January 6, 2020: 3 Episodes

Ooooh, we’re halfway there (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk) as we’re now into the second half of Season 1 and we’re not even a week into this challenge.

Series: Star Trek: The Original Series

Season, Episode #,and Episode Name: Season 1, Episode 16, “Shore Leave”, Episode 17, “The Galileo Seven”, and Episode 18, “The Squire of Gothos”

Setting the Stage: I started at 7:30 pm on January 6, 2020, still watching via Netflix, so I’m using their viewing order. Professor Zoom, my husband, and Tempura kept me company for the first two episodes and I was left alone to enjoy the last one.

Quick Summary with my reactions: “Shore Leave” opens with the first patch of grass we’ve seen in space. McCoy mentions “Alice in Wonderland” and as Sulu is occupied, Alice and the White Rabbit appear. I saw through Spock’s deception right away, but Kirk walked right into it – which really shows how badly he needs a break. Apparently, if you mention something, or think about it while on the planet, it appears. Kirk becomes a gooey mess when the mysterious Ruth appears. McCoy is being weird with the new Yeoman, it’s super creepy. Strange things are afoot, McCoy gets stabbed, and Angela is hurt as well. Kirk gets a very long fight sequence and the crew meets the caretaker of the planet who explains that everything is temporary and fictional. Kirk calls the crew down to take their shore leave, McCoy is claimed by the Yeoman, and Kirk goes off to be with Ruth. A very strange episode.

“The Galileo Seven” opens with seven of the crew to go investigate the quasars, but then things happen and they get stuck on one of the planets. There’s a commissioner on board the Enterprise that keeps urging Kirk to end the search for the missing crew and deliver the much needed medicine to another planet. Spock determines at least three will need to stay so the rest can get back on board, but one of the crew winds up dead. Spock and Scotty work on getting the ship back in working order, but the rest of the crew is focused on the crewman that died. HOLY FUCK there are giants, though we don’t get a very good look at them. Scotty has an idea! Another of the party dies, Spock is confused about why his logical choices are not working, and then he has an idea. Next thing we know, the survivors are off spinning around the planet! Beamed up at the last minute, Kirk saves the day and everyone gives Spock shit for being emotional… which he, of course, denies.

“The Squire of Gothos” begins like any other episode until Sulu and Kirk disappear… things just got interesting. McCoy and two others find a weird house, along with a weird man, and Sulu and Kirk reappear. Who the hell is this guy, he’s clearly disturbed from being alone on this planet for too long. He makes a lot of cringe-worthy remarks (I know, it’s from the 60s, but still). At one point, Kirk mentions men and women, at which Trelane gets excited, but then Spock warps the crew back to the ship. As they prepare to leave, Trelane appears on the Enterprise and then many members of the bridge are sent back to the planet. There’s a very big “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry” vibe coming from Trelane. There’s going to be a duel, and Kirk purposely aims at the mirror. While the Enterprise circles Gothos, Kirk gets pissed and beams back down to confront Trelane. When he gets beaten, he becomes a child and then gets chastised by his parents, who are strange, green beams of light.

My Impressions: “Shore Leave” had the most racist music whenever Finnegan was on screen. That poor tiger had a chain around their neck, but thankfully was not in too many scenes. I have no idea what was going on with McCoy and the new Yeoman. Everytime she was looking at him like he was her piece of meat, I was yelling “girl, get a grip!” I wasn’t too impressed with this episode, especially because everyone was just like okay we’re going to party now and Kirk just went off to go do whatever Kirk does.

Something I noticed in “The Galileo Seven”, as well as the previous episode, is Spock continually uses “gentleman” when addressing the group, even if a female Yeoman is in the group. I wonder if that’s a 60s thing or because the Yeoman’s are not part of the command staff? Just something I’ve been noticing as I pay more attention to speech and pronouns. This episode is great for highlighting the difference between the Vulcan way and Human way of thinking. For me, I’m absolutely Team Vulcan. I mean, Spock is totally a Slytherin (and he’s in good company). This was also very opposite of “the Kirk show” that we have seen in a few previous episodes, and I liked that we got to see how both the ship and a landing party try to fix a problem from opposite ends. I know the leads of the show are going to get the most air time, but I need more Scotty and Sulu in my life.

Trelane in “The Squire of Gothos” makes the most distasteful and stereotypical comments at the women and non-White crew members. At first we’re lead to believe he’s just a megalomaniac, but then we find out he’s just a child? And just like that a switch is flipped and he talks like a child? I’m not buying the transformation that quickly. It totally makes sense if you look back at how the episode unfolds, but it’s simply ridiculous. A very fun episode, despite some of the dialogue.