Star Trek New Voyages: “In Harm’s Way” – Episode 4×01

Star Trek New Voyages: “In Harm’s Way” – Episode 4×01

Plot: Kirk is summoned to the planet of the Guardian by Spock, who Kirk does not know. Spock tells Kirk that that he is living in the wrong timeline, commanding the U.S.S. Farragut, because a time anomaly has caused the destruction of the Enterprise, 14 years earlier, when it was under the command of Captain Pike. Can Kirk and his crew find a way to travel back in time and restore the time stream to its natural course, before a planet-killing Doomsday Machine destroys the planet of the Guardian?

Thoughts: The official first episode of Star Trek Phase II (then called (New Yoyages) features a brisk pace and more action-filled premise than the pilot. This episode is a love letter to TOS,, referring especially back to episode 2.6, “The Doomsday Machine,” episode 1.28, “The City on the Edge of Forever,” and episodes 1.11 & 1.12, “The Menagerie.”  Time travel!  Captain Pike!  Admiral Kirk from the future!  This is a fangasm—a fun romp through what-ifs and wouldn’t-it-be-cools.  

What they have done with sets, props, and costumes is quite impressive.  Nor are they stingy with visual effects, which have beauty and snap–if not dignity, verisimilitude, or weight.  The things they did well serve to highlight how hard it is to do other things which you would think should be simpler—the acting, ambiance, and drama that keeps us watching the original, TOS, almost 50 years later.

Special homages include appearances by William Wyndom (Commodore Decker in “The Doomsday Machine”), BarBara Luna (Malena in “Mirror, Mirror,” here playing Decker’s companion Veronica), and Malachai Throne (Commodore Mendez from “The Menagerie,” here playing the Klingon Korogh, father of Kargh).

The script was obviously partly inspired by events in TAS episode 1.2, “Yesteryear,” which also featured a time stream alteration in which Spock was replaced as first officer of the Enterprise, necessitating a trip back through the doorway to repair the timestream. Well, if you’re going to steal, might as well steal from a good script.

Despite some warts (it still looks like a fan film), I had fun, again, and am looking forward to next week’s “To Serve All My Days,” with special guest star Walter Koenig! (First, there’s a short vignette episode, V01 — “Center Seat,”  which I’ll post on Friday).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyCJ57eQyoE&src_vid=ZVCXw1xJFJ4&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_11053