Star Trek The Original Series Discussion Thread 2--Charlie X

[pepperlandgirl]

Aired September 15, 1966, it was actually the eighth episode filmed. The Enterprise is transporting a young man, known simply as Charlie X, in what should be a routine mission. The episode features a few of my favorite lines from the series, though, including "There's no right way to hit a woman!" I think this episode actually makes an interesting companion piece to episode 8, Miri. In Miri, if you remember, the girl is actually several hundreds years old, but her body is just on the verge of puberty. As a result, she's interested in Kirk because, well, she's about to be a woman. Charlie also gravitates to Kirk, viewing him as the dominant alpha male, but ultimately, resisting that (as people do when they get older).

I have to admit, I love the scene with Uhura and Spock. It seems a little weird, but it still works for me. Also, let's not forget the star of the show--Captain Kirk's work-out pants!

[Annie]

Is this the first episode where Basket-Weave Rand has to fend off some horny letch? When do we get to "The Enemy Within"?

[pepperlandgirl]

Yes, she has to fend off Charlie. The Enemy Within is episode 5, so we'll get to it after Where No Man Has Gone Before and The Naked Time.

[dread pirate jimbo]

Pepper, not to be too picky, but the only time Charlie is referred to as "Charlie X" is in the episode title; in the episode itself we are introduced to him as "Charles Evans" and Kirk refers to him as "Mr. Evans" on more than on occassion. OK, that's totally nitpicking -- so sue me.

This is yet another episode where we see Spock and Uhura geting all chummy -- looking at this episode and "The Man Trap," I can see where the makers of the new movie got the notion of a romance between these two characters.

We get another common theme presented to us once again in this episode -- Kirk with his shirt off. Sweet! Also, this is the first time the viewers get to see 3D chess, although the rules and strategy don't seem to make any sense from the bit we see.

I like how the crew of the Antares are wearing old-style uniforms (likely a couple spares from one of the two pilots), which we can retcon into imagining means they have only just recently changed the Starfleet uniforms and not all ships in the fleet have switched over to the new standard. I wish we had seen a shot of the Antares, but I suppose there was no budget available for whipping up another starship for a single shot. Too bad... (we do get a pic of the Antares in the remastered version)

Charlie is the first real superbeing we are introduced to in the series and his combination of innocence and malevolence are quite intriguing to me. He's the first of many complex, dynamic bad guys the series presents.

Good episode!

P.S. Last year a fan-fic style web movie was made on a shoestring budget, featuring a bunch of old cast members, written and directed by former Star Trek alumni as well, and also featuring a reference to this episode. Pretty entertaining stuff, actually! Check it out!

[eleanorigby]

I am afraid I must comment using memory alone because our cat died this evening. I am online now, but have no time to watch the show. My apologies. (for the cat and the not getting to watch the show--not that they're equal, anyhoo, onwards).


I have always found this episode intriguing because of what I think it says about the evolving social mores of the 1960s. Stop laughing--it's true!
Charlie is a young man, but the show is not quite comfortable with portraying teens as yet--he's more "bobby-soxer" than hippie (hell, he's not even a Teddy Boy)*. I am not quite sure just what Charlie represents: pure Id? Spoiled Brat? Or the product of poor nurturing? The nature vs nurture debate was raging in the 1960s (it does have a habit of reappearing every so often) as our culture became more permissive and open (or was it becoming more chaotic and immoral?). The show seems to me to be both a homily on how to control your hormones and "primitive" urges and a mirror showing the crew what principles they hold dear--that perhaps they had not consciously considered.

I'd love to quote lines and scenes, but I can't because I couldn't watch. I will try to watch tomorrow and chime in again.

Thoughts? Or am I reading waaaaaayyyy too much into this?

BTW, I always found the ending to be cruel. I know that Charlie can't seem to help himself, but to make him outcast and to live (essentially) in solitary confinement for his entire life--cruel upon cruel. I doubt Charlie lived long.

*compare this to the (excruciatingly embarrassing) episode that features The Hippes and the band that "jams" with Spock. Sure, it's more than cringe worthy, but those characters get a different treatment by the writers than Charlie.