"Friday's Child" Full Reaction! - Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2

Hey Bunny! It was hard to follow the story because there wasn't a lot of story to follow. By design. Star Trek tried a lot of formats, particularly in the second season. There are a couple of good comedies coming up, some war movies (Balance of Terror), lots of dramas (Charlie X), courtroom drama (Court Martial, The Menagerie), love story (Metamorphasis), and even a mystery comung up and a western in Season 3. One other type, more common then and less common now, is "Action/Adventure." Now there are big Action Movies to be sure, but not so much Action/Adventure TV. Roddenberry was not a fan of Action/Adventure. He referred to it as "Kirk in Danger." I think Arena is a good example of that. Lots of running, fighting, traps and lethal threats. Roddenberry always preferred Dramas as in "Kirk faces a dilemna/Kirk has to make a decision." The network wanted more Action/Adventure, not the talky/thinky stuff. So this was just a script with lots of danger, danger, danger. Run around. Lots of weapons. (Think about it: knives, fling things, rocks, sound waves, phaser, bow and arrow, fists...) Kill good guys, kill bad guys, indoors, outdoors, in space... cram it all in there, and there is not a lot of room for story or plot in 45 minutes or so. So more of an episode to please the network than to please the fans. I think Roddenberry did this one early to be able to say "we did your runny-shooty one, now leave me alone to do my thinky ones!" To be clear, I love the different styles. And many episodes mix different genres. That's one of the things that made Star Trek so special and fun and why the fans adored it back in the day. Truly groundbreaking TV. While TOS was pitched to the network as "action/adventure" TNG and DS9 are MUCH more drama oriented. So enjoy the runny-shooty-Kirk Fu Fighting episodes while they last!

John DiGiantomasso

The death of the Klingon stuntman was hilarious. Keep in mind color tv was just becoming a thing when ST premiered (the real reason for the colored uniform tops) and High Definition was decades away. You weren't supposed to be able to notice the bad stuntman mismatches but people made fun of it even back then.

Chas Summers

Elean(sp?) forged a bond with McCoy and as Leonard James' regent, would have been happy to sign with the federation that he represents.

Chas Summers

The Capellans were a warrior race that valued strength and honor more than life itself, which was cheap to them. Dying to help defeat an enemy would be one of their noblest of actions.

Chas Summers

I am always glad to return to Vasquez Rocks!

bunnytails

Oh hah! No I did not notice the stuntman!

bunnytails

Oh yeah, those outfits were really something else! Though I think by now I realize to expect the unexpected when it comes to the outfits in this series, which is a good thing! Even if some work better than others.

bunnytails

Thanks William! Glad you liked it!

bunnytails

Oh thanks! With that context it does make quite a bit more sense!

bunnytails

Hehehe :D

bunnytails

Production notes: A running theme though Star Trek TOS. An unamed Ensign "Red Shirt" will usually die, sooner than later, during an episode. You should promote yourself to Lieutenant so you will be safe in your red uniform. Julie Newmar was also playing "Catwoman" on the "Batman" television series at this time. Both shows in their second season. This episode split shooting on the planet between the studio and on location. It was another episode shot at Vasquez Rocks. We have seen it as the asteroid where Kirk fought the Gorn, and the weirdness (spin and repeat) on the planet in Alternative Factor.

Dave Riley

Red Shirt Count -> 2

Carlos Stevens

Nothing important to add, but did you see the klingon stuntman just as he got skewered? One of the worst matches I've seen in awhile 🤪🤪🤪 And yes Bunny, you need to be extra careful when you're going to be in "redshirt" for an episode, they are always the first to go 🤣🤣🤣

Tony S in Phoenix

I had not seen this episode in years. So much death and action, wow. I feel like they struggled putting this one together with so many themes and using the Klingon/Human antagonism as a parallel for the inflexible culture of the Capellans. A more modern Dr McCoy pregnancy ‘slap-off’ might be to keep diagnosing despite her hitting him, until earning her trust. A Dr hitting … um… So this ep gets filed in the not classic, not awful bin :)

Gregory Middleton

I think the reason Maab (Teer #2) sacrifices himself at the end is because he was the one who made the agreement with the Klingon and allowed him into their midst. Seeing the Klingon's treachery, he felt honor-bound to not only see the Klingon killed but also pay the price for his own misjudgment. Just conjecture on my part, but it's the only way it makes any sense to me. And, much as I appreciate your willingness to wear the red dress, I must agree with Timothy: overheating isn't worth it. Edited to add: I must also commend you, Bunny, on your acceptance of the Capellans' weird outfits. Most reactors wouldn't have been able to resist commenting on costumes made of hooded leotards and carpet remnants, but they didn't seem to faze you in the least. Thank you for once again justifying my support for your terrific channel. 😄

Lee

The title is a line from an old English poem, Monday's Child. "Friday's child is full of woe." is the line.

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

William Terry

First time seeing this one. I read once that it was supposed to have some commentary on abortion? But I didn't really get it. Yes, this episode WAS unusually violent. Usually in Trek violence is the last resort, but right from the start, before the opening song, blood is hitting the floor. I hit the Wiki which helped answer another question: Eleen doesn't want the unborn child because, in their culture, children belong to the men. And the man who sired the child was killed, making the baby now undesirable--even to her--since it now belongs to no one. That is why McCoy is trying to convince her that the child is hers, so she can be the parent.

SuicuneSol

A fun episode to watch again, Bunny. All that you said, yeppers. LOL. Best? your closing comments; "Oochi Woochi Goochi Go". and deadpan to the camera Bunny eyes, LOL. OMG 😊. The Uniform is always fun also. But, please no overheating, not worth it.

timothy w moyer

Plus some good action and hand-to-hand stuff and the always popular Kirk/Spock/McCoy wry little sarcastic jabs for the lols. Just good stuff.

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

I've always really liked this episode even if, I suspect, it probably doesn't crack a lot of folks "best of" lists. Granted the stuff with McCoy and the pregnancy examination doesn't exactly age well and is pretty cringey today. I think what they were going for was to lean into McCoy's "gruff exterior, but caring on the inside" personality. And really that's the a big premise of the whole show and, cringe aside, why I like it so much. Those types of characters are often my favourite and it's a big part of why I like Bones so much. So any time we get to explore him and that side of his personality I find it very rewarding. Especially since in this one we give him a whole planet of people to interact with that are very similar, honest and direct to the point of being rude and abrupt, and how well he gets along there. I enjoy it, although I suspect that it doesn't sit that high in the fanbase's greater pantheon of iconic episodes. Anyhoots, catch you in the one B👍

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

Well, this wasn't the episode I THOUGHT it was -- I thought I disliked this one more then I did, based on the title. It's a very confusing title, I never understand what it means or why it was picked. Anyway.... I always liked this episode due to the action, the fast pacing, the split time between the planet and the ship, the strong acting all around, and seeing how a primitive society handles two strong space faring races. That said, I had the same questions and shortcomings you had with the episode, Bunny. The reaction of the new leader to just kill himself like that I can only explain as being like 'perhaps he realized how dangerous the Klingon was and for the good of his people he needed to die'. Kirk is a man of many talents -- when the need calls for it, he can be peaceful and diplomatic, and other times, very violent. These people have no regard for life, and only respect action and killing and strong actions, so Kirk acted in kind. I believe the Klingon ship bluffed the Enterprise and then gave way when the bluff was called due to the fact it was not a D7 Klingon Battle Cruiser -- the main ship of the line for the Klingons at the time, on par with the Constitution class of the Enterprise. Instead, it was a smaller scout ship -- that's what the Klingon said. There was no hope of them winning a fight, and though the Klingons are not afraid to die, even they will make a strategic retreat when it's called for. Yes, I know the same model was used -- blame that on the very small budget the show had to work with. :) As usual, the guest star in this episode (Julie Newmar) gave a great performance.

Greg Polander

Sorry! Should be fixed now!

bunnytails

Bunny - just FYI - I think this reaction is for "Metamorphosis"... :-)

Skyman's Follies

“The child is mine! The child is mine! The child is… oh no” gotta love Bones and guest star Julie Newmar in this ep. And the cast was probably thankful to get off the sound stage finally for the first time this season.

Skyman's Follies