 |
| The mysterious Lazarus (Robert Brown): Friend or foe? |
Original Air Date: Mar. 30, 1967. Written by: Don Ingalls. Directed by: Gerd Oswald.
THE PLOT
The Enterprise is on a routine survey mission when the universe abruptly blinks out of existence - and just as abruptly blinks in again. Starfleet contacts the ship, letting them know that this was widespread, and it centered around the planet they're orbiting. Since Enterprise is the only ship in the sector (*drink*), it will be up to Kirk to resolve the situation and to potentially prepare for an invasion.
Beaming down to the planet, Kirk and Spock discover an injured man named Lazarus (guest star Robert Brown), who is in pursuit of a creature that destroyed his planet. Lazarus insists that his quarry is here, even though the Enterprise's sensors detect no other life. Is Lazarus telling the truth? What is the link between Lazarus and the universe's sudden "blinking?" And why do his injuries appear and disappear with each new "blink?" The fate of the universe may hinge on the answers...
CHARACTERS
Capt. Kirk: His instincts tell him instantly that Lazarus, the man who they find on a planet that had been lifeless before the "blink," must be connected somehow. He is intelligently skeptical of the stranger's story. When the truth is finally revealed, he is forced to make a hard decision. No reasonable alternative exists, but it still clearly bothers him.
Spock: Echoes of Where No Man Has Gone Before, as Spock concludes that Lazarus must be held and "destroyed, if necessary." He's supportive of Kirk, and his analysis of the situation is crucial to the captain realizing what's happening.
Villain of the Week: It's really no spoiler to reveal that there are two Lazaruses, as this is given away early in the episode. One is sane, one is not; one is injured, one is healthy... and the episode's biggest problem is that it's frequently unclear which Lazarus is which, as both tend to behave erratically. I'm not sure how much of that can be laid at the actor's feet. Robert Brown does a creditable job, particularly given that he was a last-minute replacement after the contracted John Drew Barrymore dropped out at the last minute. Really, I think the confusion mostly comes down to the script.
THOUGHTS
Well, it's finally happened. I have finally reached an episode that I would genuinely rate as "bad." Sure, there have been a few misfires before this point - but even Mudd's Women was generally enjoyable. The Alternative Factor, is a slow-paced, confusing bore.
As I noted above, I could rarely keep track of which Lazarus is which. A Jekyll and Hyde story only works if there is a clear divide between personalities. Both actor and script portray both Lazaruses the same way. The "rational" one seems just as prone to intense shouting and even violence as the "irrational" one (at least, until the end), and the disappearing bandage stops being a visual signifier far too early on.
The pacing here is dire. Kirk, Spock, and Lazarus keep going back and forth between the planet and the Enterprise, accomplishing nothing in the process. The entire middle 25 minutes is a holding pattern. "Fill airtime until Kirk finally encounters Lazarus #2 at the ship."
Complicating the problem is that I'm not sure Kirk makes the right decision. It's made clear that the two versions of Lazarus cannot be allowed to meet. However, all Kirk really needs to do is to kill one Lazarus. Yes, I know: Kirk's the "hero," so he's not allowed to do anything truly ruthless. Still, as a solution, it would not only be more efficient - it would actually be kinder! One Lazarus would get to live out his life, the other Lazarus would at least be put out of his misery, and the universe would be just as safe.
Credit where it's due, though. The ending is strong, rewarding viewers who managed to slog through the preceding 40 minutes. That ending, on its own, elevates this above a rock bottom rating.
Rating: 3/10.
Previous Episode: Arena
Next Episode: Tomorrow Is Yesterday
Search Amazon.com for Star Trek
Review Index
To receive new review updates, follow me:
On BlueSky:
On Threads:
No comments:
Post a Comment