Star Trek 1.18
Both Mr. b and I always forget that "Arena" takes like half the episode before you get to the Gorn. I love all the changes in tone. It's a silly, light-hearted romp in the opening teaser, with Bones being a joking scamp. Then it turns into a tense action piece with lots of explosions, a genuine red-shirt death, mystery, awesome stunt rolls by Shatner, and an unintentionally hilarious mortar that fires shiny blue crochet balls. Then it's another fight-to-prevent-all-out-war (there've been a lot on that theme the last few episodes), deep space car chase. Only after all that do you get to Kirk and the Gorn captain duking it out planet-side. I think they did an excellent job with the paper mache rocks this time. They totally didn't look like styrofoam and Shatner did a fabulous job selling the Sisyphus scene.
The Metron cracked me up for sure. He (she?) was such a Tolkien elf and I'm like 99% sure it was the same voice as Clint Howard's Balok. *checks imdb* Yep. The Keeper on Talos IV, too.
Now I'm even more excited for the Mythbuster's Gorn Cannon episode. When is that finally airing?
The Metron cracked me up for sure. He (she?) was such a Tolkien elf and I'm like 99% sure it was the same voice as Clint Howard's Balok. *checks imdb* Yep. The Keeper on Talos IV, too.
Now I'm even more excited for the Mythbuster's Gorn Cannon episode. When is that finally airing?