The Paradise Syndrome

The only show from the final season to venture out into the sunlight, this Jud Taylor-directed saga registers highly as one of the best from that third season's roster. It was in the lead-off position and had to come out fast. The budget must have burst a leak at the purse strings and a good deal of cash spilled away. And so the rest of the season had to be sacrificed--like Kirk's wife and child--for the good of this production. Nevertheless, the dollars spent are present on screen, and are well divided between special effects and dramatic elements. The musical score by Gerald Fried is lush, emotional and thunderous, but never sappy. I like how the story unravels over a period of months. The actress who plays Miramanee enjoyed numerous roles of rebellion and angst throughout the Sixties. I have "The Paradise Syndrome" at home in my collection. I think because it poses legitimate questions about Man's place in the cosmos. Pine trees replace ship beams for a greater organic effect. A mammoth asteroid and giant obelisk (covered with ancient writings) produce impressive set pieces, as well as obstacles, for the captain and the rest of the crew to contemplate and decipher. Spock solves the riddle. He always does.