Rating: 
Summary: Harlan Ellison's classic Star Trek episode (and another one)
Review: Volume 14 of the Star Trek DVD Series offers two of the show's most controversial episodes, albeit in different ways, but both having to do with considerations outside of the particular episode. The Federation and the Klingon Empire have started fighting again and the Enterprise hurries to Organia, a strategically important planet. Wanting the cooperation of the Organians, Kirk and Spock beams down and find the universe's most passive people, who are not at all concerned that the big bag Klingons are coming. The Klingons do show up, stranding Kirk and Splock on the planet where they are disguised as Organians and get to witness the arrival of Kor, the Klingon military governor. Kirk and Spock begin a two-person resistance movement, blowing up Klingon supplies. The Klingons retaliate against the population, but then Ayelborne, leader of the Organians, decides he has had enough of all this nonsense. One of the things I most like about "Errand of Mercy," is that it is one of the few times that the Enterprise encounters a race of superior beings who are not seriously flawed in some way. This also becomes one of the most problematic episodes in Star Trek history, because the Organian Peace Treaty makes it impossible for the Federation and Klingon to go on killing each other. In theory, anyhow (you have to admit, they have the enforcement capabilities); in practice, the two civilizations would continue to have fun with each other in future Star Trek episodes. Then we come to what is clearly the most famous, most admired and most controversial Star Trek episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever." As I would think most people know by know, McCoy goes back in time through the time portal of the Guardian of Forever and changes history. Kirk and Spock follow to set things right, ending up in the U.S. during the Great Depression where they learn that the focal point in time is Edith Keeler, a social worker: Because McCoy will save her life, Edith will lead a peace movement that will delay U.S. involvement in World War II, allowing Hitler time to create the atomic bomb first and win the war (which is not a good thing). Unfortunately, Kirk falls in love with Edith and does not want her to die. Originally written by Harlan Ellison, who has published both the original script and his side of what really happened (that's an understatement), the only thing everybody can agree on is that changes were made in the script. The biggest difference in the two versions has to do with which character prevents Edith from being saved: in the episode it is Kirk, but in the original script it is Spock. Ellison's point was that Kirk was willing to sacrifice the future for love; the powers that be maintained their hero would not act that way. Ironically, these two opinions are enshrined in the second and third Star Trek movies, where we go from the good of the many outweighs the good of the one (Spock sacrifices live to save the ship), to the good of the one outweighs the good of the many (Kirk save Spock at the expense of his career). I have to admit that I very much like both versions; it was years before I stopped crying when I watched the end of "The City on the Edge of Forever." Yet as great as that ending is, with Kirk having nothing to say about what has happened except "Let's get the hell out of here," what Ellison was attempting was even more operatic. Ultimately, what hurts this episode the most is not the great debate over which version is superior, but that Kirk would have a different girl on a different planet for what seemed like every other episode during the rest of the series, which undermines his (supposedly) epic love for Edith Keeler.
Rating: 
Summary: The magically reappearing digit conspiracy revealed!
Review: Well, I'd have to admit that it'd be an understatement to say that this particular volume contains two of the series' most historic eppies. The first show, 'Errand of Mercy', introduced us to the original Klingons, who looked more like members of Genghis Khan's Mongol horde than the ridge-headed warriors of the movie & NextGen/ DS9/ Voyager fame. And of course there's the Organians, whose outward appearance & apparent level of technology belie their true power, which proves to be far greater than the combined might of the Star Fleet and Klingon Forces. Then there's 'The City on the Edge of Forever', Trek Classic's most celebrated & controversial episode. It featured an early appearance by 'Dynasty' mistress Joan Collins, who played the tragic love interest of James Kirk. How... original! Then there's the controversy: writer Harlan Ellison's fight for creative control of this particular Trek has become Hollywood legend, and still garners debates to this day. I've always enjoyed hearing & reading about this battle, especially Ellison's venomous statements about Gene Roddenberry. Even after nearly four decades, he's still got a beef about the whole affair! But the main reason I watch the show nowadays is to look for flubs, continuity errors, & left-in bloopers. And 'City' has one doozy of a moment. After the cordrazine-maddened McCoy runs into the past, he meets and gives a quick medical once-over to a vagrant, then passes out. The bum takes advantage of McCoy's state, and swipes the doctor's phaser. Here's where the weird part comes into play: in the long shot where the vagrant is fiddling with the weapon's controls before vaporizing himself, you can see that the middle finger of his right hand is missing a knuckle. Then it cuts to a close-up showing his hands working the dials & buttons, and the knuckle miraculously reappears! At least with James 'Scotty' Doohan, they made a (mostly successful) effort to cover up his slight lack of manual dexterity. But, I guess a different standard applies if you're only a one-episode bit player... 'Late
Rating:
Summary: GREAT EPS, CRAPPY TRANSFER
Review: Without a doubt, two of the best of the original series. Even in the light of the well-written episodes of The Next Generation these stand out as pioneering sci-fi TV. So far, this is the only one I've bought in this newest format. While I give the episodes 5 stars, I would give the picture and sound quality 1 star. It's disgusting how much money Paramount has made off of this show when you consider how absolutely terrible the quality of the DVD's are. With the technology now available, there shouldn't be any lines, blips or crap in the picture, but now and then, that's exactly what you see. And there are no special features on the disc and a truly primitive packaging design that any 1st year art student could have done better. Paramount really dropped the ball on this re-re-re-release. I realize that greed is cool again, but I for one would spend a little more money (on top of the already ridiculous price) to get something professionally and lovingly remastered and packaged onto the relatively new DVD format. But, very likely, they will, so I suggest you hardcore Trekkies wait for the "Golden Jubilee Director's Extra Special Rodenberry Estate Approved Cut Anniversary Edition" re-re-re-re-release which some marketing schlubb is probably working on somewhere deep in the bowels of Paramount.
| 
