Scott Atwell Star Trek Discussion thread (Series and Films) (5 Viewers)

[FanCollector]

Wait...you saw a Warren Stevens guest shot on ME TV last night and then a different one today? That is pretty great. Do you think they do things like that on purpose? Or was Stevens just that prolific? I think the latest performance of his I have is a Quincy, M.E. from the early 1980s. I have several from the 70s. Not so different looking; maybe a little more "distinguished."I liked that the Scotty ornament included the three laser prop. James Doohan was always insistent about The Doomsday Machine being his favorite episode, so I thought it was an appropriate choice.

 

[Nelson Au]

Lee, I think it's must have been a wild coincidence to see Stevens on those shows! He must have been prolific! . That was a good episode too. He was busy for 4 decades! Unless he worked in the 1940's too.I agree that the Scotty ornament was appropriately designed and sculpted!

 

[Nelson Au]

Now that I think about it, I saw three Mod Squads today, the first had Sammy Davis Jr and William Shallert in a small role as a priest. The second had Vincent Price and Warren Stevens and the third had Andy Griffith with Sharon Acker as his wife. I kept thinking she looks really familiar. Then I looked up the episode and I found it was her. She looked so different with her hair down verse how she appeared as Odana.

 

[FanCollector]

The ravishing AND talented Sharon Acker...With her lilting voice and those deeply expressive eyes, I'm not saying I would have stayed on Gideon, but I'd've thought about it. (And speaking of Quincy, she must have been a favorite of Mr. Klugman's also, as she played his leading lady in three separate episodes of that show, as well as on at least one episode of his last sitcom.) I think she might have become a bigger star, but she was a very proud Canadian and she kept going back to work in the Canadian television industry, which might have slowed her career momentum. As far as I know, she is still alive but I think she retired many years ago. Too bad for us.

 

[Nelson Au]

When I looked her up, I read the same appraisal of her career. I'm sure she did well enough without the acclaim in the US. The second Shatner appearance on Thriller is airing now.

 

[FanCollector]

Was that The Grim Reaper with a killer painting and Natalie Schafer from Gilligan's Island or The Hungry Glass with a killer mirror and Russell Johnson from Gilligan's Island? (Just poking a little gentle fun...in fact, I think they were both good shows.)

 

[Nelson Au]

Lee, Continuing from the music thread....but first, apologies for not seeing your post on The Grim Reaper. It was the Grim Reaper episode. Wow, he was so young, looked younger then his Outer Limits and Twilight Zone appearances. Spoiler: I'm afraid I missed a bit in the middle, so he was the killer all the way through and killed his aunt and he killed the husband too for her fortune, but in the end, the Grim Reaper got him! I'll have to see it again. It was cool to see Mrs Howell in a different context. I'll have to catch Shatner's other appearance on YouTube and rewatch the Grim Reaper for the bits I missed. Regarding Ms Fontana, I didn't realize either that she hadn't seen the bulk of third season episodes. And yes, my impression is she left more for the changes then any ill will for Roddenberry or others. Just the changes that Frieberger imposed. I have never liked him! So about Ms Fontana's work on Babel. I was thinking this morning as I listened to Journey to Babel that the one speech Mrs. Jane Wyatt gives created such a strong and long lasting image in everyone's head. It really sparked the imaginations to think that Spock was bullied as a kid. That one scene was so strong, ending with the slap on the face. And later we actually see the bullies in Yesteryear and JJ Abrams takes it further and does a live action version.I don't suppose Gamma Canaries was amongst your list?

 

[FanCollector]

Gamma Canaris seemed pretty deserted to me. Plus, if the Federation knew about it, they'd have found Cochrane.The only problem I have with The Grim Reaper is with the last moments. (I also have the same problem with the very end of the movie Harvey.) It seems to take something really unsettling and frightening and make it silly by being so terribly literal.As I said in the music thread, "to this day" was a projection. The actual statement by Ms. Fontana that she never saw any other third season shows was made in the 1980s. (She hasn't recanted that since; just that no one seems to have asked if she watched the rest after that.) She said she was contracted to provide three scripts, but after The Enterprise Incident incident, she asked to be released from that agreement.The scene in Spock's quarters is wonderful. He knows everything she says is true and he wants to say yes, if for no other reason than not to disappoint her, but he can't. And Amanda (who ironically told Kirk earlier that day that the Vulcan way is "a better way than ours") can't understand how her son can be so different from her.

 

[Nelson Au]

I figured Gamma Canaris was a long shot. I can see your point about the Grim Reaper. I have never seen Harvey! If the Grim Reaper painting really kills people, it would have been creepier if the Shatner character dies at the end without the audience actually seeing the cause. Except showing more blood coming out of the painting perhaps.I did see your post about the Fontana interview being in the 80's. So there's certainly a chance she could have seen episodes from the third season. Regarding the scene in Spock's quarters, I hadn't thought about Amanda's line earlier in the episode about the Vulcan way being better, then the irony later. Wow!

 

[Nelson Au]

"Do you know what the penalty for fraud is on Deneb Five?"I know Deneb has been discussed before, but perhaps not for the current question. I suppose it's not absolutely clear Deneb is a Federation flag planet. They do say that the Vulcans contacted the Denebians to check out Mudd.

 

[FanCollector]

Typical police mentality!Yes, Deneb V!! My favorite answer. I agree that there can be other interpretations, but it certainly sounds like a Federation planet. (Interesting how planets like Deneb and Argelius independently retain more death penalty offenses than the Federation as a whole. It is a further illustration of the broad nature of the alliance.)When Amanda says that the Vulcan way is better, she is truly tempting the Star Trek fates. On that show, you separate yourself from any aspect of your humanity at your own peril. The show often tells us that we need to improve, but it also warns us about doing so at the expense of our physical and emotional humanity. (That being said, I like that Amanda is such a positive character. Spock's difficulty with bullies and an unforgiving authoritarian father is offset by having a nice mom, allowing him to be the complex, well-rounded (though still troubled) character who fascinates us.)

 

[FanCollector]

And yes, I would have been happier with the idea of the painting causing the deaths without actually carrying out the physical actions, which struck me as a little silly. (Harvey is a good movie, and the issue is of a far more benevolent unseen force. I just wish it had ended about ten seconds sooner.)

 

[Nelson Au]

Wow, I wasn't sure Deneb V would count! I love the way Carmel plays that scene, with such a delusional sense of resignation! There such a great rhythm in the dialogue and how the cast played it in that sequence! You have a way with words Lee in how you distilled Amanda's character in Journey to Babel. In regards to Harvey, I can imagine how it ends! After reading your post, something dawned on me. Perhaps it wasn't so literal an ending. In the Grim Reaper, we hear the blade swooshing, we see Shatner reacting, but what are we seeing? I think what we saw wasn't reality. What we see is what Shatner's deluded or guilty mind sees as perhaps the painting causing him to kill himself, perhaps out of fear. The painter hung himself in the beginning of the episode. Perhaps the unseen force from the painting drives them to die. For Harvey, I think you know where I'm going. We see from Jimmy Stewart's POV.

 

[FanCollector]

That's just it--I find the Deneb V scene so funny because, on at least some level, Mudd really feels persecuted and expects some sympathy. It might be my favorite scene in the episode.Well now I will have to watch The Grim Reaper again. My memory of the literalness is that there is something we see after the character is dead, but I have to watch it with your interpretation in mind. ("I'll let ya know!")You liked "nice mom" as a description of Amanda? I am a regular Lord Byron...

 

[Nelson Au]

And thereby hangs a tale...I'll be curious what you think if you see The Grim Reaper again!Doesn't Henoch quote Lord Byron? Edit: I looked it up, it was Kollos who quote Byron.Two more answers left?

 

[FanCollector]

Are you surprised to find that I've read Byron, Nelson?Two to go. And both are from episodes we have already discussed in terms of this question. One from the first season and one from the third.

 

[Nelson Au]

That's Lee! I knew it was Spock when he was possessed, but I kept thinking it was Henoch. That hint for the last 2 planets will be helpful, I can focus my search there!

 

[Nelson Au]

Thought I'd mention a few things between answers.I caught part of an episode of I Dream of Jeannie tonight between tasks. The gang was in Hawaii and I've never seen this one before. I guess Jeannie conjured up King Kamehameha, portrayed by Miss Eden's hubby at the time, Kang! On another topic, had an interesting email exchange with friend who was arguing for Kodos. That he wasn't really a bad guy, just a guy trying to do the best he could to save as many people as he could. I had to argue against. He did a bad thing. But we agreed, Lenore was nuts.

 

[FanCollector]

It's funny how many shows found a reason to go to Hawaii when the stars got enough clout to arrange it... (No coincidence I suspect that Mr. Ansara managed to appear in that one.)Yes, poor Lenore who was destroyed by her father's terrible deeds before she was even born. I definitely vote with you, by the way. Saving lives was Kodos's justification to himself, but the way he went about it was not justifiable. And they made particular efforts to mention his "theories of eugenics" just to ensure we did not label Kodos's actions merely misunderstood. He chose his victims and showed no mercy. It's a scary thought now, but then, only one generation removed from the Holocaust, it would, I think, have yielded an even more visceral reaction from the audience.At the same time, I think the episode makes Kodos a real person with all the complexity that entails. Does he believe what he did was right? Does he regret it? Does he even really know anymore?

 

[FanCollector]

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