TNG - Code of Honor

I saw this episode purely out of curiosity. It had a 5.5 rating on IMDB. What was so bad, I wondered. And after watching it, I still wondered. Yeah, it wasn't a GREAT episode, but it was full of action, fast paced, and had plenty of "You go girl" Feminism. In fact, its a Feminist's Dream episode. And yep, it was written by a woman.

The Story

Y'see Picard needs to get a vaccine from an alien society. But the planet's leaders are Macho men, who have a honor code. And when meeting Picard, they're SHOCKED when woman in charge of USS Enterprise security, beats up the Leader's male bodyguard. You GO GIRL.

Later, SuperGirl beats up another macho bodyguard. Then the tricky leader kidnaps our heroine, and stays he wants to marry her. This results in the leader's wife challenging SuperGirl to a "Battle to the death". Supergirl courageously agrees to the fight, (the vaccine is at stake), and "kills" wifey. The wife is then immediatly beamed up to the USS Enterprise where the Girl Doctor MD brings her back to life.

The tricky macho leader then gets his comuppance. Because wifey divorces him, and takes all his $$. The "Macho Honor Code" is shown to be a fraud, and the male chauvanist Pig leader ends up sads.

My Take
Its actually an enjoyable story. Not great. Not very good. But enjoyable. Full of action, and good acting by the "aliens". Jessie Lawrence Ferguson is excellent as the tricky, macho, leader. 

So Why is it so Hated?
Oh, I forgot to mention one thing, all the "alien race" that hold this "Code of Honor" are Black.  You'd think, so what? Or "Good they gave some black actors some work".  But you don't understand Hollywood or the people who review TNG-Star trek online.  Y'see if the Aliens had been white, no problem. But because they're Black, that's RACISM.  Any TV show which shows black actors (not black PEOPLE) in a bad light is... RACISM.  

I wonder how all the black actors in this episode felt when they started reading about  several white cast members (Ryker and Data) saying this was the "worst episode ever" and "This shouldn't be reaired". I'm sure Jesse Lawerance wasn't happy.  I'm sure he probably thought he was just portraying a space alien. But little did he know he was really portraying all black men - EVERYWHERE for ALL TIME. 

TNG - Allegiance (Season 3)

Allegiance is a "Picard" episode, Aliens abduct Picard to a "Prison Cell" with 3 other Aliens, and replace him a fake Picard. The Crew notice that fake Picard is behaving strangely and when he attempts to destroy the ship, they mutiny. Meanwhile, Picard finally figures out that he's not being held in Prison Cell but is part of a Laboratory Experiment.  When he refuses to play along - the whole thing stops. The episode ends on an upnote, as the curious race that "just wanted to see what leadership is all about" is given a taste of their own medicine.

While enjoyable, the episode points out the difference between TNG and TOS Star Trek. In this TNG episode, "evil Picard" isn't evil at all. He's just an alien fake trying to observe how the crew behaves to different styles of Leadership. And there's no real danger, no action, no fisticuffs, and its all settled by a few words. There are no sharp words among the crew. They all agree that Picard is acting weird, and when Ryker decides to relieve Picard, they all support him.

TOS would've been much more dramatic. And you would've had conflict between the crew: Can Kirk be relieved or not? Spock v. McCoy no doubt. And Kirk would've karate chopped 2 or 3 people trying to get out of the prison cell. And the Aliens would've been much more dangerous/malevolent.

 

TNG is more "adult" but also more boring.   

TOS - Turnabout Intruder

An above average entertaining TOS episode, with the following:

• Great acting by Shatner. He brilliantly plays a woman pretending to be Kirk. This was a perfect chance for Shatner to "Shat it up" and yet except for a few scenes during the "Transferances" he is quite in control. And quite convincing.
• Great acting by Sandra Smith as Janice Lester. She not ony is good as the Homicidal Dr. Lester, she's superb as Kirk trapped in Lester's body. Like Shatner, she's able to make Kirk-Lester masculine without going over the top.
• Excellent Court-martial scene. McCoy, Scotty, and Spock at their best.
• Sulu-Chekov to the rescue. They refuse to support Kirk-Lester's sentence of death on McCoy, Scotty, and Spock for "Mutiny".

Best Quote: 

Spock: No, sir, I shall not withdraw a single charge that I have made. You are NOT Captain Kirk. You have ruthlessly appropriated his body, but the life entity within you is not that of Captain Kirk. You do NOT belong in charge of the Enterprise, and I shall do everything in my power against you.

Cons:   Dr. Arthur Coleman.  The character is well played by Harry Landers. But, and its a big but, his character makes zero sense. He loves Janice Lester,  He lets the other members of the expdition die so she can  carry out her crazy homicidal plan, And he later agrees to Kill Kirk.  And for what? So she can turn into a man? And be Jim Kirk.  I know some people are bi-sexual, but this is carrying it too far! Seriously, imagine being in love with Marilyn Monroe, she's your lover and then being A-ok with her turning into Van Heflin. Really? Of course, maybe Dr. Coleman was just as crazy as Dr. Lester.

The Real Sexism: I've covered the episode's so-called "Sexism" in more detail (see my rant below). But y'know the REAL sexism in Turnabout Intruder? It comes at the end. Dr. Lester has let the other members of he Expedition die. She's attempted to murder Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Scotty. God knows how many more would've died if her plan had succeeded.  Yet at the end what does Kirk say? "Gosh, I never meant to hurt her." And "Her life could have been as rich as any woman's, if only... if only...".

Yeah, poor Janice.  Imagine Kirk saying "Oh, poor Ben Finney, Poor Captain Kor, Poor Lizard Captain Gorn,  Poor Squire Trelayn, Poor Jack the Ripper,  and Poor, Poor Khan." 

Reviewing the Reviewers:   Good God, I'm beginning to doubt the intelligence of those who review TOS on Youtube, IMDB, and show up first on a Google Search.  To all these "Internet Big Dog" reviewers, this episode is Trash.  Why? Its....wait for it... SEXIST.  Just as in "Elaan of Troyus" they don't care what's actually on the screen, they just hate it because  Dr. Lester is hysterical and incompetent. Every woman character on TV, no matter how crazy MUST BE "strong" and "cool headed". 

You would think that any character that obsesses for years about being a Star Ship Captain, without desiring to work their way through the ranks, and is willing to kill numerous people to get her way, would be a touch -ah -- unstable. 

But Hey Dr. lester is a chick, and we know ALL Women are strong stable and cool as cumbers under pressure.  All that stuff about SOME women being emotional is just male propaganda which they made up because... ah...  yeah.  Anyway, women are just as strong as men. And just as tough. And if that's NOT been shown by all of human History its because MEN are writing the history.  So there!

As for Women not being Star ship captains.  Isn't that correct?   How many times has Kirk saved the situation by romancing an Alien babe or engaging in  physical struggle or fist fight? Lets see some 110 lbs.  Female Starship Captain battle "Col Greene",  take down the Big Lizard in "Arena" or overpower the Guards in "A Piece of the Action".  

TOS - Ellison Screenplay v. Final Script - Analysis.

 

Ellison Screenplay	Star Trek Episode
Prologue:  We open with  Star Trek crewman  “Beckwith” (B/W) selling an illegal drug  to another crewmember   Under the drug’s influence the crewman almost destroys the Enterprise’s Engines. He’s ordered off the Bridge by Spock. Distraught, he tells B/W he will see Kirk and confess. B/W kills him, and beams down to the nearby planet.  Kirk and a search party go after him.	Prologue: The Enterprise is buckling under “Waves of Time” from the nearby Planet. McCoy comes to the Bridge to treat an injured man, and accidently injects himself. The drug that makes him paranoid and violent. He transports down after knocking out the Transporter chief. . Kirk and a search party go after him.
Act One Kirk follows B/W’s tracks to a plateau.  Upon reaching the top, they see a shimmering City. The 9 feet tall “Guardians of History” greet them. They explain they are the keepers of time, and show Kirk Earth history. When 1930 Chicago come in view, B/W breaks from cover, fights off Spock, and disappears into the time vortex.  The Guardians state the time flow has been disrupted and disappear. Kirk and the others beam back to the Enterprise.	Act One Kirk and the search party land on the planet.  They find the Time Portal machine called “The Guardian” which shows them Earth History.  Spock says he’s been an idiot and starts to record it.  McCoy jumps out of the bushes and runs into the Time portal.    Uhura tries to call the Enterprise and gets dead air. Time has changed and the Enterprise no longer exists.
Act two: Back on the Enterprise, Kirk and party find the Transporter Room filled with “Space Renegades”.  Its, no longer the USS Enterprise but a Pirate ship! A fight ensues and Kirk gains control of the Transporter room.  Kirk and Spock discuss what to do.  Kirk orders Rand to hold the Transporter Room indefinitely while he & Spock beam back to the planet,	This scene is deleted.  The Enterprise doesn’t exist.
Kirk and Spock meet with The Guardians.  They tell Kirk time has been altered and the world he knew no longer exists.  After much discussion, The Guardians allow Kirk/Spock to follow B/W to Chicago 1930. They speak in parables. They say (1) B/W must be brought back. (2) B/W saved what must die. (3)  Blue and sun are the Key.	Act two: Kirk tells Scottie to wait and when he thinks he’s waited long enough, everyone must jump through and try to find McCoy. Using his Tricorder Spock determines when McCoy jumped through, and Kirk and Spock follow..  Kirk and Spock have already gone back in Time.
Spock and Kirk materialize on  a 1930 Chicago City Street.  A xenophobic speaker is ranting against foreigners taking American jobs. He points to Spock and Kirk and the howling mob chases them, screaming threats and insults.  Spock lays into them sending men flying, Kirk destroys a Lamppost with his Phaser, cowing the crowd and Kirk/Spock to escape into a nearby tenement basement.	Spock and Kirk materialize in Chicago 1930.  Kirk decides they need to blend in, and wait for McCoy.  He steals some clothes, which brings a Policeman. Kirk tries explains the stolen clothes and Spock ears  by saying Spock  was caught in a “Mechanical Rice picker” When Police tries to arrest them, Spock gives him the “Vulcan neck pinch”  Kirk and Spock run for it, and duck into a empty basement
In the Empy basement, Spock yells the Earth is full of Barbarians. Kirk defends it. Kirk suggests Spock disguise his appearance. Spock is disgusted, and tells Kirk to locate a ring that he can put through his nose. A  Building Janitor appears, and gives Kirk/Spock a job sweeping up, in exchange for room and board.   Spock and Kirk sweep up the basement and then run the Tricorder which confirms that the time focal point “Blue, Sun, and Key” is nearby. The Tricorder buns out. Kirk wants Spock to fix it. Spock states they will be difficult given the transistor hasn’t been invented yet.	In the empty basement, Kirk chaffs Spock for enjoying his predicament. They change into regular clothes. Edith Keeler appears, and asks Kirk/Spock what they’re doing. She gives them a Job to sweep up at the Mission.  After sweeping, Spock says he needs the Enterprise data banks to get the exact time McCoy will arrive. Kirk orders him to work with what he has. Spock agrees to create a means of viewing the Tricorder’s history despite working with “stone knives and bearskins”.
We have a flashback to the Enterprise Transporter Room where Rand is fighting to keep the Pirates from entering. Back in the basement, the Janitor offers Spock (now assumed to be Chinese) a job at Restaurant Kitchen.	Deleted Scene
We see Spock  in the Kitchen.  The Cook tries to cheat him out of his wages, but Spock strong-arms him into coughing up the money.  Spock starts to walk home. He stop to watch a revival meeting and  sees Edith Keeler in a blue cape with a Gold sunburst clasp.  He realizes that she is the Key focal point.	In the Mission dining room, Kirk hears Keeler give a speech about how the future will be better and man will travel into space, so there is hope.  Later, Spock says they need to “Borrow” Jeweler’s tools for his work. They steal them, and Keeler confronts them.  Kirk says they will return them in the Morning. Keeler agrees to take no action if Kirk takes her out to Dinner
Act Three: Spock and Kirk decide Keeler is the focal point and to keep her under surveillance.  They take an apartment next to hers.. Spock wonders if he can live with Kirk and since it might be a “Ghetto”  Later, they peer at her Apartment from a nearby roof, Spock accuses Kirk of  “going native”	Kirk and Keeler go for a walk and Kirk tells her “Let me Help” will replace “I love you” as the 3 most important words.  He and Keeler look at the stars and are on the verge of a kiss.
Kirk introduces himself to Keeler, saying he just moved in. They go for walk, and Keeler talks about her charity work
Later, we see Kirk and Keeler in her apartment.  Kirk says he’s tired form new job running a steam shovel.  Keeler notes that Kirk doesn’t fit in and Kirk says he’s from Iowa. Kirk quotes a poet he says will become famous throughout the universe “ Men become strangers when night falls…”	Later, Kirk returns to the Apartment and provides Spock with food and precocious metals. Spock runs the tricorder history and finds that Keeler will either be killed in an auto accident or meet with FDR in 1936. Kirk wonders if McCoy changes history by killing her or saving her.
Spock confronts Kirk and says he getting too close to Keeler. Kirk says he’s been on the move since his youth and never has met a woman like Keeler.  Spock says he understands he’s a Vulcan not a neuter.  Kirk’s continues to praise Keeler and suggests bringing her back with them. Spock then says he’s fixed the tri-corder and Keeler must die.  Kirk doesn’t believe it, and asks why?  Spock conjectures that she may help Hitler win WW2 or give birth to a dictator.  Kirk labels that insane. Spock reiterates that she must die.	.Scene Deleted
Kirk and Keeler are walking down the street.  Keeler goes down some stairs and falls. Kirk has refused to stop her fall.  But she’s not dead, merely bruised.	Act three Later, Kirk and Keeler goes down the Mission steps and almost falls. Kirk saves her. Spock sees it and reminds Kirk that Keeler must die pock runs the Tricorder for Kirk. They see that Keeler has started a peace movement that allows Nazi Germany to get the A-bomb and win World War II.  McCoy has changed history by saving Keeler. Kirk is upset and wonders if there is some mistake. Spock says no.  He reminds Kirk that “Edith Keeler must die”.
Next day, Spock and kirk are on the street and see B/W materialize across the street.  Both charge after him, but B/W kicks Spock in the stomach and runs away.	Scene Deleted
We see Kirk go into Keeler’s charity kitchen and demand she go home for her own safety.  Keeler tells Kirk she loves him.  Kirk demands she trust him and go to her apartment.  Spock appears out of nowhere with a half-hidden phaser Keeler leaves, and Spock reminds Kirk that Rand and the others are fighting for their lives in the Transporter room. Kirk says  he can’t let Keeler die. .  Kirk then realizes Spock’s phaser is  meant for Keeler, since B/W must be brought back alive.	Scene Deleted.
Act Four:  Kirk meets Trooper, a legless man who sells pencils/apples with a sign “I fought at Verdun”. Kirk gives him $2 for any information on B/W.  Trooper is amazed that Kirk trusts him and gives him the $ in advance	Act Four: McCoy lands in Chicago and confronts a Homeless man. McCoy falls unconscious and the homeless man kills himself with a phaser.  Later, in their Apartment Kirk has agreed that Keeler must die. Kirk says he loves Keeler. Spock responds that Keeler must die..
Later, Kirk is in Keeler’s apartment. She wonders if he is going away, he says he might. He tells Keeler he loves her. Spock barges in and says Trooper has found B/W.  The three men go up a dark alley.  Suddenly, a garbage can crashes down on Spock.  Trooper sees B/W about to shoot Kirk, saves Kirk down & takes the phaser blast. Spock knocks the phaser out of B/W’s hand, and B/W runs away. Spock wonders why Trooper sacrificed himself for Kirk.  Kirk wonders too, and asks what was Verdun.	McCoy talks to Keeler and believes she’s an illusion. When he gets better, McCoy starts to help around the Mission and barely misses seeing Spock several times.
Edith is speaking to the crowd preaching that great things are in the future. Spock tells Kirk her ideas are years ahead of her time.  Keeler starts to cross the street.  B/W with comes out of nearby building.  Kirk, Spock and B/W instantly realize that Keeler will be hit by a Truck coming round the corner. Beckwith runs to save her, Kirk refuses to stop him.  Finally Spock tackles BW.  Keeler is hit by the Truck.  Kirk is distraught. Dissolve	Keeler goes out with Kirk, and they discuss going to the movies. Keeler says “McCoy” doesn’t know who Clark Gable is either. Kirk runs back to the Mission, sees McCoy. Spock/McCoy/Kirk greet each other. Keeler walks across the street, Kirk stops McCoy from saving her. Keeler is hit by a truck. McCoy ask Kirk if he knows what he did, and Spock says “Yes, he knows”.
Back at the Guardians   They tell Kirk time has resumed its shape and is back to normal.  Beckwith twists away from Spock and runs back into the time machine. We see B/W with in agony, he’s in the middle of a Super nova,  He dies an agonizing death over and over again.	Deleted
Epilogue:  Spock and Kirk in his cabin aboard the Enterprise.  Spock can’t understand why evil B/W was willing to risk his life to save Keeler. Kirk says even the most evil have some good in them. Maybe the human race deserves another chance. Spock says “no woman was ever loved as much, because no woman was ever offered the Universe for love”  THE END	Epilogue Back at the Guardian:  McCoy, Kirk and Spock return and Scotty tells them they just left a second ago.  The Guardian tells them everything as returns to normal.   Uhura is back in contact with the EnterpriseThe Guardian asks Kirk if he wants to go on further adventures in time, and Kirk looks pained as says”  Lets get the Hell out of Here”.

City on the Edge of Forever - More on Harlan Ellison's Screenplay

From reading various books and listening to several reviews of City on the Edge of Forever, you'd think that Roddenberry just "Tweeked" Ellison's screenplay and it was more or less the basis for the Episode. Ellison is given at LEAST 50 percent of the credit for the episode. Wrong Dude!

Roddenberry (and company) completely changed Ellision's screenplay. Which is why he was so upset at Roddenberry and never forgave him. Yes, the basic plot and the Character of Edith Keeler comes from Ellison but everything else was changed by Roddenberry. As follows:

1) Every supporting character Ellison created in his May 1966 script EXCEPT for Edith Keeler was eliminated by Roddenberry. We're talking: Beckwith, LeBeque, the Space Pirates, Trooper, The Bigoted Cook, The Jainitor, the ranting street corner demagoue, and the Howling mob.

2) Roddenbery elimiated Ellison's epilogue. No Spock and Kirk discussing Trooper, musing about Evil men having some good in them, or talking about Keeler.

3) Roddenberry eliminated Ellison's Prologue: No Beckwith dealing drugs. No Lebeque drug addict. No murder by Beckwith.

4) There are only TWO lines left from Ellison's May 1966 script left intact. Both are from the Guardians.

5) Roddenberry competely changed Kirk's behavior. In Ellison's script, Kirk refuses to believe Keeler must die, and in the final scene REFUSES to stop Beckwith from saving Keeler. Kirk is so in love with Keeler, he asks Spock if he can take her back to the future, and Spock has to remind Kirk that the Landing party is back fighting for their lives.

6) Roddenberry completely changes how Spock/Kirk understand Keeler must die. In Ellison's script, the Guardians tell them before they go back to 1930 NYC that: "Beckwith has saved that which die. Look for a Golden sun on blue". Spock figures out at the end of Act II that Keeler is the "the focal Point" and by the middle of act III that "Keeler must die". Why keeler must die, is never made clear in Ellison's script. Spock suggests she may have helped delay WW II entrance by USA OR given birth to a dicattor.

7) Roddenberry give Keeler character and lots of lines. Once Kirk/Spock arrive in NYC 1930, there are only 4 named characters with lines: McCoy, Spock, Kirk, and Keeler. Keeler is in almost every other scene from the Middle of Act II to the End. Kirk is so broken up at the loss of Keeler, he says in the Epilogue "Lets get the Hell out of here". By Comparsion, Ellison has Kirk almost as upset over the death of Trooper as Keeler, and Keeler doesn't speak until the beginning of Act III, and shares time in Act III and IV with Trooper and the fight with Beckwith.

In summary, Roddenberry (and his writers) massively improved and changed Ellison's script.

Harlan Ellison Screenplay - City on the Edge of Forever.

From some reason there seems to be a lot of praise for Ellison's original screenplay, and a lof of support for Ellions's 40 years quest to prove that Gene Roddenberry was a creep who destroyed his "perfect" screenplay. Sorry, I can't agree. After reading it, and comparing it to the final Teleplay, its obvious that Ellison's May 1966 draft, not only had to be revised, it had major, and I mean MAJOR problems. It'd be fair to say that even if Roddenberry had limited his revisions to getting Ellison's script shot under budget, it would NOT, I repeat NOT been the great Star Trek Episode we now know.

Ellison's May 1966 screenplay suffered from the following problems:

1. It wasn't "Star Trek" - I'll write later about this is more detail.
2. There's almost no humor. No "Stone knives and bearskins", no condesending Guardian, and no "mechanical rice picker".
3. The dialogue is terrible, in some cases awful. Almost all the "Best Quotes" you read on IMDB and elsewhere were written by other writers. The final episode has only two of Ellison's lines. 
4. The episode is beloved because its about Edith Keeler, Kirk, and the sacrifice he has to make. That's NOT what Ellison's screenplay is about. In Ellison's screenplay, Keeler doesn't have a line till the beginning- middle of Act III. In Act IV, she shares time with "Trooper" and the battle with Beckwith, the Enterprise Gangster/killer/drug Dealer. In the epilogue, Kirk is just as upset at the death of "Trooper" as he is with the death of "Keeler".
5. Ellison's screenplay is violent and has a nasty edge to it. There are two deaths in Roddenberry's script, Keeler and a tramp who accidently kills himself with McCoy's phaser. In Ellison's screenplay there are four deaths in addition to Keeler's. Beckwith kills Lt Lebeuqe (the drug addict), Trooper, and himself dies an agonizing death. In addition, several "Space Pirates" and Enterprise Landing party die in a hand-to-hand combat over the transporter room.
6. As stated, Ellison screenplay has a nasty edge to it: a sadistic drug dealer blackmailing a "junkie" for his "Fix". Spock yelling at LeBeque to "Shape up or Ship out", a hate-filled mob attacking Spock, a nasty street corner demagogue ranty about "furinners" a nasty boss trying to cheat Spock out of his wages, Beckwith kicking Spock in the stomach and running away, Beckwith knocking Spock to the ground and stealing his phaser, and Beckwith dropping a Garbage can on Spock and trying to kill Kirk with a phaser.
7. And if that's not enough, Spock sneers at "Earthlings", screams they are barbaric, and is so obnoxious, Kirk (seriously) remarks that "I should have left you for the mob". To cap all the nastiness off, Spock starts to carry around a phaser (stolen by Beckwith) so he can kill Keeler if Kirk "chickens out"!
8. Ellison's screenplay is actually a violence filled, nasty, action filled espisode. The romance and Edith Keeler are pushed to the background. There is no friendship displayed by Kirk-Spock. And they are out to bring back a Killer-Drug Dealer, not McCoy an old friend who was accidently injected with cordonzine.
9. The "Guardians of History" instead of being a snarky, funny, yet majestic thing we see in the final screenplay are - in Ellison's Screenplay - pompous 8 foot bores in robes, who drone on and on telling how time works.

TOS- The way to Eden

 Widely acknowledged as one of TOS' worst episodes, and I can't disagree.  The story idea isn't a bad one, but the episode is badly cast and executed.  At bottom, this should be a comic episode, especially since we get a lot of music and some romance. Instead, except for mild comedy relating to Kirk being called a "Herbert" most of the  episode is deadly serious. The "Space Hippies" - or at least the 3 male Hippies who do almost all the talking - are obnoxious, arrogant,  and ugly of dress and feature.  Other problems:

• The episode is without danger or action. For the first 30 minutes, the only probem is that Hippies are rude and obnoxious and the Hippie Leader resists being Quarantined. For the next 30 minutes, the Hippies take over the USS Enterprise and force it to go Eden.  After almost killing everyone with a sonic device, they leave for Planet Eden on a Space shuttle. The last 8 minutes deal with their sad end. 
• The stakes in this episode are incredibly small.  The Hippies want the Enterpirse to take them to Planet Eden. Kirk doesn't want to.  Once the Hippies get to Eden,  they fall prey to the acid filled fruit and Kirk has the 4 live ones beamed back to the Enterprise.  That's it.  Talk about boring small beer. 
• The romance between Chekov and a Hippie chick (a former Russian Starfleet Academy classmate) is dull and badly done. Chekov is not only incredibly dumb (he practically gives them a floppy disk entitled "How to take over the Enterprise"),  he's supposed to be this buttoned-up, by the book technocrat, who's betrayed his free-wheeling youthful ideals. Absurd! Chekov has always been a ladies man, and rule breaker.  He wants to start a fight with the Klingons in Trouble with Tribbles" and gets himself "Killed" in Specter of the Gun by ignoring orders. 
• The talk about Hippie freedom vs. Star Fleet discipline is incredibly dated. 
• Another absurdity is that Spock, of all people, grooves the Hippies. He digs, man. Again, Spock is a man of science and logic, who disdains emotion and sentiment. He's the last person to agree with the Hippie philosophy of   No rules, man. Just living free, man,  Instead, he makes the Hippie peace sign,  jams with them, and helps them find Planet Eden.
• And God, that horrible music! We get almost 7-8 minutes of unbearable "space rock" by Charles Napier (yes, its Murdock from Rambo II!) with Spock playing his Vulcan harp.
• Could this episode have worked?  Yes, by casting likable attractive people as the Hippies.  And making them charming, and their interactions with the Enterprise crew funny.  And by playing much better music!  If this had been done,   I would've been sad at their deaths on Planet Eden instead of cheering. 

Best Scene:  McCoy and Kirk contront Sevrin with  being a carrier of an contangious disease and orders him quarantined. Sevrin refuses and rants about his Rights and Computers.

Worst Scene:  A 5 minute "Space Rock" Concert with Spock on Vulcan Harp.  Painful. 

Typical bad Dialogue:
ADAM: How about a session, you and us? It would sound. That's what I came for. I wanted to ask, you know, great white captain upstairs, but he don't reach us. But would he shake on a session? I mean, we want to co-operate, like you ask, so I'm asking.

Reviewing the Reviews

One of the reasons this episode is so disliked by the internet "big dog" reviewers think its "anti-hippie" and therefore "anti-left".  These reviewers are VERY uncomfortable siding with Kirk and his insistence on enforcing good manners, rules, and discipline.  Scotty, who mildly complains about the Hippies subverting his engineering staff and interfering with the Engine room operations is labled on "Old Grump" yelling at kids to "Get off his lawn".  Others are shocked that Nurse Chappel implies the Hippies are animals.  Given the episode plot/dialogue its impossible for any reasonable person to side with the Hippies, but these "Big Dog" reviewers also sense that conservatives hate hippies, and they don't want to be on THAT side.  As Mr. Spock would say "Fascinating". 

TOS - The Savage Curtain

 Plot:  The USS Enterprise is halted by an object in space: Its Abraham Lincoln! Once aboard,  Mr. Lincoln persuades Kirk and Spock to beam down to the local planet where a rock like creature demands they engage in a struggle with some of the greatest villians in history - including lovable Ghenjis Khan.

As a young boy, this was one of my favorite TOS episodes. Noble (if foolish) Surak. A talking high IQ rock. Historical figures. The slimey Col. Green. Honest Abe taking a spear in the back. Lots of  sophmoric philosophy about peace/war and how to battle evil. 

On rewatch it all seems a little silly, but its still enjoyable. The first 20 minutes is very good.  I love Kirk slapping down McCoy for being insuborinate. But once the action begins its let down by the extremely low budget, fake sets, and badly directed fights. 

And like many other 3rd season episodes it has problems in logic.  I could list all the plot holes, and logical inconsistencies, but hey, I have a life. So, I'll list just one. Why would a race as advanced as the Excalbians (they can read minds, create historical figures out of thin air, create livable atmosphere on a planet with no oxygen, and destroy the Enterprise at will) not understand good and evil?

Best Quote:

Lincoln: What a charming negress. Oh, forgive me, my dear. I know that in my time some use that term as a term of offense.

Uhura: But why should I object to that term, sir? You see, in our century, we've learned not to fear words.

Favorite Scene:

Scotty and McCoy try to convince Kirk not to beam down to the planet, leading Kirk to say:The very reason for the existence of our starships is contact with other life. Although the method is beyond our comprehension, we have been offered contact; therefore, I shall beam down.

Worst Scene:

Kirk is upset at the Alien for threatening the Enterprise and strikes it.  Damn it Jim, its a Rock.  What was Kirk thinking? 

TOS - The Return of the Archons

 I'll forgo my usual detailed analysis and simply state why this is a bad episode. It plays out like a bad Twilight Zone episode.  Unlike some "Worst ever" Star Trek episodes Return of the Archons is not campy or absurd.  There are no "Space hippies",  its just dull and repetitive.  The epsisode suffers from the following problems:

• We get no "strange new worlds". Instead its set in a TV western town with everyone in western garb. That's our "alien society". 
• We have no guest stars.  We get guest character actors. They act well enough, but they have little charisma.  And they're all 100 percent 'murican.
• Its very low budget.  The Computer at the end is box with lights.  The bad guys have broom handles which emit smoke.  Most scenes ocur in bare rooms. 
• There's little action and much talk.  Other than the "Festival" with a few broken windows, screams, and  dead bodies,  we get no sense of physical danger or action.  A slow-walking zombie mob, threatens Kirk and Spock and they put them to sleep with a phaser blast.  That's about it.
• The story is VERY static.  Kirk/Spock  beam down to the Western town (this is the whole planet) to investigate and meet people dressed in Western garb talking in a happy/zombie like manner.  They go to Hotel room and talk to people about the festival.  They meet the "resistance" and walk to another room, and talk some more.  The Bad Guys find out, & transport them to a dungeon.  They talk some more.  They wait to be brainwashed.  McCoy is brainwashed, and we think Kirk has,  and Spock is about to be. But wait, its all a ruse. Psych! The guy who runs the mind altertering machine is a member of the resistance, and lets Spock go, and never brainwashed Kirk.  Spock and Kirk overpower the guards, meet the computer who runs the whole society, and Kirk destroys it.  The end.
• There's little or no humor.  The Dialogue is forgettable. Sulu gets to overact but everyone else is on cruise control. Uhuara and Scotty are given little to do.
• Typical dull Dialogue: You have come to a world without hate, without fear, without conflict, no war, no disease, no crime. None of the ancient evils. Landru seeks tranquility, peace for all, the universal good.
• Its just dull. Very, very dull. I notice the people who like it, don't talk about the actual episode -what's on the screen. Instead, they use the episode as a way to pontificate about philosophical issues.
• Finally,  Kirk's reason for violating the prime directive is weak.  Basically, Archon society isn't a "living, growing Society" so Kirk has to destroy it. While society is controlled by the Computer, it has no problems.  But also total Conformity.  Not my cup of tea, but Kirk decides this is so awful he must totally change it.  Talk about cultural imperialism.  Notice that in order to get us, the audience, to agree with Kirk, we have the ridiculous "Red Hour" and the computer - for no reason - threatening the Enterprise. 

TOS - And the Children Shall Lead

Plot:  The USS Enterprise arrives at a Research Colony and finds all the adults dead, and the surviving children devoid of grief over their parents' deaths. Once onboard the  Enterprise, the children  - in service of an evil Alien Entity - induce hallucinations and mental distress in their victims. 

Typical Dull Dialogue: 

Evil Alien: The universe will be mine to command, yours to play in.

Dr, McCoy: As Medical Officer I must warn you that unless the normal grief is tapped and released from these children, you are treading dangerously.

Shatner: Neither good nor bad. Forgettable and standard. Once again, Kirk has to convince someone of the error of their ways. And succeeds. Of Course. Rating **1/2

Supporting Cast: Uhura and Sulu are given a chance to do some acting, showing their deep seated fears. The Child actors are simply awful.  Rating *

Spock and McCoy: Not given much to do, but they do it competently. McCoy constantly reminds Kirk to go easy on the Kids. In City on the Edge of Forever,  McCoy tells Joan Collins "I'm a surgeon, not a pychiatrist".  Here, he's a pyschatrist.   Rating **/12

Guest Star: Melvin Belii wins the "Glen Campbell worst performance by a non-actor" award. Maybe Belii was confused and thought he's was reciting an anti-trust trial transcript instead of doing Star Trek. Besides being fat and non-threatening, his line readings are lifeless - when they're not weird. The "stunt casting" occured because the Producer (not Gene Roddenberry) was a friend of Belii.  Rating Zero stars

Summary: Terrible acting, abysmal special effects, and a repetitive, rather unpleasant story. The kids pump their fists, our characters react.  Belii shows up every 10 minutes and tries to be evil. And what a lame villian.  Guess, I'll use six kids to take over the Universe!  One of Star Trek's worst episodes. Rating *

Rewatchability Rating:  Poor. Its like spoiled milk. It doesn't getter any better with more viewings. 

Spock's Brain - TOS

 Plot:  An alien female played by Marj Dusay beams aboard the Enterprise and, after incapacitating the rest of the crew, surgically removes Spock's brain. Captain Kirk and the crew have just hours to locate and restore it before Spock's body dies.

Best Quote: 

Dr. McCoy: I knew it was wrong. I shouldn't have done it.

Captain James T. Kirk: What's that?

Dr. McCoy: I should have never reconnected his mouth.

Captain James T. Kirk: Well, we took the risk, Doctor.

Most Unintentionally Funny line:

Kirk: What have you done with Spock's brain?

Guest Star: Not much to say. Marj Dusay looks sexy in her outfit and boots, but there's not much she can do with lines like: "Brain? What..is..Brain?"  Rating ** 1/2  

Shatner:  Although we get some Grade A No.1 Shatner Ham during Kirk's attacks of pain,  Shatner gives a suprisingly serious and energetic performance. Given the silliness of the script, he deserves applause.  Rating ***

Spock/McCoy:  The acting of Kelly and Nimoy is the highlight of the episode, reaching its peak in the last scenes where McCoy must perform brain surgery on Spock. Nimoy perfectly portrays a mind controlled body and disembodied "brain", while McCoy is suitably concerned about doing an almost impossible task. Like Shatner, these two actors speak the ridiculous dialogue with so much sincerity/skill one can only admire them.  Rating ***

Supporting Characters:   Sulu, Checkov, Uhura, and Scottie are all given a few lines, but mostly stay in the background 

Overall Rating:  I reluctantly included this episode in my 12 worst episode list. There are a lot, lot, worse episodes. While its very juvenile and silly, it moves at a fast clip, is  well acted, and has lots of  humor, both intentional and unintentional. Unlike the other "Worst episodes", its neither boring nor badly executed. And the brain surgery scene and the scene where Kirk must choose which planet to land were engaging.  If only the rest of the story wasn't so incredibly stupid!  And the cheapness of the sets and custumes was off-putting.  At bottom though the script is to blame. You simply can't make a serious episode while uttering nonsense like "where is Spock's Brain?" or  "We must find his brain".    Rating:  **