(by Collin R. Skocik)
Following a trail of space debris, the Enterprise chases down the lost survey vessel Beagle to a planet with a civilization remarkably like Earth’s twentieth century…except that Rome never fell.
At this point, I’m really sick of all the parallel-Earth stories. Are we going to explore the galaxy or are we going to visit some period of Earth’s history every week? Is this Star Trek or The Time Tunnel? That said, though, this is a really good episode and an interesting variation on the well-worn parallel-Earth theme. It establishes some verisimilitude when Kirk calls this planet “an amazing example of Hodgkins’ Law of Parallel Planet Development.” That’s not science, that’s gobbledygook. But if you’ve got a good story, sometimes gobbledygook can work. This is the twenty-third century, and it is certain that by the twenty-third century there will be new scientific discoveries and new scientific theories. Today the idea of parallel Earths is scientifically ridiculous, but maybe in the next three hundred years there will be new developments that indicate its likelihood. (I really don’t think so, but you have to give science fiction that latitude.)
But the idea of a twentieth century Rome is a fascinating one. The police costumes are interesting—they look like modern police uniforms, but with a vaguely Romanesque twist that really works. The notion that a modern-day Roman Empire would broadcast gladiatorial games on television is inevitable, but nevertheless interesting to see—as is the fact that this cutthroat version of television isn’t all that different from actual television in the 1960s! Proconsul Claudius Marcus tells Kirk he will be executed on live television, that fifteen minutes of The Early Show has been pre-empted for it, and he guarantees a splendid audience. “You may not understand,” the Proconsul says, “because you’re centuries beyond anything as crude as television.” Kirk’s reply is classic: “I’ve heard it was…similar.”
Slavery has evolved since the early, savage days of the Roman Empire. Slaves in this world have guaranteed medical benefits, old age pensions, and other rights under the law. So…just let that sink in a minute. Slaves on this planet are treated better than American workers are today!
Spock, too, notes similarities between this twentieth century and our own. “They have slavery,” McCoy says, “gladiatorial games, despotism—” Spock interrupts, “Situations quite familiar to the six million who died in your first world war, the eleven million who died in your second, the thirty-seven million who died in your third—shall I go on?”
Also, when McCoy remarks that some of the things they see on this planet seem quite logical, Spock says, “If I were able to show emotion, your new infatuation with that word would begin to annoy me.” I’m sorry, Spock, but prefacing your statement with “If I were able to show emotion” doesn’t negate that you’re making an emotional statement. That’s like when my wife says, “This isn’t meant to be unsolicited advice, but…” and then proceeds to give me unsolicited advice.
McCoy then says, “Medical men are trained in logic.” Spock replies, “I had no idea you were trained at all. Watching you, I assumed it was trial-and-error.” Okay, there are two possibilities: (1) Spock, a highly intelligent science officer, truly believes that the chief medical officer of a starship, a man with a twenty-third century medical degree, a man who has operated not only on Spock, but on his father, and pulled him through a highly delicate operation, has no training and operates by trial-and-error—or (2) He was making a joke. So which is it, Spock? There is no third alternative.
When Kirk is taken away to the Proconsul’s quarters and Spock and McCoy are locked up, it’s a watershed moment when McCoy tells Spock, “Why, you wouldn’t know what to do with a genuine, warm, decent feeling.” Spock raises an eyebrow, turns to him, and says, “Really, Doctor?” It’s a tacit confession of his concern and friendship for Kirk.
Of course Kirk is off enjoying himself with Claudius Marcus’s slave girl, Drusilla.
When they first beam down, Kirk says this planet has never before been contacted. Spock then asks, “Then the Prime Directive is in full effect?” This indicates that the Prime Directive is rather flexible. We also saw in “A Private Little War” that Neural received Prime Directive protection on Kirk’s recommendation based on his first planet survey there. Those events plus Kirk’s interference on other occasions indicate that the Prime Directive is open to interpretation and doesn’t always apply.
When Kirk sends Scotty the “condition green” code signal—informing him that they’re in trouble but forbidding him to take action—Scotty decides to interrupt the planet’s power sources. “May do no good,” he says, “but it may suggest to someone just what a starship can really do.” Then a self-satisfied smile and he mutters “Aye” to himself. Scotty does love to show off the Enterprise, doesn’t he?
Just in case you haven’t seen this episode, I won’t blow the twist ending, but I will say Uhura gets perhaps the best moment in the episode at the very end.
(Collin R. Skocik is a fan of the Star Trek franchise and has written synopses of all 79 episodes of Star Trek’s original series and the first six Star Trek films.)
Principled Thoughts 