"Live long and prosper" - Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Two DVD Review
By Kate Heilman
For those fans whose memories of the original Star Trek have been blurred by the more recent franchise offerings (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise), watching Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Two reminds us why we were captivated in the first place. Beyond the 1960s mini-skirted Starfleet uniform, the primitive special effects (my personal favorite is the phantom hand holding the Enterprise in "Who Mourns for Adonais") and the hopelessly outdated attitudes toward women that permeate the show, it is a series that week after week offered the unwavering belief that human beings, with all their foibles and failings, will rise to the challenges of the modern world with compassion, understanding and courage. In a decade when the U.S. and the Soviet Union were engaged in the most heated of Cold War battles (the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War), Gene Roddenberry used the medium of science fiction and the distance of "the future" to present his audience with a decidedly Lockesian view of humanity.
Roddenberry makes it clear that our actions (or inactions) will decide whether we attain this promising vision dangled in front of us. Time and time again, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) and the valiant crew of the Enterprise battle impossible odds and risk life and limb to fight for this future. It is not easy, Roddenberry shows us, but it is within our grasp.
The agency within each of us is a running theme throughout Star Trek, but nowhere is it more prevalent than in "Mirror, Mirror." A fan favorite, this episode finds Kirk, Bones, Mr. Scott (James Doohan) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) trapped in a parallel universe after a transporter malfunction (just what would the writers do without this plot device?) caused by an ion storm. Instead of a United Nations-like Federation devoted to peace and exploration, the four find themselves serving in a brutal empire whose only goal is domination. Drawing primarily on images of Nazi Germany (the extended hand salute is the most obvious example), Roddenberry creates an inverse world and characters in direct opposition to the Star Trek universe, yet it is also a reflection of what could be. Each person's "evil" counterpart mirrors the dark and light beneath the surface of us all. In addition to the risqué bare midriff costumes for the female crew, it is immensely enjoyable to watch "evil" versions of your favorite characters in action. Yet even here, change is possible. In the remaining minutes before Kirk and the others return to their usual universe, Kirk attempts to persuade the "evil" Mr. Spock that there is another path aside from the cruelty of the current empire. The idea that man (yes, in keeping with the 1960s mindset) controls his destiny is summed up in Kirk's final impassioned plea, "What will it be, past or future, tyranny or freedom? It's up to you." The choice is there for the taking.
In many good TV series, character development and relationships only reach their stride in the second season. I would argue that Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Two is a prime example of this. Season two witnesses the introduction of a new character (Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekhov), the disappearance of another (Grace Lee Whitney's Yeoman Rand), and most importantly, the increasing prominence of Dr. McCoy. With the elevation of McCoy's role, the legendary triptych of Kirk, Spock and Bones emerges. The easy and unlikely friendship that develops works, in part, thanks to the undeniable chemistry between the three actors. In the trio, Roddenberry found the perfect combination to give voice to divergent opinions and philosophical interpretations concerning the pressing political and social ailments of the day. Although Bones and Spock act as foils to each other, they enable Kirk to play the role of judge and jury.
This conceit works better in some episodes than others. One would be hard pressed to find "The Apple" on any fan's short list of favorite episodes, as the explorers wrestle with the morality of altering the equilibrium of a way of life (otherwise known as "The Prime Directive"). Kirk et al stumble across a "Garden of Eden" with thorns, whose population is strictly controlled by papermache snake head (resembling a high school science-project on steroids). To free the ship and save his crew, Kirk destroys the snake head-god and in essence throws the Adams and Eves out of Paradise. This, however, is for their own good as Kirk decides (after considering Bones and Spock's conflicting opinions) that only in struggle, can man advance. More successful, although primarily for its historical relevance, is "A Private Little War," which takes on the 1960s powder keg of the Vietnam War.
For Spock's fans, "Amok Time," along with "Journey to Babel," rank as favorites of the series. Season two devotes a good deal of time to developing Vulcan culture and history. The season's opening episode, "Amok Time," explores the meaning of friendship and sacrifice for the trio while also advancing the Vulcan back story. Interestingly, Roddenberry takes on the most intimate of material here - Vulcan love, marriage and mating rituals. After Bones notices an emotional tinge to Spock's behavior, his medical examination leads to the startling discovery that Spock will die if not allowed to return to Vulcan. In one of several occasions, Kirk weighs blindly following orders (duty) against personal obligations (here saving Spock's life) and chooses to disobey a direct Starfleet order. The limits of this friendship are tested when Kirk must fight Spock to the death to fulfill the Vulcan mating ritual. Luckily, Bones saves the day by faking Kirk's death, thus saving both his and Spock's lives. There are many firsts in this episode: a view of Spock's homeworld, the Vulcan's acknowledgment of his friendship with the all-too human Bones and Kirk, and the introduction of "live long and prosper" as the traditional Vulcan greeting, to name a few.
I must confess that "Journey to Babel" is my all-time favorite episode of the series. In "Journey to Babel," classic Star Trek elements are in full force: the good of the many versus the one, professional versus familial duty, the strength that comes from friendship, etc. Perhaps most importantly, the audience gains a greater understanding of what makes Spock tick by introducing his parents - Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) and his human mother Amanda (Jane Wyatt). Spock's inner pain of not belonging and the burden of being from two cultures, that seem to percolate beneath the surface come to the fore here when it is revealed that Sarek has not spoken to his son in eighteen years because of Spock's career choice. By dedicating his professional life to the dominantly human Starfleet over a career at the Vulcan Science Academy, Spock is not only rejecting a family business, but also his father's heritage. While transporting diplomats, fear and panic spread as an alien vessel pursues the Enterprise and an ambassador is found murdered. When the murderer attacks and seriously wounds Kirk, Spock chooses to assume command to safeguard the passengers over saving his ailing father's life by a necessary blood transfusion. In the end, it is Kirk, of course, who saves the day by assuring Spock he is fit to command, thus avoiding the issue of patricide. In true Star Trek fashion, humor (namely provided by Dr. McCoy) is woven in seamlessly with the dramatic events of the episode.
Humor is the driving force in "The Trouble With Tribbles." No review would be complete without mentioning an episode that is remembered so fondly by cast, crew and fans alike. How can you go wrong with these winning elements: a bar room brawl between Klingons and the crew, cute hairball-like creatures that purr, lampooning a silly bureaucrat and zingers that call Kirk a "swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood." Most will be familiar with the plot. The Enterprise is called in to safeguard a grain shipment to a planet in an area that the Klingon Empire also claims (think of the planet as a small country in Asia, Latin America or Africa that is caught in a tug-of-war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union). While on shore leave at the base, Uhura buys a Tribble; a creature that is "born pregnant." As you can imagine, the entire Enterprise is soon crawling with them. Kirk's problems are legion - he has to contend with a rival Klingon ship at the base, a suspected spy on the loose, and the failure of the mission due to the Tribbles' voracious appetite. The Tribbles, however, save the day in the end. Due to the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of Tribbles, Kirk, Spock and McCoy discover the grain was poisoned and uncover the Klingon spy responsible. This is a rare opportunity for comedy, and the cast exhibits a real talent for it.
The twenty-six episodes that make up the second season are arranged in airdate order on seven discs. The discs are housed in miniature translucent plastic compartments (roughly the size of CD cases), the kind that are normally affixed to cardboard to form digipaks. In this case, there is no cardboard. Instead, the plastic holders are attached book-style via a clear strip of tape along the left hand side that functions as the binding. Each disc is decorated with an individual member of the Enterprise crew. Also listed on the disc faces are the episode titles, stardates, and original airdates. The case slides into a paper sleeve featuring a picture of Bones, Spock and Kirk. A foldout brochure (about the size of a CD insert) gives plot synopses, a brief written introduction to the series, an intro to Starfleet Command, and two brief essays on "The Changing Face of Andorians" and "Tricorder." Also included is an individual coupon for the Borg Invasion 4-D attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton. The plastic DVD holder and the brochure fit into an outer plastic blue capsule (which splits down the middle and is hinged on the bottom). It perfectly captures the series' retro futuristic look, simultaneously of the future and hopelessly mired in the 1960s. The capsule stands upright on its own. On store shelves, it is shrink-wrapped into a disposable cardboard base on which the DVD's specifications are printed. All in all, the packaging is a winner - it manages to be a conversation piece without being overly bulky.
The DVD menus begin with William Shatner intoning "Space, the final frontier" while a computer animated Enterprise swoops by. The ship turns, and we venture into the bridge. We are now at the helm of the Enterprise, and the episode choices are listed on its view screen. Choosing an individual episode (there is no option to "play all") causes our perspective to shift. Our episode options are located on the starship's control panel. From here, we can change the audio and subtitle settings by accessing the "Communications" menu, view the "Chapter Log," view a "Preview Trailer" of the episode, or simply play the episode. The animation on these menus is cartoon-like rather than photorealistic, but it again seems perfectly in line with the series.
