For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky

DVD, Star Trek S3 (For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky)

I'm all ready to start hating these episodes, what with the bad reputation Season Three has. I'm not saying it won't go wrong before the end, but so far I'd say the episodes have been on a par with both previous seasons. Somehow, you just can't fail to enjoy these characters! Another great science fiction concept is given a Trek try out, this time a generational, asteroid-bound society, believing itself to be on a planet. If there's a fault it would be reusing the footage from the earlier 'The Paradise Syndrome', and maybe the lack of the other characters, although Chapel's brief scenes are strong, especially at the beginning where for once you see her arguing. Chapel never argues with McCoy, except this time it's about his life.

Good start, but this was another of those I remembered from childhood as being dull, dull, dull. This was most likely because all the significant action occurs near the start, and the rest is mostly talk. How people can accuse the original of being all action, and TNG as being all talk, I don't know. This is a clear example of something Roddenberry built on to create TNG: a bit of proper romance, not a fleeting kiss, and onto the next planet, McCoy practically gets married and intends to spend his life on, or in, the asteroid.

Natira was a very good character. Believable as an, at first, imperious ruler, and then a wife-to-be, and a defender of a confused and damaged faith. She is obviously a good judge of character as she immediately senses something different in the doctor. Unless she simply prefers blokes that don't fight all that well! I was wrong, there was something else wrong. We haven't seen such awful millinery since 'A Taste of Armageddon' and these were worse. The only attire that looked expensive was Nat's own wardrobe.

The story was slow, but carried by such real performances it never felt boring. Perhaps modern film-makers should take note? There were enough little pieces (such as the Old Man) to keep your attention piqued, and the thing with McCoy felt so final and was played so convincingly that you could believe they were about to write him out if you didn't know any better! It made a pleasing change to have him the focus and getting the girl, etc, while Spock and Kirk did the rest.

The heating elements in the Oracle chamber were a brilliant idea - I've seen rooms filling with gas or crushing together with spikes, but this seemed a fresh idea and used the excellent set design well, making it more than form, but function too, and the visual effect was unique. I also liked the computer room behind the Oracle monolith (although that extreme heat wasn't going to do the equpment much good, was it?). I suppose the parting of Natira and McCoy was a little easy, but I was glad she wasn't killed off as seemed likely, but duty was what kept them on separate paths. Nice of Kirk to give McCoy the chance to see them when they got to their destination, and one thread that should have become a sequel episode.

A minor niggle was that the asteroid was supposed to be on collision course with a planet that it would hit in 300-odd days. Yet the planet they were supposed to be making for, and once Spock had corrected the navigation, were heading for, was also in 300-odd days range. Either I misheard or someone misunderstood somewhere along the script line. But another pretty good episode. Where now thy reputation Season Three?

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