‘Star Trek’ Retro Recap: ‘Amok Time’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​I suppose if there was a single word to properly discuss the first season of Star Trek, it would have to be: inconsistent. Because the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, in year one of their five-year mission, were all over the place, to the point where there were moments and storylines that outright went against everything the Federation and in turn Starfleet, stand for. But it is understandable as to why this occurred. For this was the true genesis of the franchise, and it was still trying to find its legs and its direction, but that certainly didn’t stop me from feeling a sense of concern as I settled in to start season two of this iconic series.
 
Because I was truly worried that one of my favorite shows as a child, was simply not as good as originally advertised, and that our journey with this ship and its intrepid crew would continue to disappoint as the episodes rolled on. But it didn’t take long for any worries in my mind to melt away, because ‘Amok Time’ was quite the special season premiere, simply because it finally felt like Star Trek. Which means that clearly some re-tooling in-between seasons one and two went down. Because I couldn’t help but notice that the pacing of this episode and the overall quality of the writing was night and day, and I love the fact that this story sucked me right back into this universe with minimal effort and that it finally established something that everyone agrees is critical to the series; the bond that Kirk, Spock and McCoy share.
 
For their Biffleship, one that would drive some of the finest stories in the overall Original Series saga was established in this tale. And it was just magnificent to see Kirk and McCoy really try to understand the Pon Farr and Spock’s declining health because of it, and working to understand the situation is something that great friends do when one friend isn’t quite themselves and this push to support one another, was further enhanced by the fact that Kirk ordered the ship to Vulcan to give Spock what he needs. But truly, the best part when it comes to how deep this friendship goes, is the regret and shame and outright devastation that Spock felt when it appeared as though he killed Kirk. Because he knew what he ‘lost’ and it made the outright joy he displays, when he finds out that Jim is okay, all the more satisfying. And this really did cement the bond between these men and now; every risky venture they ever dealt with in the name of friendship makes perfect sense.
 
However, while the story was powerful and delightful in its own right, there were still plenty of geek out moments to be found in this particular tale. Because this is an episode that features the first on-screen appearance of Ensign Pavel Chekov, a young man that would quickly become a fan favorite and an important part of this crew, and of course we get to see Vulcan for the first time ever in this episode and that was… breathtaking. Granted it may help that I was watching one of the newly enhanced episodes, with updated special effects. But let’s be honest, the fact that we get to see Spock’s home world and T’Pau and some of Vulcan’s proud, yet outdated traditions, turned out to be a sheer nerdy delight and oddly enough, this visit to his world and seeing said traditions, also injected a little social commentary into this tale.
 
Because in many ways, the Vulcan need to pair children as mates early on in life, and the sheer trouble that came out of this, speaks volumes to how there are there are ancient traditions all around the world, that no longer have a place in modern society. And that perhaps we need to evaluate them and make the right changes to them, the kind that benefit a modern world, or we need straight up abandon them altogether. In the end however, this really was a wonderful way to kick off season two of this storied franchise, because everything just works in this particular tale and more importantly, I love the fact that everything finally feels natural and organic in this series and this wonderful premiere has me excited to see what kind of storytelling wonders await us in year two, of the five-year of mission. Until next time. 

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