After picking up a boy from Thasus, a cargo vessel passes him off on the Enterprise for transport to Alpha V. The crew of the vessel tells Kirk what a great kid Charlie is. Meanwhile he is a gigantic shithead. To be honest this dude looks like he’s 30, not a teenager, and his head is disturbingly bulbous. For the rest of the episode Charlie stalks Yeoman Rand, he’s a total creep. But in his defense, can that skirt get any shorter?? Charlie has these mental powers and he can pretty much do anything; he makes people lose their voice, lose their face, turn into lizards and he makes Spock recite poetry. This episode I believe is the first appearance of three dimensional chess, Kirk beats Spock by making random moves. Anyway, just as Charlie is about to cause total chaos, the Thasians show up and explain that they had given Charlie these powers when he was abandoned on Thasus as a child, he needs to return to the planet because his powers are too risky for the universe. Charlie pleads to Kirk not to make him go back, he says that the Thasians don’t understand human needs. Kirk could care less and Charlie is taken away. Not my favorite, but not the worst.
I realized how much I like this theme song, it almost makes me happy. The opening sequence looks very good for a 60’s show. But I must say, what the hell happened to the medical profession from the time of Phlox to McCoy? Dr. Phlox basically brought Trip back from the dead twice and the best that McCoy has is that stupid ‘push these blocks with your legs’ contraption … what the hell is that?? Why would lying on your back and pushing on blocks with your legs do a damn thing!
ST TOS COUNTDOWN: 3 down 77 to go
9 comments:
I'm laughing. This is gold.
But I think I liked this episode more than you did. I'd put this one in my top ten TOS episodes. It just so... dark. It's just a dark, bleak look at humanity. You don't see this kind of story very often, and the fact that they didn't try to give it a happy ending is awesome. Charlie's fate at the end is one of those scenes that always comes back to me and makes me sad.
See now you read into that episode way more than I did. That's the problem with me and classic Trek, I get stuck on the surface of the episode. For instance, I get hung up on Charlie's odd shaped head and Kirk's ballet bulge. But, I agree the end is the best and I did almost feel bad, even though Charlie is just so damn unlikable.
The thing I liked about TOS was that it was almost like twilight zone/outer limits episodes where the star trek crew shows up.
Really the basic premise of this episode could easily work without any star trek at all!
I wonder if they have 3D versions of other games? I'd like 3d fireball island
There were many out limits type episodes in TOS actually.
3D Chutes and Ladders would be fucking amazing.
Charlie X is a story about isolation, loneliness, and the way society treats outcasts. Maybe. Either way, you don't see too many stories like this on TV any more.
This is a funny review. This isn't an episode that really sticks in my mind to well, but I do like the general plot and the ideas that informed it and the way it culminates.
Ha ha, enough with the intelligent speak ... me no understand!
The best I could come with pushing the blocks lying on your back would induce blood flow to the brain? Just started reading this blog (found it through Don @so awkward) looking forward to going through it. So far really enjoyable.
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