Says Captain James T. Kirk. Truth be told I'm not sure that this is the episode in which he makes this statement, but even it it isn't the summation is apt.
A colony is bereft of want or desire, other than to frolic. While all the time their animals and works have decayed and died off. Partially because of the deadly environment, but partially because of an outside influence.
Which would you have, a paradise where all your carnal and emotional amusements were satisfied at the cost of everything you spent your previous life building, or a life where your work and struggles were rewarded? Does the heir of a fortunate fare better than the child born on the wrong side of the tracks who makes good through academic and/or physical effort?
The gist of the story is clear. But the truth of the parable is actually a more sophisticated one, the true depths of which are not addressed in this brief photoplay. But, what we do see is a commentary on the overindulgence of the 1960's new-youth oriented social movements, and the consequences of excess to the exclusion of all else in a social structure where achievement is discouraged. In this sense we're also seeing the segment of a rehabilitative asylum, satiating a patient's alleged unhealthy wants and desires to "get it out of their system", so to speak.
What truly is paradise? What is truly hell? This episode (and a couple others in the franchise) attempt to address facets of both sides of the coin through the presentation of dramatic scenarios for our pleasure.
Again, Star Fleet's finest meet the challenge, albeit in an unusual way.
In terms of production values ... well, the plants are what they are, and there's no two ways about it. But the acting, story and theme are first rate, particularly by Nimoy's stretching of Spock's boundaries. Great stuff. And Shatner's Kirk is of course the lynch pin to the entire thing. The Enterprise herself looks fantastic in her 1960 glory as she glides across the screen of Omicron Ceti III, even if somewhat dated.
The key "antagonist" may garnish a chuckle from younger viewers, and appropriately so. Heck, even when the show first aired people were in a "awe, come on" mode when the "spores hit-the-fan", so to speak :)
Regardless, watch this episode to see the crew of our favorite starship get pushed to their limits and beyond.
Enjoy :)
p.s. We're actually watching a man (Spock and the crew of the Entperise) recover from bi-polar disorder. A clever gimmicky use of abnormal psychology in a sci-fi vein. In the end Spock releases his temper and recovers.
p.s. in retrospect it is about recovering from depression and bi-polar. I only wish the plants had been tweaked or turned into something else.
A colony is bereft of want or desire, other than to frolic. While all the time their animals and works have decayed and died off. Partially because of the deadly environment, but partially because of an outside influence.
Which would you have, a paradise where all your carnal and emotional amusements were satisfied at the cost of everything you spent your previous life building, or a life where your work and struggles were rewarded? Does the heir of a fortunate fare better than the child born on the wrong side of the tracks who makes good through academic and/or physical effort?
The gist of the story is clear. But the truth of the parable is actually a more sophisticated one, the true depths of which are not addressed in this brief photoplay. But, what we do see is a commentary on the overindulgence of the 1960's new-youth oriented social movements, and the consequences of excess to the exclusion of all else in a social structure where achievement is discouraged. In this sense we're also seeing the segment of a rehabilitative asylum, satiating a patient's alleged unhealthy wants and desires to "get it out of their system", so to speak.
What truly is paradise? What is truly hell? This episode (and a couple others in the franchise) attempt to address facets of both sides of the coin through the presentation of dramatic scenarios for our pleasure.
Again, Star Fleet's finest meet the challenge, albeit in an unusual way.
In terms of production values ... well, the plants are what they are, and there's no two ways about it. But the acting, story and theme are first rate, particularly by Nimoy's stretching of Spock's boundaries. Great stuff. And Shatner's Kirk is of course the lynch pin to the entire thing. The Enterprise herself looks fantastic in her 1960 glory as she glides across the screen of Omicron Ceti III, even if somewhat dated.
The key "antagonist" may garnish a chuckle from younger viewers, and appropriately so. Heck, even when the show first aired people were in a "awe, come on" mode when the "spores hit-the-fan", so to speak :)
Regardless, watch this episode to see the crew of our favorite starship get pushed to their limits and beyond.
Enjoy :)
p.s. We're actually watching a man (Spock and the crew of the Entperise) recover from bi-polar disorder. A clever gimmicky use of abnormal psychology in a sci-fi vein. In the end Spock releases his temper and recovers.
p.s. in retrospect it is about recovering from depression and bi-polar. I only wish the plants had been tweaked or turned into something else.