"The Corbomite Maneuver" is a "template" episode. It's not a "best" episode. Many give that award to "The City On The Edge of Forever," which I feel is flawed by the time mechanics. (Short circuits the emotional hook of the story, but I've detailed that elsewhere.) Still, "Corbomite" is a perfect example episode for the shape of the series.
"Corbomite" was third in production order—that is, the first episode after the two pilots. Although "Corbomite" was not aired until later in the season. It is almost a "bottle" episode, taking place almost entirely on the Enterprise sets. Balok's command ship didn't require a lot of set design, and I wonder if the lacy, dome-like framework of the ceiling was borrowed from elsewhere?
The episode features Lt. Bailey, a rank indicating he must have some experience, even though he is played as a novice, at least on the frontier. He is the one with whom the 20th century audience identifies. (McCoy would later take over that role.)
The encounter with the cube, and then the Fesarius prompts us to imagine that frontier, and be a little frightened of it. Kirk's address to the crew, following McCoy's report that Balok's message was heard throughout the ship, shows the captain both involving the crew and calming their fears in a way that also tells the audience something of the Enterprise's mission. This is fleshed out more in dialog with Balok.
Kirk's corbomite maneuver was brilliant, and showed that brains are needed when brawn is outmatched. And it was fancy footwork not to be outdone until the first game of fizzbin. (This was mere poker.)
The episode features many close-ups and cutaways in a showcase of directing and editing. For example, when Bailey requests permission to return to his post, there is this wide shot as he humbly returns to his station. I could feel Bailey's embarrassment, all eyes on him, as well as the strength of character it took to do that. It's on a par with Kirk and Eve talking through the mesh divider in Kirk's cabin in "Mudd's Women," symbolizing the societal formalities that separate them—followed by the moment when Eve steps around it.
All around, a satisfying episode once our heroes meet Balok face-to-face. That scene almost made me wish we'd heard more from Bailey, perhaps becoming a junior ambassador to the First Federation—which we also never heard about again. But TOS was episodic, not linear story arcs. Many of the early episodes had the frontier feel of "Corbomite," which gave way to universe building. They had a good template.
"Corbomite" was third in production order—that is, the first episode after the two pilots. Although "Corbomite" was not aired until later in the season. It is almost a "bottle" episode, taking place almost entirely on the Enterprise sets. Balok's command ship didn't require a lot of set design, and I wonder if the lacy, dome-like framework of the ceiling was borrowed from elsewhere?
The episode features Lt. Bailey, a rank indicating he must have some experience, even though he is played as a novice, at least on the frontier. He is the one with whom the 20th century audience identifies. (McCoy would later take over that role.)
The encounter with the cube, and then the Fesarius prompts us to imagine that frontier, and be a little frightened of it. Kirk's address to the crew, following McCoy's report that Balok's message was heard throughout the ship, shows the captain both involving the crew and calming their fears in a way that also tells the audience something of the Enterprise's mission. This is fleshed out more in dialog with Balok.
Kirk's corbomite maneuver was brilliant, and showed that brains are needed when brawn is outmatched. And it was fancy footwork not to be outdone until the first game of fizzbin. (This was mere poker.)
The episode features many close-ups and cutaways in a showcase of directing and editing. For example, when Bailey requests permission to return to his post, there is this wide shot as he humbly returns to his station. I could feel Bailey's embarrassment, all eyes on him, as well as the strength of character it took to do that. It's on a par with Kirk and Eve talking through the mesh divider in Kirk's cabin in "Mudd's Women," symbolizing the societal formalities that separate them—followed by the moment when Eve steps around it.
All around, a satisfying episode once our heroes meet Balok face-to-face. That scene almost made me wish we'd heard more from Bailey, perhaps becoming a junior ambassador to the First Federation—which we also never heard about again. But TOS was episodic, not linear story arcs. Many of the early episodes had the frontier feel of "Corbomite," which gave way to universe building. They had a good template.
