3.61 : Spock's Brain - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

Neo · 3rd October 2001, 08:56 PM

I have to admit that I have never seen this episode. I only know the basic storyline from a Star Trek Encyclopedia that I read. So I was just wondering, why is this episode refered to as "bad"? Was it the acting, the script, or something else?

Dave · 4th October 2001, 02:45 PM

Personally, it is the plot itself. Spock's brain is stolen to provide a resource for a planet that requires a new 'Master controller' computer.

So Spock walks around like a Zombie without a brain. Scotty and Bones give him a hat-like device and wristlet, and rig a remote control device to march him around like a marionette, his body 'clicking' each time he moves a joint. They manage to recover the brain, which speaks to them in a very casual manner synthesizing his voice in some unexplained way, and Bones is able to replace it.

Even if you believe this delicate cranial surgery is possible, and that it can be achieved twice, it is done in a very oversimplified manner. Some of the animated series stories were more believable.

Highlander II · 4th October 2001, 04:12 PM

yeah - i just saw this one last week - i wasn't impressed --

it was pretty stupid -- the men were all separated on the surface and the women were below (there were some men below - but they were servants/guards) -- and all the men above were afraid of the women (who were very robot like) b/c the women would steal them for unknown reasons --- it was weird --

so, Kirk and friends had to convince the women that they needed to cooperate w/ the men above or something like that - i was mostly confused b/c there wasn't enough bkgrnd to "WHY" they were separated to make the story have any real substance -

Dave · 5th October 2001, 10:42 AM

When the women mate with the men they have taken as slaves, do the offspring remain underground with their mothers? If they do remain below, how do the men above on the surface procreate? Or when they reach a certain age, are the men banished to the icy wastes? How could it have remained this way for thousands of years? Wouldn't the young males have learnt anything while they were underground? It is just very silly!

Highlander II · 5th October 2001, 03:14 PM

very silly ---

and those are very good questions --

procreation is rather important --- or, do these ppl live for hundreds of years? or do the women suck the intelligence out of the men's heads? or what??? why are the men 'cave men' and the women, for lack of a better term, servents to a computer?

and these ppl aren't mentioned in "Q's guide to the Continuum" so he must not consider them very important -- -

Neo · 5th October 2001, 11:25 PM

Have to agree... seems very silly

Roach · 18th October 2001, 04:46 AM

I think that that ep was the one where they landed on a planet called "Angel One"?

Anyway, on that planet the women are physically and mentally stronger than the men (Supposedly the opposite of our world; 60's, remember) and so the men do all the housekeeping while the women do the running of the cities, etc. So it's less of a master/slave situation than a flipped wife/husband situation. It was exaggerated slightly, of course.

The S.S. Odin, another ship, crash-landed a bit before the Enterprise arrived, and the men on there didn't like the fact that the women were in charge, and got all agro. So they were banished.

Dave · 18th October 2001, 09:55 AM

"Spock's Brain" is an original series episode Roach, but you are right to point out how similar "Angel One" is. Many early Season 'Next Generation' episodes were criticised for being too similar to episodes of 'the original series':

The Naked Now ~ The Naked Time.
Where No One Has Gone Before ~ Where No Man Has Gone Before.
Unnatural Selection ~ The Deadly Years.

I haven't heard or read anyone compare those two before.

Roach · 18th October 2001, 11:05 AM

Whoops. Yousa point is well said.

You're right. Especially when talking about the early episodes of TNG, when the special effects weren't as imaginative as the later episdoes (and, apparently, the same goes for the writers)and TOS I get the two confused. They seem to use the same plots again and again and again... I suppose that in a "Continuum" as extensive as ST, They've had to.

Dave · 18th October 2001, 11:31 AM

I've just started another thread in General Discussions called "Star Trek story cliches, old chesnuts, and plundered ideas" - thanks for the idea that I plundered.

Dave · 10th April 2002, 04:36 PM

So, who thinks it will ever be possible to do Brain Transplants?

Goob'r55 · 16th September 2003, 02:47 AM

But--uhm--err----

:blush:

I LIKE the Brain episode.

(ducking)

well-- okay---maybe it IS a stretch of the imagination....but if you watch it--there are some good moments in it.

Some humor at the end....and well---I don't vote it as the WORST of the series, anyway.

Maybe it's because I am female and the women FINALLY get the upper hand in a show! LOL!

:rolly2:

ray gower · 16th September 2003, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave
So, who thinks it will ever be possible to do Brain Transplants?

Think the technical stuff will become possible- That is just science. The problem comes in the ethics- Just who are you when you wake up?
More correctly, is it not going to be a body transplant?

Strangely it all seemed plausible back in the heady sixties.
Back then science was going to fix everything, including the better mousetrap and I was a bit younger.

3rd October 2001, 08:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Neo Red Pixie Boot Wearer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: North West UK Posts: 4,303	Why was "Spock's Brain" bad I have to admit that I have never seen this episode. I only know the basic storyline from a Star Trek Encyclopedia that I read. So I was just wondering, why is this episode refered to as "bad"? Was it the acting, the script, or something else?

16th September 2003, 02:47 AM	#12 (permalink)
Goob'r55 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21	Okay--maybe I'll be sorry for admitting this... But--uhm--err---- :blush: I LIKE the Brain episode. (ducking) well-- okay---maybe it IS a stretch of the imagination....but if you watch it--there are some good moments in it. Some humor at the end....and well---I don't vote it as the WORST of the series, anyway. Maybe it's because I am female and the women FINALLY get the upper hand in a show! LOL! :rolly2:

4th October 2001, 02:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 13,780 Blog Entries: 1	Personally, it is the plot itself. Spock's brain is stolen to provide a resource for a planet that requires a new 'Master controller' computer. So Spock walks around like a Zombie without a brain. Scotty and Bones give him a hat-like device and wristlet, and rig a remote control device to march him around like a marionette, his body 'clicking' each time he moves a joint. They manage to recover the brain, which speaks to them in a very casual manner synthesizing his voice in some unexplained way, and Bones is able to replace it. Even if you believe this delicate cranial surgery is possible, and that it can be achieved twice, it is done in a very oversimplified manner. Some of the animated series stories were more believable.

4th October 2001, 04:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
Highlander II There can be only one!! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 9,616	yeah - i just saw this one last week - i wasn't impressed -- it was pretty stupid -- the men were all separated on the surface and the women were below (there were some men below - but they were servants/guards) -- and all the men above were afraid of the women (who were very robot like) b/c the women would steal them for unknown reasons --- it was weird -- so, Kirk and friends had to convince the women that they needed to cooperate w/ the men above or something like that - i was mostly confused b/c there wasn't enough bkgrnd to "WHY" they were separated to make the story have any real substance -

5th October 2001, 10:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 13,780 Blog Entries: 1	When the women mate with the men they have taken as slaves, do the offspring remain underground with their mothers? If they do remain below, how do the men above on the surface procreate? Or when they reach a certain age, are the men banished to the icy wastes? How could it have remained this way for thousands of years? Wouldn't the young males have learnt anything while they were underground? It is just very silly!

5th October 2001, 03:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Highlander II There can be only one!! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 9,616	very silly --- and those are very good questions -- procreation is rather important --- or, do these ppl live for hundreds of years? or do the women suck the intelligence out of the men's heads? or what??? why are the men 'cave men' and the women, for lack of a better term, servents to a computer? and these ppl aren't mentioned in "Q's guide to the Continuum" so he must not consider them very important -- -

5th October 2001, 11:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Neo Red Pixie Boot Wearer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: North West UK Posts: 4,303	Have to agree... seems very silly

18th October 2001, 04:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
Roach Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 100	I think that that ep was the one where they landed on a planet called "Angel One"? Anyway, on that planet the women are physically and mentally stronger than the men (Supposedly the opposite of our world; 60's, remember) and so the men do all the housekeeping while the women do the running of the cities, etc. So it's less of a master/slave situation than a flipped wife/husband situation. It was exaggerated slightly, of course. The S.S. Odin, another ship, crash-landed a bit before the Enterprise arrived, and the men on there didn't like the fact that the women were in charge, and got all agro. So they were banished.

18th October 2001, 09:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 13,780 Blog Entries: 1	"Spock's Brain" is an original series episode Roach, but you are right to point out how similar "Angel One" is. Many early Season 'Next Generation' episodes were criticised for being too similar to episodes of 'the original series': The Naked Now ~ The Naked Time. Where No One Has Gone Before ~ Where No Man Has Gone Before. Unnatural Selection ~ The Deadly Years. I haven't heard or read anyone compare those two before.

18th October 2001, 11:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
Roach Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 100	Whoops. Yousa point is well said. You're right. Especially when talking about the early episodes of TNG, when the special effects weren't as imaginative as the later episdoes (and, apparently, the same goes for the writers)and TOS I get the two confused. They seem to use the same plots again and again and again... I suppose that in a "Continuum" as extensive as ST, They've had to.

18th October 2001, 11:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 13,780 Blog Entries: 1	I've just started another thread in General Discussions called "Star Trek story cliches, old chesnuts, and plundered ideas" - thanks for the idea that I plundered.

10th April 2002, 04:36 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 13,780 Blog Entries: 1	So, who thinks it will ever be possible to do Brain Transplants?