Hello Larry

Just watched the remastered version of "Is There In Truth No Beauty?" from Star Trek. It's not considered a classic, but it's interesting in that it's such an internal story.

There's less at stake in this episode that most. First we have to worry someone wants to commit murder. Then we discover he just wants to kill an alien ambassador. Then he goes nuts and rather than try to hurt anyone, he just takes over engineering (quite interestingly) and flies the ship at warp 9 and accelerating (!). Then the ship is stuck in nowheresville, but it gets back pretty easily. Then we have to worry about Spock going mad, but that's cured quickly enough. I'm certainly not saying this is bad--when every episode is about saving the galaxy it can get meaningless.

The episode is, at least, up to the level of the third season. We're introduced to three characters who beam aboard at the beginning. Lawrence Marvick, who helped design the Enterprise; the beautiful Dr. Miranda Jones (Diana Muldaur); and Kollos, the Medusan ambassador, who is a bunch of lights in a box whose look is so terrible it drives humans mad. Makes you wonder how they first made contact with the Federation.

Only Spock and the Doc (who's studied on Vulcan) can bear to look at Kollos, and even then they need visors. This is the essence of the show (as absurd as the premise is, and as silly as calling this race "Medusans"). Just why do we care about beauty, and why do we compare it to truth? What's this prejudice against ugliness? It may be in our genes, but can we rise above it?

Dr. Jones is feted with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. Scotty even wears a kilt. And Spock brings along his IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) badge, a hippie-dippie concept that Roddenberry forced on the scene, hoping to make a few bucks. Kirk is at his smirky masculine height when he compliments Miranda and offers a toast to Beauty. Then Jones, who is a telepath (you know, there are human telepaths, wanna make something of it?) senses someone nearby wants to commit murder. Who could it be? Kirk? Spock? McCoy? Scotty? Or maybe it's Larry, the guest star. Yeah, I think it's him.

For a smart guy, he's pretty stupid. He can't get to Miranda romantically, so he goes to kill Kollos, who's getting all her attention. But a quick look and he goes nuts. This is when he takes over engineering and shoots the ship off past the galaxy's edge. You'd think there'd be a whole load of nothing out there, but instead it's all these cool colors. Unfortunately, it also means the ship is lost (?).

The episode is full of showy camera work. During the fight in engineering, we get fish-eye shots to demonstrate Larry's madness. We also get a number of tracking shots that show more of the Enterprise corridor than we've ever seen before.

It looks like the only way out is a mind meld with Kollos, who, for some reason, know's how to get the Enterprise back to the galaxy better than Kirk or Chekov. Spock is chosen for the meld, and Kirk takes Jones for a walk and gives her the lovey-dovey treatment to distract her, but she sees through it. It's the only thing she sees in the episode, as we discover Miranda Jones is, secretly, blind. This explains how she can "look" at the Medusans and not go nuts, and is the best twist in the show. She's got this dress that has a bunch of sensors to help her navigate. It's good she lives in the future where you can wear the same outfit every day and no one asks any questions.

The Medusan is put behind a wall on the bridge (is that safe enough?) and takes over Spock's brain. This isn't the first time we've seen this, and it usually doesn't go well. However, it turns out Kollos is a charming, cool guy. See? You can be ugly on the outside, and beautiful on the inside. But after the problem is too easily solved, Spock forgets his visor and sees Kollos. He goes nuts and starts seeing everyone with a fish-eye lens.

Only Jones can reach into his brain and save him, but she's still angry, and not willing. See? You can be beautiful on the outside, and ugly on the inside.

Kirk has some harsh words and convinces her to save Spock. Once again, easily solved. And I can't ever remember Kirk saving the day so easily. All he had to do was shake a blind gal a few times.