This one has just never worked for me.
I blame the script first. The whole concept forces every character into idiot plotting. The princess somehow doesn't know what she's getting into it. The leaders of the planets sent her into this knowing what a b-word she is. Starfleet is r-slurred enough to get involved.
Second the princess needs to deliver a really commanding performance here and it doesn't work for me. France Nuyen was a pretty accomplished actress. I think she did all right with what she was given. But that was a bad script, bad costume (very rare in TOS), terrible wig. Her motives flip around wildly.
Typical 3rd season TOS. Just going through the motions without really having any interesting ideas.
!trekkies if anyone sees some hidden virtue in the episode then change my view.
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There is one positive aspect to that episode. Despite the producers describing Kirk and Elaan's relationship as a "love story", the way Shatner acted the scenes after being influenced by her tears makes it clear that he, at least, realized the whole thing was essentially an attempted r*pe. Kirk comes off as more than a little disgusted by his own attraction to her, something he never displays during any of his other "relationships".
The episode is pretty bad, though. It's one of the few instances where the TNG "remake" (The Perfect Mate) is better.
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It really is time for a MeToo movement after he's been forced to save the ship this way about 10 times.
Was reminded this. And a conversation I once had with Groomercordnaut NMJ about that episode that fully opened my eyes to it.
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