Episode: "Obsession"
Series:
Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2, Episode 13
Original Air Date: December 15, 1967
Like "The Doomsday Machine" (reflection
here), "Obsession" has strong
Moby Dick allusions. The Enterprise crew encounters a deadly, white, misty thing. Captain Kirk is reminded of a similar entity from earlier in his career, on a fateful day when his own hesitation led to the deaths of half of his crew mates. Naturally, the Enterprise's new security officer, Ensign Garrovick, is the son of Kirk's fallen commanding officer from that horrible encounter. Somewhere, Melville smiles as our heroes chase the vicious cloud across the cosmos.
Thankfully, Kirk is more level-headed than Captain Ahab. He is able to confront his own demons before he does too much damage to himself or his companions. He gets his white whale, too.
*****
Stephen Brooks (Ensign Garrovick) was born James Gardner Brooks, Jr. on August 12, 1942 in Columbus, Ohio. Apart from his
Trek appearance, he was best known for his performance as Special Agent Jim Rhodes on the first two seasons of
The F.B.I. Brooks died of a heart attack on December 1, 1999.
Rewatched, which reminded me where I heard the memorable line, "Home, where it fought a starship once before." I wonder if Moby Dick was heading home when Ahab annoyed him. This was an excellent episode, Squid. I'm sure the Enterprise had to order a big batch of red T-shirts when it was over.
ReplyDeletePoor Moby Dick, just minding his own business and this crazy whaler keeps pestering him.
DeleteWhenever an unknown actor appeared in a red shirt, we knew he was the one who would die. We have called those people "Crewman 6" from Galaxy Quests.
ReplyDeleteGood episode. Sad that Stephen Brooks died so young.
Significant body count in this one.
DeleteIt's perhaps not surprising that there were so many instances of Star Trek echoing Moby Dick. As Nicholas Meyer identified in Wrath of Khan, strip everything else away and you have a portrait of a crew at sea in the 19th century. So we have these two episodes, and Wrath, and First Contact. The main difference is that these Starfleet officers have graduated to a time when serving aboard the ship is a little more of a luxury and less risking one's life at any given moment. And fewer monkeys.
ReplyDeleteGulliver's Travels was a big influence, too - another seafaring adventure.
DeleteA whole argument could be made that Star Trek is a pastiche on The Odyssey and/or Gulliver's Travels.
DeleteAnd yet, he sold the idea as a Space Age Western - certainly understandable considering the popularity of that genre at the time.
DeleteKirk has always been more level headed than Ahab, but he gets the honeys. It's the best of both worlds. Way to go making such a brilliant interview, and hope you have a splendid one.
ReplyDeleteSo, in this analogy, is Spock Queequeg?
DeleteMy daughter has recently requested that we watch most of TOS, since she feels like a bad Trekkie otherwise. We'll have to add this episode to our list. I like Tony's analysis!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll share some of your viewing adventures.
Delete