Thursday, April 16, 2015

17 to 01: The Squire of Gothos


In this episode we talk about geologists in space, dandies vs fops, and Derek's desire to have Spock as a mentor.


Just remember, before Ben Sisko punched Q, Kirk pimp-slapped Trelane.

Twice.

4 comments:

SkilTao said...

Good points about childishness of violence, ignorant armchair generalship, factionalism and gameplaying. (I've nothing to add about theme, however; only shallow bits from me today.)

I like that a crew of explorers has planetologists on board. Also enjoying Spock's implication that McCoy is expendable. Interesting that Spock doesn't understand nostalgia for a "barren, waterless place" despite the planet Vulcan being a giant desert.

Trelane's eyebrows are in a permanent state of shock. Quick googling on dandy vs fop: both persue good and neat appearance, but the dandy is excellent at it while the fop is foolish at it. I like that Trelane *enjoys* Spock's impolitic bluntness; and that *of course* he has dueling pistols on his mantle *just in case*.

Harpsichord! Modern programming is deplorably deficient in harpsichords. Perhaps Uhura's later talent for relearning EVERYTHING is a latent side-effect of how Trelane induced her to learn harpsichord.

Huh, didn't notice how the yeoman's part does fit as being written for Yeoman Rand. It's amusing that she's still in the dress on the bridge, but it's weird that she waits that extra moment while Kirk looks her up and down; I can't tell if she's fishing for a compliment, or to more clearly be dismissed, or did she flub her stage directions a little, or what.

Whether or not there's any connection between Trelane and Q, I am glad they brought the court scene forward to TNG.

VanVelding said...

Oh yeah, I never thought about the Vulcan/desert bit there. Whiffed on that one.

Indeed. Trelane having dueling pistols is about as surprising as a guy with a Tapout shirt having swords.

The Uhura/Nomad thing. I never put that together. That would actually make some sense.

Yeah, Derek and I will probably continue to unpuzzle the enigmatic riddles of What The Hell Were They Doing With Women In TOS for some time to come.

In my reading, I read over a list of court scenes in Trek, and brother, there are a lot of them. In this season alone, there are at least three.

SkilTao said...

Well, I mean specifically that Trelane's court scene is a clear model for Q's court scene, but yeah, Star Trek likes to prove things in court. (I guess court dramas were popular at the time? I wonder if Star Trek has any "buddy cop" episodes.)

VanVelding said...

It seems like "Blaze of Glory" might have been close, with the paroled prisoner and the straightlaced authority figure working together to do a thing and violence happens.

I guess I'll just have to watch it to be sure.