Star Trek: Start to Finish

I, Mudd

I, Mudd (Memory Alpha; SD Video) features the return of Harcourt Fenton Mudd. But first, we see that whoever designed the Enterprise was an idiot.

I mean, who puts auxiliary control so far away, leaves it manned by a single guy facing away from the only entrance, and gives it complete override of the bridge? Because that guys should be fired.

Aside from the poor design of the Enterprise, though, this episode is pretty good. And that’s after another lag-filled viewing experience.

Let’s start right off with this bit of dialog, which you can click on to hear the full effect:

Kirk: In the meantime, would you mind leaving us?
Androids: Why should we leave you?
Kirk: Because. We don’t like you. Now: boo-boo-boo-boop!

But as to the actual story, this episode doesn’t stand head and shoulders above its peers, but it’s a neat idea: what if the androids from What Are Little Girls Made Of were still around by the thousands, looking for someone to serve, and they found Harry Mudd?

And then, what if they found him wanting? What if they wanted more humans to serve? And here’s the kicker: what if they were actually good at serving? So good that it’s tempting to just sit around and let them do the work while you play with their awesome technology? Would you really object to it?

Kirk does. Kirk’s on this whole necessity-of-freedom thing. And I agree with Kirk. And although they could make the just-say-yes decision a little more tempting than they do, this episode handles that basic problem well: is technology a aide to being truly human, or a distraction? Does too much technology tip the balance? And how much is too much?

Grade

B+

The Galileo Seven

I might have enjoyed The Galileo Seven (Memory Alpha; HD Video) if not for CBS’s woeful servers. Every night around 11pm PST their server farm seems to overload and melt. This lasts for somewhere between an hour and three, but during that time it’s pretty much hopeless to try to watch anything: it’s a second of video, two seconds of loading, repeat.

To add to that misery, this episode is pretty unremarkable. A shuttlecraft on a science mission to a “quasar-like formation” when an ion storm forces it to crash-land on a planet. The Enterprise is blinded by the storm and cannot find the stranded crewmen, so Spock, McCoy, Scotty, and four people you’ll never see again are on their own.

Begin Spoilers

Spock, on the ground, is having trouble with his first command situation. The ship won’t be able to take off with everyone aboard, so someone is gonna stay behind, and Spock isn’t exactly charming about this possibility. Meanwhile, the natives of this planet are primitive, huge, and warlike, and they quickly attack the security detail Spock has sent out. Spock, being all non-emotional, doesn’t want to waste time burying the body as they try to fix their ship. This conflict has potential, but it’s both overplayed (way too strongly way too early) and underdone (there is no back-and-forth; there is just repetition).

Kirk is on the enterprise, trying to buy as much time to extend the rescue mission over the objections of Galactic High Commissioner Ferris, whose fancy title is matched by his fancy outfit, but whose existence is really only a plot element to create a sense of urgency.

End Spoilers

This episode might have been more interesting if I could have watched it with the proper pacing, but as it was I had to take giant breaks every few minutes, which isn’t the best viewing environment.

Grade

C-