Episode: 29
Title: Operation: Annihilate!
Star Date: 3287.2
Writer: Steven W. Carabatsos
First Shown: 13TH April 1967

Throughout the first season, the underlying message of Star Trek is not to assume anything about creatures you don't understand, and that all lifeforms should be respected. But you might get the hint that such softy behaviour is ditched in favour of a more aggressive approach in Operation: Annihilate!

As is often the case in this show, the opening sequence creates something of a mystery. The Enterprise is tracking a destructive force that is leaving a trail of obliterated worlds through the cosmos. The next planet in its path is Deneva, where the captain's brother, Sam Kirk, has a laboratory. As the Enterprise enters the system, they see a ship heading for the star. Hailing the pilot, they find he's acting irrationally. Just before the ship vaporises he starts making more sense, but unfortunately not enough to avoid catastrophe.

An away team beams down to Deneva and discovers that it appears deserted. Four men appear and tell them "Go away! We don't want to hurt you!", before attacking them with clubs! Obviously, things aren't well here, and a scream draws the away team to Sam's lab, where they find him dead, his son unconscious and his wife Aurelan in agony. She tells them that creatures came to the planet eight months previously, and took control of the population, forcing them to build more starships so they could spread elsewhere. Having given this useful exposition, she dies.

The creatures are discovered, and look rather like solidified lumps of coloured PVA glue. Yet even with these limitations, they can fly (badly) and are almost immune to hand phasers.

Given those odds, Kirk decides to withdraw back to the Enterprise, but not before Spock is bitten by one of the creatures. He then goes a bit bonkers, trying to take control of the ship before getting the pain the creature does through the nervous system under control. Spock beams back down to the planet and captures one of the creatures, so that they can examine on it in the sickbay. There, quite implausibly, they discover that while they can soak up phaser blasts, they don't like sunlight, which explains why the first Denevan they encountered crashing into the sun was rational at the end of his life.

They form a plan where they intend to use satellites to emit bright light and kill all the creatures, but they need to know what it will do to infected colonists. Spock agrees to try this bit out, being infected, and he steps into a chamber where he's exposed to bright light. He comes out free of the infection, but blind! Oops.

Then Nurse Chapel comes along with the information that he needed to know five minutes before, that only ultraviolet light was necessary, so they didn't need to blind him. As Homer might say, d'oh!

They deploy the satellites, which in the remastered edition we actually get to see happening, and destroy all the creatures. Spock appears on the bridge, and McCoy explains that Vulcans have an extra eyelid which protected him from the worst impact and the blindness was temporary. Hooray!

It's not the greatest story in the first season, and rather full of plot holes. There is no real discussion about wiping out a species. Presumably because this is a malevolent one and they don't get covered in the Prime Directive.

Steven W. Carabatsos, who wrote this, had previously worked on Peyton Place, and this was his second contribution after Court Martial, but he is also credited as script consultant on 11 episodes across the first season.

Herschel Daugherty was a prolific TV show director of the era, and would return to this series two years later when he directed The Savage Curtain. The only other detail of note about this episode is that a scene was shot where Kirk talked to his young nephew Peter about what he intends to do in the future, which was cut from the finished running time. I'm not sure Kirk's relative is ever mentioned again in the series. I suspect not.

We are done. That's the last of my return to Star Trek season one. It's had high points, and the occasional trough, but I've found it massively entertaining. In seeing the episodes in the order they were first shown, I've acquired a whole new appreciation for the franchise and how it fused into the iconic form we all remember.

Live long and prosper.

Episode: 28
Title: The City On The Edge Of Forever
Star Date: 3134.0
Writer: D.C. Fontana and Harlan Ellison
First Shown: 6th April 1967

I've looked at a dozen top ten original series episodes, and they all agree that this is the best story by a country mile. Being the penultimate episode of the first season the show had now entirely shed any perception that it was ‘Wagon Train to the stars' and this is a full-on science fiction adventure. Here two of the giants of modern science fiction combined their writing abilities to deliver a milestone in fantasy TV production, and it won D.C. Fontana and Harlan Ellison a Hugo Award.

The Enterprise is investigating a temporal phenomenon emanating from a nearby planet, waves of which are impacting on the ship as they approach.

Sulu is hurt when his console explodes, and McCoy injects him with a cordrazine shot to stabilise his heartbeat. Unfortunately, this leaves Bones with a hypo-spray loaded with a powerful drug, which, at the next jolt, he accidentally injects into himself. The result is that he becomes completely irrational and beams himself down to the planet's surface.

Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura and two security guards follow him to the ruins of an ancient civilisation and they discover the Guardian of Tomorrow. This appears to be a sentient machine that presents the fast-forward portal to the events of the past and future, and before anyone can stop him, the crazed Bones appears and leaps through it into the time vortex. At the very moment this happens the Enterprise disappears, as clearly something McCoy does in the past alters the timeline. Why all the other landing party doesn't also cease to exist isn't explained, but I'll go with the First Contact excuse which is that they're caught in a temporal wake.

Realising that their only chance of escaping the planet is to stop McCoy, Spock and Kirk wait for the same events to be portrayed in the time vortex and leap through into the nineteen-thirties New York of the Depression. Not knowing when McCoy will appear, they set about trying to work out what he might alter and how they can stop him. Having no money or food, they hide in the basement of a building, where they're found by Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), and assuming they're destitute, she offers them work and somewhere to stay.

Spock is able to construct a system from valves and other basic electronics to analyse the data he collected from the time vortex, and it reveals that before McCoy jumped through, Edith dies, but after he jumped, she survives and her anti-war protests alter the events of World War II. The knock-on effect of that is that the Enterprise no longer exists in that timeline, disturbingly.

Unbeknownst to Spock and Kirk, McCoy comes through the portal and is also befriended by Edith. It's the ultimate meeting between them all, and Edith stepping into the path of a truck when she sees them across the street is the inescapable resolution for everyone. After that happens they are able to go back through the portal, and the timeline and Enterprise are duly restored.

My feelings about The City On The Edge Of Forever are that it demonstrates the deeper maturity of the Star Trek concept beyond what the studios thought it might become. It's brave enough to present a tragedy without a convenient get out of jail card, and gives the proceedings an added edge by letting Kirk get involved with Edith.

This isn't the typical Kirk soft-focus relationship that has the women swooning at his first signs of interest. It's actually a more believable transit from friendship to something greater. When Edith dies, as she must, his reaction is therefore entirely believable. There is no moment of triumph - he just snaps "Let's get the hell out of here!" In an era where most shows left the audience on an upbeat moment, the ability to contradict this ethos is what makes Star Trek stand proud from its contemporaries.

Recently there has been an ongoing dispute between CBS Paramount TV and Harlan Ellison, who claims not to have received what he was due from the income made since the episode was made. This isn't the only controversy surrounding this story; another details that Harlan's original script wasn't short enough to film, and as such, various Star Trek insiders contributed to the final form including Steven W. Carabatsos, Gene L. Coon, D. C. Fontana and the show's creator Gene Roddenberry.

Whatever the truth about the process that created this story, many consider this to the pinnacle of Star Trek's creativity, and worthy of many of the accolades it's generated over the years.

The next review is sadly the final one of the first season, a quiet and peace-loving story called Operation: Annihilate!

Episode: 27
Title: The Alternative Factor
Star Date: 3087.6
Writer: Don Ingalls
First Shown: 23rd March 1967

The Alternative Factor is probably one of the few original season stories that doesn't quite work, although it's notable in that it explores the idea of parallel dimensions - something that became a staple of later Trek stories.

The Enterprise is stuck by an unknown energy from a strange planet, one which appears to be jumping between existing and not.

Scanning the planet, they sense a lifeform that had not previously been there, and an away team is dispatched to investigate. They find a tiny flying saucer and a crazy man, who looks like he's been attacked. They let him fall off a cliff, and then realising that it didn't kill him, they beam him back to the Enterprise to check out his injuries.

But he's not alone in having problems. The dimensional winking is draining the dilithium crystals rapidly, and the Enterprise has only 10 hours before it falls out of orbit. The effect isn't restricted to just them. The impact on Federation starships is sector wide.

Kirk is ordered to find the source of the problem, and all other ships are instructed to leave the area.

Once their guest is well enough to talk, they realise he's connected to the events, as he phases in and out of their dimension. Lazarus tells them of a mission to stop a ‘monster' that destroyed his civilisation, and who must be stopped. Confusingly, Lazarus sometimes exhibits an injury and then alternately doesn't - is this man fighting himself?

Spock detects a tear in space which has formed near the saucer, and Lazarus tells them that this has been done by his enemy and he can fix this if they give him some dilithium crystals to power his ship. When Kirk refuses, he tries to steal some, and blames his nemesis when accused.

It's Spock's analysis that Lazarus's real enemy is an anti version of himself, possibly from an anti-universe where normal matter is antimatter. Why this doesn't cause him to self annihilate when coming into contact with matter isn't explained, disappointingly. Spock also assumes their getting together could be disastrous for both universes. Nice theory Spock, although he seems short on actual evidence for that conclusion.

We then get into another run around where Lazarus goes down to the planet, falls and ends up back in sickbay, again. Bored with this game, Kirk demands the truth, which Lazarus confusingly provides (so why not earlier?). He's a time traveller, and his ship is a sort of Tardis, and he's been running away from his enemy for centuries.

Kirk doesn't trust him, but doesn't actually put enough security on sickbay to stop shoplifters. As a result Lazarus escapes again, gets some dilithium and head back to the planet, again.

Kirk goes to stop him and is the one transported when the ship is activated, and meets the amazingly rational anti-Lazarus. He confirms his part in the plot and that Spock is correct about how their getting together would be a bad thing.

The resolution is that the two of them must meet in the inter-dimensional portal, which they do once Kirk returns and pushes the crazy one through. He then uses the ship's phasers to destroy the ship and seal them forever in the portal.

I have to say that as a child I found this story very hard to follow, and I didn't find it much easier as an adult. Which version of Lazarus we're looking at often isn't obvious, and why the sane version didn't explain earlier what was going on seems inexplicable.

However, Gene Roddenberry must have liked what Don Ingalls did writing this story, and invited him back to create A Private Little War in season 2. This was the director, Gerd Oswald's second Trek, having directed The Conscience Of The King previously, and this was his final contribution to the original series.

The most interesting aspect of this episode is that Robert Brown wasn't supposed to be Lazarus, as it was originally to be John Drew Barrymore. Except Mr Barrymore didn't actually turn up on the first day of filming, and Robert Brown was brought in, causing the schedule to slip by two days. John Drew, the son of screen legend John Barrymore, had a spurious acting career that this didn't contribute positively to when the Screen Actors Guild withdrew his membership for six months.

After this slightly disappointing outing, Star Trek comes back with a vengeance next with the seminal The City On The Edge Of Forever.

Episode: 26
Title: Errand Of Mercy
Star Date: 3198.4
Writer: Gene L. Coon
First Shown: 16th March 1967

Being that it's at least 40 years since I saw these shows presented in the order I've now watched them, it was something of a shock to discover that it got all the way to episode 26 before the Klingons first appeared.

It should also be noted that, due to cost constraints, these aren't the cranial-ridged villains of the movies and later TV shows, but slightly more swarthy adversaries.

Errand Of Mercy is yet another story from the almost endless science fiction conveyor of Gene L. Coon, and draws its inspiration from how small countries are treated by superpowers. As such, it's often been referred to as the ‘Vietnam' story. Even as a youngster I got the idea that the Klingons represented the USSR and possibly China to the Federation being America.

With the Federation and Klingon Empire falling out, the Enterprise is dispatched to a planet bordering their territory to avoid it being annexed by their aggressive neighbour.

As they approach the planet Organia, the Enterprise is attacked by a Klingon vessel which is destroyed in the brief battle. Spock and Kirk go to the surface to warn the Organians, who seem unconcerned for their own safety. While they're there a larger Klingon force appears and the Enterprise is forced to withdraw, leaving Spock and Kirk to hide amongst the populous. The Klingons occupy the planet, and eventually capture Kirk and Spock.

The Organians help them escape, and in retaliation the Klingon commander Kor orders the execution of many civilians. With a Federation fleet approaching, Kirk and Spock decide the best means of defence is attack, and decide to take Kor prisoner.

It's at this point that the rather strange attitude that the Organians have towards occupation and death is revealed: they're uber-powerful beings who have the ability to disable both sides at will. They enforce a peace treaty, much to the annoyance of especially the Klingons, and possibly the slight embarrassment of the Federation. Having learned their valuable lesson in humility, they both go about their respective business.

So what elevates this above the background hum of season 1? Probably the performance of the superb John Colicos, who exudes calculated menace as Klingon commander Kor. He returned as this character in the Deep Space Nine episode Blood Oath (1994) along with the two other Klingon commanders from the original series, Kang (Michael Ansara) and Koloth (William Campbell). He then came back for a third and fourth time as Kor in The Sword Of Kahless (1995) and Once More Unto The Breach (1998), respectively.

John Colicos went on to make a decent living out of playing characters with few if any redemptions, being most famous for the duplicitous Baltar in the original version of Battlestar Galactica.

What was slightly disappointing in the original version was that no Klingon ships were visible, only their fire. This has been fixed in the remastered release with some D7-Class cruisers courtesy of the CGI department. There are other small changes but they're not as easily spotted.

Next up the crew of the Enterprise meet Lazarus in The Alternative Factor.

Episode: 25
Title: The Devil In The Dark
Star Date: 3196.1
Writer: Gene L. Coon
First Shown: 9th March 1967

It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

The Devil In The Dark is one of the most memorable episodes of the original series, because for once Kirk, Bones and Spock aren't up against super-beings or obvious men in suits. I also like it because it has a simple but effective message about fearing the unknown and the irrationality of that. Along with that there is also a subtle message about respecting the environment and the creatures in it, even if the plot surrounds a mining operation.

The Enterprise arrives at Janus VI following reports of deaths and sabotage caused by an elusive creature. Beaming down, Kirk and Spock find out that fifty miners have died and soon an important part of the colony's reactor is stolen. The landing party start to search the level where most of the attacks have taken place, and hope not to die in the process. In this section of the mine are a large number of perfect silver purple spheres, a curiosity but of industrial use.

Spock and Kirk are approached by a weird creature that looks like solidified magma, and when it attacks them they use their phasers to drive it off. The alien retreats through solid rock, which it can easily cut paths through using a powerful corrosive acid it exudes.

Examining a portion the phaser cut from the creature, Spock determines that this is a silicon-based life form, and the very last of its kind.

Scotty improvises a pump, but it's only a matter of time before the mine must be abandoned. The turning point comes when Spock proposes a mind-meld to better understand the creature and its motivations.

But the creature is in such pain from the wound, Spock can only determine it's in great pain, unsurprisingly. After this connection the creature burns the words "NO KILL I" on the mine wall.

Given the information the first attempt provided, Spock decides to undergo a second sharing of thoughts and the full story of the ‘Horta' is revealed. Every 50,000 years they all die, except one brood mother who looks after an entirely new generation of offspring, as the spheres are eggs. The miners had inadvertently broken into the hatchery, at which point the Horta took action to avoid complete annihilation.

Kirk then involves Bones to try and help the creature, and he uses that iconic line, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!" when he discovers his patient is primarily made of rock. With Doctor McCoy's masonry skills, the creature is soon well, and Bones is even impressed with his own abilities in this respect.

After initially being hostile, the miners soon come to the conclusion that working with the Horta might be beneficial, as they can make tunnels easily and seek out mineral deposits for them. Quite how they're going to communicate without Spock on hand isn't discussed, but it's a remarkably happy up-beat ending for a story that started with lots of dead people.

On reviewing this episode what I liked most about it was that it gave the opportunity for each of the main three characters to perform their functions. Kirk is allowed to be dashing and impetuous, Spock logical and ethical, and Bones to be compassionate.

Yet along with that it also allows them to oppose these positions, with Kirk convincing Spock not to kill the creature. It's all quite cerebral for 60s American TV, and what starts as a rather shallow monster hunt turns into something more interesting.

Historically, it's Bill Shatner's favourite episode. He says because his father died while he was making it, and both Nimoy and Roddenberry were very supportive to him during production. Which suggests that, despite what other cast members have said on occasion, Shatner is actually a big softy at heart.

The remastered release has quite a few altered effects shots, including a whole new planet, an underground refinery and even some miners playing with a baby Horta in the background of one scene.

One curiosity I noticed was that when we first see the miners, before one of them is fried by the Horta, amongst their number is an actor who looks remarkably like Robert F. Hoy, who played Joe Butler in The High Chaparral, but I could be wrong.

Next up we see the very first appearance on the Klingons in Star Trek, when the Enterprise has an Errand Of Mercy.

Episode: 24
Title: This Side Of Paradise
Star Date: 3417.3-3417.7
Writer: D.C. Fontana and Nathan Butler (Jerry Sohl)
First Shown: 2nd March 1967

As original series stories go, the background to this adventure is probably more interesting than the narrative, which follows the somewhat well worn route of turning up at a planet where all seems well, only to discover a darker secret.

The Federation is concerned about a colony on Omicron Ceti III, not only because the system is constantly showered with deadly Berthold rays, but also because they've not heard from them in some time.

However, when they do arrive, they're amazed to discover that all the people on the outpost are entirely fit and well - how can this be?

The answer lies in some innocuous looking flowers which when approached dispense spores that work symbiotically with the host creature to provide protection from the radiation and perfect health. But they also have the side-effect that they render all those affected to reject their duties for a simpler existence.

An added complication to all this is that Mr Spock meets Leila Kalomi there, a woman he previously dated on Earth. She takes him to the flowers and soon the emotional side of his personality is dominant. In fact, it's exactly that reversal, with Spock emotional and Kirk being the opposite of his normal nature, that turns a relatively basic premise more interesting.

The progress of the spores through the Enterprise crew is accelerated by the transporting of plants up to the ship, and even their appearance on the bridge, where Kirk is eventually overcome by them.

Strangely for Trek, the resolution comes not in a brilliant piece of logic or imaginative strategic thinking but entirely by accident. While trying to leave the ship, Kirk has a problem with the transporter which results in him feeling extreme emotion, which kills the spores in him. Realising what's happened, he asks Spock to join him onboard to help complete their evacuation of the ship. When Spock arrives, Kirk uses all manner of verbal abuse to goad Spock into an emotional response, resulting in a fight between them. Given how much stronger Spock is than Kirk, this was a calculated gamble that the spores would die before Spock killed his friend and captain.

Leila beams onboard to discover that Spock is no longer under the control of the spores, and asks him to return to the planet with her so they can be together. The answer is ‘no', although Spock manages to give her a hug in recompense.

Spores eliminated and outpost people all onboard, the Enterprise leaves Omicron Ceti III, and Spock makes an uncharacteristic remark about being happy for the first time in his life. The end.

It's a bit perfunctory, but entertaining enough. But where it gets a little more interesting is some of the back story to this piece. The original rough draft for this story was created by Jerry Sohl, who previously penned The Corbomite Maneuver.

In this version, it's Sulu that had the relationship with Leila, and falls in love again under the spores influence.

For whatever reason, D C Fontana then decided to rewrite it, and Jerry wasn't remotely happy with what she did with it. So he asked they use the pseudonym ‘Nathan Butler' on the credits, and not his real name. Clearly there was some bad blood here as Sohl never wrote anything more for Star Trek.

The other curiosity here is the appearance of Jill Ireland as Leila, who had previously been working on The Man From Uncle with her husband David McCallum. But at the point she arrived at this production, she was dating her next husband Charles Bronson, who visited her during the making of this episode.

The remastered version is relatively untouched, other than some nice radiation enhanced shots of the planet with the Enterprise in orbit.

In my next review the immortal line, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", gets an outing, when Doctor McCoy encounters The Devil In The Dark.

Episode: 23
Title: A Taste Of Armageddon
Star Date: 3192.1
Writer: Gene L. Coon
First Shown: 23rd February 1967

Before talking about this episode, I want to set the context of when it was made, and the issues that presented themselves to those living in America at this time. The Vietnam War had been going since 1959, and a year after this the conflict would peak in the Tet Offensive. Given that the decade prior to this has seen the Korean Conflict, and the one before that World War II, everyone was heartily sick of war even if they weren't fought on US soil.

In that light A Taste Of Armageddon makes a general and thought provoking critique on the futility of war and the loss of people and cultures within those conflicts.

The Enterprise turns up at the planet Eminiar VII with Ambassador Robert Fox onboard despite being told to stay away, looking to establish diplomatic relations. Kirk, Spock, Yeoman Tamura and two guards beam down to the planet to be met by the attractive Mea 3. She takes them to the High Council where they're told that they've beamed into a war zone and they should leave. It turns out that Eminiar VII and its sister planet Vendikar have been at war for 500 years, although Kirk can see no obvious signs of destruction in their cities.

It turns out that in many respects the war they're fighting is virtual, in that the attacks are calculated, WarGames-like, by computers, and then those people who are determined to have been killed in each attack then have 24 hours to turn themselves in for disintegration. This conveniently leaves the infrastructure intact, even if thinning out the population.

Unfortunately, in the next attack not only is Mea 3 determined to be a casualty, but also the away team. Kirk won't go along with this and the leader Anan 7 ensures compliance by imprisoning them all and using a voice duplicator to try and lure the remaining crew on the Enterprise down to the surface. Scotty doesn't buy this deception, and realises the away team are in trouble.

Meanwhile, down below Spock does something I'm pretty sure he never repeats, which is to remotely plant the idea that they've escaped from their cells in the mind of the guard outside. He runs into their cell and is overpowered. Realising they've escaped, Anan 7 tells the planetary defences to open fire on the Enterprise.

The real star of this story is Scotty, because left in control of the orbiting Enterprise, he's crucial to keeping the ship safe and understanding what's occurring on the surface. Up to this point the Scotty character had been mostly used in a peripheral way, but here he's given some prominence.

He's ready for the attack, and he also then refuses to ignore the orders of the envoy they're carrying to lower shields. His refusal to follow orders is a great scene, and is apparently based on a real one that actor James Doohan experienced while in the Royal Canadian Artillery, where during an exercise he refused a direct order to fire on his own men. Doohan's military experience included being part of the contingent of Canadian forces that landed at Juno Beach on D-Day, where he was unfortunately shot six times by friendly fire and among other more serious injuries lost the top of a finger from his right hand.

He has some great lines in this episode including, "Diplomats! The best diplomat I know is a fully activated phaser bank!"

Scotty is relieved of command by Ambassador Fox who then beams down to be arrested directly. After lots of escaping, capturing, escaping, blowing up stuff, Kirk eventually gets a message to Scotty to execute General Order 24, a planetary attack which will commence in two hours if they're not released.

He then proceeds to destroy the war game computers, which creates a situation where the next Vendikar attack won't be a simulated one. Scared of the possibility of a real war with all the associated horrors, the Eminiarians are forced to consider a peaceful settlement, which Ambassador Robert Fox is conveniently on hand to help negotiate.

Along with Scotty, the best aspect of this story is the appearance of David Opatoshu as Anan 7, an actor who appeared on American TV from 1952 until 1991. His acting style is quite theatrical but suitably tempered for the small screen, and he manages to give the bureaucrat he's given here substantially more depth than we should really expect.

What I never actually bought in this story is that the two sides could be sufficiently coordinated and trusting to set up this mutual destruction system, but couldn't actually come to a peaceful settlement. And the rules governing the system would clearly never allow either side to win, and the only motivation that usually keeps nations in conflict going is the notion that at some point they'll triumph. Take that away and surely it wouldn't take long for people to realise it was all pointless. And, if either side could win, then surely the side who was failing would stop killing their own people as a means of rebalancing things.

My other complaint is that the hats that the Eminian guards wear are hilarious, and look like they were designed for coneheads.

Overall, this story is strong on symbolism, and has an interesting underlying concept but never quite translates that into classic Trek. The remastering has added some stylish backdrops to the city on the planet Eminiar VII and its view from orbit, but it's relatively unmodified in other respects.

In terms of the Trek legacy, this marks the first story where they actually make reference to the ‘Federation', having called the arrangement of systems that Earth is a part a whole manner of different things before this point.

Next up is another distopian story where an odd plant has peculiar effect on the Enterprise's crew in This Side Of Paradise.

Episode: 22
Title: Space Seed
Star Date: 3141.9
Writer: Gene L. Coon
First Shown: 16th February 1967

In the original series, some episodes are so good that they entirely changed the Star Trek mythology and Space Seed is certainly in that group. It's a relatively simple story, but presented in a very tight way that elevates the characters and their ambitions. Written by Gene L. Coon, prolific writer and producer for the show, it extrapolates what might happen if a historical character and dictator was deposited through time onto the Enterprise, and how the crew might react to him.

In deep space the Enterprise encounters a derelict ship, the US Botany Bay, originally launched in the 20th century. The ship's name is something of a subtle warning, but no one on the Enterprise seems to get the hint. On the Botany Bay are passengers frozen in cryogenic suspension, one of those being Khan Noonien Singh. He's a genetically engineered super-human, who was an infamous tyrant from Earth history. Evidently, during the late twentieth century in Trek lore, a Eugenics war is raging, and Khan and his allies are remnants of this period.

Being smart, devious and very strong Khan soon realises that if he can defrost the other super-soldiers on the Botany Bay then he'll be able to take control of the Enterprise and rule the universe, quadrant, whatever. But he starts by entrancing the lovely Lt. McGivers, who soon falls for his direct approach and lethal charm.

Soon he's controlling life support to kill all those on the bridge, and throws Kirk into a decompression chamber in an attempt to get him to instruct the crew to follow his orders.

Where this goes from just being Kirk trying to stop a madman to something more spectacular is in the portrayal of Kahn by the expressive Ricardo Montalbán. He gives Kahn plenty of passion and energy, and not a little degree of swagger. In many respects he's a dark version of Kirk, and they share the overconfidence that will ultimately be his undoing.

Kirk stops Khan taking the Enterprise, and decides to maroon him and his crew on the then lush world of Ceti Alpha V. This turns out to be a really bad plan, as 15 years later Khan escapes that now desert world and comes looking for Kirk and more than a little revenge. Spock even says prophetically in this episode, "It would be interesting, Captain, to return to that world in a hundred years, and learn what crop had sprung from the seed you planted today."

The strengths of this episode stand out on reviewing, and it seems now an entirely obvious choice for great source material for the second and best original cast film outing in Wrath Of Khan. The only bizarre thing I noticed was that in that film Chekov is recognised by Khan, which is odd because he's not a TOS season one character and as such they're never seen to meet. That minor plot hole aside, Space Seed created some wonderful unfinished business that the original series never addressed, but Wrath Of Khan immortalised.

The remastering work done on this work isn't major, although they've made the Botany Bay a more believable vessel.

The next review is another favourite of mine, the frighteningly logical A Taste Of Armageddon.

Episode: 21
Title: The Return Of The Archons
Star Date: 3156.2
Writer: Boris Sobelman based on a story by Gene Roddenberry
First Shown: 9th February 1967

It might seem strange to say this, but in season one of the original series Gene Roddenberry seemed content to avoid what might be seen as entirely science-fiction stories; instead the series is happier with storylines that concentrate on emotions and dilemmas of the characters. But presumably buoyed by success, the show gets more ambitious in these respects as it progresses, and The Return Of The Archons, written by Boris Sobelman, has an almost pure science-fiction-based premise.

It starts with Sulu and a disposable redshirt beaming down to the planet Beta III in search of a ship lost 100 years earlier called the Archon. Only Sulu returns in a confused state after being attacked by the inhabitants.

When Kirk, Spock and Bones beam down to investigate, they discover a society which is modelled on 19th century America, but with some unusual differences. The citizens are strictly controlled by the lawgivers, except during a ‘Red Hour' where for a period of time (longer than an hour, strangely) no law exists and people go on a rampage of sex and violence. This appears to be some sort of a control mechanism, devolved from a dictator Landru who appears to use mass telepathy to control the populous.

Because they don't attend the ‘festival' of debauchery, the crew of the Enterprise soon come to the attention of the lawgivers, and they're captured to be asked, "Are you the Archons?". When they realise they're not the Archons, or ‘of the body', they decide to ‘absorb' them into the culture using technology that makes people mindless. Luckily for Kirk and co, there is also a subversive underground group who free the crew and allow them to unravel the truth behind Landru.

He isn't a living person, but a powerful computer left 6,000 years previously to look after the people on the planet. It's eventually disabled in a classic theological argument about the nature of good and evil, where it concludes it's evil and destroys itself. Now set free from Landru, the Federation leaves representatives with them to help their progression into a more normal culture.

There are several interesting aspects to this story; most notably, it's the first time that the ‘Prime Directive' is mentioned, and discussed. There's a debate about how possibly the Enterprise should allow those on Beta III to continue their culture in whatever way it's developed. But Kirk makes the counter-argument that this isn't a living developing culture and as such it's acceptable to try to make it so.

The other noteworthy detail is the appearance of the brilliant Torin Thatcher as renegade priest Marplon. This British born actor often played villains, including, most memorably, as Sokurah the Magician in The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad (1958).

But if you want bad guys, then the next review up contains one that enjoys the Klingon proverb ‘revenge is best served cold'. Yes, it's Kahn!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In the original series story Space Seed.

Episode: 20
Title: Court Martial
Star Date: 2947.3
Writer: Don M. Mankiewicz
First Shown: 2nd February 1967

For this particular action orientated youngster this story wasn't well received, as it's effectively a Perry Mason style courtroom drama set in space. But watching it afresh, it's not at all bad, and has some neat twists that elevate it above my original expectations.

The story starts with the Enterprise undergoing repairs at Starbase 11 after being damaged in an ion storm. In addition to the structural repairs needed, there is also one missing crewman, Lt. Commander Ben Finney who was inside a probe that was jettisoned at the height of the storm. But Kirk's report of the incident doesn't tie in with the computer records of the incident, and soon the captain finds himself the subject of court proceedings on the basis of negligence.

Adding extra spice to the case is prosecuting attorney Lt. Areel Shaw, who is not only an effective legal brief but also a previous girlfriend of Kirk's.

Soon regular crewmen and old friends are being wheeled to the stand to give testimony more damning than the last. It all looks pretty bleak for Kirk, who is confused by how the flight recordings from the bridge contradict his own recollections.

Salvation comes in the form of 3D Chess, where Spock plays the computer and beats it. This is used for a somewhat obtuse explanation that the computer has been messed with, and the only people capable of that would have been Kirk, Spock and the now deceased Finney. Given that Kirk wouldn't undermine himself, and Spock knows he didn't do it, the only possible conclusion is that Finney isn't dead.

To prove this, the court assembles on the Enterprise, and all crew members are beamed off to the Starbase below. They then selectively remove the sounds of each person's heartbeat, until only one remains, revealing Finney's presence on the ship.

There then follows a slightly nonsensical sequence where Kirk goes alone to stop Finney, while the Enterprise starts to fall out of orbit due to some special modifications he made to get ultimate revenge on Kirk. Except nobody can brawl and get his flimsy Starfleet uniform ripped like Kirk and Finney breaks down when he realises his own daughter is onboard.

The problem, ultimately, with Court Martial is that there are some plot holes here you could drive a constellation class Starship though. For example: Lt. Areel Shaw is an ex-girlfriend of Kirk and therefore should have admonished herself from being involved in the case. And why would you build a probe that you might be forced to eject, and then put a person in it? And Finney's plan assumed they wouldn't find the empty probe, which was hardly a certainty. And how did Finney make the alterations to the ship without anyone noticing someone that was supposed to be dead?

There are also some less than stellar performances, and Alice Rawlings is especially awful as Jamie Finney. It didn't surprise me to discover that she only made one further TV appearance after this one. At the other end of the spectrum is the diminutive but memorable character actor Elisha Cook Jr., who is wonderful as the legal book fanatic Samuel T. Cogley.

For Trek aficionados this is the first story where the term ‘Starfleet' and ‘Starfleet Command' are used to describe the organisation that the Enterprise belongs to, and the remastering shows where on the Enterprise the pod was jettisoned.

Tomorrow I'll be right back with prime directive shenanigans, and The Return Of The Archons.

After the dust had settled from the near disastrous fifth instalment, Star Trek made a stunning return to form with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Like Star Trek's best stories, TUC has its roots based in a story we can all relate to, the end of the Cold War. The film starts with a devastating explosion in space, which Sulu, now Captain of the USS Excelsior, is witness to. The Klingons have suffered a massive catastrophe, their key energy production facility has exploded, crippling the environment and economy. The entire Klingon civilisation has been brought to its knees, and relies on the mercy of the Federation.

At a meeting of the Federation's top brass we learn that Spock has been in discussion with the Klingon High Council. Captain Kirk and the Enterprise are to carry the first olive branch and escort the Klingon flagship and their chancellor, Gorkon, to a peace conference on Earth. As this is due to be the Enterprise's final cruise with its current crew, Spock is keen to find a successor as science officer, and has developed a protege in the form of Valeris, a young, confident female Vulcan.

After a painfully awkward state dinner aboard the Enterprise, where the topic of discussion ranges from the works of William Shakespeare to Adolf Hitler and too much Romulan ale is imbibed, the Enterprise suddenly, and unexpectedly fires on the Klingon ship, while two assassins in Starfleet uniforms beam aboard and shoot the chancellor. The ship is crippled and Kirk and McCoy beam aboard to offer assistance.

Gorkon has been critically injured and despite McCoy's best efforts, dies. Kirk and McCoy are immediately arrested, on suspicion of assassination. A show-trial ensues, where the Doctor is accused of being incompetent, and that Kirk's hatred of Klingons was his motivation to kill the Chancellor, and end the peace efforts. The two are sentenced to death, but in light of the upcoming peace talks, their sentences are commuted, to life imprisonment on Rura Penthe, a Klingon prison planet.

Determined to prove his friends innocence, Spock ignores Starfleet's requests for the Enterprise to return to Earth and instead begins an investigation to find the chancellor's assassins. Mr Scott soon concludes that the Enterprise could not have fired on the Klingon ship and that there must have been a second ship, in this case, a Klingon Bird of Prey that can fire while cloaked.

Back on the Klingon prison world, the good captain is soon able to work his mojo (in between kicking some alien knee-balls) and thanks to a fellow prisoner, and shape-shifter, named Martia, he and McCoy become the first successful escapees from the Klingon's version of Alcatraz.

The freezing conditions take their toll and McCoy is unable to continue, telling Kirk to leave him, but Kirk knows help is not far away, since Spock secreted a tracking device on his uniform before their arrest.

Kirk soon becomes suspicious of Martia, with her handy set of spare cold weather clothes and nifty 'ice-flare' and correctly deduces it's a setup to ensure Kirk and McCoy are silenced, "killed while attempting escape".

Thankfully, Spock and the Enterprise arrive in time, beaming Kirk and McCoy to safety (and in a bit of inspired comedy, just before they learn who is responsible for the assassination. Take that, monologue!).

During the trip back to Federation space, Scotty discovers the uniforms belonging to Gorkon's assassins and rushes to tell Spock of his discovery, only for him and the senior officers to find the corpses of the very crewmen the uniforms belonged to!

To lure out the assassin's assassin, an announcement is made to the crew that statements are to be taken from the dead crewmen. In sickbay, Spock finds that it is none other than Valeris behind the murder of the assassins, and under mind-meld, she reveals the other co-conspirators.

Thanks to Sulu's loyalty to his old captain, the Enterprise learns the location of the peace conference and races to save the day. In classic Trek style, a final face-off between Kirk and Chang ensues, with Chang spouting Shakespeare, the Enterprise is near destruction when Sulu arrives to save his comrades and former ship. McCoy and Spock rig a torpedo capable of tracking the cloaked ship and Chang is defeated, leaving Kirk and crew enough time to stop the assassination of Gorkon's daughter and save the peace talks, and the universe, once again.

TUC is my second favourite Trek film, and is a fine tribute to the cast of The Original Series. Nicholas Meyer returns to direct his second film in the franchise and he once again delivers the goods.

TUC presents a strong emotional story, but not at the expense of the action or characters. The film is at its best when the characters are brought to the fore, particularly the scenes with Kirk and McCoy in prison and facing up to the fact that their careers, which have shaped who they are, are drawing to a close.

Christopher Plummer's Chang joins the ranks of Trek villainy, and is an excellent adversary for Kirk.

TUC deals with a big issue for the Trek universe, being inspired by Glasnost, and the fall of the Berlin wall, as well as more human issues, with Kirk being forced to face up to his Klingon prejudice and his worries for the future. This is a story that presents the Enterprise's crew as very human, with fears and concerns like you and I, as opposed to the perfect flawless Fedearation citizens that came to bore me in the likes of Voyager and Enterprise. You can relate to them, and it brings the story to a wider audience outside of the normal sci-fi demographic.

Kim Cattrall is note-worthy too for her portrayal of Valeris, and her closeness with, and ultimate betrayal of Spock allows for some great chemistry with Leonard Nimoy, who as per usual, delivers another text book performance.

The special effects return to form after The Final Frontier with the battle scene at the film's climax amongst the best in Trek. The Undiscovered Country is a brilliant film, and a fine way for the original crew to sign off.

Episode: 19
Title: Tomorrow Is Yesterday
Star Date: 3113.2
Writer: D C Fontana
First Shown: 26th January 1967

As a youngster I adored this original story, because it takes the notional idea of time travel and adds an interesting twist, in that it's people from our future coming back to the present.

It also builds on the previous story, The Naked Time, where the Enterprise slingshots around the sun and picks up enough speed to initiate time travel. In this adventure the Enterprise is caught in the gravitational pull of a neutron star, and in escaping they time travel back to 1969 Earth where they become visible to the radar of that era. Fighters are scrambled, and one approaches the Enterprise, which is now in the atmosphere. In attempting to get away, the Enterprise grabs the F-104 Starfighter with a tractor beam, which the aircraft isn't strong enough to withstand and they're forced to beam Captain John Christopher onboard to avoid killing him.

Lots of the fun comes from Captain Christopher's shock at his glimpse into the future, and the realisation of the crew that he has an important roll to play in history, so they must put him back at exactly the point in the timestream where they met him.

But that's not the only fix that's required, as a picture taken by the Captain is now been recovered by the Airforce. So Kirk and Sulu are beamed into the photography recon section to get that film back. They're captured and interrogated in scenes that clearly influenced Lenard Nimoy when he co-wrote and directed the fourth movie, The Voyage Home. The focus is on comedy here and the situation spirals further out of control when a guard answers a communicator hail and accidentally activates an emergency beam-out.

So to get resolution they must repeat a slingshot and as they then start moving forward through time, they must put everyone and thing back where it needs to go. Once they've completed all those adjustments, they move forward through time to get back to the 23rd Century.

What slightly let down the original version was the quality of effects, but the remastered version has replaced all of those and the Enterprise looks especially great manoeuvring through the clouds, chased by the jet.

As we approach the end of the first season, the number of ‘classic' episodes increases and this is certainly one of them. What I most like about it is the way that almost until the end, despite the crew's best efforts, the situation seems to get worse rather than better, and how they deal with the chaos they've caused.

Seeing it again for the first time in a while, it struck me that this might well have been in the mind of those who created The Final Countdown (1980), as it explores some common paradoxes of time displacement.

For Geeks there are tons of interesting aspects to this story, but the one I love most is that early in the story they intercept a radio transmission which says that the first moon launch will take place on the following Wednesday. This is a full two years before the real Apollo 11 launch, but they managed to guess the day of the week correctly.

Next up, the command decisions made by Kirk come under the microscope with Court Martial.

Episode: 18
Title: Arena
Star Date: 3045.6
Writer: Gene L. Coon
First Shown: 19th January 1967

If you asked many people do they remember Arena they might confuse it with at least two other stories, but if you asked about the ‘Gorn' story, or the one with the lizard bloke, you'd get an immediate response.

By the time this one screened, fans of the show will have worked out that the universe is populated with primarily two types: sexually available aliens, and omnipotent beings who like to mess with humanity at the first opportunity. And it's the latter variety, and not romantic entanglements, that are Kirk's big problem in this story.

The Enterprise arrives at Cestus III Outpost. Kirk, Bones and three expendable crewmen beam down expecting dinner and instead find the outpost has been destroyed by an attacking ground force. While they're on the surface, the unseen enemy ship turns up and attacks the Enterprise, marooning them on the surface until they pause their attack. The remaining crew members beam back and the Enterprise sets off in pursuit of the enemy ship, until they're both held in an invisible force-field.

They're both run into the ‘Metrons', a deeply paranoid race of super-beings who decide, like parents of fighting children, to settle this dispute directly. Kirk and the alien captain ‘Gorn' are transported to an alien world where they'll fight until one of them is dead. When one has killed the other, the victor's ship will go free, while the loser will be destroyed along with his ship.

In retrospect, I've never seen this story without it raising a chuckle at one point or another. The Gorn is pure man-in-a-suit, although the teeth look formidable. Kirk must use his adaptation abilities to create a weapon from the items he finds on the planet, and implausibly build a small cannon. This whole exercise is wonderfully parodied in the film Galaxy Quest, where confronted with a similar problem, the captain is asked to look around and see if there are parts to ‘fashion a primitive lathe'.

After much running about familiar Trek desert locations (Vasquez Rocks), Kirk finally uses the cannon to disable Gorn, but refuses to kill him. This impresses the never seen Metrons, who proclaim that humans are "still half savage, but there is hope".

We never know really what happens to Gorn, but the Enterprise is placed back around Cestus III with an uninjured Kirk onboard.

While the story is rather simple, and the creature slightly laughable, there are many interesting things about this story that support the Trek legacy. Possibly the most important aspect is that this script was created by the legendary Gene L. Coon, at the time he was also the show's producer. This writer was responsible for introducing to Trek the concept of the Prime Directive, the Klingons, and the key characters of Khan Noonien Singh and Zefram Cochrane. Infamously he could create an entire script over a weekend, although I've no idea if he wrote this one that rapidly.

Sadly Coon died in 1973 after developing lung cancer, and so never saw the film versions of the show he helped create.

It's also worth mentioning that the remastering elves have been quite busy on this story, fixing the usual ship graphics but also providing a more convincing background for Cestus III, and even blinking eyes for Gorn.

Next up is the second D C Fontana penned episode, and the first intentional time travel story, when the crew of the Enterprise try to unravel the conundrum of Tomorrow Is Yesterday.

Episode: 17
Title: The Squire Of Gothos
Star Date: 2124.5
Writer: Paul Schneider
First Shown: 12th January 1967

Although the idea of encountering a delinquent super-being had already been covered in Charlie-X, The Squire Of Gothos reworks the concept in a slightly different way, when the Enterprise comes across a planet that isn't on the charts. Kirk and Sulu disappear from the bridge, and the crew then investigate communications from the planet below to find out what became of them.

They're now guests of The Squire of Gothos, and soon it's obvious that the entire ship's compliment could be unwilling entertainment for the decidedly odd but incredibly powerful Squire Trelane. How peculiar Trelane is makes this story entertaining, and that's entirely down to the work of William Campbell in realising his unique, if grandiose, personality.

William Campbell had a longterm relationship with the show, and would reappear later in The Trouble With Tribbbles as the Klingon Koloth, a role he'd repeat years later in Deep Space 9.

In this we're presented with the notion that Trelane has observed a 900 light year distant Earth and assumes that they still play harpsichords and pass the port to the right. Actually, at this point Roddenberry hadn't actually decided when in the future Star Trek was, and this timescale would put in the 27th century.

There's an obvious clash of cultural expectation, which comes to a head when Kirk and Trelane end up in a pistol duel. Trelane insists on shooting first, but fires in the air wanting to appear gentlemanly. Kirk's spotted that his matter manipulation powers seems to come from a machine hidden behind a mirror, and shoots that instead to make good their escape.

Their success in this respect is short lived, as wherever the ship goes, the planet of Gothos is right in their path. In the remastered version the effects of them trying to avoid the planet have been recreated, and are much more dramatic and exciting.

Eventually, knowing they can't escape, Kirk agrees to let Trelane hunt him, if he'll let the ship go. But he has no intention of doing that, and eventually he corners Kirk.

One of the clever aspects of this story, compared with, say, other super-being encounters, is that Trelane starts off affable, and you really wonder if Kirk is overreacting. But eventually he gets more demanding and you then realise he could be dangerous, although he never kills any of the crew and his intentions aren't any more than to play.

In the end, we get an almost identical ending as Charlie-X, when the parents of Trelane arrive represented by glowing green blobs, and it's revealed that he's a difficult child that doesn't like being told how to play nicely. The parents apologise for him and the Enterprise goes about its business.

Much of this might seem familiar to those who watched Next Generation, as being archetypal behaviour of the Q continuum. And the novel Q-Squared by Peter David, supports that assertion when the character reappears as one of their number. There's even a court scene where Trelane condemns Kirk, which is very similar to the one in the very first episode of Next Generation.

The creative team here was writer Paul Schneider, who'd previous created Balance Of Terror and TV directing veteran, Don McDougall. This was Don's only original series episode, though he was a regular guest director on American TV shows from the early Fifties to the Dukes Of Hazard in the late Seventies.

Next up is the very first story written by the producer of no less than 38 of the original series episodes and the creator of the Klingon Empire, Gene L. Coon. We're off to the Arena.

Episode: 16
Title: The Galileo Seven
Star Date: 2821.5
Writer: Oliver Crawford and S. Bar-David
First Shown: 5th January 1967

Gene Roddenberry introduced the concept of the transporter to avoid the high cost of effects for away teams travelling down to planets, but he didn't entirely give up with the idea of mothership reconnaissance. In The Galileo Seven we see the shuttle craft housed in the Enterprise's hanger that can deliver teams of star fleet personnel in their own short range spacecraft.

I've seen at least three versions of where the story for this adventure came from, and maybe they're all true to some degree or another. One is that it's a copy of the classic western Stagecoach (1939), another is that it's a remake of Five Came Back (1939) which starred the young Lucille Ball, incidentally. And it also bears some similarities to The Flight Of The Phoenix (1965) made a year earlier.

Whatever the true inspiration, I like to think this story was introduced as a way of explaining why Spock isn't the captain of the Enterprise and Kirk is.

The Enterprise is about to deliver urgent medical supplies when it encounters Murasaki 312, a deep space quasar. Standing orders are to investigate these phenomena, so Kirk sends shuttlecraft Galileo to investigate. However, the shuttlecraft is knocked off course by the powerful interference that is being emitted by the quasar and crash-lands on the planet Taurus II.

With sensors and communication inoperable, the crew aboard the Galileo will be lucky if they're ever heard from again.

The shuttlecraft is badly damaged but possibly fixable (as Scotty came along). It could be worse; at least the natives aren't aggressive. Oh, hang on, they are!

Very shortly after they arrive, one crew member is dead, and the majority of the others are whining about the massively insensitive management style that Spock employs to resolve their problems. Actually, much of the story is about how he gets everyone's back up, with the possible exception of Scotty. He also annoys Doctor McCoy, but then he's always grumpy. But the chief complainer is Lt. Boma played by Don Marshall, who takes Spock's assertion that leaving three of them behind should be enough weight saved for the shuttle to reach orbit very badly. This was good experience for Don Marshall, who a TV season later would be confronting the similar unpopular command decisions in The Land Of The Giants.

Meanwhile, Kirk is searching desperately for them while having the really annoying High Commissioner Ferris point out every five minutes that they're unlikely to find the shuttle and they have important business elsewhere.

Spock's tactics get another crew member killed, reducing the weight issue to just 150lbs in the imperial measurement driven federation. What's great about Spock in this story is that he freely admits he's made bad, if entirely logical, choices.

The aggressive locals aren't really seen in any detail, which, when we do see them, is probably not a bad thing. We're told they're ape-like and stand 8, 9 or even 10 feet tall, and they're furry. They do make plenty of noise, and chuck huge spears, so it's a relief when Scotty converts the power supplies from all their phasers to enable a take-off.

But they know they can't even maintain the orbit, and certainly not reach escape velocity. It's time for less than logical thinking from the person onboard with the least experience in being emotional. Spock jettisons the remaining fuel and ignites it behind the shuttle, leaving a brilliant bright green trail. But six minutes later the fuel is used and they start to burn up on re-entering the atmosphere. Thankfully, the slowly retreating Enterprise sees the green trail and beams the five remaining crew off the shuttle before it is incinerated.

I'll admit to feeling slightly cheated by the story, because Boma doesn't thank Spock, and High Commissioner Ferris doesn't get to eat humble pie either.

But the new Blu-ray version does make up for that by replacing the entire shuttle effects with some really classy looking ones of it leaving the Enterprise and flying above Taurus II. They've also created some nice quasar effects that make the region of space look much more interesting than originally presented.

For geeks there is plenty in this story to watch out for, especially in respect of the shuttle. They obviously spent plenty on the mock-up, and it was in four other episodes, though curiously it was still called the Galileo in three of those before being rightly renamed the Galileo II for its last appearance. While the first TV use of the term ‘shuttle' was in a 1959 Twilight Zone story, the Galileo, along with the Orion shuttle in 2001: A Space Odyssey, did have an impact on the general use of this expression. Star Trek influence even extended to the first shuttle craft being named Enterprise, so the connection can't be completely ignored.

The story creator was Oliver Crawford, who co-wrote the script with S. Bar-David (Shimon Wincelberg). He'd go on to write two more stories in season 3 of the original series. An accomplished TV script writer, he wrote for just about every major series of the period from Bonanza to The Fugitive.

Next up the crew run into yet another omnipotent alien in The Squire Of Gothos.

Episode: 15
Title: Shore Leave
Star Date: 3025.3
Writer: Theodore Sturgeon
First Shown: 29th December 1966

One of the charms of the original series is its ability to have serious and dark stories followed by ones that are quirky and weird. Shore Leave is one of those odd episodes that seem designed to bemuse the viewer rather than tell us anything new about the characters or their lives.

The crew of the Enterprise is tired, and they arrive at an uninhabited world looking for some shore leave. The planet seems ideal, being entirely devoid of animal life, but soon those in the first away party start to encounter figments of their imaginations that appear entirely real.

Bones is the first to see something peculiar, when he sees a time obsessed white rabbit followed by a small girl with an English accent. He thinks he's hallucinating, but it's soon not only him that sees objects and people from their memories.

Kirk imagines up a nemesis from his academy days, Sulu a pistol and a yeoman is attacked by Don Juan. Actually the two very attractive women they bring with them are rather revealing that this future reflects the sexist views of the era in which it was made; the girls scream, are in need of protection, and get excited by new outfits.

Not that the interest of Doctor McCoy in Yeoman Tonia Barrows (the lovely Emily Banks) isn't understandable, but their blossoming romance isn't continued beyond this story as this was the character and actress' only Star Trek appearance.

The other Yeoman has appeared before, although a strange identity crisis surrounds her. Kirk calls her ‘Teller', and in the script she was Mary Teller. But the actress Barbara Baldavin appeared previously in Balance Of Terror where she was Ensign Angela Martine, and in the credits she's ‘Angela'. She'd appear in four episodes in all, three as ‘Angela' and once as a ‘Communications Officer'.

Having watched this story again, this is a relatively easy one to pick holes in both the plot and the continuity. There is obviously something strange going on, but McCoy seems entirely distracted by Tonia, to the point where he doesn't actually make rational choices. He's not alone. Kirk takes a pistol away from Sulu, leaving him with a phaser. And it takes Spock to work out the connection of thoughts to the appearance of the real things, where it's rather obvious early on what's occurring.

What's better is that in the final act there's a deft switch from bemusing to lethal, when McCoy is killed by the Black Knight, and then Angela is shot by the Thunderbolt, Corsair, Harvard, Zero (pick your choice from the stock footage). And suddenly the crew need to start thinking more about what's going on than just accepting it's weird.

And then, almost like Mr. Benn, the Caretaker appears and explains that they've wandered into a galactic amusement park, somehow missing the visitors centre and numerous concession stands. Then McCoy reappears having been ‘fixed' by the race that runs the facility, conveniently. We never actually get their names or what the cost per head entrance fee is.

What's good about it is that almost the entire show is shot on location, at both ‘Africa, USA' (where Tarzan was shot) and the famous angled formations of Vasquez Rocks near the Antelope Valley. The mischievous Finnegan character that Kirk imagines is also really interesting, and many people wondered, with some of the new movie occurring at Star Fleet Academy, if he'd reappear.

The story was directed by Robert Sparr, who, according to at least one book written about this era, wasn't much liked by the cast, explaining his single contribution.

Theodore Sturgeon was an experienced sci-fi writer, and would go on to produce the seminal Amok Time story that opened season two.

The remastering to Blu-ray of this episode is both interesting and revealing. They've replaced the ship graphics as expected, although in the original series the strangeness of the planet was signalled by the Enterprise orbiting left to right, which for whatever reason they didn't recreate. The other changes are mostly to bring the colours out of the existing footage, which they're done a spectacular job of.

However, in places the colour is distracting when it appears where you're not expecting it. There are some scenes with McCoy where the amount of make-up he's got on is very obvious. But the part that made me chuckle most was one at the end where McCoy reappears uninjured with Rigelian cabaret girls, one of whom ends up draped around Spock. She's wearing some bright yellow fluffy creation, and when she moves away large amounts of the yellow colouring adhere to Spock's tunic.

Shore Leave isn't a pivotal story or much substance to deliver, but it did demonstrate that the show could be different when it wanted to be.

Next up is one of my personal favourites, when Mr. Spock briefly gets his own command in The Galileo Seven.

With Leonard Nimoy's Trek films being both critical and commercial successes, The Final Frontier was William Shatner's turn in the directorial chair, and it almost killed the franchise.

Starting on the mysterious world of Nimbus III, we meet a Vulcan with a crazy laugh, and the ability to take away peoples pain. Back on Earth Kirk, Spock and McCoy enjoying a holiday at the Yosemite National Park, Scotty is busy trying to get the new Enterprise in working order, while Chekov and Sulu are enjoying a hiking holiday.

The crazy Vulcan, Sybok has a strong faith, and a desire to leave Nimbus III (I'm not quite sure how or why he ended up there) and captures a trio of delegates representing Earth, the Klingons and the Romulans. The crew's holidays are soon interrupted however, when, as usual, Kirk is the only Captain who can save the day.

On the other side of the galaxy, a bored Klingon commander, Klaa, is tired of shooting down old NASA space probes and after hearing the Kirk and the Enterprise are en route to Nimbus, he decides to test himself against Kirk.

With the new ship's transporters playing up, a shuttle is dispatched, leading a rescue party to the surface of the planet. Kirk soon has the hostages in hand, only to realise it was an elaborate ploy on Sybok's part to capture the Federation starship.

Returning to the ship, them pesky Klingons have got in the way again and the shuttle craft has to do an emergency landing. Kirk has a brief throw-down with Sybok. Spock has the chance to shoot Sybok, but refuses, revealing to Kirk they are, in fact, half-brothers and the trio are taken to brig.

Working his mojo on the rest of the crew, the laughing Vulcan soon has the ship at his disposal and sets course for the Galactic barrier, where, apparently, god lives.

Mr Scott succeeds in busting them out of the brig and they set about trying to retake the ship. They succeed only in telling the Klingons where the ship is headed, before Sybok catches up with them, asking for the chance to heal their pain. We get a nice insight into McCoy's back story, but Sybok's attempt with his brother is less successful. Spock, it seems, has found his place in the universe and is content with that.

Our good Captain refuses Sybok, and reminds us that pain is important, that it teaches us a lesson, and makes us who we are.

With the sort of timing only found in Hollywood, the Enterprise then arrives at God's planet. Sybok, Kirk, Spock and McCoy head down for a tête-à-tête with the Almighty. What they find on the planet though, isn't the big man upstairs, but, in fact, an alien being looking for a ride, and wanting to join with the ship.

Incurring the wrath of said God-thing, Kirk asks what God needs with a starship. Attacking Kirk and Spock, the being is revealed as a prisoner of the planet and Sybok realises his mistakes and takes on the creature, seeking to heal its pain.

Scotty finally gets the transporters working, beaming Spock and McCoy to safety, leaving Kirk alone to face the increasingly miffed God-thing. The Klingon Bird of Prey suddenly appears, firing at the monster and beaming Kirk to safety. Back aboard the Enterprise, Klaa apologises for his unwarranted aggression and the two ships go their separate ways allowing the Captain and crew to finish their holidays back on Earth.

The Final Frontier is widely regarded amongst fans as the worst of the series, but I don't think it's as bad as that. There was certainly worse to come from the franchise. As with all good Trek, its stand out moments are character led. The camp-fire scene at the start is great, and McCoy's disdain for Kirk's mountain climbing is yet another great moment from DeForest Kelley. Also worth mentioning is his scene with his father, the anguish of his father's death with a cure so close to hand is a great glimpse into his character's background, away from Starfleet.

The film really falls down with its special effects. Simply put, they're dreadful. There's no other word for them. Robbed of ILM's assistance, (they were busy working on an Indy movie and Ghostbusters II) Shatner was forced to shop around for the cheapest option possible and it hurts his film.

It puzzles me why Paramount chose to cut so many corners with this film, from cheap special effects to simply cutting large chunks of storyline (Den Of Geek has already covered the cut Rockman sequence) that could have lifted the film; it shows little faith in Shatner, his story and his direction.

There are problems with the story, though. It's muddled, to say the least. How does Sybok know about the god monster? How is the Enterprise able to travel across the galaxy so quickly? It also rankles me that, despite Sybok's powers, the crew are so quick to betray Kirk. The humorous elements feel slightly forced, as if it was shoehorned in to appease those that, after The Voyage Home, were happy to see a Star Trek film.

TFF isn't great. To be honest, you're not missing much should you chose to skip straight from IV to VI.

Episode: 14
Title: Balance Of Terror
Star Date: 1709.2
Writer: Paul Schneider
First Shown: 15th December 1966

The strongest influences on the original series were both the relatively recent experiences of the Second World War, and the subsequent cold war standoff with the USSR. The Balance Of Terror explores the military role of the Enterprise as it reacts to the raiding of a Romulan bird of prey. In my own mind I'd always thought that Kirk had encountered the Klingons first, and then the Romulans later. But this episode contradicts my recollection, and is reminiscent of those classic submarine dramas popular in the fifties such as The Enemy Below (1957).

The back story that we're given is that a 100 years earlier a war raged between the Romulan Empire and Earth, using primitive spacecraft and nuclear weapons. Since then a state of peace has existed with a ‘neutral zone' creating a buffer zone between the portions of space each occupies. On the Earth side of the neutral zone the Federation has placed outposts to monitor for incursions, and when these are attacked the Enterprise goes to investigate.

Rather than the Romulans being a faceless or unseen enemy, we're given a perspective that moves between the Enterprise and her Romulan opponent, as each tries to strategically outflank his opponent. But there is an additional component in this mix - racism. Spock manages to pick up a signal showing a view of the Romulan bridge, and to the surprise of many on the Enterprise, the Romulans look very like the Vulcans.

This is the start of a narrative which has been carried through to the very latest film version of Star Trek, about the Romulans having a common ancestry with the Vulcans. But here it's all about creating some tension between Spock and one bigoted bridge officer, who concludes Spock might have loyalties with their opponents.

What's slightly confusing for the hardcore Trek fan is that the Romulan commander is played by none other than Mark Lenard, who is actually more famous for playing Spock's father, Sarek. He's great in this as the conflicted captain who fears he'll start a new war if his mission to test Federation defences succeeds.

His ship has the advantages of cloaking, while the Enterprise is faster and more manoeuvrable, creating a balance that can only be divided by the abilities of those in command.

Eventually, pressured by his second in command, the Romulan commander makes a mistake and his ship is disabled. Kirk offers to beam off his surviving crew, but the commander explains ‘it's not our way', and destroys the ship using self destruct.

Unusually, this story doesn't end with a chat on the bridge. Kirk talks to a woman crew member who lost her finance in the battle, and seems amazingly calm about that. He leaves her and walks through the busy Enterprise, his burden of command a little heavier.

For me this is quintessential Trek. The Enterprise shows she's not just a ship of exploration but a man-o'-war, and it's possibly one of the stories that most directly demonstrate the influence that Roddenberry admitted the works of C. S. Forester (the Hornblower series) had on his vision. The remastered Blu-ray version has some brilliantly crafted effects of the Enterprise firing phasers and the Romulan bird of prey, which only adds to the tension.

This story was written by Paul Schneider, who also penned another season one episode The Squire Of Gothos. The director's chair was filled by Trek mainstay, Vincent McEveety, who had previously done good work with Dagger Of The Mind.

Having covered the futility of war in this story, in the next the series encounters one of those stories where the weird and unexpected collide head on, in Shore Leave.

Episode: 13
Title: The Conscience Of The King
Star Date: 2817.6
Writer: Barry Trivers
First Shown: 8th December 1966

When I saw this as a child it was the first Star Trek story I just didn't get, and that seemed to be aimed much more squarely at adults. The Conscience Of The King is one of Trek's first attempts to give itself more kudos by referencing the classics, in this case the whole story is a Greek tragedy, and the staging of Hamlet is central to the plot. Ironically, it's got the same start as the previous story where Kirk is lured somewhere on a false pretence. Except this time it's an old colleague, Dr. Thomas Leighton, who invites him to Planet Q with the promise of a scientific breakthrough.

Except when he gets there he finds out that it's really all about an actor, Anton Karidian, who Leighton thinks is a presumed to be dead mass murderer called Kodos "the Executioner". Insert dramatic music here.

From this point onwards the show becomes a straight detective mystery, as Leighton is killed and it soon becomes apparent that the few people who could identify Kodos are being systematically eliminated.

Karidian is played by veteran film and TV actor Arnold Moss, who delivers a mercurial persona of a man entirely immersed in all the roles he plays. But Kirk's interest in him deviates substantially when he encounters his beautiful daughter, Lenore Karidian. She is the subject of much romantic attention from the Captain and soft focus from the cameramen. Rather foolishly he invites the acting troupe onboard the Enterprise, given that there are two people onboard who once met Kodos - himself and Lt. Riley.

But it's Lenore that Kirk really digs, and Barbara Anderson who played her was an accomplished actress who went on to have character roles in Mission Impossible and throughout Ironside.

The story seems to originate from an era when the exact fate of many Nazis war criminals was being brought into question, with the suspicion that some of them might have faked their deaths and escaped justice.

Where it's quite clever is that it allows Spock to use his detective-like powers of deduction to confirm the identity of Anton Karidian, but that isn't the real resolution of the story. Kirk guesses who Kodos is, but Karidian won't admit that he was once that man. The twist is that he has nothing to do with the deaths and attempted killings of potential witnesses. That's Lenore who turns into a full-on bunny boiler in front of our eyes. Just how crazy she is becomes apparent when she insists on completing the play they're performing even though her father is a mass-murderer and she's admitted to killing seven people. Her final performance is to try and kill Kirk, and instead she shoots her own father. She gets the best care, Bones tells us in the bridge epilogue.

In the end it's a slightly unsatisfactory episode that never quite delivers what it might have presented in the script. It's hard to pinpoint where it goes wrong, but there is a little too much quoting of Shakespeare and not enough warp drive for my personal liking.

It was the last Trek outing for Lt. Riley, although they didn't actually kill him off even if he was poisoned in the story. And it's also the last time in the production run that Grace Lee Whitney was Yeoman Rand, although due to the odd sequence of screening in this season, she's actually in the next one shown. Her abrupt exit was quite noticeable because she got plenty of screen time in earlier stories. This episode is also only one of two stories where the observation deck above the hanger bay is ever seen.

This is the only Trek story that Barry Trivers wrote, and only one of two stories directed by Gerd Oswald.

Next up we meet a curiously familiar Romulan Commander in Balance Of Terror.

Creating an alien race in Star Trek has never been a difficult process. In stark contrast to George Lucas' use of puppetry and CGI to portray non-human races, the vast majority of aliens in Star Trek have simply been humans with a bit of body paint and a bumpy forehead - and that's only if they really wanted to splash out on the make-up.

Despite this, Star Trek's alien races have transcended their low-budget origins to become entrenched in popular culture. The reason for this is simply how well-developed their personality and cultures, even their languages, have become as a result of their appearances in the series.

However, it wasn't always an easy road from conception to realisation. Star Trek: The Original series had 3 main alien races that recurred within the series - the Vulcans, the Klingons, and the Romulans - but they weren't necessarily recognisable when they started out...

Vulcans

Vulcans are one of the few Star Trek races that transcend the programme entirely, and have become as synonymous with Star Trek as "The Force" is with Star Wars. Three of the five live-action series have featured a Vulcan as a regular crew member - Spock in The Original Series, Tuvok in Voyager and T'Pol in Enterprise.

The first Vulcan to appear in Star Trek was, of course, Spock. And, since it's been written into continuity, we can count the first episode he appeared in as actually being the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage", which was produced in 1965. Indeed, Spock is the character who has the first line in Star Trek: "Check the circuits!"

Although Vulcans have long since been established as cold, logical people with vast capacity for wisdom, the Spock seen in The Cage displays a youthful enthusiasm for his work and the wonders he finds on Talos IV, even reacting to such things with a wide, decidedly un-Vulcan smile.

There could be explanations for this behaviour, of course - the telepathic influence of the Talosians, Spock's half-human side being less suppressed during the events of The Cage (which, in continuity, happen 13 years prior to the rest of The Original Series) but the simple fact is that at this point, Vulcans simply hadn't been nailed down yet. A year later, in 1966, Roddenberry would produce the second pilot episode Where no man has gone before, featuring a far more familiar type of Vulcan - the sardonic, logical, emotionless kind that would go on to be widely recognised and well-loved by Trek fans everywhere.

Klingons

If the Vulcans are the aliens most closely associated with Star Trek, then the Klingons are, at the very least, a close second. They're also the race that has undergone the most visible transformation since their first appearance in 1967's Errand of Mercy.

Originally, Klingons were presented as direct adversaries to humanity - recognisable from their swarthy complexion and scheming nature, they appeared to have a similar culture to our own and were intended, as with many Star Trek concepts, to reflect the concerns of the time - in this case, allegorising the cold war tensions between the US and Russia.

It wasn't until the first Star Trek movie that the race assumed the iconic visage recognisable as Klingons today. Previously, they had been dark- or olive-skinned and often bearded, but otherwise human-like in appearance. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, they gained the ridged foreheads, spiked teeth and long hair that people now associate with the characters. Similarly, the Klingon obsession with honour and glory wasn't added until even later, when the TNG writers came up with it as part of their drive to flesh out Star Trek's alien races.

Even more astonishingly, the Klingon language, currently the most popularly spoken fictional language in the world, didn't itself exist until the movies, when James "Scotty" Doohan devised its initial phrases. Considering that it's now a universal touchstone with which to mock any fandom that's gone too far, it's surprising to think that it wasn't conceived of until 10 years after Star Trek ended!

Indeed, so important are the Klingons to Star Trek that future series would actually attempt to acknowledge the vast differences in the Klingons of The Original Series and those of the movies onwards.

Deep Space Nine opened the door a crack when a time-travelling crew expressed surprise at encountering the human-like Klingons of The Original Series, only to be told by Worf that "[Klingons] do not discuss it with outsiders" but it wasn't until much-derided prequel series, Enterprise, that anyone went as far as to explain it as a genetic condition caused by Klingon attempts to copy the augmented humans (such as Kahn Noonien Singh) of the Eugenics Wars.

The experiments resulted in a plague that spread, removing Klingon traits from the populace for up to several generations, although by the time of The Motion Picture this had, evidently, become a reversible condition.

Romulans

The third and final member of Star Trek's "Alien Trinity" are the Romulans. Despite never quite hitting the popularity of Vulcans or Klingons, the race still represents a rich vein that can be mined by Trek writers everywhere. They featured most prominently in TNG, and have been tapped as the primary antagonists in the last two Star Trek movies.

It's widely known that the Romulans are themselves an offshoot of the Vulcan race who left their home planet after rejecting the logic that would come to rule the hearts and minds of ancient Vulcans. This fact was hinted at, if not outright established, when Romulans first appeared in Star Trek, and remains an integral part of their identity today - re-unification of the Romulan and Vulcan cultures is a plot thread often pursued by characters within the Star Trek universe.

Although the personality characteristics of Romulans have remained fairly consistent since their original appearance, their appearance has altered slightly. When first introduced in the TOS episode Balance of Terror, Romulans wore their Roman influences on their sleeve - or rather, their togas, and even the race's name was taken, inexplicably, from Roman legends. It's not entirely unusual - at the time, Star Trek would frequently introduce races that were thinly derived from Earth culture, and the Romulans are the most successful of that bunch.

As the writers of TNG sought to flesh out the aliens of Star Trek more convincingly, the Roman comparisons were downplayed, although the race retained the qualities of their antecedents, portrayed as power-hungry, scheming and vindictive. As well as junking the explicit Roman references, TNG also gave Romulans distinctive raised ridges above their eyes. Since Spock has often been able to move unchallenged through Romulan society, it is often theorised by fans that these ridges are not universal throughout the population, although unlike Klingons, no in-canon story has addressed their altered appearance nor the abandonment of their Roman stylings.

Of course, the changes don't end here. The new Star Trek movie, due out shortly features Romulans who again look different to any of those previously seen in Star Trek's existing canon. Whether or not we'll see the explanation for this is unknown, but if anything can be counted on, it's that it won't be the first time in Star Trek history that an alien race has had a few changes forced upon it.

Episode: 11 and 12
Title: The Menagerie, Part I and Part II
Star Date: 3012.4
Writer: Gene Roddenberry
First Shown: 17th and 24th November 1966

There is only one two part episode in the entire original series of Star Trek, and The Menagerie was created from parts of the original Cage pilot with Jeffrey Hunter playing the Enterprise's previous leader, Captain Pike. The events we see from this production are presented as being 13 years prior to the Kirk era, suggesting that Mr. Spock has been on this starship for some considerable time.

The story starts with Kirk arriving at a starbase having been called there by Fleet Captain Christopher Pike. There he meets Commander Mendez, who explains that, due to an accident, Pike couldn't have sent that message, as he's entirely incapacitated in a futuristic wheelchair. His only form of communication is a light on this device, which he blinks once for ‘yes' and twice for ‘no'.

The mystery deepens further when Spock fabricates coded commands and effectively steels the Enterprise to head to an off-limits planet, Talos IV.

Kirk and Mendez pursue the Enterprise in a shuttle, and expend all their fuel attempting to catch Spock. Realising he must make a choice between Kirk's life and taking Captain Pike to Talos IV, he chooses to save his current captain. However, the ship remains on that course lock by computer, and a court martial is arranged onboard to sentence Spock for his dereliction of duty.

The rest of the first episode is then material from The Cage, where Pike is lured to Talos IV, thinking a crashed crew is alive there only to be captured by the mind-altering Talosians.

The second part continues the adventures of Captain Pike, where he gets to know the beautiful Vina (played by the stunningly lovely Susan Oliver) and more about how the Talosians can control the minds of those they wish to study, in both pleasurable and painful ways. Pike doesn't react well to confinement, and meanwhile, on the planet's surface, the first officer and Spock try to cut through to the labyrinth below the surface to release their captain. He's having a curious day where one minute he's been attacked by horrible creatures or suffering in hell, and the next he's being amused by a green Orion slave girl.

What works really well is the contrast between the original 1964 production pilot and the actual series. Many things changed, which then supports the story that we're looking at the past.

Eventually, Pike is released when the Talosians realised he'd rather die than be a guest, and it's then explained to him that not everything he experienced was completely fantasy. Vina was the sole survivor of a real crash, although she wasn't lovely any longer after the Talosians had put her back together without a proper instruction guide.

The resolution of this story within a story, if you'd not guessed, is that Spock is returning Pike to the planet so he can be with Vina again and have a life even if it's only made in his own mind by the not-so-bad but amazingly powerful Talosians.

You pat yourself on the back for guessing that was coming, but then are caught with the counterpunch when Mendez disappears, yet another Talosian illusion to get Kirk to go along with Spock's plan. That altered reality conveniently avoids the necessity for Spock to die or even get demoted.

As much as I like some of the ideas in this story there are some huge plot holes that are opened by how they merged the old pilot with the running series. The first was that Jeffrey Hunter was too expensive to get back as Pike, so another actor who looks nothing like him takes his role. I know it's a non-speaking part, and he's supposed to be mutilated, but even as a child I didn't connect the two people.

My other problem is with the wheelchair-bound Pike. He can control the wheelchair but his entire repertoire of communication is ‘yes' or ‘no'. Given how Stephen Hawking has adapted to similar limitations, this seems entirely rubbish for the 23rd century. But logically, why would you give him all the control needed to direct his chair, but only yes/no to talk? It makes no sense at all.

I could also mention that Majel Barrett's character has taken more than a decade to get demoted from being second in command to being a nurse in sick bay, although it could be argued that she's not actually the same character.

Another curiosity is why Gene Roddenberry chose to have two different directors do each part of the same story, with Marc Daniels on first and Robert Butler on the other. Surely the tone might have been more consistent if one director had delivered the whole story?

Yet, even with these obvious flaws, this is a great story that delivers moral dilemmas for Kirk, a back story for Spock and hammers home what a dedicated and loyal first officer he is.

The revamp that the restoration applied to this story is exceptional, with some really wonderful ship effects and they've even fixed the transformation of Vina. On the Blu-ray there is support material explaining what they've fixed, which is actually worth watching because of the amount in here that got altered.

Next, the Enterprise gets all thespian on us, with The Conscience Of The King.

Earth is in a lot of trouble. After making a meal out of a few Klingons and the odd space station, a vast and malevolent cloud is on its way towards our home planet with some very dodgy intentions, and there's only one thing standing between Earth and certain doom: the starship Enterprise.

Every geek worth his salt knows the history of Star Trek The Motion Picture. The original series got cancelled, everyone complained, they brought it back then cancelled it again, everyone complained again, they tried to bring it back with Star Trek: Phase II, and then Star Wars came along and Starfleet's finest crew found themselves up on the big screen, hence the extreme makeup choices and Leonard Nimoy's sudden investment in Max Factor products. But now, Paramount has released the first six Star Trek movies in a nice new Blu-ray boxset, so we have all the fun of seeing The Shatner in HD. But thirty years later, how does TMP (as Trekkies call it) match up?

It's worth noting that this is the original theatrical edition, not the spruced up Director's Edition that was released back in 2001. So there's no dodgy CG 'improvements', Starfleet Headquarters no longer looks like a cut-scene from a Sega Saturn game, and the titles have broken free of the cheesy gold accoutrements and are back to classic white on black.

I've always had a great fondness for The Motion Picture, probably mainly because it's one of my early movie memories, but mostly, I appreciate the scope of the film. It goes for 'epic' many times over, and quite often achieves that.

In a way, Star Trek has sometimes lost its way over the years, and more often than not feels less about exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life than having big spaceship battles. I think more than anything, the whole thing was a pretty risky move. Here you have Kirk and Spock, the two icons of the franchise, who are both seemingly acting with ulterior motives; Kirk wants the Enterprise back, Spock wants the emotional and logical fulfilment he hasn't been able to achieve, so the film presents a family aboard the Enterprise that is not at all happy.

I guess what it boils down to is that this was Roddenberry's attempt at 2001. And he makes a fair crack at it, but the script and the focus of the film lets it down. For instance, there's very little urgency. I mean, it's over half an hour before we even leave space dock. Kirk seems to spend most of his time stating how close the cloud is to Earth and how absolutely vital it is that they stop it, but for most of the time everyone seems content to sit back and say ‘wow, look at that.' I can't blame them though, the journey inside V'Ger is one of the film's triumphs, with some incredible visuals and the legendary score by Jerry Goldsmith.

The central concept of V'Ger is fascinating, even if some of it stretches even Star Trek's usual suspension of disbelief with the whole machine planet thing, but then again, there is the Borg. The idea of meeting your creator and asking why is obviously a universal theme, and parallels Spock's own journey as well. It's a neat conclusion as well, and while it maybe isn't the payoff that was needed after the preceding two hours, still, the Decker-Ilia conclusion works quite well, and Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley get a few choice lines to spout.

I realize the film was barely finished before it got released, but it needs a huge editing overhaul. For example, the wormhole sequence. It's not needed at all and the only purpose it serves is showing that Kirk is a bit of a twat, and that the Enterprise's engines need work, which again leads into another pointless scene where Spock is introduced. Spock's entrance is almost like an overture, or a big fanfare, and the film could have been served better by him just showing up before it launches. The pacing is fine in some places, but languid in others where it needed to be more intense to balance the slower parts.

However, the film is frequently beautiful. The effects sequences are magnificent, and the production design superb, with the aforementioned V'Ger sequences, but perhaps more importantly, the new Enterprise. The lady has never looked better, and while the drydock sequences may seem like overkill to some, the effects and Goldsmith's music really pulls them together, with the score itself being the best part of the film, bar none.

On Blu-ray, the film generally looks fantastic. It's worth noting that this is apparently the theatrical version because the Director's Edition was only rendered at 420p i.e. standard DVD definition. Obviously, Paramount weren't big fans of future-proofing.

The film still looks great, though, although there is a lot of grain and noise in some of the effects sequences, notably the opening Klingon battle. Because of the nature of the film, where the effects just weren't finished when it got to cinemas, there are some occasionally distracting matte edges that waver slightly. And there's one shot in the approaching space dock sequence where the Enterprise and her signage seems to go an odd shade of green. But for a thirty year old film that wasn't ever properly finished, it looks fantastic.

Unfortunately I don't own a 7.1 surround system so I can't properly say if it's a decent TrueHD mix, but it certainly gave my 5.1 a good workout. The blaster beam reverberated up my spine many a time, and the score has a prominent role. The sound effects sound more immersive than the original DVD mix, and you can actually hear the whoosh as the Enterprise flies past the screen. Good job.

Thankfully, only the meat and potatoes of the special features from the Director's Edition have been retained, which is the deleted scenes and trailers, leaving behind the pair of awfully boring documentaries from the previous disc. There's a couple of new featurettes which are okay: The Longest Trek: Writing ST-TMP, which is as you'd imagine, the writing staff and Walter Koenig talking about the problems with conceiving a new Trek flick, and Star Trek Special Reunion, which has a bunch of fans and writers reminiscing about being extras in the ‘Viewer off... VIEWER OFF!' scene.

The text commentary from the old DVD has gone, but it's replaced by an actual audio commentary by a bunch of folks from various Trek sources: Michael and Denise Okuda, who actually wrote the original text commentary, Judith and Garfield Reeve-Stevens, who helped Shatner write some of his novels, and Daren Dochterman, a special effects guy who worked on the Director's Edition. It's really dry and just really boring, and like an audio version of the text commentary. These people may be involved in lots of Trek but they don't come across like they have much enthusiasm for it.

To replace the text commentary, there is a feature called ‘Library Computer'. Ostensibly, this pops up while the film plays and it mentions topics that have just been on screen and you can find out brief facts about them. For example, if Kirk comes on screen, you can click on the Kirk bit and it'll tell you what he's been up to. It's kind of like Wikipedia, only with a lot less information, thus not really worth it, especially since it's probably a high probability that the audience for this already knows what the crew compliment of the U.S.S. Kelvin is.

The last new feature is a weird mini-doc presented by a sexy Australian girl in a Deep Space Nine outfit. It's called Starfleet Academy and is part of a series, with this one being about V'Ger, so basically the girl stands on a set with a shot of San Francisco out the window and explains all about V'Ger and the Enterprise's mission. It's cute, but a bit of fluff, really. You can do a BD Live trivia quiz, but every time I tried to do it, my PS3 would not connect. But I'm sure it's fun.

All in all, I still like The Motion Picture a lot, and I feel it's a generally fascinating experience, both in the storyline but as a film itself. It shows they weren't satisfied with just Xeroxing the original series onto the big screen and wanted to do something a bit more epic and taxing. True, the camaraderie from the series isn't there, but the effort is. A little more time on the script and in the editing room and it could have had the potential to be a classic, but it's certainly not the terrible film people make it out to be.

At least there's no ‘double dumbass on you', Deanna Troi does not get embarrassingly drunk, and ‘Ooby Dooby' is thankfully nowhere in sight. And with the Blu-ray the closest way to revisiting it on the big screen, hopefully it might get a little more of the respect it deserves. Probably not, but there are always possibilities.

Film:
Extras:

Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection 1-6 [Blu-ray] is available now.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, or 'the one with the whales' as it's sometimes, called was Leonard Nimoy's second stint behind the camera on a Trek film and became the most popular with non-fans. So much so that it's the only one my wife has seen. But where does it stand with the rest of the franchise?

Following on from the Search For Spock, The Voyage Home begins with a mysterious alien probe on its way to Earth, sending out a mysterious signal that no one can understand, disabling starships as it goes. Meanwhile, back at the Starfleet HQ in San Francisco, an impassioned speech from the Klingon ambassador shows the destruction of the Enterprise (again, like in The Motion Picture, I'm not sure who was there to film it) and we learn that Kirk has a hefty court martial awaiting him.

With the exile on Vulcan drawing to a close, Spock's re-education is near complete when he decides he must return with his comrades to give testimony at their trial. The probe continues toward Earth, causing mass disruption as it goes, disabling the ships and then Space Dock, before entering Earth's orbit, and vaporising all the water from the planet's surface. With the Earth yet again in mortal danger, a planet wide distress call is issued, and thanks to Spock, our crew figure that the probe is looking for humpback whales, which in Trek's alternate history, have been extinct since the 21st Century.

Spock decides the only logical solution is to travel back in time, rescue a pair of whales and return, so that, in the words of Dr McCo: "Find humpback whales, then bring them forward in time. Drop them off and hope to hell they tell this probe what to go do with itself?!'"

Thanks to the slingshot effect (established in The Original Series episode) the crew arrive back in late 20th Century Earth, to San Francisco. Landing in Golden Gate Park they are soon ready to find their whales and get home, provided that, as Kirk implores, "Everyone remember where we parked." Kirk and Spock are charged with that task, McCoy, Sulu and Scotty have to get the Bird of Prey watertight, while Chekov and Uhura need a nuclear reactor to re-energise the ship's depleted Dilithium crystals.

After an encounter with a punk on a bus, Kirk and Spock find Dr. Gillian Taylor, and the humpback whales, George and Gracie. Spock mind-melds with Gracie, and learns she is pregnant, and that they are willing to help the crew. Uhura and Chekov find the real Enterprise, just the nuclear wessel they need.

Unable to say ‘no' to the good Admiral, Gillian is keen to learn more about Kirk and Spock, and after Spock's revelation that Gracie is pregnant, she agrees to have dinner with the pair. Scotty and McCoy, meanwhile, need materials for their whale tank, and have bluffed their way into the Plexiglas factory. Giving away the secrets of Transparent Aluminium (I'm not American), they've got their whale tank and Sulu's managed to blag himself a Huey chopper to move it.

Over dinner, Kirk confesses to Gillian the truth, while Uhura and Chekov beam aboard the Enterprise to collect the photons needed to juice up the Bird of Prey. Uhura escapes, but Chekov is not so lucky and is caught; there ain't nothing worse than a Russkie on board a US ship! Chekov's escape attempt, involving a novel 'falling from high place' technique, fails and he is critically injured.

Gillian is then shocked to discover that George and Gracie have already been moved and rushes to find Admiral Kirk. She spots Sulu's chopper loading the tank sections into the cloaked Bird of Prey and is beamed aboard, begging for help. Uhura manages to track down the injured Chekov, who is near death. Beaming to the hospital, Kirk, Bones and Gillian quickly located our favourite Russian (with the good doctor even finding time to give a patient a new kidney) and thanks to some decidedly 24th Century tech, Pavel's life is saved.

Things are not going quite so well for George and Gracie whoever, and as the Bird Of Prey finds them, they are under attack from a whaling ship. Luckily, the whaler is no match for the Klingon ship and Scotty is soon able to beam the whales aboard.

Upon their return to the future, the ship suffers a similar fate to its counterparts, losing all power and crash landing in San Francisco Bay. With the whales in danger of drowning, Kirk is able to open the bay doors (not even HAL in 2001 could do that) and thankfully they do indeed tell the probe ‘what the hell to go do with itself'.

Their heroic mission complete, Kirk and his cohorts still have the small matter of a court martial. Kirk is demoted to Captain, but in the light of the recent actions all but one charge is dropped and Kirk is again given command of a Starship. Dr Taylor meanwhile, has a few years of catching up to do. With Kirk and co. aboard an all new Enterprise, the film ends with them ‘boldly going where no man has gone before'.

The Voyage Home is, to my mind, a great Trek film; it opened up the franchise to its widest audience yet, and (probably til Friday) stands as the biggest grossing film in the series. It succeeds by bringing the characters to the fore.

With little or no special effects, and no battles, we really get to focus on what a talented bunch of actors Gene Roddenberry assembled back in 1966 and it's refreshing to see them in an ensemble piece, rather than the story being squarely aimed at Kirk and Spock.

It also succeeds by being genuinely funny; too often Trek's attempts at humour are cringeworthy, but Nimoy's script and direction has a warmth and deft comic touch to it that is enjoyable by all.

Catherine Hicks is a great foil for Kirk as Dr Taylor (the role was originally written for Eddie Murphy) and the two have a great on screen chemistry.

There's really very little to pick at in the film. You could argue it's not Trek enough, but it's still a great story, it's an enormous amount of fun, and it nicely ties up all the loose ends from the previous two films.

The only thing that does bug me, putting my Trekkie hat on, is the fact that bridge on the Bird of Prey is totally different to the one seen in Search For Spock. It's meant to be the same ship, so who changed everything? Thankfully, the new sets look much better, so it's a minor complaint at best. So ignore the naysayers, The Voyage Home is a great film, with a message behind it, without ramming it down your throat.

Episode: 10
Title: The Corbomite Maneuver
Star Date: 1512.2
Writer: Jerry Sohl
First Shown: 10th November 1966

The stardate on The Corbomite Maneuver (or even Manoeuvre) would actually make this one of the Enterprise's earliest adventures, and this was the first regular series production after the second pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Quite why they held this back until later in the season, I've no idea, because it's an absolute cracker that attempts to explain the dangers that face deep space explorers, while offering political comment on the stalemate that America and the USSR had perpetuated since the end of the second world war.

It was written by science fiction scriptwriter Jerry Sohl, who also produced some excellent work for The Invaders, The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone. He'd go on to write This Side Of Paradise in season one, and then Whom Gods Destroy in the third and final season.

The story is a deceptively simple one. The Enterprise encounters a space marker, which when they try to go past it refuses to move out of the way. At first this seems amusing, but soon they realise the device is actually dangerous in addition to being plain irritating.

But that's not the only problem Kirk has. He's also got a complete idiot in the right hand console position, Lieutenant Bailey. He gets annoyed at Spock, wants to fire phasers at anything they meet and needs orders repeating at least twice.

Eventually, when all else fails and the probe starts to irradiate them, Kirk finally decides to shoot it. But that then triggers the appearance of a huge ship, the Fesarius, flagship of the First Federation. Clearly overmatched, the commander of the ship informs the crew of the Enterprise that they've got 10 minutes to make peace with whatever deity they follow before they're destroyed. The sense of impending doom is enhanced by the image of alien commander Balok which Spock manages to retrieve.

This in Trek terms is a Kobayashi Maru, or no-win situation. But Kirk doesn't actually believe in that possibility and decides instead to tell Balok that the Enterprise is equipped with Corbomite, a technology that redirects any attacking energy back onto those using it. The bluff partially works, and the aliens dispatch a much smaller vehicle to tow the Enterprise to a distant planet to be imprisoned.

Sensing an opportunity, they nearly blow up the engines of the Enterprise breaking away from the tractor beam, damaging the smaller ship in the process. They beam over to the vessel to provide assistance only to discover that it's piloted by a single child-sized alien who offers them a drink of ‘Tranya' and chat. After they've got over the surprise of finding Balok is, in fact, Clint Howard, younger brother of Ron Howard, they decide to organise a cultural exchange. And to the relief of Kirk, and probably everyone else on the Enterprise, Lieutenant Bailey volunteers. Unsurprisingly, he's never heard from again in Trek history.

This is a fun story with an exceptionally neat twist, which confronts the audience's expectations about an enemy they can't see or understand. In terms of representing the Russian and American relationship of the time, the parallels of threat and counter-threat, misinformation and deception aren't subtle, but the underlying message about how stupid conflict is was succinctly put.

The director here, Joseph Sargent was probably one of the most experienced TV and film professionals that worked on the original series. He'd been a writer and director of the Lassie TV series in the early 60s and an actor before that. In the 70s he went more into film work, and directed the superbly paced The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three. This was his only Trek story, and he delivered his usually high standards of storytelling here.

In the Blu-ray remastered release this is the most impressive one I've seen so far, as the story is quite effects heavy and they've done some wonderful work in making them substantially more impressive. In the original version the Fesarius looks like a badly wired ball of light bulbs (which it probably was), while in the new effects we get so see a much more impressive structure and appreciate its massive scale. If you wanted to show someone some of the excellent work done in remastering TOS, then this is the one to show them.

Next is the one and only double episode of the original series, The Menagerie. This clever reworking of the failed Cage pilot creates something rather special, in addition to saving the show tons of money.

Season: 3 Episode: 15
First aired: February 19, 1990
Stardate: 43625.2

Ask any Star Trek fan to name some of his or her favourite TNG episodes and I’m willing to bet that Yesterday’s Enterprise will make it onto the list. This is no surprise either, as this time-warping, alternate-reality creating episode is one cracking bit of sci-fi.

The episode opens with Guinan conversing with Worf about possible mates for the Klingon warrior on the ship. They’re interrupted by an alert and Guinan sees a strange special anomaly out of the Ten-Forward windows, and shows immediate concern.

Moving to the bridge, Picard and his staff try to figure out what the disturbance is when a ship appears to emerge from the anomaly. As soon as it does, reality shifts, and the Enterprise we know and love becomes a battleship, with a darker and battle-hardened crew. Gone are the families and children, replaced by phaser-toting security, military shipwide announcements and… Tasha Yar.

Yes, Worf is no longer present, and instead, Yar returns as Chief of Security. Not only that, but the Federation is at war with the Klingon Empire, and is fighting a losing battle, with ships outnumbered and the situation getting worse by the day.

Guinan is the only crewmember who feels that there’s something wrong, although she can’t quite put her finger on what. She simply knows that this isn’t right.

We discover that the ship appearing through the special disturbance is, in fact, the USS Enterprise 1701-C, the predecessor to the Enterprise-D. It soon becomes apparent that the Enterprise-C’s appearance is the cause of the alternate reality. In the real timeline, the ship was lost with all hands as it attempted to respond to a distress signal sent by the Klingon outpost on Narendra III. The rescue mission was halted by a Romulan attack, and both the Enterprise-C and the outpost were destroyed. However, this act of bravery by the crew of the Federation ship was looked upon favourably by the honour-bound Klingons, and was one of the major events that brought about the Federation/Klingon peace treaty.

By leaving the battle at the outpost prematurely through the rift in space, these events were changed, and this peace treaty never happened, and all-out war continued.

Picard, on the advice of Guinan, reluctantly asks the Enterprise-C’s Captain, Rachel Garratt (Tricia O’Neil), to return through the rift in order to re-establish the real timeline. Garrett and her crew agree to this request, and reality returns to normal.

Alongside the main plot is Tasha Yar’s return, which explains that she never died trying to save Councillor Troi from her alien captor in Skin Of Evil. When Guinan sees her for the first time, she is notably disturbed at Yar’s appearance, and eventually informs Yar that she “is not supposed to be here”. She reveals that she died an empty death in the real timeline. Yar, not wanting to submit to such a fate, asks for a transfer to the Enterprise-C in the hope that she could help with the defence of the Klingon outpost. At the very least, she wants a good death – a death that means something. Picard agrees, and Yar returns with the Enterprise-C.

Yesterday’s Enterprise is one of the best off-the-wall TNG episodes as it features a compelling and darker side of the Federation. Instead of Star Trek’s usual bright and cheery outlook, depicting Starfleet as a powerful and peaceful entity, we see a reality where exploration has given way to war, and a Federation on the brink of collapse. The main cast, while still themselves (this isn’t an evil Mirror, Mirror crew) are darker and far more serious, and we even see the Enterprise destroyed, and crew killed (including a rather grizzly fate for Commander Riker).

However, while the main story involving the Enterprise-C takes centre stage (we always like some good old crossover action, after all), it’s the re-introduction of Yar that makes this episode stand out. Not all fans liked Denise Crosby’s character, but her return, and subsequent exit in one episode was an excellent addition to the story, and was skilfully used to create a paradox-laden future plotline that saw Crosby return as the Romulan offspring of Yar.

Some points in the episode aren’t quite as strong, however. The prime example being the Sonic Screwdriver that is Guinan’s never explained intuition. While it’s clear that Picard trusts her implicitly, if this is an alternate reality, where the Federation is at war, then what are the odds that Picard and Guinan would meet in the past (Time’s Arrow) and become such good friends, or even meet at all? If this is a warship, then why is there even a bartender onboard?

Admittedly, Time’s Arrow was a fifth season episode, and Yesterday’s Enterprise aired in the third season, but even without this knowledge, having such an unexplained mechanic is a little convenient, and a bit of a sore-thumb in the story.

Still, despite this arguable issue, Yesterday’s Enterprise is an excellent TNG outing. Not only do we see a great alternate reality and the Enterprise-D destroyed (again!), but we also get to see a different incarnation of the Enterprise and those cool old school uniforms too.

Star Trek - Alternate Realities Collection is available now.

Two years after the release of The Wrath Of Khan, the crew of the Enterprise returns and they're looking for someone. Maybe you've seen him? With Star Trek II being another success, Paramount now knew that this Trek film thing was not some flash in the pan. This was a franchise that could be virtually guaranteed to rake it in every few years.

Spock's death in the previous film meant there was plenty of meat for the next chapter, so here it is, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, The Search For Spock serves as the middle act of what is sometimes referred to as the ‘Genesis Trilogy' and opens with a flashback to the decisive events of the previous film, the Enterprise winding its way wearily home after the events of TWOK.

Kirk is still struggling to come to terms with Spock's passing, and remarks that with his newfound son transferred to another ship (along with Saavik) the Enterprise feels like ‘a house with all the children gone.' McCoy, too is not himself, and is found by Kirk in Spock's quarters, doing what I guess, in Star Trek terms, would be a Spock Tribute act. Sadly, we don't get a Vulcan rendition of Suspicious Minds or The Wonder Of You.

Meanwhile, we learn that a Klingon agent has stolen the Genesis proposal (although William Shatner is now explaining what's what, presumably to save giving Bibi Besch a second pay-cheque for playing Carol Marcus) and passed it to a renegade commander, Kruge (played by Christopher Lloyd), who is intent to make the Genesis secrets his own.

The Enterprise arrives back to Earth to the shock of the assembled onlookers (and a nice little cameo from Grace Lee Whitney) and the crew is informed the Enterprise will not be refitted and Scotty will be transferred to the new USS Excelsior; seems like the crew will be split up.

Gathering to discuss their future, and the health of Dr. McCoy,  they are interrupted by Spock's father, Sarek, who believes Kirk is carrying his son's ‘katra', the Vulcan equivalent of a soul, which at times of near death, a Vulcan may pass to a member of their family, or somebody they consider to be as good as.

After Kirk pops on the DVD of the Wrath Of Khan (although from the numbers on screen, I think it may be a hooky copy, or maybe a screener) it becomes apparent that Spock was unable to pass his Katra to Kirk, but instead passed it to the good Doctor.

We then join Saavik and David aboard the USS Gutless, sorry, USS Grissom, where they are busy surveying the Genesis planet. The ship's sensors detect a life-form, which they beam down to investigate. McCoy meanwhile, is being driven to find Spock's body, and like some intergalactic salmon, tries to charter a ship.

Sadly, he finds no trace of Han Solo, or anyone else willing to take him to the restricted sector, and is quickly arrested and after a failed attempted at a Vulcan nerve pinch, sectioned.

Over drinks with Admiral Morrow, Kirk is told there is no way he can return to Genesis, so with the help of his senior officers, rescues McCoy from the hospital and sets about stealing the Enterprise. Thanks to some extra help from Scotty, the USS Excelsior is unable to pursue, and with Chekov ditching the oddest wardrobe choice in the 23rd century, the Enterprise is on her way, to rescue Spock's body, and save Dr McCoy's mind.

A pity then, that the Captain of the Grissom wasn't quite as canny as old JTK, and failed to notice the Klingons watching under cloak, because before you can say 'The Trouble With Tribbles' the Grissom is little more than space debris, leaving Saavik and Marcus at the mercy of the Klingons.

The Klingons quickly track down Spock, Saavik and David and with the Enterprise nearing Genesis, Kruge returns to the Bird-of-Prey, keen to face the legendary Kirk in battle. gets the upper hand, but with Scotty's computer bypass system overloaded, Kirk tries to bluff the Klingon into surrender. But it seems Kirk has met his match, and is one of the few people to see though the Captain's poker face and reveals he holds three prisoners on the planet.

David informs Kirk that Genesis doesn't work, and that the planet is destroying itself. Kruge orders one of the prisoners killed as a show of his strength, and as the Kilngon moves to kill Saavik, David intervenes, eventually being killed. Kirk is a broken man, and with no way out, orders the destruction of the Enterprise, whilst luring the Klingons onto the doomed ship.

Thankfully, Kirk's kung-fu is much better than Kruge's and after dispatching the Klingon to a lava-based death, the Enterprise crew successfully steal the Bird-of-Prey and make their way to Vulcan.

After returning to his home world, the Vulcans are able to reinstall Spock's katra and after rebooting him, he's good as new and Kirk has once again cheated death. Kirk 2 - Death nil...

The best thing about SFS has to be DeForest Kelley. He finally gets a decent portion of screen time, and his performance shines. The scene in the bar is brilliant, and it really shows how gifted an actor he was. The pitch and timing is perfect, you really do believe this man has Spock's soul inside him.

Christopher Lloyd also deserves credit for his performance as Kruge (Nimoy originally wanted to cast Edward James Olmos, thankfully Paramount said ‘no', you can't have a Klingon in command of the Colonial Fleet and the Battlestar Galactica!)

Like his counterpart on TWOK, Nimoy's direction succeeds in getting another good performance from Shatner; the scene where he learns of David's death and the loss of the Enterprise is particularly touching, as is his ultimate reunion with Spock as the film concludes.

As usual for a Star Trek film, the special effects are great, the stand-out scenes being Kirk stealing the Enterprise (again, accompanied by some superb music from James Horner) and the destruction of the ship, Industrial Light and Magic underline their excellent work on the previous film and the introductions of the various new ships and starbases work well.

Where the film falls down, however, is with the Genesis planet itself. To be blunt, it looks cheap. TV show cheap. Paramount once again tightened the purse strings and plans to shoot Genesis scenes in Hawaii were deemed too expensive, and in my opinion, it hurts the film.

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock is a good film, certainly not on a par with Khan, but a fine entry in the franchise, and certainly good enough to break the rule that ‘every odd numbered Star Trek film is crap'.

Being Captain of Starfleet’s flagship is no easy job. Constantly coming up again hostile life-forms, sentient machines and potentially devastating space phenomena means that a Captain has to have a huge number of aces up his sleeve with which to safeguard the lives of his crew. And so Den of Geek is taking a look at all of the tips and tricks that were at Kirk’s disposal during the original series…

A brief, friendly chat

There were very few situations so bad that Kirk couldn’t talk his way out of them. Clearly, the intent was to showcase Gene Roddenberry’s idea of a future where pacifism and logic are the preferred course of action for civilised cultures, and anyone who claims it was largely motivated by budget constraints is lying.

Kirk would often mediate conflicts himself, assuming the role of diplomat, though he would also use his deductive reasoning powers to expose betrayal and subterfuge. Kirk’s best conversational skill, though, was his ability to ruin a computer faster than your grandparents would, simply by talking to it.

In the original series run, this happens countless times. In Return Of The Archons, an unseen computer called Landru, programmed to “destroy evil”, governs the planet – until Kirk convinces Landru that it itself is evil, at which point it explodes.

In The Ultimate Computer, when the experiment M-5 takes control of the Enterprise, Kirk appeals to the guilt that its human-derived personality feels over the deaths it has caused, making it drop its defensive shields as an act of suicide.

In The Changeling, Kirk tricks an alien probe that believes it is perfect into realising that it has made an error – and as a result, it destroys itself.

Even gods themselves aren’t safe from Kirk’s line of destructive reasoning, as in Who Mourns For Adonais, Kirk manages to talk Apollo into suicide. It’s just unfortunate that Kirk wasn’t alive when the Borg attacked Starfleet – a quick chat, and it might all have been over!

Phasers

Unlike later captains, Kirk wasn’t afraid to break out the guns if things were looking even a little hairy. As if to prove he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty with computers too, Kirk shot and destroyed computers in the episode A Taste Of Armageddon and The Apple, freeing the societies they controlled, whether they liked it or not. I suppose not every machine has a built in self-destruct mechanism, after all.

Kirk also proved that the gun was mightier than the sword in A Piece Of The Action, where he uses the Enterprise’s superior firepower to extort an entire planet of Gangsters out of 40% of their earnings. For altruistic purposes, of course!

Fist Fights

Despite Kirk’s propensity for getting into fist fights, it’s actually quite rare that he wins them fairly. In one of his most famous fights, against the Gorn in the episode Arena, he only wins by hastily constructing a cannon that fires gemstones at his enemy. He fights his friend and first officer Spock in both Amok Time and Mirror, Mirror, but is unable to fairly best the far stronger Vulcan either time. In the former, he loses and is killed (but gets better) and in the latter, he only wins because Uhura hands him some crockery that he breaks over Spock’s head.

Surely the best fist fight Kirk ever had, though, was in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, where he combats a shape-shifter that has assumed his own visage. If there’s anything better than watching William Shatner fight William Shatner, we don’t want to know. Even that fight ends in a stalemate, until Kirk convinces a guard to kill his duplicate, not him.

An Alien Best Friend

Although Spock routinely bested Kirk in personal combat, there was never any doubt that he was useful to have on your side, largely due to his poorly-defined and frequently useful mental abilities. In The Paradise Syndrome and Spectre Of The Gun, it’s Spock’s mind melding abilities that save the day and free members of the crew from mind-control, while in “That Which Survives” it’s his capacity as security officer that makes him useful when at the last minute, he manages to (you guessed it) destroy the computer controlling the vindictive holograms that threaten the crew.

Spock isn’t always a reliable figure, of course. It’s hard to forget the time he had his brain stolen by women who needed to use it as their new computer (in the episode Spock’s Brain) but his most embarrassing moment surely comes in the episode Is There in Truth no Beauty? where, despite ample warning, Spock forgets to replace the protective visor that will prevent him going mad after mind-melding with Kollos, member of a race so different to humans (and Vulcans) that merely looking at them drives you instantly insane. Thankfully, another telepath was on hand, and used her own abilities to restore Spock’s mind.

Transporter

In the world of Star Trek, the transporter manages to be both the cause of and solution to many of the crew’s problems. In The Enemy Within, Kirk finds himself split into his good and evil sides by a transporter malfunction – thankfully, a quick reprogramming later, and the same transporter is able to reconstitute the separate sides of his personality into one being. Similarly, in the episode Mirror, Mirror, a transporter malfunction is the mechanism by which Kirk gets sent to an alternate dimension inhabited by evil duplicates of the crew, and the mechanism by which he returns to his own universe.

So far, things have evened out, but as well as being a cheap alternative to shuttlecraft fuel, the transporter can save the day as well, justifying Starfleet’s decision to equip every starship with one of these metaphysical nightmares. Even as far back as the Original Series, the transporter proves its worth by disabling weapons while in transit and allowing a quick escape on numerous occasions. Use of the transporter is not without its risks, but Kirk has always been a risk-taking kind of Captain!

Episode: 09
Title: Dagger Of The Mind
Star Date: 2715.1
Writer: S. Bar-David (Shimon Wincelberg)
First Shown: 3rd November 1966

The ninth episode of The Original Series, Dagger Of The Mind, is pivotal in Trek history, because this is the one where Spock first uses the ancient Vulcan ritual of mind melding on a human, but actually it's also an interesting story on a number of levels.

The Enterprise is dropping off supplies at the Tantalus Penal Colony, when an insane inmate stows away onboard. Once they've caught the highly unstable Simon Van Gelder, they begin to unravel a trail of inconsistencies that leads them back to the colony, and its highly respected Doctor Tristan Adams who runs it.

This whole concept works because of the two actors they got to play Gelder and Adams. Morgan Woodward who plays Gelder is entirely bonkers, to the point where I'd be concerned to be alone with the actor, never mind the character he plays.

His track record of playing heavies in Westerns is second only to the famous Jack Elam, and he guest starred on Gunsmoke nineteen times, and on Wagon Train eleven. He's fantastic in this. He's retired now, but carried on working until his last TV appearance in an episode of Millennium in 1997. The other side of this personality coin is James Gregory as Adams, who delivers his highly polished snake-oil salesman routine here as the deceptive doctor experimenting on the inmates and staff of the colony. His resume reads like a catalogue of Sixties and Seventies TV, and he also managed a few big screen outings like Beneath The Planet Of The Apes, and The Sons Of Katie Elder.

Once they're suspicious of what's happening in the colony, Kirk goes to investigate, taking with him Doctor Helen Noel, who is not only an expert in psychiatry, but also fun at Christmas parties it appears. As Kirk and she get in over their heads with Doctor Adams, Bones and Spock use unusual techniques to probe the disturbed mind of Van Gelder and ultimately learn the truth.

Adams has devised a device called the neural neutralizer which can be used to brainwash people, which is exactly what he's using it for. They realise this when Kirk allows the amorous Doctor Noel to experiment with it on him. She starts having a fantasy about bedding the good Captain, the details of which he's enjoying until Adams turns up and decides to reprogram Kirk entirely.

Their opportunity to fight back comes when Kirk sends her into the air-conditioning system to locate the power system, which is creating a security shield that is stopping Spock coming to their aid. Despite having no knowledge in power systems, she manages this feat and Kirk escapes from the neural neutralizer room, leaving Adams unconscious there. When the power comes back on Adams is killed by his own machine, as without someone else there his mind is entirely emptied and he dies of loneliness - we're told.

I can't say I was overly thrilled with the way this story is resolved, or the 2D character of Helen Noel, but the madder-than-a-box-of-snakes performance of Morgan Woodward more than makes up for those weaknesses. The revamped version is also rather nice, as there are some excellent effects of the Enterprise, my favourite of which was it making a 180 degree turn to come back to the colony.

This story was written by Shimon Wincelberg under the name of S. Bar-David. He went on to contribute the equally strong The Galileo Seven episode to the original series. The only surprise here is that he didn't get offered more writing duties on Star Trek, as he famously wrote the Time Tunnel pilot and the first five stories of Lost In Space.

Next up, a personal favourite of mine and so many other Trek fans across the world: The Corbomite Maneuver.

If there's one person responsible for Star Trek's incredible longevity, it's Gene Roddenberry.

A qualified pilot, former beat cop and - if the autobiographies are to be believed - a bit of a ladies' man, he first pitched the original Star Trek to NBC as a sort of 'Wagon Train to the Stars' back in the early 60s. Wagon Train was then a popular western series based around a close knit band of characters whose journey from Missouri to California provided the basis for weekly adventure.

With no takers for this sci-fi frontier setting, Gene continued to rework the premise while helming a series of forgotten cop and horse shows until, in 1966, he got the green light to make a Star Trek pilot.

The Cage had many of the elements that fans would come to love: a starship called Enterprise with a multiracial, and in some cases, extraterrestrial crew on a mission of peace and exploration. At the centre of the story was a passionate captain with a grumpy, old school doctor as his confidant. At his right arm, an emotionally cold second in command. There was even a green Orion slave girl in that debut episode, but the main characters weren't Kirk, McCoy and Spock - they were Captain Christopher Pike, Dr. Philip Boyce and the mysterious 'Number One', a female second officer played by Roddenberry's then girlfriend - later Mrs Roddenberry - Majel Barrett.

Of course, this version of Star Trek was met with sniffy indifference by the powers at NBC. They wanted action, shoot-outs and scraps, not big-headed aliens with pulsing temples and a starship captain in the midst of a career crisis. 

Roddenberry went back to his typewriter and wrote a second pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before. He tweaked his lead character, making him less cerebral and more cocky. Against studio wishes he kept the alien science officer Mr. Spock, transplanting the cold and calculating nature of Number One into the Vulcan second-in-command. It was to be the first of many Star Trek reboots - and it worked. The studio commissioned the series and Star Trek began its 40 year mission.

It's a testament to the character of Roddenberry that he knew which changes to make and which memos to bin. In the first two seasons, it's said that Gene rewrote just about every episode that was aired, showing a dedication to character and consistency that helped mould the continuity and canon that later Trek fans would froth over.

But Star Trek was not always as loyal to Gene as he was to Trek. During the original show's third season, NBC shifted it to a graveyard slot on Friday night. Viewing figures plummeted and - under pressure to make Trek more commercial - an exhausted Gene grew disillusioned and took a back seat. That third season features an episode where Kirk swaps bodies with a stereotypically hysterical woman and another where Spock talks McCoy through brain surgery. On his own brain. It was the lowest Trek would stoop until Nazi aliens made an appearance in fifth generation spin off series Enterprise 35 years later.

Still, Roddenberry's influence on Star Trek goes way beyond the first two seasons of the original series, when he approved every script. Gene's careful marshalling of fan campaigns, his creativity and Barnum-like gumption was instrumental in getting Star Trek: The Motion Picture into cinemas, a full decade after the original series' axing. He worked for three years before that, trying to revive Trek for TV - and the script that made it to screen was, in part, based on Roddenberry's treatment of unfilmed telly script In Thy Image, called The God Thing.

Though his involvement with subsequent movies was minimal, it was Roddenberry again who masterminded the television return of Star Trek in the 80s, taking a hands-on interest in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The first two seasons have his story telling style embedded in them as deeply as a Trill symbiont. Though often dismissed as the weakest perid in TNG's run, episodes like The Naked Now, The Child and The Measure Of A Man dispute that. They are classic Star Trek.

When Roddenberry passed away in 1991, he was still working on Star Trek - a series he crafted from the ground up from his beliefs and values. A series in which humanity had evolved beyond infighting and prejudice, money and malice, towards a utopian future where curiosity, fairness and the desire to understand our place in the world mattered more than anything. If we could pick a future for ourselves, we'd pick Gene's.

Episode: 08
Title: Miri
Star Date: 2713.5
Writer: Adrian Spies
First Shown: 27th October 1966

In many original series stories they found strangely distorted versions of Earth, spread through the galaxy like relatives you never knew about.

Miri was the first of these, and initially it's the identical nature of the planet that appears to be the mystery. But once they beam down to this duplicate Earth they discover that this is a world where things have gone badly wrong.

Searching the ruined city, or really the redressed sets from the The Andy Griffith Show, they discover feral children and a horribly mutated and aged adult who soon dies.

Soon it becomes apparent that the adult population has died off 300 years ago, leaving only pre-pubescent children to fend for themselves. Once the children reach adulthood, which happens very slowly because they age at only one month in 100 years, then they get the virus that kills grown-ups or ‘grumps', and they too die.

In science fiction terms it is I Am Legend mixed with Logan's Run with a dash of Lord Of The Flies for good measure.

The Miri of the title is a teenager they meet played by Kim Darby, two years before she bugged John Wayne through the majority of True Grit. It's her crush on Kirk that at first puts everyone's life in jeopardy, but eventually leads her and the other children to trust Kirk. The nemesis in the story is Jan, played by Michael J. Pollard, who was 27 at the time, but playing a teenager. I always find his performances really unusual, as he often seems to be offering the lines as a parody of what the direction he's been given. But I guess in this story his style actually works, as his character is mischievously manipulating the younger children.

The real heroes in this story are Bones and Spock, who combine to find a cure for the illness just before it kills all the humans in the landing party.

In typical Trek fashion, Bones injects himself with the antidote without the confirmation from the ship's computer that it won't kill him. It's the sort of foolhardy sacrifice we came to love in this show, and luckily for him, it works this time.

At the end of the story everyone is well, and help is dispatched from Star Fleet to help these 300 year old children adapt to a new beginning. At no point is it ever explained why their planet is identical to earth, down to the locations of the continents, but that seems unimportant to those on the Enterprise.

The remastered version of this has just a few new effects of the planet and the Enterprise in order, but nothing dramatic. However, they also revamped the sound, and the noise Bone's medical computer makes is very annoying, indeed.

The writer of this story was Adrian Spies, who actually started out as a newspaper reporter. This was his only Trek contribution, although he wrote for many shows around this period including Hawaii Five-O and Dr. Kildare.

Filling the geek podium for this episode is the younger children that Kirk encounters on the planet. One is Shatner's own daughter Lisabeth, who along with his other daughter Melanie and the daughter of the show runner Dawn Roddenberry, all appear in this story.

Next up the story that introduces the concept of mind melding, in Dagger Of The Mind.