"The Squire of Gothos" - a lot to like

[Hambone]

I always dismissed this episode when I was younger; not enough space action, I guess. Plus as a kid I found Trelane annoying.

I watched again yesterday and I really enjoyed it. Bill Campbell does a wonderful job with the part; in the DVD interview he lists it as the "part of a lifetime". He's supposed to be annoying; Trelane is a spoiled brat, after all.

Interesting point: after the bridge crew "escapes" from Gothos, they return to the bridge. The elevator doors open and four people run out. The doors close and two seconds later, three people run out. That's either a crazy fast elevator, or there is some sort of "siding" for turbolift cars to wait on.

Over in the "Third In Command" thread we discussed various people who've been left to command the bridge. In this episode, Lt. Leslie (in a red shirt) gets his turn.

Sulu gets a lot to say in this episode, probably the most lines he got in any first season episode. We also get interesting characters in DeSalle and Jeager (whose name gets pronounced variously as "JAY-ger" and the more correct "YAY-ger").

Cameo appearances by the "bird creature" from "The Cage" and the Salt Vampire from "The Man Trap".

I never noticed the alligator head mounted over Trelane's fireplace! What the hell was I looking at? Trelane must have had his telescope focused on a TGI Friday's restaurant.

This episode, more than any other, probably inspired the "Melllvar" character on Futurama.

 

[Grant]

And just to prove Lt Leslie has a twin...........

Leslie beams the crew up from Gothos and they run from the transporter room and he's already on the bridge, in command, when they arrive !!!

 

[JustKate]

I love "The Squire of Gothos" - it's pretty far up there on my "Favorite TOS Episodes" list. Why? Hmmmm, good question...

Well, for one thing, as you noted, Hambone, Bill Campbell is really good. Trelane is annoying, but then again, he's supposed to be. I love the whole atmosphere of that planet: Trelane's ruffles and harpsichord, his superficial chivalry, his historical and literary references - everything, really. I never noticed the alligator, which breaks my heart, but I will from now on.

And I love the ending, when he whines to his parents. It's just a really cool episode, I think. I love it.

 

[Red Ranger]

I like the ep, too. My brother and I love to quote the line when Trelane is a judge: "You will hang by the neck, Captain, until you are dead, dead, DEAD!" Gets me every time! -- RR

 

[Jeri]

Many lines useful for daily situations, like "I woulda, I woulda, I woulda..."

And some fans think he and his family are the original "Q," with Barbara Babcock as his mom:

• "The Squire of Gothos" as Trelane's mother (voice)
• "A Taste of Armageddon" as Mea 3
• "Assignment: Earth" as Beta 5 computer (voice)
• "The Tholian Web" as Loskene (voice)
• "Plato's Stepchildren" as Philana
• "The Lights of Zetar" as Zetar (voice)

and Bart LaRue as his dad:

• "The Squire of Gothos" as Trelane's father (voice) This role had been credited for decades to James Doohan, but it is actually LaRue's voice, as confirmed by Doohan in Starlog Magazine in 1988
• "The City on the Edge of Forever" as the Guardian of Forever (voice)
• "Bread and Circuses" as an announcer (voice and on-screen)
• "The Gamesters of Triskelion" as Provider 1 (voice, uncredited)
• "Patterns of Force" as an Ekosian newscaster (voice and on-screen)
• "The Savage Curtain" as Yarnek (voice)

 

[Maurice]

One thing that always bugged me about the episode is why Trelane had "instrumentation" behind the mirror. They blow it up, escape, then Trelane comes after them. Did he ever need the machinery? Did he fix it? It's just a huge loose end.

 

[AtoZ]

And just to prove Lt Leslie has a twin...........

Leslie beams the crew up from Gothos and they run from the transporter room and he's already on the bridge, in command, when they arrive !!!

See!

Lt. Leslie is amazing! Eddie Paskey's all-purpose value as it relates to TOS is unmatched in the annals of television history.

 

[Navaros]

The Squire of Gothos is a masterpiece of an episode and definitely one of TOS and Trek as a whole's very best episodes.

Trelane is not annoying he's charming & compelling.

It was indeed the part of the lifetime. The Trelane actor's masterful performance made him one of Trek's very best characters despite Trelane only having one appearance.

Did he ever need the machinery? Did he fix it? It's just a huge loose end.

I thought that added a great does of terror to the episode. You think they have defeated Trelane, but not so! Awesome!

The implication seemed to be that the machine helped him to some degree, however he had other sources of power as well (which are indeed unexplained). IMO he didn't fix the machine.

 

[Timo]

Interesting point: after the bridge crew "escapes" from Gothos, they return to the bridge. The elevator doors open and four people run out. The doors close and two seconds later, three people run out. That's either a crazy fast elevator, or there is some sort of "siding" for turbolift cars to wait on.

The same happens in reverse in "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield", as the two maniacs leave the bridge via separate, back-to-back turbolifts. It's a nice feature for the lift system to have. And the presence of a "side alcove" for standby lift cabins would explain that odd bump directly aft of the bridge dome.

Leslie beams the crew up from Gothos and they run from the transporter room and he's already on the bridge, in command, when they arrive !!!

There's nothing dirty about self-beaming... Especially if it's done for the purpose of impressing your boss.

The implication seemed to be that the machine helped him to some degree, however he had other sources of power as well (which are indeed unexplained). IMO he didn't fix the machine.

Or our heroes could have been dead wrong in their speculation, and there never was any machinery there. One can think of another fairly obvious reason for why an entity like Trelane would pay constant attention to a mirror...!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Bill Morris]

I thought the scene with Trelane's parents was a bit drawn out and overplayed, more than the audience needed to get the message.

 

[Maurice]

Or our heroes could have been dead wrong in their speculation, and there never was any machinery there. One can think of another fairly obvious reason for why an entity like Trelane would pay constant attention to a mirror...!

Except for the tiny unavoidable fact that when Kirk shot through the mirror, the machinery was there.

 

[Timo]

...Or then the sort of random junk one finds within walls in any fake castle.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Hambone]

Or our heroes could have been dead wrong in their speculation, and there never was any machinery there. One can think of another fairly obvious reason for why an entity like Trelane would pay constant attention to a mirror...!

Except for the tiny unavoidable fact that when Kirk shot through the mirror, the machinery was there.

The mirror was like his ipod. His component stereo and record collection was in the basement.

 

[Jeri]

Huh, we keep our omnipotence backups in the basement, too.

 

[Green Shirt]

explain that odd bump directly aft of the bridge dome.
Timo Saloniemi

Yeah, I'd like to hear more about this. Has the subject ever come up before?


(Runs and ducks for cover)

 

[Agenda]

I thought Trelane was kinda creepy. Consider that he's a young boy with the powers of a god and humanity is like insects. You know how kids sometimes like to torture insects...

 

[Green Shirt]

Except for the tiny unavoidable fact that when Kirk shot through the mirror, the machinery was there.

I'm sure Kirk's shooting of the mirror only hastened the machinery's breaking down, considering that tiny cooling fan near the center was butt-up against the glass.

 

[EJA]

Yeah, this episode has always been one of my faves. Trelane is a great character, and I think I know what another poster meant when they said he was a bit creepy. It is a little scary when you think that he regards everything as an elaborate game, and so wouldn't think much of causing real pain if it was fun and he could get a laugh out of it.

Oh yes, and I love the blonde female crewmember in this episode (forget her name), both in the tiny red uniform with dark hose and boots, and the flowing white gown with the long opera gloves. Very beautiful!

 

[Jeri]

I'm sure Kirk's shooting of the mirror only hastened the machinery's breaking down, considering that tiny cooling fan near the center was butt-up against the glass.

I just love stuff like that...

 

[pookha]

The Squire of Gothos is a masterpiece of an episode and definitely one of TOS and Trek as a whole's very best episodes.

Trelane is not annoying he's charming & compelling.

It was indeed the part of the lifetime. The Trelane actor's masterful performance made him one of Trek's very best characters despite Trelane only having one appearance.

Did he ever need the machinery? Did he fix it? It's just a huge loose end.

I thought that added a great does of terror to the episode. You think they have defeated Trelane, but not so! Awesome!

The implication seemed to be that the machine helped him to some degree, however he had other sources of power as well (which are indeed unexplained). IMO he didn't fix the machine.

sorta how i saw it.
that trelane because he wasnt fully mature yet wasnt in full control of his powers and the machine helped him in some way.

but the crew just forgot that he might have an emergency system just like they have back up power ect on the ship.



and yeah campbell as trelayne is great.