Scott Atwell Star Trek Discussion thread (Series and Films) (7 Viewers)

[Nelson Au]

Scott, correct about the security door in the brig on the Enterprise! "You're tired, go to sleep." Can you be more specific regarding the door lock on Earth?

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,Sure. I was speaking of when Miss Lincoln was about to try to leave the apartment. Gary Seven zaps the door so she cannot open it. By the way, you've inspired me to watch this episode now. I'm off from work today, so I'm going to go do that now.

 

[Nelson Au]

That's a good one Scott, score another one! Wish I had the day off too!

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,Well, I missed at least one of the instances of zapping. I won't list it now since I just saw the episode, of course.

I was struck by the generous mix of first-season and second-season music used in this episode. I don't think I've really ever listened carefully to the music for Assignment: Earth before today. I also liked hearing "New 'Cat' In Town" [ ] when Isis was seen as a woman near the conclusion of the episode.

 

[Nelson Au]

There's at least one more zapping that's in memory. I'm not sure if we discussed this before. This episode is of course atypical. So it seems throughout, our heroes are reacting and trying to figure out the right course of action to take. Based on my reading the Cushman book, it's emphasized how our heroes must be proactive. Kirk has to take action in order to resolve the problem. In this episode, his only action is to trust Seven at the end. I'll be listening to that music Scott!

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,I really like Terri Garr in this episode. It would have been very enjoyable to see her and Robert Lansing in a series. I wish it had transpired.

 

[FanCollector]

Yes, it's probably the one episode in which Kirk and the Enterprise serve no useful purpose and face no actual danger, except that which they themselves generate. If they had simply ignored Gary Seven, everything would have gone much more smoothly for everyone. (Which is a great lesson about Starfleet plans to go back in time and "observe.") But that's the thing about backdoor pilots. The protagonist of this story is Seven, not Kirk. At the climax of the show (in fact, from act two onward), the audience knows Seven is right and we are just hoping that Kirk doesn't stand in his way. We are not identifying with Kirk's decision, but with Seven's problem. I agree with Nelson that under normal circumstances, Roddenberry would have pushed for a reimagining of the story to make the regulars more important, but this was clearly a special case.

 

[Nelson Au]

Scott, It would have been a 10:00pm show had Assignment Earth made it to the fall schedule. . Agreed that Teri Garr had a delightful wackiness that added to the memorable aspects of the episode.Lee, I never thought of that before. Just have the Enterprise crew observe Seven. Of course in The Next Generation, they observed, but of course get discovered and have to get involved. But if Kirk and crew only observed, maybe they could have helped Seven, rather then chase him around.

 

[FanCollector]

I mostly meant that the entire mission is a terrible idea on Starfleet's part. But yes, had they just observed, it would have been safer all around. I suppose that's why they added in the theory that he might have been a time traveler. If Seven is from the 20th century, even from another world, then Kirk should know that he was meant to be there and that the Enterprise cannot risk changing history. But if Seven might be coming from the future, then Kirk has more of a decision to make because he can't allow Seven to change history.

 

[Nelson Au]

Okay, I see your point. . Still one more instance of Seven zapping an object. Or we can move onto another question. Scott is putting his turn on hold, so Lee, do you have something?

 

[FanCollector]

One of the things I really like about Assignment: Earth is that, in a sense, it is like seeing a Star Trek story told from another point of view. (I think some comics have tried that, e.g. Day of the Dove from the Klingon perspective, etc.) Not something for every week, but it was an interesting twist.Doesn't he servo the Enterprise brig to escape?

 

[Nelson Au]

Scott did name Seven's escape from the brig. I also liked the Beta 5 snobbery.

 

[FanCollector]

I beg forgiveness.Yes, Barbara Babcock adds a lot to the episode and it's easy to imagine the running joke playing out in a series format.

 

[Ockeghem]

The cause was more than sufficient, Lee. But there is one more example. I would not have remembered it had I not seen the episode yesterday.

 

[Nelson Au]

I always think its Teri Garr's voice doing Beta 5!

 

[Ockeghem]

Guys,

Look what aired forty-five years ago today. I know what episode of TOS I'll be watching tonight.

http://www.startrek.com/database_article/losira

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Which_Survives

 

[FanCollector]

I hadn't really thought about it, but we really are coming up on the 45th anniversary of the last few. For you original viewers, was there much public or fan-based discussion of disappointment with the third season or the latter part of it? Or was that something that arose with later viewings and critical debate as the years went by?Didn't Gary Seven try to use the servo on the rocket, but fail?

 

[Ockeghem]

Lee,I hope some of the original viewers can answer your questions. I only saw two or three episodes of TOS when it first aired.

If you're right about Gary Seven and the servo being used on the rocket, then that would be one example that I missed! I'm thinking of another instance. Of course, I can't say anything since I just watched the episode yesterday.

 

[Nelson Au]

Gary Seven did use the servo on the rocket. There is a specific thing he does to the rocket. I hate to admit, but I guess I am in a sense, an original viewer. But I was so young, it didn't mean as much to me then. The only episode I remember actually recall seeing in 1969 was Plato's Stepchildren. I do remember the Doomsday Machine, not the episode, but machine. And the image of the amoeba. One kid in class did a terrific drawing of the Enterprise firing phasers in the Doomsday Machine. I think I recalled that here before. And I remember a class mate had model kits of the Enterprise and Klingon ship.So for me, it didn't register that it was cancelled. But as kids, we drew pictures and built models and for me it was such strong imagery. But then so were the Irwin Allen shows.I think I recall around 1973 I recall discussions of bringing it back but I didn't have a social circle of like minded friends who liked Star Trek. So my exposure to that was from TV Guide magazine. It seems my experience was similar to some. Many didn't have an outlet to share the interest. I did meet a friend who still is a friend and fan in High School and I went to one Star Trek fan club meeting with him. It didn't impress me. But I had a couple of friends at the same age who loved it as much and by that time it was conventions and so it was far removed from the cancellation of the series. We did talk about how Fred Freiberger was the devil incarnate for making the third season bad. But now I see he was pretty much given an impossible task.Of course I remember absolutely with clarity Saturday morning seeing the Animated Series. Oh, several cool things I remember getting in the mid 1970's. The Enterprise blueprints by Franz Josephs and the Starfleet Technical Manual. Both I still have in excellent condition. They were quite influential and started a while new genre of books and manuals for other shows as you know. So I guess this long drive down memory lane didn't exactly address your question Lee. It was pre Internet in those days. I wasn't exactly the generation that picketed NBC or wrote letters to get the third season renewed.

 

[FanCollector]

No, it is always interesting to me to get different perspectives from different eras of fandom. Today, it seems that every series has a constant assessment going on by fans and critics and bloggers and twitterers, etc. and there are very passionate viewpoints about how this season of a show compares to that season. So only having seen Star Trek after it had been much dissected, I wonder if the contemporary viewership in general was very conscious of the third season not, on average, reaching the heights of the first two years. Or was there less awareness about this season vs. that season? Someone noticed something because the show did not get a Best Drama Series Emmy nomination in the last year, but that's the industry, not the audience.I do envy you your experience of the animated series. At that moment, it must have been terribly exciting to have that appear.