Assignment: Earth

DVD, Star Trek S2 (Assignment: Earth)

Immediately you're put on the back foot. Kirk tosses aside the news they've just popped back in time to basically have a look or something - it's a bit vague, and with nary time for a thought about what that means and why, and sundry other questions, the episode's off! To be generous, at least he mentioned that they did it in the usual way as seen in last year's 'Tomorrow Is Yesterday', even if it does seem weird for them to go back to a time a year after they visited last year. Do they plan on doing it every year? Kind of an annual outing to the past? It does throw up all sorts of possibilities, or it would if you had five seconds to think about it. Take Captain Christopher who came aboard in the previous episode. They could drop in on him to see how his family's doing. Put away such thoughts because one thing this episode deson't do is make the most of the situation.

In fact it's a confused mish-mash that doesn't explain itself too well, and feels like another series, maybe one of those 60's ITC series. Which is pretty accurate as it was written with the hopes of a spin-off for Mr. Gary Seven. He's a fine character, what we learn of him, which isn't a lot, despite the screentime he nobbles from the regulars. The way he calmly seems in control, even when he's not, makes for a mysterious and intriguing character, much like Spock. Add to that his black cat (bizarre how the first episode of the season had a black cat/woman and so does the last!), and Dr. Who-style catch-all pen-gadget, you never know what tricks he has up his immaculately turned out sleeve.

Back to the Star Trek portions though, and it's good they get right into the story, it's good they use all the main cast, even if sparingly, and it's nice Mr. Leslie gets called by name again. No one seems to remember his death a few weeks ago! The transporter room has been upgraded and now has a science station and viewscreen, unless this is another room, but I assumed there was only one, or Kirk would say "meet me in the transporter room" and half the landing party would arrive a few minutes late, realising they'd gone to the wrong one! Before long Kirk and Spock are mingling, with the Vulcan's trademark hat (something later emulated by 'Stargate' alien Teal'c). But you soon realise this isn't going to be playing up to the endless possibilities when they simply walk around, have trouble with Seven (as in Gary, not 'Of Nine'). It's a nice touch (or it was a cost-cutting measure, either way works for me) to see Seven with a fully-operational multitronic computer, as seen in 'The Ultimate Computer' - it shows how advanced Seven's alien leaders are, which is good as they're not too revealing when it comes to these beings. Their planet is invisible apparently, and they've trained up Seven and other humans for generations. Also their blue cloud transporter looks real cool.

There is humour, such as Seven's misunderstnding with the secretary, who provides a lot of the laughs, or the police being beamed up and beamed down again, though as with most of the gags they've already been done better in previous episodes. The cat was very well trained even if the meowling sounded like a human, and it was fun to see the automatic doors on the Enterprise open just wide enough for it to pass through. Sort of auto catflap, where the ship saves door opening power!

It's often the way there's a lot of note happening in episodes that aren't the best example of a strong episode, and this is true here. Doohan for example, lends his voice to an intercom in the mission control area. What makes for a slightly lower class of story is the lack of excitement and drama - half the time we don't really know what's happening, with Seven doing his stuff, coupled with the lack of Enterprise crew integrated into the story. If this had been the last ever episode you would feel cheated out of a 'proper' episode.

I hoped for a final scene onboard the ship where Kirk discusses the events and makes a joke or a statement as often happens. Sometimes you don't want that kind of ending, but for once that would have really enhanced the ending, especially as it's the end of a season. So it feels a bit disjointed to go from Gary and Roberta having a little chat and seeing Kirk and Spock beam up, and then a shot of the ship leaving to explore planets new, and unsatisfying. A word that would describe the episode as a whole, as the concepts and ideas were in evidence, they just weren't melded together.

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