I loved this. Probably my favoured episode of those four thusfar seen.

This is as ensemble as TOS gets with Kirk, McCoy, Spock, Sulu and Scotty getting in on the action. Does Sulu ever have this much to do again ?? I think the best way to describe this one is 'an enjoyable romp'. Again here, the Spock/McCoy oneupsmanship continues, as well as introducing the 'Nurse Chapel has a crush on Spock' thread that plays out over the series. This episode was originally to be a two-parter that concluded with the episode Tomorrow is Yesterday, although this idea was dropped and the episode rewritten to air separately. This was also an episode that was later redone under the TNG banner as season one's The Naked Now, a far inferior version, although it was quite informative of Data and his 'multiple techniques' :o

One of the extras on the set, an interview with George Takei focues a lot on this story and he delivers an anecdote, or rather a rebuttal to the popular story of him 'going mad on set with his sword'. According to Takei it was all Jimmy Doohan's fault for being nosy, nearly ending with Doohan's nose being skewered :lol:

The acting in the episode is superb throughout, whether it be the usual stalwarts Shatner and Kelley, or Majel Barrett and Bruce Hyde's Lt Riley. Of special note though should be Takei for the aforementioned 'swashbuckling' scenes, and Nimoy for 'that' scene with Spock struggling to retain control of his emotions.

Coming off the back of Charlie X, this was well timed IMO.

There's also the first use of the time honoured technique employed on TOS to signify that the ship had been hit or was listing; everyone either diving or leaning in the same direction :lol:

Agree with everything you've said James. I think the word "classic" sometimes gets bandied around a little too easily but, in this case, it's right on the mark. This is a classic.

It tells us more about the main characters in 48 minutes than some series manage in an entire season. It shows us why Kirk never becomes involved with just one woman: he's already involved in the most important relationship of his life - with the Enterprise (as he declares to the bulkheads towards the climax "Never lose you!"). It peels back the layers of Spock's facade to show the raging torrents of emotion underneath, the family strife and the constant fight he has to keep it all under control. It shows us what a great doctor Leonard McCoy really is and how well he works under pressure.

It's the Enterprise's first voyage through time; the first lurch that throws everyone out of their seats (although, unlike James, I'm pretty sure they don't all go in the same direction :lol: ); the first time Scotty "canna break the laws of physics"; the first disease that risks the lives of everyone on board; the first - but not the last - time nurse Chappell really irritates the hell out of me...

And hands up everyone who thinks Kevin Riley should have been made a regular. Who needs Chekov with this gem of a character around? Sure, we'll look at him a lot differently in a few episodes time, but for now it's enough to revel in his antics. Ice cream for everyone! :lol:

And I can't let it pass without a mention for Hikaru Sulu, who possibly gets his best outing here, and George Takei is just brilliant: funny, a little freaky maybe, but brilliant. So too for Nichelle Nichols, whose Uhura gets the best line, when Sulu calls her a fair maiden: "Sorry, neither!"

And the music is fantastic, too. Again, it is used so many times throughout the series, but this is the episode it was written for and it frames the action perfectly.

For me, though, this episode is all about the final dramatic confrontation between Kirk and Spock. It's a scene which beautifully illustrates how the two disparate parts form such a well-oiled machine, first by pulling them apart and then by piecing them back together as they fight the infection in order to save the ship. Shatner and Nimoy do their best to act each other off the screen, but it's something of a stalemate. Spock gets his solo screen time before Kirk arrives and Kirk gets his after Spock departs, and they both do marvellous work. But it's when they're together that the sparks really fly, from Spock's revelations about his mother and father to Kirk's impassioned speech about the weight of command ("a beach to walk on, a few days, no braid on my shoulder" etc).

Yep, a classic.

Can't really fault any of that Steve.

It's amazing how many times I've seen this episode and it seems as fresh now as probably the first time I saw it. There's so much going on there, not only storywise, but the acting is just fantastic throughout, and complete agreement re Riley, he should have, possibly as Kelso could have been, a regular cast member.

One thing that is frequently popping into mind at the moment, over the course of the episodes seen so far, is that whilst Shatner's 'hamming it' is legendary now, it makes it all too easy to overlook just what a decent actor he really is. I must say, I've always kind of bought into the theory myself, shame on me. I should remember that similar accusations were frequently levelled at Avery Brooks, which I never bought for a minute. Nimoy's and Kelley's acting is quite often praised, on the evidence of these opening episodes Shatner sits right alongside them quite comfortably.

I always thought Shatner became more of a ham when he was confronted with a director who didn't know how to get the best out of him, or that he could boss around. By and large the first two seasons had consistency in the directors, and guys like Marc Daniels, Joe Pevney and Vincent McEveety really knew how to make him tick. That's not to say that he didn't have his hammy moments in the first two years, just that they were kept to a minimum.

Come season 3 and the shift in the power base behind the scenes there were a lot of new directors around and that was obviously not only to the detriment of the show in general but to Shatner as well.

That's quite an interesting point Steve, not one that I'd thought of to be honest. It's a shame. I guess at least for the most part his form was somewhat recaptured for the movies. With the odd exception anyway ;)

Of course, there was an ego thing involved as well. Once he realised he was the star and he was getting all the girls that was it :rolleyes: :lol:

I'm dreading the season 3 release :rolleyes:

What, you mean you're not looking forward to Spock's Brain? :o :lol:

Need I mention, The Way to Eden ?? :rolleyes: :lol: :o

No, man, I'm like totally cooool with that ep :lol: :rolleyes:

Tales of the Intergalactic Space Hippies :thumbsup: :rolleyes: