RETURNING TO THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE

 

Episode Title:  Once Upon a Planet

Air Date: 11/3/1973

Written by Chuck Menville and Len Janson

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”, Lieutenant Arex, White Rabbit, Gabler, and Master Computer                           George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu                     Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and Alice              Majel Barrett as Lieutenant M’Ress and The Queen of Hearts           

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets: Fantasy Planet in Omicron Delta

My Spoiler filled summary and review: After so many exhausting adventures the crew of the Enterprise needs some rest and relaxation.  The Captain has decided to bring them to the planet that will literally bring their dreams to life:  the Fantasy Planet of Omicron Delta.  A landing party comprising of McCoy, Sulu, and Uhura beam down.  McCoy and Sulu are extremely excited since they remembered their previous adventure here.  They are very happy to see the white rabbit run around with Alice chasing him. 

Then things start to go bad, the Queen of Hearts shows up and demands heads.  Uhura steps in to rescue the Doctor but she is then kidnapped by a flying hovercraft.  McCoy and Sulu are forced to do an emergency beam out.  Back up aboard the ship, the bridge crew tries to brainstorm what went wrong and see if they can get Uhura back.  McCoy insists that he didn’t think up the Queen of Hearts.  It becomes imperative that they find the Caretaker to fix the situation like he did before.  Kirk and Spock join McCoy and Sulu back down on the planet.

Happy to be back

Uhrua finds her captor is a talking computer, which is a very confusing situation.  However, she quickly learns that the “Master Computer” is even more confused than she is.   For one, the computer thinks Uhura is some sort of slave onboard the Enterprise.  It thinks all lifeforms aboard starships are slaves to their ships.  It is concerned that its planet is being invaded and intends to turn the returned landing party “off.”  Uhura becomes horrified as she realizes that the computer is planning on killing her friends.

Uhura about to be taken away

The landing party finds the grave of the caretaker killing the hope of solving this quickly.  Then they are attacked by pterodactyls and forced to retreat into a cave.  While back on the Enterprise the crew finds the ship has a will of its own and suddenly breaks orbit before getting back in its original position.  While on the surface the landing party is still stuck in their cave.  McCoy mentions they are playing a game of cat and mouse.  Suddenly the cave’s other entrance has a giant cat waiting for them.  Good one, Bones.  However, the landing party brainstorms and they recall how McCoy on their last visit had been “killed” then was whisked away beneath the planet.  They decide to bet that particular clean-up program is still activated. Spock volunteers and McCoy injects him with melenex that will in short time cause the Vulcan to lose consciousness and for his skin to discolor.  Their bet is paid off as Spock is whisked away as well.  The three follow the transport but only Kirk manages to get underground before the entrance closes.  Back on the Enterprise, Scotty has to deal with the ship’s artificial gravity having been turned off. 

Alice

Kirk and Spock find Uhura so now all three of them are facing off against the Master Computer.  The computer is looking to take the Enterprise and explore the galaxy looking to bond with other computers.  On the ship, Scotty discovers some hardware being built that the Master Computer is looking to download its software into.  The three of them mange to convince the Master Computer that they are not slaves to the Enterprise, and that they control it. This took some convincing as the Master Computer sees them as inferior due to lack of equal brain power.  Uhura reminds the Master Computer that some people choose to serve others of their own free will.  As we all benefit when we help each other out.  The Master Computer listens to the reasons of the three officers and releases the Enterprise.

With the Fantasy Planet back in operation, Captain Kirk calls up to the Enterprise to let them know shore leave can resume.  This crew is looking forward to a good time.   

Additional thoughts: One of the great strengths of The Animated Series is when they do follow ups to the classic series.  In the original series we got very few follow up episodes.  There was “I Mudd” as a squeal to “Mudd’s Women” and “The Enterprise Incident” was in some ways a squeal to “Balance of Terror.” The first animated episode made was “More Tribbles, More Troubles” as a follow up to the story from “The Trouble With Tribbles.”  It was such a great way to excite fans after a four-year hiatus, and to generate interest in this series.  The classic Star Trek episode “Shore Leave” was always one of the more fun episodes of the series.  It was great to see the Fantasy Planet again.  I wish they had taken some more opportunity to show some other outrageous things that can happen on it with the animation.  I was sorry to see that the Caretaker had died.  We didn’t get to see much of him in the first episode it would have been nice to have learned more about him.  Nevertheless, the Master Computer made for a great adversary. 

Grave of the Caretaker

McCoy claims that he didn’t think up the Queen of Hearts.  Is he sure and if so, why?  If I saw Alice and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland I would instantly start thinking of the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen.  If I saw Batman and Robin swinging about, I would immediately think of the Joker and Two-Face.  If Kirk told me to clear my head, I would think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Queen of Hearts

I love the classic “you couldn’t have made me bit” from the Master Computer. This is an old and always fun science fiction troupe of the AI who discovers religion.  The AI seeks to bond with its creator but refuses to see its creators as humans.  Humans are naturally inferior who need a calculator to do a basic math problem while the computer can do trillions simultaneously, therefore humans could not have made it, its creation must have been the actions of a “Supreme Being.”  Now this episode doesn’t go that far, the Master Computer does question its creation at the hands of lower lifeforms however it only seeks to meet other computers like itself, not a deity.

Battle of wits against the Master Computer

The Fantasy Planet is such a fun place and I am glad they were able to save it.  I feel that credit there belongs to Lt. Uhura.  Kirk is the Bane of All Artificial Intelligence and once Kirk entered the room it was only a matter of time before he convinced the Master Computer to kill itself.  However, thanks to Uhura’s presence they were able to convince the Master Computer to go back to being a helpful and benevolent entertainer of beings all across the galaxy who would like to have fun at the Fantasy Planet.  Thank you Lt. Uhura. 

FINAL GRADE 5 of 5

THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLANET IN THE UNIVERSE

Episode Title:  Shore Leave

Air Date: 12/29/1966

Written by Theodore Sturgeon

Directed by Gerald Fried

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Lieutenant Commander Spock             DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”             George Takei  as Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu    Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura             Perry Lopez as Lieutenant Rodriguez              Stephen Mines as Lieutenant Robert Tomlinson    Eddie Paskey as Lieutenant Leslie              Bill Blackburn as White Rabbit                    Barbara Baldavin as Ensign Angela Martine          Emily Banks as Yeoman First Class Tonia Barrows          Frank da Vinci as Lt. Brent       John Carr as unnamed guard          Jeannie Malone as Yeoman        Anthony Larry Paul as Crewman              Ron Veto as  Crewman           Bruce Mars as Cadet Finnegan              Marcia Brown as Alice                       Sebastian Tom as Warrior                            Shirley Bonne as Ruth          Paul Baxley as Black Knight           Jim Gruzal as Don Juan         Oliver McGowan as Caretaker

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets:  Unnamed Planet in Omicron Delta

My Spoiler filled summary and review: A tried weary Enterprise crew is in need for some serious shore leave as the ship orbits an unexplored planet.  Even Captain Kirk is feeling the strain and there is a funny scene when he complains about a pain in his back.  When he feels a hand against his back he thinks Mr. Spock is providing him relief.  Then Spock steps forward Kirk realizes to his shock that the person massaging his lower back is actually his Yeoman. On the planet, which apparently has neither intelligent life nor animal life and is a planet only of plants, is being explored by Dr. McCoy and Lt. Sulu.  As a botanist Lt. Sulu must be really excited to study plants that don’t operate with insects.   All of a sudden Dr. McCoy literally sees scene right out of the classic literary story Alice in Wonderland, when a giant rabbit wearing a waistcoat pulls out a pocket watch and exclaims he’s late.  Moments later a little blonde girl in the blue dress shows up and asked the doctor if he had seen the rabbit to which McCoy points in the general direction of the girl takes off.

Make McCoy think he is insane.

McCoy checks with Sulu and when he can’t confirm same thing McCoy calls up the ship to report that something is really strange or he’s losing his mind. Kirk at first things McCoy’s joking.  When Kirk sees that McCoy isn't joking he decides an investigation is in order.  He wants to get it wrapped up quick so he can authorize the shore leave parties for his weary crew.  At this point Mr. Spock points out that there is one member the crew who desperately needs shore leave because his performance is way down he’s resisting, Kirk says no crew member has no right to the endanger the ship so if they need to go on a rest leave they should go.  Spock then reports that the Captain is the crew member that is in need of the leave, a clever trick for Mr. Spock.

Mr. Spock isn't helping its that Yeoman with a crush

   Kirk beams down to the planet with his Yeoman and runs in to Lt. Rodriguez and Ensign Martine.  We last saw Martine when she lost her intended on the day of their wedding in “The Balance of Terror.” I guess she must be beginning to get over the loss as she seems quite flirtatious with the lieutenant.  Kirk asks them how they find the planet, they give a positive report and give the Captain directions to wear he can find Dr. McCoy.  McCoy shows Kirk the giant rabbit tracks and Kirk orders an investigation cancels the shore leave parties until this is resolved. 

Trigger Happy Sulu

A number of strange things start to occur.  Yeoman Barrows is attacked by a fictional character that she was thinking about moments ago.  Kirk and McCoy hear gun fire and run to see Lt. Sulu firing a gun that he just found on the ground. Kirk ends up taking the gun away from Sulu for he is a little too trigger happy.  As they continue investigating Kirk while carrying on a conversation with McCoy confides to him that he been bullied at the Academy by a senior cadet named Finnegan.  Sure enough Cadet Finnegan appears to torment Kirk.  Finnegan attacks and runs off with Kirk following him.  Finnegan disappears and Kirk runs into Ruth, a long lost love.  Throughout the incidents the camera often shows a strange metal object in front of the characters: a hint at what might be responsible.

Kirk's bully

 While Kirk is with Ruth he receives communication from the ship but notices that the voices are breaking up on his communicator.  With great reluctance he leaves Ruth to continue his investigation.  Mr. Spock, with some difficulty, is able to beam down but giving his rough trip they don’t dare try it again with anyone else.  He informs the Captain that the ship's systems are starting to fail and they need to get a resolution to this crisis quickly.

Yeoman Barrows has strange fantasies 

While this is going on Rodriguez and Martine are chased by a tiger and Lt. Sulu is chased by samurai.  I have to wonder when the two who encountered by the tiger, didn’t bother to fire their phaser however we later learn the phasers are inoperable anyway.   McCoy seems to be having a good time with Yeoman Barrows, who found some medieval clothing it is now dressed up like a lady out of a fairy-tale.  She and McCoy seem to be having a bit of a romance when out of nowhere a knight for the same period that Barrows is dressed up as shows up to attack them.  This happened after Barrows announced she was now lady to be fought for.  McCoy stands in to defend Barrows and is killed by the knight!  Lt. Rodriguez and Ensign Martine see a World War II aircraft in the sky.  These were the type that Rodriguez had a hobby for and he explained to Martine what it would look like if the plane were to attack them.  Then the plane proceeds to do that and kills the Ensign!

Here's another one!

 Kirk and Spock respond to Barrows’s screaming and Kirk kills the knight that slayed McCoy with the gun that was found by Sulu.  Upon discovering that McCoy was killed, Kirk grows angry for this is no longer fun and games.  They also discover that the knight isn't real it's body looks like a mannequin.  As he continues to his investigation Kirk is confronted by Finnegan one last time.  This time they fight and Kirk on leashes on him a fierce attack using his famed fighting skills that are unparalleled throughout the galaxy.  This allows Captain Kirk to lay the beating on Cadet Finnegan that he always wanted to.  Spock sees Kirk right after he’s defeated Finnegan and asked him how he feels. Kirk thinks about Spock’s question and reports he feels great as beating Finnegan was something he always wanted to do.  With that in mind Kirk realizes the secret to this planet:  whatever they want comes to life.

Kirk's lost love, one of them

Armed with this new knowledge Kirk assembles his remaining away team.  He commands everyone to clear their mind to think of nothing so the planet can’t bring anything to life on them.  It’s moments like these that makes me think, as much as I may wish to be, it is good thing I’m not part of Captain Kirk’s crew.  For this moment if I was part of the away team we would be attacked by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. For when anyone tells me to clear my head that’s the first thing that pops in there.  I would hate to have to tell Captain Kirk what Ray had to tell his fellow Ghostbusters, “I couldn’t help it.”

Charging a McCoy

However the away team from the Enterprise was made of better people than me and they clear their heads just fine.  At this point they meet the Caretaker.  He explains that this planet was made for the amusement of his kind who were now long gone.  However, the Caretaker offers that if they would like the planet can now be used as their own personal amusement park.  It is what the planet was originally for. The drain on the Enterprise’s power was an unfortunate side effect and has now been corrected. When Kirk asks about his dead crew members, McCoy and Ensign Martine show up alive and well.  McCoy even has couple of lovely ladies about his side to the annoyance of Yeoman Barrows. They never really died it was all part of the fantasy planet.

 

I'm dead, Jim!

Now they know the truth Captain Kirk tells the Caretaker that the power of illusion that this planet has is so great that they will have the quarantine it and anyone who goes there will have to face the death penalty, unless they go there for a really good reason.   Oh wait!  That is not what happens.  What actually happens is Kirk authorizes the remaining shore leave parties to come down and lets the Caretaker know that with the right precautions this would become a great planet for people to come for vacation.  Kirk then runs off with his fantasy girlfriend Ruth.    

Additional thoughts: This was a really fun episode; it was full of surprises and was driven by characters.  It can be quite a problem when whatever you think about comes to life particularly when you’re Yeoman Barrows and you have these really strange sexual fetishes that involves a Don John appearing out of nowhere to rip your dress off.

 

Caretaker, after minds are clear

How come someone with intelligence of Sulu not question a random firearm he found on unexplored planet?  I guess is a strong love of antique weapons overrode his common sense.  No wonder Kirk had to confiscate the weapon from him the man was a little too trigger happy, although the gun did coming use when fighting the knight.

I didn’t really think anything about Ruth, Kirk has so many women his past that whenever we meet them they rarely interest me.  I don’t view Ruth as this great love just because she was the one he imagined on the fantasy planet.  I just think he was she was on his mind.  Probably before the mission he encountered something that reminded him of her so she entered his thoughts, or maybe she protected him from Finnegan when he was a cadet.

 

Speaking of Cadet Finnegan, what happened to the real one?  We know Kirk never got any real resolution with him.  Is he still Starfleet?  Given Kirk’s fast rise up the ranks he may outrank Finnegan now.  If so the Captain should avoid temptation to transfer them to the Enterprise just for the purpose of bossing him around.  If they encounter an ion storm and it’s Finnegan’s turn to play Russian roulette with a pod, everyone will blame Kirk if he dies.

McCoy is a man with right ideas!

Watching this episode one has to wonder what they would doing the fantasy planet.  It is better than a holodeck seeing as you don’t have to program it. (“No bloody A, B,C, or D.”) Anything your mind could dream could become a reality.  I would take a page of Dr. McCoy’s book, and re-create the strip club Platinum Plus in Portland Maine as it existed from 2003 to 2009.  Where all my favorite dancers would still be there especially the Russians and the dancers I went to high school with; who are now all retired, married, and with children.  Of course I would have infinite amounts of money.   

FINAL GRADE: 4 of 5