Rating: 
Summary: More camp, plus one thoughtful show
Review: The Way to Eden-The notorious hippie episode is-like many Treks-best watched with tongue-in-cheek. Few episodes offer stronger proof of just how stodgy many of the older white men behind the scenes must have been. Plenty of episodes are sexist, but this one is decidedly anti-youth. On the other hand, if these youths are representative of the 23rd century, who could blame them? There is hardly a tint of idealism present, and they are lead by a madman (although I have no idea how Spock came to this-ultimately correct-conclusion so quickly. This is one of the most embarrassing examples of just how easy it is for an outsider to take control of the Enterprise. Equally implausible are Chekov's lack of loyalty to his insignia (although Irina was attractive), and Spock's participation in the jam session. Skip Homeier, who we last saw in Patterns of Force, is no more believable here as an insane Dr. Severin. The ending on the planet 'Eden' is also extremely rushed (and why? so many earlier scenes were begging to be snipped), although honestly I was ready for the episode to end. One a positive note, this episode is different and it is campy, and those are both things that many of us look for in Trek TOS. Kirk's perturbation at being labeled a Herbert, and Spock's subtle enjoyment of the Captain's insecurity, also make for a few (hard earned) laughs. (2.5 stars) Requiem for Methuselah-This episode, which features the immortal Flint, is one of the stronger late shows. The premise is interesting, and Flint's performance is nuanced and convincing. Reena is also a sympathetic character, and her conflict in the romantic imbroglio is the most plausible. Granted, love can do strange things to people, but both the otherwise-refined Flint and the always-vulnerable Kirk really act like cavemen here. Ri-talin certainly seems to be the furthest thing from Kirk's mind for much of the episode. Reena ends up being the most tragic and sympathetic figure (ironically enough), but it is Kirk who ultimately receives the salve from Spock in one of Trek's oddest scenes. Tidbits: By looking closely at Shatner (not his face) you can tell that he enjoys the Waltz with Reena. (3.5 stars)
Rating: 
Summary: Pure Trek!!
Review: These are two of my favorites. A way to Eden shows a different side of the crew I think. Spock is actually hip for once instead of just clueless to human emotion. He actually has a jam session with the hippies (my favorite part!). Spock breaks out the old Vulcan Lyre, and one of the girls plays a spoked bicycle rim! Sick stuff!! And the second episode features Spock playing the Piano, and drinking brandy!! Kirk plays pool with a hot robot chick, and the rest is just pure Trek!!
Highly recommended to the new and old Trekkie.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Trek!!
Review: These are two of my favorites. A way to Eden shows a different side of the crew I think. Spock is actually hip for once instead of just clueless to human emotion. He actually has a jam session with the hippies (my favorite part!). Spock breaks out the old Vulcan Lyre, and one of the girls plays a spoked bicycle rim! Sick stuff!! And the second episode features Spock playing the Piano, and drinking brandy!! Kirk plays pool with a hot robot chick, and the rest is just pure Trek!!
Highly recommended to the new and old Trekkie.
Rating:
Summary: Yea, Brother!
Review: Two of the worst stories in the history of TOS, but for different reasons. The 'Way to Eden' makes the mistake of trying to be trendy, and so dates badly. What the real problem is though is that it makes the Enterprise crew seem to be the disapproving establishment, especially of all people Captain Kirk. 'Requiem for Methuselah' is at heart a reasonable story with the assertion that one man could be responsible for the work of Da Vinci, Brahms and others. What it completely fails to do is have any appreciation for Kirk's relationships with women. Threre is no way any woman would have Kirk obsessed to the point he would fight for her, he is far to full of his own importance for that. This effectively trashes any credibility that the story would have had because this is the crux of the whole episode. A real pity.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh Dear !!!
Review: Two of the worst stories in the history of TOS, but for different reasons. The 'Way to Eden' makes the mistake of trying to be trendy, and so dates badly. What the real problem is though is that it makes the Enterprise crew seem to be the disapproving establishment, especially of all people Captain Kirk. 'Requiem for Methuselah' is at heart a reasonable story with the assertion that one man could be responsible for the work of Da Vinci, Brahms and others. What it completely fails to do is have any appreciation for Kirk's relationships with women. Threre is no way any woman would have Kirk obsessed to the point he would fight for her, he is far to full of his own importance for that. This effectively trashes any credibility that the story would have had because this is the crux of the whole episode. A real pity.
Rating:
Summary: The Enterprise encounters two wise men seeking paradise
Review: Volume 38 in the Star Trek DVD series offers up a very uneven pair of episodes from the show's final season. "The Way to Eden" is probably the episode that most smacks of the Sixties in a blatant attempt to be groovy, hip, cool, whatever. The Enterprise intercepts a stolen spacecraft carrying Dr. Sevrin (think Timothy Leary) and his followers, all young futuristic hippie types. There are seeking the legendary planet Eden in an attempt to get away from it all and back to paradise. After Spock locates Eden on the ship's computer, Sevrin and his followers take over the Enterprise. However, when they arrive at Eden they find that the planet is as deadly as it is beautiful. The storyline in "The Way to Eden" is okay, it is the transplanted hippies following their guru that grates a bit. It was bad enough when Chekhov showed up with his Beatles/Monkees wig to cater to the younger generation. I do not see any reason to have these people be earnest seekers of a more pastoral lifestyle instead of anti-establishment types. At least they groove on Spock. On the other hand, "Requiem for Methuselah" is one of my picks for Top 10 Star Trek episodes, although admittedly it might be my most idiosyncratic selection. Rigelian fever has broken out on the Enterprise and the crew discovers the necessary antidote, ryetalyn, on an uninhabited planet in the Omega system. However, the landing party discovers a man named Flint, his robot M4 and his ward, Rayna Kapec. Slowly but surely Kirk and Spock put together the pieces of the mystery--e.g., a "new" work written in the hand of Johannes Brahms--and Flint finally tells them his fantastic story. Born on earth in Mesopotamia in 3034 B.C., he was Akharin, a soldier who was pierced in the heart in battle but did not die because of instant tissue regeneration. Apparently immortal he has lived dozens of lifetimes as Brahms, da Vinci, Solomon, Alexander, Merlin and many others (he claims to have been both Methuselah and Lazarus, and let us just ponder the implications of the latter claim, which is probably the biggest gaff in Star Trek history). Having outlived countless female companions he has constructed a woman equal to himself: Rayna is an android. However, Kirk has fallen in love with this perfect woman and refuses to let Flint have her, with tragic results. The epilogue to this episode, in which Spock seeks to ease Kirk's pain, is one of the most touching of the original Star Trek. James Daly plays Flint and brings a nice sense of weariness to the role of a man almost 6,000 years old. I have always liked this episode and Flint is one of my favorite characters from the Star Trek universe. As much as I have ambivalent feelings towards "The Way to Eden," I hold "Requiem for Methuselah" in high enough regard to end up rounding this one up on my magic scale.
Rating:
Summary: The Enterprise encounters two wise men seeking paradise
Review: Volume 38 in the Star Trek DVD series offers up a very uneven pair of episodes from the show's final season. "The Way to Eden" is probably the episode that most smacks of the Sixties in a blatant attempt to be groovy, hip, cool, whatever. The Enterprise intercepts a stolen spacecraft carrying Dr. Sevrin (think Timothy Leary) and his followers, all young futuristic hippie types. There are seeking the legendary planet Eden in an attempt to get away from it all and back to paradise. After Spock locates Eden on the ship's computer, Sevrin and his followers take over the Enterprise. However, when they arrive at Eden they find that the planet is as deadly as it is beautiful. The storyline in "The Way to Eden" is okay, it is the transplanted hippies following their guru that grates a bit. It was bad enough when Chekhov showed up with his Beatles/Monkees wig to cater to the younger generation. I do not see any reason to have these people be earnest seekers of a more pastoral lifestyle instead of anti-establishment types. At least they groove on Spock. On the other hand, "Requiem for Methuselah" is one of my picks for Top 10 Star Trek episodes, although admittedly it might be my most idiosyncratic selection. Rigelian fever has broken out on the Enterprise and the crew discovers the necessary antidote, ryetalyn, on an uninhabited planet in the Omega system. However, the landing party discovers a man named Flint, his robot M4 and his ward, Rayna Kapec. Slowly but surely Kirk and Spock put together the pieces of the mystery--e.g., a "new" work written in the hand of Johannes Brahms--and Flint finally tells them his fantastic story. Born on earth in Mesopotamia in 3034 B.C., he was Akharin, a soldier who was pierced in the heart in battle but did not die because of instant tissue regeneration. Apparently immortal he has lived dozens of lifetimes as Brahms, da Vinci, Solomon, Alexander, Merlin and many others (he claims to have been both Methuselah and Lazarus, and let us just ponder the implications of the latter claim, which is probably the biggest gaff in Star Trek history). Having outlived countless female companions he has constructed a woman equal to himself: Rayna is an android. However, Kirk has fallen in love with this perfect woman and refuses to let Flint have her, with tragic results. The epilogue to this episode, in which Spock seeks to ease Kirk's pain, is one of the most touching of the original Star Trek. James Daly plays Flint and brings a nice sense of weariness to the role of a man almost 6,000 years old. I have always liked this episode and Flint is one of my favorite characters from the Star Trek universe. As much as I have ambivalent feelings towards "The Way to Eden," I hold "Requiem for Methuselah" in high enough regard to end up rounding this one up on my magic scale.
Rating:
Summary: Spock Plays Brahms & Jams with Space-Hippies
Review: Volume 38 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek contains two episodes which document the inconsistent quality of the series third season. The Way to Eden is truly one of the worst episodes in all of Trek, terrible even by the lax standards of the original series' third season. The writers' pathetic attempt to create slang dialogue for the "space-hippies" is only surpassed by the cringeworthy songs they sing. Matters are not improved when Spock shows up to "jam" with the hippies. The Biblical parallels are also severely overdone. Trekker Trivia Notes: Charles Napier, who plays Adam, went on to be a regular in Jonathan Demme's films. Don't blink and you'll see my uncle, Jim Drake, as one of the medical interns in sick bay. Requiem for Methuselah fares a bit better. The landing party is searching for Ryetalyn (not to be confused with Ritalin) to cure a shipboard epidemic of Rigelian Fever, when they meet the mysterious Mr. Flint--a real renaissance man who seems to have no past. This would have been a first rate episode, if it were not for Kirk's severely uncharacteristic behavior. While the Captain has certainly fallen for ladies before, he has never been so reckless as to jeopardize his mission or the Enterprise. (Kirk's behavior could have been explained away as the onset of Rigelian Fever, but the writers never bothered to make that clarification.) Spock again appears in a musical guise here, but this time the music is more palatable. James Daly's performance as Flint is one of the best performances by a Trek guest star. Trekker Trivia Note: James Daly is the father of actors Tim and Tyne Daly. The picture and sound restoration are some of the best I've come across in this series.
Rating:
Summary: "I'M TALKIN 'BOUT YOU!...I'M TALKIN' BOUT ME!..."
Review: Volume 38 of The Star Trek DVD series contains one decent third season episode and one of the most infamous episodes in the entire Star Trek series. THE WAY TO EDEN has to be one of the worst Star Trek episodes ever. By 1969 it was obvious that Star Trek's ratings had hit rock bottom. In order to appeal to the younger generation and the fast growing hippie culture. A bunch of very unhip network executives came up with the idea of bringing flower power to Star Trek. This was a blatant and weak attempt to try to make Star Trek hip. The results are completely laughable. This episode basically finds the Enterprise picking up a band of space hippies. Led by the mad Dr.Sevrin (played quite well by Skip Homeirer) these hippies basically run around the ship singing awful songs about the legendary planet they want to venture to called Eden. Eventually the hippies take control of the ship when their demands are not met but in the end Eden proves to be as deadly as it is beautiful. This episode is really bad. Chekov's relationship with his old flame is totally unconvincing and the acting is so bad it's laughable and the hippie songs will make you cringe. In fact this episode is so bad it's great. This may well be the (unintentionally) funniest Star Trek episode ever! Ungroovy people trying to make something groovy. This episode is a campy joke but that's what makes it a hilarious classic. The other episode here, REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH is actually better but it's overshadowed by the colourful campiness of THE WAY TO EDEN. This episode however has a plausible plot about control and the value of life in general. Good acting and nice plot twists and turns makes this episode a must. Somewhat of a tragic story brings out how serious this Trek outing actually is. This episode ends on a very low note, however it's incredibly effective showing us that (despite the production wos) the Star Trek series still had some life in it, even by 1969. Overall a good pair of episodes definetly worth getting. WAY TO EDEN is so laughable it has to seen no matter what and if it disappoints you then REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH can always compensate for it. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Leonardo DaVinci Meets the Space Hippies
Review: Wow! Could you get two episodes more different than these? The better of the two - though the less entertaining - is "Requiem for Methuselah," which brings Kirk, Spock and McCoy into contact with a cultured older man named Flint (James Daly) and his daughter Reena (Louise Sorel), on an otherwise abandoned planet where the Enterprise can obtain much needed Ritalin (not the kind you're thinking of). How exactly these two came to be out in the middle of nowhere - and fully self-sufficient - is a mystery for the three Enterprise principals to solve, along with that of Flint's unprecedented collection of entirely unknown and uncatalogued DaVinci paintings, Brahms and Beethoven symphonies, Shakespeare sonnets, etc. And just what, exactly, is his relationship to his "daughter," who truly is "the only girl in the world"? This one performs much like the 1950's classic film, Forbidden Planet. The performances are quite good, Sorel especially, whose particulars are as much a mystery to herself as they are to everyone else. The scenery is sumptuous. "The Way to Eden" was the inspiration for the equally laughable later movie series entry, Star Trek V. Truly, nothing is ever funnier than Establishment portrayals of Counterculture, and that's what this one is all about. The Enterprise picks up a handful of space hippies from a stolen space shuttle, who go around preaching, like, really groovy peace-'n-love, man, to the starship's crew - an', like, y'know, Captain Kirk is just so, I dunno, like, not receptive, man. But - WHOA! - SPOCK really groks their scene, dig? He's sympathetic to their desire to find the mythical planet Eden (our equivalent of Atlantis), even if their leader is a middle-aged mad doctor who's a real head-case (Skip Homeier). Well...things don't turn out well. (Bummer!) A prize, to anyone who can watch more than five minutes of the Space Hippies and not crack a smile. If you're not laughing within ten, there's something wrong with you. If you're not cat-calling within fifteen, you're in severe need of medical attention.
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