91. The Terratin IncidentFORMULA: Wink of an Eye x 0.01
WHY WE LIKE IT: Though silly, the premise doesn't fail to entertain.
WHY WE DON'T: Help... help... help...help...help...help...help...help...help...
REVIEW: Predicting One Little Ship almost 20 years ahead of time, the premise, which has Kirk and crew slowly shrink to an inch in height is total fluff, but it's still entertaining fluff. I'm most impressed with how scientifically such a ludicrous idea was approached. Attention is paid to the crew's perceptions (they think their tools are growing) and they explain why they don't drop out of their clothes. I also like how they have the crew climbing up makeshift ladders, have trouble with the doors, etc. A bit too much takes place atop counters (making things more difficult for them), and there's an atrocious scene with Chapel falling into an aquarium, but otherwise, all the small stuff is pleasant enough.
Thought was put into the Terratins, though again, the premise is hard to gobble up. Something has to be said for the neat and original visuals however, such as when an entire city is beamed aboard the ship. Looney, yes, but the whole thing is worth it for the sheer fun of it.
LESSON: Starfleet uniforms are made of algae. No really.
REWATCHABILITY - Medium: Though the premise belies a Saturday morning cartoon flavor, there's still some care put into explaining it somewhat reasonably. In fact, possibly more than some of the 3rd season's science fantasy. I like it, but it's not very deep.
Comments
There's something too eerie about shrinking people so they can occupy less space. What happens to their mass? Do they weigh proportionally less? or its the same particles, but less space around them, meaning mass is constant. You can't make the science work, so it's just hard to believe. But entertaining nonetheless.
Good thing they hit the mystical RESET button at the end to make everything alwright. I think even the authors were against trying to bullshit their way through another episode.
1) It shrinks the space between your molecules. This makes you extremely dense since you keep you mass (and weight).
2) It shrinks your molecules. This makes you smaller and lighter, but you shouldn't be able to eat or breath anything anymore because you couldn't metabolize any large molecules. I believe this is what happens in One Little Ship, because they have to send air to the big circuitboards from the shrunk Runabout. Our heroes couldn't have just gone onto counters and played with giant pencils.
3) Excess matter shunted to another dimension. This is the superhero version of shrinking and growth powers. Excess matter is either sent or taken from a dimension that is just full of raw matter. Somehow, all your systems shrink equally without adverse effects (for growth, one presumes your bones are denser, heart stronger etc). The cartoon went with this because, well, it's the shorthand, science fantasy way.
Hope that helps!