"The Doomsday Machine" was a great episode given the circumstances surrounding its filming. Back in those days, there was no in-house special effects team, so all footage had to be filmed, then sent off for the visuals to be added in. This meant the episodes to much longer to produce. In the second season, by episode 6, Star Trek was already experiencing delays and were close to defaulting - failing to produce an episode by air date - a kiss of death in the days of only three broadcast networks. The producers were looking for a script that would be easy to produce (no new sets, no new planets or costumes or makeup) The Doomsday Machine was perfect - all the action takes place aboard the Enterprise or her identical sister ship the Constellation. The writer, Norman Spinrad, call the script his take on Moby Dick - with Decker as Ahab. The musical score by Sol Kaplan might be one of the best every written for an episode of television.
I'm impressed by how Captain Kirk tried to talk Decker out of killing himself. Kirk reminded him that his life was still valuable and people needed him. Best line: "We're stronger with you than without you."
That was a great scene. Kirk understood Decker's trauma. Tried to save him. Could you imagine how a similar situation would have played out in Star Trek Discovery?
I always thought it would be amusing if they went outside a while later and Scotty came strolling up in a Hawaiian shirt, Sipping on a pineapple daiquiri. "Hiya, Sar! Dock, Mistar Spock!" Kirk would be shocked and declare "Scotty! What are you doing here?!" "Ya fired me. So, I decided to retire. There was nowhere else to go, so I packed up, hopped into an escape pod, and here I am!" "Shar is Pretty down here. Pavel. Ya war sayin the other day that Russians invented the game of Harshoes?" Chekov would just say "Umm. yes." "Well, where are some of those 'explodin rocks' you ware talkin about? I've got an idea far a whole new twist on the game that will..." "MISTER SCOTT!!" Kirk would shout at him. "I said nobody else was to come down here! Now, get back up to the Enterprise and FIND A WAY TO SAVE MY SHIP!!" "Sarry, sar. With the power drain, lifepods can only go down, not back up". Then he'd wander off and start talking to some of the natives about how to ferment fruits into alcoholic drinks. "Oh, by the way. Yer master VAL. Is thare a back way into its cave? I think I'd like to read some of its memory banks and see if we can't make this place a little safer for everyone....
Go easy on the Commodore, he was easy to dislike because of how he treated Spock but he clearly had PTSD after what he’d been through. A tribute to William Windom, one of the best character actors of the 60’s and 70’s. He was on nearly every television show of the time at one time or another.
Hey, Courtney! Star Fleet is less a job and more a branch of service. Scotty could be discharged or court martialed but not fired. Kirk wasn't being literal. He was exasperated and was chiding Scotty with an empty threat. He knows full well the value of his Chief Engineer. "The Doomsday Machine" has a connection to "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". William Windom played Commodore Matthew Decker in the episode. The character's son has a significant role in the film. Nichelle Nichols was contracted to perform at a singing gig during the production of "The Doomsday Machine" which is why she was absent.
Scottie getting fired is a technique they used to write into TV shows as a hook in the trailer for next week; a throw away storyline that sounds sensational in a sound bite: Next week on Star Trek... "Scottie, you're fired."
"Firing" was a joke. It's a man thing, joking in crisis. It's better than saying "if you fail, you are dead". Same with his joke to Spock on the amount of money he would cost if he died
I was four years old watching this episode after school it was the very first time a TV episode made me STRESSED. Heart pounding, eyes glued to the screen, Sol Kaplan's iconic score booming in my ears, it was great. Little did I know 30 some odd years ago that it was the first time I'd see PTSD or perhaps more viscerally, shell shock. William Windom's performance was fantastic he was absolutely unhinged and barely holding it together. For the record regardless of how after losing a command a Commanding Officer is court-martialed to determine if his actions were to the highest standards of a commander. They evaluate everything. So they would've seen that he was put into an impossible situation, but they also would've determined that he couldn't sit in the big chair again. He likely would've had to accept retirement.
The guest performance of William Windom as Commodore Decker was the finest acting of a guest star in the entire series. P.S. we use to have fun avlibbing (misspelled ) to this episode back in college. The scene where you first see Decker on his ship with the door half open and him sprawled out on a table: “Oh what a party. My crew tr @shed my whole ship. Does anyone have any aspirin?”
It makes me wish the Academy of Television And Motion Pictures had an Oscar category for "Best Guest Star Performance in a Television Show" back then. Windom would have received it free and clear! 🏆
Hey, Makora was played in "The Apple" by David Soul! He was one of the leads in the 1970's series "Starsky and Hutch". He also had a successful singing career, mostly in Europe, but he had a big hit in the USA with "Don't Give Up On Us" in the late 1970's. The "Doomsday Machine" is one of the best and most terrifying episodes in the series, maybe the franchise. Somewhere on TH-cam is a documentary about the music score for the episode, it's pretty special. Glad to see Scotty got a bonus; makes up for getting docked the week before. There's also a fun little easter egg of sorts in The Motion Picture referring to this episode. And who knew Kirk and Spock would lead a mutiny? Also on TH-cam is a fan film about the battle between the Doomsday Machine and Decker and the Constellation. It's very true to the original story.
Besides being the best guest actor in Trek history, I thought Decker's end was just tragic, he was so emotionally, mentally damaged beyond repair. It was so sad when Decker said, "I've been prepared for death ever since...ever since I killed my crew." And Kirk rightfully tells him, "Matt, nobody expects you to die for an error in judgment!" Decker honestly tried to save his crew, but he got the wrong results. You could almost FEEL Decker's pain.
I hope you like "Doomsday Machine." It's my favorite episode of any kind of Star Trek ever. And the original, almost Wagnerian score by Sol Kaplan is magnificent. It was reused several times in later episodes.
Did you spot David Soul, the Starsky and Hutch actor who just died in January? / When the Doomsday Machine exploded "That's a SPICY MEAT-A-BALL!" Matt Decker was a great Starfleet officer; you're meeting him at his worst and he has PTSD. Nichelle Nicholls had a singing engagement that week.
Commodore Decker had just lost his entire crew. If you listen to his prior log, he sounds like a smart leader. It could be the survivor's guilt that's messing up his head!
I wonder if in the real Navy or Air Force, The security guards would have waited that long, or when Decker was giving orders to attack that Spock and everyone else could see were wrong and dangerous, would they have _at that time_ gone up to him, and taken him away?
@@TheNoiseySpectator The answer would be, no. A commander has a right to put a ship in harm's way ifIt's part of a ship's mission. Remember, Mr. Spock only acted when Captain Kirk said he would take full responsibility under his personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise. By that point, the crew had had enough and had no problem removing him from command. One wonders what would have happened if Decker had survived. He could have flamed Kirk's ass for mutiny.
@@actioncom2748 That is interesting. ☺️ But I think if he had survived, and they had gotten away, Decker would have been less obsessed after he was no longer running on just adrenaline, had eaten a healthy meal, and had a good night's rest. I don't know if he would have been apologetic toward Kirk and Spock, but I am sure he would have overlooked their "insubordination". His thoughts would have centered on the Planet Killer, and what had happened with his crew. Especially if the Enterprise had gotten away without destroying it, to warn ahead it was coming, as Spock had urged. He would be focused on what Starfleet could have done to stop it. ,
I’m a retired vet of two wars, and I’d follow a man like Commodore Decker to hell. That man was a soldier. Too many people judge him based on his shell shock, not his dedication.
Since you are a Veteran, I have a question for you. Taking the focus off Decker for a moment, what if someone like him suffering from such hysterics tried to take command in the real world? IDK which one was your service & you can't speak for others, what would a real Commander rank First Officer do? What would subordinate bridge officers, security guards and an actual ship's doctor have all really done? This question is open to any Services Members.
@@TheNoiseySpectator Of course, he would have to be treated for shock before resuming command. My point was that people instantly judged his entire being over his shock.
Courtney, I agree with your assumption. If Commodore Decker had survived, Captain Kirk would have let Starfleet Command know of Decker's post-rescue actions. However, many events/actions manage to not be included in the Official Record and you also have the time-honored tradition in the military that you don't posthumously dishonor a man for his final actions/mistake(s) if his prior service record has been very good to exemplary. Trust me, you don't get to be a commodore by having poor judgement/bad performance during your career. So, Decker was a well-regarded Starfleet officer prior to this encounter.
Please look again at Commodore Decker, as he sits in the Captain's chair on The Enterprise. Note that Decker is holding two "data tapes", ( those thin square things), one is in green, and one in yellow. Decker hadms been fidgeting with them the whole time he's in command. This is a reference to a compelling scene in a fantastic movie called "The Caine Mutiny", from about 10 years before this episode, where a very disturbed Captain Queeg (pronounced "Qweeg") was fidgeting wirh a batch of ball-bearings in a similar manner. Both show the inner nervousness and struggle going on in these men Also, note the colors; green represents Kirk's shirt color, yellow, Decker's. I always thought these details were interesting.
Spock in The Apple 🍎 has the most things happen to him than in any other episode of TOS. Shot by the plant in the chest. Almost killed when he tossed the first rock they encountered (am surprised it didn't blow up when he snapped it in half). Jolted by the forcefield surrounding Vaul and finally struck in the back by lightning. Of course the red shirts who came into contact with those other items could not survive these same encounters.
The parallel exists but Windom has stated that he didn't realize the similarities between the stories until long afterwards. He said if he had known it at the time, he would've leaned more into the obsession angle. One thing he did intentionally was the fidgeting with the data carts (the squares that look like floppy disks). He did that as a homage to Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Captain Queeg in _'The Caine Mutiny.'_
Hi Courtney; during the Tos era there were 12 constitution class starships in existence. Enterprise of course returned but no mention that I know of how many others survived.
I'd like to think there would be regulations in place, recognizing Commodore Decker as incompetent to command after the kind of traumatic _loss_ he had just suffered.
That's the one small detail that's always bothered me about this episode. On board the Constellation, McCoy states Decker is "in shock", enough so that he has to inject him with some kind of medication. Decker is exhausted, frantic, at times irrational and overcome with grief, probably suffering from extreme PTSD, yet just a short time later he's able to take command of the Enterprise on the technicality that McCoy hasn't given him a complete medical examination yet? It doesn't make sense, except to create the necessary dilemma for the episode storyline. The authority and power of the chief medical officer of a ship to remove any member of the crew, including the captain, from duty if he believes they are unfit for duty should be near absolute, even if it's just temporary, to fully examine them medically, physically, and mentally.
Mr. Spock knows his duty under regulations Doctor. Do you? In the script McCoy responded, _"To go to sickbay and prepare for the casualties you're about to send me."_ The writers kept that one in their pockets for literally decades.
15:44 EVERYBODY asks that the first time they see this scene! Isn't she entitled to a day off, or does being a Bridge Officer and Department Head mean she has to be there for _Every single shift?_
The real reason is the subordinate characters on the show (besides Kirk, Spock, McCoy) fell into lower Hollywood pay grade categories under I think the production companies agreement with SAG-AFTRA .. so Sulu, Chekhov, Uhvura were by Hollywood contract only allowed to appear in say 20 of the 26 episodes per year, and not all 26.
The commodore was higher in rank so he did it by the book. The thing was he would had been fine but remember after what the machine did, speculating what it was and predicting where it was headed, he snapped and needed to stop it out of desperation which lead him taking over the ship . He had the right reasons and motive but the debate is whether they were ethical or the correct way to deal with the situation.
Courtney, on my top 10 list I have 1 The Doomsday Machine for the combination of stress, emotion & pure action given. 1A for the devastating emotional reaction the City of the Edge of Forever. Thank you Courtney for sharing how angry you were, how much stress you had, & your understanding Comm. Decker's survivor's guilt. And why he was not in his right mind to help stop the Planet Killer. Although with Decker's last act he did help Kirk, Spock & crew find the key to defeating the Doomsday Machine.
Sorry if you are getting grief. Sounds as though some don't realize that if you don't share your thoughts, then it cannot be legitimately classified as a _reaction video._ You're doing great IMO! 😎👍
That was a great reaction, and actually most of the reactors who watch The Doomsday Machine get very stressed out during the stand-off on the Enterprise Bridge, and when the transporter malfunctions. There is also a fan made Star Trek, The Original Series Continuation, filmed in the early 2000's, in which a continuation of The Enterprise's 5-year mission was attempted. Amazingly enough, in 2004, William Windom agreed to reprise his role as Matt Decker, which presented fans with a very strange mystery regarding Commadore Decker's alleged death, although generally speaking, it was never really accepted as "canon" by the fans. However, this newest scene, which takes place in the year 2004, and which also features Actress Barbara Luna, who fans will remember as Lt Marlena Moreau in the episode Mirror, Mirror, demonstrates the incredible professionalism of Actor William Windom, as he doesn't miss a beat, as he steps right back into the role, as he leaves behind a very strange video message for Jim Kirk. You can find the short clip on Facebook, or just do a keyword search, using Star Trek, New Voyages, Decker.
Doomsday is in my top 3 favorite episodes, William Windom probably was the best guest star on TOS.......hmmmm.......maybe Joan Collins was?? Great reactions Courtney !
Good reactions. Both have interesting questions with the Apple about whether interfering in a way of life is right while the doomsday machine is is following protocol the right thing in a desperate situation.
If the episode stressed you out and raised your blood pressure then it did exactly what it was designed to do for you and the audience. Remember before the Death Star there was the Doomsday Machine. Just think if the Enterprise had encountered the Death Star instead of the Doomsday machine.
What if the Doomsday Machine had fought the Death Star. Remember it had a neutronium exterior. The planet destroying gun very well might not have worked on it. 😮
the young guy that liked the idea of kissing the young gal was David Soul (one of his earliest acting roles - he was in several TV and movies of the 70's - most famous from his role as a cop in the 2nd Dirty Harry movie Magnum Force (very good movie BTW - as was the original Dirty Harry movie (both with Clint Eastwood in the main role)). David Soul was also a very good singer - had a top 10 (or 5? - his one hit wonder was on the radio every 5 minutes in the mid 70's - I rem it when i was a kid)). Sadly Mr Soul never made it big in acting nor singing, at least not a big as his talent should have taken him. FYI he just died last month at age 81? ;-(.
2x05, that time Kirk met the outer space Oompa-Loopas. (This episode seems to have been comic relief.) 2x06, that time Kirk faced the “no-win” scenario. (This episode is a top 10 on everyone’s list._
Around this time, Nichelle Nichols wanted to quit the show because she wasn't getting enough to do. She came back later because she got a visit from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who convinced het to stay because she was important to the cause of equal rights. That's why we don't see her a few times. I really wanted to see a version of this in the newer movies.
"The Apple" The best part of this episode is the eye candy.😍😍😍😍 What bothered me about it is the men treated Yeoman Landon like she wasn't a woman that was aware of her sexuality. "The Doomsday Machine" I like this more now that I'm an adult. Another of those "Commander" in way over his head.
Landon was aware of Chekov's sexuality and that's all that seems to matter. Let's all remember when Landon is asking Qs about reproduction, she is askign on behalf of the People of Vaal, i.e. how do "they" do it, as they do not seem to know.
14:57 That is why if I were in command of a starship, I would send down some remote controlled probes before sending down any people. And I would _definitely_ send over drones before people to starships where everyone on board suddenly disappeared or stopped responding or signaled that they were all getting sick.😒
Really enjoying your reactions. The Apple is One of the weaker episodes. There’s an axiom in writing that if you keep repeating the same action, there’s a law of diminishing returns. And that happened in this episode, when they killed almost everybody in the landing party lol. And often for stupid reasons like standing out in the open waiting to get hit by lightning or running like a maniac and stepping on a rock land mine lol. After a while, it was just, “oh, not again”. And Spock was the same issue. Oh, let’s shoot him with the flowers, oh, let’s have him zapped by a force field, now let’s have him hit by lightning. It just became ridiculous. I know that David Gerald, who wrote The Trouble with Tribbles, was called in on this episode to try and pump it up. But I think they had a weak concept to begin with, with not enough substance to create a compelling narrative. They just kept filling time in with people getting killed. This was probably the episode that gave rise to the red shirt curse. Lol. Scotty being fired was just dark humor. I liked Chekov and Landon. I haven’t watched your reaction to The Doomsday Machine yet - much superior to The Apple.
I think you're being a little harsh to Matt Decker....he was being driven by guilt and love of his crew. He wanted revenge because his feelings were still very raw (imagine if the entire crew of the Enterprise had died....). Decker was certainly mentally disturbed and emotionally compromised, he was in denial, but his goal was very singular...destroying that machine.
As reckless as Decker was being, he WAS right and Spock was wrong. SPOCK: We cannot outfight it, therefore we cannot save Rigel. Our primary duty is to survive long enough to warn Starfleet. DECKER (angry): Our PRIMARY duty is to protect life and the safety of Federation planets! Do you disagree? Spock is WAY too cold-blooded here with his ""too bad, Rigel, nothing we can do" attitude. There is a solution to every problem, you just have to find it. Decker's attacks, reckless as they were, provoked Kirk into trying the two-pronged attack, which would at least have been enough to work around the planet-killer so that the Enterprise could reach a more advantageous position to call Starfleet, rather than just letting the machine march on and only giving Starfleet the news after it is gone. Then, Decker's suicide shows Kirk the way to ultimately defeat the machine. Spock would still have been trying to get Starfleet on the phone. R.I.P., Matt.
I find _The Apple_ to be campy fun. It's a solid enough filler episode. And if you like something you can say, "It serves Vaal." Only the cool kids will know what you're referencing, lol.
The apple is meh. Doomsday Machine is awesome. I love how unhinged William Windom plays Commodore Decker. One of the fun things is if you watch 70’s shows, you will see these guest stars pop up. Especially in Columbo a lot. And if you watch late 80’s/early 90’s shows you will see a lot of Star Trek The Next Generation guest stars pop up in other shows. It’s a fun game.
First time catching your channel... looks like you earned your jade-green earrings on this reaction Lieutenant, but I must respectfully disagree; with 400+ about to be DOA, it was no bluff, Lieutenant Court. Scotty was big fired!
A Commodore is equivalent to the modern grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half), pay grade 07. In the US Navy, the term Commodore as a rank comes and goes. Ronald Reagan tried to revive it for a time in the eighties, but it didn't stick.
I guess I'm from the "old school" because I still prefer the original animation effect of the doomsday machine's fusion core over the one shown here in the remastered CGI version. Granted, the CGI effects of the Constellation are much more impressive than that of the original "damaged" AMT model kit that was originally used. But the original doomsday machine just looks more "alien" versus the CGI one which looks more "humanized. Judge for yourself... th-cam.com/video/cij2kF5SU1Q/w-d-xo.html
I tend to agree. One problem with CGI is you can kind of get things perfect...which can work against you as the imperfections (like the Doomsday Machine being kind of transparent to the starry background) can enhance the effect. For an ice cream cone from hell made of degenerated dead planets the thing was creepy. And the original total conversion drive animation was more....I don't know, nightmarish. The CGI one looks like it has a small star in its mouth, while the original seemed like it filled the entire machine behind the maw.
The doomsday device doesn’t match my decades-old recollection of what it looked like when I watched it in reruns. It looks a bit more CG and a bit less practical to my eyes. I seem to recall hearing that the visual effects for the Device were redone at some point, which is what I think we’re seeing here. Can someone confirm?
Between 2006-2008, in the process of remastering the episodes for HD, the major special effects scenes were replaced by CGI. The original effects are available as a viewing option on the Blu-Rays.
Woohoo! My memory didn’t fail me for once! Also, updating effects bugs me; the 15 year old CG now looks dated /and/ it’s at visual odds wit the bits you didn’t update. Le sigh.
@@noahrobin1941 Leonard Nimoy didn't like it either as he felt they were going to overwrite what had already been accomplished. However he was pleasantly surprised at the restraint that they used when they redid those visuals and thought it was respectful. In comparison to the full reboot style revamp that Discovery and Strange New Worlds have done to update that era's visuals the remaster is a light touch. Personally, I think they struck the right balance with the remaster.
@3Rayfire Weirdly, I can accept the visuals of SNW and DIS, for a couple of reasons. First, like them or not, they’re of the time (they were what was done when the show was made). Secondly, my head canon is “starfleet decided having everything be gloss black was actually a terrible idea and by the time Kirk was given the Enterprise, they opted to use the layout seen in TOS”. I’m probably deluding myself but, by golly, it’s a delusion I can convince my brain to accept. :) I have a general issue with updating effects years later because (similar to Nimoy) it feels like rewriting history. Showing such a show later generations can give the wrong idea about what was state of the art at the time, which bugs me a little. I agree that the updates were pretty soft touch and I’m not torches and pitchforks about it or anything, but for me it still feels like a bit like painting over a 300 year-old painting just because modern pigments are better.
"The Apple" is one of the weaker episodes of ST: TOS, but also one of the most unintentionally hilarious (and cringeworthy, with Chekov constantly trying to put the moves on Landon). I know "The Doomsday Machine" has a big following, and I think the episode is pretty good, but it's definitely not one of my favorites. To me, it kind of drags, and I find William Windom's performance a tad bathetic. He's an actor I always associated with bad/mediocre television: "Tonight's special guest star on Murder She Wrote, William Windom!" (I suspect that some ST fans like this episode more because of the tie-in with ST: TMP, which features a character with a connection to Commodore Pecker.)
I am new here. Does this "Courtney" have a military background, herself? I like to talk to actual military people about the decisions made in Star Trek. I want to hear what actual Command Officers would do or avoid.
Welcome! I myself do not have a military background, however, I have worked with active duty members, veterans, spouses, and dependents in both mental health and higher education. 🙂I do have viewers who have military backgrounds that watch my videos so hopefully they see this comment and interact with you.
@@CourtReacts-zm9yv That's great. 😀 I also want to ask them about the episode "Cat's Paw". I don't know if you have seen it yet, but I wonder how in the world they would gotten anyone to believe them about those events. Remember, that could just as easily have happened on Earth as in outer space.
I think you are taking the "you're fired" comment far too seriously. To me it reads like a moment of light comedy in a life threatening situation. Kind of like "fired?, lol, I'll be dead. Losing my job is the least of my worries." I think Scotty interpreted it that way and was meant to, and I think the audience for the most part interprets it this way. It was meant to be a chuckle for the audience as well.
It's in the contract for subordinate actors in the 1960s .. Uhura, Sulu, Chekhov by SAG-AFTRA contract were not allowed to appear in all 26 episodes, if they did then they'd fall into a higher labor category and Roddenberry would have had to pay them more.
"The Doomsday Machine" was a great episode given the circumstances surrounding its filming. Back in those days, there was no in-house special effects team, so all footage had to be filmed, then sent off for the visuals to be added in. This meant the episodes to much longer to produce. In the second season, by episode 6, Star Trek was already experiencing delays and were close to defaulting - failing to produce an episode by air date - a kiss of death in the days of only three broadcast networks. The producers were looking for a script that would be easy to produce (no new sets, no new planets or costumes or makeup) The Doomsday Machine was perfect - all the action takes place aboard the Enterprise or her identical sister ship the Constellation. The writer, Norman Spinrad, call the script his take on Moby Dick - with Decker as Ahab. The musical score by Sol Kaplan might be one of the best every written for an episode of television.
I'm impressed by how Captain Kirk tried to talk Decker out of killing himself. Kirk reminded him that his life was still valuable and people needed him.
Best line: "We're stronger with you than without you."
That was a great scene. Kirk understood Decker's trauma. Tried to save him.
Could you imagine how a similar situation would have played out in Star Trek Discovery?
In "The Apple," Scotty being fired was nothing more than a joke.
I always thought it would be amusing if they went outside a while later and Scotty came strolling up in a Hawaiian shirt, Sipping on a pineapple daiquiri.
"Hiya, Sar! Dock, Mistar Spock!"
Kirk would be shocked and declare "Scotty! What are you doing here?!"
"Ya fired me. So, I decided to retire. There was nowhere else to go, so I packed up, hopped into an escape pod, and here I am!"
"Shar is Pretty down here. Pavel. Ya war sayin the other day that Russians invented the game of Harshoes?"
Chekov would just say "Umm. yes."
"Well, where are some of those 'explodin rocks' you ware talkin about? I've got an idea far a whole new twist on the game that will..."
"MISTER SCOTT!!" Kirk would shout at him. "I said nobody else was to come down here! Now, get back up to the Enterprise and FIND A WAY TO SAVE MY SHIP!!"
"Sarry, sar. With the power drain, lifepods can only go down, not back up". Then he'd wander off and start talking to some of the natives about how to ferment fruits into alcoholic drinks.
"Oh, by the way. Yer master VAL. Is thare a back way into its cave? I think I'd like to read some of its memory banks and see if we can't make this place a little safer for everyone....
The Doomsday Machine is one of my favorites! I want to watch your feedback. Please don’t hesitate to make comments!
Thank you! This episode was very good.
Go easy on the Commodore, he was easy to dislike because of how he treated Spock but he clearly had PTSD after what he’d been through. A tribute to William Windom, one of the best character actors of the 60’s and 70’s. He was on nearly every television show of the time at one time or another.
Hey, Courtney! Star Fleet is less a job and more a branch of service. Scotty could be discharged or court martialed but not fired. Kirk wasn't being literal. He was exasperated and was chiding Scotty with an empty threat. He knows full well the value of his Chief Engineer.
"The Doomsday Machine" has a connection to "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". William Windom played Commodore Matthew Decker in the episode. The character's son has a significant role in the film.
Nichelle Nichols was contracted to perform at a singing gig during the production of "The Doomsday Machine" which is why she was absent.
Scottie getting fired is a technique they used to write into TV shows as a hook in the trailer for next week; a throw away storyline that sounds sensational in a sound bite:
Next week on Star Trek...
"Scottie, you're fired."
"Firing" was a joke. It's a man thing, joking in crisis. It's better than saying "if you fail, you are dead". Same with his joke to Spock on the amount of money he would cost if he died
Makes sense!
I like how the script is written so Kirk cuts him off before he states what type of currency is used.
I was four years old watching this episode after school it was the very first time a TV episode made me STRESSED. Heart pounding, eyes glued to the screen, Sol Kaplan's iconic score booming in my ears, it was great. Little did I know 30 some odd years ago that it was the first time I'd see PTSD or perhaps more viscerally, shell shock. William Windom's performance was fantastic he was absolutely unhinged and barely holding it together.
For the record regardless of how after losing a command a Commanding Officer is court-martialed to determine if his actions were to the highest standards of a commander. They evaluate everything. So they would've seen that he was put into an impossible situation, but they also would've determined that he couldn't sit in the big chair again. He likely would've had to accept retirement.
The guest performance of William Windom as Commodore Decker was the finest acting of a guest star in the entire series.
P.S. we use to have fun avlibbing (misspelled ) to this episode back in college. The scene where you first see Decker on his ship with the door half open and him sprawled out on a table: “Oh what a party. My crew tr @shed my whole ship. Does anyone have any aspirin?”
"Ad-Libbing".
It makes me wish the Academy of Television And Motion Pictures had an Oscar category for "Best Guest Star Performance in a Television Show" back then.
Windom would have received it free and clear! 🏆
I always liked William Windom, in all the roles he played on TV - he should have made it to the movies. He was an underrated actor for sure.
@@gaffo7836
He sure was a great actor.
@@gaffo7836Yes, it seemed like he was on every TV show in the 60s and 70s, and he always turned in a good performance.
Hey, Makora was played in "The Apple" by David Soul! He was one of the leads in the 1970's series "Starsky and Hutch". He also had a successful singing career, mostly in Europe, but he had a big hit in the USA with "Don't Give Up On Us" in the late 1970's.
The "Doomsday Machine" is one of the best and most terrifying episodes in the series, maybe the franchise. Somewhere on TH-cam is a documentary about the music score for the episode, it's pretty special. Glad to see Scotty got a bonus; makes up for getting docked the week before. There's also a fun little easter egg of sorts in The Motion Picture referring to this episode. And who knew Kirk and Spock would lead a mutiny?
Also on TH-cam is a fan film about the battle between the Doomsday Machine and Decker and the Constellation. It's very true to the original story.
Besides being the best guest actor in Trek history, I thought Decker's end was just tragic, he was so emotionally, mentally damaged beyond repair. It was so sad when Decker said, "I've been prepared for death ever since...ever since I killed my crew." And Kirk rightfully tells him, "Matt, nobody expects you to die for an error in judgment!" Decker honestly tried to save his crew, but he got the wrong results. You could almost FEEL Decker's pain.
I hope you like "Doomsday Machine." It's my favorite episode of any kind of Star Trek ever. And the original, almost Wagnerian score by Sol Kaplan is magnificent. It was reused several times in later episodes.
Agreed the "doomsday Machine" is the best episode of Star Trek (all series), with the best score, I think this score inspired Jaws.
Somewhere on TH-cam there is a video comparing the score to the one from _Jaws._ A lot of similarities.
Did you spot David Soul, the Starsky and Hutch actor who just died in January? / When the Doomsday Machine exploded "That's a SPICY MEAT-A-BALL!" Matt Decker was a great Starfleet officer; you're meeting him at his worst and he has PTSD. Nichelle Nicholls had a singing engagement that week.
Commodore Decker had just lost his entire crew. If you listen to his prior log, he sounds like a smart leader. It could be the survivor's guilt that's messing up his head!
It's a credit to your character that you don't knee jerk judge Decker too harshly.
I always laugh when Spock waves over the -Goon Squad- Security Team to remove Decker.
"Vulcans Never Bluff"
I wonder if in the real Navy or Air Force, The security guards would have waited that long, or when Decker was giving orders to attack that Spock and everyone else could see were wrong and dangerous, would they have _at that time_ gone up to him, and taken him away?
@@TheNoiseySpectator The answer would be, no. A commander has a right to put a ship in harm's way ifIt's part of a ship's mission.
Remember, Mr. Spock only acted when Captain Kirk said he would take full responsibility under his personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise. By that point, the crew had had enough and had no problem removing him from command.
One wonders what would have happened if Decker had survived. He could have flamed Kirk's ass for mutiny.
@@actioncom2748 That is interesting. ☺️
But I think if he had survived, and they had gotten away, Decker would have been less obsessed after he was no longer running on just adrenaline, had eaten a healthy meal, and had a good night's rest.
I don't know if he would have been apologetic toward Kirk and Spock, but I am sure he would have overlooked their "insubordination".
His thoughts would have centered on the Planet Killer, and what had happened with his crew.
Especially if the Enterprise had gotten away without destroying it, to warn ahead it was coming, as Spock had urged. He would be focused on what Starfleet could have done to stop it.
,
I’m a retired vet of two wars, and I’d follow a man like Commodore Decker to hell. That man was a soldier. Too many people judge him based on his shell shock, not his dedication.
Since you are a Veteran, I have a question for you.
Taking the focus off Decker for a moment, what if someone like him suffering from such hysterics tried to take command in the real world?
IDK which one was your service & you can't speak for others, what would a real Commander rank First Officer do? What would subordinate bridge officers, security guards and an actual ship's doctor have all really done?
This question is open to any Services Members.
@@TheNoiseySpectator Of course, he would have to be treated for shock before resuming command. My point was that people instantly judged his entire being over his shock.
@@hawkmaster381 I agree. I had always assumed Decker had been a great commander before this breakdown. ☺️
Courtney, I agree with your assumption.
If Commodore Decker had survived, Captain Kirk would have let Starfleet Command know of Decker's post-rescue actions.
However, many events/actions manage to not be included in the Official Record and you also have the time-honored tradition in the military that you don't posthumously dishonor a man for his final actions/mistake(s) if his prior service record has been very good to exemplary.
Trust me, you don't get to be a commodore by having poor judgement/bad performance during your career. So, Decker was a well-regarded Starfleet officer prior to this encounter.
Please look again at Commodore Decker, as he sits in the Captain's chair on The Enterprise. Note that Decker is holding two "data tapes", ( those thin square things), one is in green, and one in yellow. Decker hadms been fidgeting with them the whole time he's in command. This is a reference to a compelling scene in a fantastic movie called "The Caine Mutiny", from about 10 years before this episode, where a very disturbed Captain Queeg (pronounced "Qweeg") was fidgeting wirh a batch of ball-bearings in a similar manner. Both show the inner nervousness and struggle going on in these men
Also, note the colors; green represents Kirk's shirt color, yellow, Decker's. I always thought these details were interesting.
Hey, just thought I'd mention that the audio seemed much more balanced this time, and I didn't have to make any special adjustments to volume. 👍
Love the feedback! Thank you!
17:28 This man has gone through the kind of loss _no_ commanding officer should ever have to go through.
Spock in The Apple 🍎 has the most things happen to him than in any other episode of TOS. Shot by the plant in the chest. Almost killed when he tossed the first rock they encountered (am surprised it didn't blow up when he snapped it in half). Jolted by the forcefield surrounding Vaul and finally struck in the back by lightning. Of course the red shirts who came into contact with those other items could not survive these same encounters.
Commodore Decker plays a “Captain Ahab from Moby Dick” character bent on deranged revenge
The parallel exists but Windom has stated that he didn't realize the similarities between the stories until long afterwards. He said if he had known it at the time, he would've leaned more into the obsession angle.
One thing he did intentionally was the fidgeting with the data carts (the squares that look like floppy disks). He did that as a homage to Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Captain Queeg in _'The Caine Mutiny.'_
Hi Courtney; during the Tos era there were 12 constitution class starships in existence. Enterprise of course returned but no mention that I know of how many others survived.
Kirk wasn't "threatening" Scotty. "You're fired" is a JOKE. Gallows humor.
Commodore Decker's son makes an appearance in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
This is the first time I have watched your channel. This reaction is awesome. I will have to watch your others.
I'd like to think there would be regulations in place, recognizing Commodore Decker as incompetent to command after the kind of traumatic _loss_ he had just suffered.
That's the one small detail that's always bothered me about this episode. On board the Constellation, McCoy states Decker is "in shock", enough so that he has to inject him with some kind of medication. Decker is exhausted, frantic, at times irrational and overcome with grief, probably suffering from extreme PTSD, yet just a short time later he's able to take command of the Enterprise on the technicality that McCoy hasn't given him a complete medical examination yet?
It doesn't make sense, except to create the necessary dilemma for the episode storyline. The authority and power of the chief medical officer of a ship to remove any member of the crew, including the captain, from duty if he believes they are unfit for duty should be near absolute, even if it's just temporary, to fully examine them medically, physically, and mentally.
Mr. Spock knows his duty under regulations Doctor. Do you? In the script McCoy responded, _"To go to sickbay and prepare for the casualties you're about to send me."_ The writers kept that one in their pockets for literally decades.
The Commodore’s Son, was the Executive Officer, in “Star Trek the Motion Picture” Decker.
15:44 EVERYBODY asks that the first time they see this scene!
Isn't she entitled to a day off, or does being a Bridge Officer and Department Head mean she has to be there for _Every single shift?_
Oh, only one other person here has any regard for Uhura?
Regardless, I stand by what I said. 😒
The real reason is the subordinate characters on the show (besides Kirk, Spock, McCoy) fell into lower Hollywood pay grade categories under I think the production companies agreement with SAG-AFTRA .. so Sulu, Chekhov, Uhvura were by Hollywood contract only allowed to appear in say 20 of the 26 episodes per year, and not all 26.
Courtney you’re funny, I appreciate that wonderful personality of yours.
The commodore was higher in rank so he did it by the book. The thing was he would had been fine but remember after what the machine did, speculating what it was and predicting where it was headed, he snapped and needed to stop it out of desperation which lead him taking over the ship . He had the right reasons and motive but the debate is whether they were ethical or the correct way to deal with the situation.
I'm here for the reaction you talking is the reaction. DUUUH 💯😅
1:49 at 63 years old I've lost some potency in my antimatter pods too.
Courtney, on my top 10 list I have 1 The Doomsday Machine for the combination of stress, emotion & pure action given. 1A for the devastating emotional reaction the City of the Edge of Forever. Thank you Courtney for sharing how angry you were, how much stress you had, & your understanding Comm. Decker's survivor's guilt. And why he was not in his right mind to help stop the Planet Killer. Although with Decker's last act he did help Kirk, Spock & crew find the key to defeating the Doomsday Machine.
Sorry if you are getting grief. Sounds as though some don't realize that if you don't share your thoughts, then it cannot be legitimately classified as a _reaction video._
You're doing great IMO! 😎👍
I think that such people and many others don't realize they are here to watch _her reaction_ to the show, _not_ the show itself. 😒
Court Reacts , Your videos are great, you don't need to apologize for reacting. Keep up the good work.
That was a great reaction, and actually most of the reactors who watch The Doomsday Machine get very stressed out during the stand-off on the Enterprise Bridge, and when the transporter malfunctions.
There is also a fan made Star Trek, The Original Series Continuation, filmed in the early 2000's, in which a continuation of The Enterprise's 5-year mission was attempted.
Amazingly enough, in 2004, William Windom agreed to reprise his role as Matt Decker, which presented fans with a very strange mystery regarding Commadore Decker's alleged death, although generally speaking, it was never really accepted as "canon" by the fans.
However, this newest scene, which takes place in the year 2004, and which also features Actress Barbara Luna, who fans will remember as Lt Marlena Moreau in the episode Mirror, Mirror, demonstrates the incredible professionalism of Actor William Windom, as he doesn't miss a beat, as he steps right back into the role, as he leaves behind a very strange video message for Jim Kirk.
You can find the short clip on Facebook, or just do a keyword search, using Star Trek, New Voyages, Decker.
I read a Star Trek novel that made the assumption that the Planet Killer was a weapon designed to kill the Borg.
A fine example of 'retroactive continuity' done decades after the fact.
@@pauld6967 I agree.
@@pauld6967 Me, three.
But beware of presenting spoilers.☝️
I also read that novel. It was pretty good. 6/10
If you watch Star Trek the Motion Picture, you'll see Matt Decker's son, Will.
Yep, he was known as the Mad Commodores son, Will Decker.
Doomsday is in my top 3 favorite episodes, William Windom probably was the best guest star on TOS.......hmmmm.......maybe Joan Collins was?? Great reactions Courtney !
I enjoy what you bring to it Courtney.
Thank you so much!
Good reactions. Both have interesting questions with the Apple about whether interfering in a way of life is right while the doomsday machine is is following protocol the right thing in a desperate situation.
If the episode stressed you out and raised your blood pressure then it did exactly what it was designed to do for you and the audience. Remember before the Death Star there was the Doomsday Machine. Just think if the Enterprise had encountered the Death Star instead of the Doomsday machine.
What if the Doomsday Machine had fought the Death Star.
Remember it had a neutronium exterior. The planet destroying gun very well might not have worked on it. 😮
@@TheNoiseySpectatorThat would be an epic battle.
4:43 Ah. Looks like, by this episode, we've established the cliche of undetected hazards killing off Red Shirts.
I put "The Apple", "Spock's Brain", and "The Way To Eden", as TOS' three worst episodes.
"The Doomsday Machine", however, one of the best.
I hoped it would be a giant robot flying around in space. But it turned out to be a giant windsock.
William Windom played a similarly unhinged character in an episode of BARNEY MILLER that was titled DOOMSDAY.
the young guy that liked the idea of kissing the young gal was David Soul (one of his earliest acting roles - he was in several TV and movies of the 70's - most famous from his role as a cop in the 2nd Dirty Harry movie Magnum Force (very good movie BTW - as was the original Dirty Harry movie (both with Clint Eastwood in the main role)). David Soul was also a very good singer - had a top 10 (or 5? - his one hit wonder was on the radio every 5 minutes in the mid 70's - I rem it when i was a kid)).
Sadly Mr Soul never made it big in acting nor singing, at least not a big as his talent should have taken him. FYI he just died last month at age 81? ;-(.
24:13 "Vulcans never bluff."
I rather _doubt_ that, but whatever the case may be, he's not bluffing _now._
Hey Courtney, Matt did the best he could have done. Also, absolutely love your commentary!!!!
I've set up the ship to self destruct. Once you push this button ( hand slips and pushes button ).....uh, we should leave....kinda soon.
2x05, that time Kirk met the outer space Oompa-Loopas. (This episode seems to have been comic relief.)
2x06, that time Kirk faced the “no-win” scenario. (This episode is a top 10 on everyone’s list._
I was just rewatching this reaction; is this the first time Spock has referred to himself as “Vulcan” rather than “Vulcanian”?
Around this time, Nichelle Nichols wanted to quit the show because she wasn't getting enough to do. She came back later because she got a visit from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who convinced het to stay because she was important to the cause of equal rights. That's why we don't see her a few times.
I really wanted to see a version of this in the newer movies.
"The Apple"
The best part of this episode is the eye candy.😍😍😍😍
What bothered me about it is the men treated Yeoman Landon like she wasn't a woman that was aware of her sexuality.
"The Doomsday Machine"
I like this more now that I'm an adult.
Another of those "Commander" in way over his head.
Landon was aware of Chekov's sexuality and that's all that seems to matter. Let's all remember when Landon is asking Qs about reproduction, she is askign on behalf of the People of Vaal, i.e. how do "they" do it, as they do not seem to know.
They're still treating her like she was a child.@@fredklein3829
Ah yes, the Doomsday Machine, my favorite episode.
14:57 That is why if I were in command of a starship, I would send down some remote controlled probes before sending down any people.
And I would _definitely_ send over drones before people to starships where everyone on board suddenly disappeared or stopped responding or signaled that they were all getting sick.😒
Really enjoying your reactions. The Apple is One of the weaker episodes. There’s an axiom in writing that if you keep repeating the same action, there’s a law of diminishing returns. And that happened in this episode, when they killed almost everybody in the landing party lol. And often for stupid reasons like standing out in the open waiting to get hit by lightning or running like a maniac and stepping on a rock land mine lol. After a while, it was just, “oh, not again”. And Spock was the same issue. Oh, let’s shoot him with the flowers, oh, let’s have him zapped by a force field, now let’s have him hit by lightning. It just became ridiculous.
I know that David Gerald, who wrote The Trouble with Tribbles, was called in on this episode to try and pump it up. But I think they had a weak concept to begin with, with not enough substance to create a compelling narrative. They just kept filling time in with people getting killed. This was probably the episode that gave rise to the red shirt curse. Lol.
Scotty being fired was just dark humor. I liked Chekov and Landon.
I haven’t watched your reaction to The Doomsday Machine yet - much superior to The Apple.
That was "DR Pulaski" from TNG with Chekov!!
Nope.
@@dupersuper1938 Diana Muldaur, she was in two episodes of TOS, obviously not as Dr Pulaski!!!
@@Rayman1971 She was in two TOS episodes, but this wasn't one of them.
@@dupersuper1938 Ok, I see now.... Sure did look like her though!!
After getting his pink slip, will Scotty be punished for using a starships system’s as an unauthorized user?
I think you're being a little harsh to Matt Decker....he was being driven by guilt and love of his crew. He wanted revenge because his feelings were still very raw (imagine if the entire crew of the Enterprise had died....). Decker was certainly mentally disturbed and emotionally compromised, he was in denial, but his goal was very singular...destroying that machine.
21:14. The angriest she has ever been? 🙊
Just wait until she gets to ...
I am going to call it "Episode 15 of season two"! 😤
But, no spoilers.🤐
As reckless as Decker was being, he WAS right and Spock was wrong.
SPOCK: We cannot outfight it, therefore we cannot save Rigel. Our primary duty is to survive long enough to warn Starfleet.
DECKER (angry): Our PRIMARY duty is to protect life and the safety of Federation planets! Do you disagree?
Spock is WAY too cold-blooded here with his ""too bad, Rigel, nothing we can do" attitude. There is a solution to every problem, you just have to find it. Decker's attacks, reckless as they were, provoked Kirk into trying the two-pronged attack, which would at least have been enough to work around the planet-killer so that the Enterprise could reach a more advantageous position to call Starfleet, rather than just letting the machine march on and only giving Starfleet the news after it is gone. Then, Decker's suicide shows Kirk the way to ultimately defeat the machine. Spock would still have been trying to get Starfleet on the phone.
R.I.P., Matt.
Comment for metrics! Because I don't have anything to add, but I want to help promote the channel.
The Doomsday Machine was a retelling of Moby Dick.
I swear that this is the same set that they used in Gilligan's island
I find _The Apple_ to be campy fun. It's a solid enough filler episode. And if you like something you can say, "It serves Vaal." Only the cool kids will know what you're referencing, lol.
The apple is meh. Doomsday Machine is awesome. I love how unhinged William Windom plays Commodore Decker. One of the fun things is if you watch 70’s shows, you will see these guest stars pop up. Especially in Columbo a lot. And if you watch late 80’s/early 90’s shows you will see a lot of Star Trek The Next Generation guest stars pop up in other shows. It’s a fun game.
And The Twilight Zone and a whole bunch of other 1960s shows.
First time catching your channel... looks like you earned your jade-green earrings on this reaction Lieutenant,
but I must respectfully disagree; with 400+ about to be DOA, it was no bluff, Lieutenant Court. Scotty was big fired!
Commodore Decker outranks Captain Kirk. The Commodore would be in charge of a fleet or squadron of ships.
A Commodore is equivalent to the modern grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half), pay grade 07. In the US Navy, the term Commodore as a rank comes and goes. Ronald Reagan tried to revive it for a time in the eighties, but it didn't stick.
I meant to type O-7, not O7. I'm on mobile so I can't edit the post. Consider this the correction.
I do NOT have any problems with you Courtney. IN fact I think I LOVE you.
I know lots of people have already said "the "firing" was a joke", which it was. I do think the line delivery was poor.
I guess I'm from the "old school" because I still prefer the original animation effect of the doomsday machine's fusion core over the one shown here in the remastered CGI version. Granted, the CGI effects of the Constellation are much more impressive than that of the original "damaged" AMT model kit that was originally used. But the original doomsday machine just looks more "alien" versus the CGI one which looks more "humanized. Judge for yourself... th-cam.com/video/cij2kF5SU1Q/w-d-xo.html
I tend to agree. One problem with CGI is you can kind of get things perfect...which can work against you as the imperfections (like the Doomsday Machine being kind of transparent to the starry background) can enhance the effect. For an ice cream cone from hell made of degenerated dead planets the thing was creepy. And the original total conversion drive animation was more....I don't know, nightmarish. The CGI one looks like it has a small star in its mouth, while the original seemed like it filled the entire machine behind the maw.
The doomsday device doesn’t match my decades-old recollection of what it looked like when I watched it in reruns. It looks a bit more CG and a bit less practical to my eyes. I seem to recall hearing that the visual effects for the Device were redone at some point, which is what I think we’re seeing here. Can someone confirm?
Between 2006-2008, in the process of remastering the episodes for HD, the major special effects scenes were replaced by CGI.
The original effects are available as a viewing option on the Blu-Rays.
Woohoo! My memory didn’t fail me for once!
Also, updating effects bugs me; the 15 year old CG now looks dated /and/ it’s at visual odds wit the bits you didn’t update. Le sigh.
@@noahrobin1941 Leonard Nimoy didn't like it either as he felt they were going to overwrite what had already been accomplished. However he was pleasantly surprised at the restraint that they used when they redid those visuals and thought it was respectful. In comparison to the full reboot style revamp that Discovery and Strange New Worlds have done to update that era's visuals the remaster is a light touch. Personally, I think they struck the right balance with the remaster.
@3Rayfire Weirdly, I can accept the visuals of SNW and DIS, for a couple of reasons. First, like them or not, they’re of the time (they were what was done when the show was made). Secondly, my head canon is “starfleet decided having everything be gloss black was actually a terrible idea and by the time Kirk was given the Enterprise, they opted to use the layout seen in TOS”. I’m probably deluding myself but, by golly, it’s a delusion I can convince my brain to accept. :) I have a general issue with updating effects years later because (similar to Nimoy) it feels like rewriting history. Showing such a show later generations can give the wrong idea about what was state of the art at the time, which bugs me a little. I agree that the updates were pretty soft touch and I’m not torches and pitchforks about it or anything, but for me it still feels like a bit like painting over a 300 year-old painting just because modern pigments are better.
I echo your sentiments Courtney🙂
"The Apple" is one of the weaker episodes of ST: TOS, but also one of the most unintentionally hilarious (and cringeworthy, with Chekov constantly trying to put the moves on Landon). I know "The Doomsday Machine" has a big following, and I think the episode is pretty good, but it's definitely not one of my favorites. To me, it kind of drags, and I find William Windom's performance a tad bathetic. He's an actor I always associated with bad/mediocre television: "Tonight's special guest star on Murder She Wrote, William Windom!" (I suspect that some ST fans like this episode more because of the tie-in with ST: TMP, which features a character with a connection to Commodore Pecker.)
looks like uhura is not in both these episodes
Nichelle Nichols had a thriving career in song and dance at the same time.
I am new here. Does this "Courtney" have a military background, herself?
I like to talk to actual military people about the decisions made in Star Trek. I want to hear what actual Command Officers would do or avoid.
Welcome! I myself do not have a military background, however, I have worked with active duty members, veterans, spouses, and dependents in both mental health and higher education. 🙂I do have viewers who have military backgrounds that watch my videos so hopefully they see this comment and interact with you.
@@CourtReacts-zm9yv That's great. 😀
I also want to ask them about the episode "Cat's Paw". I don't know if you have seen it yet, but I wonder how in the world they would gotten anyone to believe them about those events.
Remember, that could just as easily have happened on Earth as in outer space.
I think you are taking the "you're fired" comment far too seriously. To me it reads like a moment of light comedy in a life threatening situation. Kind of like "fired?, lol, I'll be dead. Losing my job is the least of my worries." I think Scotty interpreted it that way and was meant to, and I think the audience for the most part interprets it this way. It was meant to be a chuckle for the audience as well.
God, your beautiful!!! Wow!! Inside and out!!
Well, Uhura can't work 24 hours a day 😊
Very true! I just love seeing her on screen 😁
Court, don’t worry, this Lt Palmer (I think her name is) is only once or twice in the entire series. It’s always Uhura.
It's in the contract for subordinate actors in the 1960s .. Uhura, Sulu, Chekhov by SAG-AFTRA contract were not allowed to appear in all 26 episodes, if they did then they'd fall into a higher labor category and Roddenberry would have had to pay them more.