TOS certainly does like it's godlike beings! This is the first episode I am pretty sure I have never seen, and it makes the episode of Futurama with the TOS cast make a hell of a lot more sense. Tonight I got to watch an attempt at making Hard scifi, but it comes off as a little silly. But certainly quite a bit less silly that some of the antics of Q in TNG so I will give it that at least. There are no merry men in this one.
While warping through a star desert (not star dessert, that would be tastier) the Enterprise suddenly comes across a lone planet. From the dialog I think we are supposed to think this is a rogue planet, but maybe that idea wasn't a thing when this episode was written. And it certainly has star light on the surface so maybe not. While investigating Sulu and then Kirk suddenly disappear from the bridge. After scanning the surface the geologist they just happened to have working that day determines the surface is uninhabitable. McCoy insists they should beam down anyway. Spock gives in an an away team is assembled.
After beaming down it appears theirs scans were incorrect, the surface is lush with plant life and the atmosphere is breathable. Nothing strange at all, other than that giant castle. Inside they find Sulu and the captain frozen in some sort of green energy field that makes them have to try and stand still really hard. Suddenly there is a man playing the harpsichord who introduces himself as general Trelane, retired. He unfreezes the captain and Sulu and explains he has been examining earth and just wanted to have some fun with a few earthlings. They figure from the castle it must mean he has been watching from far away and doesn't understand how space-time works.
They bicker for a while but eventually Spock manages to beam them back to the ship, but Trelane appears on the bridge and brings everybody back to the planet. More bickering and they figure out that his mirror may be the source of Trelane's power so Kirk challenges him to a dual and shoots the mirror allowing them to escape. When the ship tries to warp away however it keeps finding it's path blocked by the planet. Kirk beams back down and Trelane puts him on trial before deciding to chase him down with a sword. Just when it seems like Kirk is beaten two green energy clouds appear at scold Trelane for being a bad boy and not playing nice. They take him home for punishment and Kirk is free to go.
Review bit: As an obvious predecessor to the Q episodes in TNG this one isn't bad, but it suffers some from cheesy sets. The actor portraying Trelane pulls it off quite well keeps what could have been a bit of a boring episode fun to watch.
6 out of 10
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