Rating: 
Summary: Errand of Mercy
Review: "Errand of Mercy"Lawrence M. Bernabo’s review of Star Trek #27, “Errand of Mercy,” which aired on 3-27-1967, threw me at first, because he is an Amazon Top 10 reviewer. So I read it and went with it. But then I got to thinking about the episode and how wrong it was in so many ways. This was rather a weak episode, and I don’t care if Harlan Ellison did write it. In brief, the plot, such as it is, is this: the Federation contacts a strategically important planet, Orgonia, to warn it of a coming Klingon invasion and beg it to ally itself with the Federation, but the Orgonians aren’t interested, and Kirk and Spock are stranded there because Kirk has sharply ordered Sulu to take the Enterprise away. The Klingons then come to conquer the planet, and though Kirk is dressed as an Orgonian the Klingon leader recognizes Kirk as different, more like himself. When he finds that it is the famed Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, he can barely control his glee and plans to put Kirk under his mind-scanner to learn Federation secrets. The seemingly powerless Orgonians then free Kirk and Spock, who, uncharacteristically, don’t stop to consider how it could be possible, and the two stage a little rebellion that promises to be very bloody. But before the blood really begins to gush, the Orgonians come to tell them that they cannot allow the barbarian war to continue, and that they have made all of their weapons everywhere in the universe inoperable. Kirk and the Klingon both start babbling about their right to make war. But no one anywhere can touch weapons of war because the Orgonians have made them too hot to handle. So they are forced to quit fighting. Oh--and the Orgonians also tell them that they find contact with the lot of them disgusting because it is so far beneath them and their peace-loving ways. Then, while the lowly humanoids stand with mouths agape, the Orgonians metamorphose into shiny spheres of pure energy and disappear. Fin. This episode (...) in so many ways. First, it takes Kirk and Spock way too long to realize that the people they are dealing with are not what they appear to be. It’s actually clear from the beginning when they approach them about the coming Klingon invasion and they are so superbly certain that they are not in any danger. They are obviously accustomed to interstellar visitors, yet they aren’t a bit frazzled by Kirk’s horror stories. And it’s not till the end of the show that Kirk and Spock get it, which doesn’t ring true. The crew of the Enterprise have seen a Q-like entity become a little boy to his far-out parents; they have seen their own crewmen turn into psycho-kinetic super beings, they have seen all sorts of beings who are not what they seem--yet here they take what they see at face value. It doesn’t compute. What really seems un-Kirk-like is his easy evaluation of the Orgonians as being cowardly, sheep. He even goes so far as to tell them to their faces that he despises them, which is so out of character. Kirk and Spock are made out to be BIGOTS in this episode, which denies their spirit, from all of the prior episodes, let alone the rest of the series. Their characters are sacrificed in order to dramatize the political enthusiasms of the writer: USA and USSR are equally stupid and evil; the Cold War is dumb; etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum. It (...) that an episode of this visionary series was sacrificed to suit the writer’s dumb politics. Furthermore, what I really find objectionable about this episode is that Kirk, Spock and the Federation are equated with the Klingons, as if democracy, individuality, human rights are nothing, interchangeable even, with the crushing values of military dictatorship. What (...). It’s grating to see Kirk and Spock denigrate the Orgonians, when in any other show they would not have. This undercuts the meaning of the whole series. All of the episodes prior to this show the valiant crew of the Enterprise as being earnestly in search of new life to appreciate and contact. What about the Prime Directive? If they had really taken this Orgonia for what it seemed, an arrested archaic civilization, they would never have just beamed down and laid it all out in plain language. This show just doesn’t hang together! You see Kirk acting like a war-maniac so he can be equal with the Klingon military governor. It doesn’t fit! This show strikes me as one in which they had a big gun writer on board and the producers didn’t have the courage to demand that the integrity of the show be maintained.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Drama!
Review: "The City on the Edge of Forever" is great drama presented during Star Trek's phenomenal run in the sixties. The story was genuine and unique for the time and addressed the issue of time travel quite intelligently..Based on an original story by Harlan Ellison, this wonderful episode starred the beautiful Joan Collins in a sensitive and touching role as Edith Keeler..a social worker who's death has an impact upon history.
The chemistry between William Shatner and Joan Collins works well in this episode and Shatner's acting is very subdued but very effective..He conveys his emotions quite effectively in his closeups! I can understand why this particular episode is considered one of the best in the series! Every time I used to run across it as a rerun I would find myself stopping what I was doing to watch it! Now I have it on DVD and still enjoy watching it! One of my favorite scenes is the close up on Joan Collin's face when Spock was trying to explain what he was trying to buid with all the the tubes and antennas chirping in their bungalow..Her expression is priceless! I loved Joan Collins in this role..I wish she would have done more in this vein..
The Guardian of Forever was a unique design and worked very effectively for the show..It must have been quite a feat putting together all of these props for this show..
I would say I am a true Trekkie in that I have read practically every autobiography written by the cast and all the supporting books on the show..I can say honestly that I have seen all 79 episodes at one time or another in my life but now that they are available on DVD I plan on rewatching them and adding my favorites to my collection!
Also DeForest Kelley was superb in this show! DeForest was a brilliant actor who has made such an indelible impression as "Bones" McCoy..In this episode his frenzied state of mind is portrayed convincingly and his scene with Joan Collins is one of the best in the series in my opinion. This show had it all..great writing..great directing..great acting!!
Rating:
Summary: City & Errand
Review: "City on the Edge of Forever" is the best of the 1st season. The ending is a real tear-jerker. "Errand of Mercy" gives us a "first look" at the notorious Klingons featuring the late John Colicos in his unforgetable role as Kor. He really steals the show with his snarling,his laugh & his acting.
Rating:
Summary: CITY is the Best TREK episode Ever
Review: CITY is the Best TREK episode Ever. Need I say more? The dramatics of this episode have never been matched. They never will be. They don't make them like this anymore.
Rating:
Summary: Errand of Mercy is the best episode of Star Trek
Review: Errand of Mercy captures the essence of Roddenbery's concept of seeking out new life, in this case both the Organians and Klingons. The Organians provide a first hand glimpse of how our hubris gets the best of us: the debate between Kirk and the chief Klingon is reminiscent of the Cold War. Both are humiliated in the end by their cavalier assumptions of superiority. Great stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: One well above average, and perhaps the best
Review: Errand of Mercy-This thoughtful episode introduces us to the Klingons, who along with the Federation are seen here currying the favor of the peaceful and pastoral Organians. While thoughtful and somewhat slow, this episode is not without it's share of tension. We share the anxious feeling of time having stopped before the onset of war; only the Organians seem curiously subdued. The episode eventually hits us with a very nice twist, which is intelligent in that it eventually forces us to see the Klingon and Federation positions as more similar than different; the real distinction is with the more advanced Organians. This is one of those examples of how watching Star Trek could be simultaneously humbling in its depiction of our current society and uplifting in its optimistic vision of a possible future. (3.5 stars) The City on the Edge of Forever-The final issue in an unprecedented string of six consecutive well-above average episodes was probably the greatest of them all. Here we have the classic episode in which The Triumvirate pass through a portal into Depression Era Earth, where they must try to reverse changes that have been made to history. This episode in addition to being packed with tension, somehow feels more professional than most other episodes; as one reviewer noted, it truly does feel like you're watching a short movie. And while most of the other past/parallel Earth episodes relied primarily on the comedic aspects, those are clearly secondary here (all though by no means absent). This is a serious show, and the actors and production team took it as such. Kirk's love affair with Keeler is probably Trek's most convincing, and it is no coincidence that she is one of the strongest female characters to appear on the show (the lack of more was in my opinion perhaps Trek's greatest failure). And lets face it, for the climax of the episode everything gels; the scene simply feels `right' to an extent almost never witnessed on network TV. We feel Kirk's choice and his loss, but realize it had to be. Sacrifice. The tone is carried over perfectly to the final scene, in which Shatner issues the final, bitter and disgusted line of the episode perfectly. (5 stars)
Rating:
Summary: One well above average, and perhaps the best
Review: Errand of Mercy-This thoughtful episode introduces us to the Klingons, who along with the Federation are seen here currying the favor of the peaceful and pastoral Organians. While thoughtful and somewhat slow, this episode is not without it's share of tension. We share the anxious feeling of time having stopped before the onset of war; only the Organians seem curiously subdued. The episode eventually hits us with a very nice twist, which is intelligent in that it eventually forces us to see the Klingon and Federation positions as more similar than different; the real distinction is with the more advanced Organians. This is one of those examples of how watching Star Trek could be simultaneously humbling in its depiction of our current society and uplifting in its optimistic vision of a possible future. (3.5 stars) The City on the Edge of Forever-The final issue in an unprecedented string of six consecutive well-above average episodes was probably the greatest of them all. Here we have the classic episode in which The Triumvirate pass through a portal into Depression Era Earth, where they must try to reverse changes that have been made to history. This episode in addition to being packed with tension, somehow feels more professional than most other episodes; as one reviewer noted, it truly does feel like you're watching a short movie. And while most of the other past/parallel Earth episodes relied primarily on the comedic aspects, those are clearly secondary here (all though by no means absent). This is a serious show, and the actors and production team took it as such. Kirk's love affair with Keeler is probably Trek's most convincing, and it is no coincidence that she is one of the strongest female characters to appear on the show (the lack of more was in my opinion perhaps Trek's greatest failure). And lets face it, for the climax of the episode everything gels; the scene simply feels 'right' to an extent almost never witnessed on network TV. We feel Kirk's choice and his loss, but realize it had to be. Sacrifice. The tone is carried over perfectly to the final scene, in which Shatner issues the final, bitter and disgusted line of the episode perfectly. (5 stars)
Rating:
Summary: Two of the finest episodes of the original Trek
Review: Gene L. Coon's Errand of Mercy and Harlan Ellison's City on the Edge of Forever (extensively rewritten by Coon, Gene Roddenberry and story editor D. C. Fontana although it's true to Ellison's original concept)are two of the finest episodes produced for Trek. I would argue the point that City is the best (there were others equally as good if not better and, in fact, Ellison's original script was much, much better than the version that was shot and aired). The former was totally Coon's creation. Coon was the unsung hero of Trek writing many of the original series finest episodes and using his experience as a hands on writer/producer to help Roddenberry fine tune his vision for the series. Essentially this is a conflict between the Federation (read the United States) and the Klingon Empire (read the Russians or Chinese however you want to look at it). It details a power struggle over a backwater planet where each group wants the planet as part of an ongoing power struggle. Kirk wants Organia to join the Federation as they are strategically valuable. The Klingon Empire invades the planet. They know Kirk and Spock are there and threaten to kill the inhabitants one at a time or in groups unless they give up Kirk and Spock. The Organians refuse as they've got a couple of tricks up their sleeves. City dealt with time travel. The Enterprise discovers a planet that is almost unstuck (to borrow from Vonnegut)in time. There are portals all over the planet that provided the original inhabitants with gateways to the past. Accidently injected with a powerful but dangerous drug, McCoy loses his mind, attacks crew members and escapes from the ship. Kirk, Spock and a landing party pursue him. They discover the portals, their purpose (they're intelligent and alive in a sense) and McCoy at the same time. McCoy travels into Earth's past to escape the landing party and, somehow, changes the past so World War Two is won by the Axis powers. The result is a stranded landing party and a nonexistant Federation to save them. Kirk and Spock choose to travel to the past to undo whatever damage McCoy has done. Featuring top notch art direction, effects (for 1967), performances (Shatner is, for the most part, very restrained and very, very effective in both)and direction, both episodes rate highly in the Trek canon and science fiction. City won the Hugo award and Ellison's original (much more emotionally complex)script won the Writer's Guild of America Award (where it was pitted against all episodic television shows submitted for that year). While City IS a classic and a great episode of Trek, you owe it to yourself to read Ellison's original script which has been published as a trade paperback with introductions by original series writer David Gerrold, story editor/writer D. C. Fontana, Next Gen writer Melissa Snodgrass, actors Nimoy and Walter Koenig. It's a great piece of writing and it's a pity that it has never been produced. Errand, on the other hand, is fairly close to Coon's original conception (although Roddenberry may have had a hand in rewriting it).
Rating:
Summary: Just Curious....
Review: Has anyone noticed that the overlay picture on the back, for "City...", shows McCoy in his distressed state, however the inset shows a totally diffrent episode? Anyone?
Rating:
Summary: Trek, at it's best
Review: Having gotten into Star Trek via the feature films it was a surprise for me to see how much better the series was, and especially these two episodes here. And that's saying a lot because I definitely loved many of the films. Here are the most important reasons: - The story. The reason why a science fiction film can be outdated in 2 years is not because the special effects have developed so much in that time, but because the story wasnt interesting or good enough. While the movies have to cator in part to the people who have never seen trek, and to the whole "action mentality", these episodes from the 60's manage to bring some fantastic stories that have you at the edge of your seat for the lenght of it (and wanting more afterwards :)), not to mention laughing histerically at the same time. This is the reason why they will never be outdated. A vivid example of this is to see the klingons as they were in "Search for Spock" and here in "Errand of Mercy". In Search they are more like barbarians and ruthless killers rather than intelligent and interesting adversaries. Seeing "Errand of Mercy" made me look at Klingons from a whole different point of view. My only explanation for this would be that the movies are simply more action oriented... and plus, that style of filming from that time made almost obligatory for better acting and scripts. Why? Well, can you actually imagine a close up of a Klingon in a conversation where you were looking to find expressions in the eyes, etc., to see his/her feelings/intentions in Search for Spock? I certainly cant! The Klingons are better depicted in "The Undiscovered Country" than on "Search for Spock" (especially by the great acting of Christopher Plummer) but I found this episode to be the most interesting depiction of them by far, and there was room for much more even! - The relationships between the cast members, in the case of this volume of Kirk and Spock. I see them in a different light now. It is really amaizing to see them working off each other, the little gestures in the faces that mean so much, the great friendship, their incredible humor, etc etc. While in the movies there was drama, humor, and hints of all this, here you get to see first hand their relationship, not just the characters but the inmense chemistry of these actors. A single close-up probably tells more than a whole feature film. - The Scenery. One of the aspects that surprised me the most. I could never understand why the movies didnt utilize better and more varied locations/sets. I think when the story takes place in different places and not primarily on the spaceships it is always an enhancement. It takes you more on the "Journey" and in actually feeling that you are there. Here, the stories take place in many different locations, the most important ones beign a very epic-like ancient one on "Errand of Mercy" and the other on a 1930 setting in the USA. This was just a delight for me and I finally felt that they had utilized the full potential and posibility that this incredible concept of "Star Trek" had given. In regards to both stories, I wont say anything specific because its much more exciting to watch them without knowing what to expect. In any case, that info can be found in many places, including here. However, I will say that they are very well written, thought provoking, exciting, with tons of humour, drama, and anything anyone could ask for. "The City on the Edge of Forever" is probably more of a movie than the 6 feature films combined. As I said in the title, this is Trek at it's best. One final thing. I used to think for many years that Star Trek wasnt for me... only to see a Next Generation episode and liking it a lot... then I thought the older movies/cast werent for me still... only to see the films and love them even more... and finally, I still thought that the original episodes couldnt live up to the movies only to learn they were inmensily better. So if you are pondering to get this or not, STOP THINKING ABOUT IT AND DO IT! Odds are you will turn into a fanatic like me :)
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