Star Trek: TOS [Balance of Terror - Ft. Clay]
Вставка
- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- We meet the Romulans, blow up a nuke, and almost have a wedding!
The podcast is continuing its examination of Star Trek! Having finished TNG, we are moving on to cover a small selection of Original Series episodes. Join us as we discuss the crew and captain that started it all!
Is Kirk the best captain? Is The City on the Edge of Forever the best episode in the series? Who'd win in a fight, Spock or Scotty? All this and more!
Audio feeds for the podcast:
► Website: thepenskypodcas...
► iTunes: itunes.apple.c...
► Pocket Casts: pca.stzmEJ
► Stitcher: www.stitcher.co...
► RSS Feed: thepenskypodcas...
Support the podcast on Patreon!
► / thepenskypodcast
Connect with The Pensky File:
► Blog: thepenskyfile.com
► Twitter: / thatpenskyfile
► Facebook: / thepenskypodcast
► Board Game Geek: boardgamegeek.c...
► E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo (at) gmail
If you enjoyed this video, please consider hitting the "Like" button. It's a huge help to me!
Music by Ninichi: @ninichimusic and ninichimusic.com
Artwork by David MaxMax: / davidmaxmax
You know that episode of Seinfeld called “The Barber”, where George is hired to work on the “Pensky File”? George has no idea what that file contains, or what he's supposed to do with it. I think that sums up this UA-cam channel! I don't have a dedicated format or specific focus, but I try to cover a general swath of gaming and entertainment topics.
Thanks for watching!
![Star Trek: TOS [Arena - Ft. Modi Operandus]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OhLe_xvZnaI/mqdefault.jpg)
![Star Trek: TOS [Arena - Ft. Modi Operandus]](/img/tr.png)
![Star Trek: TOS [The Devil in the Dark - Ft. Mark]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QDlgvjotaRI/mqdefault.jpg)
I don't remember if it's made explicit, but I always took it that the Romulans are attacking the outposts to test their super weapon and to find out what the Federation's response would be.
Also in the discussion between the Romulan commander and the centurion they talk about obtaining proof of the earth men's weakness being the signal for war. And war and conquest (marshal philosophy as Spock calls it) are what the Romulans are all about.
I think the stand out moment in this episode was the McCoy "Don't destroy the one called Kirk" speech. Great both for the Kirk/Bones relationship but also brave for 60s TV in showing that Kirk had private doubts but that enhanced rather than weakened the character.
I do have to give Kirk credit for how nuanced he is as a character. The parody/exaggerated version of him as a pop culture reference doesn't really jive with the real version.
The episode clearly states that the Romulan ship was sent by their praetor to provoke a Federation response. If it had escaped, the praetor could confidently start a war.
It sure did state that very fact. Spock and Stiles both alluded to the danger of showing weakness to the Romulans. Their mission was a recon in force to determine the capabilities of Starfleet. That is why Kirk pursued them back into Romulan space to destroy them. This was a remarkable episode.
Isn't the Khan quote "From hell's heart I stab at thee,.."
from Moby Dick?
Yes, Ahab says it, I believe
Oh my...Khan's line is Ahab's final line in Moby Dick, and plays on the revenge theme.
It's these episodes right here that just shows just how wildly off the mark the cartoon parody of TOS Kirk in Star Trek XI, XII and XIII was. Kirk was not some kind of immature frat boy that acted like an out of control renegade.
It may not be the "best" TOS episode but This Side of Paradise is my favorite TOS episode. It has a nonviolent yet dangerous dilemma for Kirk, and it feels like the first major examination of Spock's character, setting the groundwork for Amok Time and Journey to Babel.
If I were to compress TOS Season 1 into a single 8 episode best of, I'd pick:
1. The Corbomite Maneuver
2. Balance of Terror
3. Arena
4. Space Seed
5. This Side of Paradise
6. The Devil in the Dark
7. Errand of Mercy
8. The City on the Edge of Forever
Also, I believe the intent of the Romulans in this episode is the probe the Federation's Military capacity. Their flagship gets to attack the Federation to gauge their response, tactics and strategy, if they get caught and destroyed, the Romulan government can just say it was a renegade ship like the Red October. The Federation would probably not go to war over one ship, and one of the reasons the Romulan Commander doesn't want to his mission to succeed is because it means an expansionist war against the Federation, and Mark Lenard portrays a Commander that has already seen war and has grown weary of it, even as his experience as a Captain is considerable.
I also like this episode very much! However, there are numerous inconsistencies that almost ruin it for me. First, starships are not submarines or surface ships- you don't have to whisper onboard a spaceship. 2nd, initially Uhura is sending multiple challenges, almost immediately followed by Spock conjecturing that "They may not know of our presence." 3rd, When the Romulan ship is hit dirt, rocks & stuff falls from the ceiling like they're in a cave rather than a starship. 4th, phasers alternatively act like photon torpedoes (short energy bursts that explode) vs. a directed energy beam. I think this was before photon torpedoes introduced. 5th, Starships are SO fragile! They are always breaking after brief use or first attack. Things always seemed to break with nearly fatal consequences during every space battle. 6th, No matter what other advantages the Romulans have- being able to Warp in and out of battle is an overwhelming advantage (Strangely, Kirk does not utilize this advantage). Finally, as a 10-year-old boy; I was always happy to see Uhura's legs and butt! ;-)
Tnis episode also inspired Nicolas Meyer's naval interpretation in The Undiscovered Country.
I do like how the navy gradually influenced the TOS films.
It makes a lot of sense, since space and black water have a lot in common, and even the use of water tanks for training astronauts (or in the case of China, faking orbital footage). Spock's comment in Wrath of Khan makes a point of Khan using surface (2D) thinking, which was his downfall. I've always enjoyed submarine movies for that reason.
When NBG moved the series to Fridays at 10, Roddenberry quit the series. Fred Freiberger was brought in to produce.
I think this episode has the best conference room scene so far, it really sets up the Kirk-Spock-Bones trio for the rest of the series, and even though the marriage cliche starts with this episode I felt that they played it off rather decently with the couples scenes. There wasn't a ton of effort, but the scenes in the phaser room I think really add to making the ship feel like a real crew of a couple hundred or so.
I think the only problem I had was what you mentioned, the not-Chekhov helmsmen with an attitude kinda sticks out between the series of episodes we've watched so far, but crew interactions are generally the strongpoint of TOS, and it's decently strong here too despite that.
When I was watching this with my sister, she pointed out, "every shot of the Romulan ship is in the same, tiny room, and the actor that plays the captain is always hanging off a different part of the set doing his best to look really upset. It looks so hokey!"
I turned to her and asked "do you know how little the budget was on this show?"
Also I see you guys have borrowed Trekabout's rating system hahahah
If you mean the "something out of something random episode items", i give this comment 4 out of 5 thumbs up.
I think the Romulan bridge is actually pretty effective! It's low budget, but feels very much like a submarine.
The Pensky File Agreed; as if it wasn't clear enough, both the Romulan captain and Spock look through periscope-like instruments
agreed! I get claustrophobic just _looking_ at the damn thing.
The Galileo seven is a good episode of Kirk being stupid. That's how I remember it anyway
I think I only remember shuttlecrafts in that episode? Is that their debut?
The Pensky File yes I think so. He's gotta get medical supplies to a plant suffering from a deadly plague but sense they have 5 days he's sends Spock and a crew to investigate a quasar like formation. I just remember I kept asking in my head "can't they just deliver the supplies and come back to investigate it?".
The ol' deliver and investigate!
I accept that it might be the most consistently good TOS episode, but I think 'City On The Edge...' has some stronger elements. The only problem I really have with 'B.o.T' is that the Romulan scenes are VERY theatrical. Mark Lenard is an excellent actor with real charisma and screen presence, but the Roman concept for those scenes really grates on me. And the idea that Spock accidently activating the science station controls could give away the position of the Enterprise to the Romulans IN THE VACUUM OF SPACE.....I have no adequate words. It's the equivalent of X-Wing fighters being able to jump to hyperspace without assistance in 'Jedi'. Like Mike Stoklasa of Red Letter Media I called BS when I first saw that in 1983.
X-Wings have always been Hyperspace capable, even before Jedi. in ESB Luke travels Hoth-Dagobah-Bespin
severindrax, the hyperspace travel issue is fudged in 'Empire'. We don't know how long it takes Luke to travel to Dagobath, or how long it takes the Falcon to get to Bespin. We never see Luke's x-wing go to hyperdrive. We cut away from it and back to it travelling at sub-light speed. Apparently there were to be more Rebel ships in the fleet in 'Jedi' (a greater variety of ship designs), but cost & time issues probably meant that was shelved and therefore the fighters were used to make up the 'numbers' instead of capital ships going to light speed.
so the rebel evacuation of Hoth never happened? x-wings escorting medium transports? One of the pilots Hobbie i think) even says "Two fighters against a star destroyer?" questioning the plan before being told about the Ion cannon covering fire. bit of a naff plan if X-wings couldn't jump away. :)
We never see any Rebel fighter enter hyperspace in 'Empire' never. The cargo transport escorted by the two x-wings fly past the Star Destroyer that was hit by the ion cannon, but it's again left obscure about how the Rebel evacuation proceeds after that. It might sound like nit-picking, but until Jedi the basic ground rules are observed about how the technology in SW works. There aren't inconsistencies and special effects shots are shown just for visual impact that break those rules. Assumptions about what isn't shown are sidelined.
I really like this episode and it is definitely in my Top 5. I agree with Clay that it feels more "Star Trek" than "City on the Edge of Forever". Even though the plot of "City on the Edge...." could have gone into any sci-fi show, it is crafted so well. The writing and acting are all so good. The direction is good. It is such a strong episode.
I do think "Corbomite Maneuver" has a very strong Star Trek-y message. I think the ethos of Star Trek is presented the strongest in that one and in "The Devil in the Dark".
But yeah, "Balance of Terror" is a great episode. I loved the submarine-movie feel. Love Mark Lenard. I love the depiction of Kirk in this episode. I love getting to see the antagonists & how the show tries to "humanize" the enemy. Very Star Trek. Excellent episode.
Balance of Terror, City on the Edge... what fills out the rest of the top 3? :)
I'd say my personal favorite list is City on the Edge, Balance of Terror, Corbomite, Devil in the Dark, and probably Mirror, Mirror, which I find ridiculously fun.
exactly the same top 5 for me, Devil in the dark takes my top spot though
The Doomsday Machine.
Did no one bother to iron the bride's uniform before she dressed for the wedding? That rumpled neckline really jarred for me. Those simpering women! Ugh! Did anyone else pick up the glare Rand gives the bride? "Kirk's MINE, you bitch!"
In "Federation: The First 150 Years" Stiles' relatives are referenced and named.
memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Stiles_family Bran, Rick and Terry.
Stiles in this episode is named Andrew, or John (depending on which wiki you read)
Stiles reminds me a bit of Dave Bailey in "The Corbomite Maneuver."
Bigotry: I see O'Brien muttering about "the damn Cardies" in TNG every time I watch this.
I wasn't sure of the use of the word "casualty" either. I always use it for _deaths._
If they mean wounded, they should say so!
I can't get over engaging in a war where neither of the combatants knows what the other look like, that's great.
I was pleased to have the Neutral Zone fully explained because I came into Star Trek at TNG.
I don't get WHY the Romulans are destroying the outposts, using their unnamed flagship, led by their unnamed commander, er, *WHAT?* And yes, the Roman analogy is very on the nose, I agree!
Why is the nameless centurion so OLD? There's no doubt that he's held in high regard by the commander, I don't get why isn't higher in rank.
And where the did the Romulan nuke come from?
In space, no one can hear you scream, but they can hear the sound of your ship's alarm.
Go figure.
_Of course_ Tomlinson is gonna cark it, No surprises there.
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."
The emergence of Kirk as the warrior captain, so 5 from me.
Thanks Cardinal :)
I think this is one of the best episodes of the series but nailing down anything better may be difficult. There are a lot of subpar episodes with some of the greatest moments in Treklore and it was these moments that made the show. The writers and actors did their best to rise above the budget constraints . One example is the 2nd season episode "A Private Little War". On the surface it's a bit hokey, but underneath it all is a good story and some good character moments. It's one of my favorites, if not my favorite. Apparently it's written as a parable about the Vietnam war, which was still happening when this show was made, which is pretty significant. It also has a very downbeat ending, a rarity in Trek. The swell of melancholy music as the Enterprise warps away from the planet is great and always gets me. My two points are 1.) that a lot of great Trek is dispersed among mediocre episodes so watching only a handful of them may not give you a full appreciation of the show as a whole, and 2.) as I understand you are going to cover only a few episodes I ask if it is possible to review "A Private Little War". I would love to have you read the background of its production and what your thoughts on it are, good or bad. As always a great show. Thanks for the podcast. I appreciate what you guys do and look forward to each one as it comes out.
Hi Larry. We'll try to fit in Private Little War. :)
Thanks for responding. Here's hoping
I wonder if Styles became the 1st captain of the Excelsior. If you recall, Captain Styles was kind of a Dick too.
Probably a relative. The Styles family have a tradition of serving in the Space Service.
An in-depth battle analysis of "Balance of Terror" can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/cVcgBA70yBI/v-deo.html