TOS: Season 2, Episode 26 (Jan 23, 2020)

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Series and Season: Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 2

Episode #,and Episode Name: 26 – “Assignment: Earth”

Setting the Stage: I started at 9:45 pm on January 23, 2020, still watching Netflix and using their viewing order. I was traveling today, so I have a different set of viewing companions this evening. Two of my good friends are hosting me tonight and tomorrow before I head back to NC for a friend’s engagement party. They have two cats, that are both currently sleeping and adorable. We ate delicious, authentic, New York pizza and garlic knots, and I am one happy blogger tonight. Instead of music, I am writing to an episode of Murdoch Mysteries.

Quick Summary with my Impressions: “Assignment: Earth” has Kirk on the voice-over explain that the crew is in 1968, great more time travel. In case you didn’t notice, I’m not always a big fan of time travel. Some tomfoolery is happening and all of a sudden a man with a cat beams aboard. He identifies himself as Gary Seven and Kirk is torn – is he lying about being from 1968 or is he there to cause trouble? Spock likes the kitty! All of a sudden, the cat takes the elevator and Seven uses this device that looks like a Sonic screwdriver and sort of acts like a Men In Black neuralyzer. Seven is having computer trouble and the Beta 5 looks a lot like the M5 controls. There’s always a hat for Spock, and a blonde for Kirk. Roberta, the secretary, doesn’t know why the typewriter is typing everything she says or who Gary is, curiouser and curiouser. Kirk and Spock manhandle Roberta while Seven gets away to the McKinley Rocket Base. The cops accidentally get sent up to the Enterprise and now have a story to tell their grandchildren. The cat is the best part of this episode, it’s like “I’ll help dad!” Scotty finds Seven as he is sabotaging the rocket, riiiiight. Roberta breaks into the safe, that’s really some sort of transporter portal, riiiight, and inadvertently summons Seven back so he has to use manual control. Kirk and Spock beam in, Kirk is super paranoid about changing history, and everything is solved by the end of the episode. We also get to hear “Live Long and Prosper” for the second time.

The friends that I am staying with know a thing or two about Star Trek and tell me that this acted as a backdoor pilot to a show that never wound up happening. I could definitely tell that something was up when most of the episode was focused on these two new characters. Maybe if somehow Roberta and Seven were part of Season 3, but I’m assured they are not so it’s kind of a throwaway episode. There’s not much Trek going on, aside from the time travel and making sure to not negatively effect Earth’s past. I have more questions than answers. How does Seven know about Vulcans? What planet was he on and will we ever see it? Does Roberta own anything that isn’t pink? Why do all of the black cats in Star Trek turn into women?

This is not really a Star Trek episode and it’s not really a great way to end the season. I’m a little sad there’s not much more to report – but I am exhausted. I hope to fit some Trek in tomorrow.

TA out!