TAS 1.1 — “Beyond the Farthest Star”
Plot: An investigation of mysterious radio waves traps the Enterprise in the gravity well of a dense star. There, in orbit, they find an enormous, derelict space ship spun out of alien metal which Spock dates to be 300,000,000 years old. Investigation reveals that it was destroyed from within, to thwart a malevolent entity of pure energy. An entity which has survived–to plague the Enterprise!
Thoughts: This pilot script by Samuel A. Peeples bears some resemblance to TOS 1.3, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” the pilot script he wrote for TOS. There, too, the operators of a ship destroyed themselves in a last ditch effort to stop a powerful malevolent enemy (in that episode, it was superman ESPers created by exposure to radiation at the rim of the galaxy). The entity’s invasion of the ship’s electronic systems, on the other hand, is similar to the events of a different TOS episode, second season’s “Wolf in the Fold.”
It is so strange to watch Star Trek in this format! I’m afraid I find the static character images to be dull. The star in this episode is the design and grandeur of the alien ship–truly something they couldn’t have accomplished in the original series. I also like the rendering of the transporter effect, and the use of the “life belts” (instead of space suits, as in TOS 3.9, “The Tholian Web”).
I assume that, at that some point, the series will feature some business involving the strange new navigator sitting in Chekov’s seat. Until then, just a strange picture in the background. There was also a picture of Nurse Chapel, but no dialog for her–so I guess they didn’t have to pay Majel Barrett for her appearance?
The drawings of the characters do not look like the real actors to me. There are 22 episodes. I suppose I will adjust?
What this episode has is a fairly solid premise, and story that, while feeling rushed, at least has seeds of mystery, suspense, and jeopardy for the crew. What is missing–besides live action, and about 30 minutes? Humor, for one. Any warm moments between characters whatsoever. I don’t think there’s a scrap of dialogue in the whole piece that isn’t a statement of exposition of some kind. The script is almost like a story outline, instead of a story.
2 out of 5 farthest stars.
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