Star Trek TOS Review: “The Galileo Seven”

First of all, how does this channel not have more subscribers? Anyway, I agree with most of the review but I would push back on Commissioner Ferris a bit. I thought he was right, yeah, he acted like the asshole diplomat of the week but Kirk had no business sending his people out there when they were on a humanitarian mission. It could’ve waited until they were finished, did his order say they had to stop everything immediately and check quasar phenomenon? Also, I’ll give Star Trek the next generation credit because they learned from that silly funeral scene. I distinctly remember in their first encounter with the Borg, 18 crewmembers were killed in Borg attacks, and Geordi Laforge told another crewman “we can mourn later”. You e got a new subscribers here.

This episode highlights one of my favorite hallmarks of Trek in all its iterations: taking a 3rd (or even 4th) option to solve a problem.

Okay, Youtube, you suck. I gave this channel a $5. thanks 10 minutes ago and it STILL isn't showing up. Fix your $@!#% system.

Enjoyable review.

It’s likely that I enjoyed this episode, when I first saw it, back in my childhood, ~40 plus years ago.

On somber reflection though, it’s one of the most badly-written in the entire series.

– The story emphasizes that this is Spock’s “first command.” Does that seem right?? Does it seem right that the FIRST OFFICER of the Enterprise, second only to Kirk, would get to that position ••never having been put in charge of other people•• on a landing party before?

No. It’s not remotely credible.

– The story also makes Spock out to be more stupid than we know the character to be: “Step by step I’ve made the correct and logical decisions, and yet two men have died!” — As if logical thinking were some sort of magic spell that would prevent loss of life, regardless of circumstances. (Spock knows better than that). There was also no logical reason to leave Guitano by himself (guarding nothing). The script needed (or wanted) another crew death, so the writers forced Spock to make an implausible, blatantly stupid decision.

Compare and contrast Spock’s behavior here, to Spock’s behavior in an episode that had just aired: ‘The Menagerie I & II’ — in which Spock is sharp enough to anticipate how ALL the ‘emotional humans’ (including Kirk and Mendez) would react. The Spock of those episodes is brilliant enough to outmaneuver EVERYONE else and to STEAL the Enterprise.

These two versions of the character, just aren’t compatible. So, we agree on the problems with the writing. But I would go further: Crawford, the writer, doesn’t understand WHO SPOCK IS (McCoy, either). Most of the episode’s problems, proceed from there.

Thanks for the laughs 😂

Imagine getting to Turnabout Intruder and just getting cheesed off on the major idiot ball carried by the crew.

Oh yes! I agree that they act weirdly disrespectful against Spock, not only their superior officer and 1st officer on the Enterprise but basically a Starfleet superhero! Well, this was fairly early, so I think maybe this writer just didn't get the characters down properly, McCoy's in particular. It was supposed to remind us how Vulcans are different from humans, presumably? For those who missed the first bunch of episodes. 🙂

I don't think that "there were 5 beamed aboard, but the shuttle had a crew of 7" was lost on Kirk. Look at this facial expression when he hears 5 were beamed off the shuttlecraft. While it is subtle, I think Shatner was trying to convey his emotion without words. As the Enterprise lost one crewman during the search, the fact 5 out of the original 7 crew members were beamed aboard the Enterprise may have been a little bit of a relief. After all, Kirk would not have known if the fact only 5 were beamed aboard was due to the fact that the shuttlecraft had only 5 souls on board, or if the transporter malfunctioned and only retrieved 5 crew members. Or maybe Kirk was relieved there were 5 crew members retrieved and not zero? Anyway, look at the facial expression again, I see many things in there, including relief did not lose his command to commander jackass (Ferris) as a result of his decision to investigate the quasar-like anomaly – which, after all, is the mission of the Federation. If you look at that scene again, Kirk tries to get out a few words before issuing commands to Sulu, but he can't get the words out. I think it's perfect Kirk!

Yeah, this is an episode where I love the concept but the script just wasn't there. I want to like it more than I actually like it.

Also, is it just me or do some of Spock's saltier quips – like at 13:25 – sound more like Avon from Blakes 7? I'd swear he said something very similar to Villa at some point.

Thats some top level snark youre putting in the mouths of Kirk and Spock 😂

"…but ya gotta do it right: ya gotta have the hole dug on the planet BEFORE ya show up with a redshirt in the shuttle. I mean, ya never know how many murder monkeys are gonna show up in that time, pretty soon ya gotta dig a few more holes…"

I like, don't love, this episode. It's a great set of concepts, but with some narrative bumps that make it so none of the ideas fully form, and theres all the goofs you bring up. Felt like an A+ episode minus rewrites.

The jettisoned and detonated shuttle fuel may be the finest of the enhanced special effects. And always a great high stakes roll for Spock. p.s. You see but little of the natives beyond occasional eyes or feet in five came back. If you can take monochrome, give it a screen.

I like how the control panel has a 'Doom everyone onboard' switch and nobody gives it a second thought about at least securing such a fuel dump function away from loose shirt cuffs.

One thing that always bothered me about the epilogue is that it treats it like Spock's decision to vent the fuel to make a flare was him giving in to emotion. But it is perfectly logical.

If just getting into orbit was enough to get them spotted, the Enterprise would've rescued them immediately. Therefore, they must be out of sensor range. The only reason they'd be out of range is if they're leaving for their rendezvous, which means they won't be back for something like six days. And the Galileo won't stay in orbit nearly that long. So the only way they can possibly get rescued before they crash back into the planet and die is by making themselves more visible. Conserving fuel just delays their deaths by a few hours. Spending it all to make a flare has at least a chance of getting them rescued.

Going for the flare really was the logical thing to do.

Thanks!

This isn't my favorite episode, but it was useful for fleshing out characters.

Star Trek is often cited for its predicting advances in science and technology; however, they got quasars wrong. Unfortunately, the Venn diagram has the circle of people who know what quasars are largely covered by the circle of Star Trek fans. It's not a goof any more than my buying a losing lottery ticket, but it shows Star Trek doesn't always hit the mark.

Great episode. This episode explains why Kirk and Spock go on the landing parties together. Kirk has to train Spock for command. And Scotty. No one else can. Spock and Scotty can train Junior Officers for awhile. But at some point Kirk has to take over training.

Scotty is definitely a favorite of mine in this episode. He's the only one who puts first things first and just gets on with the job.

I'm going to disagree with you here Rob on a couple of points. At least once McCoy tries to explain Spock's rationale to Boma. He says something like he'll go off on his own to save Gaitano and just as easily order him to stay behind. That's not mutiny that's taking Boma aside when needed. And even though he says it emotionally he is trying to educating Spock on what to expect with primitive people. The grumbling wouldn't rise to the level serious charges. Yeoman Meers says it best. We could use a little inspiration. No one is outright refusing orders. It would be Captains Mast at most. A suspension of liberty for a couple of liberty ports. A suspension of pay maybe.

Spock ( hands on hips ): Hmm, this fella looks dead

"Fe-nom-a-na!!" (ba dee be dee bee…) 🎵🎶

Kirk made a bad call by allowing that side trip. I doubt this Quasar was so unique in being a bit dangerous.

This was a great review. I want to call your attention to the insubordination you speak of. Yeah, I agree with you 1000%! Everyone, save Mr. Scott, need reprimands on their records for insubordination. Especially McCoy because at times he don't know when to shut his mouth. Kirk gives too much leeway where McCoy is concerned and he needs to reign him in, especially talking down to Spock. This is one of my least favorite episodes and it shows that Spock is not command material. Think about it, he was in command of the Enterprise and we see him give up the center seat way too quickly. First to Saavik (and that is another conversation) and then to Kirk. But the blame for all of this is not with Kirk, Spock or even McCoy, it rests with Roddenberry. That's right, Gene Roddenberry didn't want Starfleet to be a "military" following military protocols but have a military like presence. Starfleet is not a military but more of a police force or galactic security force for the UFP. When you look at the number of protocol violations seen on Star Trek as a whole and then their response to it, there is no way this form or military can exist in real time. Starfleet wants to be explorers traveling the galaxy making friends, but other races view them as invaders and occupying forces. First the scouts, then the diplomats and then you are under the yoke of the UFP. I recommend watching Star Trek Klingon Academy in how General Chang views the Federation. It is really interesting and he pegs the UFP on point. But I digress. This episode was full of people "acting like" jerks and I feel this was a filler episode. The writing could have been better, could have been tighter and characters made less like untrained soldiers. But overall, I enjoyed your review and can't wait for more in the future. I hope you are doing well and stay safe!!!

Great review as usual. Fans of "The Waltons may be astonished as I was to learn that the same actor who played Commissioner Ferris (John Crawford) also played Sheriff Bridges. Some Trek fan fiction does exist where Scotty presses court-martial charges against Boma after the incidents in GS.

Possum Rob I could not agree with you more. Those guys should have all been brought up on charges. That's annoyed me since I first saw this as a kid, and I'm 57 lol

Woo hoo! Kicking off a Tuesday evening right!