides of the argument. Black was quoted as saying, "I couldn't bear to see quality work changed to the point where the dialogue did not have the sharp edge that it had...I was watching too much good material getting screwed up and I couldn't take it."

Karen: For Roddenberry's part, it was a case of the creator feeling he knew best. "During those first shows, none of our writers knew what I wanted to do. Not fully. But I had this idea; I could see where to take it, who Kirk was, who Spock was." Roddenberry rewrote the script before Black was allowed to do a second draft,which went against Writers Guild rules. Black was furious. But he took Roddenberry's version and did his own draft. The script would go back and forth between the two several times. But only Black would be credited on screen. 

Karen: One of the notable things that Roddenberry added was the character of Nurse Christine Chapel, played by Majel Barrett. Barrett had played the role of Number One, the raven-haired first officer of the Enterprise in the original Star Trek pilot that NBC passed on. The executives had demanded Roddenberry dump the female officer, saying she was not likable. But since Barrett and Roddenberry were romantically involved, he was determined to get her back on the show. He might have thought putting a platinum blonde wig on her would fool them, but he was wrong. Bringing Barrett back was just one of the things that would make his already bad relationship with NBC worse.

Karen: Besides Roddenberry's rewrites, two actors also contributed their own ideas. Leonard Nimoy came up with the idea of having Spock seek privacy in the briefing room, where he breaks down. Originally, he was to walk down the corridor crying, and a crewman would paint a mustache on his face. That's it. Talk about a lost opportunity! The other change came from George Takei as Sulu. Writer Black had planned to give Sulu a samurai sword. Takei told Black, "Sulu is a 23rd century guy. I'm a 20th century  Asian-American, and I didn't grow up brandishing a samurai sword. I was swept away by Errol Flynn and The Adventures of Robin Hood. What about putting a fencing foil in Sulu's hand?" And so a brilliant, memorable scene was born.

Karen: And what of Lieutenant Kevin Riley, the descendant of Irish kings? Can anyone forget 'I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen'? Even if you tried, you probably couldn't. It's as bad as 'It's a Small World'. 

Karen: William Shatner also has a good turn as Kirk here, as the ship is starting to spiral down toward Psi 2000, when the audience finds out the extent of his dedication/obsession to his ship -"Never lose you" -is a great line. 

Karen: If there are any negatives, I'm hesitant to name them, because it's such a great episode. But when Spock and Joe Tormolen (what a name -turmoil?) beam down to Psi 2000, their special environmental suits look like they are made out of shower curtains. They are just awful. Then, Tormolen, a highly trained officer (one assumes), having been warned to be careful in this situation, takes off his protective glove and scratches his nose, and then touches the desktop at the station with his bare hand. Wow. Later, when he is infected, he tries to kill himself with what looks like a butter knife. And succeeds. So...a few weak points. But hey -who cares. The drama in this episode is great. I also noticed that when Kirk gives the order to Scotty to do the controlled implosion to restart the engines, he says, "Engage," so he beat Picard to that by twenty years!

Karen: Cushman points out that "The Naked Time" was originally conceived as Part 1 of a two-part story.At the end of the episode, the Enterprise is propelled back in time. Part 2 would have seen the Enterprise in the past, but the plan was scrapped. The idea though, was re-used as the germ for the later episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday."

Breaking News - Leonard Nimoy has Passed

Doug: Multiple news outlets are saying that famed Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy has passed away at the age of 83. Karen will be along later to shepherd the conversation.

Karen: It probably sounds trite to say a TV character taught me a lot about life, but it’s true. Mr. Spock, so brilliantly portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, doubtless appealed to many adolescents. The half-human, half-Vulcan Science Officer reflected the turmoil boiling just below the surface  that so many of us felt growing up. His calm exterior and tremendous self-control were to be envied, just like his incredible intellect. But it was the moments when we saw deeper into the character that we really remember –and Nimoy managed to get across such nuance in his performance that it hit on so many levels. Years later, after Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spock had finally made peace with the two halves of his heritage –and again Nimoy gave us a wonderful depiction of a more mature, changed Spock.

There are many great quotes from the character, but the one that really stands out right now, at the time of Mr. Nimoy’s passing, is this: “I have been –and always shall be –your friend.”

Thank you, Mr. Nimoy. Your many friends shall miss you.

2/28 -
Karen: I sat this evening looking through an old album of photos I took at various conventions I have attended over the years and came across a couple I'd like to share. 

In 2003 I saw Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner at the Star Trek Grand Slam Convention in Pasadena. The two came out on stage together and were terrific, sharing stories and trading barbs. But the highlight was when Carrie Fisher (in a rare con appearance) came out and went right past Shatner to give Nimoy a big kiss! The Shat was distraught, and Nimoy loved it. One of my fondest convention memories.

BAB Firsts: Weird Wednesdays: "In Search Of"

This post was originally published on July 22 2009

Welcome to a regular feature of Bronze Age Babies: Weird Wednesdays, where we look back fondly on books, TV shows, films, and reportedly real incidents connected with the paranormal. Growing up in the 1970s, I was acutely aware of a whole lot of weirdness out there: it seemed like we got reports of UFO sightings almost weekly, and in my home state of California, sightings of the mysterious Bigfoot were also frequent. Supposed psychics like Uri Geller were making appearances on all the talk shows of the day, and books like “Chariots of the Gods” brought pseudo-scientific theories to mass audiences. Television capitalized on the publics' interest with many shows that featured paranormal subject matter.

One of the most interesting TV shows to deal with the paranormal was “In Search Of”, a documentary series hosted by Leonard Nimoy (yes, Star Trek's Mr. Spock). The series premiered in 1976 and covered a wide variety of subjects: UFOs, witchcraft, lost civilizations, Bigfoot – you name it, there was an episode about it! With Nimoy as our guide, we viewers were whisked off into an unseen and sometimes frightening world. What made it all the more terrifying was the creepy music played on the show! This was not a show to be watched when one was alone in the house!

In general, the subject matter was handled in a serious manner. Eyewitnesses and experts were interviewed for each episode. The show sometimes used “recreations” of incidents, which often added some punch, and frequently left this young viewer having trouble falling asleep at night!

This show was one of my first introductions to the wacky world of the paranormal. The variety of topics covered had me going back to the library week after week, trying to dig up any information I could on things like Atlantis, Jack the Ripper, or Easter Island. “In Search Of” managed to both entertain and encourage further thought. Plus, it was flat out scary! For a preteen, it was a pretty good way to start my Saturday night – with the Love Boat and Fantasy Island to follow!

Unfortunately, the show is not currently available on DVD. To get your ISO fix, you’ll have to head over to YouTube.

Karen says: Welcome to the Sanctum, part 4

Welcome back to part 4 of my own little magical mystery tour of my comics room, or The Sanctum, as I like to call it. Today we'll be looking at the southwest corner, which is home to both the Justice League of America and all things Star Trek.

Besides Marvel Comics, Star Trek is probably the other major influence on my childhood. When I say Star Trek, I'm talking old school here: the original show, with the legendary team of Kirk and Spock (and McCoy too). Although I did enjoy Next Generation, and I really liked Deep Space Nine, classic Trek is and always shall be, my favorite.

On my bookshelf here you will see a signed photo of Kirk and Spock. For some reason I really dug the black and white picture, and managed to get it signed by William Shatner and then a year later, signed by Leonard Nimoy. It's one of my favorite items in my collection.

On the table in front of the photo are a variety of Trek knick-knacks, including a Spock button I purchased way back in 1975 at the San Diego Comic Con -my first convention -and some poker chips from the Las Vegas Hilton, former home of the Star Trek Experience. There's also a nice communicator replica that a friend got for me. As a kid I had a ton of Trek toys, models, Mego figures, etc, but that stuff is all gone now. Mostly I just have my books and autographed photos.

On the wall to the left of that photo are autographed pics of Shatner and Ricardo Montalban. I was very lucky to see Montalban at a Star Trek Creation Convention in Pasadena; I believe it was his only convention appearance. He was a wonderful speaker; I enjoyed his honesty, as he said there was no work for "crippled old mexicans" in Hollywood! Still, despite his obvious frustrations, he was a perfect gentleman, and despite being in considerable pain from back problems, he signed hundreds of autographs, and was gracious and friendly when I spoke to him.

I have gotten Shatner's autograph three times now. Although I have an insane admiration and love for The Man, he can be somewhat indifferent when signing. I did manage to get his attention one time when I mentioned that I loved his film Incubus, a film where all of the dialogue was in Esperanto. That got a very strange look from him. I don't know if he thought I was joking, or if he was afraid I was serious and possibly dangerous.

Nimoy on the other hand has been very friendly the couple of times I have met him. Unlike his Spock role, he seems to be a very warm guy. I also met George Takei (Sulu) outside of a convention panel one time and had a brief conversation with him, which resulted in taking a photo together. A year later, I returned to the convention and brought the photo for him to autograph. He looked at it and said, "I remember this!" and we chatted briefly, much to the annoyance of the folks in line behind me! Another good egg was the late James Doohan (Scotty). Back in the days before the Trek cons became so commercialized - ie, back when autographs were free! - I was able to meet Doohan a couple of times. He was a gregarious guy and loved talking to people. After one show in San Francisco, I spotted him in a gourmet market at Fisherman's Wharf, strolling around shopping. People came up to him and he was just as nice as could be.

Then on the other hand...I hate to say this, because the character of Uhura is so dear to me, but Nichelle Nichols was not the nicest person I ever got to sign. I think the reason for this was, the photo I asked her to sign was a group shot from Star Trek II, and her face was partially in shadow. All I know is, when I slid the photo before her, she looked at it, then looked up at me with a frown. She then turned to a friend sitting next to her and pointed to the picture. Her friend then also frowned at me. She signed it but said nothing to me. A few years later at another convention, the program explicitly stated that "Ms. Nichols will not sign photos where her face is obscured". Well OK!

The other residents of this area are the Justice League. I absolutely love the Bruce Timm Justice League cartoon and these large and small figures are here because of that. The glasses are ancient history. I got them from Taco Bell back in the mid70s. At one time I had all of them - the set included not just the ones here but also Superman and Wonder Woman - but only Aquaman, Batman, and Robin have survived. Unfortunately we didn't know back in those days not to put these glasses in the dishwasher! Because of that they are quite faded, but I still enjoy having them around to look at.

Up above this area of the room, I have some small sci fi posters, and a couple of copies of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, signed by the late, wonderful Forrest Ackerman. I had been hoping to get Ray Harryhausen's autograph on the same magazines at the same time but unfortunately I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe some day though...

Last but not least, although it's not technically part of the sanctum, my tiki mug shelf would be in the sanctum if I still had any wall space! These tiki mugs, shot glasses, coasters, and swizzles sticks come from a variety of tiki bars (and stores) chiefly in California and Arizona. What's ironic about all this is I'm not actually a drinker -I just like the way they look! I'm particularly fond of the top shelf, which includes a nifty rocket decanter, as well as robot and space-alien mugs. A good source for cool tiki mugs is Tiki Farm (http://www.tikifarm.com/index.asp). There's just something about the tiki aesthetic; it fits in perfectly with comics, sci fi flicks, and monsters! One of these days, I'll have to provide a tour of the Orbit Room, my outdoor tiki patio/lounge. But we'll save that for another time! I hope you all enjoyed this little glimpse at one woman's idea of heaven.