[TOS] The Return of the Archons

[TOS] Season 1, Episode 21 (Netflix: S1 E22): The Return of the Archons

Rating: 2
The idea behind this episode is something along the lines of “peace at the expense of free will isn’t worth it,” but this story could have been told in a better way. One of the downsides to how these people live is that for a twelve hour period everyone goes crazy. But it’s never revealed why this happens. It really doesn’t make any sense. A lot of this episode is just unnecessarily confusing. Having said that, the plot moves along at a pleasant clip, so it’s never dull.
Read more at Memory Alpha
Notes:

I get that Sulu has to stand still in order to be beamed up, but it makes for a perplexing moment. He just stands there as a man slowly walks towards him with a stick.

That stick made Sulu all goofy

Luckily this place and all its people are very earth-like in appearance.

At six o’clock everyone goes crazy!

They have the cliche of the angry-old-man that’s grumpy when those darn kids (Kirk and crew) aren’t rioting in the streets like when he was young.

The Original Series can sometimes be simultaneously creepy and silly.

They have a lighting tablet!         What’s that?

“Landru”, “of the body”, “absorption chambers”, “red hour”, “the festival”, “Archons”…After 20 minutes, no one has said anything that makes any sense.

Scotty is in command!

“You will be absorbed. Your individuality will merge into the unity of good.” -Landru                                                                                           …Borg?

Spock tries a mind meld. It doesn’t work.

File under: Mind Meld

It’s the third man!

Yeah, they’re talking about you, Bones

Spock mentions the Prime Directive!

Landru was played by Andrew Jackson

Landru is really a computer controlling everyone! Seriously, this is what computers will look like in the future. Just you wait and see.

Kirk talks the computer to death.                                                          “help me help me help me help” -computer                                               I guess it’s a little more dramatic than having Kirk just shoot the computer                               …Nah, he should’ve just shot it

File under: Talk a computer to death

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