Comments on: Star Trek’s ‘Balance of Terror’ Struck a Compelling Tale of Two Captains

By: John B Trumbull

John B Trumbull — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 03:26:46 +0000

Interesting footnote to this episode: Star Trek fan John Byrne pinched the “In a different reality, I could have called you/him friend” line for the end of Man of Steel #3, the issue that established Superman and Batman’s more antagonistic relationship in the Post-Crisis TV Universe.

I list a bunch more of Byrne’s Star Trek references in his comic book work here:

https://atomicjunkshop.com/john-byrne-star-trek-shout-outs/

By: James

James — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 23:57:35 +0000

I didn’t much care for the SNW take on this episode (and not just because they butchered the Monster Maroons, some of the best uniforms in the franchise).

For one, there’s an obvious continuity problem. Pike had already left the Enterprise of his own volition long before these events, and before the accident that nearly killed him, so his avoiding his accident wouldn’t have put him in the captain’s chair here for any sensible reason.

But the main gripe I have is that it makes Pike look like a really bad officer. Kirk went through these events and had a generally positive outcome. Pike goes through the same thing and plunges the galaxy into a decades-long war (not to mention getting Spock horribly injured). Pike is supposed to be the hero of SNW, but they made him look like a chump in comparison to TOS Kirk, and on his own show.

By: Jon Mast

Jon Mast — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 02:04:58 +0000

SO many hours of good tv… if you’ve not seen it, check out “Duet,” toward the end of the first season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. That and “Hard Time” from the same series — those two episodes live rent-free in my head and really hit me, as I was a young teen when both came out.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:41:39 +0000

In reply to Jim Fields.

Not for nothing, but I’m really torn on what to do for Christmas episodes, since I’ll have my Christmas countdown that month, as well (it’s the 1980s this year). I guess just repeat my picks from the 1950s through the 1970s?

Hmmmm… no, that’s cheesy, maybe just for Christmas week itself, then just normal picks for the rest of the month?

By: Jim Fields

Jim Fields — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:08:55 +0000

“Balance Of Terror” is my favorite TOS episode. They even remixed it with Pike in the chair in the Strange New Worlds first season finale.

As for episodes, the “keep the patient alive until after midnight and not ruin Christmas” and the “Winchester’s Christmas” episode of MASH?