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The Lights of Zetar (season 3, episode 18)

 
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 7:57 pm    Post subject: The Lights of Zetar (season 3, episode 18) Reply with quote

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This is actually a fairly good episode, right in the midst of some notorious ones during the death throes of this soon-to-be cancelled series.

The episode has 11 IMDB trivia items, but only three are really interesting. However, the first two surprised the hell out of me!
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~ This episode was co-written by Shari Lewis and her husband Jeremy Tarcher. Lewis also lobbied to be cast in the guest role of Lt Romaine, but didn't get the part.

~ Shari Lewis decided to write the romantic angle centering on Scotty as a way to break away from the formula of Kirk always getting the love interests.


Note from me: Shari was, of course, the attractive lady who entertained the world with Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse.






~ Final appearance on the show by John Winston as Kyle, though he would return to play the role in Star Trek II The Wrath Of Khan. In addition, the last episode to feature all seven of the regular characters as well as both Kyle and Chappel.

Note from me: This wouldn't be particularly important if it weren't for the fact that there are only five episodes left in the series.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some very scary moments in this episode! The dead aliens, one whom looked like the Frankenstein monster and the woman who was making noises in Memory Alpha! Creepy!
JB
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Bogmeister
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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So! This is it! My least favorite episode of TOS!

(I'll betcha' all of ya thought it would be SPOCK'S BRAIN, eh?).

I guess the main reason it fits into my personal bottom of the barrel is that it's so forgettable. Even Spock's Brain has those moments I recall fondly even as I cringe. And Spock's Brain even has moments of action, such as when Kirk beat up those two burly Morgs (or are they Eymorgs? Whatever).

But The Lights of Zetar seems hamstrung by a consistently sleep-inducing storyline from start to finish.

Oh, yes, there is one nearly-exciting moment when Sulu informs Kirk that . . . the lights are changing their velocity!

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For whatever reason, this is that lone episode which utterly failed to capture any of that Star Trek mystique. It's like some other sci-fi TV show here.

On paper there appeared to be some solid sci-fi concepts. But, somehow, the end result was like a bad episode of Space: 1999 (yes, even Space: 1999 had some better episodes). It's as if everyone involved forgot what show they were working on.

An Ode to Zetar: Monotony-thy name is Zetar; Keep Zet Light away from mine eyes!

BoG's Score: 3 out of 10


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Extra Trek Trivia: In an early outline, Scotty hits Spock when the Vulcan dares to question Mira about something. This tells me the writers had no clue about the series they were writing for.


BoG
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Bogmeister was too hard on this episode. It's unfortunate that there are worse Star Trek episodes, but for my money the biggest flaws in this one has nothing to do with the story elements Bogmeister described.

As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been watching each episode on Netflix streaming while re-formatting BoG's reviews from the Galactic Base of Science Fiction to post them here on All Sci-Fi. I've really enjoyed doing this, because it allowed me to refresh my memory of these episodes while carefully considering Andrew Bogdan's reviews.

When I did that today with this episode I gained a new appreciation for the story's concept as conceived by co-writers Shari Lewis (the popular puppeteer humorist) and her husband, Jeremy Tarcher. I realized that this story is both imaginative and well-conceived!

In a nutshell, the plot goes like this.

Eleven non-corporal lifeforms who survived the destruction of their race on a now-lifeless planet have propelled themselves around the galaxy as what might be called their "energy matrix" in search of a living creature whom they can inhabit and use to regain a physical body again.

After killing the inhabitants of the galactic "library" called Memory Alpha in an unsuccessful attempt to find a compatible host for their "group intelligence", these energy creatures finally discover the lovely crewmen aboard the Enterprise which they can be used for this purpose — whether she likes it or not!

All things considered, that's not a bad story idea. Very Happy

However, the tragic flaw in this episode is Scotty's embarrassing behavior as a middle aged man who stumbles around like a love-sick puppy, gazing at the gorgeous young lady and spouting his professions of love like he was the lead character in Romeo and Juliet! Rolling Eyes

His mindless devotion to this sexy gal causes him to ignore his duties when he fails to report her psychic episodes which result from the attempts by the "Lights of Zetar" to possess her mind and make her their slave-body.

The climactic scene when Kirk addresses the aliens (by talking to the possessed lady) is very powerful. Kirk tells them that, "The price of your survival is too high!"

"We only want the girl," the aliens respond.

And Kirk replies with his signature declaration of individual independence!

"You're entitle to your own life . . . but not anothers!"

With all due respect to the late Andrew Bogdan, this story gave me a lot more to think about, story wise, than several of his more highly-rated Star Trek episodes.

In short, I would definitely NOT rate this one as my own "least favorite" Star Trek episode.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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Pow
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fun Facts for "The Lights of Zetar." } Initial title "Sentry 7."

NBC told producer Fred Freiberger that their research showed that women were not attracted to the series. Fred thought that by having more romantic episodes it might draw more female viewers.

The original story was about a planetoid( Sentry 7) that was a galactic early warning system.

Co~writer of the script Shari Lewis was displeased with the script's rewrite. She also wanted to play the role of Mira Romaine.

The medical lab was a brand new set.

Director Herb Kenwith was new to the world of Star Trek. In one scene he asked Leonard Nimoy's character of Mr.Spock to smile. Nimoy explained to the director what a Vulcan was and that they don't smile.
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

He does in The Cage and Mudd's Women apart from one or two others! Laughing
JB
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm pretty sure that the lady who makes the noises on the floor could have been Margaret Armen, the author of a Trek or two, although she is credited as Libby Erwin!
JB
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