Episode of the Week : The Tholian Web
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"What are you thinking of Doctor, are you trying to kill us all????"
8. Along with "Elaan of Troyus," the very best of the third season. A rare ghost story for Star Trek (any series), well set up and told. Great special effects that (depending on who you ask) were rewarded with TOS's only Emmy--or at the very least a nomination. Nice aliens (looking truly alien for a change). Another starship. And, of course, this episode provided Star Trek: Enterprise with its only real reason to recommend it, that being the two-parter "In A Mirror, Darkly."
8. Along with "Elaan of Troyus," the very best of the third season. A rare ghost story for Star Trek (any series), well set up and told. Great special effects that (depending on who you ask) were rewarded with TOS's only Emmy--or at the very least a nomination. Nice aliens (looking truly alien for a change). Another starship. And, of course, this episode provided Star Trek: Enterprise with its only real reason to recommend it, that being the two-parter "In A Mirror, Darkly."
I like it, but man is McCoy a dick. I'm going to chalk it up to the unstable space affecting McCoy's mental state.
Well said.
The teaser has a number of interesting elements: the glowing, ghostly Defiant, new spacesuits, and finally, horrific end for a crew aboard a sister ship that makes one recall the discovery aboard the Exeter in the previous season.
We have witnessed both Spock & McCoy's deep affection for Kirk over the years, but the review of Kirk's final orders brought it all to a major head; McCoy seemed sort of defeated, while no amount of logic could offset the visible pain suffered by Spock. Unlike so many Trek spinoffs, the friendship and bond shared with the Big Three felt genuine, as if they have lived through more than we would ever know--enough to make them willing to sacrifice all for the other. Similarly, when Kirk expresses his preference to be back in a populated world, it is convincing--its not just about being among bodies, but the crew he cares for.
As you point out, TTW also presented truly alien-looking aliens, and an interesting race not at all interested in humankind (in the way expressed by Klingons, et al). Their appearance, and the methods of their trap were innovative, and gave us some of the most memorable ST images in its 50 year history.
The Tholain Web reminds the audience that the TOS era was a dangerous period of exploration; no matter how powerful the starships, or how well trained the crew, there were no guarantees of a safe trip home, or warping off to another adventure. This makes TOS perhaps the most grim, threatening of any chapter of the franchise, as the mass destruction was not just due to a single event (e.g. the Borg invasion seen in "The Best of Both Worlds" part 2), but there was the high probability of it waiting no matter where they traveled, or what was faced.
Effective re-use of the Duning track Sargon Inert ("Return to Tomorrow") during the memorial conclusion--heavy with pathos, and hopelessness.
Rating: 9.
One of the best third season episodes, I gave it a seven. It was a bold move to produce a nearly Kirk-less episode, even though the plot still revolved around everyone's efforts to rescue him.
The "last orders" scene still gets me after dozens of viewings, though I often wonder if Kirk made an entire set of those tapes, to cover any one of the many ways the shit may have hit the fan: "Sulu, trust Uhura's judgement, she is your first officer now..."
The "last orders" scene still gets me after dozens of viewings, though I often wonder if Kirk made an entire set of those tapes, to cover any one of the many ways the shit may have hit the fan: "Sulu, trust Uhura's judgement, she is your first officer now..."
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This was my favorite 3rd season episode growing up. I gave it a 9. All the technobabble about interphasing kept it from being a 10. Another great example of the Big 3 friendship and the lengths they're willing to go for each other just like in "Amok Time," "Journey to Babel," "The Empath," and "The Search for Spock." I find it ironic how Spock was unwilling to risk the safety of the ship to save his father in "Journey to Babel," but had no problems with doing so in order to save Kirk in this one.
With Sarek it was logic all the way, with Kirk it was a friendship that could traverse his beliefs!
JB
JB
The poster? Not so good. As mentioned, earlier Kirk who could be just as easily being waving hello from the depiction, boring monotonic look, not a very effective or telling rendering of the web (could be a tennis net), etc.
The episode? A 9. Intertwined plotlines of an area of space that can cause madness, contains an interspatial rift, and the introduction of a xenophobic species that definitely doesn't appreciate Enterprise's presence, makes for a vital story. As stated earlier as well, the passage between McCoy and Spock never fails to move me and, while not a summary statement of the evolution of their relationship, is a touching and thoughtful diversion from the usual exchange, feelingly expressed by both characters. A minor point, while perhaps not particularly innovative from a production angle, I found the representation of Chekhov's contracting the madness, quite effective, from the the lens perspective used to the sound cues, it seemed to me at least, that we were seeing a persuasive rendering of someone whose head quickly was beginning to feel as if it was about to explode in raw, unmitigated fury.
Excellent episode, with obviously few peers in that season, and perhaps the series as a whole.
The episode? A 9. Intertwined plotlines of an area of space that can cause madness, contains an interspatial rift, and the introduction of a xenophobic species that definitely doesn't appreciate Enterprise's presence, makes for a vital story. As stated earlier as well, the passage between McCoy and Spock never fails to move me and, while not a summary statement of the evolution of their relationship, is a touching and thoughtful diversion from the usual exchange, feelingly expressed by both characters. A minor point, while perhaps not particularly innovative from a production angle, I found the representation of Chekhov's contracting the madness, quite effective, from the the lens perspective used to the sound cues, it seemed to me at least, that we were seeing a persuasive rendering of someone whose head quickly was beginning to feel as if it was about to explode in raw, unmitigated fury.
Excellent episode, with obviously few peers in that season, and perhaps the series as a whole.
I agonized for this one back in 81 when the BBC were showing the last few episodes! I was videoing them and the BEEB left it till virtually the last one! Well Alternative Factor and Turnabout Intruder followed it and both Savage Curtain and Operation Annihilate turned up a year later although Curtain was used as a Saturday morning filler without advance warning!
JB
JB
For those who don't already know: The behind-the-scenes drama of "The Tholian Web" is every bit as interesting as the episode itself.
Read it here from the director of the episode, Ralph Senensky
Read it here from the director of the episode, Ralph Senensky
Very harsh on Senensky.
Sounds like Freiberger just wanted to send a message, and the facts be damned.
Rare piece of sloppiness from the behind the scenes staff not to have reworked the schedule.
I guess every workplace has its breaking point where the budget and morale just get hit too hard. Around this point is where it happened for TOS.
Sounds like Freiberger just wanted to send a message, and the facts be damned.
Rare piece of sloppiness from the behind the scenes staff not to have reworked the schedule.
I guess every workplace has its breaking point where the budget and morale just get hit too hard. Around this point is where it happened for TOS.
Love this one. I don't buy into the whole "the third season sucks" rhetoric anyway...so I think this episode is great on its own merits, not just relatively good.
Another good Spock/McCoy dynamic (hoping to see some of that in Beyond) and, as someone pointed out above, a nice testimate to the friendship between the Big Three. It also actually gave Uhura something slightly different to do, which was rare for the series.
Another good Spock/McCoy dynamic (hoping to see some of that in Beyond) and, as someone pointed out above, a nice testimate to the friendship between the Big Three. It also actually gave Uhura something slightly different to do, which was rare for the series.
Shame we never got to see The Tholians or The Gorn in the show ever again! And no, I don't count Enterpwise!
JB
JB
The Starship Exeter fanfilm "The Tressaurian Intersection" uses the Tholians in a way very consistent with their TOS portrayal. Jump to 25:22 to see their entrance.
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That was quite good thanks, Maurice! I wasn't aware as to how many of these video Treks there were out there!
JB
JB
The semi-existant Defiant was much creepier looking in the original special effect, than in Remastered.
I'd give it an 8 as there are a lots of interesting parts and a strong aesthetic to the special effects but the storyline seems a bit thrown together
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