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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Star Trek: The Deadly Years

Episode: "The Deadly Years"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2, Episode 12
Original Air Date: December 8, 1967

A stop at Gamma Hydra IV proves disastrous for the Enterprise crew.  Intending to resupply a research station on the planet, our heroes find all of the scientists to be rapidly aging and dying.  Upon returning to the ship, most of the landing party begin aging faster as well, apparently due to radiation exposure while on the planet.  The balance of the episode is devoted to reversing the effects and also questioning whether Kirk, Bones and Spock are still fit for duty when compromised mentally by the aging process.

Just for fun, let's compare the artificial aging in the episode to William Shatner's own natural course since.

1967:
via Wikipedia



2012:
via Wikipedia
Overall, I'd say the years have been kinder to ol' Bill than the makeup staff was.

*****
via Memory Alpha
Judging Kirk unfit for duty, Commodore Stocker - hitching a ride with the Enterprise to his new post - assumes command of the ship.  Stocker is played by Charles Drake, born Charles Ruppert on October 2, 1917 in New York City.  After graduating from Nicholls College he became a salesman.  But Hollywood beckoned and Drake signed a contract in 1939 with Warner Brothers.
via Aveleyman
Among 144 screen credits, Drake played Dr. Sanderson, the young psychiatrist in one of our family's favorite movies: 1950's Harvey.  Drake died September 10, 1994 at the age of 76.  His ashes were scattered in the Atlantic Ocean.
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14 comments:

  1. TrishaMay 28, 2014 at 1:32 AM

    Thanks for all the info I didn't know. :)

    I enjoyed the comparison of the screen ageing with the actual ageing. I agree, reality has been kinder!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Geo.May 28, 2014 at 2:34 AM

    This episode was memorable mainly for the competency hearing that was so reminiscent of "The Caine Mutiny". Come to think of it, "The Doomsday Machine" was even closer with Commodore Decker twiddling computer storage discs much as Bogart's Captain Queeg twiddled ball-bearings. And yes, I rewatched "The Deadly Years" and had a much more personal take on it. Ship's medical computer estimated Kirk's age between 60 and 72. I was a teenager at 1st viewing, now I'm 64 and can't remember what security code to use in Romulan space either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Armchair SquidMay 28, 2014 at 11:58 AM

      I'm 41 and I don't know the security codes either.

      Delete
  3. Maurice MitchellMay 28, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    LOL That's great. Shatner hasn't aged a bit. Sweet review and I hope you have a gr8 day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. angryparsnipMay 28, 2014 at 12:52 PM

    hahahahahahaha... the makeup people always go for the grey and massive wrinkles for people to look old.
    They should have known better in Hollywood.

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Armchair SquidMay 28, 2014 at 2:57 PM

      Granted, I think real-life Shatner has addressed the grey chemically but he's still not nearly as washed out.

      Delete
  5. Stephanie FarisMay 28, 2014 at 5:07 PM

    I don't know...I think he looks better in the first picture. All that plastic surgery makes him look a little like a stuffed sausage! Although that second picture is pretty good of him...I'm going more by how he looks in his commercials!

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    Replies
    1. The Armchair SquidMay 29, 2014 at 8:41 PM

      To everything (turn, turn, turn)
      There is a webpage (turn, turn, turn)...

      Someone has documented Shatner's aging far more thoroughly. Enjoy: http://slinkingtowardretirement.com/?p=32605

      Delete
  6. UnknownMay 28, 2014 at 10:03 PM

    Oh my. They look so different. I guess the aging technology was not what it is today.

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    Replies
    1. The Armchair SquidMay 29, 2014 at 8:44 PM

      It stands to reason that along with everything else, technological advances would benefit the costume and makeup departments, too.

      Delete
  7. CygnusMay 30, 2014 at 4:51 PM

    Even these days, I don't think they do age makeup that well. (I didn't see the Benjamin Button movie, but the pictures of old Brad Pitt didn't look leaps & bounds better than the landing party here.)

    I still can't say "adrenalin" without doing it in old McCoy's voice. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Armchair SquidJune 1, 2014 at 9:16 PM

      Did you watch the John Adams miniseries a few years back? I thought they did a nice job with the aging - quite believable.

      Delete