The Original Series, Season 3: Turnabout Intruder

The Original Series, Season 3
"Turnabout Intruder"
Airdate: June 3, 1969
80 of 80 produced
79 of 80 aired
Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

After three seasons and 79 episodes, the Original Series is coming a to a close. For their last televised adventure, Captain Kirk finds an old flame of his, Dr. Janice Lester, on a distant world, exploring archaeological ruins. She is apparently dying of radiation poisoning and needs Kirk's help. However, her cry for help was a ruse designed to lure the captain into a trap. Using the ancient technology she discovered, she transplants her mind into Kirk's body and vice versa. Her plan is to pretend to be Kirk and take command of the Enterprise. Will Kirk, now trapped in Dr. Lester's body, be able to stop her?

Or will he just go with it?

Conclusion

The Original Series has a habit of putting its odder episodes at its season finales. "Operation: Annihilate!", "Assignment: Earth" and now this one. There's certainly some very interesting things going on in this episode. Some top notch acting by both Kirk and Lester keep the episode from tripping into farcical territory. Some bizarre and anomalously misogynistic remarks pull this episode down. As a series finale, it lacks a certain sense of conclusion, but it doesn't hamstring the show for future movie endeavors. Also, almost every character gets a nice scene or two where you get a sense of how hard the actors were working and how the characters felt about their ship and crew. Overall, this got a three from the both of us, for a total of 6.

The Original Series, Season 3: All Our Yesterdays

The Original Series, Season 3
"All Our Yesterdays"
Airdate: March 14, 1969
79 of 80 produced
78 of 80 released
Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

The Enterprise travels to the planet Sarpeidon to inform its inhabitants that its star is about supernova. They find the planet deserted save one man, a Mr. Atoz working with several duplicates of himself in a vast library. Instead of books however, the library houses what appear to be portals to Sarpeidons past. The people of Sarpeidon have fled into their world's past to escape the nova. Kirk becomes separated from Spock and McCoy when they all inadvertently travel through the portals. Kirk is imprisoned as a witch in the era he lands, and Spock and McCoy find themselves trapped in Sarpeidons long past ice age. With them is a prisoner from another era, a beautiful young woman named Zarabeth. What secrets is Zarabeth hiding? Will the crew be able to get home before the Enterprise is forced to leave the imminent nova?

I volunteer to discover the secrets Zarabeth is hiding...

Vote: What's your pick for the best TOS episode?

In preparation for our TOS Season 3 and series recap, we want to hear from you. Please let us know what episode you consider the best of TOS. Feel free to use whatever criteria you choose. We'd love to hear in the comments why you picked the episode you did. After our recap, we'll post our own Top 10 list. Stay tuned!

What's your pick for the best TOS episode?

If your pick isn't on the list, please let us know in the comments!

The Original Series, Season 3: The Savage Curtain

The Original Series, Season 3

"The Savage Curtain"

Airdate: March 7, 1969

78 of 80 produced

77 of 80 released

Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

Charged by Starfleet to investigate "space legends" about life on a desolate planet, the Enterprise investigates. They are stunned, however, when an apparent replica of Abraham Lincoln appears, asking them to visit this inhospitable world. But when Mr. Lincoln's invitation turns out to be more than was bargained for, will Kirk and Spock be able to extricate themselves before they, and their ship, are destroyed?

Go Space Lincoln, go Space Lincoln, go Space Lincoln Go-oooo!

The Original Series, Season 3: The Cloud Minders

The Original Series, Season 3

"The Cloud Minders"

Airdate: February 28, 1969

75 of 80 produced

76 of 80 released

Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

In a desperate search for a substance which can avert a botanical plague on a Federation colony planet, the Enterprise visits Federation member planet Ardana, only to find a culture riven by economic inequity. Will they be able to navigate the tricky political minefield present in time to rescue the colonists?

So, Spock, was that thing about the penny true, or not?

A Big Trek Birthday Day

Happy birthday to Jonathan Frakes, Diana Mulduar, and the Great Bird himself, Gene Roddenberry.

I have been listening to some commentaries on my TNG movie Blu-Ray set. Frakes is not only a good director but he is fun to listen to, as well. He knows his Trek, too!

As far as Diana Mulduar goes, I always thought she got a bum rap. It was hard to step into the shoes of a (utterly inexplicably) dismissed fan favorite. And while I was happy to get Crusher back, I really liked Diana Mulduar's performance. She's an actress of the finest quality.

As far as Roddenberry goes, I am reading "The Making of Star Trek" right now, and a thing that is often overlooked is how talented a writer he was. I just finished reading his original proposal story for "The Cage," and it is fun to see the differences. Either way, it's a solid sci-fi tale which is perfectly set up for a continuing television drama.

Happy Birthday to all!

The Original Series, Season 3: The Way to Eden

The Original Series, Season 3
"The Way to Eden"
Airdate: February 21, 1969
76 of 80 produced
75 of 80 aired
Click here to watch at CBS.com

Introduction

The Enterprise encounters a group of, and I swear I am not making this up, space hippies. They have stolen a ship and the Enterprise is sent to stop them. They are led by a once famous scientist, Dr. Sevrin. Among the group is an ambassador's son, complicating matters for how Kirk can treat this group, and a former Starfleet Academy student and former flame of Ensign Chekov's. They are seeking the mythical planet Eden, where they will live in harmony with nature, rejecting modern technology. But what secrets are Dr. Sevrin and his group of followers not telling the crew of the Enterprise and just how far will they go to find Eden?

Our mission: To groovily go where none have grooved before!

The Original Series, Season 3: Requiem For Methuselah

The Original Series, Season 3

"Requiem For Methuselah"

Airdate: January 24, 1969

77 of 80 produced

74 of 80 released

Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

The Enterprise is in desperate search for ryetalyn, a substance which can alleviate an outbreak of Rigellian Fever on the ship. They visit a planet heretofore thought uninhabited, upon which they detect the substance. To their surprise, they discover a dangerous defense robot and its human owner, Flint. Will they be able to convince Flint to help them in time to save the ship?

You'll find captain, when you reach my age, that paisley is the only rational choice left...

TNG on Blu?

I just read something I never thought I'd read. Apparently, serious discussions are going on with regard to the possibility of TNG being put out on Blu-Ray. CBS Digital thinks it will be quite difficult due to the way the effects were composited, but they think it can be done.

Check out my sweet-ass Photoshop skills...

Obviously, this is incredibly exciting news. The TOS Blu-Rays are so overwhelmingly beautiful, that the thought of 7 more seasons (or dare we dream of 21?) of that kind of video quality, especially of what I and many Trekkies hold to be the peak of the franchise, is tantalizing. I certainly do not look forward to paying $60 per season (if Amazon's prices on the TOS sets are any guide) for them, but I will.

What is more interesting are the possibilities raised by the quotes from the CBS VP in the article. In saying that the compositing is what presents the problem, this leads me to believe that there is the possibility that all the original elements were shot on film (which potentially can be at 1080p or higher resolution, depending on film stock), and then composited by computer on video (which struggles to get to 480p resolution, depending on how many compositing passes there were). It also implies that these film elements still exist, whether in whole or in part, to work from.

So it seems like there would be two (or perhaps three) possibilities:

1. Film elements from both sets of shots (acting and effects) exist as separate elements, and can be recomposited in higher-definition (1080p? I wonder...) than the original video at whatever the highest resolution is that the film elements allow. This would result in a brand new higher-definition master of TNG, with none of the fuzziness and graininess that the current DVDs display during effects shots.

2. Film elements exist for the acting, but not the effects. Thus, a higher-definition version of the acting portions of TNG could be struck, but new effects shots, similar to those in the TOS remaster (we can only hope and pray to the Great Bird of the Galaxy that the Okudas would be in charge of such a project), would have to be inserted into scenes.

3. Some combination of the above, hopefully, replacing bad nineties CGI.

Anyway, this is incredibly exciting news. The thought of getting something close to the spectacular TOS Blu-Ray sets with TNG content is one I had not dared dream prior to this announcement. It may take a year or two, but I wait with bated breath.

The Original Series, Season 3: The Lights of Zetar

The Original Series, Season 3
"The Lights of Zetar"
Airdate: January 31, 1969
74 of 80 produced
73 of 80 aired
Click here to watch at CBS.com

Introduction

The Enterprise is traveling to Memory Alpha, the Federation's largest library, containing the sum of information from all its member worlds. Aboard is the young and beautiful Lieutenant Mira Romaine, on her way to her first deep space assignment at Memory Alpha. To the surprise of the Scotty and the rest of the crew, Scotty has fallen head over heels in love with her. However, when they arrive at Memory Alpha, the Enterprise encounters a mysterious energy cloud, capable of tracking down the Enteprise at warp speeds, and killing the researchers at Memory Alpha. Will the Enterprise escape this latest danger, and what will happen to the cloud's next apparent target...Lieutenant Romaine?

How much is that Lieutenant in the window?

The Original Series, Season 3: That Which Survives

The Original Series, Season 3

"That Which Survives"

Airdate: January 24, 1969

70 of 80 produced

72 of 80 released

Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

The Enterprise investigates a mysterious "young" planet whose characteristics seem to be way out of line with its age and the surrounding space geology. When they beam down, however, they find that they are being attacked by an enigmatic woman who seems dead-set on preventing them from uncovering its secrets. Will our crew be able to unravel the mystery, and how many of them will die along the way?

I canna take much more of this new set, captain!

The Original Series, Season 3: The Mark Of Gideon

The Original Series, Season 3
"The Mark Of Gideon"
Airdate:
73 of 80 produced
71 of 80 released
Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

On a diplomatic mission to the elusive non-Federation planet Gideon, Captain Kirk finds himself alone on an abandoned Starship Enterprise. What is happening, who is the mysterious woman that he finds roaming the empty halls of the ship, and can they uncover the mystery before it's too late?

Creepy... or sexy?

The Original Series, Season 3: Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

The Original Series, Season 3

"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"

Airdate: January 10, 1969

71 of 80 produced

70 of 80 released

Click here to watch on CBS.com

Introduction

On a desperate mission to the beleaguered colony or Ariannus, the Enterprise encounters a strange interloper - a bi-colored humanoid in a stolen Federation shuttlecraft. When his similarly-colored pursuer arrives, a showdown ensues. Will the Enterprise be able to extricate itself from their conflict, or will Ariannus, and the ship itself, be destroyed?

Riddle me this, Batman... what's black and white and red all over?