This is an episode that I wasn't sure I had seen, until it came time for the old Vulcan death grip. That particular moment was one of my all time favorites from childhood for some reason. I guess I was super gleeful that they had outsmarted those damn romulans or something. I guess it is probably, "because they were running out of money," but the whole having the romulans suddenly use klingon ships was really strange. I feel like it got retconed in later that they had done some tech trading or something, but they are both insanely hostile to everybody so that seems kinda unlikely.
The episode begins with McCoy giving a medical log about his worries over the mental condition of the captain. This transitions into Kirk yelling at everybody on the bridge and then ordering the ship into the neutral zone. Scotty objects, but Kirk won't listen. Soon after crossing over they are surrounded by three romulan ships, two apparently of klingon design. The romulans demand they surrender, but then demand that Kirk and Spock beam over to negotiate. They agree for some reason and as soon as they are aboard Spock betrays Kirk and tells the romulans Kirk is losing it and is out of control. Kirk proves him totally wrong by freaking out and trying to attack until the romulans subdue him and take him to the brig. In the brig he throws himself against the forcefield injuring himself.
Meanwhile Spock and the female romulan commander are talking a lot. She is seeming to be succeeding at convincing Spock he will be rewarded greatly for helping out the romulans. Back in the brig Kirk isn't doing well so they call for McCoy to treat him. McCoy insists that he can't do much here so Spock shows up with the romulan commander. Kirk freaks out and tries to attack Spock who uses a, "Vulcan death grip," on Kirk killing him. Kirk is beamed back to the Enterprise where we quickly learn he is in fact fine since there is no vulcan death grip.
Spock follows the commander back to her quarters and has a few drinks to relax while back on the Enterprise Kirk is surgically altered to look like a romulan and beams to the romulan ship. He manages to call Spock to learn the location of the cloaking device on the romulan ship, but this gives Spock away to the romulans. Kirk manages to fight his way to the cloaking device which he steals and beams back to the Enterprise. The commander can't believe Spock betrayed her and takes him back to her quarters to scold/threaten to kill him. Scotty locates Spock and beams both Spock and the commander aboard and the Enterprise flees using the cloaking device to aid in its escape.
Review: A tale of adventure that has Spock romancing in place of Kirk. Also it is now far enough into trek to have an episode that plays on numerous conventions to good effect. Faking Kirk's death is also always going to be a crowd pleaser.
7 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment