Last time I talked about one of my favourite episodes of TOS. This time we’re looking at one at the other end of the spectrum.
When people talk about bad TOS Spock’s Brain is often talked about. I submit that Spock’s Brain isn’t that bad. The Alternative Factor, to the best of my memory, has no redeeming qualities. It is boring and stupid.
As we go through this lets see if that descriptor holds up…
The Enterprise is in orbit of a planet engaged in the dull side of exploration. They are performing a scan. While doing this there is a sudden, and to my mind, ill-defined disaster. Spock reports that everything within range of the sensors ‘winked out’. This is represented by overlaying stars across the screen.
Let’s talk for a moment about stakes. The stakes in this episode is the entire galaxy maybe the entire universe. In my opinion that is far too much. It is hard to get ones mind around those kinds of consequences. Not to mention that if our heroes can save the universe it makes it look silly that anything can challenge them.
This type of story can work in some circumstances. Doctor Who has done a universe in peril story a few times. I feel this kind of story works for Doctor Who in a way it doesn’t for Star Trek. The Doctor is, for all intents and purposes, a demigod. He understands time in all its wibbly-wobbly glory and can go anywhere in the universe. The Enterprise is very limited by comparison.
When I see an episode like The Alternative Factor I can’t help thinking about the other races in the universe. The Romulans must have detected the winking out too. Yet they can do nothing about it and, I realise this is personal taste, that never quite sat right with me.
After the ‘winking out’ they detect a life form on the planet. Kirk, Spock, and four security men head down. They discover a small craft. To borrow from Doctor Who – if the Doctor has a sports car this thing is a space hopper. (I know making fun of how this thing looks is a cheap shot.) They find the pilot, Lazarus, and he collapses, hinting at some great danger, after falling off a rock. (I was going to say mountain but that is rather more fatal.)
Scotty is absent from this episode so the engineering duties (technically science) are fulfilled by Lieutenant Masters. It is an odd omission as the story deals with an engineering matter. Nevertheless Janet MacLachlan does a fine job in the role. It is also wonderful to see another black woman being in a position of authority – even if only for this episode.
Lieutenant Masters reports that the effect drained the ship’s dilithium crystals. Kirk orders her to ‘Re-amplify ‘ the crystals. I don’t know enough science to know if that makes sense. I am going to guess it doesn’t – technobabble isn’t just for Voyager! Since the lack of crystals would cause the orbit to decay you would think re-amplifying would be standard practice. Also when something is in orbit doesn’t it stay in orbit? I don’t know. Again I know nothing.
Spock cannot explain what is going on. In other words they are screwed! The one thing he can say it is strongest on the planet below.
More good news is received when they are contacted by Starfleet. They believe that the ‘winking out’ is a prelude to invasion. And yet they will not give Kirk any additional ships. (What could be more important than the possible end of everything?) Also how can someone invade an entire universe?
Incidentally the dialog indicates that Starfleet has a presence, or is at least aware of, goings on outside of the galaxy. This would not be true later on. I am not blaming the episode for this. TOS was not a show where continuity was important.
I am supposed to be explaining this episode’s plot. I am not 100% sure it has one…here’s a stock photo of an angel and a devil.
Lazarus is brought to Kirk’s quarters. He says that he is perusing a being that destroyed his entire civilisation. He escaped because he was inspecting ‘magnetic communications satellites’ – I don’t think that makes sense but it does in the world of Trek.
I don’t think it makes sense both in terms of the words but also in an advanced civilisation wouldn’t there always be many people off world?
Kirk arrives on the planet with Lazarus. Lazarus now has a cut on his forehead that wasn’t there before. Then we get the first of many appearances of a blue effect of two figures fighting. I think it is supposed to be in some null space. The planet is shaken by what every it was. Lazarus (or Robert_Brown, his actor, if you prefer) gets to over act. Which is quite a statement as he is next to William Shatner. (Sorry SFdebris but you’re right.) He gets to say kill over and over – that’s always fun.
The biggest stumbling block in this episode, as mentioned up top, is the sheer scale of what is going on. Even if they do lampshade it, Kirk says it is hard to believe. It doesn’t make it work.
Suspension of disbelief is going to be a factor in any science fiction story. For some people a ship powered by crystals might be too much. For me that was grandfathered in. I started watching Star Trek when I was 7. A ship powered by mushrooms breaks my stupid meter.
So does this episode. The universe is in peril from one person? It is not like the anti-Lazarus has a doomsday weapon. He is just some guy.
We get a scene with McCoy and Kirk where the former uses the phrase ‘As you know’ twice in as many minutes. One of them was ‘as we both know’ but let’s not slit hairs. I don’t hate that phrase as much as others but it certainly is over used. (And rarely makes sense in any context.)
What McCoy does say that is interesting (in theory) is that he treated Lazarus for a wound. Then, a little later, the wound was gone.
Not only is the wound gone but so is Lazarus. McCoy is rather blasé about that. Here’s a wild idea. Maybe a visitor to a military (I will die on that hill.) ship, who you know nothing, should have a security escort. Granted Starfleet security couldn’t stop a toddler from stealing from the cookie jar but still. Turns out he is just in the mess hall.
Kirk and McCoy find Lazarus. This is not from a coordinated search they just happen upon him! He does have the plaster on his forehead. McCoy takes it off and the wound is back.
Kirk seems to think that McCoy is just kidding around. I have to ask just how dumb is Kirk? Does he really think that McCoy would do that in a crisis? I don’t know that just doesn’t sit right with me. Then again in The Corbomite Manoeuvre he doesn’t tell Kirk about the red alert lights. McCoy is also seen drinking on duty…never mind.
On the bridge they have detected a rip in the universe. Spock was able to find it using the dilithium crystals crystals. Okay, people. Ready for a geeky diversion?
As I said I have been watching Star Trek since I was 7. I started with TNG and saw TOS much later. As such I might have a rather skewed view of things. TNG, DS9 and Voyager are more consistent with each other than they are with TOS. I cannot recall another time when the dilithium was used to find something. I am guessing it was acting like a compass. I don’t know. I’m just a writer not a science officer.
Lazarus wants the crystals to trap the other one. Kirk, naturally, refuses as they are essential to the operation of the ship.
Lazarus leaves the bridge with a security guard but when we next see him he is alone and no explanation is given. How did he get away from the guard? Incompetence?
That is the real problem with this episode. The story they are trying to tell is stupid but, on top of that, we have these little extra things of the crew being idiots.
Even doing this review I am having a hard time fully understanding what in the hell is going on.
The injured Lazaruses – has an episode (For want of a better term – I mean this in the clinical sense of the word.) and then we see the uninjured one. I think they are switching places each time.
The uninjured one goes to engineering and attacks Masters and her assistant. Security reports that Lazarus is missing. See what I mean about incompetence?
Kirk meets with the injured Lazarus in the briefing room. He says it was the other one who is guilty. Kirk also asks how the other got aboard. I am guessing that because they can switch places where one goes the other goes.
Back on the planet the crew investigate the ship. The crystals are not aboard. Lazarus ends up in the blue zone – with the back up fight music playing (That is my term it is not the famous Trek fight music) – after this fight the injured one emerges and… well he falls off the mountain…again.
In sickbay they get more information. Lazarus says he is from Earth but from another time. The other Lazarus is also a time traveller.
McCoy objects to the security officer – for reasons.
Then Kirk and Spock are illogical. Admittedly I might not have caught this myself. (Thanks Sfdebrs) They say that because the Enterprise’s sensors are designed to scan everything in the universe, and that they are not getting a clear scan, that the radiation they have detected must be from another universe. They conclude the existence of a parallel universes occupying the same space and time. A minus universe. (Rather than concluding that they have discovered something new. Something strange. A strange new world you might say.)
They figure out that Lazarus is two men. I feel it was too subtle – or maybe I am just an idiot.
Spock says ‘Madness has no purpose…but it may have a goal.’ That might be the dumbest thing Spock has said. Purpose and goal are pretty close in definition. I am not quite sure if they are synonyms or not.
There is an anti-matter and a matter universe and they cancel each other out. If the two Lazarus meet there will be annihilation. Not just of them but of the whole universe. How can a few kilograms of a person be a universe level threat?
Injured Lazarus removes something from a panel causing a fire. The crew evacuates and he sneaks in to steal the crystals.
Lazarus knocks out the transporter operator, beams down, and clips the crystals into his space hopper – I mean ship.
Kirk arrives and he ends up in the blue zone. He emerges on another planet. Here he meets the uninjured Lazarus who greets him. So Kirk is now in the antimatter universe.
Kirk agrees to help. The blue zone is an interconnection between the two universes, a corridor. A plan is put together: force the other Lazarus into the corridor and destroy his ship.
For some reason Kirk tells the guards to stand back. Kirk wins, duh, they take the crystals back, and blow up the ship. Lazarus is now trapped forever with his mad doppelganger. The implication is that they will not age.
This episode is a mess. I think it could have worked if the script had been given another pass and a polish but, as it stands, it is a mess. As is this review. I have done a speed run to the end here because I want to get to a more interesting episode. Which isn’t saying much as they are all more interesting than this one.
I just wanted to say that I have checked this post. I really have. Unfortunately my particular combination of dyslexia and dyspraxia makes it really hard for me to spot typos. Please enjoy and I’ll try not to make too many errors.
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SDuKYJBkJm
Unstable Orbit 