Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelly, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett and Grace Lee Whitney
Out to buy on DVD 06/12/04
"I'm a doctor Jim"
Dr McCoy
Space...The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise. Its 5-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Spock's Brain
The Enterprise is intercepted by a starship of unknown design and a woman
from the ship beams directly into the bridge and uses a device to render
the Enterprise's crew unconscious. She then walks over to Spock... When
the crew awakens, McCoy summons Kirk to sickbay and informs him that the
alien visitor apparently removed Spock's entire brain without even performing
surgery.
The Enterprise
Incident
Captain Kirk, acting tense and irrational, orders the Enterprise straight
into the Neutral Zone for no reason. Romulan warships capture the Enterprise,
and Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Romulan flagship.
The Paradise
Syndrome
Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to a planet to inform any inhabitants that
they must evacuate the planet due to an approaching asteroid's imminent
collision. A society similar to Native American Indians has arisen on the
planet, but near their villages, the landing party finds a strange obelisk
whose design and construction is far beyond the capabilities of the planet's
natives.
And the Children
Shall Lead
Kirk and the crew, visiting a scientific colony manned by several human
families, are shocked to find that all but the children have died violently
- and the children do not seem to care about anything but playing.
Is There In Truth
No Beauty?
...or is there in beauty no truth? Miranda Jones, a telepath who studied
mental disciplines on Vulcan, arrives with Ambassador Kolos, a Medusan -
an alien life form whose physical form is so hideous, humanoid life forms
are driven insane if they look upon him.
Spectre Of The
Gun
A Melkotian warning buoy is unwittingly destroyed by Kirk and the Enterprise.
When Kirk beams down with a landing party, the owners of the buoy, fearing
that a pointlessly violent race has entered their space, trap the Enterprise
officers in a replica of Tombstone, Arizona (drawn from Kirk's mind) and
force Kirk and company to play out the roles of the Clanton Gang - doomed
to lose the gunfight at the O.K. Corral at sundown!
Day Of The Dove
Having both received distress calls from a besieged planet, the Enterprise
and a Klingon ship arrive simultaneously, and Kang, the Klingon captain
and his crew capture the landing party and force Kirk to beam them aboard,
but Kirk gives the emergency signal and the Klingons do not re-materialize.
Little do they know that, an alien being has also beamed aboard the Enterprise
when they brought the Klingons on board.
For The World
Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky
McCoy tells Kirk that the most recent routine medical exams of the entire
crew have revealed a case of a terminal but non-contagious disease. The
victim is McCoy himself. Kirk recommends that the doctor resign immediately,
but before the discussion gets any further, Kirk leads Spock and McCoy on
a landing party mission to the asteroid-like vessel called Yonada, carefully
disguised inside to make it appear to the humanoid inhabitants that they
are on the surface of a planet.
The Tholian Web
The Enterprise arrives at the last known position of the U.S.S. Defiant
(NCC-1764), an area of uncharted space, to search for the missing starship.
When the Defiant appears on the viewing screen enshrouded in a strange green
glow, Spock is unable to scan the vessel on his sensors. Kirk beams over
to the Defiant with a boarding party to investigate and finds the entire
crew dead.
Plato's Stepchildren
The Enterprise is summoned urgently to assist the seriously ill Parmen,
head of the planet Platonius. After McCoy manages to give Parmen the necessary
elixirs, Parmen and his fellow Platonians use immense telekinetic powers
to force Kirk, McCoy and Spock to stay on the planet and behave as puppets
to Parmen's whim for their amusement. The only Platonian showing disgust
at the others' abuse of their power is Alexander, but he is also apparently
the only Platonian incapable of telekinesis, and he cannot assist the landing
party as they try to escape Parmen's control.
Wink Of An Eye
When a landing party investigating Scalos begins to vanish one by one, Kirk,
Spock and McCoy try to find out what is happening before more of the crew
disappears, until Kirk himself is abducted. Kirk finds the cause to be a
group of endangered Scalosians who move faster than human sight or hearing
can detect.
The Empath
Kirk, Spock and McCoy search for two missing scientists on a planet whose
sun is about to explode, but they only find visual logs that show the scientists
disappearing. Then the landing party disappears as well, finding themselves
trapped by two aliens who snatched the scientists away and experimented
on them until they died.
Elaan Of Troyius
The Enterprise is ordered to ferry Ambassador Petri of Troyius to up the
dohlman of Troyius's sworn enemy, the world of Elas. The dohlman turns out
to be Elaan, one of the most striking examples of the women of Elas, whose
tears, according to legend, leave any man susceptible to her charms.
Whom Gods Destroy
The Enterprise is carrying a new drug to the mental hospital on Elba II,
where it is hoped that the last dangerously insane patients in the Federation
can finally be treated. But when Kirk and Spock beam down, they do not realize
that the facilities have been taken over by the inmates, led by Garth, a
former Starfleet captain who has also become a shape-shifter.
Let That Be
Your Last Battlefield
Two natives of the planet Cheron are brought aboard after one of them helps
the Enterprise chase the other down after he had stolen a shuttlecraft from
a Federation starbase. Bele and Lokai, however, have a dispute that goes
far beyond a simple pursuit of a criminal. Their hatred - and, indeed, the
entire shuttlecraft incident - is rooted in a deep racial prejudice, which
threatens to engulf not only them, but also the Enterprise and Kirk's crew.
The Mark Of Gideon
Kirk is planning to beam down to the overpopulated planet Gideon to meet
with the leaders, but apparently arrives at the wrong place in a transporter
malfunction. Kirk finds himself aboard the Enterprise, but cannot locate
anyone else aboard except for Odona, who offers no answers to his bafflement
at why no one is aboard the ship but him.
That Which Survives
Kirk leads a landing party to do a geological survey of an unexplored planet,
but before they beam down, they see a woman appear out of nowhere in the
transporter room and kill a crewman simply by touch, and then she disappears.
Her appearance also affects the Enterprise, sending it well out of communications
range, trapping Kirk and his team on the planet's surface.
The Lights Of
Zetar
En route to Memory Alpha, the home of the Federation's largest library/computer
banks, the Enterprise is transferring Lt. Romaine to her next assignment,
overseeing refits and new installations on Memory Alpha. A cloud of energy
intercepts the ship and wreaks havoc with the Enterprise's instruments and
crew, affecting various crewmembers' brains in different ways and causing
Lt. Romaine to pass out.
Requiem For Methuselah
On an urgent mission to procure the antidote to a serious plague which threatens
the entire crew of the Enterprise, Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to Holberg
917-G to contact Flint in hopes of finding either the remedy or the raw
material from which to extract it. Flint's lovely female android, Rayna,
begins to create a rivalry between Kirk, for whom she begins to feel true
love, and Flint, who created Rayna to provide him with companionship.
The Way To Eden
Pursuing the USS Aurora, which has been stolen, Kirk beams the Aurora's
crew aboard the Enterprise when the sustained high-speed pursuit overloads
the stolen vessel's engines, destroying the ship. The thieves turn out to
be a motley assortment of "hippies," including noted scientist Dr. Sevrin.
Another of the throwbacks is the son of a Federation ambassador, leading
Starfleet Command to order Kirk to allow his new passengers to roam the
Enterprise freely.
The Cloudminders
Beaming down to pick up a consignment of zenite from the planet Ardana,
the home of Stratos, a city that floats above the surface of the planet,
Kirk and Spock, who are there to pick up a consignment of zenite, are ambushed
by mineworkers known as Troglytes. The attack is cut short by the arrival
of Plasus, a high advisor from Stratos, who says that a disruptive group
of protesting Troglytes probably stole the zenite shipment, which was missing.
The Savage Curtain
Over the planet Excalbia, the Enterprise is intercepted by who appears to
be Abraham Lincoln, floating through space. Beaming aboard, Lincoln is welcomed
by Kirk, who is somewhat awed by the presence of one of his most revered
figures of history. "Lincoln" extends an invitation to Kirk and Spock to
visit the planet, whose normally lava-covered surface sprouts a zone of
Earth-like safety just for the landing party.
All Our Yesterdays
Arriving at the moon Sarpiedon, whose mother planet is due to explode in
three hours, Kirk, Spock and McCoy find just what the ship's sensors indicated
on the surface - no life forms, though an advanced civilization obviously
once existed. But they then find several copies of Sarpiedon's librarian,
Mr. Atoz. Some of the clones are helpful, others belligerent, but they all
tell the landing party that all the people of Sarpiedon have already escaped
to safety, and Atoz, thinking that Kirk and the others are natives who arrived
late, advises them to do the same.
Turnabout Intrude
Visiting Dr. Coleman and the ailing Dr. Lester, a colleague of Kirk's from
Starfleet Academy who has always envied him due to her inability to achieve
a captaincy in a male-captains-only Starfleet, Kirk is rendered unconscious
by Lester. It turns out to have been a trap, and Lester puts herself and
Kirk into an unknown device that transfers their minds into one another's
bodies.
The Cage
The United Space Ship Enterprise (NCC-1701), commanded by Captain Christopher
Pike, discovers an old-style radio distress signal from the Talos star group.
Upon investigation, the landing party discovers survivors of an expedition
whose ship crashed on Talos 18 years ago. Among the group is a young female
woman, Vina. Pike and the landing party soon discover that the survivors
and their encampment are only an illusion placed in their minds by the Talosians
who manage to capture Captain Pike. While being imprisoned, Pike uncovers
the Talosian's plans to repopulate their war-ravaged planet using himself
and Vena as breeding stock.
On 3rd June 1969 the third series of a Star Trek ended after US network NBC finally decided to pull the plug but was the last season of the legendary that bad to the point that the executives would cancel the show? Definitely not.
The final season of the Original Series on Television wasn't as good as the previous two but it was still extremely good science fiction. After been saved from cancellation at the end of the second season by the show's passionate fan base, NBC commissioned a third series but didn't really know what to do with it. Moving the show from its regular 8pm Monday slot to 10pm Friday was really the kiss of death for the series as most of its core audience (12-35 year olds) would either be in bed or out at that time. Because of this series creator Gene Roddenberry gave up creative control of show after been disillusioned with the network's decision and a new show-runner was bought on board, taking the show in a slightly different direction.
The third season was a very mixed bag when it came to storylines. There are some shows that fans remember very fondly. 'Spectre of the Gun' sees Kirk and the crew transported into a virtual recreation of Tombstone and they have to fight for their lives at the OK Corral. This is an episode that gave Walter Koenig's Chekov the chance to shine and was probably his biggest participation in the series entire run. 'Plato's Stepchildren' continued Star Trek's reputation for breaking boundaries. The show included the first ever interracial kiss seen on US television between Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura. In the 1960s, when racial tension was extremely high, this was a groundbreaking piece of television but it wasn't a publicity stunt to boost rating, it was an integral part of the episode's plot. The episode that the third season is mostly remembered for is 'Spock's Brain', in which the first officer's brain is taken by a female alien invader. This was science fiction as its most kooky and fun for Star Trek and while you might laugh at the episode, you can't help but like it.
The Original Series of Star Trek is classic science fiction television. While the third series might not be as groundbreaking as the previous two, there was still enough good material here for the show to have completed its five-year mission. You have to ask yourself however, if NBC hadn't cancelled it however would we have had all the spin off movies and TV series?
PICTURE & SOUND
Presented in full frame 4:3 with a Dolby Digital 5.1 sound track, the transfer is very good, especially when you take into account that the show is almost forty years old. There are some slightly grainy scenes, mainly during the special effects shots, but not enough to derail your enjoyment. Aside from that, the picture quality is very sharp, enhancing the exuberant colours of the era. The sound is also very good, with clear dialogue and a real chance for the trademark music to fill the speakers.
BONUS FEATURES
To Boldly Go… Season Three (22.27 mins)
Producer Robert Justman, Star Trek novelist Bjo Trimble and stars William
Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig
talk about the third and final season of the Original Series. The group
reveal their theories about why the series was cancelled and how it affected
them at the time. They also talk about their favourite shows from the season
including Spectre of the Gun, Plato's Stepchildren and Spock's Brain.
Life Beyond Star Trek: Walter Koenig (10.48 mins)
Pavel Chekov himself, Walter Koenig talks about what Star Trek meant to
him and his career. He discusses what he did after the show and his great
passion in life, collecting. He gives you a tour around his huge collection
of Star Trek memorabilia and his other collections.
Chief Engineer's log (6.01 mins)
James Doohan talks passionately about his role as Scotty in the series.
He reveals how Gene Roddenberry and he created the character and his nationality.
He talks about his favourite episodes that include 'Wolf in the Fold', 'Doomsday
Machine' and 'Trouble with Tribbles' and he also discusses what it was like
to appear on The Next Generation.
Memoir from Mr Sulu (8.32 mins)
The man who played the Enterprise helmsman and Excelsior Captain, George
Takei talks about what Star Trek means to him and how the series has affected
his life. He also reveals how his profile has allowed him to be associated
with the Japanese/American Museum and how he would like to see a Captain
Sulu series.
Production Art
Your chance to view original set and gadget designs by Star Trek Art director
Matt Jefferies
Star Trek's Impact (8.53 mins)
Gene Roddenberry's son Eugene 'Rod' Roddenberry reveals how he sees the
series. He talks about his favourite episodes 'The Cage', 'Devil in the
Dark', 'Catspaw', 'City on the Edge of Forever', 'Shore Leave' and 'Trouble
with Tribbles. He also discusses his father's philosophy behind the show
and the impact it had on television.
Collectible Trek (14.26 mins)
Star Trek archivist Penny Juday, model and miniature designer John Long,
Eugene 'Rod' Roddenberry and star Leonard Nimoy reveal what is the most
sort after Star Trek memorabilia and how much it is worth. The group take
us through the hundreds of Star Trek merchandise items and original props
from the series that are how worth thousands of dollars. We also get to
see some of the new merchandise that is been produced by Art Asylum.
A Star Trek Collector's dream come true (6.56 mins)
Model and miniature designer John Long reveals how he got the job of replicating
the original series props for merchandise sale. Items include the Phaser,
communicator and the original series phaser rife.
Easter Eggs - Red Shirt Logs (12.54 mins)
Hidden featurettes featuring stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and George
Takei revealing secrets from the Star Trek universe.
Star Trek Deep Space Nine DVD Trailer (4.49 mins)
An extended preview of the third Star Trek series as it hits DVD. With interviews
of executive producer Rick Berman and stars Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor,
Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell and Andrew J. Robinson.
Star Trek: The Next Generation DVD Trailer (1.10 mins)
A short trailer advertising the DVD release of the first Star Trek spin-off
series
Star Trek: Voyager DVD Trailer (2.20 mins)
A preview of the DVD release of third spin-off series as the crew of the
Starship Voyager tries to get home.
OVERALL
Paramount has done an excellent job with the Original Series on DVD. Star Trek fans can rejoice in the knowledge that the third series is just as good as the previous two. The standard of the extras is again extremely high, offering not only an insight into the series but a look at the lives of the actors that played the parts as well. It was extremely moving to see an ill James Doohan talk so passionately about Scotty. The only real shame is the omission of any commentary tracks as it would have been a real bonus to listen to the crew comment on their favourite episodes. This aside, the package is another fine example of how a classic TV show should be treated on DVD. Take an away team down to your local DVD supplier and beam it into your collection.
DVD
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