The first episode filmed for the series, The Corbomite Maneuver was an influential series, both for what it did do and what it didn't.
A number of changes were made to the sets and a lot of new ones added, most importantly the sick bay sets. The costumes evolve once again and get to meet both Dr. McCoy and Lt. Uhura, while Sulu takes the helm. We get our first look at the red uniforms (though none of them die in this episode). While this being the first episode, there was probably a lot of money spent on it, it also established the cost-saving format of a "bottle show" -- i.e., one that takes place completely on the ship and uses a minimum of visual effects.
Running commentary:
* I've learned that the patterns of near-identical blue, white and pearl colors seen on the ship's exterior is called "aztecing" by modelers.
* The collars on the starfleet uniforms are still not standardized. The tunics and Uhura's skant all fit kind of loosely and look lumpy and unattractive, almost as though it's an entire crew wearing sweatshirts. Uhura is wearing the gold color here; it would be a few more episodes before she switched to her usual red.
* I like the spinning cube. It's simple and effectively weird enough to work. And they do a nice job matching the color of its faces as it spins the light spun around the bridge set. The music, however, that plays every time the cube appears gets a little hold.
* The familiar voice over is added as of this episode. Also, the credits are done in yellow and only mention Shatner and Nimoy. The episode title appears right after the credits, but in a regular font and not including the writer's name.
* The exam is McCoy's true introduction. His ignoring the alert to attend to Kirk is a good intro to his character. McCoy has a unique uniform "scrub" he wears when working.
* McCoy gives the first iteration of one of his classic lines, with "What am I, a doctor or a moon shuttle conductor?" followed by the little bit about "if I jumped every time a light when on around here ..." Obviously, his character was pretty well defined right from the start. But it is a question to ponder as to how anyone becomes a doctor in the 23rd century society of "Star Trek" and have so much resistance to technology.
* Bailey is a kind of 1960s archetype -- the regular guy who feels overwhelmed and/or dehumanized by modern society,
* If the actor who played Bailey were 10 years younger, he would have made for a great Rebel pilot in one of the Star Wars movies.
* First phaser blast! That' s a pretty good effect for 1966.
* Kirk and Spock's relationship was very well established in the short exchange. McCoy also interfaced with Kirk but not with Spock at first. McCoy is the only one who criticizes Kirk and bursts the bubble of authority that surrounds him.
* It's not clear at this point how long McCoy and Kirk have known each other. Obviously, they're already good friends — they're talking casually and drinking together — but how McCoy, who's obviously older, came to be friends with the younger Kirk isn't clear.
* Yeoman Janice Rand — she could have been a very interesting character, but the times seemed to relegate her to the status of a nursemaid for Kirk.
* The second craft the enterprise encounters is less convincing than the cube. It still works, but it can't help but look like a decorative glass lamp shade with smaller lights inside of it.
* The revelation of the Enterprise's unintentional incursion into First Federation space was probably pretty innovative in 1966. This kind of conflict and its resolution became a bit of a Trek cliche over the years.
* Again, a subtle hint that greater intelligence would spurn religion in Balok's condescending 10-minute deadline. Kirk, to his credit, tries to counter with reason.
* I'll always remember the alien image seen on the monitor (eventually revealed as the puppet) as the image that was used for the tricorder screen in the old "explorer" model kit that I had as a kid.
* Bailey here can't take it any more. Stress and the unknown are just too much for him. This is interesting because it kind of represents his lack of commitment to the Starfleet mission. Again, he represents a kind of old way of thinking, and since it's the 1960s he's the square dude over 30 you just can't trust. (Kirk, being a with-it dude, doesn't have this problem.)
* Spock's logical chess analogy comes up short, reinforcing the theme of logic and emotion as necessary elements of the human condition. The evocation of poker is the start of a long tradition of the game being referenced in the series, especially on The Next Generation, in which the characters not only discussed the game, but frequently were seen playing it too.
* Kirk's gamble really shows that he has gigantic, galactic-size balls of steel. Spock, of course, is not impressed.
* Spock makes a first reference to his mother as being from Earth.
* I just can't get over how characters actually apologize to each other on this show - and not only do they mean it, they accept those apologies without drama! This country's popular propensity for drama has definitely increased since this show ...
* The simple countdown is a great example of creating tension and conflict without a lot of splashy visual effects.
* Balok's obviously not what we thought. That he's now looking to imprison the crew of the Enterprise indicates that maybe he doesn't have the ability, will or authority to destroy the ship. This is only confirmed when the Enterprise breaks free, leaving Balok stranded. Though, of course, this gives Kirk a chance to show how generous he can be.
* Kirk's little speech about how putting action behind the big words they espouse is another 1960s element that would be a lot harder to accept today on an American TV show because of the way the country has squandered and abandoned its moral authority.
* Damn it, Balok is creepy! That kid with the bushy eyebrows and adult voice and strange meter is just plain creepy. It kind of exhausts the idea of mixing and matching gender/age/voice established in the Talosians of "The Cage."
* Balok's "testing" of the Enterprise with his distress signal became another Trek cliche. The feel-good finale in which everyone realizes we all really can get along is a bit sudden, but satisfying enough for an early episode.
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