The Way To Eden

DVD, Star Trek S3 (The Way To Eden)

Get with it, man. This episode reaches. It don't cross, it reaches. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about then don't be a Herbert! To begin at the beginning, I enjoyed the teaser, as it had some proper danger, and a ship to look at. Even though it looks similar to the Tholian ships (because it was made from a Tholian ship!), you can argue it was based on their specifications, and you can't argue with heightened tension as the ship is about to blow.

Most people would probably never have guessed that a group of space hippies/pop group would ever walk off those hallowed transporter pads, but this episode proved them wrong. For one thing, the aliens among them, specifically Dr. Sevrin (he of the cauliflower ears) and that dude with long flowing purple and white hair (and check those groovy eyebrows!), are fascinating, as Mr. Spock didn't say as he was too busy 'reaching' them, and then jamming. I suppose it was logical that Trek would do hippy since it was made in the sixties, but it doesn't come as any less of a shock.

We've had Uhura serenading the rec room before, we've even seen the Vulcan twirling some strings, but I don't think we've ever experienced the amount of music and radical style that these totally un-Herberts perform, particularly Adam. I suppose if you hate lines like "Brain and brain. What is brain?" then this might similarly rub you up the wrong wave, but it's a chance to have some fun, yet still turns into a tragic tale, a tale looking at an opposing view to the Federation and our heroes, and something you would expect to hear in the future from some quarter. These are the self-styled outcasts of their worlds, who shun technology and long for the simple life. Spock even makes some validation of their viewpoint, though ultimately they are led astray by a mad leader, and he never fully forgets his place on the Enterprise or the logic of using technology. He's merely interested in their ideas.

Sevrin (with his intricate head paint) is a very good guest character, that raises the episode. His calm equanimity, which we later learn is actually the cover of insanity, makes him seem quite cool. The multicoloured cape helps! Adam too, with his futuristic guitar is rad, and fun to watch. It's interesting to note that the blond girl who sings, would have been McCoy's daughter, though this never made it into the script, perhaps for time.

So the makeup, the music, the character and fun, is all well played, but what stops this from becoming a silly episode is that these benign, peaceful people plan to take over the Enterprise, and we know it. There's some excellent camera work, with one shot in particular standing out for me: the group are going about their plan, and we cut back to Sevrin, framed by the brig's energy field, and zoom in towards his diabolical smile, which says everything - the plan is coming together.

Another positive is that most of the cast are well used, after several episode where they've been all but forgotten. Chekov even has the B-story as a Russian woman he loved back at the Academy is among the group. The only mistakes are the auxiliary control room, which I don't think we've ever heard of before (yet aliens have tried to take over several times, and never used it!), and the lack of a Romulan presence, with only mention of their threat as the ship speeds into their territory. It probably would have been too much for the story to have them as well, and the unseen threat works sufficiently. Everything else gels, with characters into it, fun guest cast, and most importantly an ending with an ironic and poignant twist. The 'Eden' Sevrin's followers thought they'd found turned out to be an acid-filled hell, leading to both Adam and the Dr.'s death. As Spock says over the dead body after he'd eaten the fruit of his Eden, his name was Adam. Little touches like the music they had played earlier is used over these scenes to give greater meaning.

It's very hard to fault such a fun, ensemble episode, which has measures of danger, whimsy and character... but it's a shame Uhura wasn't in it as she'd have been perfect to add her voice to the songs. Maybe that's why she was excluded, as she might have held up the plot with Spock being the one person they 'reached'. The guy who was Adam played another, very different character, about thirty years later in 'DS9'. And I believe the shot of Chapel falling to the floor (with great impact!) was a reuse from a previous episode this season. Worth an encore!

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