Star Trek : Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Strange episode, where they are on the planet where they see all their thoughts, they all come to life.

I like it where Kirk imagines his former rival and they have a massive fight, It is amazing how psyichally fit William Shatner was, he does a lot of running and fighting in Star Trek, it is clearly not a stunt man.

The hinted romance between Dr McCoy and that beautiful yeoman is good, though clearly written for Janice Rand, it seems several guest yeomen were cast to replace Janice.

Spock's bewilderment is always good.

I like Star Trek The Next Generation but it doesn't have the quality of characters as The Original Series or the quality stories really.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

it would have been really good if Finigan appeared in the JJ Abrams Star trek movies... and Gray Mitchel.

Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Oh I'm sure they will. I mean, everybody else has.

We live as we dream - alone.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Shatner was apparently a very hard worker for that role in particular, as well as others. Kudos to his thespian and athletic abilities. People make fun of his acting, but it's usually people who couldn't do what he did.

A real talent. And part of the reason I think this show is so good.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Indeed, this is why I dislike people like James Doohan who said Shatner can't act, and others like Takei and Koennig

They always critisise him, I say if it wasn't for Shatner, they wouldn't be very famous at all.

If he wasn't a strong lead, the show wouldn't have become the icon it is now.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Recently there does seem to be a rise in actors coming here and commenting on the acting and dialogue, or making fun thereof, and not really discussing the themes or the fiction of Trek itself.

That's unfortunate. Whether they were asked to come here and comment, or just came here out of curiosity, it's clear that these people are not fans, have no real interest in the show, and are just wasting bandwidth by posting garbage.


Oh well.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Yes

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Yeah, very unfortunate.

But back to the episode and Shatner; I think both Justman and Solow commented in their book on the series that no one worked harder to make his role work than Shatner. They cite him working out, taking instructions and what not.

All the actor's bickering and not getting along stuff is mostly for the tabloids, and some of that is an act to keep their skills tuned.

Shatner showed that being a classically trained Shakespearean actor pays off and helps the drama of a show. If you look at today's TV, any of the CSI or Law and Order or even the sitcoms, you'll find competent actors, but you also find a lot of dry delivery in performance compared to actors of generations past.

Shatner's energy plays against Nimoy's reserved performance as Spock, which is why the two became stars in spite of the fact that Kirk was supposed to be the main character.

A great show all around. I wish I could have produced something as good.

I never will.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Yes, I liked how psychical Shatner could be, compared to others, in The Naked Time, where they all go mad after a virus on ship, Sulu attacks the with a sword and Shatner jumps up and tackles Takei and then Spock just appears and calmly knocks Sulu out with the nerve pinch.

I think Shatner does a good job, in this he is like a young Marlon Brando really, very in shape and charismatic etc.

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Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

I think you'll find that he refined the character more as the show progressed and the scripts became more streamlined. He even addresses the mockery of his performances, which are really only superficially correct.

If you examine the times when Kirk is under stress you'll note maybe less than a handful of episodes where he uses the dramatic pause. A lot of the times the character is trying to reason with the opposition, and what William Shatner is showing is Kirk's "thinking on your feet" ability as the captain conjures thoughts and debates with an alien or malefactor of some kind.

It may come across as his performance, but it is actually not the case. That's not to say that he didn't have his moments, but they are far fewer than a lot of arm chair critics cite.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Shatner's pausing, to the extent it even exists - it hasn't been particularly noticeable to me - is nothing compared to Avery Brooks' (Sisko) sputtering and stammering when he gets "excited" or "angry."

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

I haven't seen enough DS9 to comment on Brooks' performance, but it strikes me that over the decades since Shatner played the TV role that, because of the show's popularity, that he and his portrayal of the captain became fodder for people who were tired of hearing about Trek as a whole.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

It has its holes, but Shore Leave is a huge amount of fun. I love the music, the performances, the introduction of Finnegan and a bit of insight into the interests of each character.

I'm not sure how it could have been changed, but I almost feel like the almost death of McCoy was a misstep. It might add some tension, but it's hard to believe that Kirk would chase Finnegan around after that happened.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Yeah the lack of sadness is odd, for instance his friend has been killed and Kirk is chasing Finnegan around smiling and lauging.

But apart from that, a good episode

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Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

I love that episode but I always felt that after one day the planet would be one big bloodbath orgy, Haha.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode


he does a lot of running and fighting in Star Trek, it is clearly not a stunt man.


That's funny when I was watching the fight some of the shots did look to me like Shatner's body double doing the fighting.

If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you do...you are misinformed---Mark Twain

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

Well maybe, but he does several fight scenes himself, Tomorrow Is Yesterday for example where he fights several guards, It is all him.

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

I wonder if I'm the only one who thought that when McCoy spoke of an army of Don Juans (words to that effect) that an army of them really would show up?

If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you do...you are misinformed---Mark Twain

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

The music in the episode is great as well

Re: Shore Leave Is A Great Episode

an episode where thoughts came true.
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