1991 A Captain's Log

Directed and written by Michael Mahler

 

Clips from TOS are shown. They are humorous in the way they are put together.

Leonard Nimoy: "There is great adventure, great human themes, loyalty, decency, kindness, ethical questions being dealt with..."

William Shatner hosts the show summarizing which leads behind the scenes.

LN: "The character of captain Kirk very often had to carry the freight of rigidity and righteousness, the super-responsible person. I though it was a difficult position for him to be in."

LN: "I thought it is going to be a very interesting character, an interesting challenge to play that inner conflict. It is also a very human condition. Most humans deal with this condition all the time, emotions and what Spock would call 'logic', or the intellect in general." The clip is shown in which Amanda asks Spock to do the blood donation for his father. "It was the logical, responsible thing to do. But from a human, emotional position it was a very painful decision. Great source of drama: 'What to do, what is the right thing to do?'"

Every main character is introduced by clips shown and says something which he or she feels about the character.

Like Nichelle Nichols: She wanted to leave the show because she felt her potentials were not fully exploited in the character. Then she met Dr. Martin Luther King. He was a fan of hers and pointed out the importance of her role: An intelligent, beautiful woman who is an equal to the others on the bridge. Nichelle Nichols became aware of the impact she was making and decided to stay. The topics of the 20th century were dealt with playing in the 21st.

LN: "There is a Chinese curse: 'May you live in interesting times.' And we had them in the 60s and we have them now, too. It was an extremely chaotic, difficult time and a very fertile ground for metaphor drama ideas. I think our writers captured these times very well, they were very sensitive to what was going on at the time and brought something into these 22nd century stories that people could recognize." LN: "Amok time was the fist time we were dealing with Vulcan society... Spock was in this totally uncontrolled condition. .. One of the most poigniant moments on the show was when I had to say to T'Pau 'Live long and prosper'."
T'Pau: 'Live long and prosper, Spock.' 'I shall do neither. I have killed my captain and my friend.'

Conventions: LN: "When hundreds were expected, thousand showed up."

LN: "The good of the many versus the good of the one was a thematic idea that we dealt with a number of times in the episodes and in the films. It is an issue of loyalty... 'for either sheds my blood today with me shall be my brother'."
LN: "Star Trek was everything I hoped to be involved in as an actor in my life. Wonderful character play, wonderful ensemble, wonderful work to do and great ideas to deal with."