Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 12, Episodes 23 & 24: A Taste of Armageddon/ Space Seed

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One of the real treats about Parmount releasing two episodes of Star Trek per DVD is that the entire series was so good you're guaranteed of at least getting one good episode. But on rare occasion, the unthinkable happens--you get not only two good episodes, but two GREAT episodes on one offering. Such is the case with this Trek DVD.

Both episodes are classics and they both look stunning being remastered.

Of course, Space Seed is probably the most famous episode on the set, namely because it features the first appearance of Khan. The episode itself is what classic Trek is all about--suspense, drama, great characters, well-written dialogue and some nice action. Ricardo Montelban delivers a great performance as the arrogant, superman Khan and Shanter plays off him point for point. And, of course, this episode features one of the all-time great Star Trek bloopers of all time (watch DeForest Kelly's reaction very closely when Khan is first coming out of stasis and Shanter knocks his prop off his belt). Space Seed is simply marvelous--one of the top ten episodes of all time.

Ranking right up there with it is the superb and underrated A Taste of Armageddon. Kirk and company are sent to make contact with a society that fights their war by computers with "casualties" being tallied and herded into disentegration chambers. No sooner have Kirk and Spock beamed down then the Enterprise is declared a war casualty, a set of events that does not agree with Kirk. Kirk must then spend the rest of the episode upping the stakes to save his ship and to stop the war. (Prime directive you ask? We don't need to steeenkin' prime directive!) It's an episode that features the theme of Kirk vs. computer (though not as much as Return of the Archons or the Ultimate Computer) and it also features the recurring theme that if you rank above Kirk most chances are you're either an idiot or gone mad. In this case, it's the Federation ambassador who can't see beyond his limited range and almost gets red-shirted for it. It's a great episode that is still exciting and entertaining to watch today and is certainly looks spectacular on DVD.

These are two superb episodes...and they've never looked better. Episodes like these are why classic Trek has endured to this day. And like great wine, it gets better and better with age.

You may be asking . . . "Why buy this DVD?" Well, it is much more than classic television at its finest digitally remastered and enhanced best. If you have gotten this far, you obviously already know the storyline . . . This ENTIRE DVD series is outstanding in its production for DVD. When you watch this DVD for the first time, it will be like viewing these episodes for the first time ever! The image clarity and brightness is far superior to any previous version or broadcast of either episode. The colors are rich and the sound has been remastered in Dolby Digital for 5.1 Surround sound for all audiophiles! It includes added bonus footage of the weekly original broadcast preview trailers and fully interactive menus for scene or feature selection. Each disc includes liner notes with trivia for each represented episode, giving original air dates,etc. In special features, you should note that the episodic trailers have NOT been remastered. Each episode has the option of English Subtitles for the hearing impaired (they of course can be turned on or off). I HIGHLY recommend this ENTIRE series. Order each volume in this collection--it will be a lifetime treasure! By the way . . . this volume, AND volume 10 & 11 of this series are increasingly difficult to find in stores, so order your copy of on Amazon.com right NOW! You won't be sorry!

Politics gone wrong is the theme behind these two early Trek winners.

"A Taste of Armageddon" is what Captain Kirk and his landing party get on Ameniar 7, a planet that theoretically has been at war with one of its neighbors for centuries. But Kirk and his party find nothing wrong on the planet - no ruins, no signs of violence, no injuries or bodies. Bureaucrat David Opatoshu sadly informs the landing party that they and their ship were blown up in orbit - and since Kirk and the others are obviously quite well, and a quick call on their communicators confirms that, yes, the Enterprise is, too, the mystery deepens. Opatoshu explains that, in order to avoid the bloodshed of real war, Ameniar and its enemies long ago decided to fight their wars by computers. Those areas listed as casualties are obliged to report their populations to disintegrator booths, for neat disposal. Now, if the Captain and his crew will merely oblige, by walking into the disposal ovens...

A solid script, and a chilling premise. Opatoshu is a squirrelly and cagey bureaucrat, the charming Barbara Babcock a credible tender trap, and Gene Lyons really shines as a humorless by-the-book Starfleet diplomat who nearly gets the Enterprise destroyed by his own lack of common sense.

"Space Seed" was the forerunner story to the second movie in the later film series, "The Wrath of Khan." The Enterprise encounters a centuries-old derelict in space, with the cryptic enough name of "Botany Bay." It contains several dozen cryogenically frozen perfect human specimens, the leader of whom, Khan, is awakened for questioning. Khan turns out to be Khan Noonian Singh, the leader of an uprising of eugenically created Nitzschean supermen that nearly destroyed Earth in an atomic war at the turn of the 21st century. With the aid of the Enterprise's romantic Lieutenant Marla McGivers - who is helplessly smitten with Khan's physique and dominant persona - Khan attempts to take over the Enterprise, and conquer the universe it will give him access to in this new age.

Ricardo Montalban lends his unique charisma to the role of Khan, and Madlyn Rhue sympathetically plays the lieutenant of divided loyalties. One of the more satisfying melodramas of the series, it also contains at least one of Star Trek's famous amusing bloopers, if you pay attention - a crewmember who runs straight back into a gas-filled room he was easily escaping, as if responding to the off-camera director signalling, "No! Go back! Go back!"

Both quite good, "Space Seed" especially.

A Taste of Armageddon is quite possibly the best Star Trek Episode Ever!!! James Kirk is in prime form, single handedly taking care of buisness withot a ship or a phazer. Spock is out of control. He's blowing up everything in sight. And Oh Scotty is carrying out General Order 24? This episode is my favorite and great to watch even if you're not a star trek Fan.

The first episode, A taste of Armagedeon, was very powerful considering the Vietnam war in the 60's. Historically, the political issues being presented were wonderful! While part of the episode, in a simplified view, seemed like a sophisticated game of Battleship™, the message behind the show was powerful. The second episode, Space Seed, is perhaps even more chilling today than it was 30 years ago. With the genetic revolution within reach, this "Eugenics War" and the sophisticated Khan are more real now than then. Kudos to Roddenberry for having that foresight. The episode allows the viewer to see a different side of the coin of the genetic revoultion. Bottom line, with the superb audio and video transfers, the disc is a must have!

Volume 12 of the Star Trek Original Series DVD collection has two classics. However this DVD is highlighted by the introduction of the space tyrant Khan Noonien Singh into the Star Trek world. Khan became one of Trek's greatest villians and returned in the 1982 Star Trek film THE WRATH OF KHAN. Because of his appearance on this DVD it tends to over shadow the other episode.

By the other episode I mean A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON. This episode is a classic in it's own right. The story finds Kirk and the crew dealing with Ambassador Red Fox(who seems to be a real jerk) who demands to beam down to the planet Eminiar VII despite the planet warnigs to stay away. Upon their arrival at the planet it is revealed that the planet has been at war for 500 years with a neighboring planet named Vendikar. Although the planet says it has been at war the crew are puzzled for their are no real signs of destruction the planet is prosperous and peaceful looking. That is until the council members reveal how they fight the war. They use computers no destruction or devestation casualities are recorded and sent to an antimatter chamber and vaporized. In other words the war is pointless and to make matter worse the crew has been recorded as casualities and are demanded to enter a discintgration chamber at once. When Kirk refuses they are taken prisoner. This episode plot is quite fascinating and this is actually one of the Trek series better tales.

The second episode here is the one that sells this DVD. THE SPACE SEED is the notorious episode that introduces Khan to the Trek lore. Kirk and the crew discover an old 20th century ship in the vast depths of space and investigate. Aboard the ship they find a group of humans in hypersleep they revive one of them (of course it's Khan) and beam him aboard the Enterprise. McCoy tests prove that the man is superhuman and Spock believes that Khan is one of the many superhuman from the late 1990's who conquered the world. Khan appears to be somewhat arrogant and evil as he takes advantage of Marla McGivers one of the crew members and plans to take over the Enterprise and revive his crew. After a little research it is proven that Khan is actually Khan Noonien Singh a tyrant from the late 1990's who ruled one quarter of the world from 1992 to 1996 when he was eventually defeated Khan escaped with several superhumans and have been in hyper sleep for 200 years. Now the tyrant is bent on taing of the Enterprise and conquering the galaxy. This is another one of Trek best episodes of season 1. It is a classic that introduces one of Trek most notrious villians. Definetly a must see!

Bottom line Volume 12 should not be passed up. Both episode are great and the added extra of having Khan's debut is definelty a good reason to get this DVD! Highly recommended!

You are guaranteed two good episodes when you purchase this DVD. "A Taste of Armageddon" involves a fascinating concept where two rival planets fight their wars using computers. I won't give away how casualties are counted. You might question if Kirk and crew break the Prime Directive, but it won't be the first time. As for "Space Seed", do I really have to tell you why this is a great episode? Genetically engineered humans? How far are we from that now?

If you love Star Trek, you should buy this DVD, which has 2 great episodes of the original Star Trek! I got it just to get Khan's character debut, and if you plan to get 'Star Trek 2:The Wrath Of Khan', this DVD will be VERY IMPORTANT for you! The digital remastering is great, and I am glad that 2 episodes are on 1 disc! The action, suspense, great acting, and 60's Star Trek flavor are all great!

People who think they are too smart for their own good provide the common denominator for the pair of episodes here on Volume 12 of the Star Trek DVD Series. One of the fun things about science fiction is that you can take things to their logical albeit extreme conclusions. That is what the Enterprise encounters on Eminiar VII in "A Taste of Armageddon," a planet that has been at war for five centuries but which fails to show the usual signs of destruction. This is because they have been fighting the war with computers; after such an attack Anan 7, leader of the High Council announces that half a million people were "killed," and now have to report to disintegration chambers. Unfortunately the Enterprise, which was warned not to approach the planet, has also been destroyed and Kirk's crew needs to beam down for disintegration. Of course, Kirk takes exception to this request and decides to remind these people of the true face of war. As far fetched as this idea might be, you have to remember the idea of the Neutron Bomb, which would kill the people but leave the buildings, a weapon that was ironically considered by some to be more "humane" than your traditional nuclear device. Kirk's efforts to restore sanity are hampered by the presence of Federation Ambassador Fox, who wants to stick to the traditional diplomatic approaches despite the fact nobody on the planet is impressed at all by such delicacies. "A Taste of Armageddon" is another, albeit minor example, of Captain Kirk versus the Super Computer plotline that was so prominent in Star Trek's first season.

Probably no episode of Star Trek has gained in prominence more than "Space Seed," which was due, of course, to the release of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Ricardo Montalban turns in a powerful performance as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically bred superman from the late 20th century on Earth. The Enterprise discovers Khan and dozens of his followers in suspended animation when they find the Botany Bay adrift in space. The charismatic Khan seduces Marla McGivers (who may well be the only ship's historian ever seen on a starship) and with her help revives his crew, who immediately take over the Enterprise. You would think these people who be daunted by 200 years of scientific and technological advances, but Kirk lends a helping hand by giving Khan all the technical manuals he would need. Montalban's performance is what makes "Space Speed" a standout episode, proving that there is not much more impressive in the world than good diction and a neat accent. He might be having his biggest battles in this episode with Kirk, but the scene where Khan threatens McCoy provide one of Bones' finest moments. However, I have to think in the future the Enterprise will do without a ship's historian and just use the computer to find out about the past.

Right after Kirk beams over and Bones finds that Soon Noonian Khan's live capsule is shorting out please watch two people very carefully. Number one watch Captain Kirk as he tries his best to break open the capsule but only succeeds in knocking his phaser off his belt! Number 2 please then note good ol Dr. McCoy as he gently kicks the loose phaser under the capsule with his right boot and lef! Oh well so much for modern times eh?