Wanderlust

2.8 — “I, Mudd”

2.8 — “I, Mudd”

Plot: An android hijacks the Enterprise and delivers it into the hands of one Harcourt Fenton Mudd, scoundrel, now purportedly the ruler of a colony inhabited by super-efficient sentient androids. The androids have outlived their makers, and claim to want to ally with humans to give themselves a sense of purpose. It doesn’t take long for them to realize that with a starship, a whole galaxy of humans awaits their conquest.

Thoughts: Oh, Mudd, you rascal. You were expecting from this episode a progressive treatment of gender politics? Although it is strange that the androids choose for their leader one of the few male models (and how did Norman find a way to enlist on the Enterprise if none of them can escape the planet? Who was controlling the androids while he was away?), it is at least clear that the female robots actually have the upper hand over Mudd, and look down on him even as the use him to further their plans. The episode gets a lot of yuks over implying that Mudd has lucked himself onto a planet full of willing concubines, however.

Spock’s “beads and rattles” comment to McCoy in the teaser was positively bitchy. He seems to be having fun engaging with the teasing back and forth. Is this a progression for Spock’s character, showing his evolution of a sense of humor by developing an ability to poke fun at his own Vulcan nature?

I don’t love the character of Mudd, but I still found a lot to like about this episode, starting with the sets on the alien planet. Abstract color sprays on the walls! I thought we were back in first season.

Resisting the gilded cage has become a recurring trope for Star Trek.  Also the high value placed on imagination and improvisation over pure logic. This second idea strikes me as an appropriate theme for a show peddling soothing messages about the advance of technology. Don’t worry, it is saying, newfangled gadgets and exposure to new cultural forms won’t take away our capacity to be human, or the things that are truly important.

The antics of the crew as they are busting the chops of the robots are too fun to carp over. Bravo. And good job shooting the scenes with all the identical twins.

3.5 of 5 gaping defects in logic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Mudd

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12 responses to “2.8 — “I, Mudd””

  1. Bill Testerman Avatar
    Bill Testerman

    I’m kind of torn about “I, Mudd.” On the one hand, it’s funny and entertaining. But on the other hand, there are things I wonder about. For one, the Enterprise and Starfleet have gaping holes in their security, right? This Norman android enlists in Starfleet, is assigned to the Enterprise, then takes it over with ease! How did he learn that much about the ship? And why, after he takes it over, can Kirk and Spock not override his changes? There are several other episodes where someone takes over the ship, and I can’t see that it would be this easy.

    Secondly, here’s another story where Kirk et al talk computers into committing suicide. The show should never have a story where an android or computer is a real threat, because all they have to do is act nutty and it’ll short out!! I agree with you, Kevin, that it’s a good aspect of the show to value imagination and improvisation over pure logic, but at some point machines will advance beyond what they are in “I, Mudd.” Unless a “soul” exists, are we humans not basically machines? And if humans do have a soul, how would it beam through the transporter??

    I like Roger C. Carmel’s portrayal of Harry Mudd. NBC considered creating a spin-off series starring Mudd in the late ’60s, but alas it never happened. I prefer the way Mudd was presented in “Mudd’s Women” since there he was funny but always with an underlying menace too, whereas in “I, Mudd” he’s just played for laughs. By the way, I read a ST novel about Harry Mudd entitled Mudd in Your Eye by Jerry Oltion, which I thought was pretty good. And I like the humorous music score by Samuel Matlovsky.

    I find “I, Mudd” hard to believe, but taken as an entertaining farce I give it a 3. I like ST doing comedy, and of the 3 they did in the second season, “The Trouble with Tribbles” is my favorite. Actually, the writer of that episode, David Gerrold, did a rewrite on Stephen Kandel’s script for “I, Mudd,” so some places show him as co-writer of this.

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  2. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    I think I read somewhere that in the first draft of the script, the ship didn’t arrive on the android planet until the second act, and one of the main directives on the rewrite was to speed up the action so they could get on to the rest of the story. There’s a certain amount of this that goes hand in hand with the pacing and density of the classic Trek format, but I agree that this doesn’t let the writers off the hook for making it plausible, or for making it seem like Ms. Quimby’s kindergarten class could also hijack the Enterprise, given half a chance.

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  3. Bill Testerman Avatar
    Bill Testerman

    The rewrite probably helped, then, since I thought the teaser was adequate to deal with Norman’s takeover of the ship. “I, Mudd” was a well-written script, wasn’t it? Good and funny dialogue. But yeah, it may not be entirely plausible. It’s as though the Trek people meant for it to be a farce, and it was certainly far out enough to be one!!

    Incidentally, I watched “Mudd’s Women” again today and noticed that Stephen Kandel wrote both it and “I, Mudd,” which I hadn’t realized. Well, that’s logical!

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  4. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Hmmm.  I liked it overall, but thought it was a bit slow-moving.  Spock shows more emotion than in many episodes, I agree.   And although I think the premise is odd that acting silly will deactivate robots, ultimately I agree with Kevin that it is too fun to watch to pick on the premise that much.

    I kind of liked the part about how humans have to suffer to be happy, I think it is true despite the odd voices and chin taps of McCoy and Scotty after delivery.

    Overall not my favorite, but watchable.  I rate it 3 out of 500 nagging robot wives.

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  5. R. Alex Reutter Avatar
    R. Alex Reutter

    I only have to add: Poor, poor Sulu.  He has a few lines in the very beginning, and then is the only member of the main cast who doesn’t get to help defeat the androids.  He just… disappears, like the rest of the nameless, faceless crew. 

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  6. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    I think George Takei was cast around this time in The Green Berets, and disappears for 8 episodes or so. It’s not so sudden because the episodes were shown in a different order from how they were produced.

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  7. R. Alex Reutter Avatar
    R. Alex Reutter

    Ah!  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Takei#Star_Trek)  That helps ease the pain of not seeing Takei, but I’m torn about casting a Japanese American as Vietnamese — not as uncomfortable as seeing Alec Guinness as an Arab or Indian, but… on the one hand, it should theoretically be a matter of acting and anyone should be able to take on any role.  OTOH, there are times when you want to shoot more for accuracy and authenticity.  If The Green Berets is more akin to Rambo, you can throw authenticity out the window.  If they were trying for Tora! Tora! Tora!, then it would be nice to have found Vietnamese actors. 

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  8. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    Maybe we should watch the film! I’ve been toying with incorporating classic science fiction films, say on alternate Fridays–I’ve never seen a number of them (Metropolis, Forbidden Planet, Silent Running) and it would be nice to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey which came along in 1968.

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  9. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Sounds like fun, although I may not join in on the watching of war movies or 2001, I would be into Metropolis or Forbidden Planet…

    Reply
  10. Bill Testerman Avatar
    Bill Testerman

    I’d like to talk about some classic sci-fi movies too. And 2001: A Space Odyssey is my very favorite movie, so I’m into watching it again.

    Reply
  11. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    2001 looms rather large when you watch ST: TMP.

    Reply
  12. Bill Testerman Avatar
    Bill Testerman

    Yes, they do have a similar theme and feel to them, don’t they?

    Reply

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