Our next episode is an interesting one for several reasons. This is...
Plot:A young man comes onto the ship wielding a very strange power
Guest Stars:Robert Walker Jr as Charlie Evans
Nitpick:It's always so convenient when these superior beings can save the Enterprise just in time but were unable to save the crew or vessel that was destroyed first.
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise has rendezvous with a cargo vessel Antares to pick up an odd passenger. A young boy named Charlie. Kirk doesn't seem to notice that Charlie seems to manipulating the two officers who escorted him. Charlie meets Janice and is immediately smitten with her.
Act 1-Charlie is the sole survivor of a crashed ship and has lived alone for ages. Now he is being transported to some relatives. After getting checked out by McCoy, Charlie runs into Janice. He gives her a gift but when she turns away he innocently slaps her in the...you know. According to legend the natives of the planet Charlie survived on could exist and may be how he survived. In the rec room Charlie tries to impress Janice with a card trick. Yes this a cute scene where Uhura sings and Spock plays along. Charlie starts to demonstrates his odd power to basically make whatever he wants to happen, happen. Charlie asks Kirk about the slap from before and he tries to explain why it was wrong. Then the Anatres calls to try to warn them about Charlie but the ship suddenly explodes.
Act 2-Spock notes how Charlie seemed to be aware of what was happening before it happened. He plays Charlie at chess and when Charlies loses he acts out and destroys the chess pieces. After another meeting where Charlie freaks Janice out by being creepy, she seeks out Kirk to tell him to talk Charlie. Kirk invites Charlie to the gym. When Charlie is pinned another officer laughs at him, and in response Charlie makes the man disappear. By the I love the touch where the towel the man had is left behind after he vanishes. After that Kirk tries to have Charlie confined but it doesn't go well.
Act 3-In the briefing room Kirk, Spock and McCoy discuss the situation. It seems likely the aliens gave Charlie a power they posses so he would survive. However he's an emotional adolescent with a short temper. Kirk realizes what a threat he can be to a populated planet with the weapons' he possesses. Charlie then walks in, oblivious to how much trouble he is, and admits he was responsible for the Antares. Charlie then starts interfering with te ship, almost electrocuting Uhura when her console cross circuits and then keeping the ship from changing course. Kirk tells Charles to stop which only upsets him more. He visits Janice, without asking to be allowed in.
Act 4-Janice is able to alert Kirk and Spock but when she rejects him, Charlie makes her disappear. Charlie then starts demanding Kirk help him, saying he has no choice. They try to lock him in the brig but Charlie's power is getting stronger. Charlie then starts randomly acting out against the crewmen. As Charlie takes more and more control, Kirk reasons that if they overwork Charlie then they may be able to beat him. The aliens that gave Charlie the power appear. They apologize for no realizing how immature he was, and will keep him with them. Which Charlie does not like since they are not real people. The aliens return the ship and crew, including Janice, and take Charlie away.
Final Thoughts:This is as close to Janice episode that we'll ever get, and she does a good job in it. She shows she may be nice but she isn't going to put up with anyone's nonsense either. As for the episode, Charlie is an interesting character. He has teenage angst, he's just trying to learn and get along with people, combined with a power he can't really control that enables him to do almost anything. Walker really nailed the role and makes the character someone we can sympathize with and hate, making his ending tragic in the end. It still suffers from early series sluggishness but it's a good watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment