74. The Lights of ZetarFORMULA: Where No Man Has Gone Before + Who Mourns for Adonais? + Wolf in the Fold
WHY WE LIKE IT: I can't think of a single reason.
WHY WE DON'T: It commits the worst sin a Star Trek episode can - it's deadly dull.
REVIEW: There are so many things wrong with this episode, that I don't even know where to start. The science fantasy continues to roll on with what is basically a ghost/possession story. The scientific trappings don't fool me one bit. The people of Zetar survived only because the script said they did. Lt. Romaine could be possessed instead of killed for that reason too. And the pressure chamber kills the aliens again because it's scripted that way. Might as well be a supernatural/magical explanation. Very boring.
I don't begrudge Scotty what little romance he can get, but it's so sickly sweet that I almost broke out the insulin. Sweet and quite boring too, with no real dimension to the relationship. Mira Romaine is never heard from again, so you have to wonder what happened to her. I think the real mistake made by The Lights of Zetar is not possessing a regular character. Drop the love-as-remedy angle and put someone we know and care about in jeopardy. Not sure it would have helped though.
The episode veers into the grotesque with its creepy depiction of a dying woman. It's not creepy in a good way either. The mouth movements look ridiculous and ugly. I also don't understand why Romaine is so oft refered to as "the girl". Annoying and condescending. Not a big fan of the forced laugh at the end either.
LESSON: If you don't have holy water or a crucifix handy, a pressure chamber can be useful in a pinch.
REWATCHABILITY - Low: Should be exorcised from every collection. Devoid even of the campiness that permeates some of the other substandard episodes.
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