Star Trek (original series) thread:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

What episodes featured an all-powerful "Q" type figure? I was talking about the classic show with my wife today, she is a fan of TNG but hasn't really seen the old show, and I pointed out that one of the recurring plots revolved around omnipotent beings who often had a petulant, adolescent type personality who screw around with the Enterprise and its crew for the bulk of the show before they are neutralized in one way or another. There was no character like TNG's "Q" however that was recurring (I don't care much for the Q character or the shows centering around him with one exception, by the way).

"The Squire of Gothos" (Trelane)
"Charlie X"
"Who Mourns for Adonis" (Apollo character)
"Catspaw" (sort of fits this mold)

Any others I missed?

[ReadTomPaine]

1. Errand of Mercy <n/t>

On edit- The pilot also - 'The Cage'. (Talosians)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. I guess this would fit the category, but the omnipotent aliens are a group

though. It is my favorite episode.

"Captain Pike has his illusion and you have reality. May you find your way as pleasing."

[ReadTomPaine]

11. Yes those two are among the best...

Off question:
I also loved Taste of Armageddon "Scotty, execute general order 24 in one hour!" & What Are Little Girls Made Of "Roger Korby was never here."

RTP

[BootinUp]

2. empathic

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. Was the empath powerful though? I thought she only could heal them...

[BootinUp]

9. Not her, but the other main characters that wished to save

one of their solar systems planets. With the big heads, heh.

[ReadTomPaine]

12. The Vians

That was a pretty unusual episode. Also very cheap to shoot!

RTP

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

18. Which ones were the Vians?

[ReadTomPaine]

21. They were the ones refered to upthread from "The Empath"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. Where No Man Has Gone Before

A Q gone wrong, you may say.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Was that the early show where the crew dude got zapped, had the crazy

silver eyes and was all powerful? Was one of the original pilots for the series?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. Yes, the one the network accepted. (nt)

[Deja Q]

4. They all had powers, but only Trelane had Q's delightful behavior

Of course, Harry Mudd had a similar behavior, but lacked powers. :-(

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. I always think "Liberace" when I think of Trelane...

[DarthDem]

13. Loads

This (the "All-Powerful Aliens" group of episodes) made up one of the recurring themes of the series, along with "Kirk v. the Computer"; "Prime Directive Violations" and others.

Specifically:

"Spectre of the Gun"
"Arena"
"Errand of Mercy"
"The Gamesters of Triskelion"
"Plato's Stepchildren"
"The Savage Curtain"


There may be a few others.

[BootinUp]

14. yep

Good list.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. I guess the Organians in "Day of the Dove" would qualify as well.

[ReadTomPaine]

16. The creature in Day of the Dove had no name <n/t>

The Organians were from Errand of Mercy.

[DarthDem]

20. That Was "Errand of Mercy," Actually . . .

. . . but "Day of the Dove" involved a controlling alien as well. However, the one in "Day of the Dove" - - the episode where this entity manipulated hatred and prejudice in order to cause eternal war (if it sounds familiar, it should; it was one of Star Trek's many political allegories) - - wasn't quite as all-powerful, in the Q sense, as the others I listed.

[KittyWampus]

17. OMG! Bush Is "Q" And We Have To Neutralize Him

[Deja Q]

24. Q is an amoral, bipolar meddler. And entertaining... * is actually an

immoral, utterly mad meddler. And hardly entertaining.

[BootinUp]

19. Cobermite Maneuver

Yes?

[BootinUp]

22. What was the name of the episode

Where the super beings had nearly destroyed themselves and were just energy inside receptacles. They take over the bodies of Kirk, Spock, a women doctor for the purpose of building new bodies?

[DarthDem]

23. Perfect Example . . .

. . . of one I forgot. "Return to Tomorrow." Nice grab.

I've long had a theory that you can distill about 90% of episodes of TOS to "Alien Superbeings," "Kirk v. Computer", "Shatter the Prime Directive", and "Former Federation Guys Lost or Gone Bad." Some episodes (like "Return of the Archons") even involve all four.

[Lefty48197]

25. I liked that giant human/carrot that attacked Dr. Smith

It reminded me of Q.

[BootinUp]

26. are you sure thats a star trek episode? n/t

[USA_1]

27. "Assignment: Earth" [episode # 55]

Robert Lansing as Agent Gary Seven was assigned to protect the earth in 1968 by the Preservers. He said that even in the original Star Trek time, their identity would remain unknown. He was assisted by Isis ( a humanoid/cat) and by Miss Lincoln ( a hippy portrayed by the beautiful Teri Garr). While his efforts are nearly thwarted by Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Spock, he does succeed in his mission.

This is generally considered one of the weakest episodes but it remains my personal favorite. Roberta ( the hippy ) screams out "yes, I may look kinda funny and goofy like but I LOVE MY COUNTRY!". This was true for hippies and for all anti-war acitivists at that time. This is no different from today. I have always loved the topicality and the moral message of this episode and that's what makes it my favorite.

[DarthDem]

28. It Was A Pilot . . .

. . . for a series involving Lansing and Garr, which is why it feels far different than an ordinary TOS episode. It also contains one of the best fight scenes in ST, in the transporter room at the beginning of the episode. Spock tries the nerve pinch on Seven, who is immune to it and hits Spock back, knocking him into the wall with an audible gasp. A really well-choreographed scene.

[USA_1]

29. recommended reading .....

The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Sherman {A Star Book published in 1983 ISBN 0 352 31355 2}.

The episode is covered on pages 139-141. The entire book gives an excellent analysis of every episode.

Enjoy!

[DarthDem]

31. Yup

Had it when I was a kid. Buried in my parents' house somewhere now I guess - - I've often thought about looking for it. Great book indeed for TOS fans.

[Sven77]

30. Gamesters of Triskelion

fifty Quadloos on the newcomer!!!

nice tinfoil bikini :loveya:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

32. "Help me again, Kirk!" LOL