Star Trek Sr Vol 6

"Miri:" Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Rand beam down to a planet inhabited by 300 year-old 'children' wherein they are infected by a maddening disease that is fatal to adults. This segment attempts to be a haunting take on the Peter Pan fable about children who never grow old, but fails to sustain interest (one's mind keeps wandering); there's also too many melodramatic scenes that simpy don't work. On the plus side Yeoman Janice Rand figures prominently; her horror at the disease' progress on her body, and hence the deterioration of her beauty, is an excellent analogy of the universal human struggle with the accursed reality of aging and death. Anyway, the episode provides adequate proof that kids and Star Trek don't mix (so why did they end up featuring Wesley Crusher so prominently in Star Trek: The Next Generation two decades later?) (Of course he only lasted four seasons as Trek fans universally despised him -- including me). GRADE: D-

"The Conscience of the King:" Kirk becomes convinced that the leader of a Shakespearean troupe, Anton Karidian, which the Enterprise is transporting, is a notorious political figure responsible for a massacre twenty years earlier. This episode sadly marks the seventh and final appearance of Yeoman Janice Rand played by Grace Lee Whitney. Unfortunately her appearance here is merely a cameo. Apparently the network felt the presence of Rand would hinder Kirk's succession of romantic interests (an argument that really holds no water). Over the years Gene Roddenberry has stated many times that he should have kept Grace as part of the cast. She would return to Trek twelve years later in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Arnold Moss, who plays Karidian, gives an outstanding performance portraying Karidian when he painfully exclaims, "I no longer treasure life, not even my own... I AM TIRED...!!" Powerful! Bottom Line: An original, mature and well-written drama, not to mention heartbreaking -- kids won't like it. GRADE B+

The Conscience of the King-This Shakespearean episode, in which a father and daughter lead an acting troupe being transported by the Enterprise, is one of the most underrated. The episode has a very distinctive feel, from the opening shot of the bloody knife to the medieval-sounding musical score. The parallels between Macbeth (and other Bard works) and the episode are also quite intriguing. Themes explored in this thoughtful show include 1) the impossibility of escaping the past, and 2) the strength (for better or worse) of familial bonds. Add to this the fact that the episode is a murder mystery with three plot twists (one of them is admittedly revealed far too soon), and you have a winner. (4.5 stars)