Let’s continue our Star Trek (Not Stargate! I keep making that mistake!): The Original Series re-watch. Today, Cookie Monster and I discuss Charlie X…
Me: A very strong episode this one, reminiscent of The Twilight Zone’s equally creepy “It’s A Good Life”, based on the short story by Jerome Bixby. It stands the test of time and stands out as an incredibly suspenseful ride. Sure, there are a few unintentionally hilarious moments, and the ending is a bit of a letdown, but it’s a powerful, seminal episode.
Cookie Monster: If monster said it once, me said it a hundred times: Kids Be Creepy! And monster have very bad feeling about dis one when he start making funny faces behind Kirk’s back…
Me: Yeah, I was like WTF? The Captain of that other ship couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. It was like: “Here you go, Kirk. Enjoy your new passenger!” And then, as he’s preparing to get transported back to his ship: “Sucker.”
Cookie Monster: More disturbing den creepy kid be Spock rocking out on Vulcan lute while Uhura belt out tune. And everyone else in room pretend like dey enjoying demselves and not wanting to get back to private conversation.
Me: Yeah, she reminds me of an ex-girlfriend who used to do that – break into song at parties. “Food glorious fooooood! Hot sausage and mustard! While we’re in the mooood – !”
Cookie Monster: Shut de fuck up! Me trying to enjoy a cocktail weenie over here!
Me: Exactly.
Cookie Monster: But scene effektively convey first rumblings of trouble with Charlie (ie. Uhura losing her voice). Then, later it eskalate when sore loser Charlie melt chess pieces.
Me: Coincidentally, reminiscent of another ex-girlfriend. She didn’t go quite so far, but would quit a game anytime it looked like she was about to lose.
Cookie Monster: You dated some crazies.
Me: I’d rather not discuss my personal life.
Cookie Monster: Hey, monster not de one dat brought it up!
Me: Anyway, back to the episode. I feel obligated to point out that act breaks have come a long way in fifty years. We learn that the Antares has been destroyed. You’d think that would be the act break. Instead, it’s someone discovering real turkeys in the oven. Dum dum daaaaaa!
Cookie Monster: Me feel more effektive akt break would have been first shot of Kirk in his tight red tumbling pants. Dum dum daaaaaa!
Me: Yep, that was quite a sight.
Cookie Monster: Speaking of sight, what wit de weird lighting? Most of de scene take place in a brightly lit gym, den when we cut to close-ups, suddenly it be all dark and moody.
Me: Well, it certainly reflected the tone of the scene, especially after Charlie makes Sam disappear. Although I had to wonder why Kirk didn’t request Sam’s return. I mean, it couldn’t have hurt to ask, right?
Cookie Monster: Me tink he not want to antagonize Charlie further. Kid have short fuse, as demonstrated later when he make Spock stroke out on de bridge.
Me: And, later, removes that woman’s face. I remember being horrified by that scene when I was a kid. Upon further review, maybe not quite as scary. A lifetime of horror movies has inured me to faceless people.
Cookie Monster: Monster tink she look cute. Like muppet.
Me: Until you realize that, without a mouth and a nose, she wasn’t able to breathe and presumably suffocated to death.
Cookie Monster: But dat okay becuz, in de end, benevolent super aliens come to de reskue and undo everyting.
Me: Ah, don’t get me started. Yes, Kirk and co. have the problem solved for them. By episode’s end, everything is as it was before.
Cookie Monster: Even de chess pieces?
Me: Especially the chess pieces.
Cookie Monster: Lucky for de props department!
Me: Uh, yes. So, all in all, a pretty damn good episode. If it wasn’t for the Deus Ex Machina ending, I’d rate it in my top ten.
Cookie Monster: Monster like it too. But, like most shows, it lose points for singing component.
So, what did everyone else think of this episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
And, tomorrow, let’s reconvene to discuss: Where No Man Has Gone Before!
I thought the Spock/Uhura stuff was entirely made up by J.J. Abrams. Apparently, it wasn’t much of a stretch from the first two episodes of TOS.
William Shatner wasn’t a half-bad tumbler. He did those moves correctly.
They at least threw some risk-taking in before the Deus showed up. And Kirk’s risk-taking was directly responsible for allowing the Machina to break through Charlie’s blocking so I half-forgive the Deus Ex Machina.
I’ve got to get my butt in gear and start getting these shows watched, instead of working on plumbing and other stuff in the house!
The salt monster was always one of my favourite episodes actually, although I guess I didn’t really realize before how it aired right at the start of the series. It’s kind of a strange introduction to set the ground work for the series.
I agree that I found the faceless woman horrifying as a kid, and that sort of thing still freaks me out a bit – probably why I hate masks, or especially, clowns. Anything that distorts or covers the face.
You know, REGULAR Red Pants on guys are bad enough, but TIGHTS?!
EWWWW!! — Forget the “RED-SHIRTS”, all “RED-PANTS” guys MUST be CHUCKed!
BTW, Joe, when you were watching the Show as “a Kid”, IT was the “RE-RUNS”, wasn’t it? — Cause I remember watching the “ORIGINAL Airings” when *I* was a Kid! And, if I’m not mistaken you’re several years my junior..? So’s Cookie Monster, too…
*confused*
Joe, when did we date?
*wanders off humming show tunes*
Joe: A very strong episode this one, reminiscent of The Twilight Zone’s equally creepy “It’s A Good Life”, based on the short story by Jerome Bixby.
Me: Is that the one where Billy Mummy plays the kid from hell who banishes everyone into the corn field? I love/hated that episode!
Cookie Monster: If monster said it once, me said it a hundred times: Kids Be Creepy! And monster have very bad feeling about dis one when he start making funny faces behind Kirk’s back…
Me: When he did that with his eyes, I almost freaked out! That was scary but I was thinking, “do that again!”. I was 7 years old when Star Trek began. I would watch it every week with my older brothers. I love Star Trek! I do not remember it being in color. Did they colorize this? Or maybe we had a black and white TV.
Cookie Monster: More disturbing den creepy kid be Spock rocking out on Vulcan lute while Uhura belt out tune.
Me: But not as bad as when the kid made Spock talk jerky goofy … what was that he was saying… That was so weird it embarrassed me.
Cookie Monster: Me feel more effektive akt break would have been first shot of Kirk in his tight red tumbling pants.
Joe: Yep, that was quite a sight.
Me: Shut de f— up. Both of you! Captain Kirk is cuuuuute! He ain’t no Jason Momoa, but still cute.
Joe: And, later, removes that woman’s face. I remember being horrified by that scene when I was a kid.
Me: I thought it was cool!! Still do.
Joe: Ah, don’t get me started. Yes, Kirk and co. have the problem solved for them. By episode’s end, everything is as it was before.
Me: Oh sure Joe, like you guys never did that with Stargate?
🙂
G’day
@ whoviantrish – so sorry to hear about your friend, sending good thoughts and wishes to you and your mate and her family. Hope she fights and wins her battle against the monster.
I have a good friend who has been battling brain cancer (stage 4 when detected) for a few months. She is doing ok.
Sorry not watching STTOS. Sometimes I just cannot watch them. Don’t get me wrong, I truly love Star Trek, but some episodes I just, well, no. I love the movies much more.
LOL @ponytail. I can’t top that. 😀
For some reason this episode always bugged me…or, should I say, Charlie bugged me. I think it’s because when I watched this as a teen I always got Robert Walker, Jr. mixed up with his father (Robert Walker of Strangers on a Train fame, seeing as how father and son looked very much alike). I just couldn’t fathom how the actor got younger over the years, and that was always a distraction when I saw this episode.
Otherwise it was a good episode…I was just too hung up on that one little detail. Truth be told, I only recently (like, within the last 5 years) figured out that father and son were not the same person. 😛 I am a tad dense sometimes.
das
The only thing I was thinking while watching this episode was, “This story is so slow!” I guess I’m used to modern pacing of TV episodes because this one just seemed to drag. I was almost ready to stop watching when Uhura started signing. “Just get on with the story!!!!” I was nearly shouting at the TV.
I’m too young to have watched the show upon its first airing in Australia. And as far as I know there were no reruns for many years so my first exposure to the show was the theatrical movies. Apart from a few episodes I’ve managed to see over the years I’m mostly a TOS virgin. From the first two episodes we’ve just watched I can see it’s going to be hard going. I hope they improve!
@whoviantrish Horrified to realize I’d inadvertently written off your friend. I’m so sorry! My friend’s sister is battling brain cancer. She’s at home living life, cheerful and determined. There’s still hope for your friend. There’s always hope.
Man, I could use a good banger right now.
Hey, when do we get Star Trek, the Musical? Someone surely has pitched it by now.
You see this storyline on a smaller and less omnipotent scale all the time with today’s youth. I liked how they adapted it to an all-powerful race of beings. I would have thought these beings would have found a better way to raise their youth, to teach them humility and respect. Surely, this kid can’t have been the only bad apple of their tree?
The Spock and Uhura song …. Not my thing but she actress did have a good voice. I wonder if a show’s writers include a talent in order showcase an actor? A little coddling perhaps for the ego? Loved Cookie’s comments with yours!
How is the writing going? Any tidbits about the project you can share? Pictures of your family? Jelly ok? Did you try skyping? Jelly wouldn’t care if your head looks unnaturally large. She loves you no matter how you look!
Ponytail: 😆
Das: “White Fire” left me a little frustrated. When did Pendergast have a son? I’m reading “Still Life with Crows”. That’s a good one too!
I actually use Charlie X to illustrate the socialization process (or lack thereof) for my sociology classes. I don’t use the entire episode, just the first few scenes are enough to illustrate the inability to understand nuances of social interaction for someone who has grown up apparently alone from age three. Charlie has appropriate responses for a three-year-old, but not for a 17-year-old since that is when his socialization stopped.
I’m still creeped out by the faceless (or should I say Face-Impaired?), but as a kid this was like Saw to me, horror upon horror. I love the Spo’hura flirting, Nichelle is eternally gorgeous. Love when Kirk rassles, and it’s even better when he and Uhura have these melee with the evil universe guards in sickbay; Uhuru’s go-go karate style is adorable.
You don’t (pause) know (pause) how much (pause) I am enjoying (pause) you and Cookie’s review. (In Kirk-esque fashion).