1.21 — “Return of the Archons”
Plot: Investigating the 100-year-old disappearance of the starship Archon, Kirk & Co. don Old West garb to beam down to a planet seemingly full of happy automatons eager to do the will of a mysterious being called Landru. The populace is controlled telepathically, with order enforced by hooded and robed Lawgivers. The landing party soon connects with the local resistance, and resolves to take Landru out–deciding that the prime directive isn’t meant to apply to a planet full of sissies.
Analysis: This episode is fun to watch, with lots of plot turns and discoveries, but most of all for the art direction. Druidic robes, Spock in a hooded robe, Spock in a vest, oh my! More back lot shooting, with scenes shot in set after unfamiliar new set, my favorite being the wild “absorption chamber.” It’s as if Star Trek has been reskinned as a completely different show.
The first time I watched it I was almost too flabbergasted to react. I watched it again, and couldn’t help imagining how great it would be if the cast of Monty Python played all the supporting roles. Michael Palin could play the traitor druid Marplon—Terry Jones and John Cleese could be the other members of his “triad…”
Festival, red hour, lawgivers, Landru–it’s an ambitious group of premises for a 51 minute show, even if they don’t all pay off. We never find out much about festival, and what was it that happened to the Archon again? Just vanished without a trace? Some plot elements reminded me of Logan’s Run (not published until 1967) and Shelly Jackson’s “The Lottery.” The new behind-the-scenes book, These are the Voyages by Marc Cushman, devotes 10 pages to “Archons” and reveals that, despite numerous attempts to redraft the script to control expenses, the production costs of $210,793 ($1.5 million today) were among the highest of the series.
It may contain a grab-bag of premises, but the themes of the episode are consistent, showing a distrust of false utopias and railing against centrally-controlled societies for the stifling individuality in service of a false sense of the greater good. Why, it’s almost like the difference between capitalism and communism. Or you could look at it as a cuddly version of the Borg–for the good of the collective, you shall be assimilated.
This is the second time Kirk talks a computer to death, counting the android Ruk in “What are Little Girls Made of?” I take it it won’t be the last. I think it works here, at least on a symbolic level, because Kirk’s speech shows the disruptive power of ideas in a closed society–nothing is more dangerous than an idea. Here, it is “What have you done to do justice to the full potential of every individual of the Body?” Which I believe should describe the goal, and limits, of public policy and regulation.
Star Trek history is made with the first mention of the prime directive, although Kirk quickly brushes it off. One could argue his actions amount to social engineering and grand interference in an otherwise functioning, peaceful society. The counter would be that Landru attacked their ship first, and also messed with Sulu. You don’t mess with Sulu! My favorite bit is Sulu’s smirky reaction when Scott says, with an eyeroll, that Sulu’s back to normal. Normal–In other words, fabulous!
I was glad to see Scott take command of the bridge for the first time. As an eight-year-old, I was very proud of knowing that Scott is third in command of the Enterprise. We also learn that the Vulcan neck pinch doesn’t work through robes.
For captivating me in unusual sartorial style, I rate it 4 out of 5 hollow thumping sticks.
Leave a Reply