tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post7825085546249283528..comments2024-03-28T14:49:36.133-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: Star Trek 50th Anniversary Blogging: "The Galileo Seven" (January 5, 1967)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-74398203734786170022016-04-20T05:50:15.907-04:002016-04-20T05:50:15.907-04:00I agree with parts of your analysis and not with o...I agree with parts of your analysis and not with others, especially the shipboard scenes. The Enterprise is an exploratory vessel, and Kirk, like every captain in Starfleet, must try to fulfill competing orders to humanitarian missions and scientific investigations whenever they crop up. It's worth pointing out that he never attempts to avoid the humanitarian mission or declare Ferris wrong; he just insists on delaying until the last possible instant the departure for the rendezvous point. This is perfectly justified, since Enterprise is destined for a rendezvous with another ship which they can still make at the appointed time even with the delay--they can't meet up with another ship that hasn't arrived at the rendezvous point yet, so leaving earlier is to no advantage. He intends to fulfill his obligation as soon as he must, but no sooner. <br /><br />It's Ferris who can't seem to wrap his head around this fact, as he needlessly and officiously announces every five damn minutes what everybody already knows! I'd have been tempted to hit him. <br /><br />Yes, overly officious, annoying bureaucrats and/or semicompetent high commanders are indeed a Star Trek trope, but no more so than on the average police drama. I don't find this particularly irritating because anyone who has served in the military has encountered far more of these types than the law of averages would suggest is possible. In many places, the echelon is filled with people who didn't get promoted on merit and competency, just as many diplomats are appointed as a result of political campaign contributions! If you've ever worked in the trenches for people who are more concerned with ass-covering and flying under the radar so they can never be blamed, you know the type. Many of Star Trek's writers served in WWII/Korea or were close to those who did, including Roddenberry, so this point of view is not surprising to find. <br /><br />I think Ambassador Fox is redeemed in the end, as once he realizes they're in the kind of trouble he didn't anticipate, he actually pitches in to help and avoids undermining Kirk's creative solution! And Commodore Stocker is not portrayed as corrupt or stupid, but merely out of his element as a starbase commander who has never had a field command and doesn't possess the sort of experience needed at a crucial time. Such commanders abound in the services, where people who haven't had a field command in many years, if ever, are thrust into positions of authority the people below them have to bail them out of--often without credit. To his credit, Stocker admits his deficiencies but can't figure out an alternative, but he's not portrayed as a bad guy. <br /><br />No, I'm much more annoyed by this episodes blatantly insubordinate landing party members, to include McCoy. I think Spock's struggle to identify solutions without being heedless of human needs could have been depicted without that kind of open conflict. My mental canon always has included Boma's reductions in pay and rank for blatant insubordination and defiance of orders, McCoy's official reprimands and restrictions for insubordination and failure to reprimand a junior officer's insubordination, and Kirk letting both of them have it with both barrels in a major-league dressing down. Sherinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-41192243002479684632016-04-19T23:02:46.183-04:002016-04-19T23:02:46.183-04:00John,
I really enjoyed this review. Your observa...John,<br /><br />I really enjoyed this review. Your observations continue to dig deep and explain in straightforward fashion what makes these episodes special, or conversely, what doesn't work. Things I've never even thought of after years of watching them, you effortlessly and carefully examine. It's great.<br /><br />It's been noted by John Crawford that Shatner really made his experience during filming not very comfortable. Maybe he was method acting? Your review reminded me of this fact, even though most actors had nice things to say about working with The Shat. John Crawford, interestingly, refers to his Lost In Space episode "The Time Merchant" as one of his favorite experiences. I always admired Crawford's range as an actor, even though he is somewhat one-dimensional in "The Galileo Seven."<br /><br />SteveAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13101722769411384962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-86229442355694464412016-04-19T16:08:38.859-04:002016-04-19T16:08:38.859-04:00John I totally agree with your analysis of "T...John I totally agree with your analysis of "The Galileo Seven". This is one of my favorite episodes of all Star Trek series, like "Balance Of Terror". I always missed Grace Lee Whitney’s Yeoman Rand after she departed the series. All the other Yeoman's were just used to fill the void of a once permanent Grace Lee Whitney’s Yeoman Rand. I agree, she would have made "The Galileo Seven" even more intense with Kirk worrying about her along with the other primary characters of Spock, McCoy and Scotty.<br /><br />Another reason I loved Star Trek:The Motion Picture in 1979 was seeing Grace Lee Whitney’s Rand back on board the Enterprise.<br /><br />SGBSGBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137406272001346149noreply@blogger.com