Star Trek TOS Season 3 Blu

[Erik E. Erik]

I wouldn't call myself a hard-core Star Trek fan, but I have the first two seasons on Blu Ray and have been moderately enjoying them. Some of the episodes have been very very good, and some have been more campy than good (and the whole "God-like being that is really a man/boy/machine" theme is getting very played out). But I have heard that Season 3 of TOS is really the dud of the three seasons-- the series starts losing its focus and getting silly. It's up on AMZ now for 55.99, but is this season worth it?

Star Trek Season 3 Blu-ray

[beatlesaint]

Originally Posted by Erik E. Erik

I wouldn't call myself a hard-core Star Trek fan, but I have the first two seasons on Blu Ray and have been moderately enjoying them. Some of the episodes have been very very good, and some have been more campy than good (and the whole "God-like being that is really a man/boy/machine" theme is getting very played out). But I have heard that Season 3 of TOS is really the dud of the three seasons-- the series starts losing its focus and getting silly. It's up on AMZ now for 55.99, but is this season worth it?

There are some decent episodes in Season 3.....but not as many as in Seasons 1 and 2. There are a fair few duds - Spock's Brain anyone ? - but by this time the budget was cut, the best writers had moved on etc.

If you are not a dedicated fan or dont particularly enjoy the banter of Kirk, Spock and Bones then its probably best to wait for it to come down in price.
It will however include the remastered pilot "The Cage" (and an extended version) and that is brilliant in itself.

[Grand Bob]

The overall quality of the scripts for season 3 may not have been as good as season 2, but it is still Star Trek the Original Series. That was still my favorite TV series when the episodes were first run in '68, and I will enjoy watching them again (and again) on BD. Some of the episodes are very good - my favorite from the third season is "The Tholian Web".

[whbinder]

Kind of just adding the same sentiment as others. There are a few more campy episodes than in the first season, but there are some excellent episodes in there as well. And yes, if you enjoyed the Season one/two non-campy episodes, I think you'll enjoy "The Cage". The effects are a little lower quality, but they took months to work on that episode instead of days and spent a little more time with the acting,lighting,script.

[Erik E. Erik]

Originally Posted by whbinder

Kind of just adding the same sentiment as others. There are a few more campy episodes than in the first season, but there are some excellent episodes in there as well. And yes, if you enjoyed the Season one/two non-campy episodes, I think you'll enjoy "The Cage". The effects are a little lower quality, but they took months to work on that episode instead of days and spent a little more time with the acting,lighting,script.

Didn't most of "The Cage" footage end up as "The Menangerie"? I sort of feel like I have seen that episode with all the footage they used later.

[whbinder]

A lot of it did yes. Not all of it, but most of it yes. Your point is well taken. It's definitely an episode that stands well on its own, but if you've seen The Menagerie and were satisfied with it, then you don't really need to see it again.

[icyteddy]

Yes, I agreed Season 3 is the weakest out of the 3, but it is still enjoyable. And for the price at $55.99 shipped at Amazon it is a great deal. Since I already have season 1 and 2 it just makes sense to complete the entire series. Without the third season my collection feels incomplete. JMO

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by icyteddy

Without the third season my collection feels incomplete.

Same here, also looking forward to see whatever special features may be included.

[BluLobsta]

As soon as I saw the price drop on this, I was on it. I think all of the Season 3 episodes are just as worthy of praise as the rest, yes, even Spock's Brain "Brain and brain!! What is brain?!?!" Classic. I can remember that line so distinctly, actually all of these episodes very clearly, like it was yesterday. It will be so nice to see them as a Blu transfer. Given Paramount's thoughtfulness on Seasons 1 and 2, this should round out a truly remarkable set, a centerpiece to be proud of in any collection. Here's a list of episodes in case anyone needs a refresher:

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Season 3, Episode 1: Spock's Brain
Original Air Date—20 September 1968
The Enterpise is approached by an ion-propelled craft to Scotty's liking; from it enters a female who renders everyone unconscious, then heads straight to Spock. When the crew wakes up, McCoy finds Spock alive in sick bay, his brain being surgically removed; Doc urges they must hurry to have any chance of putting it back in, if possible at all. Desperately Kirk gambles which planet the ion-trail they tried to follow actually leads to. It is populated by a race of large cavemen who attack; when the landing party captures one, he says they are small like 'the Others' they fear as bringers of pain and delight. McCoy brings down Spock's body with a mechanical brain-substitute installed; they get in the Others' acclimatised dwellings and overpower similar female Luma by surprise, but she knows nothing, having a childish brain. Kirk's voice makes transmitter-contact but ignores where he is; an evil female overpowers the party, now captured and brought before a female panel, already wearing the controlling devices rendering all other males utterly obedient. They realize there is no superior intellect capable of handling the technology to maintain the subterranean complex, and apparently the 'controller' they refer to is actually Spock's brain, which they must find and reunite with his body....

Season 3, Episode 2: The Enterprise Incident
Original Air Date—27 September 1968
The Enterprise deliberately crosses the Neutral Zone, on Kirk's orders, into Romulan space and is promptly surrounded by Romulan warships, each equipped with a "cloaking device" that renders it undetectable. Spock betrays the apparently irrational and paranoid Kirk to the Romulan commander, a woman who is obviously attracted to Spock. A deadly game between Kirk, Spock and the Romulans risks not only the Enterprise but the tenuous cease-fire between the Romulans and the Federation.

Season 3, Episode 3: The Paradise Syndrome
Original Air Date—4 October 1968
Trapped on a planet whose inhabitants resemble the Northwestern American Indians Kirk loses his memory and is proclaimed a God while the crippled Enterprise races back to the planet before it is destroyed by an asteroid.

Season 3, Episode 4: And the Children Shall Lead
Original Air Date—11 October 1968
The Enterprise reaches a Federation colony where the adults have all killed each other but the children play without care.

Season 3, Episode 5: Is There in Truth No Beauty?
Original Air Date—18 October 1968
The Enterprise transports the Medusan Ambassador Kollos; his telepathic interpreter, Dr Miranda Jones; and Engineer Laurence Marvick. Only Vulcans and those trained in Vulcan self-control can handle the horrible sight of a Medusan (and then only with eye protection). Attempting to kill Kollos, Marvick (jealous of Miranda's interest in Kollos) goes insane at the sight of the Mudasan ambassador. Before dying Marvick, one of the designers of the Enterprise, takes the ship outside the galaxy where it is hopelessly lost. Once it is discovered that Miranda is blind (she had fooled them with a complicated neural sensor in her dress) and cannot guide the Enterprise, Spock mind-melds with the navigationally proficient ambassador who quickly gets the Enterprise back in known galactic space. However, while severing the mind-meld, he forgets the visor, sees Kollos, and goes insane. Because of her jealousy of Spock's relationship with Kollos, Miranda hesitates to give help, but with Kirk's urging reconsiders and helps Spock take control of his mind.

Season 3, Episode 6: Spectre of the Gun
Original Air Date—25 October 1968
As punishment for trespassing on their planet, the inhabitants condemn Capt. Kirk and his landing party as the losing side of a surreal recreation of the Gunfight at the OK corral.

Season 3, Episode 7: Day of the Dove
Original Air Date—1 November 1968
An entity traps the Enterprise crew and the crew of a disabled Klingon battle cruiser in an unending war aboard the Enterprise.

Season 3, Episode 8: For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
Original Air Date—8 November 1968
The Enterprise discovers an apparent asteroid that is on a collision course with a planet is actually an ancient populated generation ship.

Season 3, Episode 9: The Tholian Web
Original Air Date—15 November 1968
Kirk and the derelict starship Defiant vanish into a spatial interphase between universes. To rescue him, Spock must maintain position despite a growing, violent hysteria aboard the Enterprise like that which destroyed the Defiant's crew, as well as a force field being laid around the Enterprise by Tholian patrol ships.

Season 3, Episode 10: Plato's Stepchildren
Original Air Date—22 November 1968
On an urgent medical emergency Kirk, Spock and McCoy encounter an alien society who had once flourished on earth during the time of Plato. Since reaching their current planet they had developed psychokinetic powers while also losing the ability for their bodies to combat even the simplest infections. When Doctor McCoy refuses their offer to stay, they begin make sport with Kirk, McCoy, Nurse Chapel and Lieutenant Uhura using their psychokinetic powers.

Season 3, Episode 11: Wink of an Eye
Original Air Date—29 November 1968
The Enterprise responds to a distress call from the planet Scalos but when Kirk and a landing party beam down to the planet, they find no living beings. It turns out that Scalosian live at a much higher rate of acceleration rendering them invisible to the human eye. One of the Scalosians, the beautiful and seductive Deela, accelerates Kirk so they can interact and tells him he cannot return to his normal life. For the crew, Kirk has virtually disappeared before their eyes. The Scalosians want to turn the Enterprise into a cryogenic storage facility for the crew. Kirk learns that at his current state of acceleration, they are subject to cellular degeneration and rapid aging should they suffer the slightest cut. He leaves a message for the crew but it is left to Mr. Spock to find a way to decipher it.

Season 3, Episode 12: The Empath
Original Air Date—6 December 1968
Trapped in an alien laboratory Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet an empath and are involved in a series of experiments.

Season 3, Episode 13: Elaan of Troyius
Original Air Date—20 December 1968
The Enterprise transports Elaan, the female ruler of the warrior Troyians, to the planet of her enemy so that her arranged marriage will halt their interplanetary war. Kirk must teach the arrogant, vicious ruler the ways of polite society but falls victim to the legendary weapon of Troyian women: their tears act as a love potion. Spock tracks what may be another ship shadowing the Enterprise and Kirk, distracted by Elaan, must fight against other parties interested in preventing the Federation's peace efforts.e

Season 3, Episode 14: Whom Gods Destroy
Original Air Date—3 January 1969
Kirk and Spock are taken prisoners by a former starship captain named Garth, who now resides at, and has taken over, a high security asylum for the criminally insane.

Season 3, Episode 15: Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
Original Air Date—10 January 1969
The Enterprise encounters two duo-chromatic and mutually belligerent aliens who put the ship in the middle of their old conflict.

Season 3, Episode 16: The Mark of Gideon
Original Air Date—17 January 1969
Kirk beams down to the planet Gideon and appears to find himself trapped on the deserted Enterprise. Spock on the real Enterprise must use his diplomatic skills to deal with the uncooperative inhabitants of Gideon to find the Captian.

Season 3, Episode 17: That Which Survives
Original Air Date—24 January 1969
After the Enterprise landing party beams down to investigate a geologically interesting planet, their ship is hurled across the galaxy. Kirk and company find a deserted outpost guarded by the deadly image of a beautiful woman.

Season 3, Episode 18: The Lights of Zetar
Original Air Date—31 January 1969
The Enterprise is on course to install new equipment on Memory Alpha, the central library storage facility for the Federation. Chief Engineer Scott has been working closely on the project with Lieutenant Mira Romaine with whom he has been forming a romantic attachment. The Enterprise encounters a space storm that kills the staff at Memory Alpha and possesses Lieutenant Mira Romaine.

Season 3, Episode 19: Requiem for Methuselah
Original Air Date—14 February 1969
When Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to a supposed uninhabited planet to gather the mineral ryetalyn to fight a plague of Rigelian fever on-board the Enterprise, they find a fellow earth-man called Flint and his extremely intelligent female ward Rayna who Kirk begins to fall in love with. Flint then proceeds to trap them on his planet and takeover the Enterprise.

Season 3, Episode 20: The Way to Eden
Original Air Date—21 February 1969
The Enterprise is ordered to pursue a group of anti-establishment idealists who have stolen a space cruiser and made off for the mythical planet Eden. When the group pushes their stolen ship beyond its limits, the Enterprise is forced to rescue them by transporting them aboard. This merry band of space-hippies includes the insane leader (Dr. Sevrin), an academy drop-out and former love interest of Chekov (Irina), and the son of a Catullan ambassador (Tongo Rad). With the Federation undergoing fragile treaty negotiations with the Catullans, Kirk is ordered by Starfleet to treat the dissidents with "extreme tolerance." Kirk finds the group and its leader too difficult to deal with while Spock maintains a deep curiosity about their ideals. Kirk appoints Spock as liaison for the group during their stay on the Enterprise. Dr. Sevrin demands to be taken to Eden, but Kirk refuses on the grounds that his orders from Starfleet dictate that the group be taken to the nearest star base. While investigating this strange group of free spirits, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock discover that not only is Dr. Sevrin insane, he is also the carrier for a potentially lethal disease. His desire to abandon technology and join the "primitive" inhabitants of planet Eden could well result in their destruction. As a precaution, Dr. Sevrin is quarantined, but Spock agrees to plot a course to the mythical planet of Eden in exchange for his cooperation. Meanwhile, Chekov inadvertently gives away some vital information about auxiliary control to his former classmate, Irina, and she and the rest of Sevrin's followers soon free him and commandeer the Enterprise. The group takes the Enterprise to Eden (which, to complicate matters, happens to be in Romulan space), establish orbit and steal a shuttle craft to land on the surface while the Enterprise crew is incapacitated. But the planet, while as beautiful as any of them imagined, also has a deadly side.

Season 3, Episode 21: The Cloud Minders
Original Air Date—28 February 1969
Kirk and Spock are caught up in a revolution on a planet where intellectuals and artists live on a utopian city in the sky while the rest of the population toils in mines on the barren surface below.

Season 3, Episode 22: The Savage Curtain
Original Air Date—7 March 1969
Kirk, Spock, Abraham Lincoln, and Surak are pitted in battle against four notorious villains from history for the purpose of helping a molten rock creature's understanding of a concept he does not understand, 'good versus evil'.

Season 3, Episode 23: All Our Yesterdays
Original Air Date—14 March 1969
When the planet Sarpeidon is about to be destroyed by its star Beta Niobe becoming a supernova, Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down and find it evacuated except for Atoz, its librarian, tending with his replicas a collection of unusual discs, which play the planet's history and (to their surprise) allow their users to travel into the past trough the atavachron, a time machine, into the periods each was studying on disc, but they jump in unprepared. McCoy and Spock find themselves locked in a planetary ice age 5,000 years ago, where Spock reverts to the barbaric age of the Vulcans, hence touchy and intensely attracted to the political exilee Zarabeth, who enjoys getting company but tells them return is impossible. Kirk lands in a Cromwellian period, where he's arrested and suspected of witchcraft, but realizes the magistrate must be a time traveler like him, and learns not being prepared at molecular level he can return trough the time portal, and in fact must do so and contact Spock and Bones in a matter of hours; they must all return to the present and board the Enterprise before the exploding sun destroys the atavachron...

Season 3, Episode 24: Turnabout Intruder
Original Air Date—3 June 1969
The Enterprise is answering a medical emergency of an archaeological expedition. Kirk is confronted with the deep hatred of an old love, Janice Lester, who is severely ill from celebium radiation. As payment for jilting her, Dr Lester arranges for an alien machine to swap the consciousness of Kirk and herself in order for her to take command of the Enterprise. On board the Enterprise, Kirk (in Lester's body) tries to convince Spock that he is trapped in Janice's body. As a result, Janice (in Kirk's body) conducts a court-marshal with the intent of executing Spock, McCoy, Scotty, and Kirk (in Janice's body) to keep her secret. The crew realizing something is wrong with their captain does not cooperate.

EDIT: List courtesy IMDB.com