I'm hoping the "Star Trek" movie will be worth all the hype. J.J. Abrams usually delivers, so I don't think I will
be disappointed (except for him superimposing daddy issues on Kirk.) I'm
probably not going to get the chance to see the movie until this weekend, so
it'll be a while until I can share my take on it.
In the meantime, I'm watching some episodes of the original series to get myself in
the spirit. And what better time to look at some of its best episodes? Now the
new movie requires no prior knowledge of "Trek," but you can't go wrong by
catching these episodes online -- heck, we have them all for you at MSN TV -- or
on DVD.
1. "Amok Time" -- Spock suffers from pon farr, the
biological condition that forces him (and other Vulcans) to return to Vulcan and
mate every seven years. When he goes back, he walks into a trap set up by his
fiancee that has him engage in combat with Kirk. The episode has it all -- the
scheming bride-to-be T'Pring, the regal T'Pau, the battle to the "death" between
Kirk and Spock, along with the best fight music ever. The somber message that
Spock delivers about having not being as pleasing as wanting -- so true!! And
Spock's unmitigated joy at finding out Kirk's alive is priceless.
2. "Balance of Terror" -- Kirk matches wits with a Romulan
commander whose ship has a powerful weapon. And the Federation learns for the
first time that Vulcans and Romulans are related. The episode comes with a ton
of tension, and I love the anti-bigotry message. Mark Lenard does a commendable
job as the Romulan commander.
3. "The Trouble with Tribbles" -- Furry little critters
multiply rapidly, causing chaos both on the Enterprise and a space station. It's
got Klingons! Kirk putting an arrogant Federation bureaucrat in his place! And
one of the greatest reasons for a fist fight starting. One of the prime examples
of how well "Trek" could do humor as well as action and philosophy.
4. "Space Seed" -- The crew wakes up a man who's been in
deep freeze for centuries and it turns out he's a genetically engineered
superman. Don't you just hate it when that happens? The first appearance of
Khan, whose wrath led to what has been the best "Trek" movie so far. Ricardo
Montalban, rest in peace, was truly a wonderful villain.
5. "Journey to Babel" -- The crew attempts to transport
diplomats to a conference, including Spock's estranged father. But a saboteur on
board has other ideas. Another look at what made Spock Spock and another great
guest-turn by Mark Lenard, this time as Spock's father Sarek.
6. "City on the Edge of Forever" -- Kirk, Spock and McCoy go
back in time, and Kirk finds himself caught in a dilemma: let the woman he's
fallen in love with die or let the Nazis win. Not much of a dilemma at all if
you ask me, but there's evidence in the episode to show that Shatner does have
acting skills for all the guff he got. Also noteworthy is Joan Collins
guest-starring as the love interest.
7. "Mirror, Mirror" -- Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura find
themselves on another dimension, where the Federation is a brutal tyranny and
the Enterprise is an equally ruthless place where officers constantly scheme to
advance by seduction, assassination or any means necessary. The episode has
given rise to a pop culture staple: the evil twin with a goatee.
8. "The Doomsday Machine" -- A space juggernaut threatens to
destroy everything in its path.
9. "Arena" -- Because who doesn't love seeing Kirk duke it
out with a giant lizard?
10. "A Taste of Armageddon" -- Kirk and co. intervene in a
computerized war between two planets.
Honorable Mentions: "A Piece of the Action," for cheesy
goodness of Shatner acting like a gangster and "Spock's Brain," because after
watching what is generally regarded as the worst of the original series, the new
movie will have to seem good by comparison.
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