Starting tonight TV Land officially airs Star Trek the original series. I came in abit late tonight as at least one episode had already aired. With the episode I started with tonight it is more like the beginning of a Ricardo Montalban double feature. The episode was titled Space Seed that introduced the character of Kahn. Airing right after it is Star TrekII: The Wrath of Kahn. Mr. Montalban's preformance is the standout in both showings. First as the young idealist and a gentic bred superman from the late 20th century. He and his band of men had been exiled into space for trying to take over the world. Once the crew of the Enterprise found them they were kind to Kahn but he still tried to take over the ship and even kill Captain Kirk in the process. Once again Kirk had to banish them to a planet and to live in a place called city Alpha 5. While this episode of the series is about 15 to 20 years apart from Star Trek II, it is ironic that Spock ends the episode saying it would be interesting to come back to see what happens on city Alpha 5.
Star Trek I was a dissappointment storywise. It did give you a feel of how huge the Enterprise was and not just that small dot that flew by on the TV screen. We are reminded again of how huge it is when we see the individual lights come on to prepare the ship for flight. With the back to back airings of the Space Seed and Wrath of Kahn there is one blooper that sticks out like a sore thumb when we are reintroduced to Kahn in the movie. Chekov is the first from the cast to meet Kahn and they both remember meeting before. However, Chekov was not in the Space Seed episode. You could say they met off screen but since we are only dealing with on screen meetings it is safe to say that Chekov and Kahn never met. Perhaps they should have had Sulu be the first to meet Kahn. Star Trek II is without a doubt the best of all the Star Trek films. While Mr. Montalban's preformance is a stand out each main character gets a chance to show their acting chops. They even work in Deforest Kelly's background of him being a preacher's kid when he warns how mankind is playing God with project Genesis. The Bible says the world was created in 6 days but look out here comes Genesis, we'll do it in 6 mintues. Montalban's preformance can't help but be the standout as his character has the best lines. When his son ask if they should answer the Enterprise he says. "Let them eat static." When he is about to strike he says "Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in space."
This movie is best known for the death of Mr. Spock. The scene where Kirk says goodbye to his good friend who sacrificed himself for the ship is touching. It is the seeming end of a lifelong friendship. However a minute earlier Spock and McCoy had a scene that set up the sequal but it was not evident at that moment.
TV Land had also promised they would have behind the scenes info from the early days. So far they have just been jokes. Examples; Nimoy was the 2nd choice to play Spock. First choice was for Geroge "Goober" Lindsey from the Andy Griffith Show. Yeah Right!
One intersting bit of real trivia that I remember reading about is that the character of the Engineer Trainee who dies is not just another trainee. The reason Mr. Scott takes it so hard is that it is a relative of his. It was either his son or grandson I forget which right now.
Anyway it is fun and interesting watching this Ricardo Montalban double feature.
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