"The Way To Eden:" Star Trek's Space Hippie Episode (Not As Bad As I Remember It!)

The Good: Bits that just aren't as bad as I remember
The Bad: Well, the acting, characters, forced tension, most of the plot, Dialogue, Execution
The Basics: When Captain Kirk takes aboard a band of space hippies, they intrigue Spock with their search for Eden before they attempt to hijack the ship and take everyone there.


It occurs to me that "The Way To Eden" was probably the final episode of the original Star Trek I had to see and the first time I saw it, it was larger than life on a big screen at my very first Star Trek convention. Truth be told, I've no idea why anyone in their right mind would want to drag out what is consistently rated as the worst episode of the original Star Trek to play before an audience of Trekkers, but it afforded me the opportunity to see it and it lived down to all the terrible things I had ever heard about it. The thing is, when I sat down to rewatch it again recently, it wasn't as unrelentingly horrible as I remembered it being and while it's not at all good, I can think of at least two episodes that I'd rate worse than this one.

After chasing down a stolen cruiser, the U.S.S. Enterprise beams its crew aboard and discovers they have taken aboard a small band of revolutionaries led by Dr. Sevrin, a visionary who wants to find Eden, which he believes is a very specific planet. While Sevrin is confined due to a medical condition, his followers roam the ship preaching to the crew about casting off the authority of StarFleet and rejecting technology and they play music for everyone. Spock seems to empathize with them and goes so far as to make finding Eden a pet project and when he succeeds, Dr. Sevrin hijacks the ship and takes the Enterprise careening toward the planet where everything might be perfect.

If the basic plot sounds familiar, it is not surprising: it is essentially the same plot that was used in the disastrous cinematic outing Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. I'm unsure why the less popular episode were tried as cinematic outings, but it seems like until the films stuck to the "kill the villain" format religiously, they recast some of the lesser episodes as film. "The Way To Eden" is usually rated in fan polls as the worst (or in the bottom three) episodes of Star Trek. And it is pretty hard to go against public opinion on this one. Dr. Sevrin and his band are pretty much hippies in space and this episode is often referred to as "The Space Hippie Episode."

And that is, perhaps the biggest problem with "The Way To Eden;" it is horribly dated. There are two episodes of Star Trek where the Enterprise spends time at 1960's Earth that feel less dated than the appearance of counterculture folk drawling their way through cliched insults like "Herbert." Yes, the big insult that labels Captain Kirk as a square among the followers of Dr. Sevrin is "Herbert." And that's kind of painful to watch.

The other thing that makes this episode so painful is that Spock seems to empathize with them and there is actually some tension between Kirk and Spock as a result. By this point in the series, Kirk and Spock have each put their careers and lives on the line for one another at least three times each. Here the writers, producers and director are asking us to believe that the credible threat to the Enterprise and the bond between Kirk and Spock are a bunch of space hippies?! C'Mon!

And in that, the writers missed out on a key opportunity to do some genuine character work. While Chekov is tapped to have a young love interest, a former classmate who is now one of the followers of Dr. Sevrin, rumors abound that originally, Dr. McCoy's daughter was going to be one of the followers of Dr. Sevrin. But here is something that could have actually turned the episode into something decent and enduring; McCoy has never liked the military mindset of StarFleet before. If any significant character might leave the ship and crew behind, it seems like it would be McCoy, which he did just ten episodes prior. And the idea of McCoy both leaving to become a part of Paradise and forge a bond with his estranged daughter, that might have made the episode resonate in a way that Chekov getting the girl for an episode does not do.

The episode is also ridiculously problematic on a thematic level. Dr. Sevrin is characterized as a renowned scientist in the field of acoustics and with giant ears like he has (seriously, the fakest looking prosthetic ears ever!) it's believable. He is a man who deplores technology and is looking for the contentment of Eden, which one would think would make him something of a pacifist. Yet when it comes time to jailbreak and incapacitate the crew, he uses the very technology he claims to abhor. This brings to mind the problematic ending to Wizards (click here for that film's review!) where pacifism is ultimately portrayed as a stalling tactic.

The problem here is compounded by the ridiculousness to the guest characters. "The Way To Eden" has a virtual band of stellar rejects who have colorful tattoos and wear minimal clothes and behave like spoiled brats. Any sympathy anyone associated with Star Trek might have had for the counterculture movement is not at all evident in the way the show portrays their version of that subculture. Instead, the characters are universally ridiculous, bratty and capricious when they're not being pseudo enlightened and obsessed with finding Eden.

In addition to the chants, the songs presented in the episode are just head-shaking bad and they are performed rather amelodically by such talented people as Charles Napier. Napier is fairly well known now for doing voice-over work and he provided one of the voices on The Critic, but in this episode of Star Trek, he is laid back and wacky and the role does not suit him.

Indeed, what probably makes "The Way To Eden" seem so unrelentingly bad to those who can't sit through it a second time is that even if one finds some appreciation for the concept of including the rebellious counterculture phenomenon into an episode of Star Trek, the acting is universally bad in this episode. The guest performers are unconvincing and sometimes so far beyond hammy they could start their own chain restaurant and the regular cast of Star Trek seems to approach their performances with a posture and bearing that implies "I can't believe I'm being asked to do this! The check had better clear this week!"

But it's not all bad; the end resolves itself in a way that is actually fairly adult and implies a level of understanding about the counterculture movement that was remarkably accurate.

The truth is, though, this is a dated episode and because it lacks a decent plot, character development or anything remotely resembling good acting, the episode is a flop and one no one need subject themselves to.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the third and final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

3/10

For other Star Trek films and episodes, organized by production order or by best to worst, check out my index page for listings of my reviews by clicking here!

© 2010, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.




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Even Historical Significance Cannot Save "Plato's Stepchildren!" (They Should Have Used Take 1!)

The Good: Historically relevant, Catchy music, Moments of performance
The Bad: Lack of character development, Overused concept, Poor executions, Pointless, Plot
The Basics: When Kirk and Spock are manipulated by telekinetic aliens who want McCoy to stay with them, boredom ensues, ruining an historic milestone that made Star Trek relevant.


It's always fun catching a celebrity on one of their bad days. Honestly, I have not encountered too many celebrities when they are at their worst, though it seems when I do, I sure get the worst of them! I've had many nice, brief exchanges with almost every main actor from the Star Trek franchise and I cannot think of a single one who has not been friendly with me as I've gotten things autographed. The last time I encountered Nichelle Nichols, though, I caught her on a bad day and our exchange was based on material from "Plato's Stepchildren" and the cheating of history. We all have our bad days.

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at Platonius, a planet with a small colony of intellectuals with telekinesis and no immune system. So, they are able to control objects with their will alone, but not fight off simple diseases. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to Platonius, where McCoy easily cures Parmen, the leader of the colony. McCoy, however, does not wish to stay on Platonius and Kirk and Spock soon learn that the dwarf, Alexander, who does not possess telekinetic abilities is essentially kept as a slave and jester. Parmen uses his powers in an attempt to leverage McCoy to stay by forcing Kirk and Spock (later joined by Chapel and Uhura) to sing, dance and otherwise humiliate themselves. McCoy attempts to stop the humiliation of his friends by giving them the powers the Platonians have, but his attempt may come too late to save Alexander or the dignity of his friends!

*shudder*

When I was in sixth grade, I was in an extended studies program at school and I was so enthusiastic about Star Trek (because I was just getting into it) that I was very much an obsessed fan. My extended studies teacher soon became quite disenchanted with my Star Trek references and when we finally got around to studying the 1960s, I was so psyched, but the first words out of the teacher's mouth after introducing the '60s were "And I'm not going to spend the next month hearing about Star Trek, got it?" To which, I responded, "But it's historically important," which led to her saying, "Tell me one way it's 'important.'" It was fun to smartly reply, "It has what is acknowledged as the first interethnic kiss shown on network television." I taught my teacher something in that round.

One wishes that such a historic event came in a much better episode than this one, but alas, it is what it is. One also wishes that it were all it could be hyped as. There is much artwork (photography) culled from this episode of the first interethnic kiss, when Kirk and Uhura are forced to kiss by Parmen, but much of the artwork utilizes the first take. It is well documented, by Bob Justman and (on the Season 3 DVD set by) William Shatner that there were two takes done of the kiss, the full side shot that clearly shows Uhura and Kirk kissing and the second take that does not have lip contact and at the critical moment, moves the camera around so the viewer sees Kirk looking up at Parmen as opposed to actually kissing Uhura. The second take (despite what some might want to believe) is the one that was used in the episode and it is frightening now to see how bad it actually looks and yet, it's the historical milestone achieved by Star Trek: the first (not-really-)kissing of a black woman by a white man on network television. Oooh . . . steamy!

It's hard to take this historic non-event seriously now, especially considering that it is cheated. It's even harder because the episode is so very, very bad. Star Trek viewers have seen powerful god-figures before throughout the series with episodes like "The Squire Of Gothos" and "Who Mourns For Adonais?" and the idea behind the episodes seems to most commonly be: find and neutralize the power base to defeat the enemy. "Plato's Stepchildren" finds McCoy easily diagnosing the Platonians to discover the source of their power and he quickly finds how to co-opt it. Simple, reused, overdone plot.

But the time it takes is time well-wasted. "Plato's Stepchildren" is about how Parmen and the Platonians use their powers to abuse Kirk and Spock. The officers are not so much humiliated as they are mocked. The actors, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, are punished for no discernible crime by singing ridiculous songs and chants and having to interact with props being flown around on fishing wire. The result is an episode of Star Trek that seems to mock itself.

There is no character development here. McCoy has, in the past, illustrated himself as a man of principle, so when he stands firm against leaving the Enterprise to come be the doctor on Platonius permanently, this is not a change from his established character. Moreover, it's not even a remotely interesting dilemma. And it does not make any real sense; why Parmen and his people - who seem so interested in intellectual pursuits - cannot learn medicine seems an especially ridiculous conceit to make this episode work. Moreover, one would suspect that a people who have compromised immune systems and big brains would be more likely to want just the supplies and the information on how to manufacture and/or use them as opposed to the people intruding to deliver them!

Parmen and his wife, Philana, are monolithic intellectual snobs masquerading as villains. They are as generic in their villainy as Chapel and Uhura are in their resistance to the humiliating plays the Platonians subject them to. I mean, seriously, Chapel ought to just be happy to be off the ship at this point! And hey, hasn't she pined for Spock for years?! This is the gold mine for her, she gets to leave the confines of the ship and kiss Spock, if it were in character, one would think she'd be running to the opportunity, not resisting it. Anyway, in the context of the episode, the force seems forced.

And it also makes no real sense. As Chapel moves to kiss Spock, she speaks of how she does not want to kiss him. Telekinesis is mind over matter, not mind over thought, which works well. Parmen and the Platonians (which should have been a 60's rock band!) reasonably manipulate the bodies of the crewmembers they beam down, but what doesn't make sense is that they are able to manipulate their minds, too. Spock and Kirk sing humiliating and silly songs. That's not a function of telekinesis. See the problem yet?

If the Platonians have more than telekinesis (which in the episode they are not granted explicitly), they could simply use their mind control powers to get McCoy to stay as opposed to going through the elaborate and pointless abuses that follow. If they are limited to telekinesis, which the episode states they are, they ought not to be able to get the wonderful musical numbers out of everyone. That this is misapplied within the episode is especially problematic.

And the actors seem to realize this is a terrible script. None of the cast gives a performance they should be proud of. From the passionless presentation of the kiss to the muted reactions to it, especially DeForest Kelley's kind of bland portrayal of McCoy as sitting and watching the spectacle, this episode is a nightmare on the acting front.

The only decent acting and likable character work comes from Michael Dunn as Alexander. He portrays a very realistic victim of prolonged abuse and his acting when Parmen and the others are manipulating him is actually heartwrenching to watch. He has a wonderful physical sense to him that allows him to truly let loose and play upon the viewer for empathy. He makes an otherwise awful episode slightly more bearable.

But it is not enough. Thematically, the Star Trek franchise tackled such issues later on with Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Outcast" and even more explicitly with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's steamy lesbian kiss in "Rejoined," all of which came in much better episodes. And the hype over the kiss in "Plato's Stepchildren" is now just lingering hype to get people to sit through this awful episode. The best effect of it is that it might have desensitized the world enough such that when younger people like me heard that some stations in the South were not carrying the interracial marriage of Dax and Worf on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine we had to actually think about why that might be. We couldn't have gotten there without the pioneers like we had with Star Trek. It's a shame they didn't do it better, though.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the third and final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

3.5/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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