Reviews (8)

Morality makes its own decisions
One of the best episodes in the Outer Limits series, this one has an intellectual and moral theme that is directly relevant to today. The story is set at a government research center called Cypress Hill and opens with a scene of a technician sitting in front of a circular display screen. The technician is viewing, apparently real-time, a research professor, Dr. Anderson, who is voicing complaints about his superior, which, the technician notes, is the "12th occurrence". The technician's attention is then shifted to the presence on-screen of what appears to be a "monster", and he then is strangled to death from behind.

In the next scene, a Senator Orville appears at Cypress Hill to investigate the murder and the general morale situation at the center. Inquisitive and intolerant of evasiveness, Orville sets up a board of inquiry and calls several witnesses, the first one being Clyde Wyatt, an investigator from the CID. When questioned by Orville, he notes only that the technician was strangled to death but that he is "not competent to say" regarding any morale and psychological problems at Cypress. Wyatt's evasiveness angers Orville, and he quickly dismisses Wyatt from the stand.

The next witness is a Dr. Philip Fletcher, an elderly man who has been employed for five years at Cypress as a research consultant in astrophysics. Fletcher had sent a letter to Orville, addressing the morale problems at Cypress. Apparently he had written several more letters but did not send them, having been questioned by the military police about the letters. Questioned by Orville as to how Cypress knew he was writing the letters, Fletcher responds by saying that "they know everything" and speaks of rumours and fear at Cypress. Cypress is a "ghost town" he says, and a place where "no one laughs".

After being notified that the head of Cypress, Dr Clifford Scott, was unavailable for questioning due to suffering a physical breakdown, Orville calls a Dr. Lomax. Lomax states that morale is no better or worse than any other government facility, but Orville rebuts by stating the statistics: divorce up 400%, rampant alcoholism, and three suicides. Also, reports of a "peeping Tom machine" have been related to Orville, but Lomax refuses to discuss the machine. Orville then demands all information on the machine, and gets a demonstration of it the next day.

Called OBIT for "Outer Band Individuated Teletracer", Lomax explains its operation to Orville, and illustrates its use by spying on a draftsman who is located somewhere in Washington D.C. Lomax states that "those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear from OBIT", but this is dismissed eloquently by Orville, who expresses worry and revulsion over the ability to use the machine to spy on himself when engaging in commentary on the President, his wife, or other senators.

A fourth witness, Col. Grover, is then questioned by Orville, but Grover has no knowledge of OBIT's manufacturer or who authorized its deployment. Again Orville demands all information about OBIT and its history of deployment and when threatened by Grover as to his political future, dismisses any concern with it, stating that "morality makes its own decisions".

Orville then calls Mrs. Clifford Scott, who states that the morale has been unbearable at Cypress and was left completely in the dark about the location of her husband.

Grover is later recalled, and speaks of 18 OBIT units deployed in the military as well as many more in industry and education. He describes painfully OBIT as being the most "hideous creation ever conceived", and one that saps the spirit, and indulges in using it himself, not being able to resist its temptations.

After insistence from Orville, Orville questions Dr. Scott, who describes his opposition to OBIT, and how he is always at odds with Lomax, who for some reason cannot be monitored by OBIT. The reason becomes rapidly apparent, as Lomax is transfigured to an alien being, who represents a race of beings who have deliberately placed OBIT machines on Earth to create rips and tensions in society and demoralize humanity, as preparation for their eventual invasion. He disappears suddenly from the scene.

The episode ends with the announcer explaining that all of the OBIT machines have been found and destroyed and that whether OBIT can live up to its reputation "depends on you".

The OBIT machine, with its ability to spy real time on citizens within a 500 mile radius, and even then through solid rock or steel, is certainly a technological marvel. Such a machine does not exist of course, but its abilities can be emulated. Governments can now engage in data mining and Email and business transaction monitoring, coupled with citizen spies whose sole function is to report "suspicious" behavior, can certainly have the same devastating effects as OBIT. The resulting suspicions and extreme paranoia accompanying these strategies of spying can indeed make life unbearable and demoralizing.

We must make sure we have senators who think like Orville, and refuse to allow this kind of privacy-robbing technology to be employed unless in very extreme life-threatening circumstances. "OBIT-like" projects like TIAA and its children must not be allowed to progress and must be kept in check. Thankfully there are many in government who are taking steps to insure that these kinds of projects do not get implemented. Eternal vigilance among citizens, government officials, and the military must be unrelenting in insuring that these kinds of projects never be put in place. Such an attitude should be part of our consciousness and automatized in our belief structures and in our machines, for this is the proper morality in the information age: a morality which makes its own decisions.

Don't Look Behind You...
...but someone is watching. And they're not human. If you thought the NSA was bad...

One of OL's few truly evil E.T. entries, a murder mystery performed as a courtroom drama. The script is highly literate, but the suspense is half-shot from the beginning by showing too much. It's still worth it for the opening murder scene and the dramatic finale alone, though the interesting analysis of intrusive government spying on its own citizenry along the way is quite good, too (and, for the time, eye-opening, as well).

Typically great OL cinematography, one of the creepier and more memorable monsters, and good performances all around, especially by Jeff Corey.

OL masterpiece with Orwellian overtones
An army security man is strangled under mysterious circumstances at Cypress Hills, a top secret military installation where a sinister new snooping system (the Outer Band Individuated Teletracer) is being tested. This audio-video spying device can tune in to the individualized biorhythms of everyone on the base, except for the murderer, it seems. The frightening implications of this new device for depriving personnel of even the slightest shred of privacy and dignity are unravelled in the course of a congressional investigation conducted by young, charismatic Senator Orville. His persona is tough as nails, but smooth-edged with dashes of wisdom and self-deprecating wit, a la JFK. This portrayal comes across as an intriguing reflection of the Camelot era, and we know from the moment we meet him that he is going to get to the bottom of things. Likewise, we are shown from the opening scene that the murder was committed by a Thing Not of This World, a monstrous, gangly, one-eyed creature of obviously alien origin. Our attention is also directed early on to one Byron Lomax, a sinister character who is in charge after the rightful director of the base is sent away to a mental institution, in Kremlinesque fashion we find out. These plot threads are woven together in a tense, moody script with expert direction and stylish noir photography, giving this episode the unmistakable first-season OL signature. The shattering and dehumanizing effect of invading privacy, feeding upon dark, all-too-human impulses, is the moral center of this story: we must rise above our lower impulses and temptations, or be dragged down by them. In the latter case, we become easy prey for an invading alien race that easily sets us up, and can take over without a single shot ever having to be fired. This is OL at its characteristic, intelligent best, with solid story and thought-provoking themes convincingly elaborated (e.g., we are our own worst enemies, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, etc.); plus loving homages (intentional or otherwise) to schlock 1950's scifi cinema, most notably Wyott Ordung's hilariously inept "Robot Monster". But it bridges the lowbrow appeal of such juvenile material with the prescience of George Orwell's writings. The kind of sheer range on display here is breathtaking, and puts to shame what passes today as scifi cinema, with its monotonous emphasis on artless techno special effects and characters targeted to audience hang-ups and attitude.

I.C.U.
This Outer Limits is unusual to feature a courtroom hearing as a series of talking heads, when otherwise episodes feature a lot of action. The scenario by Meyer Dolinsky centres around the titular surveillance machine, which Meyer used to parallel the House Un American Committe and Senator Joseph McCarthy witchhunts of the late 1940's and early 1950's. However the Senator who comes to the defence department site where a murder has been committed, ironically acts as arrogantly (and humourlessly) as McCarthy. The only seemingly intentional laugh in the whole episode is when a doctor is heard to make a derogatory remark about his superior - "He doesn't know the difference between a periodic table and a timetable". The obligatory series monster here is seen on the OBIT screen, which deliberately resembles the early round TV sets, and it is the sighting which accounts for the witnesses death. The monster itself is quite bizarre. The initial long shot view has it wearing a diaphonous gown, and it's mask face is half Halloween pumpkin and half unformed baby head. When the monster attacks another witness, it is unintentionally funny. Since the hearing's talking head structure relies upon testimony it becomes a series of performances, the best being Konstantin Shayne and Sam Reese, and the worst Alan Baxter. As the administrator of the base and the one associated with the OBIT, Jeff Corey wears distortive bottle-bottom black-rimmed spectacles which give him a great look but his climactic grandiose speech is undercut by it coming out of nowhere, and the maniac way it is filmed by director Gerd Oswald. The narrative also features a few plot holes - an affair has no pay off, and the monster has the unexplained ability to be in two places at once. However Oswald provides some redemptive images - a flashing cheap hotel sign, the ominous placement of Corey's overly hairy hand, and the soft-focus lighting of Joanne Gilbert as the base commander's wife, who still manages to come off as an anorexic transexual.

Probably my favorite.
I've always loved this episode. I has good dialogue, a fairly good monster, and a believable premise (except for the monster, of course). The pacing is well done, and it leads up to a fine climax. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A planetoid called Alpha Memory is chosen to become the Federation's official library, and Lieutenant Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan), charged with transferring records to the site's computers, is en route to that destination aboard the Enterprise. Along the way, she acquires a new beau in the adoring Scotty (James Doohan), and big trouble when the collective consciousness of the Zetars, a lost and disembodied race, attack the Alpha Memory project and take possession of her and her voice.

Not surprisingly, the story was written by someone who knew a lot about projecting personalities and voices into hapless third parties: puppeteer Shari Lewis and her husband Jeremy Torcher, both big fans of Star Trek. Typical of the original series' troubles with ever-shrinking budgets, the Zetar entities are represented as mere colored lights, an adequate effect improved immensely by the scary-dramatic context in which they appear and by a good vocal performance by Barbara Babcock (lately of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) as the merged creatures. Shutan is just fine as the comely librarian, and Doohan is great in his impassioned-Scotty mode. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Worst episode of them all?
I'm sorry, but it doesn't get any worse than The Lights of Zetar. I have always thought this one was neck-and-neck with The Mark of Gideon for worst episode, but I watched it recently and really tried to like it. But come on... First of all, Spock says one ridiculous non-Vulcan thing after another through the whole episode. The whole cast appears to have given up...Scotty's assessment that one more phaser blast will kill Mira is thereafter taken as fact, even by Spock. The first half has some potential to be spooky...a planet full of dead people, a dying lady turning colors and talking weird (nice respect for the dying, Kirk, as he points at her like she's a freak). But nothing is ever developed, and it's not like they didn't have time...that scene in the briefing room where they match the brain waves is interminable! Seriously, that has to be the longest, most boring scene they ever shot. The whole episode drags on with pointlessness instead of exploring any interesting storyline. Even affectionate Scotty, endearing at first, get a little old. Weak.

Better than That Which Survives
Yet another dull and pointless episode, this one sees Scott's newfound-love (Mira Romaine) possessed by an alien life form represented by shimmering lights. Scotty's romance plays only slightly better than McCoy's earlier in the season; whereas McCoy's romance seemed flat, Scotty is over the top, acting out of character. At least Jan Shutan's stiff performance provides some counterpoint! The episode has few highlights other than the romance and the disturbing scene on Memory Alpha. While the concept of the 'distilled spirits' of a dying race is interesting enough, the cold-hearted treatment of the aggressors (see Wink of an Eye for a similar example) betrays the shows loss of idealism. Compare this to the humanity Kirk showed in say, Space Seed or By Any Other Name, in seasons 1 and 2. The episode simply has no message.

Plot gaps are also intolerably large even by Star Trek standards. Why do the Zetarians do so much more damage on Memory Alpha than on the Enterprise? What is special about Memory Alpha to the Zetarians? How does Kirk know pressure may kill them?

One plus about the episode is that it has the quirky style of many early 3rd season shows; although there is no original music here, this episode features music and even shots from a variety of episodes (revisiting the Where no Man has gone Before soundtrack was an interesting decision [given the parallels to that episode], and they were running out of money after all). The close up shots of her eye were also kind of interesting. When such minutiae are the best thing going for an episode, it's got problems.

The final scenes features the type of repartee and character discussion that were almost absent from season 3. Noteworthy though is a lack of warmth in the dialogue, which actually seems to extend to the actors themselves (excepting the irrepresible Shatner). Perhaps the others could no longer put their hearts into these weak shows and their improbable dialogue; perhaps the weak shows further strained the relationships between the cast.

Wh at Am I Missing?
I am sorry, fellow Trek fans. This is one episode that I simply can't stand. Don't be mad! Maybe I have no taste! But I do find it schlocky and the music is so terribly repetetive!

I have made these comments before for what they are worth but I have always loved the incidental music on Star Trek on some episodes but I find this episode is overkill.

For fans only. Not particulalrly bad but definitely not a masterpiece.

The closest thing to a Star Trek horror story (with holes)
As a kid, I always thought this episode was one of Star Trek's scariest, with pseudo-demonic possession, malevolence galore, and the ever-present Star Trek drama. As an adult, I find the episode still scary, but you must be willing to suspend disbelief and ignore the gaping plot holes.

"Lights of Zetar" had the potential to be one of the best episodes ever, but I believe third-season budget constraints and the pressure to deliver the script on time may have damaged it's credibility. How could a hyperbaric chamber "kill" gaseous entities capable of warp-speed? Too many plot holes; nevertheless, this episode still gives you the willies. A Trek-lover must-have.

The Enterprise encounters another killer cloud in space
"The Lights of Zetar" finds the Enterprise heading for Memory Alpha, a repository of accumulated knowledge which must be the Federation's version of Asimov's Foundation facility, when an energy cloud appears. After knocking out Lt. Mira Romaine on the ship, the cloud attacks Memory Alpha, kills most of the researchers and wipes out the computer memory. When the Enterprise finally catches up with the killer cloud it is clear that there is some weird link between it and Romaine. Eventually Kirk gets around to exploiting it in order to figure out what is going on and what to do about it. This is one of those Star Trek episodes that just strikes me as rather lame. Although the set up is certainly interesting, the explanation is unsatisfying and the resolution is a bit extreme on several levels. I know for sure that Jean-Luc Picard would not have wiped out an entire race of beings like this, even if they are already "dead." Besides which, I do not think energy clouds would be that easy to defeat. "The Lights of Zetar" was just another nail in the coffin for the show during its third and final season. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The saga of Felicy King, Gus Pike, and Avonlea finally ends
When Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote about Sara Stanley and her King cousins in "The Story Girl" and the "Golden Road," her readers came to understand that the high and mighty Felicity King was fated to marry Peter Craig, the hired boy on her father's farm. On the television series "Avonlea," (a.k.a. "Road to Avonlea"), the character of Peter Craig was phased out but the idea of the fate of Felicity (Gema Zamprogna) clearly remained the same, although now with Gus Pike (Michael Mahonen), a young fisherman who arrives in Avonlea and decides to stay, smitten with young Felicity and in awe of school teacher Hettie King (Jackie Burroughs). However at the end of season six Gus was believed lost at sea, and when the show came to the end of its seventh and final season, it was necessary to bring their story to a resolution.

The two pivotal episodes are collected on "Return to Me." First up is "Return to Me," which finds Felicity only a few days away from her wedding to Stuart McCrae (David Ferry), the local banker. But then she gets a mysterious phone call that sends her and Aunt Hetty in search of Gus. Amazingly, they find Gus alive in South Carolina. He was not killed in the shipwreck, but he did lose his eyesight. Both Felicity and Hetty insist that Gus has to come home to Avonlea, but he stubbornly refuses. However, there is no way Gus can stand up to two women who are not only more stubborn than he is, but who are the two that he cares most about in the world.

The grand finale is "So Dear to My Heart," where Gus returns to Avonlea and stuns the entire King family. But now the question is whether Felicity will go through with her wedding to Stuart. Meanwhile, in the wake of the disastrous cannery fire, Jasper (R.H. Thomson) and Olivia (Meg Ruffman) have decided to leave Avonlea, which infuriates Hetty so much that she refuses to attend Felicity's wedding. However, this is the final episode of this beloved television series, which means that everybody is going to end up at this wedding (yes, that means everybody including you know who).

Gus being blind is a bit melodramatic for my tastes, but there is such a thing as destiny and the sight of Felicity running through town in her wedding dress to drag Aunt Hetty to her wedding certainly makes up for that. There is really no better final storyline "Avonlea" could have had to bring everything to a close.

A fitting end to a amazing series...
Road to Avonlea~Return to Me, features two episodes from the poplular Disney series Avonlea. Return to Me features two episodes, So Dear to My Heart and Return to Me. Two of the last episodes of Avonlea. In these last two episodes Felicity is engaged to be married to a man named Stuart, when she learns that the love of her life, Gus Pike, is alive. She travels to South Carolina to find him. She then convinces Gus to return to Avonlea with her. A grand wedding takes place in which many characters return to the show. Sara Polley redeams her role as Sara Stanley after a couple years of absence from the show. As well as characters such as Racheal Lynde, Davy and Dora, and Ms Stacy from the Anne of Green Gables Series. This episode is a much have for any fan of the TV show Avonlea or Anne of Green Gables! ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Operation: Annihilate" is undoubtedly the only science fiction drama inhistory in which the requisite Scary Monster resembles a three-dollar itemfrom a novelty store--specifically, a rubber puddle of fake vomit. Moreover, theshooting locale for much of the story, which is set in a research community onthe Federation planet Deneva, brings to mind the plush, friendly, L.A. exoticaof Frank Capra's Shangri-La in Lost Horizon rather than anextraterrestrial outpost. Having said all that, however, this episode isdeservedly a minor classic that becomes most interesting in its final act.Rushing the Enterprise to Deneva is Captain Kirk (William Shatner), whosebrother Sam and his family are among the victims of an unknown invader thatfeeds on human nervous systems, driving people wild with pain and ultimatelykilling them. Once arriving, Kirk's problems are compounded when Mr. Spock(Leonard Nimoy) is attacked by one of the nasty "flying pancake" killers (blobbycritters of the aforementioned fake-vomit variety). The script (by Steven W.Carabatsos) feels as if it did not survive the series' editorial committeeprocess intact. There's a certain amount of obvious padding in the action, whilenext to nothing is made, dramatically speaking, of Kirk's discovery of his brother's fate. The best bits are reserved for a story twist in which Dr. McCoy(DeForest Kelley) develops a cure for Spock's ailment that is almost as bad asthe affliction. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Flying Pancakes
The string of winning episodes finally came to an end in the final show of season one, which concerned pancake-like creatures that attack Spock's central nervous system. This was by no means trek at it's worst incidentally; just a step down from the prior six shows produced. The episode feels more like a second season episode in that it lacks the complex themes of its precursors; still it manages to work in a loss for Kirk and the effects that physical pain can have on the way we present ourselves. (As an aside, one thing that does connect this episode with season one is the slow pace at which the story develops.) This is one of those shows though that despite a disturbing premise doesn't have a lot to say in the end, and relies on a gimmick for the ultimate resolution of the conflict. Also dulling are the absence of significant guest performances and the un-engaging sets; both may well have been due to both empty coffers and fatigue at this point. Virtually everyone involved had certainly laid it out there in season one, both in terms of effort and sincere emotional investment; it wouldn't always be that way.

Tidbit: Both of the dead Kirks would appear in other episodes: the elder 79 times as Captain Kirk, and the younger once as Tommy Starnes in And the Children Shall Lead.

Attack of the giant brain cells on the planet Deneva
In "Operation--Annihilate!", the last episode of the first season, the Enterprise arrives at the planet Deneva in time to see a spaceship fly into the sun after the pilot cries out that he is finally free. Things are equally strange on the planet, where a mob attacks the Away Team. Then Kirk learns that his brother Sam is dead and his sister-in-law and nephew have been infected by strange creatures that sort of look like killer blood cells with little tails. While trying to capture one of the creatures for testing, Spock is attacked; the creature tries to control the Vulcan through his nervous system, causing great pain. So it turns out the creatures are more like giant brain cells (with little tails). Meanwhile, McCoy tries to figure out why flying close to the sun freed the Denevan pilot from the creature's control. On the one hand this episode has several very emotional moment, when Kirk discovers his brother is dead and when McCoy realizes he did not need to blind Spock to free him from the creature. But on the other hand this "inner eyelid" bit is just too damn convenient, even for television/science fiction. You would think between the Science Officer and the Chief Medical Officer they would know enough about the scientific method and the correct way to perform scientific experiments in your own lab to avoid making such a horrible mistook.

Can Kirk and the crew make this a successful operation?
"Operation-Annihilate!" is a solid episode for the original Star Trek series. Captain Kirk and the crew beam down to the planet Deneva and find out that Kirk's brother, Sam, has been killed and that his nephew has been injured by some alien force. They soon find a bunch of little creatures that are one-celled organisms. One of them get Spock and he is immediately taken to Sick Bay onboard the Enterprise. Being a Vulcan, Spock learns to control himself and says he must get one of the creatures onboard to study it. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy later decide that they are only cells of some larger alien. They must find a different way of destroying the creatures on the planet without having to kill every person that has been infected by them.

I recommend getting "Operation-Annihilate!" so you can find out how the U.S.S. Enterprise crew will destroy the creatures and cure Spock of the disease. My only complaint is that you never get to see the alien that these cells come from. But other than that it's a good episode. It features some of the best acting by Spock.

This episode gets a C+ grade and is ranked 47th out of 80
Arriving at the planet Deneva, home of Kirk's only brother Samand his family, the U.S.S. Enterprise picks up a transmission from aDenevan pilot who has steered his craft into the sun to destroy some unknown menace. ... Read more

Description

An ex-con and his girlfriend embark on a bank-robbing spree and give the money they steal to farmers who are about to lose their farms. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wisdon is as Wisdom was...
I got to thinking about this movie the other day while cracking open my new "High School Reunion Collection' DVDs. The last time I saw it was on ridiculously late night television about ten years ago. Even on awfully edited television it still had a certain rawness to it. It wasn't bad raw but, good raw. Very intense. Not to mention close to home with the Farm issues. (Nebraska ex-pat here.) Sadly, Wisdom is as Wisdom was...only available on VHS. Emilio! Bring this back to us on DVD!

Underrated - Great movie with an important message
I was working in a video store in 1987 when this movie was released on VHS - otherwise I might have never even heard of it. I was intrigued to learn that Emilio had written and directed it himself.

Having recently seen Emilio, Demi, et al in "St. Elmo's Fire", I was anxious to view this film. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's interesting to note the scenes that Emilio *directly* borrowed from the film in which his father starred with Sissy Spacek - "Badlands". The premise of the movie is different, but the story does revolve around a young couple "on the lam". I say "Bravo!" to Emilio's first foray into movie-making. I was and still am very impressed!

Now, let's just get it released on DVD and I'll be even happier!!!

Surprisingly Good Effort
Emilio Estevez showed talent above the rest of his Brat Pack peers in 1985 when he wrote That Was Then, This is Now, a decent film. But he topped that with this mini tour de force in Wisdom. Which he wrote, directed and co-starred in (with then fiance Demi Moore). The film isn't a masterpiece, and was generally panned by critics. But it has a very gritty feel that seemed to capture a bridge between the present day emptiness of youthful adolesence and what happens when fantasy goes awry.

Some may look at the film like a weak, modern recreation of Badlands, or Bonnie and Clyde, and Estevez could have really pulled the emotions further in showing the characters attempt at good deeds was mistaken, then ultimately malicious. He takes the film in that direction, but it's almost like he didn't want to go over the edge, so he backed off some. However, what the film attempts to do, to create a darker look at the post teen world, in an era when John Hughes films dominated the landscape, it does capture quite well. And is tinged with a certain hopelessness that will stand with you.

It's a shame that Estevez wasn't more highly praised for his efforts here, and the film should be released on DVD, hopefully with commentary by Emilio himself.

Excellent film with a great ending!
This is one of the best movies of Estevez's career. The character of John Wisdom is brought to life as he becomes a criminal for the people in this greatly written film. The concept and story of the film is unparalleled to any film since and delivers riveting performances by both Estevez and Moore. A definite sleeper hit!!

Not great---Not bad
This is a good "Emilio Estevez" movie. He has had some stinkers, but don't include this one... Good movie for a cold or rainy day when you are caught indoors. Good moral lesson for youngsters, although they probably won't pick up on it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Please put this film on DVD!
I have owned two copies of "One Against the Wind"--because I wore out the first one! You can get the story from other reviews. I show this movie to college freshman in a writing class where we talk about being your highest and best self and making moral choices (among other things). It's entertaining, riveting, and a great springboard for discussion. I don't want to have to buy another VHS--Hallmark, please, transfer this movie to DVD as you have with "The Love Letter" and "What the Deaf Man Heard."

One of my favorite "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movies!
Judy Davis and Sam Neill headline this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. The story is set France during the early days of Nazi occupation. Davis plays an outspoken, brash, high-profile, American-born French countess (by marriage). She and her two children, a son and a daughter, plunge into peril when Davis compulsively decides to help Neill, a British flier shot down over France. Their first interaction is classic -- Davis packs quite a wallop!

Davis goes on to become a player in helping downed allied fliers escape from occupied territory.

In the meantime, a Nazi officer is bound and determined to make an example of Davis...and thus the story develops and continues through the end of the war.

This is a "must-watch" movie. There is action, intruige, and incredible courage in the face of danger.

5 stars all the way! Whatever you do, don't miss this movie!

Alan Holyoak

Judy and Sam together again...
Judy Davis and Sam Neill have appeared together in a number of films. They work so well together you think they must be like Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy--married in real life--but alas they are not. I first saw them in a film made 'down under' (I think they are both Australian) "My Brilliant Career." Sam was chasing Judy, and as usual she was spurning him.

In this wonderful Hallmark Hall of Fame production, Judy Davis plays the Comtesse Mary Lindell, two-time winner of the 'Croix de Guerre' and Sam Neille plays a British pilot shot down over France in the early days of WWII who goes on to become a Brigadier General. The Comtesse Mary Lindell inadvertantly saves Neill--the downed pilot--and thereby hangs a tale.

The Comtesse Lindell is a heroine girls can look up to. As a French citizen and a Comtesse, she was relatively unmolested by the Germans when they invaded France and would not have appeared to have had a stong motive to do the things she did and risk her life and the lives of her children. Lindell's daughter actually became involved with a German officer. However, Lindell had been a Red Cross nurse in WWI, for which she was awarded the Croix de Guerre for her assistance to both French and German soldiers alike, and she was a compassionate and caring person.

In WWII, Lindell developed a stake in the salvation of British, American, Canadian and other Allied pilots, because she accidently saved the life of a single British pilot. He spread the word, and before she knew it, she was inundated with downed pilots seeking her assistance. She could not stand by and watch the Nazis shoot them in the street, in the churches, anywhere they found them. When she was captuered and imprisoned for assisting the enemy, her son stood in for her. Eventually, she was released and resumed her underground career. Her son and her daughter, her friends and a host of other partisans helped her form the "Marie" underground network which smuggled countless Allied airmen out of harm's way through the southern border of France. For her heroism, Lindell was awarded another 'Croix de Guerre' at the end of the war.

This is a fine video, well constructed, and a joy to watch. I think you'll watch it more than once.

A Hallmark Gem
In the days of occupied France during World War II, an English born French woman finds herself in the position of helping downed flyers escape German occupied territory. This is the story of a stubborn, driven woman, the countess de Melville, Mary Lindell, as played by Judy Davis, and her part in the French Resistance. The movie captures well the flavor of occupied France, and moves between action there, and London, where the first man she helps escape back to freedom, played by Sam Neil, works to coordinate her efforts with British intelligence. Her son, who was present on the set when it was being filmed, and whose life is also featured in the film, said that Davis perfectly captured the character of his mother. This Hallmark production is all dialogue and interaction, a classic war film. It is a crown jewel in any video collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Written by renowned novelist-screenwriter Richard Matheson (The Incredible Shrinking Man), the outstanding episode "The Enemy Within" proposes a transporter malfunction that results in Captain Kirk being divided into two versions of himself, one aggressive and brutal, the other sensitive and good. Essentially, the personality mix that makes Kirk an effective leader and balanced man is scattered like so many marbles, and the result is one captain running around mauling women and wreaking havoc while the other is frightened and indecisive. The production is very effectively done, and William Shatner's performance is among his most interesting. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Good Kirk Plus The Bad Kirk Equals Captain Kirk
"The Enemy Within" proved early on that William Shatner could certainly act when the spirit moved him; maybe the key factor was not playing Captain Kirk, per se. When Kirk beams back from Alpha 177 a transporter malfunction splits him into two halves: one good, the other evil. When Spock and the others catch on that there are two Kirks they are forced to leave Sulu and the rest of the landing party stranded on the freezing planet. Meanwhile, Yeoman Rand finally has a close encounter with the Captain, which turns out to be not all that enjoyable. Yes, it makes absolutely no sense for the transporter to split Kirk's personality in half like this, but that is why they call it science fiction (besides, the transporter was just a cheaper way of showing the crew getting to planets than doing special effects with shuttle crafts). Plus we get the philosophical discourse on how Kirk needs his "evil" side to be a good starship captain. "The Enemy Within" is an above average episode.

Human psychology clashing with technology
Human psychology takes center stage in this episode. A transporter malfunction creates a second Captain Kirk by siphoning out essential characteristics of his personality. Since only negative characteristics are placed in the copy, it is a feral creature, dominated by lust and other primitive emotions. The episode is well acted by all three of the principle characters, Shatner as the good Kirk appears properly drained, showing progressive weakness as he loses the will to command. However, his best performance is when he is playing the feral Kirk, fearful, yet full of animal vigor. Spock serves as psychoanalyst, properly dissecting the Kirk personas as he physically observes both parts. The crankiness so characteristic of McCoy begins to emerge.
It is in this episode where we are introduced to two fundamentals of the show. The first is the appearance of the rivalry between Spock and McCoy and the second is the first use of the Vulcan neck pinch to subdue the evil Kirk. The first time we see the rivalry is when Spock goes to the captain's quarters to investigate McCoy's assertion that Kirk is acting like a "wild man." Kirk's response is that the doctor is putting you on again, stated so routinely that it speaks volumes about the relationship between Spock and McCoy.
However, it is the mind of the captain that makes this story. We see the powerful Kirk vulnerable and afraid, and it is easy to see those two sides in our own personalities when we watch it. We all have our animal sides, and for most of us it rarely surfaces. Which is quite healthy, as a normal person is as repulsed as Kirk when it appears.
An episode that begins to flesh out the two other major characters and also the first time we hear the memorial McCoy line, "He's dead Jim!", it takes an old theme of good and evil and packages them in one person, but two separate bodies. While it is not one of the very best episodes in the original series, it shows us a new way in which a classic story can be told. It also points out that human psychology will remain what it is and clash with whatever technology we manage to develop.

"Just give me the brandy!"
On the surface, "The Enemy Within" looks like another re-telling of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale with the timid Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the animalistic Captain James T. Kirk filling in for the good doctor and his beastly half. However, this first season episode is actually more than that. It is a philosophical exploration of the complex duality of man and an illustration of how his good and evil sides taken together define his very being. It is also a gimmicky way to squeeze in double the Shatner for your viewing pleasure. Talk about getting good value in return for your viewing time.

The U.S.S. Enterprise experiences a transporter malfunction while beaming up a crewman from Alfa 177. After the transporter is inspected by Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), Captain Kirk is cleared to beam aboard. However, remnants of the planet's magnetic ore have been caught in the transporter system and leads to the materialization of a second Kirk. It turns out the two Kirks each embody distinct traits of the original - one personifies his good attributes while the other personifies his sinister attributes. Soon the crew finds itself racing against time to save the two Kirks and the remaining members of the landing party still stranded on Alfa 177 because of the defective transporter.

It may not be one of the essential episodes in the Star Trek canon but "The Enemy Within" still has a lot going for it. You get to see the good Kirk devolve into a whimpering mound of jello. You get to see the evil Kirk swilling down brandy. You get the see the two Kirks modeling different Captain Kirk outfits. You get to see what an alien planet looks like when your television series is working on a limited budget. You get to see a nice alien dog and a mean alien dog. Yet when you get right down to it, the bottom line is that you get twice the Kirk than you usually get. What more can anyone ask for?

Getting there
The Enemy Within-With this episode, in which a transporter malfunction creates two wildly different Kirk's, the show begins to hit its stride. Like many first season shows, this one is sharply focused on dynamics of human personality and interaction. We are shown subtle aspects of both the two Kirks, and the thought process of the rest of the crew as the relate to the new Kirk's. Such attention to internal details, for better or worse, really fell off in the 2nd and 3rd seasons as the show become more extroverted. As others have noted, Shatner turns in a nice performance here, although that absurd make-up they put on the male crew members for the early shows is kind of distracting in the close-ups. One other nice thing about this episode is that its central theme, concerning our dual nature, is not presented in an overly simplisitic way; by this I mean that even each of the two sides of Kirk are somewhat nuanced, and the description of how the two parts need to be together not overly cliché. Nevertheless, the show like many early ones, is way too talky. While the show was beginning to hit it's stride, it wasn't there yet; this episode does drag, and feels somewhat clunky despite a fair amount of action.

Kirk must face both death and his darker side
After a transporter decides to go haywire, Captain Kirk gets split into two halves: an evil, unforgiving half and a nice, intelligent half. Not only does the real Captain Kirk have to worry about his other, animal-like half, but he also has some men that are trapped on a freezing, icy planet with nowhere to go. Is it possible to manage a double take of the captain and get the two halves to equal one again?

"The Enemy Within" is compelling, and it provides good entertainment the whole way through. It also has great acting like always from William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, and a memorable line from Spock. Not to mention that you'll see a now-famous maneuver from Spock the very first time it was performed, and something else in this episode that you'll never see in another show of Star Trek.

We must all face our darker side every now and then, but I don't think any of us have ever had to face ourselves the way Captain Kirk must do. I recommend any Star Trek enthusiast to add this episode to their collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

While on the planet Gamma Hydra IV, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr.Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Scotty (James Doohan)are infected with an unknown disease that causes rapid aging. The only member ofthe party unaffected is Chekov (Walter Koenig), who becomes McCoy's guinea pigwhile searching for a cure back on the Enterprise. A nifty idea with somepoignant overtones, the story by David P. Harmon startles a viewer with thesight of these familiar folks rapidly graying, wrinkling, weakening, andsuffering memory loss. At the same time, Harmon is careful to age each characteras a unique individual, as in real life. Kirk slows down more than the longer- lived Spock, while McCoy remains mentally keen if physically brittle. As forpoor Scotty, well...the dramatic subtext in "The Deadly Years" concerns theperennial conflict over when and how to decide that someone has become too oldto carry out crucial responsibilities. In that sense, this episode feelsconstantly relevant and uniquely entertaining: Let's just say that some of theseactors play "old" a little better than others. (Director Joseph Pevney hasreported that there was a lot of conflict over who was stealing old-guy movesfrom whom.) With all this going on, one might not notice that guest star CharlesDrake is a truly familiar face, having appeared in such classic films as The Maltese Falcon and Now, Voyager. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Another strong show
This episode, in which the crew experience accelerated aging, is another winner. The best thing going for this show is the most simple; it's a good story. Add to that the fact that it is developed nicely and at it's own pace, and you have another thoroughly engaging show, in which we actually feel suspense as to how the crew will get out of this jam. The acting performances are also enjoyable from the big 3 in particular. Certainly the best job done by the make-up team as well; the aging was quite convincing given how low budget and low-tech Trek was.

While Commodore Stocker predictably fails, at least he is presented as a reasonably likeable Starfleet Official and one capable of being self-critical. The court-martial scene was a good idea, but it was far too drawn out at 10+ minutes; we did not need to have each of Kirk's recent foibles pointed out to us again!

This episode does a really good job of exploring how aging not only affects one's mental performance but also one's ability to gauge their mental performance. When we are young and thinking clearly it is so difficult to accept that as we approach death some of us will not accept that our capacities have significantly diminished, and will go on driving, living on our own, etc. even when it is no longer safe to do so.

Where's Planet Viaga IV when you need it?
In this one the crew faces rapid aging like Spock did in Star Trek III. Only in this one it only lasts one episode. I wonder if the the actors compare the way they look in this and the way they look today. They are in as old as they were supposed to be in this episode. It's a good overall. It's a silly concept but has a good gimmick to keep you watching. I don't see how the process was reversed to keep the crew to their current ages, however it works for Star Trek.

Kirk might be old, but he's still got grit and gumption!
In "The Deadly Years," the Enterprise discovers everyone on Gamma Hydra IV has either died or is in the process of dying from old age. Back onboard their ship, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scott all begin to age rapidly as well because of some unusual kind of radiation. Meanwhile, there is a Commodore Stocker on board who forces Spock to relieve Kirk as being unfit for command and then does the same to Spock. But the Commodore has been flying a desk his entire career and in no time at all he has the ship in the Neutral Zone, surrounded by Romulans. Seeing all the senior officers in old person make-up is a bit hokey, but this is redeemed by Kirk's performance during his competency hearing and the way Kirk uses his earlier mistakes to save the day in a nice ironic touch. Usually when the writers come up with a gimmick like this they do not come up with a worthwhile story in which to play it, but that is not the case with "The Deadly Years."

Radiation Sickness ages the Crew.
While making a routine at a small science outpost near the Federation/Romulan border, A Landing Party discovers that the scientists have died of old age from some form of radiation sickness and now the same fate will happen to Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and Scotty unless a cure can be found within 48 hours. Makeup artist Fred B. Phillips does a great job with applying make-up to the actors to have them look older in every new scene. Guest stars Charles Drake and Sarah Marshall also give good performances. Written by David P. Harmon. Directed by Joseph Pevney. Music Composed and Conducted by Fred Steiner and Sol Kaplan.

An episode you won't forget
"The Deadly Years" is definitely one of the best episodes of the original Star Trek. Kirk and the crew find some old people on a planet that say they are only 25 and 28. However, they look like they're in their 90's. Soon afterwards, the crew beams back onboard the Enterprise and discovers that everybody, with the exception of Chekov, that beamed down to the planet is turning old quickly. Dr. McCoy or somebody must find a cure for the disease before they die of old age in only a matter of a few days.

"The Deadly Years" features some of the best makeup of any TV show or movie from the 60's, and also some of the best acting. Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy put on the two best performances, they will make you think they really are old and frail. "The Deadly Years" is a classic episode of the series and Kirk does some of his best commanding at the end of the episode. This is one episode you won't forget. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A real treat for long-haul Trekkers: "The Squire of Gothos" is an entertaining program in its own right and the obvious blueprint for "Encounter at Farpoint," Gene Roddenberry's pilot episode for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Guest star William Campbell plays Trelane, a bratty, impulsive alien given to wearing costumes appropriate for an 18th-century French aristocrat. Equipped with godlike powers that allow him to alter and manipulate the world around him, Trelane is the prototype of The Next Generation's beloved quasi villain, Q (John de Lancie). Like Q, Trelane regards the crew of the Enterprise as playthings, and when Captain Kirk (William Shatner) disrupts his games, the omniscient boy-man puts humanity itself on trial. Great stuff. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is wonderful.
I like this movie because it's cool. I also like this movie because it introduced me to Trelane in the novel of Q Squared by Peter David. I also like how Trelane uses the enterprise crew as bate. I also like the surprise ending of this episode. I highly recommend this to future Star Trek fans.

One of the best of the original series and a harbinger
There are two ways in which this is one of the best episodes in the original Star Trek series. The first is that the crew of the Enterprise encounters a creature (Trelane) that can command great power, and that considers the Enterprise crew to be playthings. This premise is a very interesting one, because it is so plausible. We humans are culturally conditioned to consider ourselves to be higher level beings, but the law of averages as played out in the universe dictates that we are most certainly not. Our foibles, nature and actions could very likely be a source of amusement for beings capable of easily moving planets.
The other way is that it sets the table for some of the best episodes of Star Trek, The Next Generation, as the Q character is obviously modeled from Trelane. "Encounter At Farpoint", the first episode of TNG, involves humanity being placed on trial, much like Trelane's placing Captain Kirk on trial in this episode. Trelane has studied Earth history, but somehow doesn't quite get it right. Q and the members of the continuum also never seem to quite be able to accurately solve the human equation, despite their ability to treat time and space like some of us use a television remote.
I went back and watched this episode again after viewing the TNG episodes that involved Q. The episode is so well acted and the repartee dialog so well written that I found myself enjoying it more than I ever had before. I found myself wishing that Trelane had made a second appearance in the original series.

An Ill-Mannered Spock & A Nubian Prize
This is a delightful episode for those of you who like the conceptual side of Trek. This is the heart of Roddenberry's world. Abstract "beings" that represent life and energy unknown and quite different from ourselves, but at once sharing common ideas and situations that all living things encounter.

My favorite Trek intellectual "smackdown" comes from this episode. Leonard Nimoy's performance as Spock is priceless here. With deft coolness, pure Vulcan disdain, and a hint of human irritation, Spock says to Trelane, "I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose." This is perhaps one of Star Trek's most consistently repeated and implied underlying themes. A venomous, vitriolic jab - true - but totally eloquent and one of my favorite lines of the 20th century. Bravo, Mr. Schneider.

Also of note is Trelane's encounter with the lovely Lt. Uhura. He describes her as "A Nubian Prize." Bravo again Mr. Schneider. In 1966 I can think of many less than appropriate ways such dialogue might have been handled. This is timeless - even the little joke about "raids of conquest" is witty, clever, and charming. Not at all racist as it very easily might have been.

A fab episode, low budget to be sure, but jam-packed with smart stuff. A-plus!

Greetings and Salutations
Another bizarre and campy episode, this one features a spoiled child who has designed himself a baroque castle. Like the former episode, this one presents us with a phantasmagoria of seemingly random, if stereotypical, scenarios. The tone is more ominous here, however, thanks in large part to some well-conceived shots (such as the shadow of the noose during Kirk's trial). The castle's blend of gilded glitz with incomplete realization increase the sense of unreality.

Unlike later shows (most notably 3rd season ones), the unreality here is not dreamlike however. There is a sharpness about this episode; the dialogue is literal and more crisp than in most 3rd season shows, which often felt more detached non-commital and ambivalent, while being softer-edged and more atmospheric.

Campbell, who later returned for The Trouble With Tribbles also gives a strong performance. After a while the gags start to lose their novelty though, and the episode seems to struggle to fill time. Another possible critique (although it doesn't really bother me) is that the episode ultimately doesn't have a lot to say. Still most of us, at some point in our lives, have had the experience of having to jump through hoops at another's whim; there isn't always a lot of meaning behind that either.

Before Q there was Trelane
Long before the Next Generation there was a god like being who was Kirk's foil for once. Too bad he wasn't a regular character. Perhaps this is what Gene wanted with the original series and tried for this in NG...who knows. This episode is fun because Kirk has to outsmart a god who knows no bounds. He wants to keep the crew of the Enterpise as pets for his amusement. From a historical perspective you can see how Q in Next Generation is very close in character. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

I Hope You Enjoy The 3,000 Pounds Of Jell-O!
Some people have entertained this as a tribute to Peter Sellers, and I don't want to judge the motives of Blake Edwards and crew, but for the record I am highly suspect when it is asserted that this wasn't a quick money grab.

The first part of the film is a rehash of some scenes from earlier "Panther" movies and outtakes cleverly edited to try to resemble a story. The truth be told, there are some individually hilarious clips in the first half, which is why I gave the film two stars.

Hands down the best scene in the movie involves a nightmare that Herbert Lom has regarding a birthday present from Clouseau, and his attempts to swim in it. In fact, the only truly great moments in the film all star Lom, the most gifted of any of the "Panther" co-stars. I was also amused that the name of Hercule's (Seller's friend and regular of the series, Graham Stark) boat was "The Moth", of course pronounced "Muuuth" as homage to Sellers.

The second half (after Clouseau's plane disappears...) is devoted to annoyingly self-important reporter Marie Jouvet, played by the pretty but untalented Joanna Lumley, looking for clues about Clouseau's disappearance. She takes the opportunity to interview Dreyfus and Cato, and as well as Sir Charles and Lady Litton (David Niven and the late Capucine, who, the back story reveals are now married), and most embarrassingly of all Clouseau's "father" and nanny. The scene with Clouseau, Senior and "Nanna" is utterly painful to watch and is nothing but a bad caricature of Sellers. The childhood flashbacks which follow are even more wretched, particularly the dismal "Good, Bad, and the Ugly" parody of Clint Eastwood with a cap gun. Finally, to add insult to injury, the friendly reporter tangles with the mafia in a pointless plot cul-de-sac and fights with Cato, in what may have been the worst single idea in an otherwise artistically bankrupt movie.

This film is now available as part of the "Pink Panther" DVD set, so I would watch it if only for Dreyfus in the Jell-O, but I wouldn't seek it out.

Excellent tribute to a comedy legend
Critics hated this movie and called it a cheap moneymaking ploy. They also said it was offensive to Peter Sellers fans. Well, I'm a Peter Sellers fan and I consider this a superb and timely tribute to a master comedian. I don't find it even remotely offensive nor do I think it's a cheap moneymaking ploy. Director Blake Edwards says goodbye to his favorite star with some interesting out-takes and recollections of Clouseau from Pink Panther stars in character. Some of the later scenes could have been better, and Joanna Lumleys' terrible French accent could be considered a cause of offense! Nevertheless, this deserves to be in any Peter Sellers video collection. The last of the really funny Pink panther movies.

WHICH ONE WAS PETER SELLER'S LAST MOVIE?
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu or this blob of bloopers? That is the question.

My explanation for this movie's plot
We don't get to find out whether Closeau is ever found again or not because Edwards had a sequel (Curse of the Pink Panther) coming up just around six months later and the point of that movie was to find the missing inspector. I admit the film gets weak in the second half with reporter Lumley trying to find a Clouseau-story but the film stiil was richly entertaining and lumley makes a pretty good leading lady.

A disappointing Panther
Make no mistake, I am a Peter Sellers fan and I enjoy his Clouseau character in particular, but this entry was a real letdown. It did have some amusing moments but overall, I simply didn't appreciate The Trail of the Pink Panther. One of the silliest things about this movie is that there is no plot; the Pink Panther is stolen, Clouseau is sent to find it and goes missing. After that both him and the diamond are forgotten and all we see after that is a bunch of interviews with people who knew Clouseau. Aside from that, the old footage is, for the most part, not particularly funny. The only outtakes I laughed aloud at were a few from The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Blake Edwards should have waved the white flag after this movie but instead he goes on to make 2 more Panthers. It's too bad that Peter Sellers last appearance in the Pink Panther series was such a poor film. Stick with the original five films only. Forget this episode, as well as the next 2 movies and the Inspector Clouseau movie. They aren't worth your time. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

M*A*S*H adds B.J. and Colonel Potter to the comedy mix
At the end of the third season of "M*A*S*H" the character of Colonel Henry Blake was killed while flying home. At the start of the fourth season of the military situation comedy Trapper John McIntyre went home as well, which meant that the show had to replace two of the three most important characters on the show. As we see from these first eight episodes from Season 4 (including the one-hour season premier), "M*A*S*H" not only replaced those two character, it evolved into the first and still one of the finest dramadies in television history:

Episode 1-2, "Welcome to Korea" (Written by Everett Greenbaum, Jim Firtzell, and Larry Gelbart, Aired September 12, 1975) has Hawkeye (Alan Alda) returning from R&R only to find that Trapper has just been shipped home. Grabbing Radar (Gary Burghoff) and stealing a jeep, Hawkeye races to Kimpo hoping to catch Trapper before he leaves. They arrive too late to say goodbye to Trapper, but they do get to meet his replacement, B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell), from Mill Valley, California. On the way back to the 4077th the new M*A*S*H surgeon is introduced first hand to the Korean War. The transition to Hawkeye's new second banana is awkward and that awkwardness is made a part of this episode. Of course Frank Burns (Larry Linville) dreams of molding Hunnicutt into his sort of officer, but by the time the new Swampmates make it back, it is too late. 4.5 Stars.

Episode 3, "Change of Command" (Written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, Aired September 19, 1975) heralds the arrival of Colonel Sherman T. Potter (Harry Morgan), Regular Army, as new C.O. of the 4077th. Despite the fears of the others that Potter will not fit in, the old man proves himself to be exactly what this group needed. I remember thinking at the time that "M*A*S*H" should have left Frank Burns in charge for a few episodes, but it is hard to fault them for wanting to take advantage of having Harry Morgan in the cast each week. 4.5 Stars.

Episode 4, "It Happened One Night" (Story by Gene Reynolds, Written by Larry Gelbart and Simon Mutner, Aired September 26, 1975) finds the 4077th being shelled while the surgeons try to carry on. Clearly the function of this episode is to further initiate Potter and Hunnicutt into the world of meatball surgery under pressure. 4 Stars.

Episode 5, The Late Captain Pierce" (Written by Clen Charles and Les Charles, October 3, 1975), finds B.J. getting a phone call from Hawkeye's dad in the middle of the night wanting to know "how and why." In a horrible SNAFU, the Army has declared Hawkeye dead and informed his father. Adding insult to injury, because President-elect Eisenhower is in the area, all communication has been cut off and Hawkeye cannot let his dad know he is still alive. Meanwhile, a guy (Richard Masur) arrives to pick up Hawkeye's corpse. Written by the future creators of "Cheers," this episode is one of the first to sober up Hawkeye's character and his speech about giving up and going home because the wounded will never stop coming is memorable. 5 Stars.

Episode 6, "Hey, Doc" (Written by Rich Mittleman, Aired October 10, 1975) has the gang trying to help out Sgt. Kimble, who wants to go home on a slow boat from Pusan rather than an airplane so he can ship home supplies to open by a Korean Kafe. This is a standard military comedy episode with Hawkeye and B.J. wheeling and dealing to get things done. Okay, but nothing special. 3.5 Stars.

Episode 7, "The Bus" (Written by John D. Hess, Aired October 17, 1975) has the doctors returning from a medical conclave (i.e., poker game) when their bus gets lost and they have to avoid North Korean patrols. Nice little change of pace episode that reminds us there is no situation that Frank Burns cannot make worse. 4 Stars.

Episode 8, "Dear Mildred" (Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, Aired October 24, 1975) finds Colonel Potter writing home to his wife. The "letter home" format serves the series well as it allows Potter's character to be developed as he comments on the oddballs of his new unit. To be followed by B.J.'s "Dear Peggy." 4.5 Stars.

While B.J. works his way into gang, Sherman Potter provides instant revitalization to the series. After all, the man is not going to back down from Frank, Hot Lips, Hawkeye, or anybody else, which really changes the dynamic of the 4077th. What we would clearly see is that Harry Morgan could handle not only comedy, but provide pathos as well. Arguably the most brilliant addition of a cast member in the history of television. Go ahead, argue with that one. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Less a Documentary than a Reminiscence
PARAGRAPH 175 is a beautifully photographed, historicaly accurate, sensitively enlightening film about the Nazi persecution and slaughter of the Pink Triangle, as male homosexuals were designated in Hitler's concentration camps. But for once a documenting film does not focus on grotesque pictures of bodies, wretched camp conditions or images of abuse and torture. The film's makers instead opt for the more sensitive approach of interviewing the few remaining men (and one woman)who survived the period. From these elderly gentlemen we hear memories of how fun Berlin was from 1914 to 1918, the between war period when life was raucous and liberated. We then learn through their words and through film clips of the growing influence of Hitler and his own gay SA General, the response of a people wilted from WWI needing hope for a future and not realizing the depravity of the promises of the Nazi party, the ugly truth. It is this insidious perpetration of evil that becomes most pungent in the faces and words of the survivors. This is a beautifully realized documentary and one that will open eyes to a fact that most people remain unaware of even today.

Voices from Our Past
From Common Threads to The Times of Harvey Milk, Rob Epstein and Jeffery Friedman have documented the lives of gay men and lesbians throughout the 20th century. Adding Paragraph 175 into this collection is a crown lewel of their masterful work.

Documenting the experiences of homosexuals during the infamous Nazi regime in Germany, the filmmakers interviewed the few remaining people who suffered under the infamous paragraph. These men are a brave and stalwart group. As they tell their stories, the pain and horror they are forced to relive is evident. The filmmakers fortunately step out of the way and allow these men to speak. In fact, one of the best things about this documentary is that it is not a slick, clean production, with all of the extra things edited out. It's rough, to allow us to see their humanity. Some of these men had never spoken of their experiences publicly.

The DVD offers an insightful if sparse producers'/director's commentary, along with additional interviews not included in the film. The music is gripping, especially the inclusion of Marlene Dietrich's version of "Falling in Love Again".

So much has been done in the last years to document and remember the experiences during WWII. This film adds an important voice to that chorus, allowing all of those who suffered under the tyranny of one man's dementia, their prominent stanza.

i wanted more...
The truth about homosexual persecution in Nazi Germany told by 6 survivors, using real footage from the times and documentary/interview style storytelling.
I find it interesting how they only targeted gay men. Nazis declared lesbianism a "temporary and curable problem."
Anyway, an interesting little documentary... not enough substance to it though in my opinion- although that might be because none of the men wanted to talk about their experiences. I imagine they get tired of all the interviews and having to relive those things...

"Do you want butter or guns?"
And the people cried "Guns!"
And at that my Father became afraid."

Painful, defiant, angry, joyous
This is a magnificent piece of documentary filmmaking, not only from the perspective of the production values, but especially of the reportage. It is made clear throughout the documentary how extraordinarily difficult it was to get the extremely elderly men who were the survivors of the Holocaust to think back to what must have been a horrifying period in their lives. The producers managed to get through, however, sometimes with the help of friends, sometimes on their own, and the effect is a devastating one. I cannot agree with the reviewer from Louisiana who carped about "too many Nazi movies". First of all, the Holocaust is a horror which must never be forgotten, and there is no point at which there will be too much information about a "civilized" Western European country which slaughtered millions upon millions upon millions of people at a time which is still in the living memory of countless Europeans, Americans and other citizens of the world. Second, I would have a hard time in coming up with any short list, let alone long list of written, audio or video material which treats the specific subject of the extermination of gay people in Hitler's camps. Gay men were one of the secondary groups of slaughter, of course, in comparison to the breathtaking horror that was visited upon the Jews, but they were a major group nevertheless, and if the critic in Louisiana thinks that this is a story that does not need telling, then I'm sorry, but he's wrong. It does need telling, and the point to this documentary is that not many more years will pass before all of those who survived the terror are gone, gone, gone. The fact that the Holocaust is a throbbing and living thing even in the lives of people in the late 20th and early 21st century was neatly encapsulated in "Paragraph 175" when, if I understood it correctly, a French interviewee said that the interview was the first time that he had ever spoken to a German since World War II. "Paragraph 175" brought tears to my eyes again and again, because I had to ask, again and again, "why, why in God's name, why?" Whether Nazi atrocities have been treated in the media to a greater, lesser, more significant or any other extent than the atrocities of Stalin's Gulag (and as a Latvian, I am perfectly aware of what Stalin did, thank you) is entirely not the point. No human terror can be measured up against any other. This was terror. This was pain. But the survivors also represent a point of joy. They did survive. They had something to say. "Paragraph 175" allowed them to say it. I think that we are better for the story having been told.

Infomative, but slow paced for no reason
Paragraph 175 delves into a little discussed aspect of World War II. While Jewish people were the primary target of Nazi Germany, homosexuals were also discriminated against in the worst way. However, while this documentary is informative, it seems like it is a one hour film stretched into 90 minutes.

The most annoying aspect of the film is its moments of long pauses in narration. Since it primarily concerns itself with interviews of homosexuals who survived imprisonment in concentration camps, it's understandable that the survivors have long pauses. After all, they're elderly and the pain the memories bring can make it hard to speak. But the long pauses continue when Rupert Everet does his narration as well. And they're not dramatic pauses, but pauses to fit the length of video provided. The narration either needed more material, or the film needed to condense its video.

Also, as the film jumps back and forth between survivors, it never seems to have any real focus. One interviewee will be talking about one thing, and then it switches to another discussing some other topic. Though the film makes some good points and does serve to be enlightening, it's apparent that it could have done a better job in telling the stories. As it is, it seems like a rough cut of the documentary, not the final film.

Despite my criticisms, Paragraph 175 still has some interesting stories to tell and some moments of true poignancy and sorrow. It's just too bad it's not polished to shine some light onto these disturbing, harrowing tales. ... Read more

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"Captain's log. Stardate: Armageddon." Kirk's rather dramatic proclamation comes in the middle of a most unusual battle: Klingons and Federation crew members clash with gladiatorial broadswords and cutlasses on an Enterprise careening out of control. Michael Ansara guest stars as Kang, the fierce Klingon general who accuses Kirk of destroying his warship and killing hundreds of crewmen, while the Enterprise crew blames the Klingons for the brutal destruction of a human colony. Emotions are pitched into a racist frenzy and blood lust grips both crews as a mysterious being of pure energy (