Star Trek: TOS 2.1 - Catspaw

Review 29 - Episode 30

The One with the giant cat

(Since we're now into Season 2 and the cast and costumes are now established, there's no real reason to keep reviewing the episodes in production order. However, since I've started this way, I might as well continue, so this season and the next will be production order still.)

Wow. this one blew me away. With us being into Season 2, the home of the Mirror Universe and Chekov coming into the cast, I was expecting great things from these episodes. Let us hope that this 1st one I've reviewed of this Season is not a benchmark as it is without doubt one the worst hours of Trek ever produced. And I've seen some bad Voyagers.

I don't know where to start? Sulu and Scotty are on the planet and don't respond to hails. The bold trio of Kirk, Spock and Bones (who now gets his credit in the title) beam down and encounter a strange castle with witches, dungeons and black cats. Sulu and Scotty are "zombiefied" in this episode, so mainly walk very slowly around and keep a blank face. On the enterprise, Chekov is introduced with one of the strangest hair cuts ever - it's makes his head look the size of a pumpkin. There's also a new Red shirt in charge, DeSalle, who gives Chekhov a hard time, then seems to warm to him. I don't know if he's ever seen again, probably not, but seems a waste of a good part for Sulu or Scotty.

The trio on the ground are imprisoned and encounter 2 aliens with "God like powers" who can change reality, etc. Yep, this old fan favourite is back. There's lots of walking slowly in fog, following a black cat who turns into Sylvia, who is meant to be stunningly attractive, but has one of the largest barnets I have ever seen. It would give Marge Simpson a run for her money. She is of course instantly in love with Kirk and the way he seduces her is squirmy, sleazy and cringe worthy stuff. She then turns into a GIANT CAT and starts chasing them around. At the end, they are revealed to be TWO TINY PUPPETS whose strings you can clearly see and dissolve into smoke.

I mean, Squire of Gothos was bad, Mudds women was bad, but this makes them out to be masterpieces. Fucking horrendous. Never ever watch this.

0/5

Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 85/145