Star Trek Review: THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT

Director John Meredyth Lucas,' "THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT," is a clever, suspenseful Sci-Fi tale. Lucas also directed the classic "Trek" episodes: "The Ultimate Computer", and "Elaan of Troyius," as well as the TV movie, "City Beneath the Sea," (1971).

The basic premise of this episode, written by ace "Trek" scripter, D.C. Fontana, ("Journey to Babel"), is essentially a caper story. These kinds of stories were quite popular at the time, depicted every week on hit 60's series, like "It Takes a Thief" and "Mission: Impossible." So, it makes sense that Classic "Trek" would take on and succeed with a caper story, in the future, in space.
During the 60's, the sound stages for "Mission: Impossible" and "Star Trek," were next door to each other on the Paramount lot. Interestingly enough, Leonard "Spock" Nimoy went on to play the character of "Paris," for several seasons in the Seventies, on "Mission: Impossible".

Joanne Linville ("Gunsmoke", "The Invaders", "One Step Beyond") scores as a fierce yet sexy Romulan Commander. Her "smoochy" stuff with Spock, involving fingers only, is oddly erotic.

The weakest aspect of the episode is the Romulan Cloaking Device itself. Shaped basically like a jumbo lightbulb, (it even unscrews from its base!), it's a stupid-looking prop, that undermines, but fortunately, can't derail the basic seriousness of the episode's tone and execution.

The space FX in this episode are quite good. An FX, multiple matte shot, depicting the Enterprise surrounded by multiple Klingon battle cruisers looks great!

"THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT" should be rather watchable for most Sci-Fi fans. Spock fans may dig the Vulcan/Romulan hand jive sex.

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