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Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 11, Episodes 21 & 22: Tomorrow is Yesterday/ The Return of the Archons

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 11, Episodes 21 & 22: Tomorrow is Yesterday/ The Return of the Archons

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One Of My Favorites
Review: Tomorrow Is Yesterday is one of the best time-travel episodes in all of Trek. It follows all the warnings and some of the potential benfits any time travel story has to reckonize. Too bad they didn't make it the second half of a two-parter along with The Naked Now. I have to give credit where it's due. Leonard Nimoy made this point back on the Sci-Fi Channels Star Trek: Special Edition (back in '99 I think). Anyway, I never forgot the connection of two great stories.

Maybe Return Of The Archons isn't near the top of anybody else's list but I think it's underrated. The story takes on a great number of ideas, from "arrested society" to "technological domination". Despite its flaws it tells a good story. My favorite gaff is the feeling of discontinuity, or was it bad editing?

I always saw this episode as a 'Spock like computer' forcing its' logic on the 'emotional inhabitants' who probably would have destroyed themselves otherwise. This to me explains the 6:00 pm mayhem of the people and shows one of the flaws in machines ruling mankind (machines expecting humans to behave like machines). Remember this the next time you find yourself at a drive-thru ATM. Who's the boss?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One Of My Favorites
Review: Tomorrow Is Yesterday is one of the best time-travel episodes in all of Trek. It follows all the warnings and some of the potential benfits any time travel story has to reckonize. Too bad they didn't make it the second half of a two-parter along with The Naked Now. I have to give credit where it's due. Leonard Nimoy made this point back on the Sci-Fi Channels Star Trek: Special Edition (back in '99 I think). Anyway, I never forgot the connection of two great stories.

Maybe Return Of The Archons isn't near the top of anybody else's list but I think it's underrated. The story takes on a great number of ideas, from "arrested society" to "technological domination". Despite its flaws it tells a good story. My favorite gaff is the feeling of discontinuity, or was it bad editing?

I always saw this episode as a 'Spock like computer' forcing its' logic on the 'emotional inhabitants' who probably would have destroyed themselves otherwise. This to me explains the 6:00 pm mayhem of the people and shows one of the flaws in machines ruling mankind (machines expecting humans to behave like machines). Remember this the next time you find yourself at a drive-thru ATM. Who's the boss?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Two terrific Star Trek episodes
Review: Tomorrow is Yesterday is the first Star Trek episode focusing on time travel and all the paradoxes that entails. (The Naked Time had a brief time travel sequence, but it was not integral to the plot.) Guest star Roger Perry is perfectly cast as John Christopher--a 1969 fish out of water brought onboard the Enterprise. (In many ways, he is a 20th Century version of James T. Kirk) One prophetic moment is when Uhura tunes into a radio news summary which reports on the first manned moon shot "scheduled for next Wednesday." The first moon launch did indeed take place on a Wednesday! The use of stock footage in this episode is very clever and it is well integrated. The effects shots of the Enterprise could have been better, but for 1960s television they hold up fairly well.

The Return of the Archons bears the stamp of Gene Roddenberry. Many of Roddenberry's best stories focused on mind control and thinly disguised theocratic societies. In this case, "God" is a computer (as in the later episode, The Apple) and Kirk "kills" God with a dose of overpowering logic. Both the original series and the Next Generation dealt with this issue, but this was the first and most successfull attempt.

Paramount has once again done a fine job of remastering both sound and picture. Even the stock footage of Air Force jets from the 1960s story line has been cleaned up.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Two solid episodes
Review: Tomorrow is Yesterday-The first of the contemporary earth episodes is a solid offering about a USAF pilot who ends up aboard the Enterprise. One might be forgiven for not realizing they were watching Star Trek here; the Enterprise doesn't show up until the end of this unusual teaser. This episode explores the trappings of time travel, with every effort the crew makes at not altering the future invariably leading to more modification of the future. If the questions of logic posed by the above aren't taken to seriously (they shouldn't be, in my opinion) this episode is watchable enough. The strongest aspects of this show are the humor behind the cultural (temporal?) differences and a fallible Kirk. In truth though, not that much happens here, and the contemporary Earth idea isn't too interesting 36 years later after the fact. (3 stars)

The Return of the Archons-This creepy if hokey episode concerns cloaked figures and a zombie-like populace. This show isn't particularly thoughtful for a first season episode, and the ending in particular is very unoriginal and disconnected from the rest of the show. The first half of the episode certainly packs enough mystery though, with the creepy creatures and music, as well as the Jeckyl-Hyde aspect of the population. Sulu also has one of his larger roles here. (3 stars)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Two solid episodes
Review: Tomorrow is Yesterday-The first of the contemporary earth episodes is a solid offering about a USAF pilot who ends up aboard the Enterprise. One might be forgiven for not realizing they were watching Star Trek here; the Enterprise doesn't show up until the end of this unusual teaser. This episode explores the trappings of time travel, with every effort the crew makes at not altering the future invariably leading to more modification of the future. If the questions of logic posed by the above aren't taken to seriously (they shouldn't be, in my opinion) this episode is watchable enough. The strongest aspects of this show are the humor behind the cultural (temporal?) differences and a fallible Kirk. In truth though, not that much happens here, and the contemporary Earth idea isn't too interesting 36 years later after the fact. (3 stars)

The Return of the Archons-This creepy if hokey episode concerns cloaked figures and a zombie-like populace. This show isn't particularly thoughtful for a first season episode, and the ending in particular is very unoriginal and disconnected from the rest of the show. The first half of the episode certainly packs enough mystery though, with the creepy creatures and music, as well as the Jeckyl-Hyde aspect of the population. Sulu also has one of his larger roles here. (3 stars)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TWO CLASSIC SCI-FI TREK TALES!!!
Review: Volume 11 of Star Trek contains two classic sci-fi episodes that have both well developed and entertaining plots. This pair of episodes truly bring out the greatness of the Star Trek Original Series. Whether it's quirky comical moments in TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY or all out bizarre humanoid behaviour in RETURN OF THE ARCHONS, Volume 11 is sci-fi at it's best.

The first episode here TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY is a personal favourite of mine. This was one of the first Trek episodes to deal with time travel. The Enterprise goes into a black hole that takes them back to the late 1960's. There the crew confronts a US Fighter Pilot and is forced to beam the man aboard after his jet is destroyed by the ship's tractor beam. The pilot's name is Cpt. Christopher (played by Roger Perry) and Kirk realizes that he cannot return the young Captain to Earth because it may alter the course of time with his knowing of the Enterprise however Cpt.Christopher refuses to stay and tries to escape this leads to more problems on the Enterprise. The whole time travel plot was fairly good and the man on the moon thing was quite accurate to the timew period: the late 1960's. Comical moments include Kirk run in with the flirtatious computer as well as the Sgt.'s tour aboard the Enterprise(you'll know what i mean if you have seen the episode). This truly is a classic!

The other episode here is THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS. Kirk and the crew visit a planet ruled by Landru a so called god who controls the minds of his people and punishs those who are not of the body. The episode has a bizarre yet interesting and enterating plot about mind controlling. It is so strange when Landru reveals what he actually is but not suprising when you see the way his minions act under his control. Another classic Trek episode
but I prefer TOMMOROW IS YESTERDAY over this just slightly more.

Overall Volume 11 is a must. Both Trek episodes have great science fiction elements that make these episodes special. Truly some of the greater Trek adventures. Highly recommended!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TWO CLASSIC SCI-FI TREK TALES!!!
Review: Volume 11 of Star Trek contains two classic sci-fi episodes that have both well developed and entertaining plots. This pair of episodes truly bring out the greatness of the Star Trek Original Series. Whether it's quirky comical moments in TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY or all out bizarre humanoid behaviour in RETURN OF THE ARCHONS, Volume 11 is sci-fi at it's best.

The first episode here TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY is a personal favourite of mine. This was one of the first Trek episodes to deal with time travel. The Enterprise goes into a black hole that takes them back to the late 1960's. There the crew confronts a US Fighter Pilot and is forced to beam the man aboard after his jet is destroyed by the ship's tractor beam. The pilot's name is Cpt. Christopher (played by Roger Perry) and Kirk realizes that he cannot return the young Captain to Earth because it may alter the course of time with his knowing of the Enterprise however Cpt.Christopher refuses to stay and tries to escape this leads to more problems on the Enterprise. The whole time travel plot was fairly good and the man on the moon thing was quite accurate to the timew period: the late 1960's. Comical moments include Kirk run in with the flirtatious computer as well as the Sgt.'s tour aboard the Enterprise(you'll know what i mean if you have seen the episode). This truly is a classic!

The other episode here is THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS. Kirk and the crew visit a planet ruled by Landru a so called god who controls the minds of his people and punishs those who are not of the body. The episode has a bizarre yet interesting and enterating plot about mind controlling. It is so strange when Landru reveals what he actually is but not suprising when you see the way his minions act under his control. Another classic Trek episode
but I prefer TOMMOROW IS YESTERDAY over this just slightly more.

Overall Volume 11 is a must. Both Trek episodes have great science fiction elements that make these episodes special. Truly some of the greater Trek adventures. Highly recommended!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: bought it today
Review: Well I just finish viewing the Tomorrow is yesterday episode... I remember when i saw it for the first time in the early 80's, and it "stunted me". To me this is the most interesting episode because it add humor to our perpective about the unknown! The theorie of meeting our grand grand grand generation is a fantastic recepie for a show. This is the only original series DVD of Star trek that I bought and I was waiting for it! it does have a similar taste of Voyage home!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Another Fun episdoe
Review: You must always remember when watching these DVD's that it was this series that started it all. Sure, modern-day Star Trek fans will see "flaws" in logic here with both of these episodes, but considering that these episodes were the ones which our knowledge was built, it's a hoot to watch. In Tomorrow is Yesterday, Timeline polution and time travel paradoxes are present. It is great to see how the episdoe starts after the initial incident which we do not see. In this episode, I saw a lot of pavemnt to the fourth Star Trek Film, the Voyage Home. Same issues in both, sorta same solutions. The transport at the end frankly does not "compute" with me, since even transporting at a certain time does not replace memory...I think it's a plot hole. I also wonder why they simply did not just wipe the memory away yet; perhaps it hasn't been invented until TNG...Also, watch out for the port nascele as the Enterprise is leaving Earth's orbit. It disappears in the back for a moment, then fades back in. Yikes! The second episode, The Return of the Archons, is amusing and fun to watch. Watch for Sulu's initial reactions right before beam up...It's hysterical. Again, I'm wondering why they simply do not do more analysis on Sulu before beaming down...Find O'Neil and beam him up. Clear violations of the Prime Directive, but Kirk was right...The last scene with Landrau being destroyed was hokey...anway, still enjoyable. Overall, the quality of the sound and visual was outstanding...I must have for all TOS and Trek fans!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Another Fun episdoe
Review: You must always remember when watching these DVD's that it was this series that started it all. Sure, modern-day Star Trek fans will see "flaws" in logic here with both of these episodes, but considering that these episodes were the ones which our knowledge was built, it's a hoot to watch. In Tomorrow is Yesterday, Timeline polution and time travel paradoxes are present. It is great to see how the episdoe starts after the initial incident which we do not see. In this episode, I saw a lot of pavemnt to the fourth Star Trek Film, the Voyage Home. Same issues in both, sorta same solutions. The transport at the end frankly does not "compute" with me, since even transporting at a certain time does not replace memory...I think it's a plot hole. I also wonder why they simply did not just wipe the memory away yet; perhaps it hasn't been invented until TNG...Also, watch out for the port nascele as the Enterprise is leaving Earth's orbit. It disappears in the back for a moment, then fades back in. Yikes! The second episode, The Return of the Archons, is amusing and fun to watch. Watch for Sulu's initial reactions right before beam up...It's hysterical. Again, I'm wondering why they simply do not do more analysis on Sulu before beaming down...Find O'Neil and beam him up. Clear violations of the Prime Directive, but Kirk was right...The last scene with Landrau being destroyed was hokey...anway, still enjoyable. Overall, the quality of the sound and visual was outstanding...I must have for all TOS and Trek fans!


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