Star Trek (TV Series) The Cloud Minders (1969) User Reviews

Yes, Vanna

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 26 December 2021]

Enterprise visits the planet Ardana to acquire a mineral needed to cure a plague.

This is an enjoyable episode with a great central premise and some decent moments for Captain Kirk.

There is much of the plot to admire, such as the 'Metropolis' tributes, the portrayal of class divides and the forceful way Kirk interferes given what is at stake outside the planet. However, it's advisable not to read about David Gerrold's original outline for the story as it sounds much better than what was actually produced in this episode.

Kirk for me is good in most scenes as this is an example of him interfering in the balance of a society, largely because of his own mission. William Shatner plays it with trademark charisma, charm, a bit of force and does not go too far over-the-top. He has some good exchanges with Jeff Corey and the especially good Charlene Polite. The dialogue is not particularly subtle and is quite simplistic at times so their performances have to rescue it.

Spock is presented rather differently to usual in his interactions with the character Droxine. It just about feels logical that she would be drawn to him, but it depends on how interesting you find the scenes. Personally I'm not a huge fan of him departing from his usual character in this way, but it's not done badly.

The production design is strong, particularly the cloud city and zenite mines. The intercutting of scenes between Kirk/Vanna and Spock/Droxine is very good. The suicidal troglyte was quite impactful. I also like the costumes and props, as always.

I would have scored higher had I not learned the original plan for the story as, for me, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Dig, Captain! Dig as the Troglytes Do!

[Bogmeister · 6/10 · 9 March 2007]

The Enterprise arrives at the planet Ardana to obtain zenite, a rare mineral which they need to combat a botanical plague on another world. Kirk & Spock beam down but find themselves caught in the middle of a class struggle between the intellectual rulers dwelling in a city in the clouds, sustained by some anti-gravity technology, and Troglytes, the miners who mostly dwell in the caves on the surface of the planet, where such items like zenite are obtained. This is essentially a reworking of the elite class vs. the worker class story penned by H.G.Wells in his famous novel "The Time Machine" (filmed in 1960 and later versions). Extrapolating from such a premise of basic inequality, where-in the elites get all the benefits through the sweat of the workers, it proposes that, some time in the past, one race experienced an extreme branching off separation into two, though, scientifically, they are still all the same race. Kirk & Spock see them as the same, simply a division of the rich vs. the poor, but the egotistical intellectuals of Stratos, the hovering city, have come to see themselves, over the centuries, as a different, superior race.

All of this is sort of summed up by Spock's voice-over as he sits in meditation in his guest room on Stratos, as images of various characters from both sides of the issue are transposed over his form. This sequence also kind of reminded me of scenes and voice-overs from the film "Dune"(84) - another variation on depicting royalty vs. poverty in a futuristic setting. It's a fairly exciting episode from the 3rd season, especially when I saw this as a kid, with several hand-to-hand struggles, and perhaps with even an increase to the usually-lackluster budget for 3rd season episodes. The episode also does a good job of contrasting the desperate stance and attitudes of the Troglytes (variation of 'troglodyte') when compared to the superior attitudes of the elites on Stratos. On the downside, this episode would have rated at least a couple of stars higher had it adhered to the complex social problems presented. Instead, it's revealed that a gas, released when digging for zenite, causes a retardation to the brains of the Troglytes. This problem is solved with the introduction of gas masks by Kirk, which will, in turn, the conclusion suggests, eradicate the inequality on Ardana. This plot turn devolves the episode to simple escapist sf fare, away from the potentially insightful commentary on cultural inequality.

Stratos or maybe Elysium

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 24 August 2014]

Anyone who has seen Matt Damon's fine film Elysium will immediately recognize the parallels with his Star Trek episode. I wouldn't be surprised if the creators of Elysium were influenced by this story.

The mission of the Enterprise is to get to this planet for a shipment of an ore called Zenite which will help with a biological plague on a nearby federation world. This planet has a social structure similar to the one on Earth that has developed in Elysium. The vast majority live on the surface and work in the mines taking out the Zenite. They also for the most part are not much above the evolutionary scale than Cro-Magnon Man.

In the meantime an elite has built a city in the clouds called Stratos where they live at their leisure. Looks very much like Elysium and they rule and live off the other's toil.

So the mission of William Shatner and others is to get that Zenite and sad to say they have to violate the Prime Directive and institute the beginnings of social change to do it. Some medical research into Zenite and its effects by DeForest Kelley certainly helps.

Jeff Corey plays the first adviser of Stratos and an implacable defender of the established order. He and Shatner really can't stand each other.

Think Elysium and you'll realize how far ahead of its times this particular Star Trek episode was.

Pretty good for a later episode

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 12 December 2006]

This is a pretty good episode that nearly merits a score of 8. The Enterprise arrives at a strange planet in search of dilithium crystals. The rulers of the planet live in a lovely city sitting in the clouds and they spend most of their days relaxing and thinking noble thoughts. The rest of the planet must live in the caves and work as miners and their lives totally suck. The dichotomy and basic unfairness of this isn't an issue to the people in the clouds (no big surprise) but the miners are sick of their lot in life. Plus, although no one knows it, inside the mines is Zenite gas, that makes the miners more angry and hostile. But, mediating the rebellion that erupts is something that seems impossible for the crew--especially since the cloud people are major jerks and the miners behave, when around the gas, like they are crazy. So, the Kirk-Meister, who is desperately in need of the crystals, creates an effective solution that isn't exactly in sync with the prime directive!!! All in all, an interesting episode that is quite thought-provoking.

By the way, it really was pretty cool for once to see the "hot babe" go for Spock and not Kirk!! For once, there's a woman who wants a smart and not a studly man!

Interesting 3rd season episode

[Blueghost · 26 July 2017]

Star Trek goes back to form in examining social rifts caused by people dividing themselves and mistaking symptoms for causes of those same social rifts.

There's a theory that our current social divides stem back to the abundance of viral life forms that infected those living near the equator and warmer watered regions of the planet, and those that lived in more temperate or colder regions were spared the ravages of constant disease. This episode postulates a material cause for the divisions between social groups, notably the white and black populations of post 1950's US, but can be applied to any region of the world where such schisms are manifest.

Towards the end we hear familiar rhetoric of the time, citing the need to resort to civil disorder to address injustices, and the reasons the lower classes must remain in the lower classes; i.e. familiar inaccurate arguments of superior intelligence, lack of ability and so forth. Hence the collision between the two warring factions in the episode. All the while Kirk and crew must address another emergency that is held up by the conflagration.

It's an episode that takes Trek back to form of the first two seasons, though again the production values are somewhat spartan, though still very good. It feels like more money was spent on this episode, but only just. There's still a lack of extras that might have added visual weight, and the upgraded effects of the remastered special edition which are now on bluray, replace the old matte paintings and animation.

What's interesting about this episode is that not only is the script good, but we see another love interest for Spock, only on a more Vulcan (Vulcanian?) intellectual level than the biologically forced pon farr as per the Amok Time episode a couple seasons before. Spock realizes that beauty can stir his otherwise impassive self, but is curious and disappointed when he discovers something about himself.

Another positive is that the plot melds well with the basic story, although there is some plausibility issue with some of the story elements towards the end of the episode.

This is one of those episodes where if there had been a lot more money then it could have been turned into a very decent feature film. Imagine throngs of disgruntled troglodytes, thousands of citizen artists living in Stratos, imagine an escape scene from Stratos with Kirk fighting his way, imagine all kinds of things and you'll get a sense that this is really the good skeleton of a good episode hampered by third season budget cuts.

Give it a shot.

Babes of Ardana.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 24 June 2022]

A botanical plague threatens the vegetation of an entire planet; only a shipment of zenite can prevent the disaster, the mineral found on the planet Ardana, where the intellectually superior inhabitants of Stratos, a cloud city, rule over the retarded (Star Treks's word, not mine) Troglytes, who do all the hard work in the mines on the surface. Unfortunately, the Troglytes believe that the Enterprise is there to help foil a rebellion and are reluctant to hand over the goods.

Prejudice, humanitarianism, and equality are the subjects tackled by this episode, all very admirable but, for me, this one is all about the babeage, with two fine Star Trek hotties for our viewing pleasure: Diana Ewing plays Droxine, daughter of Plasus, advisor to the high council of Stratos, her outfit leaving very little to the imagination, as the usually reserved Spock quickly notices; the other babe is Troglyte 'disruptor' Vanna (Charlene Polite), who slips out of her jumpsuit and into something a bit more revealing, much to Kirk's approval.

The episode's class struggle plotline is reasonably engaging, and allows Kirk to go a little crazy and engage in some fisticuffs, but it's the pretty ladies with their bare midriffs that make the real lasting impression.

Why Do All the Beautiful Women Wear Almost Nothing?

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 10 May 2014]

This has an interesting message. The people living in the clouds literally cannot connect a bit to the troglodytes who labor below. It is a typical example of the haves and the have- nots. The cloud people luxuriate and pontificate with no regard for those that butter their bread. Of course, a revolution is going to happen and those trogs are going to infiltrate the cloud kingdom. Those buggers in the sky talk with incredible disdain. What they don't realize is that the two peoples came from the same DNA. The poor miners have been unable to evolve because the substance they mine has a detrimental effect on their brains. Kirk, who of course is drawn to the female of the bare shoulders again, decides that something is wrong and tries to bring the two sides together. What happens when this takes place, much to the disdain of the cloud minders, is the point of all this. It's an above average episode with an interesting view of the world.

One of the most unfairly-panned TOS episodes

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 26 April 2013]

...Yes, it is kind of like Elysium, but with different social issues.

If this episode had been produced the way David Gerrold wrote the script - IE, about a three way class struggle/war, it never would have been aired. Especially with the subtle hints to Spock's illogical attraction to a Stratosian Woman, which he himself is bothered by. But I believe that Spock is not immune to meeting that one person who affects him physically, everyone meets a person like this at one time or another and as Spock is half human, he must have been having a lot of trouble with this in this episode. On the Vulcanian side, Pon-Farr only erupts every seven years, but being half human it would be rational to believe that Spock could "perform" out of that Vulcanian "limit"- If in fact, Vulcanians are strictly limited to Pon Farr for gratification and do not engage in any casual "multiplicative proclivities." Who knows, Theodore Sturgeon never mentions this in "Amok Time."

Most of the hits this episode took were regarding Mr. Spock, apparently openly talking about his biology to "Droxine" (Diana Ewing)- Which we know, is a private issue which "Vulcanians" (later called "Vulcans") are loathe to discuss outside of their Species- It is one of the most Private Issues of Vulcans. So how can Spock, who carefully guarded this issue in "Amok Time"- Discuss it so apparently freely with a woman he does not even know? I explain it as follows:

In fact Mr Spock himself excuses this - He openly admits admiration of aesthetic beauty, and that beautiful women, women of a certain type, Droxine's type - disturb him. He is obviously disturbed by Droxine, obviously attracted to her despite being half-Vulcanian, and I accept that if Spock were Biologically and Aesthetically attracted to a woman of Droxine's type, he would probably discuss it, but only with her, as she is the object of it (He would have to if wants to, Er, "do it"). This is as close Spock gets in any Original Series or later story, of being attracted to a woman on sight. It is illogical, he knows this. In fact this episode is one of the only Original Series episodes that have Spock talking about this in his "Log" which is a voice-over at the very beginning of the episode- In it, he muses about the attractiveness of Droxine, her sheltered lifestyle, and how she would react if she were introduced to the Class Struggle which is even now developing under her feet. A musing that will be answered, as this very thing happens, as she reveals an almost racist bigotry against the "Troglytes" which live to mine the "Zenite" in the caves below, the Zenite which makes the cloud city Stratos rich, and that wealth is denied to the workers who mine it.

The issue of Class Struggle never really gets swept under and excused as the result of "Zenite Gas" - The Issue of Zenite Gas merely allows the issue of the missing Zenite delivery to come to a quick resolution. Part of the Class Struggle of the planet Ardana is the false belief by the Stratos dwellers that the Troglyte Miners are somehow genetically inferior and cannot understand certain concepts, in fact Kirk finds this to be false. So his job is to prove to leaders of the sky city AND the miners why this is so.

The issue is not resolved in the time period this episode encompasses, it is merely brought out into the open, and we can leave the Episode knowing that it will be dealt with, just not within the scope what we see here. We also see Spock having deal with his "love on sight" issue, or, How he can be attracted to a woman who is so beautiful but has such an ugly belief in her? But this is solved by Droxine herself, finally understanding why what she had been raised to believe was so wrong.

I saw this when I was 10 years old, I didn't care about any of these issues when I was that age, I didn't even know about them. I was agog by the images of Stratos, shocked when the Troglyte "Disruptor" flung himself from the city, and of course I was also attracted to Droxine - Although at 10 years old I did not know why yet.

This was one of those episodes that I loved when I was 10, and can appreciate now, now that I know about these issues.

good script marred by execution difficulties and one poor casting

[fabian5 · 7/10 · 31 October 2007]

This show was one of the stronger final season Trek shows on the effects of social stratification on the inhabitants of Ardana. The high priest of Ardana and the planet's elite live in Stratos, their city in the Clouds and do whatever they wish while condemning the lowly Troglydytes to a miserable existence mining the planet's resources below. Kirk and his crew are attacked by the Troglydtes near the beginning of the show and are saved by the leader of Ardana, Plassus.

Unlike many boring season 3 offerings, this show had more spark and energy. It was nice to see Droxine, the daughter of the High Priest Plassus state that she would like to see the Troglydtes at the end of the show. While the ending of the conflict--through the use of gas masks--is unconvincing and robs the show of part of its premise and power, Droxine's promise to Spock here was supposed to foreshadow the gradual breakdown in social inequality between the inhabitants of Stratos and the Troglodytes. Hence, the film here follows in the Classic Trek tradition.

Another problem is that Diana Ewing is slightly miscast as Droxine; her promise to Spock to investigate the Troglydtes' dire situation seems insincere. Its almost as if she delivers this line just to impress Spock--not because she really cares about them. Droxine's infatuation with Spock and Spock's reference to the 'lovely Droxine' and allusion to the 'pon farr' also shows how far the show was straying from its Classic Trek roots towards the end of season 3. A true Vulcan would not reveal such a thing to Droxine--a woman whom he only barely knows! Plassus, on the other hand, makes a convincing and belligerent leader of Stratos who seems quite sincere when he threatens to drag Kirk to a tribunal for forcibly beaming him down to the caves of Ardana and forcing him to physically dig zenite in order to suffer the effects of its anger inducing gas. Kirk's demand that Plassus "dig" in the caves was somewhat petty and totally out of character. The real Kirk would not have uttered such a phrase and instead forced Plassus to negotiate a compromise to resolve the social inequality that the Troglydtes faced on Ardana. I am uncertain if Kirk's intervention in beaming down Plassus to Ardana is a violation of the Prime Directive since the episode never says if Ardana is a member of the Federation and Kirk had only a few hours left to transport the badly needed zenite to stop the plague on Merak II.

The 'gas mask' solution totally ignores the whole point of social inequality in this episode. But by now, the producers were running low on fresh new ideas--and production money--and placed an emphasis on resolving episodes with simple but totally unconvincing solutions to such complex social issues. As Plassus said to Kirk, I believe, you cannot solve centuries of social inequality with gas masks. The producer's solution is much too glib and unconvincing to be successful. Unfortunately, this episode is an example of Star Trek's decline in production quality here. David Gerrold's script was good but the producers didn't handle it right unfortunately. I assign it 7 out of 10.

The gas solution

[KayDrama · 8/10 · 5 February 2011]

I disagree with most of the reviewers here that the "gas" solution is a cheat. While this may tie-up the episode too quickly and neatly in a nice little bow, it is television after all. And television before there were story arcs that continued throughout a season. But having the gas be the culprit causing the aggression and retardation of the lower inhabitants is a good beginner's start to understanding how circumstances can make others that are different from you SEEM to be inferior. In the 1960's (and even today), southern whites (and some liberals) assumed they were superior to minorities without taking into account the role poverty and mistreatment and environment play in intelligence (nutrition), attitude and behavior. Given the same even environmental/physical playing field, human beings tend to be pretty much equal not only in good qualities, but bad also. As usual, Star Trek was ahead of it's time in even attempting to address the issue.

"Hours can be centuries just as words can be lies".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 9 March 2011]

Before there was a Cloud City of Bespin in the Star Wars universe, there was the Cloud City of Stratos in the world of Star Trek. I didn't realize that until I saw this episode again after many years. And who knows what writer may have dreamed up the concept even earlier in science fiction writings. But you have to admit, Stratos looked pretty cheesy in those close up views unlike Bespin, which benefited from a decade's worth of improvement in special effects.

The episode makes an interesting commentary on class warfare and slavery, just ripe for the socially aware decade of the Sixties. Gene Roddenberry and his writers took a similar stab at racism in a prior Season III story called "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield", the story of mirror image black/white enemies who wage battle aboard the Enterprise. Without knowing a lot about Roddenberry's politics, it also looks like he might have been skewering typical liberal elitism in the episode as well. Though far more pronounced today, it's no secret that liberals in media, education, science and government consider themselves the ordained arbiters of what's best for all the rest of society.

In any event, if the Troglytes were meant to represent a malcontent race of inferior cave dwellers, I find it quite amusing that their leader Vanna (Charlene Polite) had the resources to acquire eye shadow. That's one of the inconsistencies you'll find in any number of Star Trek tales, as the characters will often do something that's quite out of character. Then of course, you have something really silly like the rock wall of the underground cave moving when Captain Kirk shoves High Adviser Plasus (Jeff Corey) against it during their scuffle.

By this time near the end of the series run, you can see how sloppy writing was beginning to take it's toll. Though you had the germ of a good idea at the center of some stories, they wound up getting frittered away with inconsistencies in the telling. The non-interference Prime Directive took another direct hit here, and Spock continued on his path of expressing non-Vulcan attributes. In a prior episode, "Requiem For Methuseleh", Spock was experiencing envy over a da Vinci art collection, while here he's virtually mesmerized by the beauty of the Ardanian Droxine (Diana Ewing). Not very logical, even if it is fascinating.

Rich Profiteers vs Poor Hard-Workers

[Rainey-Dawn · 8/10 · 14 January 2017]

Season 3, episode 21. The Enterprise is on a mission to the planet Ardana to retrieve the mineral zenite, it is in need to help stop a plague on Merak II. Kirk wants to speed things up so he and Spock beam directly to the zenite mines entrance, ignoring the High Adviser Plasus's request for them to beam to the floating city of Stratos. Kirk and Spock are the lassoed (captured) by the angry miners, a fight breaks out and Plasus shows up with some men and the miners easily back off. Kirk explains that they just wanted to pick up the zenite shipment that was suppose to be ready and Plasus explains that the Troglytes, miners, used a trick in order to get hostages to force the counsel to meet their demands. Kirk and Spock quickly learned then there are 2 classes: the cave-dwelling Troglytes that are the workers/miners who are very poor and the rich Elite cloud-living city dwellers that profit off the poor workers. Plasus requests Kirk and Spock to go to the city of Stratos and they agree. The logical Spock sees how illogical it is for the hard workers to be the poor ones while the rich ones do nothing at all but collect fine art and the profits. Kirk deals with the poor female miner that attacked while Spock deals with the young rich but naive daughter of Plasus. Kirk and Spock finds themselves in the middle of their private war and all they needed was the zenite for Merak II but now the must end the war before they can obtain the much needed zenite. The botanical plague is quickly spreading on Merak II, time is running out.

I find an interest in this episode due to class separation (areas they can live), profiteers vs hard-workers and rich vs poor scenario. Another important point is the rich (Plasus) refusing simple health measures - the masks to protect the Troglytes from the gas that is emitted when mining the zenite.

8.5/10

1960's television

[mhubbard-54657 · 6/10 · 11 June 2017]

Captain Kirk and Mr Spock beam down to a planet, in their quest to obtain a cure for a plague that threatens a near-by planet. They expect a gracious welcome, but are immediately attacked by a scruffy looking bunch. Soon we learn that the society is divided into the "cloud people", ie the high class intellectuals floating above the surface, who live in leisure, and the actual workers on the planet, who toil in misery. They are considered the inferior people.

No, the concept is not subtle, this episode is another obvious commentary on race in America. Where is Abraham Lincoln when you really need him?

Kirk and Spock are then transported to the beautiful castle in the sky where the ruling class dresses in classical Greek flowing robes and gowns. Enter a beautiful woman with a huge and high blonde updo, the king's daughter. This time, however,the gorgeous woman falls for Mr Spock. He appears to return her affection for him, even telling her about the very private Vulcan mating ritual. I can picture Leonard Nimoy objecting to this, as inconsistent with Spock's character, but probably by this time in the series he saw the writing on the wall.

McCoy soon discovers the lesser intellect of the workers on the planet is due to a gas emitted by the rocks. Fortunately, the deleterious effects are not permanent, but a mask must be used.

The moral of the story is that people are all the same when given the same advantages.

Not the worst episode, but very repetitive themes, and disappointing behavior on the part of the stoic Science Officer.

Star Trek: The Original Series - The Cloud Miners

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 14 October 2016]

The intellectually high-minded (and I think arrogant, although they would probably disagree) Stratosians live in an anti-gravity Shangri-La, the "city of the clouds"--a privileged few within this palatial paradise, alluring where all the comforts are realized--while the "Troglytes", who work in the terrible conditions of the mines for the precious zenite needed on a planet in biological turmoil (on the verge of extinction if the shipment isn't received in twelve hours) are at odds which causes Kirk complications as the shipment is being held hostage until negotiations for rights are considered. Jeff Corey is Mr. Director Plasus, chief authority of the Stratos city growing impatient with the miners' revolt, isn't thrilled with Kirk when the captain defiantly scolds him for using "light torture" (working in the caves causes an aversion to light because of the prevalent darkness) to try and interrogate a member of the Troglytes, Vanna (Charlene Polite) for the information on where the zenite deposits are. Later it is realized by Kirk, Spock, and Bones that zenite "gas" causes the miners to become violent and intellectually inferior, mentally and emotionally malfunctioning. Bones lets Kirk know that these effects are only temporary, so the captain sees that as an opportunity to possibly initiate talks between the Stratosians and Troglytes, but Plasus is rather resistant to Kirk's presentation of a protective mask that will diffuse the obvious unrest that exists. Kirk literally must convince Plasus and Vanna that the mask is the answer to bringing the miners evolutionary advantage held against them because of the zenite gas while the people of Stratos must come to terms with the fact that those on the ground below deserve better than what history has given them. The episode does have a message, that being "bad working conditions for certain folks while those benefiting from the labor enjoy the fruits of their labor", with Kirk and Spock addressing it with the people of Stratos who fail to see the problem that currently exists. They see the miners as intellectually inferior and violent, while they are entitled to the pleasures that come from hard labor of the Troglytes. When a revolt challenges that status quo, Plasus wants to quell their uprising, while Kirk and Spock try and convince him that they deserve far better than what they currently have. Diana Ewing is Plasus stunning, scantily-clad, soft-spoken and naive daughter, Droxine. Droxine and Spock seem to acknowledge an attraction, but I guess I didn't feel it in regards to chemistry…her innocence and naiveté, a product of how she's been raised within the ideology of her culture, is compelling to Spock, but he doesn't agree with how the miners are treated. Kirk and Plasus fighting in the mine while Vanna looks on in concern before a communication to the Enterprise spurns a transport (Kirk wants to convince Plasus that zenite gas exists and that the mask helps to stop its effects) was rather funny to me because Corey being able to actually overpower Shatner was a real stretch…and looks so when they combat. Topical episode commenting on how the working class make up many while those reaping the profits of their labor live in affluence and comfort…much hasn't changed. Droxine's attire is quite revealing and provocative.

Gas Masks

[timmytony80 · 13 April 2019]

The citizens of Stratos, the cloud city, are amazed by the gas masks Kirk & Mc Coy give them. And of the theory of invisible gases in the caves. Yet, cloud city citizens are able to materialize & dematerialize persons to, from & about Stratos under their own technology. They show no impression at witnessing Kirk & Spock materialize on their promenade. And they have ray guns, energy torture apparatie & live on a perpetually floating vast city comprised of towering skyscrappers. They are celebrated philosophers, artists & scientists. Rivaling even VULCAN.

Its a gas

[jameselliot-1 · 6/10 · 29 October 2018]

Kirk was a real make-out man in the third season. Unlike Wink of An Eye or Elaan of Troyis, he doesn't get to home plate in this episode but he does get to grapple with lovely Charlene Polite as Vanna, leader of the Trogs. Once again in the third season, Kirk makes decisions that come very close to ending badly. Spock has little to do, McCoy even less, Scotty almost nothing and Uhura, Sulu and Chekov are awol. Jeff Cory as the High Adviser turns in his usual great job. One thing about Star Trek casting, they always booked excellent guest actors such as David Opatashu, Alfred Ryder, John Colicos, Michael Ansara, William Marshall and Jason Evers, even in weak stories. Same for the actresses. On a technical level, the use of vivid color is masterful.

An Ancient Story, Set in the 23rd Century

[jqdoe · 6/10 · 8 May 2021]

The story is old - as old as antiquity. A two-tiered society, which is actually two separate and very unequal societies. It goes back at least as far as Spartan citizens and Helots. Roman citizens and slaves. Plantation owners and African-Americans. H. G. Wells' Eloi and Morlocks. Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Jim Crow. And here, in this episode of Star Trek, we have City-Dwellers and Troglytes.

It's an entertaining enough episode, as there is much eye candy in terms of attractive females and special effects, including the floating city of Stratos. I have some quibbles with some of the actions of some of the characters which don't make a lot of sense (like folks doubting that an unseen gas can have deleterious health effects on people). But that is not unusual for Star Trek.

However I didn't really detect any new or original thoughts regarding the basic premise of a society divided into a large group of people doing all the hard work and a small elite group of people reaping all the benefits. So it makes the episode seem like little more than a rehash of old ideas, dressed up in the garb of science fiction.

As a result, I can only give the episode a 6/10. But I can understand how some folks will like it better than that, depending on their expectations. Watch it and form your own opinion.

Capitalism with eyes closed.

[thevacinstaller-03350 · 7/10 · 12 January 2023]

An interesting premise for an episode; I found it jarring that Kirk actually broke the 'non interference' order to illuminate the miner's being intellectually affected by the zenite mining.

As I watched the end of the episode, I was left with little optimism with how much effort Plasus will put into the reconciliation with the miners.

Spock (who has been short changed this season) actually gets some personal scenes and is not just the guy who answers kirk questions in this one. I wasn't really buying into the love story ---- but hey --- it was a passable diversion to help with pacing the episode.

The topic of exploitation is an interesting topic to explore but as other reviewers have stated ----- having the gas being the real protagonist really takes the punch out of the message. I suppose the message is about unknowingly exploiting those around you by keeping your eyes and ears closed when money is involved. They could have hammered this home more effectively but nonetheless it is certainly top tier for season 3.

Scantily clad beauties in an unequal society

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 21 August 2015]

This episode sees the Enterprise going to the planet Ardana to collect a consignment of zienite which is urgently needed to stop a plague wiping out the vegetation on a nearby planet. They are invited to visit the floating city of Stratos but due to their rush Spock and Kirk beam down to the site of the mine. Just as they are talking about how cultured and intelligent the people of Ardana are they are attacked by a group on miners! The planet's leader, High Adviser Plasus, arrives and rescues them. They are taken to Stratos where they learn that while the people there may be cultured and live lives of luxury those on the surface, known as Troglytes, toil in the mines and are considered inferior. Some of these Troglytes, led by the beautiful Vanna, are rebelling against the current situation. She takes Kirk hostage but is soon captured and later tortured by Plasus. Kirk speaks in her defence which enrages Plasus who orders Kirk and Spock to return to the Enterprise. Here McCoy informs them that the zienite ore emits a gas that causes the Troglytes to be less intelligent than they might be; a simple mask could stop this. Hoping to get the ore from the Troglytes Kirk rescues Vanna and takes her to the mines; unfortunately she doesn't believe him and takes him hostage. In a desperate move Kirk has Plasus beamed to the mine and they wait for the gas to take effect.

This is a pretty good episode with a decent central message as well as a reasonable amount of action. The political message isn't exactly subtle as Plasus quickly explains that the Troglytes are considered almost subhuman… in a way that makes it clear that he is far less enlightened that he believes. It seemed de rigueur to have a beautiful woman in 'Star Trek' episode and this episode had two; Vanna, played by Charlene Polite, and Plasus daughter Droxine, played by Diana Ewing whose costume doesn't leave too much to the imagination. These two do a decent job as does Jeff Corey, for plays Plasus. While this is solid for the most part there were flaws; most notably when Spock casually tells Droxine about the Pon Farr; the Vulcan mating ritual… the episode that covered this made it clear that Vulcans do not talk about it; certainly not with somebody they have just met. The ending is a bit of a cop out as we just have to accept that things will get better. Overall though I found this to be pretty enjoyable; certainly above average for season three.

There's something about this episode.

[lnoft97 · 8/10 · 8 August 2021]

I am a most fervent fan of Star Trek TOS and still watch it on cable most nights a week. Many episodes have 'stayed' with me over the years, and this episode - with all its shortcomings - is one of them. I think it is because it's Spock, not Kirk, who has the romantic interest. I like the story and the feisty rebellious woman. I like the matte painting of the 'city in the sky', cheesy as it is. I like the gorgeous, ethereal 'Droxine' (and her name!)....there's something about City In the Sky that fascinates me. (maybe it's the spacey, other-worldly music? It fits so well with the city-in-the-sky and clueless aristos.)

Star Trek is best at Social Critique

[mylkione · 9/10 · 20 February 2023]

This is arguably the last significant commentary episodes of the original series. We have so much to unpack here:

1. Hot for Vulcan 2. Troglytes or Fremen?

3. The OG Cloud City (eat it Star Wars!) 4. Labor, Marxism, Slavery, the upheaval of 1968-1969!

Firstly, we see Spock in full mac mode. Those familiar with Herbert's masterpiece can see how Dune starts to matriculate through contemporary Sci-Fi. We know Dr Who extensively borrowed from Dune, but we see two things at work here: A lower earthen class of warriors/resistors and contemplative overlays that are the exact same used by David Lynch in his interpretation of Herbert's work. We also see George Lucas once again ripping off other, more creative writers for his own, not at all original concepts.

But we must contextualize this episode in the middle of the massive social upheaval of the late 60s. Europe was ablaze in labor and student protests. Students were beaten up, literally, by police in Chicago during the DNC. Robert Kennedy was just assassinated.

The power of this episode is its timeless application to those social conflicts of any era. That's the true power of Sci-Fi as commentary! We are disabused the names and places of nations and leaders, leaving the simple hierarchies of power that dictate oppression.

Upstairs, Downstairs...

[Xstal · 5/10 · 17 February 2022]

A prejudice class war in all but name, with those on top ruling the game, heads in the clouds, controlling the crowds, the populations caged and contained.

Workers of Ardana unite.

Kirk seems to have met his match in strength.....

[prfrmr · 10/10 · 28 November 2006]

This story starts out quite intriguing as the Enterprise, en-voyage to assist a neighboring fleet with diminishing supplies of Zeonite gas (similar to Earth's Oxygen), takes a necessary detour to a nearby planetary civilization well-known for its Zeonite gas-mining corporation: alias, the Troglytes. Upon arrival, Kirk & Spock are seemingly unwelcomed as they wander the grounds, looking for their party, and then are suddenly attacked by the vengeful Troglyte workers, determined to prevent any further Zeonite distribution, in reference to their ongoing slave-trade stand-off against the Collosal.

Kirk is faced-off with a certain female Troglyte: Vanna; the co-leader. And finally appears to have met his match in strength. Their combat struggle is most interesting, as neither appear to gain the upper-hand during what I consider one of the few most interesting fight scenes - especially with a female combatant. Later, Kirk & Spock meet the planetary Commissioners, including the princess daughter - whom Spock takes a sincere (and fully human) romantic interest in, while Vanna; the female Troglyte, encounters Kirk. Again, in the twill and rumble of what would normally be a typical moment of Kirk-passion, we have yet another female enemy not succumbed under his powers of love and seduction. That's particularly what most intrigued me about this episode. Although sadly, the actress, and character she plays, are one-time-only - this episode plays out just enough love-hate/ sexual tension to satisfy most any Trek fan.

I was most intrigued by Kirk's change in testosterate attitude, when facing against Vanna. Her character is so tense, stubborn, strong-willed, and yet undeniably feminine, and yet - she does not simply give-in to Kirk's usually romancing, seductive charms.

Well well well... Spock judges people by appearance? How ffffffascinating...

[fedor8 · 17 May 2022]

The interesting and amusing aspect of TCM is that both Kirk and Spock get to flirt with their designated love-interests. The supposedly logical Spock falls for the blonde, the rather simple Vanna. She is an adult, yet talks like an 11 year-old. Even worse, she needed Spock and Kirk's arrival and subsequent interference in the planet's socio-political order for the penny to finally drop. And yet, Spock who is supposedly drawn to her "intelligence" fails to realize how daft she is!

Spock isn't displaying any logic whatsoever when he simply assumes off-hand that Vanna would not condone the actions of the Cloud City folk if she only knew how unjust they were. Purely based on her physical appearance(!) Spock makes the daft assumption that she must be morally sound. Of course, it turns out he was wrong; Vanna agrees with the bad guys that the enslaved people below are not only inferior but not even deserving of better living conditions.

Spock brings out his illogical inner do-gooder - yet again - when he tells McCoy that it's impossible for the Cloud people and the enslaved to be of different intelligence levels. "They belong to the same species, originated from the same planet hence they must be of similar evolutionary intellectual levels, that is biological law", he says. As if nature was ever "programmed" to create equality (by some imaginary divine "progressive" council). It isn't. Nature isn't "intentional" about anything and has no purpose or goal. Even Spock-in-love should know this.

The great finale has unintentional comedy. Kirk failing to defeat a guy twice his age, in a brawl, plus all the other cheesy nonsense that transpires in the cave scenes.

The dialogue involving the planet's inhabitants is stilted, generic, theatrical, corny and B-movie-like.

Almost naked woman for Kirk and Spock but an episode with merit

[mike48128 · 8/10 · 9 May 2015]

Spock's "girlfriend" looks like "Olive Oil" and has an ear fetish. Kirk has a real "thing" for blonds and redheads. Let's get over the eye candy and get down to business. Lots of stories about "equality" in this 1960's series. Here it is obvious about the "masters" living on clouds and the "slaves" living in the dark mines of Hell. Always stealing from other works, the cave-dwellers are named after "Trogs". Otherwise, pretty good, but the mine is not shown as not to waste money on a better matte painting. It looks like they are mining Lava Soap. Why do all the alien cultures dress like refugees from Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers? They must raid old costume shops on weekends! All the indoor sets look the same. There must be "Home Depots" with interchangeable construction parts throughout the universe!