'A Taste of Armageddon' is another intelligent, interesting 'Star Trek' episode ruminating on the whole nature of humans when they wage war. Here, the Enterprise is tasked with establishing diplomatic relations with the residents of a planet called Eminiar VII. They learn that Eminiar VII is still at war with a neighboring planet, Vendikar, after 500 years, but is going about it in a very unusual way. The war is fought by computer, and "casualties" have to submit to being eliminated in a disintegration machine. Kirk is determined to snap the people of Eminiar VII out of this endless cycle.
In general, 'A Taste of Armageddon' is indicative of how this series could be fun and intellectual at the same time. It gives us the standard plot devices of time limits and imminent destruction, as well as some amusing fight scenes with Kirk, while leaving us with the sense that humans (or humanoid beings) will always find reasons to battle each other. And yet, Kirk is willing to take the risk that these people will actually do ANYTHING to avoid a REAL war, with rampant death and destruction.
One of the things that this viewer liked best about this episode was seeing Scotty temporarily put in charge of the Enterprise while Kirk and Spock make up part of the landing party. Scotty is fully willing to defy an overly officious ambassador (Gene Lyons, 'Ironside') in the best interests of the ship and the crew. It's also just too funny when Spock manages to trick an Eminian with a warning that there's a "five legged creature" crawling on his shoulder.
If people focus only on the less than stellar production values of this particular episode, they're simply missing the bigger picture of what the writers had intended.
Directed by Joseph Pevney ("The Night of the Grizzly"), this also guest stars the excellent David Opatoshu ("Torn Curtain"), Miko Mayama ("That Man Bolt"), Sean Kenney ("Terminal Island"), Robert Sampson ("Re-Animator"), and the lovely Barbara Babcock ("Far and Away").
Eight out of 10.
In general, 'A Taste of Armageddon' is indicative of how this series could be fun and intellectual at the same time. It gives us the standard plot devices of time limits and imminent destruction, as well as some amusing fight scenes with Kirk, while leaving us with the sense that humans (or humanoid beings) will always find reasons to battle each other. And yet, Kirk is willing to take the risk that these people will actually do ANYTHING to avoid a REAL war, with rampant death and destruction.
One of the things that this viewer liked best about this episode was seeing Scotty temporarily put in charge of the Enterprise while Kirk and Spock make up part of the landing party. Scotty is fully willing to defy an overly officious ambassador (Gene Lyons, 'Ironside') in the best interests of the ship and the crew. It's also just too funny when Spock manages to trick an Eminian with a warning that there's a "five legged creature" crawling on his shoulder.
If people focus only on the less than stellar production values of this particular episode, they're simply missing the bigger picture of what the writers had intended.
Directed by Joseph Pevney ("The Night of the Grizzly"), this also guest stars the excellent David Opatoshu ("Torn Curtain"), Miko Mayama ("That Man Bolt"), Sean Kenney ("Terminal Island"), Robert Sampson ("Re-Animator"), and the lovely Barbara Babcock ("Far and Away").
Eight out of 10.