Yes, it's a happy drug, I get it. Directed by Ralph Senensky. I've never encountered television that expressed complex emotional ideas such as this. Well, Spock sure finds out when someone he meets from six years prior, still madly in love with him, introduces him to flowers that release spores, influencing anyone who absorbs them at close range. Who the heck directed Kelley to turn into a plantation owner, when for everyone else the spores just made them relaxed and happy? Leonard Nimoy was capable of great Depth when the opportunity presented itself, and this particular episode of this particular series stands as a Lasting Tribute to the Man who played the Vulcan. For me, this episode is comparable to "All Our Yesterdays" in Season 3, but the Spock romance is far more developed and believable here in Season 1, whereas the latter ep feels more like a "reset button" relationship with very little screen time between Kirk's witchcraft dilemma. Kirk is naturally angered and only gets more frustrated as more and more members of the landing party are effected. The argument is that it isn't possible, and I get that. My favorite scene is definitely Kirk on the Enterprise by himself, with a flower dumping spores into his face, with him combating their influence through anger. Kirk seems glad to be himself again and off on the next adventure, but Spock is reserved, sad, and reflective. Great episode, really enjoyed seeing Spock act human and in love and not subservient to Kirk. The reason for this is a strange plant that shoots spores in everyone's face when they come near it. The radiation killed the animals (which is why they were farming) - they only lived because of the spores. "This Side of Paradise" is the twenty-fourth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. The most beautiful thing about this episode is the plot. Star Trek the Original Series Fan Commentary (2016– ) Rate This. Amazon.com: Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. Just rewatched "This Side of Paradise" in air date order as I plunge through TOS boxed set. Spock runs into Leila Kalomi, a woman he once knew while on Earth. Spock's little affair with Charles Bronson's wife. If one is delusional or whatever, what does it matter if one is happy? Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2001. I like this episode very much. Kirk and Spock find themselves on a planet where no living thing should exist. They could have easily taken precautions to avoid accidental exposure when bringing them aboard. But in Huxley's novel and this episode, it is possible, yet it is still purported to be a bad thing. That seemed weird and out of place, given no one else changed their accents. This Side of Paradise . Jill Ireland is her usual self here - absolutely dreadful!! Trekfan said: "Just rewatched "This Side of Paradise" in air date order as I plunge through TOS boxed set. I still think there are cues from that script in here -- everyone affected seems to act in coordination to possess others to maintain some sort of symbiotic relationship with the planet. He discovers that raw emotions like anger undo the pheromones and he riles up Spock enough to brawl with him and come back to being good ole Spock. If three-quarters of a season of Star Trek have taught us anything, it’s that a man in perfect health has got to be hiding something. This Side of Paradise Expecting the colonists of Omicron Ceti III to be dead after three years of exposure to deadly Berthold rays, Kirk and Spock are surprised to find the colony alive and flourishing. Bertold rays, poisonous to the humanoid body, have the Enterprise crew visiting a colony planet containing them in their atmosphere. I feel like guest actors on TOS were much more polished than guest actors in the 90s. In "This Side of Paradise", the Enterprise visits a colony that us presumed dead. The only Kirk is not effected by the spores - but why? Enterprise is tasked with resettling the colonists of Omicron Ceti III. It wasn't even just an accent: suddenly Bones was off making Mint Julips. McCoy also has a few goofy scenes like this, and his southern drawl becomes more intense with the number of mint juleps he imbibes. Spock's line "the first time in my life I was happy" was so sad, I wish he could have said something about the incident that didn't make me feel so bad!! However, the colony leader, Elias Sandoval, has refused all cooperation and will not listen to any arguments." The colony has done nothing but live in a fog of good health and joy (kind of a pleasant alternative to what Kirk believes shouldn't be so easy; many would prefer Omicron any day of the week compared to the struggles we so often face in life), having done little agriculturally besides raise vegetables. I say, if we are unaware of the lie, then it does not matter. The plant soon spreads this through the entire crew. My philosophy has always been that happiness is the ultimate goal. This Side of Paradise. If he is to keep his crew together he will have to figure out why he was unaffected so he can 'cure' them. In a sense, this is "The Naked Time" episode taken to the next level - rather than fighting a form of disease, mankind here seems cured of all ills - there appears to be no reason to escape something so benevolent. I couldn't help but think that this was intended as a commentary on hippie counterculture and the use of recreational drugs. I would re-rate this one, upping my original review to 3 1/2 or 4 stars.". That detail is glossed over by Spock's mention that it would take seven days for Berthold rays to begin to affect humans, but still, why not take the precaution? Paradise may feel good to the colonists when the crew meets them, but once the power of the spores fades they realize what a waste of time their paradise was, how much of a hollow experience it was. Spock, though initially traumatized, falls in with the rest. For me the funniest thing in this episode was how the spores somehow gave Dr. McCoy a southern drawl. Jill Dorothy Ireland (24 April 1936 – 18 May 1990; age 54) was an English actress who played Leila Kalomi in the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode "This Side of Paradise". Whatever the cause Kirk is ordered to evacuate the colonists. Most of the crew are infected with these spores which causes them to loll around, forgetting their duties. It would seem that the right answer is that to be flawed is human and one should embrace that, whether that mean war, starvation, misery, or whatever. Ireland is absolutely beautiful. A native plant has intoxicated the crew, leaving them in a euphoric state of bliss and oneness. | Who beamed Kirk up that final time? Spock also has one of the most memorable final lines ever. I love this episode. Spoiler: it’s super-passive-aggressive flowers. Plus, Starfleet could have studied the things and figured out a sterile way of achieving the effects. Leila is very much in love with Mr. Spock but Spock being half Vulcan (and embrasures it) represses all emotions and does not return the love in a way Leila has been wanting for so long. When Kirk is nearly taken over by the plants, William Shatner is on top form - reminding one of a ham sandwich. The Enterprise is under orders to head to Omicron Ceti III and remove the colonist from there due to the Berthold rays, a lethal form of radiation. Story by Nathan Butler and D.C. Fontana When the crew arrives, they are surprised to find that the colonists are not only alive but in perfect health! Review and Synopsis of the TOS Episode "This Side of Paradise" with Vile Mike and the Vile Child, Katty Knight. They were both like one big mint julep. When he isn’t watching Star Trek, he reads and writes young fiction. Although it begs the question how a plant can tell the difference between a sentient being or an animal (else wouldn't there not be enough spores if the animals could trigger the plant too? This Side of Paradise is another Star Trek episode that puts to shame anything else put on television. They should have taken samples with them! Well worth seeing if only for these scenes, and McCoy is also charming with his souped-up Georgia accent, sipping on a Mint Julep. In fact, This Side of Paradise represents a dramatic shift in the depiction of space in Star Trek. I love that the first thing he says to his lady friend after he has accepted the effect of the plant's spores is "I love you." It is as if something is lost in the human experience if the negative side of life cannot be experienced, though we all strive to avoid that side. And it was good seeing Jill Ireland again. User Reviews. Three-sentence Recap. Check back daily to get ready to boldly go. Instead, he is captivated by a gorgeous blonde whose features are "highlighted" by special effects. The Last Line In The Episode, Spock Says "I Have Very Little To Say, Except That For The First Time In My Life I Was Happy" ... LLAP In The Life That Follows Leonard. Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV recommendations. However, when Kirk, Spock, Sulu, McCoy, and away team beam down to the planet, Omicrom, they notice that the colonists (who left earth for this planet), who should be by all accounts dead, are alive and perfectly healthy! This episode validated Spock's "half-human" emotional nature. Jill Ireland (wife of Chuck Bronson) was the love interest for Spock, who admits at the very end that for the first time in his life, he was happy. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The only complaint is that these types of episodes are getting repetitive in Season One, where Starfleet personnel are again taken over by forces outside their control and start behaving out of character. This episode reminds me of Aldous Huxley's "A Brave New World." The crew just disregarding their captain who is ordering them to go back to their stations as they beam themselves down to the planet is a hoot. 1. Leading to some amusing interactions between the Captain and Mr Spock, who has lost all interest in his role as the Second Officer. This Side of Paradise. A beautiful young woman played by Jill Ireland, who once had a thing for Spock, is on the planet. One of the episodes I chose was THIS one, because it gave fans a rare glimpse into the "other" side of the stoic Science Officer- the Human Side. BTW, the guy who plays Sandoval (Fran Overton) died one month after This Side of Paradise aired! I also find this to be one of the very best Star Trek episodes. It would have been safer to call McCoy up to the ship. There is another surprise. For the first time in his life, Spock has a good time. Still, the best realization in this episode is when the effect of the spores is terminated, causing the research team leader to reflect on how the years have been wasted in a "paradise" that strove for no goals. Next episode: The Devil in the Dark. His job is to somehow destroy these plants and bring the crew back to the ship--because as of this point, EVERYONE but him has beamed to the planet in search of contentment. During Star Trek's first season, female horomones raged for Leonard Nimoy's stoic portrayal of Spock. ...you will love this episode! It seems like the planet possibly could be developed for a recovery facility, under certain conditions. McCoy laying on a Georgia accent real thick, with "good ole Jim-boy" banter towards Kirk is priceless. The effect of the spores could only be overcome by adrenaline (epinephrine). All he can say about all of it is, "For the first time in my life, I was happy.". Their dialogue after the fight. And they now knew the cure for it. In contrast, there seems to be vegetation and a thriving population. I remembered it mostly for having a saccharine feel to it. Says Captain James T. Kirk. She brings him to a meadow of strange flowers and Spock is sprayed by the spores. It's pretty bland. It's the moral of the lotus eaters. This one really is one of the all-time Trek greats - one of the best episodes of the first season and, for that matter, of the whole three years of the series. Although the script makes a point about how living in total harmony but stagnant without any progression is wrong, there could be a debate right the opposite: why not accept spores enabling you to not feel anything but pleasure and happiness with perfect health against the alternative of cancer, misery, and aging? It turns out that people are effected by spores from a local plant that leaves people feeling mellow with a strong desire to remain near the flowers. The mint julep references are hilarious. Even so, a very good episode, and of course we love seeing Spock smiling and kissing a woman. The one thing I would like to mention: McCoy did not "develop" his southern drawl - the spores emphasized it. Stoopid. This Side of Paradise is the debut novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1920.The book examines the lives and morality of American youth in the aftermath of World War I.Its protagonist Amory Blaine is an attractive student at Princeton University who dabbles in literature. Oh, and in classic Star Trek fashion the planet they visited looked astonishingly a lot like a typical american country side. ("Your father is a computer!" Negatives - spore-emitting flowers even cheesier-than-average special effect. Before long, the entire crew (with the exception of James T Kirk) is infected with some marvelous substance that makes everyone sublime, perfectly healthy, and totally oblivious to duty. Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan. For me, the Spock romance and Spock-Kirk dynamic (even the lightweight fight scene at the end) in "Paradise" easily makes it a 3 or 3 1/2 star episode. They eventually turn the rest of the crew and colonists and leave the planet for good. I read the book before I saw this episode. Subscribe. The TV channel fromt he Mild Fuzz podcast network. This Side of Paradise is sublime, and features for my money the greatest love scene i've ever seen on TV. Their health improved to a perfect condition. 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