January 3, 2020: 3 Episodes

Series: Star Trek: The Original Series

Season, Episode #,and Episode Name: Season 1, Episode 6, “The Enemy Within”, Episode 7, “Mudd’s Women”, and Episode 8, “What Little Girls Are Made Of”

Setting the Stage: I started at 6:15 pm on January 3, 2020, still watching via Netflix, so I’m using their viewing order. Tonight was a banner night for attendance. Professor Zoom was firmly planted in my lap for the entire episode. Tempura (my oldest cat) was in the lap of my husband (who was occupied with his phone, some Trek fan he is). Thor (my youngest cat) was asleep at my head. My two middle children, Jazz and Loki, wrestled in the kitchen almost all night. It’s so much fun to watch Star Trek with a background of cat mews.

Quick Summary with my reactions:  I’ll start off with “The Enemy Within”, which starts off with A PUPPY IN AN ADORABLE COSTUME, carried by Sulu. Rut Roh Raggy, we’re having issues with the transporter… and now there are TWO KIRKS! McCoy’s bedside manner leaves something to be desired, but the music for evil Kirk is a nice touch. THE PUPPY IS BACK, but now he has an evil, barky twin. Evil Kirk makes unwanted advances at Rand, who scratches his face… Go Rand! We cut to three men surrounding a woman who has just been assaulted, which is absolutely no bueno, but at least Fisher backs up Rand’s claims and she’s not backing down either. Evil Kirk puts on makeup, steals a phaser, and then is electrocuted and sedated. Spock is all in research mode while Scotty reports that there’s still an issue with the transporter, while Sulu and the crew are freezing; but not dead or frostbitten at 41 below 0, tsk tsk. GUYS, THEY’RE GOING TO SEND THE PUPPY IN FIRST – HE BETTER NOT DIE!!!! Um, one is definitely a stuffed animal, I totally noticed that. NOOOO THE PUPPY IS DEAD, THIS IS WHY WE DON’T TEST ON ANIMALS. It’s Kirk vs. Kirk, and evil Kirk’s scratches are on the wrong side of his face for part of the time. We end with a weird word from Spock.

Moving onto “Mudd’s Women” and who is this pirate motherfucker? I already don’t like him. I do like the sparkly dresses, but WTF McCoy? At least Scotty and Spock have less leery looks, in fack Spock is plum amused. PEOPLE ARE NOT CARGO… I understand it was the 60s, but I wanted to mention that for those in the back. Let me tell you, though, I love George Takei; his voice is fantastic. I absolutely love that the computer knows this guy is no good. Wait, what is happening to the women? Great, now the miners want to trade crystals for women. PEOPLE ARE NOT CARGO! The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, I’ve always said. Okay, the episode was made better by the Venus drug swap and helping Eve find her confidence. Spock doesn’t take shit from McCoy and I’m all for it.

In the last episode of the evening, we’re going on an adventure! In “What Little Girls Are Made Of” we find Chapel’s long lost financée after some Lurch-looking alien sneaks out of the cave as Security Red Shirt #17 falls to his death, and then he kills Security Red Shirt #18! When we finally meet the rest of the party, I have but one question: WHERE IS THIS WOMAN’S BRA?! Lurch (who’s real name is Rok, but I am a big fan of The Addams Family and do a mean Wednesday Addams cosplay) can copy voices, okay that’s nifty, and is an android; but so in Andrea (the lady with no bra). Seriously, WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS CLONING Kirk – and why does that scene take forever? In the plot twist of the century… Korby is an android too! Looks like Kirk and Spock worked out a distress signal by using a derogatory term, and Chapel decides to stay on as the nurse as it turns out, there was never anyone to find on the planet.

My Impressions: Honestly, there’s not a lot to report on these three episodes. They’re all pretty “meh” in my opinion. In TEW it boils down to two things: Evil Kirk and Dead Unicorn Puppy. I’m likely not going to watch this episode again as it falls into the same category as “John Wick: Chapter 1”. I mean, why does the dog have to die? I’m a big animal lover, if you couldn’t tell, and it just seemed unnecessary to bring that cuteness into my life and it come to a sad ending.

Mudd is the most ridiculous man and I can’t like him any less, I tried but he definitely hit rock bottom for me. I am a bit disappointed that Kirk gives into the demands of the miners so easily, but he redeems himself by switching out the drugs for a placebo and then checking with Eve before leaving her on Rigel 12 with a man she just met (cue that song from Frozen, you know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPImqZo0D74 ). This is also not another episode I would want to watch again.

WLGAMO has a very “I, Robot” feel to it. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twist of Korby being an android, I absolutely did not see that coming. I also really liked super sassy and on-the-ball Spock, but we saw so little of him this episode. It really felt like the Captain Kirk show. I found myself missing the rest of the crew, the ship, and the overall shenanigans that the crew causes by making OSHA violations.

I continue to power through. Until tomorrow…