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In 1968, when “Star Trek” was wrapping its second season, rankings have been low. “Star Trek” could also be culturally ubiquitous now, however it was not successful throughout its preliminary run, when it was watched largely by science nerds and followers of pulp sci-fi magazines. Whereas that crowd is passionate, it wasn’t sufficient to maintain the present on the air, and CBS was pondering canceling “Star Trek” after the airing of “Task: Earth,” the ultimate episode of the second season.
Two of the present’s largest followers, nonetheless — John and Bjo Trimble — caught wind that “Star Trek” was on the chopping block, they usually instantly went to work. The Trimbles have been already distributing their very own rudimentary “Star Trek” fanzines, and had entry to a mimeograph machine. This allowed them to jot down a “Save Star Trek” fan letter, and unexpectedly print out 150 copies, each distributed to the 150 most influential Trekkies of their circle. These 150 individuals, in flip, made ten copies of the letter, and mailed them out to extra Trekkies. The followers then all wrote in to CBS, asking to avoid wasting “Star Trek.” The Trimbles launched an honest-to-goodness fan-prompted letter-writing marketing campaign … and it labored. CBS learn the letters and renewed “Star Trek” for a 3rd season.
The third season of “Star Trek,” although, was given a a lot smaller funds than the earlier season, and it confirmed. Some episodes have been filmed on empty soundstages, and the writing turned more and more weird. Season 3 produced “Spock’s Mind,” one of the notoriously unhealthy episodes of the present, in addition to the amazingly campy “The Savage Curtain,” the one the place Kirk (William Shatner) takes Abe Lincoln (Lee Bergere) into battle.
After which there was the ultimate episode of the sequence, “Turnabout Intruder” (June 3, 1969), not simply one of many worst episodes of the unique “Star Trek,” however finally one of many worst in the entire franchise. Trekkies have been relieved to get that third season, however golly “Star Trek” tripped spectacularly over its personal toes whereas going out the door.
What you want to bear in mind in regards to the plot of Turnabout Intruder?
“Turnabout Intruder” concerned the depraved machinations of 1 Dr. Janice Lester (Sandra Smith), an archeologist dwelling on the planet Camus II. Dr. Lester has activated a misery sign and lured the usS. Enterprise to Camus II beneath false pretenses. She has found an alien machine that may swap consciousnesses between two individuals’s brains. She briefly talks to Captain Kirk, and it is revealed that she and the Captain had an affair a few years earlier than. Lester needed to be a starship captain, however she says — and this is without doubt one of the cringiest strains in all of “Star Trek” — that she wasn’t permitted to be a captain as a result of Starfleet would not allow girls to function captains. We’ll get to this conceit under.
Dr. Lester makes use of the alien machine to take over Captain Kirk’s physique, and, by extention, take command of the Enterprise. Because the Captain, nonetheless, Dr. Lester provides herself away fairly shortly. She is impulsive and merciless to Kirk (in Dr. Lester’s physique), and orders the Enterprise to a crappy medical facility, nicely away from their assigned route, to drop him/her off. Dr. Lester, maybe embarrassingly, behaves in a stereotypically “hysterical” trend. Kirk’s erratic, “womanly” habits is obvious to Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and a mind-meld proves that Dr. Lester is certainly Kirk.
Credit score the place it’s due: each William Shatner and Sandra Smith give glorious performances, eseentially taking part in one another. Shatner performs an irrational villain nicely, and Smith tasks each ounce of Kirk’s authority.
When Spock goals to assist Kirk wrest management of the ship, he’s apprehended by Dr. Lester, and unexpectedly placed on a trial for his perceived mutiny. The trial is broadcast all through the Enterprise, and Spock proves that Kirk is possessed by Dr. Lester.
What occurred on the finish of Turnabout Intruder?
On the finish of the episode, the alien brain-reversal begins to put on off, and Kirk and Lester revert again into their authentic our bodies. On the final minute, Lester tries to have herself injected with poison to kill Kirk upon the swap-back, however it would not work. Dr. Lester, as soon as again in her personal physique, screams in agony. She hated her personal powerlessness as a girl, and was so, so silly for wanting extra authority. She is, as acknowledged, hysterical (a really, very weighted phrase). She sought to unsex herself and stay like a person, however was punished for desirous to step outdoors her womanly bounds.
Maybe confoundingly, the story for “Turnabout Intruder” was conceived by “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry as soon as tried to promote the unique “Star Trek” pilot with a feminine First Officer on the Enterprise, however the studio rejected the character due to sexism. “Turnabout Intruder” is odd in how sexist it’s, possessing themes of depraved femininity, and the way girls ought to “know their place.” It’s anathema to “Star Trek” to have an in-universe rule that forbids girls from commanding starships. Fortunately, as any Trekkie will let you know, this episode is the one time such a sexist rule is talked about in the whole franchise. Many ladies have been seen commanding starships since “Turnabout Intruder” aired.
Are we saying that, by the twenty third century, girls will nonetheless be considered as second-class residents?
And, sadly, that was it for “Star Trek.” There was no trace that this was the ultimate episode, no massively dramatic plot flip or climax. There have been no deaths, no retirements, no weepy toasts to a job nicely completed. It was only a limp, low-budget, weekly episode about sexism. It was the worst means the present might have ended. It is the worst in accordance with /Movie’s rating of the weakest episodes, even.
The brazen sexism of Turnabout Intruder
“Star Trek” could be very progressive in some ways. It takes place in a post-capitalist utopia, and Earth is wholly united, freed from struggle and interpersonal battle. When it got here to intercourse and gender, nonetheless, present creator Gene Roddenberry wasn’t at all times as forward-thinking as he might have been. Trekkies will be capable of let you know how girls on the present have been usually scantily dressed, a few of them offered to Captain Kirk as sexual conquests. The feminine Starfleet officers wore minidresses and stockings, whereas the lads acquired to put on extra sensible tunics and trousers.
A number of the costumes and male-dominated attitudes of “Star Trek” might be attributed to the final attitudes of a male-dominated TV trade within the mid-Sixties, however “Turnabout Intruder” went one step over the road when it did not must. The episode would not simply say that ladies cannot be in positions of authority, but in addition that being emotional, neurotic, petty, and devious are naturally female qualities. Ladies can’t be trusted, the episode argues, and Dr. Janice Lester turns into the avatar of untrustworthy girls all over the place.
Had “Turnabout Intruder” ended with an interrogation of its personal sexism, it might have labored. If Kirk stated that ladies ought to be thought of for captaincies, or if he realized that he possessed sexism in his personal coronary heart, then possibly a few of the edge would have been taken off. Heck, even when Kirk had stopped to apologize for his unhealthy breakup with Lester a few years earlier than, it could have been one thing. However “Turnabout Intruder” ends with Kirk and Co. lamenting that ladies, darn it, nonetheless must be stored in line. They take management of the Enterprise and get again on observe.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Nation was the higher ending for Star Trek
Fairly fortunately, that wasn’t the top for “Star Trek.” The present acquired an unofficial fourth and fifth season within the type of “Star Trek: The Animated Collection” in 1973. That present featured all the identical writers and a lot of the authentic forged (Walter Koenig was unjustly absent). That present featured an episode whereby Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) needed to take command of the Enterprise, and there weren’t any episodes dedicated to the weak spot of womankind. It is a shabby present, however positively value a glance.
Additionally, due to reruns, “Star Trek” ultimately turned a phenomenon. “Star Trek” conventions started to pop up all around the nation, and the fandom made certain they have been heard. As such, Paramount began making “Star Trek” function movies, beginning with “Star Trek: The Movement Image” in 1979. That movie led to 5 sequels, ending with “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Nation” in 1991. Because of the animated present and the movies, “Turnabout Intruder” was pushed out of Trekkies’ recollections, relegated to the realm of “embarrassing oddity.”
Certainly, the top of “Undiscovered Nation” is a much more satisfying farewell than “Turnabout Intruder.” The Enterprise is ready to cease some baddies from prolonging the Federation/Klingon struggle, and are able to get again to enterprise … once they obtain an order to return to base. The Enterprise, it appears, is scheduled to be decommissioned. Spock, feeling jaunty, advises that Kirk reply with “Go to Hell.” Kirk appears out on the cosmos, and quotes Peter Pan: “Second star to the suitable, and straight on ’til morning.” They sail on.
Certain, Kirk must return to Earth ultimately, however it was a enjoyable, rebellious remaining phrase from a crew Trekkies liked.
The credit then started with on-screen autographs of the present’s seven primary forged members. It was emotional and grand. It made “Turnabout Intruder” seem like the embarrassment it’s.
What have Trekkies stated about Turnabout Intruder?
Enjoyable trivia: in accordance with the oral historical past e book “The Fifty-Yr Mission: The Full, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral Historical past of Star Trek: The First 25 Years,” edited by Mark Altman and Edward Gross, “Turnabout Intruder” was scheduled to air on March 28, however it was pre-empted by the televised funeral of President Dwight Eisenhower. The episode aired on June 3 as a substitute, which pushed it out of the eligibility window for the 1969 Emmys. The delay, some have mused, may need price Shatner an appearing Emmy nomination. By the next 12 months, after “Star Trek” was canceled, nobody cared to have a look at Shatner’s efficiency.
Nobody concerned within the making of “Turnabout Intruder” appears to have made any on-the-record feedback, however Trekkies the world over hate the episode fairly roundly, largely due to its sexism. It is the worst-rated episode of the sequence on IMDb, and followers nonetheless boo the episode when it’s talked about at “Star Trek” conventions. Even we right here at /Movie known as it the worst, rating it even under infamous stinker’s like “Spock’s Mind” and “The Different Issue.” Solely Devid Greven’s 2009 e book “Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek: Allegories of Want within the Tv Collection and Movies” bothered to re-litigate “Turnabout Intruder” in a constructive means. He sees Dr. Lester not as a caricature, however a rightfully outraged particular person railing in opposition to a system that oppressed her. She was a villain, however was motivated a minimum of partly by combating bigotry in opposition to her gender.
However actually, you’ll do higher to look at “Star Trek VI” earlier than “Turnabout Intruder.” You may get extra out of it. And you will be extra entertained.
