In addition to the very lofty title there are some interesting themes buzzing about this otherwise workmanlike episode of Trek. For one, we meet a generation ship in the Heinlein model. This is a variation of a sci-fi trope (a ship traveling at such great distances it will take multiple generations to get there) wherein the true nature of the occupants’ reality is either lost or purposely kept from “middle” generations. Add to this: a computer glitch has this “ship” off course (cribbing a bit from The Paradise Syndrome) and, potentially, destroying a Federation planet. Still more plot: McCoy has a terminal disease and he’s in love with one of these travelling space babes who knows not the true Truman Show-esque situation he’s in. And he’s willing to bag it all to stay with her (in an odd reverse-breach of the Prime Directive.) In a word: woah. Well, things tie up neatly at the end (it involves Spock doing some speed-reading) and despite the (ahem) hollow feeling this causes I still give this episode the thumbs up for digging deep into the ol’ bag of tricks.
I always had a weak spot for this one. I guess it was the fact that doctor McCoy finally got a babe for once. She was hot too and wise. Nice “tracks of land!” (borrowed from Monty Python and the Holy Grail movie). Just interesting all around. I really liked the Oracle Room scenes. But it was surely stupid the way the Oracle dealt with folks they didn’t understand. But that is the human way isn’t it?
Shoot first then ask questions later. I love to talk Trek but it seems there are fewer and fewer that can or want to. Then to add intellectual talk as well….I am starting to feel…What is the point?
Perhaps I am just bored with the whole thing. Perhaps it is time to find a new love. I have been into Trek since the early 70’s. I watched the first run but the salt creature freaked out a young mind too much. Then I got a little older and WHAM I was hooked. Good looking babes, great stories, ideas I would never have thought. I am grateful to Roddenberry for presenting thoughts to me I would never have thought on my own. but he was a very flawed person. We are all flawed but he was worse. I feel he raped Grace Lee Whitney. She all but said it in her autobiography. Her statement was that she didn’t want to hurt star Trek or something like that. What other person could she have been talking about that an accusation like that would have affected so? I think that was one of the real reason Roddenberry left the show by the 3rd season. Plus Majel heard about his philandering too. The ‘ole Gene “boo-hoo’d” to Majel and she believed him and they got married. Then Shatner has done all he can to crap all over Star Trek. It is just too bad he cannot simply go away. But be that as it may, the stories from the old Trek are still the best. Written by the best, for the most part, except for the ones stolen by D.C Fontana. Puhhhllleeesssssee. She just happened to be Roddenberrys secretary and just happened to be as talented as Theodore Sturgeon or Harlan Ellison? I most seriously think NOT! Well, thanks for the rant time. Trek still lives but not as Hollywood wanted nor anyone else but me it appears. I believe in the future of man. What he CAN be and not what he is!