From Newsgroup: alt.tv.star-trek.tos   
   From Address: Led4acs@aol.com   
   Subject: Re: Friday's Child: my review   
      
   On Nov 26, 7:52apm, "jph...@gmail.com"  wrote:   
   > A "Happy Thanksgiving" review. aSorry it couldn't be a more positive   
   >   
   > CHARACTERS   
   >   
   > Capt. Kirk: Still determined to do his duty, and still resourceful in   
   > finding ways to turn defeat into victory when he becomes a hunted man.   
   > Beyond that, nothing new here, though Shatner's easy interplay with   
   > Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelly is always fun to watch.   
   >   
   > McCoy: Gets a fair amount of focus in this episode, which may be the   
   > best thing about the episode. DeForest Kelly is terrific, whether   
   > playing with McCoy's familiarity with the Capellan culture (McCoy   
   > artfully calling Kras a liar is a rare highlight), or mixing sternness   
   > with compassion in his treatment of Eleen, Kelly brings the various   
   > parts of McCoy's character to life.   
   Cootchy wootchy cootchy coo?   
   >   
   > Hot Alien Space Babe of the Week: Julie Newmar is Eleen,   
   I always thought she was rather strange. Perfect for Catwoman ,   
   better than the bland Lee Meriweather.   
   >   
   > Villains of the Week: Michael Dante is Maab, the ambitious Capellan   
   > who murders his ruler in order to assume the throne himself. He   
   > desires power and wealth, and has no qualms about murdering Eleen, or   
   > Kirk and company, to secure his position. At the same time, he has the   
   > same respect for his own culture and customs that Eleen has, making   
   > him something other than a black & white villain.   
   I don't really see Maab as a villain. He was a product of Capellan   
   society. He had to overthrow the ruling Teer, who was getting old,   
   anything less would have been seen as weakness by those around him.   
   >   
   > That role is fulfilled by Kras (Tige Andrews), the Klingon who has   
   > managed to gain Maab's trust. Kras oozes evil in his every scene. Kras   
   > enters rooms evilly, delivers all lines evilly, and probably even   
   > snores evilly, while dreaming evil dreams of evil. After John Colicos'   
   > splendid, multi-dimensional Kor in Errand of Mercy, Kras is a big   
   > comedown - a one note, comic book villain.   
   Not a well drawn character, he was more or less a plot device, there   
   to do what Klingons are supposed to do. He seemed like an angry   
   bureaucrat, there to cut a deal to rip off the natives, and when it   
   wasn't happening quick enough for him, starting killing.   
   > ZAP THE REDSHIRT!   
   >   
   > The landing party is Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Grant. You can pretty   
   > well fill in the blanks from there. Grant pulls his gun when he sees   
   > the Klingon answer to Snidely Whiplash. A Cappellan instantly throws a   
   > plastic knife with a funny sci-fi name at him, killing him instantly,   
   > and providing the opening teaser with a "dramatic moment" to lead us   
   > to credits.   
   Epic redshirt fail.   
   >   
   > THOUGHTS   
   > Not that Friday's Child is a complete loss. Once the episode stumbles   
   > its way through a very contrived set-up, we get the always-reliable   
   > Most Dangerous Game riff. This creates some tension, as Kirk and Spock   
   > puzzle out how to evade and defend against both the Capellans and the   
   > Klingons,   
   Kirk and Spock both get to kill some Capellans, that can't be too bad.   
   Obviously they minored in Archery at the Academy, which comes is much   
   more useful than Sulu's fencing.   
   > Another exercise in mediocrity, serviceable without being at all   
   > satisfying. I can, at least, see why some of these episodes were   
   > buried well down the broadcast sequence, despite being produced first.   
   > Given that the ratings were already far from outstanding in the first   
   > season, leading off the second season with three weak episodes in a   
   > row may well have killed the show before it got enough episodes under   
   > its belt for syndication to rescue it a decade later.   
   >   
   > Oh, and the Capellans' outfits are strikingly stupid-looking. Was I   
   > the only one listening for carnival music when they first appeared   
   > onscreen? As warriros, the outfits presumably to put enemies off their   
   > guard. Our multi-colored, hooded warriors can murder their enemies by   
   > the score while their hapless foes are still paralyzed, doubled-over   
   > in laughter.   
   >   
   > Rating: 4/10.   
   I like this one much more than you, a solid 7.   
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