Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 3, Episode 14
Original Air Date: January 3, 1969
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| via Memory Alpha |
In the episode's most interesting scene, Spock must tell the real Kirk apart from Garth's impersonation. Somehow, he missed the obvious, logical choice of phaser stunning both of them and sorting afterward but he solved the riddle when the genuine article offered himself up for the good of his ship. Apparently Leonard Nimoy, disgruntled for much of the third season, was furious about this scene, feeling it was out of character for Spock to have such a difficult time finding the true Kirk.
Ten more to go...
*****
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| via Wikipedia |
Luke first broke into show biz as an artist rather than an actor, painting murals and press materials for theaters and films. He took his first acting turn in 1934's The Painted Veil but he made his big splash playing Number One Son in Charlie Chan in Paris. On the strength of his performance, the character became a regular in the Charlie Chan series. He also played Kato in the Green Hornet films. By the time of his Trek appearance, Luke was one of the most prominent Asian actors in the United States.
Among numerous television appearances, he was Master Po in Kung Fu. He was originally slated to play the part of Noonien Soong, Data's creator, in Star Trek: The Next Generation. When illness prevented him from doing so, Brent Spiner ultimately took over the role, spawning the idea of Soong creating Data in his own image.
Luke died of a stroke in 1991 at the age of 86.
That's interesting about Nimoy. Why was he upset during season 3?
ReplyDeleteFor the same reason the fans don't like it: consistently declining quality in the scripts.
DeleteYou are really a Star Trek buff! Do you watch The Big Bang Theory?
ReplyDeleteYou're very kind but I don't feel I've achieved buff status just yet. There's still so much I haven't watched. Once I've got the Original Series finished, I'll feel I have a bit more credibility.
DeleteWe don't watch The Big Bang Theory. It's one of Mock's favorites but it's never taken with me. Do you?
It would have been more fun if Spock had stunned them both but then Kirk wouldn't have appeared as heroic.
ReplyDeleteI think you've hit the nail on the head: strong development choice for Kirk, far less so for Spock.
DeleteYeah stunning them would have been a lot quicker.
ReplyDeleteEspecially since Garth lost his disguise when he was stunned.
DeleteI've watched Star Trek, but cant seem to get into Big Bang Theory for some reason.
ReplyDeleteSeems likely that after it's gone after the air and it's no longer cool, my wife and I will finally "discover" it and binge watch over several months. It's what we usually do.
DeleteThat episode did not make sense to me then. If this, then that---short on logic.
ReplyDeleteThe series gets so much criticism for overacting but too often it's a result of trying to get something - anything - out of weak material.
DeleteI'm not sure if you're being serious or not. Spock shooting Kirk in any capacity probably would've look...unheroic? Nimoy had a huge problem with his Spock legacy overall, and it probably started around the third season. He didn't want to do the proposed reunion series, didn't want to do the movie, the character died at his request in the second movie, and his first memoir was called I Am Not Spock. Ironically it was his resurrection in the third movie (and probably also the fact that Nimoy directed that one) that helped reunite character and actor to the point we know today.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be Trek without Spock. I think everyone knows that and even he has come to appreciate it. Stories like this had to leave a sour taste by the time the first series finally died.
DeleteAlways been intrigued by the title, which dates back to the Romans, "Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat" --Whom the gods destroy, they first drive crazy-- but it dates back further to Sophocles. I thought bringing it into the futuristic world of Star Trek secured it as an axiom.
ReplyDeleteHere's the line from Sophocles:
Deleteevil sometimes seems good
to a man whose mind
a god leads to destruction.
I remember when and if I watched any of the third season I would look at and critique the outfits, makeup and sets.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
The art design of the show is a big part of the legacy - far more than most appreciate, I think.
DeleteBy the third season, I was totally into Star Trek - not so much with the early stuff. I caught all that in reruns.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Big Bang Theory is in your future. You'd love it.
So I've been told... Like I said, we'll probably give it a go eventually.
DeleteWonderful episode.
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteI can understand Leonard Nimoy being disgruntled about that scene. I learn a lot about Star Trek each week. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
I'm learning a lot, too!
Delete