Here's a bit of video from SciFiDude42 with the 10 worst moments in classic STAR TREK. Like any list, this is all a matter of opinion. Some spoilers about what's in the video are after the jump, so go look now and don't read what's below if you want to be surprised by the content:
I have no problem with numbers 10 ("And the Children Will Lead"), 7 (the cheesy monsters from "The Galileo Seven"), 4 (the cheesy Godzilla rock cave Vaal in "The Apple"), 3 ("The Return of the Archons"), 2 ("Spock's Brain") and 1 ("The Way to Eden"). But, if you like TOS (The Old Show), you gotta embrace some of the cheese!
I'm sorry, but I like four of theses "worsts:" 9 ("The Omega Glory," wherein Shatner dramatically reads (as only The Shat can!) the US Constitution), 8 (the crew realizes they're in the old west in "Spectre of the Gun"), 6 (Abraham Lincoln appears in "The Savage Curtain"), 5 (the very good teaser for an otherwise bad/confusing episode "The Alternative Factor").
Now, there are certainly things to pick on. I'll give you that. Here are a few off the top of my head:
- Shatner filing his nails in "Turnabout Intruder"
- Clint Howard's dubbed voice and laugh in "The Corbomite Maneuver."
- McCoy r-r-ripping Kirk's sleeve off to hypo him at the end of "The Naked Time."
- The non-disguised microphone that is supposed to mask your heartbeat in "Courtmartial."
- Kirk, McCoy, Scotty openly lusting after "Mudd's Women;" Dr. Miranda Jones "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"
Related: Mokwella shares the all-time 25 worst Trek episodes from ALL the series in this YouTube video.
I watched #10 and thought it was great. Those special effects were great for the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteYeah, to each his own. I think that one is my sister's favorite as well.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late to the Trek party, I've been out of town.
ReplyDelete10. "Children" is a terrible episode dependent on an "idiot plot" (meaning if any character ever reacted as a normal person would, the problem would be solved and the episode over in 10 minutes). However, it's slightly redeemed by the presence of Pamela Ferdin (the blonde girl who appeared in just about every TV show of the late '60s and early '70s, and who might have drawn my young eye as well) and blustering attorney Melvin Belli in his only acting role (?) as the villain. I always wondered how he got the gig.
9. Kirk reading the Constitution is one of my very favorite Star Trek moments ever.
8. I consider "Spectre of the Gun" to be a fairly sophisticated episode of the sort that could never be made in these too-literal times. In its use of facades in half-sets, it self-consciously calls attention to the fact that we *are* watching a fake reality within a fake TV reality. As viewers, we know that TV and movie sets are just cardboard and plywood props; this episode takes us around to the other side of the sets and says, "Yep, look, it's all fake, and we're still going to tell you a believable story that fits into this pretend universe anyway." Very smart and risky, I think.
7. Galileo 7 is an interesting early episode and I don't think this particular moment belongs on the list. It takes advantage of a technique that Spielberg later used on "Jaws": when your fake monster looks terrible, show it as little as possible.
6. "Savage Curtain." One of my favorite episodes, and I like this moment because Kirk's not buying the Lincoln act for a second. "I recognize what you *appear* to be" is pure James Tiberius to me. And I thought Lee Bergere did a terrific job portraying Lincoln.
5. There's nothing wrong with the "Alternative Factor" teaser. It sets up a mystery and makes you want to watch more. Mission accomplished.
4. Vaal. Agreed that it's a terrible set. My favorite critique of this episode is found on the Trek inspiration poster (http://echosphere.net/star_trek_insp/star_trek_insp3.html) that reads: "These people are so beautiful and happy and peaceful. Let's destroy their machine-god and teach them how to kill and screw."
3. Archons isn't a bad episode and this isn't a particularly bad moment in it.
2. Spock's Brain: Yep, it belongs near the top of this list, though my nominee for worst moment comes near the end of the episode where McCoy is wearing the Blinky Collander with a crazed look in his eye and lighting right out of a 1940s horror film.
1. I actually showed my kids "Way to Eden" as the ultimate example of the worst Star Trek had to offer (after showing them a few of the best). However, I love Charles Napier as the head hippy. Mr. Napier went on to a long career playing nothing but tough guys, usually Marines or cowboys, and whenever I saw him elsewhere I'd remember him wearing a shiny blue miniskirt and blond wig.
The only aspect of TOS I find embarrassingly unwatchable is its sexism. Trek was famously and justifiably advanced for its time on race but, when it came to women, I'm afraid it reflected Roddenberry's fundamental horndogginess. That dates it much worse than its effects (which I'll always defend as extraordinary for the time--the Enterprise was the first spacecraft on either film or TV that looked big enough and functional enough for people to actually live and work in) or technology (communicators less advanced then cellphones, for example).