Add to that the fact that Kirk doesn't even respond to Scotty's inquiry as to what happened and to the landing crew's perception that they had only left "a moment ago". Instead, Spock simply responds, "We were successful". Brilliant. Then Kirk's command, "Let's get the hell out of here". Eerie and cool as they beam out leaving just the scene of the smoking gateway. Classic.
For all the jokes about Shatner's over-acting, he underplays this scene marvelously. I've watched this for over 50 years, and still tear-up when he utters, "Let's get the hell out of here."
When Spock says "He knows, Doctor. He knows.", its like he's doing the Vulcan equivalent of weeping. Also, when they return through the Guardian, Scotty and Uhura instantly know something is wrong with Kirk. Great acting by all.
@@Charon58 Something else that needs to be pointed out. In Star Trek II it was revealed that Kirk was the only cadet to have beaten The Kobayashi Maru test. Saavik told Kirk that he's never faced a no-win scenario and Kirk said he never believed in a no-win scenario but looking at this episode this was it. This was his Kobayashi Maru test because here there was no way to win. If he had allowed McCoy to save Edith Keeler he would've erased his own history and the the history of his crew and caused the death of millions that hadn't died before. If he had prevented McCoy from saving Edith Keeler he would've caused the death of someone he truly cared about. So either decision he made would've resulted in a grave loss for him.
@@samcrubish1336 Excellent insight my friend. Yes, this indeed was Kirk's Kobayashi Maru. THIS was also a treatise on how the needs of many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. The life Edith Keeler as noble, venerable...virtuous as it was, was not greater than value of millions of lives that would have perished had she lived. And saving the heart of James T. Kirk while significant for Kirk, Spock, McCoy et al, does NOT outweigh the fate of all those lives impacted by the advent of Starfleet and the Federation. THIS one episode perhaps more than any other reveals just how alone Kirk was fated to be. He never settled down and had a family. The death of David underscored Kirk's fate. He was need to "save" the galaxy time and time again. And his end, in Generations, was exactly what and how it should be. Kirk, giving up the life of peace and happiness he would have had in the Nexus, is precisely what he has always done. He has chosen duty over personal happiness. Saving Spock was NOT Kirk trying to buy personal happiness, it was his duty. Kirk needs Spock to temper his judgment and focus his fool rush in approach. Spock needs Kirk to make him comfortable with "guessing" with "exaggerating" (aka lying) and to take risks where doing so would seem illogical. Together, the two of them undertake missions of grave importance to the fate of many!
This was also a great 👍 love ❤️ story!I like it when Captain Kirk takes Edith Keeler’s 🖐 hand,as they walk threw San Fransico.It’s also very 👍 nice how she want’s to help,(Captain Kirk)because,Edith Keeler think’s Captain Kirk is in 👿 trouble!”If you’re in trouble,pleas,let me help!”She say’s.Did you do something wrong!She also say’s.What does Captain Kirk say,after;Let me help?Is it something about Mr.Spock being born on the Planet 🌎 Vulcan!I think,I’ll have to look up the story,here!And,I said it before,I’ll say it again….this is a great,romantic,episode!
I like how Scotty and Uhura seem puzzled at McCoy, and Kirk's lack of happiness when they return. Only Spock can deliver that line, "We were successful." with icy indifference.
"McCoy! Leonard McCoy?" "No Jim!" "Edith!" "You deliberately STOPPED me Jim! I could have saved her! Do you KNOW what you just did?" "He knows doctor, he knows." "Let's get the hell out of here". Transcends all genres indeed.
I wouldnt say he deliberately killed Edith. All he did was let her get hit by a car, but it was her who walked out in front of a moving vehicle. Who's to say McCoy or Kirk hadn't been run over themselves had they tried to help.
I was thinking that if Roddenberry had been hit by a truck and there was no Star Trek, what would America be like? From a previous comment, I would say that right-wing fascism and white-supremacy with religious extremists trying to speak for all American Christians would have been much stronger in the 1980 election, and we would have had the overturning of the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act and Roe v Wade by an extremist Supreme Court 30 years ago.
One of the most powerful endings to any TV show ever. Kirk's face after they come back shows the effect of what he lost and his responsibility for it. "Let's get the hell out of here" was a seminal moment in TV history, as back then, the word "hell" was considered taboo to say on TV. Amazing and powerful work.
Glad you wrote that. In 1968 'hell' was still a profanity. I know its' utterance, and Shatner's emoting affected this 8 yr old. My favorite STOS episode
The only other show I heard using "profanity" around this time was _Dragnet._ Jack Webb used "damn" and "hell" in the dialogue pretty freely in that show, which I thought made it that much more gritty. So when "hell" was used here, that put _Star Trek_ on a different level from the fare at the time and sorta helped break that "taboo" on television.
@@briane173 I loved Dragnet, probably one of the most accurate police shows ever made. A crime occurs, our heroes spend most of the show going over files and doing door to door interviews ("just the facts ma'am"), checking with forensics and drinking coffee.
Shattering finale to probably the greatest ST episode of them all; ingeniously plotted, cleverly written, excellent production, amusing light relief, and great acting all round, with Joan Collins maybe giving her career best performance.
Can't forget about Spock's funeral in WOK. The voice cracks, and near tears. That is an excellent performance as a man who is failing to keep him composure.
From reading about Ellison, he was not a guy you wanted to know. He went out of his way to start confrontations. He thought he was better than anyone else - and acted like it. In my view, if someone is better than most, he does not have to say it or flaunt it, or put down others' work. Yes, he had a great imagination with great story ideas, but what good is that for tv and movies if it can't be filmed? Reading about the making of the episode, Ellison insisted on doing it HIS way, not the Star Trek way. It would have cost the studio the entire budget for three episodes! When the studio objected, he called them untalented hacks. He sounds to me like a childish, but talented person who needed adult supervision. He could get away with things in his books because they weren't filmed. But you can't expect a studio to build elaborate sets when there's another way to do it. In this episode, the studio won and they only went a little over budget. If they followed Ellison's way, it would have meant that two episodes would have no money for filming!
@@The22on You’re correct that Ellison’s draft was not filmable for budgetary reasons, but the actual claims and counterclaims regarding who was at fault for the extensive rewrites on ‘City’ is a more complicated story than that. Just one example: in Ellison’s version, the speech Edith Keeler gives to the downtrodden masses when we first meet her is vastly superior to what was eventually used, and it wouldn’t have cost one more penny to film. Unfortunately after all the delays the rewrite process took on a life of its own, and ultimately went further than it really needed to. That said, it’s still a wonderful episode.
one of the best scenes of the entire series, imo, the music, even the lighting of kirks face when the guardian speaks, and the weight of it all...somethings just transcend genres
Speaking of the production, i thought the set design of the time portal was fantastic. I read that the episode went way over budget. Also, the script called for the Guardian's location to have "runes" which is writing in an old Germanic alphabet. Instead, when the script way typed, the word was changed to "ruins" which accounts for the look of the place. Another interesting fact is that the 1930s street is really the street used on the Andy Griffith show. If you look closely, you'll see Floyd the Barber's shop. They did this to save money, which was going out of control because of script rewrites and special effects. The script rewrites got so numerous, that the original writer, Harlan Ellison threatened to take his name off the credits.
Fun fact: Kirk's "Let's get the hell outta here" was the ONLY "profanity" ever heard in TOS. I do believe this is my favorite episode of TOS. Just classic.
Kevin Hilley TOS: Profanity is only used ONCE in the entire series and it is not a really bad word at all. TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise: Profanity is used multiple times but with not really harsh words. Discovery, Picard: Sometimes harsh profanity is used like "fuck"
Profanity has multiplied ten score in the latest Trek series/films. I think the tv series have more profanity than the latest Trek movies though. Definitively not family friendly for those of us who are traditional.
Yes - the wind is a great creative touch. It adds great atmosphere. I think the script called for RUNES (old symbols), but someone, thinking it was a typo, changed it to RUINS for the set design. Once they built that expensive set, I guess they figured they needed some sound effects to go with it. Anyway, it worked out PERFECTLY. That beautiful set for the time portal looks great. And lets not forget the lighting. It reminds me of the Doors song, Riders on the Storm. I read that they loved the suggestion of adding a rain sound at the start of the song.
@@The22on yes, such effects combined with being so far from home, the idea of how fragile they constantly were from losing that thin tether in space and time called the enterprise.
Phenomenal episode. And the ending...I've watched this episode a thousand times and can watch it 10,000 more, but it will never get old. It's that good.
Everyone in this episode was on point. You can see why it has been hailed the greatest ST episode of all time. Brilliantly written and acted. Still holds a tight grip.
Kirk loves her he really loved her and he should have saved her no matter what he should have just took her back to the Enterprise with him 300 years in the future to the year 2230 !
@@jonjonas2528 There was no Enterprise, or Federation. Bones going back in time altered the future and the crew couldn't contact the Enterprise, because it wasn't there. They shouldn't have been there either, but then there wouldn't have been an episode.
@@CaminoAir The explanation that is usually offered is that the time ripples around the guardian of forever provide at least some short term immunity to being written out of time.
Actually, I think Kirk’s statement at the very end “Let’s get the hell out of here” is even more grim and to the point. You shouldn’t ever mess with time.
Before Kirk and Spock left, Scotty wished them good luck and Uhura said "Happiness at least, sir." Kirk found both but could only have one or the other.
The best ST:TOS episodes were miniature movies, and this one is no different, there were about 5 mini-movies in ST:TOS (incl. Doomsday machine and Balance of Terror.)
She was a wonderful person who was going to cause the worst result of history. One of the many reasons to love this episode is how it shows how complex the strings of time and fate really are, and how their twisting can deliver the worst of pain in the moment that yet can give a brighter future.
You could almost feel his anguish as he stood on the curb. He threw up his hands as if for only the 1st time ever Captain James Tiberius Kirk was helpless to save the day.
"He knows, doctor... he knows".What great writing! A lesser writer would have Kirk responding to McCoy ((because McCoy asked Kirk, not Spock). Kirk would answer, "I had no choice, Bones. One day, I'll tell you all about it".
I go out and look up at the stars... and can't see shit up there because of pollution and city lights. But I bet that before electric lighting, looking up at the stars was cheap entertainment. After all, isn't 'up there' where the gods live?
Mine too. I had to beg my parents to let me stay up on school nights to watch. They didn't have much interest in it but this was probably the only episode my mother ever watched during its' original run. She grew up during the Great Depression so there was some interest in the period aspect of this. She explained soup kitchens and such while we watched. It was gut wrenching for me, as a 6 year old, when Edith died. I don't think my mom expected to have to comfort me when we started watching. I still feel that way every time I hear it, even today 52 years later. Masterful how the sound effects become part of the score there.
vicente romero you would expect Spock to just stand there while Captain Kirk grabs and hugs him... one of the very few moments when Spock's 'Human side' peeks out... Full on emotions of Spock happily greeting Kirk, watch Amok Time', season 2, Epi. 1.
Vulcans maintain emotional control and logical thinking to dictate his actions. Sometimes Spock thinks he needs to purge emotions like in _ST: The Motion Picture._ We see in the series sometimes his emotional control fails. Whether that's because he's half-human or a full Vulcan would experience the same is debatable.
Thanks Logician, much appreciated. My bro died 4 years ago from a brain tumor. I lost my mom 2 days before he died, she passed away from a stroke. Other than that, it was a great week! lol I miss them both, but God has been good to me-I try and think of that most of the time. Just occasionally, when I see this episode....well, you know how it goes. Hope you and yours have a great Holiday season. Peace.
@@pimpompoom93726 You truly are an inspiration (and a master of dark humor). I don't think I'd survive losing two family members in a row like that. But, thank you for taking the time to respond. You have incredible faith and I wish you and your family a beautiful holiday season. God bless 🖖🏻❤.
I feel the same about TAS episode The Counter-Clock Incident. That was my late brother's favorite episode. I get torn up inside when Sarah April asks Commodore April about staying young and living their lives over again.
@@williamhaynes4800 Understand my friend. Every time I see this episode I think of my bro. Hope you and Logicians Vlog have a great holiday season. Life goes on.
My favorite moment of acting in this scene is the look of horror on Kirk’s face when he sees Edith walking across the street. It’s as if he’d totally forgotten about what had to happen in his joy at finding McCoy and then the sudden realization that this was it. This was the moment he had to let Edith die.
"Strangely compelling..to lose oneself..." Kirk says when tempted by the thought of time travel then realizes what the cost can be at the end of the episode.
@DM Sullivan Harlan was an egomaniac and couldn't stomach the fact that ANY version that he had drafted was way too expensive to produce given the limits of TV budgets at the time.
Marcus Asaro. If I could direct Paramount's will, it would be to go ahead and let Tarantino produce/direct a remake of Ellison's "City" with the characters in his original play second revision. The drug dealer, the addict, the murder, the escape to gateway, the shining eternal Runed City (not Ruins City), the 7 guardians, the obelisk, Rand staying behind leading the landing party to fight the alternate crew (yes badass Rand fights the mirror crew of cut throats) the love story, "Trooper" the WWI disabled vet saving Kirk and getting vaporized, Spock having to prevent Edith's saving because Kirk couldn't do it, and then the murder sentenced to an eternity of hell in a sun. If that ain't a Quinton Tarintino Star Trek, I don't know what is.
@@haitolawrence5986 Actually, this ending is what pissed Ellison off. His ending had Kirk bringing Keeler back with them. NBC couldn't afford to do that (oh, had it been a NG episode, it could have been done), so Keeler had to die.
@@dougbrowne9890 No, I think he said that Kirk would rush to save her out of love, but Spock would restrain him. A captain that would doom the world to Nazism and destroy the Federation? What respect or trust would we have for Kirk after that? The crew of the Enterprise showed they were stronger than the common man and do what they had to for the greater good. Just saw a clip from "Bread and Circuses" where Captain Merik had betrayed his oath and crew out of personal weakness, but stole a communicator to free Kirk, Spock and McCoy in the end.
i'd say more like "arguably" i'd lump it together with Doomsday Machine----Mirror Mirror--The Enterprise Incident--Balance of Terror & honorable mention Space Seed
I cannot describe the tingling feeling I get when Kirk says "Let's get the hell out here" and they all beam up and that eerie music plays and we are left looking at the Gaurdian and that beckoning gateway and I muse on what all happened as a result of Kirk, Spock and McCoy going through that portal, the terrible price that had to be paid before they could return to their present. And the camera stays fixed on this portal and I wonder about all the ruins about and how lonely it must be on that world and who else has been there, who built the Gaurdian and where is that race now? It makes you wonder and think.
The last shot, of the camera lingering on the Guardian and surrounding ruins while the lonely wind howls and the melancholy music plays, puts me in mind of a Twilight Zone ending, where something irretrievable has been lost.
This epi was so good that even after watching it at least a dozen times, I can't believe it's ONLY 50 minutes total. It feels like it could have been a feature length film.
The Voyage Home was originally pitched as a sequel to this episode where Captain Kirk finally gets his happy ending. Nimoy stated this episode was the one that influenced the fourth film the most.
Even The Guardian itself seems to almost have "eyes" at the top of its irregular ring. The combination of its smoke curtain during portal display, its voice, and the timely incidental music makes it fascinating to this very day.
I am watching TOS for the first time even though I grew up with TNG and the rest. I kept hearing about this episode and MAN, it lives up to the hype. Kirk, Spok, and McCoy reuniting was an emotional roller coaster. You can see how happy they are, and I bet even Spock was smiling too even though you only see the back of his head. This was crushing because Edith was a good person who could have done a lot of good for humanity but born at the wrong time.
The best episode of the classic series. Seeing it many times over the years, I did notice when they beam back to the ship there are 7 people... with only 6 transporter pads. I guess one is held in stasis until the pad is clear and then brought in situations like this.
I always get chills in that scene when they’re happy to find McCoy, and then you see the truck coming from the right. The absolute BEST episode and even better on Netflix with the new and improved graphics! Who didn’t have a crush on Joan Collins after watching that? I did!
Not sure what I could add to the large number of positive reviews but this was the best episode of any ST and the saddest. I am watching it now even as I type for the umpteenth time, and it still hits me the same way.
And let's not forget how utterly transcendent Joan Collins was. Love at first sight for Kirk -- and for all of us. Her monologue to a group of desperate hungry homeless guys on the possibility of saving the world through space travel is so incredibly.........touching. Her child-like sense of hope and wonder....Who wouldn't fall for her?
We're still a long ways away from solving the world's problems. The Baby Boomers grew up in the 1970s or turned 30 and allowed the Religious Right to gain the political initiative. Meanwhile my Generation X grew up under Reagan and learned selfishness and contempt for their fellow man as well as political paralysis on making the world a better place. Environmentalism, social justice, women's rights, and international peace all were put on hold.
Sandal_Thong, I was born in 1967, and I'm NOT selfish! My late father was selfish, and my late mother constantly worried about me turning out to be like him! It makes NO difference which generation you come from, because ANYONE can be selfish!
I agree this is one of the best scenes. The street accident was a bit awkward, but everything after that was perfect. The music and expressions said it all. No unnecessary dialogue.
arguably the best episode of the entire original series. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were watching a really good movie. Superb sets, score and acting.
*He knows, Doctor. He knows.* 2:15 , 2:30 Bittersweet music made the ending more powerful. The "mission" was accomplished, but at what cost...? (I also love the way the camera stayed locked on that other world with that portal there even after the crew beamed up - that was a nice touch... makes the viewer think).
Of course the ending makes this one of the best episodes ever. There are other great moments in this episode that are worth remembering like Kirk challenging Spock to produce a memory circuit with 1930's materials. Spock becoming incredulous at the gauntlet thrown down by Kirk is a fun memory of the chemistry between Shatner and Nimoy.
Wait but this planet sounds just like the "Mudd's Women" planet. I expect to put our my frying pans on this planet and have the sandstorms "blast them clean" !!!
The ending scene of a transcendant episode made even more perfect by one of the many great musical queues of the original series. The scoring was without equal and a perfect fit...other worldly while at the same time hauntingly evocative and often moving. For me it has always been a main highlight of TOS.
There is more drama in this final 75-second scene on the planet, including the music playing over the credits, than in any ten complete Hollywood movies. Finishing on the time portal instead of showing the ship leaving orbit, or a bridge shot, was pure genius--as though the time portal was the star of the show.
Honestly it's either this or Shatner's paranoid masterpiece Gremlin on the Plane "Nightmare at 20000ft" episode of The Twilight Zone.... He really is possibly the greatest Television actor of all time!
I'm still not over that last cluster fuck they called a movie. absolutely unbelievable even in sci Fi realms of fiction ... nonsensical garbage.. me sad
This is so sad but did you SEE how the Trio ran to each other!? They were so happy to see one another. Kirk, Bones, and Spock all kind of hugged at one point, it was the sweetest thing.
This is the best episode for me. I could not believe that the original writer, Harlan Ellison was so upset over the changes to the original script that Gene Roddenberry made.
...because Harlan Ellison is a professional writer. I am NOT 100% on this but I vaguely recall @ a ST convention in N.Y. so many, many, years ago Harlan Ellison was a speaker. I am honk he said the original ending he had Edith surviving Of course It don't recall everything & this may not be accurate...if anyone else lse was there & recalls please comment...
"Let's get the hell out of here."
That line is a perfect way to end it. Conveys Kirk's pain without explaining it.
At a time when saying “hell” on TV was considered swearing.
Yes. A big deal to say hell on TV then.
@@matthewsvideos8235 I was just thinking about that. I wonder if there was ever any backlash for that.
Add to that the fact that Kirk doesn't even respond to Scotty's inquiry as to what happened and to the landing crew's perception that they had only left "a moment ago". Instead, Spock simply responds, "We were successful". Brilliant. Then Kirk's command, "Let's get the hell out of here". Eerie and cool as they beam out leaving just the scene of the smoking gateway. Classic.
Summer of 2027. That is what I will be saying when I leave the gun loving / right wing USA!
For all the jokes about Shatner's over-acting, he underplays this scene marvelously. I've watched this for over 50 years, and still tear-up when he utters, "Let's get the hell out of here."
He was perfect for Star Trek. Captain Pike was more techie and would have been good as well but for prime time TV Shatner was the best.
"He knows, doctor. He knows." Nimoy delivered that line with a masterful blend of both logic and emotion.
Absolutely! Spock's human side was crying when he said that!
When Spock says "He knows, Doctor. He knows.", its like he's doing the Vulcan equivalent of weeping. Also, when they return through the Guardian, Scotty and Uhura instantly know something is wrong with Kirk. Great acting by all.
Yeah the direction was perfect. Just a subtle look to show they knew something big had happened.
@@Charon58 Something else that needs to be pointed out. In Star Trek II it was revealed that Kirk was the only cadet to have beaten The Kobayashi Maru test. Saavik told Kirk that he's never faced a no-win scenario and Kirk said he never believed in a no-win scenario but looking at this episode this was it. This was his Kobayashi Maru test because here there was no way to win. If he had allowed McCoy to save Edith Keeler he would've erased his own history and the the history of his crew and caused the death of millions that hadn't died before. If he had prevented McCoy from saving Edith Keeler he would've caused the death of someone he truly cared about. So either decision he made would've resulted in a grave loss for him.
@@samcrubish1336 Great observation. I had never considered it. Kirk passed the test, at great personal expense. Thanks!
@@samcrubish1336 Excellent insight my friend. Yes, this indeed was Kirk's Kobayashi Maru. THIS was also a treatise on how the needs of many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. The life Edith Keeler as noble, venerable...virtuous as it was, was not greater than value of millions of lives that would have perished had she lived. And saving the heart of James T. Kirk while significant for Kirk, Spock, McCoy et al, does NOT outweigh the fate of all those lives impacted by the advent of Starfleet and the Federation.
THIS one episode perhaps more than any other reveals just how alone Kirk was fated to be. He never settled down and had a family. The death of David underscored Kirk's fate. He was need to "save" the galaxy time and time again. And his end, in Generations, was exactly what and how it should be. Kirk, giving up the life of peace and happiness he would have had in the Nexus, is precisely what he has always done. He has chosen duty over personal happiness. Saving Spock was NOT Kirk trying to buy personal happiness, it was his duty. Kirk needs Spock to temper his judgment and focus his fool rush in approach. Spock needs Kirk to make him comfortable with "guessing" with "exaggerating" (aka lying) and to take risks where doing so would seem illogical. Together, the two of them undertake missions of grave importance to the fate of many!
This was also a great 👍 love ❤️ story!I like it when Captain Kirk takes Edith Keeler’s 🖐 hand,as they walk threw San Fransico.It’s also very 👍 nice how she want’s to help,(Captain Kirk)because,Edith Keeler think’s Captain Kirk is in 👿 trouble!”If you’re in trouble,pleas,let me help!”She say’s.Did you do something wrong!She also say’s.What does Captain Kirk say,after;Let me help?Is it something about Mr.Spock being born on the Planet 🌎 Vulcan!I think,I’ll have to look up the story,here!And,I said it before,I’ll say it again….this is a great,romantic,episode!
In my opinion, this was the best Star Trek episode ever made.
Doomsday Machine is my favorite (William Windom is incredible in it), but I agree....this is the best one made.
This episode was excellent, but my all time favorite was 'The Galileo Seven'.
This my second favorite. My favorite is A Piece of the Action
i share that opionion.
I prefer "Balance of Power." But this makes the Top 5 easy.
I like how Scotty and Uhura seem puzzled at McCoy, and Kirk's lack of happiness when they return. Only Spock can deliver that line, "We were successful." with icy indifference.
@LisaK71000 yeah if they were only gone seconds , Kirk says HELL here tooo!!!!
WHO HO, A BADDDIE CURSE WOID.s+p HAD A CORONARY
@LisaK71000 SECONDS ELAPSED IN THEIR LEAVING AND RETUNS
Spock wasn't indifferent. He was unemotional.
@@Charon58 .and LOGICAL.Edith KEELER MUST DIE!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shatner should have won an Emmy for this performance! A hugely underrated actor...
Very underrated
Not by us :)
Underrated by all but himself.
@@daleksupreme2913 shut up
@@bsh819 you shut up too.
"McCoy! Leonard McCoy?" "No Jim!" "Edith!" "You deliberately STOPPED me Jim! I could have saved her! Do you KNOW what you just did?" "He knows doctor, he knows." "Let's get the hell out of here". Transcends all genres indeed.
Amazing. Fifty-one years later and it still brought a tear to my eyes.
It's quite all right. It's quite all right dear, because I don't believe in you, either. -McCoy.
One of the saddest endings of all Trek episodes. "Let's get the hell out of here." Scene chokes me up every time.
I wouldnt say he deliberately killed Edith. All he did was let her get hit by a car, but it was her who walked out in front of a moving vehicle. Who's to say McCoy or Kirk hadn't been run over themselves had they tried to help.
POWERFUL PATHOS!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing. Fifty-one years later and it still brought a tear to my eyes.
A Love lost forever ,back in time.
was supposed to be a druggie episode but S+P of time nixed it , so they toned it down alot and made BONES the accidental drug addict
Great art is timeless.
@@iggyarctic5711 lost in the mist of time
MAYBERRY never looked so BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember seeing this on NBC, and hearing Kirk's "Let's get the hell out of here," the first time I had heard someone swear on TV.
This scene went from sheer bliss to sheer agony in less than 30 seconds.
My favorite episode. I became a social worker and a social work professor as a result of this episode. I was 14 when I first saw it.
That’s absolutely wonderful. Star Trek inspires so many occupations, doesn’t it?
Great! Just don't become an SJW. 🙄
@@haitolawrence5986 Why not? That's what the Enterprise crew were all about? Sad little fascists don't like that fact do they?
I was thinking that if Roddenberry had been hit by a truck and there was no Star Trek, what would America be like?
From a previous comment, I would say that right-wing fascism and white-supremacy with religious extremists trying to speak for all American Christians would have been much stronger in the 1980 election, and we would have had the overturning of the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act and Roe v Wade by an extremist Supreme Court 30 years ago.
Edith Keeler was a social worker and a pacifist!
One of the most powerful endings to any TV show ever. Kirk's face after they come back shows the effect of what he lost and his responsibility for it. "Let's get the hell out of here" was a seminal moment in TV history, as back then, the word "hell" was considered taboo to say on TV. Amazing and powerful work.
Glad you wrote that.
In 1968 'hell' was still a profanity.
I know its' utterance, and Shatner's emoting affected this 8 yr old.
My favorite STOS episode
Being a captain is an extremely stressful job, and he sometimes had to make sad decisions, like this one!
The only other show I heard using "profanity" around this time was _Dragnet._ Jack Webb used "damn" and "hell" in the dialogue pretty freely in that show, which I thought made it that much more gritty. So when "hell" was used here, that put _Star Trek_ on a different level from the fare at the time and sorta helped break that "taboo" on television.
@@briane173 I loved Dragnet, probably one of the most accurate police shows ever made. A crime occurs, our heroes spend most of the show going over files and doing door to door interviews ("just the facts ma'am"), checking with forensics and drinking coffee.
He knows, doctor.
Shattering finale to probably the greatest ST episode of them all; ingeniously plotted, cleverly written, excellent production, amusing light relief, and great acting all round, with Joan Collins maybe giving her career best performance.
Not to mention the spooky-cool mystery music.
"Let's get the hell out of here" - Probably the best acting Shatner has ever done.
I think Shatner is more of stage actor, that's where he got his start. But loves to chew scenery on camera.
Can't forget about Spock's funeral in WOK. The voice cracks, and near tears. That is an excellent performance as a man who is failing to keep him composure.
BlueRator classic!
The guardian offers the greatest opportunity for an explorer, but Kirk has seen enough. Great ending.
Agreed.
"For a brief time I was here; and for a brief time I mattered." ~ Harlan Ellison R.I.P.
From reading about Ellison, he was not a guy you wanted to know. He went out of his way to start confrontations. He thought he was better than anyone else - and acted like it. In my view, if someone is better than most, he does not have to say it or flaunt it, or put down others' work. Yes, he had a great imagination with great story ideas, but what good is that for tv and movies if it can't be filmed? Reading about the making of the episode, Ellison insisted on doing it HIS way, not the Star Trek way. It would have cost the studio the entire budget for three episodes! When the studio objected, he called them untalented hacks. He sounds to me like a childish, but talented person who needed adult supervision. He could get away with things in his books because they weren't filmed. But you can't expect a studio to build elaborate sets when there's another way to do it. In this episode, the studio won and they only went a little over budget. If they followed Ellison's way, it would have meant that two episodes would have no money for filming!
A genius mind can never be contained by the minds that aren't.
@@The22on ua-cam.com/video/KD4Lkt4RcVY/v-deo.html
@@The22on You’re correct that Ellison’s draft was not filmable for budgetary reasons, but the actual claims and counterclaims regarding who was at fault for the extensive rewrites on ‘City’ is a more complicated story than that. Just one example: in Ellison’s version, the speech Edith Keeler gives to the downtrodden masses when we first meet her is vastly superior to what was eventually used, and it wouldn’t have cost one more penny to film. Unfortunately after all the delays the rewrite process took on a life of its own, and ultimately went further than it really needed to.
That said, it’s still a wonderful episode.
@jabba da hutt No.
one of the best scenes of the entire series, imo, the music, even the lighting of kirks face when the guardian speaks, and the weight of it all...somethings just transcend genres
powerrful nusic and acting
Speaking of the production, i thought the set design of the time portal was fantastic. I read that the episode went way over budget. Also, the script called for the Guardian's location to have "runes" which is writing in an old Germanic alphabet. Instead, when the script way typed, the word was changed to "ruins" which accounts for the look of the place. Another interesting fact is that the 1930s street is really the street used on the Andy Griffith show. If you look closely, you'll see Floyd the Barber's shop. They did this to save money, which was going out of control because of script rewrites and special effects. The script rewrites got so numerous, that the original writer, Harlan Ellison threatened to take his name off the credits.
@@The22on and musical score was one of the few that was original to the series instead of using production canned music
One of the better and more dramatic episodes.
@@The22on Actually, the ‘runes’ story is an urban legend. Ellison admitted that he’d misremembered the whole thing some years before he died.
0:35 I love how excited the guys are to find each other again, feels so genuine
Yeah I know right? It was like life long buddies reuniting. I always liked that scene.
I loved this scene as a little kid, circa 1977-78...watching in syndication.
Yes! I remember feeling that way when I saw the episode for the first time as a boy....funny now I'm a grandpa:)
You don't see it, but I am sure Spock was giving the same face to McCoy as he did to Kirk in Amok Time when he saw he didn't kill his best friend.
I always love it when friends and family are reunited!
Fun fact: Kirk's "Let's get the hell outta here" was the ONLY "profanity" ever heard in TOS. I do believe this is my favorite episode of TOS. Just classic.
Kevin Hilley
TOS: Profanity is only used ONCE in the entire series and it is not a really bad word at all.
TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise: Profanity is used multiple times but with not really harsh words.
Discovery, Picard: Sometimes harsh profanity is used like "fuck"
@@voyagerfanspianotranscript323 Rios swears *quite* a bit in Picard, but its in Spanish.
Wasn't it one of the first instances of profanity on Primetime TV or something?
@@ct0760 Good question! I honestly don't know but I suspect that by the time this TOS episode aired, some other show may have already done it.
Profanity has multiplied ten score in the latest Trek series/films. I think the tv series have more profanity than the latest Trek movies though. Definitively not family friendly for those of us who are traditional.
The spine chilling sound of the wind
Yes - the wind is a great creative touch. It adds great atmosphere. I think the script called for RUNES (old symbols), but someone, thinking it was a typo, changed it to RUINS for the set design. Once they built that expensive set, I guess they figured they needed some sound effects to go with it. Anyway, it worked out PERFECTLY. That beautiful set for the time portal looks great. And lets not forget the lighting.
It reminds me of the Doors song, Riders on the Storm. I read that they loved the suggestion of adding a rain sound at the start of the song.
The winds of time.
foley artists.. often overlooked.
@@The22on yes, such effects combined with being so far from home, the idea of how fragile they constantly were from losing that thin tether in space and time called the enterprise.
Those winds can sound frightening when bad things happen!
One of the best star trek
episodes of all time.
Phenomenal episode. And the ending...I've watched this episode a thousand times and can watch it 10,000 more, but it will never get old. It's that good.
Ditto!!!
You nailed it.
Yes indeed
Some things NEVER go out of style!
So true, very emotional and well performed by each actor involved!
Everyone in this episode was on point. You can see why it has been hailed the greatest ST episode of all time. Brilliantly written and acted. Still holds a tight grip.
Spock’s We were successful” is the grimmest moment is all of Star Trek...
Kirk loves her he really loved her and he should have saved her no matter what he should have just took her back to the Enterprise with him 300 years in the future to the year 2230 !
@@jonjonas2528 There was no Enterprise, or Federation. Bones going back in time altered the future and the crew couldn't contact the Enterprise, because it wasn't there. They shouldn't have been there either, but then there wouldn't have been an episode.
@@CaminoAir The explanation that is usually offered is that the time ripples around the guardian of forever provide at least some short term immunity to being written out of time.
Actually, I think Kirk’s statement at the very end “Let’s get the hell out of here” is even more grim and to the point. You shouldn’t ever mess with time.
@@db4a “This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.”
The best 3 minutes in all of Star Trek.
You meant 3 minutes and 5 seconds.
@@JWBabaYaga No, I could’ve lived without the first 5 seconds.
That look of terror then agony
On Shatners face, classic trek
Love this episode still.grabs ya
Amazing. Fifty-one years later and it still brought a tear to my eyes.
William Shatner is always a wonder actor!
A too sad scene, and heartbreaking moments... Poor James, letting Edith die was one of the hardest decisions of his life. 😔 She was an angel.
One of the best hours of television you'll ever see.
Before Kirk and Spock left, Scotty wished them good luck and Uhura said "Happiness at least, sir." Kirk found both but could only have one or the other.
@@williamhaynes4800 Good way to put it.
Captain Kirk was forced to make the hardest decision of his life!
The best ST:TOS episodes were miniature movies, and this one is no different, there were about 5 mini-movies in ST:TOS (incl. Doomsday machine and Balance of Terror.)
The way Jim clings to McCoy breaks my heart. The look on his face shows he’s completely gutted. 😔
Gutted...that's exactly the right word....
@@kevinbraden798 Happens to men still so sadly.
She was a wonderful person who was going to cause the worst result of history. One of the many reasons to love this episode is how it shows how complex the strings of time and fate really are, and how their twisting can deliver the worst of pain in the moment that yet can give a brighter future.
Life has way of gutting us all from time to time.
You could almost feel his anguish as he stood on the curb. He threw up his hands as if for only the 1st time ever Captain James Tiberius Kirk was helpless to save the day.
"He knows, doctor... he knows".What great writing! A lesser writer would have Kirk responding to McCoy ((because McCoy asked Kirk, not Spock). Kirk would answer, "I had no choice, Bones. One day, I'll tell you all about it".
@LisaK71000 are you that lesser writer? :p
@@enshk79 I might be lol. i've tried writing a book. I have some cool ideas, but it ain't easy to put a whole world together.
LisaK71000 yes, of course they’d of talked about it.
This episode won some kind of writing award.
Spock's human side was crying, and I'm sure Captain Kirk told Dr. McCoy after they beamed back up to the Enterprise.
I was 13 when I saw this, and a big fan of the show. Afterwards I went outside and stared up at the stars and a shiver went through me.
poetic thinking there :)
and think those lights from above left millions of years ago and that that star may have burnt out allready and died
@@gertraba4484 and that is the most mind-warping thing of all.
I go out and look up at the stars... and can't see shit up there because of pollution and city lights. But I bet that before electric lighting, looking up at the stars was cheap entertainment. After all, isn't 'up there' where the gods live?
Me too bro, me too. I was exactly 13 at the time also. I always dreamed of the USS Enterprise being out there somewhere beyond the night sky stars.
The music that starts after Spock says "we were successful" is my favorite piece of music in all of Trek. Powerful.
Mine too. I had to beg my parents to let me stay up on school nights to watch. They didn't have much interest in it but this was probably the only episode my mother ever watched during its' original run. She grew up during the Great Depression so there was some interest in the period aspect of this. She explained soup kitchens and such while we watched. It was gut wrenching for me, as a 6 year old, when Edith died. I don't think my mom expected to have to comfort me when we started watching. I still feel that way every time I hear it, even today 52 years later. Masterful how the sound effects become part of the score there.
@@bitmapman never saw it in color til the mid 70's and it was all hatched up due to commercials and re-runs................DVD's rule
Music scores in the TOS are often forgotten, but there's literally dozens of great themes and they're the best of all the series.
Nah this was nothing, the best for me was the music from the apollo episode
Whatever it's really called, I always thought of it as "The Loneliness of Command".
Spock showed a lot of emotion being happy to finally find Dr McCoy
vicente romero you would expect Spock to just stand there while Captain Kirk grabs and hugs him... one of the very few moments when Spock's 'Human side' peeks out... Full on emotions of Spock happily greeting Kirk, watch Amok Time', season 2, Epi. 1.
Vulcans maintain emotional control and logical thinking to dictate his actions. Sometimes Spock thinks he needs to purge emotions like in _ST: The Motion Picture._ We see in the series sometimes his emotional control fails. Whether that's because he's half-human or a full Vulcan would experience the same is debatable.
He's half-human, so it's NOT all that surprising!
When Spock says "We were successful" at the end. It conveys so much meaning with so few words.
This and Spock's death in the movie have to be the two biggest tear-jerkers in the whole franchise. Great episode.
I lose it when Kirk dies, in Generations. He, Spock and Scotty are like old friends, to me. I tend to cry a lot, when close friends pass on.
True
For popular tv culture from the 1960s, it just doesn't get any better than this singular episode.
I was born in 1967, so I couldn't watch it until the reruns came out!
One of the finest pieces of science fiction ever. I was 13-years-old when this first aired. One moment of television that rocked my world.
This was my late brother's favorite episode. When I watch it, I think of him.
I'm sorry to hear of your loss, may you and your family find peace and comfort during this time. ❤
Thanks Logician, much appreciated. My bro died 4 years ago from a brain tumor. I lost my mom 2 days before he died, she passed away from a stroke. Other than that, it was a great week! lol I miss them both, but God has been good to me-I try and think of that most of the time. Just occasionally, when I see this episode....well, you know how it goes. Hope you and yours have a great Holiday season. Peace.
@@pimpompoom93726 You truly are an inspiration (and a master of dark humor). I don't think I'd survive losing two family members in a row like that. But, thank you for taking the time to respond. You have incredible faith and I wish you and your family a beautiful holiday season. God bless 🖖🏻❤.
I feel the same about TAS episode The Counter-Clock Incident. That was my late brother's favorite episode. I get torn up inside when Sarah April asks Commodore April about staying young and living their lives over again.
@@williamhaynes4800 Understand my friend. Every time I see this episode I think of my bro. Hope you and Logicians Vlog have a great holiday season. Life goes on.
Thank you, Harlan. Once again you blow us right out of our chairs with your amazing story telling.
It ws actually heavily rewritten by Roddenberry and which became a sticking point between him and Harlan!
Greatest Episode in Television history. "Let's get the hell out of here" what a line that says it all.
My favorite moment of acting in this scene is the look of horror on Kirk’s face when he sees Edith walking across the street. It’s as if he’d totally forgotten about what had to happen in his joy at finding McCoy and then the sudden realization that this was it. This was the moment he had to let Edith die.
He had to hold Dr. McCoy back so history could return to normal!
The sudden jump close up of Kirk's face. Right out of Hitchcock.
This is by far the best and most captivating episode of the Original Series .
Not only TOS..but of the entire Star Trek franchise
"Strangely compelling..to lose oneself..." Kirk says when tempted by the thought of time travel then realizes what the cost can be at the end of the episode.
He was heartbroken for ALL the right reasons!
This is the best episode of star trek, and truly classic sci-fi all around. At times I'm excited, at other times teary eyed. Wow, just wow
there's great TV, then there's this.. Magnificent in every way. One of the all time great TV segments
The director deserves an Emmy for the last 1 minute of acting in this episode. All by itself.
Harlon Ellison has died.😢 He wrote this episode. May He Rest In Peace.
The episode got changed but the essential storyline is Ellison.
@DM Sullivan Harlan was an egomaniac and couldn't stomach the fact that ANY version that he had drafted was way too expensive to produce given the limits of TV budgets at the time.
@@STho205, thank you for the background production notes. I always enjoy knowing about events that surround shows I enjoy.
Marcus Asaro. If I could direct Paramount's will, it would be to go ahead and let Tarantino produce/direct a remake of Ellison's "City" with the characters in his original play second revision. The drug dealer, the addict, the murder, the escape to gateway, the shining eternal Runed City (not Ruins City), the 7 guardians, the obelisk, Rand staying behind leading the landing party to fight the alternate crew (yes badass Rand fights the mirror crew of cut throats) the love story, "Trooper" the WWI disabled vet saving Kirk and getting vaporized, Spock having to prevent Edith's saving because Kirk couldn't do it, and then the murder sentenced to an eternity of hell in a sun.
If that ain't a Quinton Tarintino Star Trek, I don't know what is.
@@LordGreystoke May the Lord Jesus receive him and give his family Peace.
A great ending to a great episode.
I wouldn't call it a great ending but it was a great episode.
@@samcrubish1336 It was the only ending possible. That's what makes it such a classic. 😉
@@haitolawrence5986 Actually, this ending is what pissed Ellison off. His ending had Kirk bringing Keeler back with them. NBC couldn't afford to do that (oh, had it been a NG episode, it could have been done), so Keeler had to die.
@@dougbrowne9890 No, I think he said that Kirk would rush to save her out of love, but Spock would restrain him. A captain that would doom the world to Nazism and destroy the Federation? What respect or trust would we have for Kirk after that?
The crew of the Enterprise showed they were stronger than the common man and do what they had to for the greater good. Just saw a clip from "Bread and Circuses" where Captain Merik had betrayed his oath and crew out of personal weakness, but stole a communicator to free Kirk, Spock and McCoy in the end.
Sandal_Thong, Captain Kirk was smart enough to listen to Spock and restrain Dr. McCoy, because everything would have been destroyed!
Easily the best ever episode of Star Trek & quite possibly the best episode of any tv sci-fi series
i'd say more like "arguably" i'd lump it together with Doomsday Machine----Mirror Mirror--The Enterprise Incident--Balance of Terror & honorable mention Space Seed
Made all the better with Joan Collins. She is a fine actress.
I heartily agree.
To this day still my favorite episode never get tired of it heartbreaking
It is heartbreaking when someone you love has to die!
This TV show gains more respect as the years pass. I've enjoyed it for so long. Everything about it. So iconic. I never get tired of it.
timeless
Neither do I!
So Spock, the emotionless one, says, He knows Dr, he knows.... Brings me to tears every time is see that scene
Spock is half human, so his human side was crying.
I cannot describe the tingling feeling I get when Kirk says "Let's get the hell out here" and they all beam up and that eerie music plays and we are left looking at the Gaurdian and that beckoning gateway and I muse on what all happened as a result of Kirk, Spock and McCoy going through that portal, the terrible price that had to be paid before they could return to their present. And the camera stays fixed on this portal and I wonder about all the ruins about and how lonely it must be on that world and who else has been there, who built the Gaurdian and where is that race now? It makes you wonder and think.
Kind of like The Red Skull on Vormir.
Lots of what-if's in the Original Series. That's what propelled over Buck Rogers.
The last shot, of the camera lingering on the Guardian and surrounding ruins while the lonely wind howls and the melancholy music plays, puts me in mind of a Twilight Zone ending, where something irretrievable has been lost.
Superb. In my top 10 best single episodes of any series ever.
Phillip White quite possibly the best episode of the whole show, and probably the whole franchise
Scotty has a look of, "what the hell happened to them." on his face.
So does Uhura!
It's 2022, and this scene still gets to me, even with knowing what comes...Bravo!!
This perhaps my favorite episode , my fascination with time , reality , etc , stems from this
Joan Collins was terrific in this episode. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
Even to this day, this is the saddest scene!
How is it that I end up in a puddle of tears from this episode? Thank you Harlan.
You. Me. A whole lot of people react the same way. Would that we had the same empathy for real people.
This episode is so good, even after 55+ years, it still gives me chills.
This epi was so good that even after watching it at least a dozen times, I can't believe it's ONLY 50 minutes total. It feels like it could have been a feature length film.
I think, am NOT sure that was the original intent...
Possibly, but it's best as a TV episode!
The Voyage Home was originally pitched as a sequel to this episode where Captain Kirk finally gets his happy ending. Nimoy stated this episode was the one that influenced the fourth film the most.
This episode was the best of ANY Trek episode from TOS to now.
I love the way Uhura strikes that dynamic pose just before beaming up.
Me, too! RIP Nichelle Nichols!
Even The Guardian itself seems to almost have "eyes" at the top of its irregular ring. The combination of its smoke curtain during portal display, its voice, and the timely incidental music makes it fascinating to this very day.
The lack of symmetry in the Guardian was fascinating. Very different than other science fiction creations of that generation.
The best episode in star trek, great acting, never get sick of watching this episode , timeless
I am watching TOS for the first time even though I grew up with TNG and the rest. I kept hearing about this episode and MAN, it lives up to the hype. Kirk, Spok, and McCoy reuniting was an emotional roller coaster. You can see how happy they are, and I bet even Spock was smiling too even though you only see the back of his head. This was crushing because Edith was a good person who could have done a lot of good for humanity but born at the wrong time.
Still the best. I always love when Kirk, Spock and McCoy see each other.
Me, too!
This show, and this episode in particular has had a grip on me since 1966 when I was 9 years old, and it still hasn't let go.
And...Nichelle Nichols *nails* it. RIP Lt. Uhura.
She was so lovely
The best episode of the classic series. Seeing it many times over the years, I did notice when they beam back to the ship there are 7 people... with only 6 transporter pads. I guess one is held in stasis until the pad is clear and then brought in situations like this.
I always get chills in that scene when they’re happy to find McCoy, and then you see the truck coming from the right. The absolute BEST episode and even better on Netflix with the new and improved graphics! Who didn’t have a crush on Joan Collins after watching that? I did!
I still feel sad when I watch this scene!
Her legs were too skinny for me, but her acting in this episode is top notch!
Not sure what I could add to the large number of positive reviews but this was the best episode of any ST and the saddest. I am watching it now even as I type for the umpteenth time, and it still hits me the same way.
ive watched this epidode/scene 30+ times and it still sends shivers down my spine!!!
And let's not forget how utterly transcendent Joan Collins was. Love at first sight for Kirk -- and for all of us. Her monologue to a group of desperate hungry homeless guys on the possibility of saving the world through space travel is so incredibly.........touching. Her child-like sense of hope and wonder....Who wouldn't fall for her?
Joan Collins was a force to be reckoned with on the TV show, dynasty. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
We're still a long ways away from solving the world's problems. The Baby Boomers grew up in the 1970s or turned 30 and allowed the Religious Right to gain the political initiative. Meanwhile my Generation X grew up under Reagan and learned selfishness and contempt for their fellow man as well as political paralysis on making the world a better place. Environmentalism, social justice, women's rights, and international peace all were put on hold.
Sandal_Thong, I was born in 1967, and I'm NOT selfish! My late father was selfish, and my late mother constantly worried about me turning out to be like him! It makes NO difference which generation you come from, because ANYONE can be selfish!
Oh please.......@@sandal_thong8631
I agree this is one of the best scenes. The street accident was a bit awkward, but everything after that was perfect. The music and expressions said it all. No unnecessary dialogue.
The street accident was frightening, along with the "death scream!"
It is also my favorite scene from my favorite episode. The way they take their positions and stand determined.
1:53 Kirk's eyes are filled with pain yet he maintains that captain's composure.
It's NOT easy staying calm when you're devastated!
A good episode, but also heartbreaking--the look on Captain Kirk's face, when he's standing there at the end, says it all.😢
He's devastated, that's why!
arguably the best episode of the entire original series. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were watching a really good movie. Superb sets, score and acting.
It felt like watching a movie, but it wasn't!
The best ever episode on multiple levels
After all these years, I still get goosebumps. My favourite TOS scene ever!
*He knows, Doctor. He knows.* 2:15 , 2:30 Bittersweet music made the ending more powerful. The "mission" was accomplished, but at what cost...? (I also love the way the camera stayed locked on that other world with that portal there even after the crew beamed up - that was a nice touch... makes the viewer think).
Spock's human side was crying, because Edith Keeler had to die!
Great acting from Shatner in this. Especially at the end.
He NEVER disappoints!
Of course the ending makes this one of the best episodes ever. There are other great moments in this episode that are worth remembering like Kirk challenging Spock to produce a memory circuit with 1930's materials. Spock becoming incredulous at the gauntlet thrown down by Kirk is a fun memory of the chemistry between Shatner and Nimoy.
The “whooo” sound on the planet is just perfect
A stupid sound that had the unbelievable effect of making you think you weren't on earth 😅
Craig Durso, the landing party was stranded on another planet, but I wouldn't call the sound effects "stupid!"
Wait but this planet sounds just like the "Mudd's Women" planet. I expect to put our my frying pans on this planet and have the sandstorms "blast them clean" !!!
Haunting...reflected Kirk's emotions perfectly.
I like that at the beginning of the scene there wasn’t any music giving away prematurely what was about to happen.
The ending scene of a transcendant episode made even more perfect by one of the many great musical queues of the original series. The scoring was without equal and a perfect fit...other worldly while at the same time hauntingly evocative and often moving. For me it has always been a main highlight of TOS.
This is truly a very moving emotional scene. It still makes me teary-eyed what happens to Edith Keeler and Kirk's reaction to her death.
Many people still feel that way after more than 50 years later!
There is more drama in this final 75-second scene on the planet, including the music playing over the credits, than in any ten complete Hollywood movies. Finishing on the time portal instead of showing the ship leaving orbit, or a bridge shot, was pure genius--as though the time portal was the star of the show.
One suspects that they knew they had something very special and needed to treat it so.
You are right about the music. They beamed out and you could still hear the wailing from that portal despite the music. Goose bumps.
The greatest episode of any TV show ever.
Totally agree
Absolutely no argument
Honestly it's either this or Shatner's paranoid masterpiece Gremlin on the Plane "Nightmare at 20000ft" episode of The Twilight Zone....
He really is possibly the greatest Television actor of all time!
This three minutes is better than the entire last movie.
cdsilber than the entire three last movies I'd venture.
@ John Phillips Took the words right out of my mouth.
I'm still not over that last cluster fuck they called a movie. absolutely unbelievable even in sci Fi realms of fiction ... nonsensical garbage.. me sad
Agreed. Down with J. J. Abrams!
The only Trek since this that is remotely worth anything is Star Trek Continues and Starship Farragut. Discovery is garbage too.
it was the one episode that had real acting & feeling. its one of my fav's 📺 it reminds me of watching as a kid 😁
One of my favourite episodes, such a sad ending, as witness by the pain on Kirk's face
Such a simple premise, Kirk finds a Time Machine.
And they make it the darkest saddest episode of the show.
This is so sad but did you SEE how the Trio ran to each other!? They were so happy to see one another. Kirk, Bones, and Spock all kind of hugged at one point, it was the sweetest thing.
Absolutely! Being reunited with people you care about is the sweetest thing!
My favorite episode.
This is the best episode for me. I could not believe that the original writer, Harlan Ellison was so upset over the changes to the original script that Gene Roddenberry made.
He was upset, because he thought his script was better. That is the kind of guy Ellison was.
He was a writer. No writer enjoys having their work altered, even if the alterations improve it.
...because Harlan Ellison is a professional writer.
I am NOT 100%
on this but I vaguely recall @ a ST convention in N.Y. so many, many, years ago Harlan Ellison was a speaker. I am honk he said the original ending he had Edith surviving
Of course It don't recall everything & this may not be accurate...if anyone else lse was there & recalls please comment...
I'm satisfied with the way the episode turned out!
Yeah Harlan never read the series-writer's backgrounder manual I believe he had an Enterprise crewmember dealing drugs in his initial drafts ...
This scene makes me want to start crying.
Nothing wrong with that. I have done so many times.
Still makes me cry to see this
Definitely one of the best episodes in Star Trek history.
This is always breaks My Heart Forever 💕🙏😢😢
"Let's get the hell out of here."
That single line is Shatner's best acting...ever.