Star Trek TOS: Balance of Terror

[Stevicus]

This was and continues to be one of my favorite episodes from Star Trek. I remember first watching it when I was very small and couldn't really understand what was happening.

But on later viewings, one thing that seemed clear was the Kirk must have been one of the luckiest Starfleet captains there ever was. On several occasions, he's shooting at a cloaked Romulan ship, firing blind, yet hits him every time.

An interesting side bit in this episode is that it starts off with two crew members about to get married in the Enterprise chapel, with Captain Kirk officiating and Scotty giving away the bride. Two crew members from the forward phaser room - which is strange because in other episodes, they fire phasers directly from the bridge. There is no "forward phaser room."

Another character in this episode who figured prominently was Lt. Stiles, who only appeared in this episode, though his character appears in some works of fan fiction. This was also Mark Lenard's first appearance in Star Trek, playing the role of the Romulan captain.

But Kirk was awfully lucky, when you really look at it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

One of my favorites, as well.

My take was that except for the new implosion weapon, the two ships were very unevenly matched, with the Enterprise much the superior. It was that difference that allowed the Enterprise to make better shots, and better pinpoint the warbird despite the cloaking device.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

It is one of my favorite episodes too.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

One of my favorites, as well.

My take was that except for the new implosion weapon, the two ships were very unevenly matched, with the Enterprise much the superior. It was that difference that allowed the Enterprise to make better shots, and better pinpoint the warbird despite the cloaking device.

I would agree with that. The warbird just didn't seem to be in the same class as the Enterprise. I rather like some of the tactics employed to keep the Enterprise in the game. Like hiding as a sensor ghost or using the comet tail to mark the warbird.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I don't recall, but that particular Romulan weapon didn't seem to come in to wider use beyond this episode. Seems like it would have been devastating in close contact combat. Especially, if multiple ships were involved.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I would agree with that. The warbird just didn't seem to be in the same class as the Enterprise. I rather like some of the tactics employed to keep the Enterprise in the game. Like hiding as a sensor ghost or using the comet tail to mark the warbird.

If I remember correctly, the story was based on some cat-and-mouse world war II movie, between a submarine and destroyer......memory alpha says "The plot of this episode is based on the 1957 film The Enemy Below, with the Enterprise taking the part of the American destroyer and the Bird-of-Prey with its cloaking device taking the part of the submarine." It may also have been inspired by Run Slient, Run Deep...

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I don't recall, but that particular Romulan weapon didn't seem to come in to wider use beyond this episode. Seems like it would have been devastating in close contact combat. Especially, if multiple ships were involved.

I don't recall the weapon ever being used again, but the Romulans had a monopoly on cloaking devices...and the next episode they appeared in, they had acquired warp drive.

 

[Stevicus]

One of my favorites, as well.

My take was that except for the new implosion weapon, the two ships were very unevenly matched, with the Enterprise much the superior. It was that difference that allowed the Enterprise to make better shots, and better pinpoint the warbird despite the cloaking device.

The one difference which stands out is that the Romulan ship was much slower, as it could only go at impulse speed, while the Enterprise could travel at warp (although they apparently hadn't quite worked out the warp factor scale at this point). That would also be somewhat strange, as it would take them years to get anywhere.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

If I remember correctly, the story was based on some cat-and-mouse world war II movie, between a submarine and destroyer......memory alpha says "The plot of this episode is based on the 1957 film The Enemy Below, with the Enterprise taking the part of the American destroyer and the Bird-of-Prey with its cloaking device taking the part of the submarine." It may also have been inspired by Run Slient, Run Deep...

I didn't know that. I assumed an underlying Cold War theme of the two superpowers testing the waters.

 

[Stevicus]

I don't recall, but that particular Romulan weapon didn't seem to come in to wider use beyond this episode. Seems like it would have been devastating in close contact combat. Especially, if multiple ships were involved.

That's true, although the Enterprise was able to outrun the weapon beyond its range. Perhaps the Romulans thought that, since the mission failed, they cancelled the weapon as well.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I don't recall the weapon ever being used again, but the Romulans had a monopoly on cloaking devices...and the next episode they appeared in, they had acquired warp drive.

Until the Klingons started using them. Seems like everyone but the Federation could figure out cloaking.

I forgot about the difference in speed that you and @Stevicus mentioned.

It has been a long time since I've seen these episodes. I have them on DVD, but they are stored right now. Guess I should get them out.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I didn't know that. I assumed an underlying Cold War theme of the two superpowers testing the waters.

my inner geek is showing...

 

[Dan From Smithville]

That's true, although the Enterprise was able to outrun the weapon beyond its range. Perhaps the Romulans thought that, since the mission failed, they cancelled the weapon as well.

The fact that it can be outrun is a flaw that would limit the use of it, but it would still seem to have some value. Perhaps the energy drain was too much to justify further evaluation.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

my inner geek is showing...

Mine too!

 

[Dan From Smithville]

One of the best episodes and perhaps my favorite DS9 episode involves the Romulans. "In the Pale Moonlight" is when Sisko conspires to get the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. Romulan ships have much improved at that point.

 

[Stevicus]

The fact that it can be outrun is a flaw that would limit the use of it, but it would still seem to have some value. Perhaps the energy drain was too much to justify further evaluation.

Well, it definitely worked against stationary targets, so maybe they might have still used it for that.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

The British author James Blish was hired to write up the scripts as short story anthologies...one of the first paperback books I ever bought with my own money was the volume that included this episode...it developed the plot a good deal...

 

[Stevicus]

One of the best episodes and perhaps my favorite DS9 episode involves the Romulans. "In the Pale Moonlight" is when Sisko conspires to get the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. Romulan ships have much improved at that point.

I liked that episode, too. Garak was definitely in top form in that one.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I liked that episode, too. Garak was definitely in top form in that one.

Garak was one of my favorite characters. Very complex. By his own species standards, he would come across as very heroic I imagine.

 

[Stevicus]

I was just rewatching this episode last night, and I didn't think about it before, but there's a scene where Captain Kirk is lying on his bunk in his quarters. Yeoman Rand just walks in, without ringing the door chime, and asks if he wants something from the galley. Then Dr. McCoy just walks right in afterward. I remember reading somewhere that the writers didn't want a relationship between Kirk and Yeoman Rand in order for him to be free to pursue all of his alien love interests. But they always seemed to have these moments. I also heard that Grace Lee Whitney left the show because of Gene Roddenberry.