Icarus

DVD, Smallville S10 (Icarus)

I was as conflicted about this one as the citizens of Metropolis are about vigilantes, because when it sticks to Clark and Lois, and their super friends it works, but when it moves from that into evil villainy and people talking about themselves as heroes it loses its way and much of its lustre. It was going quite well, even with all the mushy romantic stuff (I'd have thought Clark would be a bit miffed that he'd gone to all the trouble of booking an exclusive restaurant months in advance, a delivery for a huge bunch of flowers, and a special evening in which to propose, only for the fickle Lois not to get the hint and make a proposal of her own: a quiet evening at home!), and I was as fooled by Tess' cover of getting both Lois and Clark to Watchtower under the pretence of upgrading their retina scans only to find the whole band of extended cast there to celebrate with them in a surprise party. I say the whole band, but it was actually only Hawkman, Stargirl (making her debut this season, I can't remember?), Dr. Emil and Queen. But that's not the only time we see the greater hero clan due to the last flight of the Hawkman in his bid to save Lois from the evil General Wilson (who's 'beyond death's stroke' - so he's Deathstroke), crashing and burning and laid to rest in Egypt we can assume, though it's hard to feel sorry since his whole schtick is that he comes back to life, or is reborn, or something along those general lines, though he won't be around to fight the evil with Clark. Anyway, in the solemn procession to his burial you can make out hooded characters behind in the colours of Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg, but I don't know why we didn't get the actors.

Black Canary has a minor role (I have no idea if it's the same actress who portrayed her before), so why not the others - we had Aquaman not so long ago? Once again it's easy to see they were forced into more scenes of dialogue to stretch the budget further, and once again these tend to be the better parts of the episode, more meaningful than the occasional brushes with action, such as Hawkman and Wilson's fight in LutherCorp. There are times when we see the horror of injustice, such as Queen saving some woman from an attacker, whom he then chases into a busy street where the criminal claims Queen attacked him, prompting the general public to start beating him. That was some good stuff, especially as I'd forgotten about the evil shadow of darkness that is apparently hanging over the world, turning people's hearts bad. It would have been more effective if the situation on the streets had got so tense that the people were taking matters into their own hands, ironically condemning the 'vigilantes' by performing their own acts of vigilantism upon them, failing to see the hypocrisy of their actions, but things are dragged down a little by going away from the real and heading into silly fantasy territory with the evil at work claimed to have been responsible for such events as the Inquisition or the Third Reich, when I'm not sure it's right to suggest that such things were more than the awfulness of humanity (even if humanity can indeed be influenced by external evil, so maybe they did have a point after all…).

With General Wilson self-healing and having no compelling motivation beyond catching and interrogating all the known heroes' friends he doesn't stand up to scrutiny, nor is he given time to shine in the role of evil protector, and some of the discussion between characters where they're so ingrained in referring to themselves as superheroes and such, is jarring when they're achieving so much reality in the way people react, or in the personal scenes. It has ever been the way, sadly, and the series does tend to sabotage its good stories sometimes by bouncing down into the realm of the comic book rather than filling out a story from a solid, believable setup. It's quite nice to see Clark and Lois together, whatever the context, and their band of merry men and women have become more of a family than in the past - the series has never succeeded (not since the early days), in making it a family as so many other series' have (the Treks, 'SG-1,' etc), because they don't have the space to keep all these super people around, there isn't the time to create fulfilling stories that feature all of them logically. So Stargirl's just there because she is, and Aquaman isn't because he isn't, and they've never remotely been consistent with an impression of the wider Justice League working as a team. Their reach exceeded their grasp.

Or is it their grasp exceeded their reach? Either way they cram in a number of characters, including Cat at The Daily Planet, but unfortunately the story nosedives and even leaves us on a cliffhanger with all the heroes that bore Hawkman to his resting place, knocked out by some small white pyramid that pops up out of the sand. There are also inconsistencies such as Cat changing her entire worldview based on a short conversation with Lois who mentions her son and that's enough to convince the younger woman she should not give Lois away to the VRA Gestapo that have rounded up so many of Queen and Oliver's associates. Now she's on The Blur's side? Maybe she was just going with a gut instinct to trust Lois rather than committing her undying loyalty to the enemies of the VRA, but it was too pat and easy. Before you know it Clark and the others are going dark, shutting down Watchtower and he, Oliver and Carter all find themselves breaking into Wilson's office at the same time, making for some comedy. I really wanted to like this episode, and for much of the time I did, even the Stasi-like interviews of Wilson's subordinate as she tries to learn where their most wanted are. But I have to concede it lost out somewhere around there and never recovered, failing to provide an ending on a par with the opening half. Even a flashback scene to remind us who Chloe is, and a gift from her to celebrate Lois' engagement can't keep it from degenerating. Not that it fell far, it's still mostly enjoyable, it just fails to deliver on the setup. I hope this isn't an indication of how the series itself ends!

**

Errand of Mercy

DVD, Star Trek S1 (Errand of Mercy)

"There's much more to life than the things we can see," sings part of the song to the John Wayne film 'El Dorado,' and if any episode proved it, it's this one, in the calm acceptance of Ayelborne and the Council of Elders on planet Organia, becoming firm intervention to deal with those who refuse to follow their lead and play nicely. Kirk can't comprehend why they won't fight, why they won't choose between the democratic Federation way and the ruthless system of the Klingon Empire, and, importantly, he's allowed to be wrong. This must be the only episode of Trek where the Captain ends the episode a little sheepish for the vehement stance on war and violence he advocated, even in the face of a known barbaric force such as the Klingons, and it is this, as much as it is the two sides of an argument for society between Kor and Kirk, that makes the episode. It helps that it was the genesis for a race that would provide fertile ground for the most Trek episodes in future, perhaps only the Borg in opposition for making the greatest impact on the Trek universe, and it's beautiful the way Ayelborne tells them of their future friendship and cooperation, working together, appalling both parties, but which would come to fruition through the films, and might even be said to be the arc of the 'TOS' era, an alliance born out of these struggles and seen in all its glory through 'TNG' and beyond, as the Klingons became most people's favourite Federation ally (the Vulcans a close second through being a more reserved and almost silent partner much of the time).

Are these the same Klingons we'd come to love in the future? With 'Star Trek: Discovery' delving into the race a decade before this episode, where apparently, war is raging, I was half expecting to hear of war in the past, but very little can be gleaned from this, the Klingons' first appearance in Trek (chronologically production-wise, of course), beyond the fact that there were currently negotiations with the Empire which were on the verge of breaking down, and in fact do break down during the episode (leading to Kirk getting a Code One message on his little disk reader device: it means 'war'), so there may well have been spats and skirmishes prior to the episode, I just wish we could have heard more of that history. The way Kirk describes them as a military dictatorship they sound more like the Cardassians at this time, but I ask again: are these the same Klingons? The obvious answer is that no, they aren't, not just for the aesthetic differences between the smooth-forehead, small-bearded, swarthy outward appearance, but also the cruel and slimy attitude to conquest and subjugation. It's been noted by many that in the transition between 'TOS' and 'TNG' the Klingons and Romulans swapped characteristics, the Romulans becoming more devious and militarily dictatorial, the Klingons taking on a nobler character, but I'm not sure how true this is, as neat and pat as it sounds.

Really, in 'TOS' we're talking about the main representatives of their race, not the race as a whole, the characterisation of minor roles pretty much a blank slate, both sides featuring soldiers who obey orders. So while Mark Lenard's Romulan Commander is one of the noblest and greatest tacticians, and Commander Kor is devious and harsh, they aren't the entirety of their race. I can see the Klingon heritage in Kor's actions - you can see he loves battle, claiming it would have been glorious if he could have faced the famous Captain Kirk (though clearly not famous enough for the Klingons to have seen an image of his face - though they probably think all humans look alike!), to test his mettle against such a warrior. Could it be that the answer really does lie in their appearance? Thanks to 'Enterprise' we eventually learned the reason behind the changing look of the Klingons, going from bumpy to smooth foreheads: it was all part of a virus intended to make them superior, but which actually lost them much of their superiority to humans in terms of losing the greater physical strength and bony exoskeleton that made them such formidable opponents. Could it be this loss led those affected to become bitter towards their fate, coming out in ruthlessness, less care for honour, and setting out a new regime? I think it's as good an explanation as any, though I have yet to see what 'DSC' adds on the subject (it would be a bit strange if we saw a proportion of the population change in 'Enterprise,' then don't see any in 'DSC,' then in 'TOS' they're in clear evidence again).

Whatever the case for how Klingons became the cheaper variety to make in the Sixties (the real reason for lack of prosthetic makeup), Kirk had to deal with the reality of them in this situation and it's not an easy one: giving Sulu (why was he left in charge, was Scotty in the doghouse for something?), orders to scarper if the Klingons arrive in number, trapping himself and Spock on the planet with a seemingly harmless and simplistic folk that want to avoid violence at all costs, something Kirk isn't accustomed to accept. In his vehement exhortations he almost becomes as violent as the Klingons through frustration at the Organians' peaceful, mild demeanour, even in the face of atrocity. Ordinarily you could see where he's coming from, how was he to know these are actually beings of pure energy that can't be hurt by any act of savagery the Klingons threaten. I used to confuse them with the Metrons of 'Arena,' both powerful races which intervene and impose their greater morality upon races that insist on fighting amongst themselves, and both provoke a different attitude in Kirk. The Organians' humble appearance was forgettable, while the bright, angelic vision of the Metrons had much more of an impact, which would explain my impression. They're almost like the Ba'ku from 'Insurrection,' except they were only on the way to where the Organians are - both have rejected technology for a simple life, though the Organians, like the Q Continuum, presented their agrarian society with all its farms and fields, merely for the purposes of giving visitors conventional points of reference so they could interact, as Spock surmises. Maybe Squire Trelane was actually an Organian?

Ayelborne is really a great character, calmly putting up with these humanoids and their petty issues, trying to find some common ground without interfering in their ways until he and the others feel forced to for the safety of the humans and Klingons, a superb surprise turnaround. Maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising, the clues were there: the self-opening doors of the Council where the other doors must be pushed; the fact that one of the Elders can tell how many Klingon ships have arrived, and when and how many have beamed down, it should all have tipped Kirk off that something was going on here, but he was too caught up in his righteous indignation to pay attention to the implications and I don't think Spock was there at that point or he might have put two and two together. I was expecting to see at least one of the Klingon ships, but not even the one that attacks the Enterprise at the start is shown on screen and we can only assume it was Klingon as there was nothing to categorically confirm it. It does succeed in one thing, and that is to present the idea that a greater Starfleet is out there, as well as a greater Empire, but they didn't have the money or technological ability to present us with a fleet battle the likes of which wouldn't become truly possible until 'DS9' about thirty years later. It's enough to have the figureheads of these two mighty organisations sparring with each other over idealogical differences.

The Organians make an attempt to keep Kirk and Spock out of harm's way by giving them villagers clothing, but though you can take the Captain of his uniform, you can't take the uniform out of the Captain, Kor quickly realising this 'Organian' is different. He doesn't meekly accept whatever decrees Kor puts before them, and without directly defying anything he says, Kor can still see the fire in 'Baroner's' eyes, something he understands and has respect for, a respect only heightened when Ayelborne eventually reveals Kirk's true identity in order to prevent him being hurt. It's truly fascinating to see these two, Kirk and Kor, standing together in disgust at the Organians' lack of loyalty to their allies, their unwillingness to strike out for their freedom or risk any confrontation. Equally they stand together when they're in the midst of a fight and the Organians come in and stop them like parents separating squabbling children. They both cry about their rights to bash the others' heads in and it is this that Kirk feels ashamed of later when he's on his ship, that he felt outrage at violence being prematurely ended, instead of grateful that there was a force that could prevent both sides from warring.

Except, despite the Organians' best efforts they could only stop outright hostilities, they couldn't force the two enemies into alliance, so a cold war resulted, though this led to eventual peace. I noticed a rather major flaw in the Organians' plan and one negative that might be applied to their strategy: if both Starfleet and the Empire were unable to fight each other, would they not simply use other races to wage a strategic war? And did this simple method of prevention extend to all races that wanted to fight? Could, for example, the Klingons take battle to the Romulans, or the Federation move on any attacking threat? How was this all to be governed… You begin to see the enormous implications of the Organians' imposing their will over the freedom of the others. I'd love to know if it affected the balance of power in the Galaxy: did the Klingon/Romulan alliance come into being because of this forced peace with their greatest enemy? Could it be it encouraged them to seek peace with other enemies? Were the Federation and Klingon Empire the two biggest powers at that time, and this enforced detente gave rise to other races catching up? It intrigues me, because of course we would go on to see other races fight with Starfleet and it did seem to be that the imposition was relegated to just Federation and Klingon forces, but the domino effect on the greater Galaxy would likely be one major reason why the Organians were reluctant to use their power in this way.

It is with glee that we see both our heroes and their enemies forced into behaving rationally and makes a change from the usual situation of the audience being wholeheartedly behind the main characters as a force for good. Kirk's allowed to learn a lesson and it shows that even someone as bold, forthright and moral can learn important truths. I'm not sure what Kor learnt from the experience, probably to be a little more circumspect in his attitude, though I'm not sure he ever was cowed - it's terrific we were later treated to a total of three further appearances by him in 'DS9' (another reason why that series is the greatest of Trek), as a much older warrior almost resigned to old age, living in past glories but with that same wild light in his eyes and toothy grin on his face. If Kor had not been such a good representation of a hard, dictatorial race it's possible the Klingons may not have made such an impact. He doesn't have the gravity of the Romulan Commander, but he does have the intensity, his soldiers raiding the town like Mexicans in an old Western, Kor himself striding about imperiously and warming to Kirk's equally soldierly attitude, far from the contented smile plastering the faces of the Organians, whom he considers weak, like sheep. He has a good look, too, with severe facial hair and coffee-tinted wrinkles, a broad gold sash with some kind of device upon it (the symbol of the House of Kor perhaps?), and chain mail trousers, he presents a formidable air, but not a mindless enemy, someone who relishes tactics and delights in strategies and the glory of battle. So not that far from other Klingons after all…

It doesn't affect the episode, but the lack of Klingon ships is disappointing. There's also a lack of Dr. McCoy and Scotty, neither of whom appear, but at least Sulu and Uhura are back in their proper places, and even Mr. Leslie can be seen on the Bridge. The series was still unsure of its terminology as we get yet another example of Spock's people being spoken of as both Vulcans and Vulcanians (the Klingons say it), but at least we learn that Vulcan merchants are a common sight on many worlds. We also learn that Phasers and Communicators can attach to each other, as that's how they are when Kirk demands them back from the Organians who've kept them in a cupboard with the neatly folded Starfleet uniforms. The subject of money comes up like few times before or after, with Kirk actually stating that the Federation has invested quite a bit of money in their training, though this could have been said for the Organians' benefit to make Kirk and Spock's Federation sound more formidable or more attractive, I'm not sure. Or it could mean that they really do still use a financial system. It could be questioned why Spock's inner eyelid didn't come down to protect his eyes from the glare as the Organians transfigured into their true form of bright points of energy, but it happened so gradually that I would say it wasn't necessary. The Klingons aren't quite as we became accustomed to them on the series, with only the main speaking parts allowed beards, perhaps a sign of status and rank, and the fantastic Disruptors are here called Klingon Phasers. And they use sonic grenades which look uncannily like the traditional pineapple type of Earth history!

Unlike the Klingons, the Organian race did not make multiple reappearances in Trek lore, but they did appear in a prequel, the NX-01 unknowingly playing host to a couple of them in 'Enterprise,' a pleasing and logical use without disrupting canon and making for a good episode. The joy of the surprise in the Organians' superior ability stems largely from the expectations that this is another group of elderly leaders as we'd seen before (for example, in 'A Taste of Armageddon'), that need to be given a talking to by Kirk who claims he's more soldier than diplomat but always manages to orate with aplomb. In a way, his heartfelt arguments come across almost like the Klingons in the way he wants to have an impact on their society, to reshape it in the Federation image, an altruistic, technologically advanced way, but it isn't what they want, nor need. In general I think Kirk would have been right to do this - I've heard comments about 'TOS' not being right to spread its philosophy or beliefs to less advanced aliens as if all systems should be equally valid, but that's like saying medicine shouldn't be shared because it's better for a race to invent it themselves at their own pace, even if, for example, they refuse to explore medicine. While in Organia's case they didn't need change or the help Kirk wanted to give (despite there being some notion of the suspect motive of wanting a strategic advantage over the Klingons in that area), in most cases Starfleet are bringing light and aid to dark places, something they do very well.

***

The Devil in The Dark

DVD, Star Trek S1 (The Devil in The Dark)

Orange rage to a silicon bull, that's how the miners must have appeared to the Horta. But what a bull! One of the most alien aliens Trek ever produced: no bumpy forehead? There's not even arms and legs to be seen, and the design is a thing of beauty, a concept that has gone down in popular culture, perhaps not as widely as the Gorn, but when even a computer game of the early Nineties references it (the first X-Com game, 'UFO: Enemy Unknown' features among its alien antagonists the 'Silacoid' which bears a striking resemblance to a purple version of the Horta), you know it's stayed in people's minds! And no wonder, for apart from the immediate negative mental association of the title, its mystique is kept up for quite a while as the miners of Janus VI band together in groups, or leave individual security guards alone in dark tunnels - not the best strategy they could have come up with, and I'm surprised the guy agreed to it, however reluctantly, since it's not the army, they weren't there expecting to lose their life, or following orders strictly and smartly to attention, so you'd think he'd rather have resigned on the spot than face the unimagined terrors surging from the deep. It's like some creation of original 'Dr. Who' crossed with the fear of deep places found in 'The Lord of The Rings,' something about a malevolent force creeping up from the bowels of the Earth that adds to the creature's fear factor.

The actual production side of it, the fabrication of a myth based on polystyrene and glue, or whatever it was they used to create the lava-like mould, was also top-notch, the creature leaving a smoking trail behind it, or the charred remnants of what was once a man - even the glimpses we have of it early in the episode as it rears before the camera to fall on its latest unfortunate victim, shows just enough to allow the imagination room to take root with all kinds of visions, but not too much to be able to confirm what manner of life this is. If truth be told, however, like a few of the most famous episodes I've re-watched recently, this was another that I began to suspect had little else other than its own legend to prop it up as a good dramatic episode to be enjoyed time and time again, once you know the twist. For much of the running time I was finding it little more than functional - yes, it's got some atmosphere, taking place mostly in the caves (setting the precedent for many Trek series' to come with their multiple cave-set stories), and it's different in that it doesn't begin on the Enterprise or with our characters, but talks about them, like the US Marshal due in at a western township whiles the locals have to make do and deal with their issue until he does. But when you have the iconic image of Spock melding with the Horta, or Kirk pointing his Phaser at it, in the forefront of your mind, you're just waiting for the people 'in world' to catch up to where you are.

The cave set wasn't necessarily the best - although the floor was covered in old mining equipment and rocks here and there, it was all so flat that it's hard to disguise that this is a studio set with a level ground. The jumpsuits the miners wear look garish in comparison to their surroundings, and the matte painting of the pergium facility was too illustrative to be taken seriously as the real backdrop (and they don't even attempt to beam into it as they did with other episodes) - the perspective shown makes it look more like a painting on the wall of Vanderberg's office than a window out onto his facility. There are early clues as to the solution of the puzzle, with the silicon nodules Spock shows so much interest in, and you have to wonder if, like Sherlock Holmes (that he's been compared to in style), he formulated a hypothesis as early in the story as that, and was merely trying to prove or disprove it as more evidence became available. It's hard to tell, if not impossible, because it's not until Spock melds with the Horta he, and we, get the full story. And it is around this point the episode takes off and reminded me why this remains such a good, solid Trek episode, winning me back. The biggest thing I'd forgotten since last watching it a good few years ago was the strife from the miners and their desire to take matters into their own hands like a mob of pitchfork-wielding villagers. It's completely understandable, and typical of human nature, the essence of the fight or flight survival instinct that governs the sense of a need to do something proactive.

Vanderberg isn't a bad guy. The head miner is naturally concerned with meeting his quota and doing his job and his gruffness is also completely believable as he's lost fifty men to the creature, then a starship Captain beams down and starts taking over. On one hand it was probably a relief to hand the problem over to someone else, a professional who has a crack team of security Redshirts to sort out the problem. But it's also his domain, so you'd expect at least some friction over his inability to do anything about the menace. I'm not sure these angles were really played up and it's almost speculation regarding his attitude, but that's likely why he wasn't exactly the most gracious host to his honoured guests. It also makes it easier for him and the others to turn on Kirk's orders when Security are preventing them from rushing headlong down the tunnel and interrupting a potentially delicate situation. Another thing I loved about the story was how Giotto, the head Redshirt has no idea what his Captain and First Officer are doing down the tunnel with the monster, but he doesn't rush to their aid, he doesn't show indecision over what to do, nor unnecessary questioning, he simply obeys his orders, as much in the dark as the miners, but with the discipline of a Starfleet officer. And he doesn't know what's going on, doesn't know that Kirk and Spock have found a way to communicate and discovered things aren't as black and white, or orange and brown, as they seemed from appearances and because of that he gives his Captain the space to sort the problem out diplomatically.

That's a key word, because Kirk is often thought of as being this fists-first, belligerent Captain that flies by the seat of his emotions and doesn't have the reserve and judgement of a Picard, nor the clamp-hard strength of a Sisko, but the reality is that he uses all his resources in these situations and comes up smelling of silicon nodules. That's another thing I love about this episode: all four main characters are at their best (no sign of Sulu or Uhura). Scotty is the man to come down and fix vital equipment; Spock shows a more benevolent side to the obvious need to relentlessly hunt the creature for the safety of all those on the planet, instead suggesting it could be the last of its kind, and therefore of great interest to science; Kirk shows no fear when confronted by the creature alone in the tunnel, refusing to fire on it unless he has to, in spite of his earlier decision that it must be dealt with, regardless of Spock's scientific curiosity and its importance to knowledge; and Dr. McCoy makes a not insignificant contribution to proceedings by successfully treating the Horta's wound. Though McCoy's role is small in the episode (he still presents like one of the supporting characters, and the absence of Kelley's name in the opening credits doesn't feel strange, as this is very much the Kirk and Spock show), it is also vital, and again, serves to show the value of obedience regardless of personal feelings: at first McCoy protests, since this is a patient more alien to him than anything he's ever treated before, but Kirk orders him to find a way and instead of continuing to say this isn't his job, he steps out of his pride or uncertainty and takes up the challenge, thereby impressing even himself so much that he utters the immortal line "By golly Jim, I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!"

That is by no means certain, Doctor… but he's not too far wrong, for all the hyperbole. These are only minor (miner?), life lessons, but they remain inspiring: that a man with a clearly defined role can agree to step outside it to meet the current need; that a Security officer will obey orders unquestioningly with his full force; and most especially, that a frightened mob, intending violence and revenge can be held back by reasoned words that explain their predicament and prevent them from carrying out further wrongs to what is a sentient being. And that is why the episode succeeds - as always it's not about the wrapping (the visuals, the prop-making, the scene-setting), it's what's inside that counts and continues to make this a worthwhile story where so many sci-fi or horrors have nothing more than the monster film mentality to provide a scare or activate our revulsion. If we're picking holes we might suggest that presenting a creature that is compared to the Devil, then learning it is actually benevolent, could be committing the sin of confusing good and evil with each other, but I think it's really about the inner creature, not outward appearances, and far from being a malevolent, malicious thing intent on the destruction of those around it, the Horta proves to be a good Mother, protecting her young. I just wish we could have seen a load of baby Hortas scuttling around, though you wouldn't want one sitting on your lap unless you had a fire and acid retardant suit on!

The Trek inquiring spirit is present through Spock's wish to study the creature, before he knew it was sentient, and though he understands the need to destroy it, and will follow Kirk's lead, he seems reticent to do so, something that Vulcans seem to avoid if they can. I can't see the Vulcans of 'Enterprise' having any compunction in killing, another reason why that era's exhibits of the noble race seem so ignoble and un-Vulcan. See, it's not just the emotionless exterior, superior strength, pointed ears and long robes that makes the race what it is, and writers in the 21st Century seem to have forgotten what made them such a cool race to begin with in the 23rd and continuing into the 24th Century-set series' - they show compassion and thoughtfulness, and I really hope the version we see in 'Discovery' (which I have yet to see), will suit the established true Vulcan character that has been lost with 'Enterprise' and the Kelvin Timeline films - they aren't my favourite alien race without good reason, but they need to be written right. I like that this season is drawing its continuity together and becoming more cohesive and consistent. Spock's meld (I don't think he actually called it that by name), begins from distance in the same way as he telepathically implanted an idea into a guard's mind in 'A Taste of Armageddon,' showing that he can connect with minds without actual physical contact. Leonard Nimoy once again shows the range of his ability, displaying the depths of the Horta's emotion and pain, tugging at the heartstrings for its agony and hopelessness.

I found it sad that the limitations of the production were so clear in the Vault of Tomorrow scene where Kirk enters the chamber filled with eggs and all they could show was a fairly close-in shot of Kirk and a pile of the eggs in front of him. I've never seen the Remastered version of the series, but I imagine this would be an ideal place to use that footage, but zoom out from it to show the true vastness and majesty that the poetic language of the Horta envisions. That's one more thing about the episode that works so well: the Horta's speech through Spock is so beautiful and alien. Though it was able only to burn 'NO KILL I' so crudely into the rock face as a message, its inner thoughts are so much more expansive and emotive, adding more than anything to the idea that this heaving mound has mind and is not merely a man in a suit rolling around on the floor as it so easily could have seemed without the quality of the writing. What proves to be the icing on the rocky cake is how optimistic the ending proves, an ideal symbiosis between the needs of the Horta and its brood to tunnel freely through the rocky crust of the planet, and that of the miners who will now be able to reach previously inaccessible veins of the greatest mineral riches they'd previously been denied.

There are questions to be asked, however: they talk of such things as gold, which we know to be worthless in the 24th Century (as it's used to encase valuable latinum), and Kirk even says they'll be rich, but the economics of this period remain uncertain. We know that Replicator technology was still some way off from the time of 'TOS,' which is what presumably made such things as gold practically worthless for the fact it could be replicated and was no longer a commodity, but it makes me wonder who they were mining for, how they were paid, and what was it that really changed society into the one we see in the spinoffs where there really are no material needs, at least for humans? It's a reminder that we hadn't yet reached the point where people could choose occupations based on their desire rather than necessity, though no doubt it's much more advanced compared to our standards today (even with the occasional person that made the wrong choice of career, like Marla McGivers in 'Space Seed'). Equipment is of interest to this story, too, as we see it is the lower level Phaser 1 that the miners have access to, which have no effect on the marauding creature, while Phaser 2, the larger devices that can carry a 1 on top, have enough power to injure it, slicing off a piece (points to the production again for making the sheared off silicon 'breathe,' contracting and expanding as if still living tissue which does more than many things could to make its unique aliveness real). It's fantastic to have technical details like this, no matter how slight, adding to the reality of the world our officers inhabit.

Not so sure on first glance about the bright, one-piece jumpsuits that count for uniform among the miners, but as it went on it made sense to me, and I even liked the cool black belts which hold Phasers or other equipment, and slip into the front of the suit. It makes sense to have unmissable, high-vis outfits in an environment which is so dark, and in which we can presume, large and dangerous machinery is operated, so being able to visually keep track of where people are is common sense - and they don't wear silly, 'futuristic' silver suits or have flashing lights all over them, but a sensible, utilitarian style of clothing that suits the work they were doing. The only thing missing were hard hats as I can imagine plenty of men braining themselves on the roofs of tunnels, or being dropped by the smallest cave-in without head protection, but even that could be explained away by the fact they'd stopped production because of the threat and probably removed any helmets in order to see and hear the coming threat better (which, strangely, sounded very much like McCoy's heart monitor!). Another technical detail I enjoyed was Kirk's pronouncement that one of the Captain and First Officer is expendable, but not both, which is why he wished to keep Spock out of harm's way, though the Vulcan's implacable logic manages to change his mind (maybe Picard should have used that on Riker!).

The Security officers do their duty like in few other episodes, the ones sent to hunt the mysterious, deadly alien menace, creeping through dark tunnels like no one else would wish to. But the Redshirt curse hadn't yet come into effect, and it's surprising that only about one of them gets killed (fortunately not Mr. Leslie, among the Enterprise's finest sent down). The only thing I wish is that we had a Chief of Security, or that Giotto became a recurring character as it's a role you can feel missing thanks to the role's integration in all other series' down the line. I think Chekov had something of that role sometimes, but this was before his emergence. And the Redshirts had to put up with a lot - not only the threat of an unknown monster, but the angry miners (why are miners always angry - look at the ones in 'Mudd's Women,' or the Romulans in 'Star Trek XI'?), who actually do more damage, beating them into unconsciousness to get past and have it out with the Horta, regardless of the safety of Kirk and Spock. Kirk himself isn't immune to the impact of losing members of his crew, as in a rare moment we see the regret and sadness on his face as he kneels by the remains of the unfortunate Redshirt. When you add up all these little moments and positive achievements the episode shows itself to remain relevant, overcoming its legendary status to be able to continue to provide a story worthy of the series - considering how many they'd made by this point, that's an achievement in itself as you'd think burnout would be inevitable, but the first season was ending on a wave of highs. Even the light final scene on the Bridge doesn't detract, well suited to the upbeat finish, a happy ever after ending that exudes joy and the successful wrapping up of a tense mission.

***

Luthor

DVD, Smallville S10 (Luthor)

The logical conclusion of Lionel Luthor's evil is that, after all his games with Lex, with Clark, with anyone and everyone, he did it all for himself, and when threatened he would take the necessary actions to ensure he remained at the top of the totem pole. That's the lesson learned from this alternate reality episode when Tess inherits a 'mirror box' of Kryptonian origin, and Clark accidentally activates it, plunging him into a gloomy, monochrome vision of Metropolis under Lionel's rule, or influence at least. In this reality he's Clark Luthor, found and raised by the businessman, allowed to kill Lex, and with Tess' position as sister well known. Oliver Queen has a plan to dispatch him, Lois hates him, and no one else from the series exists apparently, because they didn't have the budget for that… It's okay, it was enough to have Lionel Luthor back (in more ways than one, but more on that later), almost entertaining in itself, but although the concept of other Earths (they call it 'Earth-2' in the episode, dropping in a little nugget of comic book canon - in other words I've heard of this version of our world), is not to be sniffed at for all the dramatic possibilities you can have with it ('DS9' made it practically an annual instalment in the Trek universe), it needs more than the mere appearance of either evil or different versions of existing characters to make it something special, and it didn't have that.

The desaturated image style they used to differentiate it from the warm palette of 'Smallville' the series, was irritating, but necessary to show Lionel had traversed to out world at the end. We've seen them do black and white, noir-ish direction, and other shades between, and though this did have colour, it was so washed out and dreary when it was supposed to be dramatic and horrifying, it didn't help. And it's like the same set places exist - they have to go to Watchtower, or the empty Clark barn, the structure of the series is the same. Granted, there was something appealing about seeing Lionel doing a spot of fencing in the Luthor Mansion, but everything was as it is, despite the conceit being that this world is so different with Clark under the Ultraman secret identity in which he can carry out punishment and murder with impunity. If it had been done in an earlier season we'd have had those characters taking part: Chloe or Pete, Martha or Jonathan, and I'm not suggesting that they should blow the budget on reuniting the cast in a parallel universe - if they were to do that it would have to be in our universe for it to be truly meaningful. No, it's just that the alternate is too similar, except for Lionel, and it doesn't exactly tell us anything new about anyone, even him - we could have extrapolated for ourselves his endgame. The only really meaningful moments are Lois recognising 'real' Clark is back just by looking in his eyes, and Clark comforting Tess in her pathetic wish to have been accepted by Lionel instead of being cast out, he accepting her for who she is, despite having learned of her Luthor blood.

Other than that, it's a bit of stunt casting to bring back a dead character again, and in that regard it worked better than expected: I noticed Lionel rushing towards Clark's back just as he twisted the mirror box to return, and it seems the crafty beggar somehow got himself caught in the travelling across the parallels to end up in the familiar surroundings of our world. I'm not sure why he wouldn't automatically be swapped with the dead body of our Lionel, but perhaps it was because he was dead that he was able to exist outside of his world? Whatever bizarre concoction used to justify it, I can't deny that it leaves the series in an uncertain place: Alexander, having tricked Tess and escaped, is on the loose; his 'Father,' Lionel, is also out there, and it's like the series is beginning to turn full circle to its beginnings, which could be good, possibly. The breaking of the fourth wall as Lionel talks directly to camera when conversing with a citizen, and he says he 'wouldn't want to miss how it all turns out' has a double meaning for the character and the actor, if John Glover is going to play a big part in the end of the series. He was certainly one of the best actors on it in his day, though mishandled as a character and not always written that well (hey, it's 'Smallville'), so he could add a dash of pizazz to the drama.

It still can't beat episodes where Lois and Clark work together as a team, and it's a relief that they did this Earth-2 thing so late in the series' run, because I couldn't see myself full of anticipation for the next episode in the Mirror Universe saga (even the Trek ones were patchy), because unless you've got a compelling story to tell that goes beyond resurrecting dead characters or showing known ones in a different light, it can be a bit unoriginal and lacking in the essential quality that makes the series stand out for its own style and direction. But I don't expect to see them revisit it again. It's not like we haven't see evil Clark before, either, be it the influence of Kryptonite of many colours (the Gold variety is touched on this time - it apparently touched on Clark Luthor's wrist so he could create a homemade tattoo in the shape of the Luthor 'L'), or other outside forces affecting him or even replacing him with… Metallo, was it? I'm not sure on the internal logic of the mirror box, as the Clarks clearly bodily swap, since the tattoo gives visual evidence, but why was Clark holding it in both worlds, when he had to find it in Earth-2, so Clark Luthor didn't have it there. And in our world he still had hold of it when Clark Kent returns…

Perhaps the real issue is that alternate realities can only ever be thought concepts, a place to explore a different angle on characters, because they themselves are meaningless - if reality is made up of every branching decision everyone ever made, then there is no right and wrong, because all permutations exist, or existed, or will exist. For one thing, I think it's the height of arrogance to suggest that the universe would bend to the will of every tiny thought or gesture a person makes, and in the other it shows the Godless view that the existence we have here is as throwaway as a speck of dust and we don't have a specific role or destiny or anything else, it's all just a mishmash of irrelevancy. That's why, in fiction, I prefer the view that the world we watch is the real one, even if there can be alternates within this fiction, because then the characters can make mistakes, learn, grow, and generally develop. Then again, this is 'Smallville,' so I'm probably going too deep. Do they ever really develop? Not really, I'm afraid, they just jump to new stories, fulfilling the old comic book mould, and one thing that makes the films so dull and repetitive since you need things to stay the same for reasons of marketing and the general audience's understanding. But enough about the state of the blockbuster film industry! A nearly there episode, but not quite. Even so, welcome back, Lionel.

**

This Side of Paradise

DVD, Star Trek S1 (This Side of Paradise)

If the 24th Century-set series had come first, and this original, 23rd Century-set series had been the sequel, you could see Kirk's comments on mankind not being meant for paradise as a pointed jab at the utopian ideal of 'TNG,' where Earth is said to be a paradise of no crime, no want and no troubles, all the conflict arising from outside forces, but essentially meaning humanity had crafted a workable, everyday perfection to living. But this was not the case, 'TOS' came first (hence the 'original' moniker), so what does Kirk mean? I think he's right about one thing, that without ambition and desire to improve, Earthlings stagnate, seen most powerfully in Sandoval's sudden comprehension of three years of wasted time as he and his colony have lived in perfect health under the influence of the Triffids, sorry, the Spores, and their benevolent, but unnatural symbiotic happy pill attitude when they could have been striving for a hard-won, bootstraps and braces success, with all the failures and setbacks such a venture would mean, but in the building would have also built up their character and pioneering spirit, which must have been what they wanted, otherwise why leave the safe, comfortable planet of home? I don't think we really got an answer to why they wanted to come out into the unknown and start a colony, I just assume it's the same sense of adventure as that which prompted Starfleet to send out its feelers into the Galaxy through starship missions, and what Trek is all about.

From visual impression I didn't think the colony was some lush, green success even under the peaceful guidance of the Spores, since the location, though pleasingly rural, and making excellent contrast with the technological tidiness of the manmade travelling haven that is the Enterprise, had the look of a dry land - the grass wasn't a gorgeous, succulent green, but patchy and dried up, but it does fit with the theme of the colonists seeing things as they wish them, rather than as they are. To some degree you could say that there was nothing wrong with the cohabitation of human and Spore (reminding me of midiclorians since they also inhabited the body and had some effect from the inside!), the people were happy, they were clearly working and creating their food, so it's really only the fact it was not with their consent, and that they had no ills to battle and had become comfortable with this level of existence where there was no character-building adversity. But would it have been that different if the Spores hadn't come? Such story points are not sufficiently explored as it's more about Kirk singlehandedly dealing with total ship-wide mutiny, and Spock dealing with a sudden lack of inhibition, than the rights and wrongs of the Spores imprisoning the people with happiness.

Where did the Spores come from and how did they get into space? I can't imagine them building rockets! I have to say that they were an excellent design and manufacture, totally believable, their simple movements so sinister, such as when Sulu unwittingly sits within striking distance of a plant and it curls round, but he's up and about before it has time to puff its petals at him. Sinister contentment, a complete lack of care for the working of day to day life, Spock even mentions the 'happy pill,' and don't forget this was made in the Sixties when the drugs revolution was still fresh in the mind - it's got to be a warning against drugs. Kirk is the authority figure, the one to clamp down on 'happiness' with the need for order, the need for a society to work together to get things done. As he finds to his own discomfort, one man can't run a starship alone (though it does bring to mind Picard and Crusher in 'Remember Me' where it's just the two of them and this vast ship apparently exploring the Galaxy together!). The creepiest moment of all is when Uhura refuses a direct order, calmly admits to sabotaging the communications so they can't be used to contact Starfleet Command, then walks off the Bridge! Yet it's not as clear cut as all that because the colonists do appear to have a thriving colony and it's not like they've given up for a life of ease and downed tools, they just don't act like themselves, and are happy to imprison the whole crew on the planet, so the will of the Spores must be their wish.

The will of Captain Kirk is too strong to part him from his ship, even mind-altering substances fail to get a grip on him. I was trying to work out why he wasn't affected in the same way as his crew - when he and a couple of his crewmen are led to the Spores by Spock he is a little behind them and it does seem as if he takes less of a blast than the others. I was also thinking that he's in a heightened state of emotion because of his irritation at Spock's change in character and insubordination, so these two factors may have reduced the effects. That said, it's not until he gets a full blast to the face when he's alone on the Bridge that the beatific smile glazes over his face and he prepares to beam down and abandon ship forever (though I suspect another Starfleet vessel would have come looking for the Enterprise eventually). At that point it does seem to be his nature of intense sense of duty that forces him to realise even through the haze that he can't leave his ship, and that realisation brings anger, and the anger looses the hold of the Spores on his mind. As a child this was definitely one of the episodes that stayed in my mind, whether it was the creeping horror of something as everyday as flowers containing intelligence and wanting to control people (a device seen in many a sci-fi series, even 'Smallville' did one), or Spock giving in to his emotions and laughing, or defying Kirk, and most impressively, getting angry and responding to the goading of his Captain with full-blooded violence.

The lore of the Vulcan way is very well represented here. For Kirk, it's another week, another superior strength opponent he has to beat with a pipe (it was Khan last time), and Spock makes a few dents in the Transporter Room (though fortunately not Kirk, whom you imagine he could crush like an egg if he got hold of him, though his anger makes him wild and inaccurate). Thinking about it, 'Star Trek XI,' the first of the Kelvin Timeline films, was probably inspired by this encounter when they had the alternate Kirk insult Spock into beating him up, the difference being that this actually makes sense for the story and is arrived at logically, a need for the narrative's progression, the coolness factor of Captain and First Officer fighting only enhanced by that, but in the film it's utterly ridiculous, makes Kirk look cruel, and Spock look stupid (especially as he didn't have the influence of Spores in his mind). It's the difference between good storytelling and logic advancing the plot, and bad, where things are simply forced into the shape that is wanted for a particular story beat. Just an observation.

It's not just Spock's Vulcan strength that is well observed, his strict attitude to physical contact also shows him to be more alien than mere pointed ears could tell: he has a past with Leila (which means we can say he was on Earth six years ago, perhaps between the two five year missions he served under Captain Pike, though I've not done the maths to work out the feasibility), and she's drawn to him, but when she holds out her hand to take him to the Spores he follows, but politely declines contact. As a touch telepath that makes good sense, but it's something that was lost from 'Enterprise' onwards as Vulcans became more and more human, disappointingly. This makes it all the more powerful when he lightly brushes her cheek at the end of the episode to say goodbye, infinitely more subtle and touching than, say, the Spock/Uhura romance in the new films which deemphasise his alien nature to make him more accessible to the masses. When Kirk uses all his effort to get under Spock's skin he could have been talking about the Vulcans from 'Enterprise' and the Kelvin Timeline, saying they have not an ounce of integrity, a race of traitors, and so on, one reason I think that series failed to win over many of those who enjoyed Trek through the Eighties and Nineties (though they somewhat fixed the issue in Season 4 by bringing back the teachings of Surak). Kirk's assertion that his Father was a computer and his Mother an encyclopaedia leads to Spock telling us that, in fact, his Mother was a teacher, his Father an ambassador, so it's good for filling in some personal detail, too.

Something that really stood out to me about the episode was how good the technology looks. The Tricorder is shown in full glory, appearing somewhat sleeker and smoother than I remembered it, the Communicators get a lot of use and also give proceedings a touch of class (except when Kirk taps his to see if it's malfunctioning and it sounds very cheap and plasticky - even in three centuries you still need to bang something to make it work!), and we even get a good view of McCoy's coloured disk reader. Then there's the Bridge itself which, emptied of all personnel save Kirk (a useful shot that they were able to use to recreate a Holodeck version of in 'Relics' for old Scotty to sit in - superb!), looks so good. We're even granted a slow pan across the consoles from around Spock's station along to Uhura's, and the shiny blackness of the surfaces, coupled with the bright, colourful buttons and lights makes me wish so much that 'Discovery' had gone down that aesthetic route instead of making their style more contemporary. Uhura even left her earpiece behind on the console. There's a nice shot from inside the underside of a control panel where Spock and Kirk fix up their sound plan. In that instance you can see printed circuit boards and anachronistic technology, but that's the sort of thing you could adjust for a modern interpretation, not the bells and whistles on top. I loved that the Communicators were integral to the plan, with a discomfiting signal being broadcast across the network, irritating the crew into anger and fighting, driving out the force of the Spores.

Like 'Space Seed' immediately before it, this episode takes a while to get into. It has its moments, most notably Spock showing emotion for, I think, the first time in production order (the best way to watch), a device that had a lot of power from the way he was so reticent to do so, going against type as his stiff, formal Vulcan persona (the opposite of what they did with Zachary Quinto's version which lost all dramatic potential in his choice to embrace the human side rather than repress it - that's enough digs at the new films for one review, no matter how true they are!). The great design of the Spores, their creep factor, even the sudden poof as Spock is infected, making me jump though I knew it was coming (like Bilbo flashing a Gollum-like face in 'The Fellowship of The Ring'), or simple things like the bass of the music pounding out like a rising heartbeat when Kirk is infected on the Bridge, all enhance the experience. But, like 'Space Seed,' the bits you know all too well aren't the best parts, it's the last third as things rise to a new pitch, Kirk so close to abandoning his starship existence, his will holding him back, the cure as each of them come to their senses, and the tragic inability for Spock to show affection, once again back in his shell to the sadness of Leila, a sadness that is able to cure her of the Spores' influence. Then Spock speaks of us all living in self-made Purgatories, a poetic conclusion.

The episode ends, once again, on a more thoughtful note, with Kirk's discourse on the need for struggle rather than having everything handed to you, though I would argue that paradise doesn't have to mean that, and a true one would have effort and creative output at the heart of its existence, satisfying the need, not a lack of anything meaningful. But I'd agree with Kirk on the idea of avoiding a paradise that doesn't come with the opportunity for improvement and turns people lazy or lets them dissolve into happy feelings as if that was the ultimate goal of existence, like the addiction to drugs or, well, anything. But no wants and no needs? I'm not sure that would be such a bad thing, and neither did the humanity of the 24th Century, though even that was far from perfection. The most inspiring moment comes with Sandoval's decision to stoop and pick up worn out tools, or whatever the Kipling poem says, standing up to return to the dream he and his fellow colonists set out to do. Like Kirk, he's a true leader and isn't going to let a setback stop him for good, despite his dismay at the time that's been lost. They don't hunt down the Spores and destroy them, they just leave the planet that would be uninhabitable without the Spores anyway, due to berthold rays. The saddest thing is that Spock admits to being happy for the first time, but I like that despite this he is resolved to return to the path he has chosen, not changing his mind because of a taste of freedom he hasn't enjoyed before.

If Spock is out of character (Sandoval calling him a Vulcanian even this late in the season!), Dr. McCoy is just as much, if not more, reverting to a Southern country twang. When he gets heated thanks to the Communicators and threatens to 'see how fast I can put you in a hospital' when Sandoval tells him there's no more need for his doctor's skills any more, it's a reminder of the edge McCoy has, and if he ever chose to use his knowledge for ill, everyone had better look out (as we'd see in short order when he goes crazy in 'The City On The Edge of Forever'), Sandoval felled by a single, nasty prod. Maybe that's one reason he was so fearless in the face of Khan's scalpel - he knows every inch of the human body and how to disable it if need be. It's also fun to see DeForest Kelley playing more to his famous Western baddies persona that he was best known for before Trek. A couple of characters return: DeSalle had been in 'The Squire of Gothos' (though I mistook him for Stiles from 'Balance of Terror' and noticed with interest he was so comfortable working with Spock), there as a biologist, apparently, since Kirk specifically asked for McCoy and a biologist, which I at first wondered if Sulu was in that role until DeSalle has a biology report. Mr. Leslie's also back, helping move the colonists' belongings for beam-up. And then he's standing in line to beam down in the mutiny, even speaking to Kirk and refusing to back down, so either there's two of him, or he came up to the ship again! It's a bit like 'The Return of The Archons,' everything peaceful and serene, except for a secret menace to the outward tranquility, a style of episode that would become a Trek staple over the years, and another angle on the false realities that I find so interesting: the side of paradise that proves false.

***