Is There In Truth No Beauty?

DVD, Star Trek S3 (Is There In Truth No Beauty?)

What a genuine surprise. I didn't expect to see any episode this season with such a level of depth and so many great moments! There are almost too many things going on to remember them all. You have big ideas, action, very strong direction and enjoyable character moments! Wow. To begin with I was a little confused, as Dr. Jones seems to have very little context. It could be that I wasn't paying close enough attention, but it took a while for me to realise she was not Vulcan, not alien, but human, who'd been born with telepathy (presumably some alien DNA in her ancestry gave her this ability - Betazoid crossed my mind for some reason, when I knew they weren't introduced until TNG!), and lived on Vulcan for much of her life. She moves and acts very Vulcan-like, in a very strong guest appearance.

The first thought of the episode was not about Jones, but concerning the Medusan. What a good concept to introduce tension. An alien that cannot be looked at or it will induce insanity to death, even though it is benevolent. This was emphasised by all but Spock, even the heroic Captain, having to leave the transporter room, and evacuate the corridors! I guessed the only way they could pull off such an idea would be by leaving it hidden. That also increases tension. The effect of the box opening was very cleverly an intense visual on the eyes, as if even the glow from this thing feels hard to stand. A real achievement.

The dinner scene is one of those great scenes, with familiar characters dressed to the nines (Scotty incorporates a kilt into his dress uniform!), adding class to the production values. I thought to begin with Jones was already mad when she looks at the Medusan unshielded. Maybe her telepathy gave her an ability to appear normal, I thought. When she sees someone think of murder I considered it could be herself in a kind of split personality (especially with her surprising jealousy of Spock), who was going to murder. The only other suspect had to be Marvick (must say it was quite a thrill to have someone involved in the design of the Enterprise on board!), but I also posited that someone could be walking past outside. That sequence was a joy to watch, with all the good humour, camaraderie and sophisticated writing blending so well. The scene with Marvick in Jones' quarters seemed quite a rare moment, as we don't often see scenes with only guest characters talking.

I have to mention the directing. It wasn't a fresh director (Ralph Senensky), but it sure felt like it! It seemed like a new guy had come in, enthused and excited about the characters and possibilities of their situation, and transferred all that onto the screen. The wide angle views are so rare on this series (and we even got a view of the bridge from the turbolift, a view we never see!), and the shots as if it's through a person's eyes enhanced the intended mood so much. The organ-like sinister theme helped, and it was so good to have a new theme that was so effective. Marvick was well acted, his crazy, love-stricken persona transferring to a fear-stricken insanity, a bit like Dr. Van Gelder in 'Dagger of The Mind'.

The fight was impressive (though you'd have thought Scotty would have noticed the mad look in his eyes and not handed over engine control - I loved the earlier matey-ness between them, and it struck me that this is one of the things missing from the series. DS9 has Bashir and O'Brien, Voyager, Paris and Kim. Maybe Sulu or Chekov could have had a similar rapport with Scotty). It was ironic Marvick died on the ship he helped design. I noticed Mr. Leslie as one of the security guards who goes with Kirk, stomping towards camera, and Mr. Hadley gets a faceful of fist from mad Marvick.

The episode deals with love, with disability, with the nature of beauty and ugliness, more eloquently than I can express here. Dr. Jones is a fully rounded character that is turned by Kirk's powerful words of truth. She is the rose who has thorns indeed. Such strong metaphor, and so many strong moments, such as Spock's mind meld with Kolos the Medusan. He gets to see and feel differently, laughing, almost teasing Uhura (maybe this was the only episode JJ Abrams saw before making Star Trek XI?), and then loses it in a surge of madness, presented so well in the weird camera views. I could go on (I didn't expect the blindness surprise and that dress/ sensor web, was so good), but I can only say this was a very satisfying episode, doing so much that you want to see, and wrapping it up nicely. I feel it is good enough to be called a classic!

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