shore leave
1C17
Dec 2nd, 1992: POINTLESS, BUT STILL WATCHABLE.
The story, as such, is predictable and uninteresting, but the episode is still enjoyable and worth having on tape.
The character work on Kirk is notable. He sees two people: an old enemy and an old lover. One could say that these are the only two stimulii that Kirk ever reacts to. (Although, so far, in the TV running order there has only been one girl in his life - episode nine.) Yet Kirk feels passionately about his ship. And passion is the drive behind both emotions he exhibits here: hatred and affection.
The scene where he is confronted by Ruth shows Jim in a really bad light. He becomes totally involved in the illusion. Contrast with Picard in "Where No One Has Gone Before."
Interesting that Sulu's liking for weapons reappears.
Kirk, we see, doesn't like taking time off, a trait he shares with Jean-Luc Picard.
I like the young yeoman in this one, a sort of mother-hen figure. I would say she is simply Rand recast, except that this yeoman fancies McCoy and Rand(y) fancied Kirk.
This is a Kirk episode. Spock is there for comic relief, which works well. N.B. Barbara Baldavin appearing again as the character who lost her fiance in "Balance Of Terror."
Overall, I found this episode predictable (Great fight scene, though) and it's not an episode I'd recommend to anyone, nor one I'd re-watch myself in a hurry. Nice bikinis, though!!!
GRADE: C+
May 15th, 1998: The Soundtrack to this episode is one of the most-played in my collection. It's amazing. Especially the score used for the fight scene. I often have it blaring while I work. It's one of those pieces of music that really benefits from being played at full volume.
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