THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
STAR TREK, The Original TV Series

GUEST STARS...

Lee Bergere, Robert Herron, Barry Atwater

PLOT SUMMARY...

The Enterprise visits the planet Excalbia, where they meet Abraham Lincoln and Genghis Khan, among others in a strange battle.

QUICK SCAN...

This episode features an unusual conflict between Kirk and Spock and historical good guys versus bad guys from Federation history. Yarnek, the alien rock creature, looks rather silly. Lee Bergere ("One Step Beyond") is excellent as Abraham Lincoln. We get a wonderful opportunity to meet Surak, a great hero from Vulcan's past, played to perfection by Barry Atwater ("The Night Stalker").

SYNOPSIS...

The alien beings on Excalbia are curious about the meaning of the concepts of good and evil, which don't exist on their world. Kirk and Spock are grabbed off the Enterprise and placed on the planet, for the purpose of participating in a "morality play". An alien lava creature lets our heroes know they are going to engage in a battle for its entertainment.

Before long our heroes are joined by Abe Lincoln and Surak the Vulcan. They are forced to do battle with bad guys from the past, including Genghis Khan, the Klingon Kahless, and the evil Earthman Colonel Green.

Surak the Vulcan is killed when he attempts to make peace with the bad guys. Abe Lincoln is also killed. The lava man lets Kirk and Spock return to their ship.

The Review...

Director Herschel Daugherty's, THE SAVAGE CURTAIN, is an odd but entertaining Sci-Fi yarn. Daugherty's other directing credits include: "Operation-Annihilate".

The creature on Excalbia, responsible for the historical psychodrama, is some kind of living lava rock creature, (Janos Prohaska). It's very silly, and would have looked more at home on the more low brow, "Lost in Space" TV series.

The script, (Teleplay by Gene Roddenberry and Arthur Heinemann; Story by Roddenberry), is just an excuse to trot out Abe Lincoln, Genghis Kahn, and other historical figures. Lincoln and Surak, a beloved figure from Vulcan's past, come across the best.

Lee Bergere, ("Dynasty"), is quite good as Abraham Lincoln. Under Daugherty's adroit direction, Bergere's Honest Abe helps bring some down to Earth grit to a far out episode.

As Surak, Barry Atwater conveys intelligent and compassion. Atwater is best known as the vampire in the highly rated TV movie: "The Night Stalker"

Phillip Pine ("The Outer Limits", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea") as Colonel Green, a bad guy from Federation history, is believably bad. Pine, who rather resembles former President Richard Nixon, acts appropriately devious.

THE SAVAGE CURTAIN should be somewhat watchable for some Sci-Fi viewers. Abe Lincoln buffs may enjoy this episode.