 |
| TAS "The Lorelei Signal" |
"We must go." "Obstruct them!"
The Randomizer finally brings me to The Animated Series, a charmingly cheap-looking cartoon with an impressively full (though Chekov-less) lineup of original Trek actors... and not many other people. Watching the series, you will easily recognize the scores of secondary characters Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and Majel Barrett lend their vocal talents to.
The titular "Lorelei Signal", sent by bewitching alien "sirens", incapacitates the male members of the Enterprise crew, so it is up to the women to save the day. And specifically, for Uhura to take charge. The episode's greatest strength is as an overdue showcase for Uhura the competent command officer.
There's also a Trekkian resolution where the sirens are revealed to be misunderstood, and the crew helps them no longer need to feed off derelict starships. A win-win all around.
A constant baseline of silliness animates this episode, a part-campy, part-consequential SF runaround. There's a quaint and endearing quality to this series: the re-used character articulations, the jazzy music, the abundance of pink. Any future animated stops along the way will be a welcome pit stop.
A fluffy episode that nonetheless laudably spotlights Uhura and Chapel. 6/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment