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TOS - The Man Trap
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
The ruins stretch for miles to the horizon. So the professor and his wife had a lot of ground to cover for their examination of the long dead (mostly) civilization.

Your comment started me thinking about something. I agree that the Craters must have had a vehicle to get around in, but the story just didn't have any reason to show it.

However, as we all know, the professor isn't really examining the dead civilization with his "wife". If he's studying the ruins at all, he's doing it with the last member of that very civilization. And yet I'm not sure sure how much help "she" would be.

After all, consider how much a human would know about his own civilization if he was the last surviving member, thousands of years after his civilization's demise.

Furthermore, I'm inclined to think that Professor Crater no longer carried on this work after the event which caused him to loose his marbles and cozy up with the creature that killed his wife . . . just because it could mimic his dead wife's appearance and mannerisms.

Bear in mind that the only reason he even permitted the intrusion of the Enterprise crewmen was because the little missus was craving something salty.

Under these circumstances, Crater couldn't very well expect to head back to Earth someday to report his scientific findings. Seems to me he just wanted to drift through the rest of his days while enjoying the fantasy that he and his "wife" were living happily together.

But hey, that's just my take on the character.
Very Happy
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Original title for TMT was "Damsel with a Dulcimer."

The writer for TMT was George Clayton Johnson. He came up with the story for Frank Sinatra's "Ocean 11,''and co~authored the book Logan's Run.

Wah Chang created the Salt Vampire suit.

In the original first draft of the script writer GCJ had Professor Crater survive. He remains on the planet to search for another creature.


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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A lot of people on the Trek BBS have been condemning the Enterprise crew for destroying the last creature from M-113! But they had to kill it as it was feeding off of them one at a time and could hypnotize them into believing it was someone other than it's true loathsome self, proving that it was an evil monster rather than one confused and innocent of any wrong doing! Hell, it even killed Crater, the man who protected it!!!
JB
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I agree, JB.

Based on the creature's behavior, its intelligence didn't seem very high. It could masquerade as anyone and speak intelligently, but it never made the slightest effort to ask for help (hell, all the damn thing needed was salt!) and it obviously had no qualms about killing other intelligent creatures! Shocked

However, perhaps if they'd just gotten to know it better they'd have discovered it was really a beautiful person "on the inside".

See? Very Happy



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eadie wrote:
My English Lit teacher (who is a sci-fi fan) says that it helps to look upon the Irwin Allen shows as middle-ages morality plays for little kids who don't get it, written by another little kid who hasn't a clue.

Miss Eadie, if I'd had an English teacher as smart as that when I was in high school, I probably wouldn't be the Typo King of All Sci-Fi! Very Happy
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More Trivia for "The Man Trap" September 8, 1966.

In an early draft of the script Professor Crater was supposed to drive a futuristic tractor.

Not From Me: Doggone if I didn't think the exact same thing before knowing that it was an idea for the episode. I did not think literally "A tractor." I just envisioned some futuristic vehicle of some kind along the lines of the Ark II.

A scene in the script that was excised had a dramatic moment when the creature, as Dr. McCoy, pleads its case to the crew not be killed. It was only trying to survive as best as it could.

One draft of the script had very little of the Mr.Spock character. In fact, it's Scotty who goes with Captain Kirk down to the planet in order to capture Professor Crater.

Sulu's botanical collection was written as much more extensive than what we see.

TMT was the very first episode to air of ST:TOS, but Canadian TV actually beat America to the punch by broadcasting TMT two days earlier.

We would later see the creature on display in Trelane's castle on the episode "The Squire Of Gothos."

The terrific guest star Alfred Ryder had seriously injured his arm just before shooting TMT and was in pain. He never complained during filming.

The Arboretum set is actually a redress of sickbay.

This is the only episode that we see Dr.McCoy's quarters on board the Enterprise.

Another scene edited from the script is Dr.McCoy's mistrust of the Transporter. Bones even has the suspicion that the machine can somehow change the personalities of those using it. Gene Roddenberry did cut this out from the script because he felt it did not really advance the plot.

He did like the concept and would later work it into other episodes as a phobia of McCoy.

Professor Crater did not die in the original script. He intends to remain alone on planet M113 for the rest of his life if need be in order to search out another living inhabitant as the one he once knew.

The original script had the dead bodies murdered by the Salt Vampire glowing in phosphorescence.

Sandra Gimpel was a dancer who wore the Salt Vampire suit for this episode.

The Howard Anderson Company created the optical effects for TMT.

It was one of the few that required the least amount of time in post-production to complete the FX. TMT took only two months to complete with its FX, as opposed to the usual three to six months for some episodes.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I remember seeing this epiosode as my first exposure to Star Trek and being very impressed.

I can't help wondering if I'd have been even more impressed if they aired Where No Man Has Gone Before — the second pilot — instead.

It's hard to know how I would have reacted to the more complex story presented in the pilot, as compared to the less complex story in The Man Trap.

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Krel
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just found out a few minutes ago, that in the 2009 Star Trek movie, they made and filmed an updated Salt Vampire costume for the Klingon prison scene. The scene ended up not being used.

David.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nitpicks

Mr. Spock states that his home planet Vulcan has no moon. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, there's a scene of Vulcan with what certainly looks like a moon in the distance.

At this point in the series, the crew obviously did not know about all the features of a tricorder. Dr. McCoy wants to run off to look for Nancy, but Captain Kirk restrains him. He informs Bones that they can transport back to the Enterprise and utilize the ship's infrared sensors for Nancy & Crater.

Later on in the series in other episodes we see that one of the functions of the tricorder is that it can scan for life signs.

How come Mr. Spock doesn't use those same infrared scanners to detect the bodies of the two freshly murdered crewmen? It takes time for a body to lose its heat, those scanners should have detected something.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I realize they did the best that they probably could do with that phony looking alien plant in the botanical lab, given the budget and tight shooting schedule.

However, I can only imagine what the Henson Creature Shop could do with a plant after seeing their phenomenal animatronic puppet creations they did for the awesome Farscape TV show.
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Krel
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
How come Mr. Spock doesn't use those same infrared scanners to detect the bodies of the two freshly murdered crewmen? It takes time for a body to lose its heat, those scanners should have detected something.

It's a hot, desert environment, so depending upon the temperature, the cooling bodies might have not stood out against the hot sands and rocks background.

David.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From TV Guide, September 8, 1966:

This science fiction series centers on the crew of the USS (United Space Ship) Enterprise as they travel on an extended space patrol.

Tonight: The Enterprise stops on planet M113 for the annual medical checkup of archeologists Bob and Nancy Crater -- but Nancy doesn't seem to be herself.

Thoughts: And so goes the plot synopsis from TV Guide for the very first ST: TOS episode to be broadcast. It's a rather underwhelming description regarding the Craters.

"The Enterprise stops on planet M113...," is misleading because it makes it sound as if the starship is going to land upon the planet's surface.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

__________________________________________________

Let's Create a Sequel!
__________________________________________________

~ A Question for the Members: If the Salt Creature is intelligent and telepathic, and it can project the illusion that its appearance is anything it chooses, would it necessarily be too dangerous to be trusted amoung other beings.

~ Here's what I came up with.: Suppose the one in this episode was not the last of its species, and several other members exist on the same planet. Unlike the lonely being in The Man Trap, this group of a dozen or so are managing to survive (barely) in a barren area like the one we see in the episode.

If an away team discovered these survivors of an almost extinct race, the aliens' telepathic abilities would make them realize how hideous they looked to the humans. So they would use their ability to project an illusion to disguise themselves.

The story could go in several ways.

For example, at first they could pretend to be shipwrecked humans (or non-humans). But when they read the minds of the crewmen and learn that a previous mission to this planet encountered the Salt Creature, they would quickly realize that if they weren't truthful with the humans, they would be perceived as a threat! Shocked

After reviewing the report on the Salt Creature, the captain takes steps to insure that the creatures don't murder some of the crew and assume their identities.

However, the aliens aren't like the desperate creature which the Enterprise crew encountered. That poor alien had been driven half mad by lowliness and starvation, thus causing it to act less rationally than it would have in less extreme circumstances.

This group of aliens quickly realize how important it is to show the humans they mean them no harm. They desperately want to be rescued from the barren planet and relocated to a better place.

But of course there would be one or more aliens in the group who are eager to join a large community and begin using their unique abilities to carry out their own ambitious plans.

The climax might involve a plot by the dangerous aliens within the group to take over the ship. But the rest the aliens help the humans defeat the attempt — thus proving themselves to be trustworthy.

As for the aliens' hideous appearance, well . . . perhaps some friendly female creman could give them a few helpful beauty tips. Very Happy[/size]


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Wed Jun 28, 2023 11:35 am; edited 1 time in total
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Krel
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It would be interesting to know what image the creature projected to Kirk to make him freeze like that.

The show was still finding it's legs and things were still being worked out. The stun beam was a shifting multi colored beam rather than the green beam it became. It also had a physical impact, shown by it knocking Dr. Crater back. The phasers had yet to be reworked by Wha Chang.

Sandra Gimple was Billy Mumy's stunt double on "Lost In Space".

I wonder if part of the creature costume was also reused from "The Outer Limits" like the Megasoid and the Horta.

David.
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