50th Anniversary TOS Episode Discussion Marathon

[Nate the Great]

December 29th, 1966, "Shore Leave"

The fiver (by IJD GAF)
Memory Alpha page
Transcript

The episode:

* Does anyone else think that getting a massage on the bridge is a little inappropriate?
* Sulu is still in his botanist phase. I still wonder about that duty rotation program possibly seen with Chekov and Worf later.
* Spock's got a point about resting. He's probably like Worf in that he has his own calisthenics program for staying fit. Besides, he meditates for his mental health needs.
* Spock tricking Kirk was always good for a laugh. It does make me wonder, though. Kirk staying on the bridge during a crisis or when the Klingons might show up any minute is one thing; staying on the bridge when there's nothing to do but get wired up smacks of self-destructive behavior.
* Sulu shooting off a gun without telling anybody, that's just irresponsible. We never got the impression that this place can brainwash a person; it just reads surface thoughts. Sulu should know better.
* Does Finnegan seem like Starfleet officer material? I hope the real one was washed out of the service.

The fiver:

Captain's Log: We're in orbit around a perfect planet. Almost... TOO perfect.

IJD, could you explain this "almost too perfect" running gag for me?

McCoy: You know what else would be funny to be mauled by right now? A medieval knight.
Knight: Ni! Ni! Ni!
McCoy: GAK!
Kirk: Oh no, Bones! You're --
McCoy: I'm dead, Jim!
Kirk: Yeah, that.

I knew "Ni"'s were painful, but not lethal. It's too bad they couldn't have hid behind a nearby scrubbery.

YouTube clips:

* McCoy meets the White Rabbit and Alice. Alice's dress does a good job of getting close to the animated Disney version without being an outright copy.
* The Caretaker and Mr. Spock explain things.
* Spock tricks Kirk into going down.