Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Star Trek: The Enterprise Incident

Episode: "The Enterprise Incident"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 3, Episode 2
Original Air Date: September 27, 1968
via Memory Alpha
Just like that, the series bounced back a bit.  A week after what is considered by many to be the Grand Turkey episode of Star Trek's original series (review here), our heroes found steadier ground in "The Enterprise Incident."  To the bafflement of his crew, Captain Kirk orders entry into the Neutral Zone, drawing the immediate attention of the Romulans.  In time (actually, a little too early for my tastes), it is revealed that Kirk and Spock both have orders from Starfleet to steal a Romulan cloaking device.  Along the way, the captain of the enemy ship, a woman, falls in love with Spock and attempts to convince him to come over to the dark side.

I like this story for a lot of reasons.  Furthering the broader Romulan narrative was certainly important to the franchise.  The brief romance - genuine or not - develops Spock's character and also broadens the concept of Romulan nature, revealing them to be more than the ruthless warriors the Enterprise crew expects.  Just as Mark Lenard (Sarek) and Jane Wyatt (Amanda) invented the Vulcan sign of affection for "Journey to Babel," Leonard Nimoy and Joanne Linville (Romulan commander) created their own intimate gestures to take the place of human kissing.

*****
via Memory Alpha
Beverly Joanne Linville was born January 15, 1928 in Bakersfield, California.  She had a long and varied acting career over a 50-year period.  Film appearances include The Goddess, Gable and Lombard and Scorpio.  In addition to Trek, she found television roles in The Guiding Light, One Step Beyond, Twilight Zone and Bus Stop among many others.  She co-starred with George Grizzard in Bus Stop's final episode, entitled "I Kiss Your Shadow."  Stephen King has identified the episode as one of his favorite television horror stories.

18 comments:

  1. That was a good episode for expanding Spock's character, so I'm sure he enjoyed filming it.

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    1. Apparently there was a kiss in the original screenplay and Nimoy was very unhappy about it. He and Linville argued for something more in-character and they got it.

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  2. I don't remember this episode, but it sounds like one I wish I did remember.

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  3. Makes me think of the guys on the Big Bang Theory.

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    1. Would you believe I've never watched that show? At least not an entire episode.

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  4. Definitely one of my favorites, mostly for the world building, the interactions between Spock and the commander, and the (weirdly interesting) choice for them not to ever give her character's name.

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    1. This is one of only two TOS episodes featuring Romulans and in neither is the commander given a name. Interesting contrast with the Klingons. They always get names.

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  5. I don't think I saw any of the 3rd season.
    So this is so much fun for me to read.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Thanks, parsnip! I don't know if I've ever seen any of them, either.

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  6. 1968, yes, wow. I especially identified with Spock's connection with the beautiful Romulan commander. I turned 19 that year and my erogenous zone extended several miles beyond my physical body. That episode made me feel almost normal!

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  7. The unseen sexual tension between the two broadened Spock's character. Loved this one.

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    1. Glimpses of Spock's emotional being are always memorable.

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  8. Through every episode, there was never enough Spock. I always wanted more and more back story. He was my favorite.

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    1. I think he's my favorite, too. He pretty much always has been. However, in my exploration, I've grown to appreciate McCoy and his importance a lot more.

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  9. I like that the series bounced back a bit after the episode that was considered so bad. I didn't know anything about the actresses background- so I always enjoy that portion of the posts because I learn so much. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. The actor bios are my favorite part, too. For fans, Trek is a cultural phenomenon. For the actors, it was just a gig.

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