| Terse letters grades for TOS, Season Three PLUS The 'A' List [message #165982] |
Mi, 16 November 2005 03:38 |
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SPOCK'S BRAIN: Stupid, but fun. Best to watch this with friends, so you
laugh at it.
Grade: B-
THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT: So Vulcans have sex through their fingers...
Grade: A-
THE PARADISE SYNDROME: Really good. But that Indian chick Kirk fell in
love was no Edith Keeler; when she died, I just thought, "eh".
Grade: B+
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD: Nice clothes, you little twerp. That's
famous tort attorney Melvin Belli as the Gorgon. He's better in the
Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter".
Grade: D+
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?: The worst incidental music in the entire
TOS. And even sexual harraser Kirk wouldn't make a public toast to "the
most beautiful scientist in the galaxy". The Medusa was a good idea,
though.
Grade: C+
SPECTRE OF THE GUN: TOS' "Twilight Zone" episode, and a good one. Also,
great photography by Jack Finnerman (zeroing in on Spock's badge, the
diagonal shot of the landing crew standing next to each other.)
Grade: B+
DAY OF THE DOVE: Only bad thing about this one was the wimpy female
Klingon. She needed a little more fire in her performance.
Grade: A-
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY: Interesting for
being a Bones episode.
Grade: B
THE THOLIAN WEB: I didn't like this one at first, because it seemed
inconceivable that Bones would think Spock wanted to see Kirk dead to
take the captaincy. But I guess that might have been a result of
whatever disease was infecting the ship. Excellent episode in
retrospect. Grade: A-
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN: I really wanted Alexander or somebody bitch-slap
Parmen's wife's smirk right off her face.
Grade: B+
WINK OF AN EYE: A nymphomaniac in space.
Grade: B
THE EMPATH: Fans usually hate or love this one. It's a variation on
"The Cage" episode, but an excellent variation. A non-existent budget
and a wordless guest-starring role creates what I think is a minor
masterpiece.
Grade: A-
ELAAN OF TROYIUS: This is an underrated episode. Kind of like a junior
version of "Journey To Babel", it is solidly paced, with multiple plot
lines that mesh well together. The ending on the bridge was a inventive
change-of-pace from the usual "Kirk-Spock-McCoy" bantering. France
Nuyen actually does too good a job of playing the spoiled brat Elaan;
the viewer just wants to see her thrown out into space.
Grade: B+
WHOM GOD'S DESTROY: Lame until Marta gets blown up. Then a good
double-Kirk scene.
Grade: B-
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD: This gets upgraded a notch simply
for having Frank Gorshin.
Grade: B
THE MARK OF GIDEON: Grade: D
THAT WHICH SURVIVES: The tragedy of this episode is that it's actually
well-directed and exciting, as well as featuring a neat idea by having
different programs targeting different crew members. The problem is the
asinine rendering of Spock as a exacting, petty tyrant of a commander:
not only does it make Spock a thoroughly unlikable character, it
ignores 2 1/2 seasons of Spock developing and improving his people and
leadership skills. Wasn't it just a few episodes ago that Spock did
such a great job commanding the Enterprise during "The Tholian Web"?
What an insult to the viewer and the franchise.
Grade: C+
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR: How many times can a junior officer of Starfleet
be referred to as "the girl"? Still, a good episode.
Grade: B
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH: Kirk falls in love with and agonizes over an
android when he's supposed to be concerned with getting the stuff
needed to save a planet. This might be the dumbest TOS episode.
Grade: D
THE WAY TO EDEN: Stupid, but fun. (BTW, nice women's leggings, Adam.
You and that other dork from "And The Children Shall Lead" probably
shop for clothes at the same place.)
THE CLOUD MINDERS: Solid. Not bad.
Grade: B
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN: Abraham Lincoln uses Special Forces tactics against
a Klingon and his buddies. That's all that needs to be said.
Grade: C-
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS: Has some of the gravitas of "The City On The Edge
Of Forever". Probably season three's best episode.
Grade: A-
TURNABOUT INTRUDER: C'mon, Kirk - you're not going to even try to see
if your woman's body hs what it takes to punch out the phony male Kirk?
Great scene-chewing performance by Shatner.
Grade: B
So, to sum up the best episodes of TOS, seasons 1, 2, and 3:
THE 'A' LIST:
A+: "The City On the Edge Of Forever"
A: "Balance Of Terror" (upgraded from A-)
"Mirror, Mirror"
"The Doomsday Machine"
"Journey To Babel"
A-: "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (upgraded)
"The Enemy Within"
"The Corbomite Maneuver" (upgraded)
"The Menagerie, I and II"
"Space Seed"
"The Devil In The Dark"
"The Trouble With Tribbles"
"Return To Tomorrow" (upgraded)
"The Ultimate Computer"
"Assignment: Earth"
"The Immunity Syndrome" (upgraded two notches)
"The Enterprise Incident"
"Day Of The Dove"
"The Tholian Web"
"The Empath"
"All Our Yesterdays"
(Formerly A- but downgraded to B+: "The Galileo Seven", "A Piece Of The
Action")
Shnaggletooth
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| Re: Terse letters grades for TOS, Season Three PLUS The 'A' List [message #166031 ] |
Do, 17 November 2005 15:19 |
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In article <1132108713.541466.159620 [at] o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
shnaggletooth [at] yahoo.com said:
> THAT WHICH SURVIVES: The tragedy of this episode is that it's
> actually well-directed and exciting, as well as featuring a neat
> idea by having different programs targeting different crew
> members. The problem is the asinine rendering of Spock as a
> exacting, petty tyrant of a commander: not only does it make Spock
> a thoroughly unlikable character, it ignores 2 1/2 seasons of
> Spock developing and improving his people and leadership
> skills. Wasn't it just a few episodes ago that Spock did such a
> great job commanding the Enterprise during "The Tholian Web"?
> What an insult to the viewer and the franchise.
> Grade: C+
If I recall correctly, he did a good job of talking Scott down from
a state of minor panic when the tool that he had to use Right Now
was malfunctioning.
--
William December Starr <wdstarr [at] panix.com>
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