Episode #,and Episode Name: 18 – “The Lights of Zetar” and 19 “Requiem for Methuselah”
Setting the Stage: I started around 7:00 pm, still watching Netflix and using their viewing order. Professor Zoom and Tempura were around, but tonight they were playing musical chairs with the lap of my husband and pretty much left me alone, which was actually very sad. Jazz and Loki got into a fight and then came to hang out on the coffee table for the last 15 minutes of the second episode. Tonight’s writing music is the Man of Steel soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, and yes, that makes it two nights of Zimmer in a row. He’s no John Williams, but it’s still excellent work. John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman write some good, epic music and are fantastic composers.
Quick Summary with my Impressions: “The Lights of Zetar” starts out with the introduction of Lieutenant Mira Romaine, with whom Scotty has fallen head-over-heels in love with (it’s super adorable, at first) and a mission to head to Memory Alpha. On their way, there’s this weird “storm” of lights, and every crew person has a different reaction (unable to move their hands, their eyes, speak, etc.). Mira has the most adverse reaction and faints, but is revived by McCoy and feels just fine. In sickbay she is snippy with McCoy, though it’s not like he has the best bedside manner either, and Scotty is adoring but also condescending. Sulu, or possibly Chekov, note that the “storm” is heading straight for Memory Alpha. When the landing party beams down, it’s not a pretty sight and everyone is basically dead, yeesh. Mira has a Final Destination moment where she claims the storm is going to come back and kill them all, and right as Spock finishes telling her she is a hysterical woman, Sulu pipes in and confirms she’s correct – so they all beam back the Enterprise (although Mira is a little delayed).
The “storm” seems to be following the Enterprise, but Spock explains that there are actually lifeforms in the lights and somehow Mira is paired with them, as any damage to them effects her. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy convene to have an investigation into why Mira was targeted, with Scotty tagging along like a love-sick puppy. Apparently, the lights are the last surviving pieces of a civilization lost and they have been searching for someone to live in, and Mira fits the bill. Kirk has an idea, which works, and for the first time in Enterprise history – Spock, McCoy, and Scotty all agree on the next course of action.
My absolute biggest problem with this episode is how many times they refer to Lieutenant Mira Romaine as “the girl” or just “Mira”. Seriously, use her rank or at least refer to her by her last name, like you do EVERY OTHER CREW MEMBER! If I had made a drinking game for each time they had done that, I would not be around to write this post because I would be DEAD from alcohol poisoning! Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but I’d certainly be worse for wear. I started off really liking Scotty in love, it was super adorable, but then it became a little too much and he reminded me that we were in the late 1960’s and I’m so glad we’re not there anymore. I thought the plot was interesting, it was another mystery to be solved that kept even Spock on his toes. The ending, however, made absolutely no sense and things just seemed to work out because … reasons! That lands this episode with 3 very bald tires and a flat donut in the trunk.
“Requiem for Methuselah” starts off a bit grim, there’s fever and death spreading throughout the Enterprise. Good news is that there’s a medicine that can help on a nearby planet, score! Bad news is there’s already someone there who doesn’t want Kirk and crew to have it. Eventually the man, Flint, and the landing party come to terms and they adjourn to his home while his robot collects the herbs. Flint has quite the collection of art, music, and other such items. Spock admits to being almost envious AND has some brandy, it’s a red-letter day. As the robot goes off to process the medicine, Flint presents a blonde for Kirk, ahem… cough cough… I mean he presents Rayna to the landing party. McCoy is SUCH a dirty old man, and so fucking misogynistic, I can’t stand it. Kirk is also all “did you teach her that?” to Flint, like she can’t learn things on her own. Kirk is obviously quite taken with her. Spock plays the piano while Rayna and Kirk dance, and dance, and dance. I thought there was a medical emergency guys, come on – why does the dancing go on FOREVER?! This is almost as bad as the running from “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield“.
McCoy has a problem with the medicine as there’s something wrong with it, and Spock points out how many unknown priceless items there are… the plot thickens. Kirk is obviously bugged by who the hell Flint and Rayna are and Spock tries to keep Kirk’s attention on the mission of attending to the sick crew, man does Kirk have it bad. Turns out Flint is immortal, Rayna is an android, and Kirk is so in love that he forgets his good manners and has a legit physical altercation with Flint. Rayna can’t handle it and dies, because apparently love can kill an android? Back on the Enterprise, McCoy comes in to tell Spock and Kirk that Flint is dying and gives a speech about how sorry he feels for Spock to not know the glory of love – sigh. Spock unethically removes the memory of Rayna from Kirk’s sleeping form and we move on.
I don’t understand how, or why, Kirk falls so hopelessly in love with Rayna. Maybe because she’s a blonde in a season of brunettes? It comes out of left field, he looks like he’s been hit with a bag of hammers and practically drools as she is introduced to the landing party. When his ship or his crew is in danger, he is always on top of his game. He was able to kick the mind control of the kids in “And the Children Shall Lead”, dismiss the love tears of Elaan, and there are so many other examples where his duty completely overrides everything being thrown at him. So why now? Why her? Also, I am supposed to believe that Flint was all those famous people over the years and he’s going to just die after encountering the crew, the odds are astounding as I’m sure Spock could calculate for you. After one good episode yesterday, I had high hopes for these two tonight, and was sad because the plots could have been so much more interesting. This episode earns 3 really stale loaves of bread that you absolutely needed and don’t have time to run to the store and buy more.
TA Out!
To Boldly Go Where Everyone Has Gone Before 