41. Friday's ChildFORMULA: Errand of Mercy + costumes from A Taste of Armageddon
WHY WE LIKE IT: Julie Newmar can slap my face any day.
WHY WE DON'T: It's the least memorable Klingon episode in the series.
REVIEW: If you can't have physical aliens on any kind of regular basis, it's a good idea to create cultural aliens. The Capellans fill that role well, with an intriguing tribal society that is a lot closer to the Klingon mindset than the Federation's. I find their costumes horrendous, but the taboos, honor code and weapons are all interesting enough.
And the premise isn't bad either, with the Klingons competing with the Federation for trade with a neutral planet. Unfortunately, the Klingons are a real letdown in this episode. Kras is hardly memorable with his bald spot and lack of personality. We finally see a Klingon ship and it's just a blurry light effect. That was ok for the Orions in Journey to Babel, but with recurring villains you KNOW we'll see again, how about chipping in for a model?
Perhaps worse is that we never see the battle between the Enterprise and the Klingon cruiser. In fact, the entire episode is messily edited, directed and/or written. The cruiser is done away with off-screen, with barely a line explaining it when the cavalry shows up on the planet. There are other examples: Kirk is sentenced to death, but that seems forgotten when we come back from commercial. The makeshift bows are totally unrealistic as the efficient weapons presented. A captain's log informs us that Eleen hates her unborn child, instead of a scene doing so. Even Spock seems overly judgemental and irritated at McCoy's bedside manner, which is a little over-the-top for him, even if it leads to some amusing moments (especially over the baby's name).
The episode's saving grace is Julie Newmar as Eleen, a strong screen presence, both spoiled and dignified. Her sparring with McCoy is fun, and we can believe she would become her planet's leader. Overall, the episode is a good one for McCoy, who uses his knowledge of Capellan culture to his advantage throughout. He doesn't get as many chances to shine as Spock or Kirk, so that makes the episode worthy despite its many flaws.
LESSON: I am consistently attracted to women who would break me in half.
REWATCHABILITY - Medium: Julie Newmar saves the day, because without her, the messy plot just doesn't bear rewatching.
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