Captain's Blog pt. 80: Mirror, Mirror

On the evening of October 6th, 1967, the same day hippies held a mock-funeral for themselves in San Francisco, NBC aired:

aka "Terror of the Ion Universe" in Japan

Bleibende Erinnerung: (5) Star Trek wasn't the first sci-fi to explore parallel universes by a long shot, nor was it even the first for network tv. (That distinction belongs to either Dark Shadows or The Twilight Zone. You'd think it'd have been Doctor Who but looks like the good Doctor's first parallel universe adventure came in 1970.) But "Mirror, Mirror" might be the most familiar template for such. You still see visual shorthands like goatees to indicate alternate-dimensions in a variety of contemporary media. 

And while I'm personally not a fan, the band Spock's Beard has been waving the banner of progressive rock for many years running now. In every revolution, there's one man with a vision.

Titulieren: (2.25) Everyone knows the "Mirror, mirror" rhyme; it's an effective way of subliminally strengthening the concepts in play.

Manuskript und Leitmotiv: (9.5 / 9.5) This is hands-down one of the series best. But in getting my points together for this post, I didn't think the script is quite as strong as some of the others to which I've awarded 10s. So 9.5s it is.

Ditto for the theme. I think there's definitely some fun tongue-in-cheek stuff (more on this in Internal Logistics, or as that category is called in the mirror-universe terms I'm employing for my own amusement: datengrundlage) about the things the Empire and the Federation have in common (and Spock's line at episode's end definitely speaks to this) and I admire the subtlety. What "our" folks are reacting against so strongly is really their own (aka the Federation's, and by extension, western culture's) complicity in the same sort of Empire building and fascism but cloaked in much more palatable rhetoric, i.e. fairy tale rhymes.

"Something... (Shatner-beat) par-a-llel."

This screencap above ("I order you... lemmego!!") is hilariously executed by Shatner, but the addition of this little sequence is such a great feature of the script. Just a quick glimpse to see how the evil counterparts are faring on "our Enterprise." Spock's handling of the situation and back and forth with evil Kirk is top 5 Spock material.

"What is it that will buy you?"
"Fascinating."
"Power, Spock?"

"I can get that for youuuu...."

Incidentally, "you traitorous pig, I'll have you all executed" is not something you want to shout out on public transport. No matter how deserved it may seem at the time. Trust me on this one.

Mainly, this is just a fantastically entertaining story from start to finish. The stakes are high, a plan is hatched and comes together with several crises for everyone to overcome, and everything comes together in a very satisfying way.

The Marlena/ Kirk sub-plot takes up a lot more time than I remembered. It's quite an interesting parallel to the Empire/ Federation dichotomy. Kirk gets to see what his life would look like were he to indulge his destructive Id with wild abandon.

He opts to empower Marlena instead of taking advantage of the situation. Something alluded to at the end. As we learned in "The Menagerie" and "The Cage," right thinking is rewarded:

And wrong thinking is... punishable:

Given Chekov's conceptual role as "Kirk, Jr." as David Gerrold relays in The World of Star Trek, it always makes me chuckle when Chekov gets punished for things. It's such classic transference. Sure, Chekov's getting the Agony Booth here for an attempt to kill Kirk (i.e. Dad) but it's the sins of the father that he is really paying for.

"Regrettable that this society has chosen suicide."

Kirk und der bande: (40) This episode really showcases the talent of the cast. Actors seem to love stuff like this where they can approach their characters in new ways, new scenarios. Joss Whedon certainly took this lesson to heart, on the various shows with which he's been involved.

Nimoy wins for this episode. Bearded Spock is fantastic.

Why they didn't allude more to "Mirror, Mirror" in Fringe is beyond me. A little would have went a long way. It's odd that Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman never did this, isn't it?

The Captain re-assures Uhura with the comfort of his double-shoulder grab.

Marlena, too.

"So you die, Keptin..." In some alternate universe, Koenig was cast as Travis Bickle. I wish I had an alternate-universe-free DVD player the way you can get region-free ones.

Mirror-Gay for Uhura.

"You take a lot of chances, lady."

Ensemble performance-wise, one of the series best all around.

Bauhaus: (2.25) An extra quarter-point because while most of the visual design is simply a re-dressed set, it's done intelligently. And of course there's the usual costumes and lighting.

When the visual palette of this episode was returned to in"In a Mirror Darkly," the decisions Walter Jefferies and the gang made in the mid-60s still sparkled in the 21st century.

Spock's and McCoy's stunt doubles are particularly noticeable during the melee in Sick Bay.

Datengrundlage: (1.5) The most common criticism I've seen with regards to internal logistics is the parallel universe aspect. i.e. "It is ridiculous to assume the same crew would be assembled in the political structure of the Mirror universe." But in an infinite multiverse, there are hundreds of thousands (if not hundreds of millions, if not hundreds of billions) universes that could be exactly the same except for superficial details, so I never had any trouble wrapping my mind around one that looks the way this one does.

Good thing for Sulu, though, that Marlena inexplicably stops zapping everyone with the Tantalus Field after killing the guards.

Additionally, this episode rests on an absolute difference in approach and tactics between the Empire and the Federation. How is the right-side universe going to explain General Order 24 (i.e. "destroy all life on the planet") to the Halkans?

die Gäste: (3.5) 

Easily one of the most popular female guest stars of TOS. She had a long career in television and is still active. (See "Enemy: Starfleet" for more.)

Two of her more personally memorable turns: The Outer Limits and Buck Rogers.

Speaking of The Outer Limits, Vic Perrin (the Control Voice) plays the Halkan leader.

Gesamtpunkte: 73.5

Vermächtnis: The Mirror Universe is a concept often-returned-to in non-canon Trek (and even in canon via DS9 and Enterprise) and I think it's only a matter of time before the Abrams Trek explores it. (Though, maybe not; a recent interview seems to suggest the focus of at least the next film will be something entirely new. We'll see.) 

Perhaps most notably, it was the setting for three of the Shatnerverse novels:

I quite enjoyed these, actually. I toyed with the idea of reviewing them all, and I may do so, somewhere down the line, but not as part of these Einsame Insel Trekken.

Captain's Blog pt. 79: Friday's Child

Here's another one I remember seeing in black-and-white a half-dozen times or so before finally seeing it in technicolor.

December 1st, 1967

Title: (1) The name of this episode appears to be derived from the old children's rhyme, "Friday's Child" ("Friday's child is loving and giving"). I like it as a title, but it's tough to square with the plot. I feel like I'm missing a more immediate reference.

If it's just meant to convey a sense of promise / new day dawning to reflect the birth of Leonard James Akaar, why recall the children's rhyme at all? Why Friday? Meh.

Kirk and the Gang: (15) Another fine McCoy episode. This begins with the main cast all together in one scene (a rare conjunction for TOS) where we see footage of McCoy as a younger man visiting Capella IV.

Scotty, Uhura, and Sulu acquit themselves well enough in the now-familiar aboard-the-ship b-plot:

Sulu with scanner (mid-extension... it takes a little while.)

As for everyone else, nothing too outstanding, but nothing bad or distracting, either.

In case you were wondering "In what episode does Kirk hold a knife to a pregnant woman's throat?"

Visual Design: (2.25) After "Arena," the best use of Vasquez Rocks in TOS.

This must have been where Herzog got the idea for that opening shot of Aguirre.

Okay, so the costumes...

Well, then.

 

Story and Theme: (6.5 / 6.5)

Nothing earth-shattering here, just tribal conflict as observed by outside powers.

I can't be sure, but something about the Enterprise episode "Desert Crossing" (the one with Clancy Brown) makes me think that episode was an update of sorts on this one. Nothing I've read about that one confirms this, so maybe it's just me.

"The child was named Leonard James Akaar? I think you're both going to be insufferably pleased with yourselves for at least a month." - Spock

The Spartan-like Capellans are written and characterized well, and everyone gets some good lines and stuff to do. I kept thinking the Klingons of TNG and beyond would be natural allies for them; it's lucky for the Federation that Kras, who is decidedly not like the Klingons of TNG and beyond, got to them first.

Bones forges a relationship with Eleen with some typically McCoysian bedside manner.

In case you were wondering "In what episode does Bones slap a pregnant woman?"

Kras is a bit too cravenly for my tastes, but he's a good foil for the plot.

Memorability: (2) "Oochie-woochie coochie coo!" was, outside of the doctor's chatter, the first words my daughter heard (outside of the womb that is) on Planet Earth, and no, I hadn't planned it that way. I was distantly aware as it was happening that I apparently have no control over when and where Trek quotes will come flying out of my mouth, (#TrekConfessions) but in retrospect I hope that this small suggestion at the beginning of life leads to her becoming a master of the kligat.

"An obscure Earth dialect, Mister Spock. Oochy-coochy coochy-coo. If you're curious, consult linguistics." I wish Spock had a response correcting the Captain's verbal recall, here. (Something like "I believe the doctor said  oochy-woochy, Captain, not oochy-coochy." And then gave him a look.)

Internal Logistics (sometimes referred to in these pages as Interior Logistics. I can't keep track of myself.) (2) I don't really have much here. Except it's a little odd that the redshirt sees a Klingon and immediately draws his phaser. Talk about racial profiling.

Still, good way to set the tone straight out the gate.

Guest: (4)

She had a pretty varied career but is probably best known as Catwoman. At least to nerds or fans of older movies and TV; to everyone else, maybe only as the lady in the title of that drag queen movie with Patrick Swayze.

The Capellans' height is portrayed somewhat inconsistently throughout, but they're clearly meant to tower over humans and Klingons, lending their arrogance and severity good visual support.

Tige Andrews plays Kras, one of the more forgettable Klingons of TOS. (I'll be ranking those sooner or later, so I'll hold off on naming who holds the absolute least memorable spot.)

And Will Ferrell as Maab.

"Kling-onnn!"

Total Points Awarded: 39.25