Spectre of The Gun

DVD, Star Trek S3 (Spectre of The Gun)

It's immediately apparent that things are the same, but also different. The characters are all there (except Sulu), but, as Eve said, they're fresh and new as if they've just been washed. Maybe as if they've been poured in a mould and pulled out. They are the same people, but the looseness and friendliness has been replaced by more military tone and stiffness. Some look different, but they are still the same people. Likewise the episode itself feels a little stiff. There isn't much humour, the sets are unfinished and the situation is strange. Fortunately the spare sets and the off-kilter acting suits the episode perfectly, as they're supposed to be in an off-balance situation. The Melkotians look impressive, introduced through the mist, the only downside for me of the episode is the voice which is too unthreatening.

Chekov is killed in a fashion not unlike McCoy in 'Shore Leave', and the tension does mount as the inhabitants are no help, Kirk's anger rising to shake the Sheriff about! As the time approaches, unavoidable, they come up with a simple, but clever solution, to use the only tools they have at hand - their minds. We get three mind-melds which must be a record, and the best moment must be the excellent special effect of the Earps firing bullet after bullet, and the brave crew just stand there, and the wood behind them (in front of the camera) gets holes blown out of it! Very clever.

The directing is really good, with effective shots, particularly towards the end with the wind whipping leaves around, and the robot-like Earps coming mercilessly to do their deed. I remembered seeing this one especially, as a child, although I didn't have a clue how they got themselves out of it. I suppose the plot is a bit thin around the aliens, as first they seem xenophobic, and they are impressed that Kirk didn't kill which makes them allow the ship to come into their space. If they had intended to kill them in the first place it would have been easier to get it over with, but I suppose they were either torturing them before death or testing them as was seen by the end.

It was kind of a parallel Earth story, with a different twist, and was an effective first episode (even though we weren't reintroduced to the characters and it starts abruptly). It had elements of the 'Voyager' episode (The Thaw) in which it is the mind which does the damage amid the unreality. A surprisingly strong start to Season Three given the bad reputation it has!

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