User Reviews

Probably one of the prime examples of following a suspenseful, dramatic episode (in this case, the superb Balance of Terror) with a lighter affair, Shore Leave is the first true attempt on behalf of the Star Trek writers to produce a more entertaining piece of sci-fi, and while the formula isn't quite right yet in this entry (the true triumph is Trouble with Tribbles, in Season 2), the laughs come pretty fast as long as the viewer is willing to allow for all the silliness.

Diverting from the show's tradition, the Enterprise isn't on any proper mission in this episode. Instead, Kirk has found a perfect planet for his crew to spend some time off duty: a well deserved break after three months of incessant work. The Earth-like planet (a budget-related fact) is very appealing, but it only takes a few minutes before something weird happens: Dr. McCoy starts having visions of a white rabbit that seems to come straight out of Lewis Carroll's work. Soon, other people begin experiencing similar things: a woman meets a Don Juan-like character, Sulu has a run-in with a samurai, and Kirk faces a double encounter with the past, in the shape of almost love and the guy who used to pick on him at the Academy. Throw in a freakishly real-looking tiger, and it's easy to see why Kirk and Spock are determined to figure out what's going on before anybody gets hurt.

The idea is a classic one: idyllic place turns out to be far from heavenly. The episode's humorous take on the topic is rather successful, weren't it for a dark turn of events that doesn't sit well with the rest (of course, everything works out fine again come the end) and the cast's general unwillingness to show a funnier side of themselves (most notably, and ironically, the otherwise hilarious William Shatner). And yet Shore Leave deserves recognition for being another good example of the writers trying new, previously unseen things: the definition of Star Trek's success.

7,5/10

Bogmeister and others have pretty much nailed this. Shore Leave is really TOS' first attempt at lightweight sci-fi (which they would later perfect with the classic Trouble with Tribbles). It gave both the crew of the Enterprise and its TV viewers a needed respite from the universe threatening consequences of, for example, The Corbomite Manouever.

Looking for a place to chill out for a while, the Enterprise happens across a seemingly idyllic M Class planet, and sends an exploratory team down to take a closer look. Soon enough all kinds of absurdities begin to take place - some seemingly perilous - but it all seems a morass of human emotional extremities played out in a weird blend of fantastic mystery (McCoy has gone through the looking glass), psychological thriller (Kirk is stalked by an indefatigable bully from his past), and romantic comedy (no comment).

TOS was the least serialized of all of the series in the Trek franchise, so it is easy to forget how many episodes in the first season focused on heavy-handed, potentially calamitous drama. Unlike later series franchise writers, TOS' production team was not afraid to literally go where no TV series had gone before. And Shore Leave, despite its occasional problems, is an example. My only criticism of this episode is that the cast (particularly Shatner - ironic given his legendary sense of humor) didn't seem to know how to handle this new wrinkle on ST's themes. The last scene is possibly one of the worst scenes I can remember from the entire TOS run - both compositionally and in terms of acting.

'nuff said. My recommendation - see it while watching the entire first season as it was meant to be seen - it order.

This one's a romp; many Trek fans don't rate this as high as the well-known all-time classic episodes because it lacks the deep meaning or undertone of those really great ones, but this one is so well executed for what it is, so successful as pure entertainment, it always makes my personal list of the top half dozen episodes, no matter what mood I'm in. Several well known future movies ("Westworld") and TV shows (the more bland "Fantasy Island") took their cue from the premise of this episode (then, of course, the TNG show revamped the concept with the holodeck technology). Beautifully filmed (especially evident in the restored version and on DVD) and directed, it takes place in the nice park-like setting of a planet which the Enterprise has just arrived to. It's odd that no animal life, even insects, seems to exist here (how are flowers pollinated, for example), but things turn really odd when members of the landing party start seeing people from their past (Kirk has a people-heavy past, it turns out), as well as figures from other well-known fantasy stories. Sulu even finds an old-style police revolver (adding to his collection of swords, no doubt).

By this point in the Trek series (halfway thru the first season), the main characters had pretty much solidified into the old friends we'd come to know over the many proceeding years. Here, we get to really see them relax, converse and work together to figure out this episode's puzzle: the strong narrative is a mystery again, of sorts, and the audience is along for the ride as Kirk & friends seek to unravel a very bizarre series of events which have a decidedly amusing flavor to them. It's almost whimsical, following up on the carefree style established up on the starship as Kirk was finally maneuvered into beaming down after showing definite signs of stress and fatigue (the Enterprise had, it's suggested, just completed a harrowing mission). Then Dr. McCoy is killed by a knight on horseback; yes, this is Dr. McCoy's final episode...just kidding. But, it's no joke to the rest of the landing party at this point in the story. McCoy really is dead for all intents and purposes and, like the best Trek episodes, the 2nd half of this adventure escalates to a more frantic, more desperate tempo of action and suspense. This is all signaled by Kirk's resolute response to Sulu, who voices his lack of understanding about any of these events just after McCoy's death - Kirk will get to the bottom of all this, come what may.

But, it doesn't get much easier for Kirk: what follows is probably the longest staged mano-a-mano fight for the series as Kirk tussles with his nemesis from his academy days, a struggle that seems to take place over half the planet. Yet, this is counterbalanced by scenes of extraordinary tenderness, with another of Kirk's past acquaintances. This episode runs the gamut of all human experience, rather fitting in light of what we learn about the actual purpose of this weird planet. It's gratifying that the script really does explain all of what's happened, as opposed to some nonsensical approach which permeates many other fantasy & sci-fi series with similar plot lines (unexplained appearances by persons who could not possibly be there). And there actually is a subtext to the story - that we humans need to 'work' off our tensions and fatigue in a particular fashion, or we just don't function in a 'normal' natural way. Also, note the appearance of the very cute Yeoman Barrows and the sudden absence of Yeoman Rand, who did not return until the first Trek movie in '79. I believe that after this episode, even more Trek fans couldn't wait for the next appearance of all their favorite characters. But I leave this episode with a final, perhaps tantalizing thought: if McCoy was killed (verified by Spock), how do we know it was our real McCoy who beamed back up to the ship? Perhaps this explains why this McCoy was still inspecting starships about a century later and getting along very well with Data.

Enterprise takes a bit of rest and recuperation on a seemingly quiet planet.

This is an enjoyable episode with some nice character moments and light hearted psychological fun.

It has a fairly simple plot that isn't particularly compelling but gives some decent character insight and feels about as serialised as the original series gets to have this setting immediately after 'Balance of Terror'.

The mysterious planet offers a number of situations to get to know Kirk, Bones, Sulu and a few guest characters. Even Spock's lack of interest in recreational time is quite revealing. How interesting is it? Not massively over the duration of the episode, but there are some nice psychological themes regarding human needs and desires.

Taken as a bit of fun time with some of the franchise's most famous characters and it's a good episode, but it really depends on what you are looking for.

It's technically well made as the obvious budgetary constraints are worked around by the setting and the writing of how things technically work on the planet.

All performances as are great, particularly DeForest Kelley who is thoroughly charming as more relaxed McCoy than we usually see.

To easily sum it up, this is a very swiss-cheesy episode. The cheesy part is easy to see, with what the limited number of manufactured units show themselves to be... dangerous-- the samurai, the bomber plane, the tiger, the knight; antagonistic-- Don Juan, Finnegan, the revolver; earth-reality-- the birds; child's fantasy-- the white rabbit and Alice, and the damsel outfit; and sexual pleasure-- Ruth and the fan-girls.

Interesting. But the holes in the swiss cheese begin with trying to sort out how the particular thoughts are selected to be 'manufactured.' The first products, the rabbit and Alice, must come from Dr. McCoy's saying the place makes him think of something from Alice in Wonderland. But before then, he and Sulu were talking about there being no animal life on the planet. Why didn't all kinds of animals suddenly come out of the bushes? Perhaps the thoughts were not specific enough?

Obviously, whether they were thinking about something real or something fictional did not matter. But if it were a question of specific overriding thoughts at the time, one would think a counterfeit Enterprise would show up. And as their communications were jammed, they were thinking strongly about renewing contact. Wonder why that 'wish' wasn't granted-- well, for a while. And before Spock beamed down, he would have been Kirk's thought, as least as much as Finnegan or Ruth; yet a manufactured Spock didn't appear. Perhaps the manifestation had to be something completely unavailable in reality to avoid making that planet a universal crime source?

But maybe the biggest hole is in knowing the personality and operations of the manifestations. From viewer's perspective, the parts are 'all there.' Else, Kirk might have been in for some big surprise when he got 'Ruth' all alone. I suppose we can acquiesce that his thoughts of the female body were quite accurate, but to what extent was 'she' a living being who would have been better than the real thing? Better in that there was no disagreement to win, nothing contrary to what he wanted her to be... but if he kept her long enough, could she have actually have gotten pregnant with a human child? I assume not, as we learn from their analyzing the knight that his tissue was the same as the plant life there. But if a woman's fantasy there was to be impregnated by Mark Antony or Elvis Presley, could she have been? On that I also assume not, as the caretaker declared, "None of this is permanent..."

Well, as I title this, "Just for fun." You can't think too much about it. Like an earth amusement park (as Spock mentioned), you can retain the experiences in your memory, but you can't take home the monsters from the fright house.

It's a known fact in human life when were all come to a stressful state of mind, we all need to take a breather, to load up on energon otherwise we won't be able to continue functioning well, get whatever needs to be done or even do what we want to do.

This episode is another honorable mention, this one is a bit of a light one though at the same time a bit of a fantasy suspense thriller which is part of what makes the episode unique for once getting a toe into the fantasy genere. I really like how we're all on the same boat as everyone else, as there are a bunch of things just appearing out of nowhere, I remember when McCoy was seeing the White Rabbit and Alice, I thought "What the Hell?" That of course is Kirk and the crews first step down the rabbit hole.

Just a lot of crazy things are happening like we this young couple Angela and the guy in the blue uniform forgot his name. We see a couple of World War 2 planes appear and shoot at them; though the weardest thing about it how they just apeared and reacted once the blue guy thought and said it.

Same with Kirk when he recalls someone at the Acadamy whom beat him in a fist fight, that guy appears. This is the highlight of the episode as it results in probably one of the best one on one fights in "Star Trek" in my book it's also one of the longest up there with the street fight in the film "They Live". I really like that this fist fight is fun and funny because both guys in the tussle look like their having fun. You just see the guy constantly goating Kirk and seeing that firery look on Kirk's face I thought "Ah, man your just asking for it."

You might be able to figure it out a little earlier before the end what's going on but it didn't deter anything where just like in any recreation time actually gave me a good feeling.

Rating: 3 and a half stars.

In the Omicron Delta space system, there's a planet that's a bit of a gem, conjures up your desires, all of your best aspires, beware chaos, conflict and mayhem.

An uninhabited planet delivers more than rest and recuperation, especially for those with more vivid imaginations.

This is a fun and beautifully shot episode. The scenery is real and one feels like they are really outdoors. For the first time we learn more about the personalites of the crew. We learn about Kirk's old love interests Sulu's weapons hobby and other interesting background. The story is interesting and keeps you glued until the end. The ending is a surprise.

Season 1, episode 15. The members of the Enterprise has been very busy for about 3 months and are really wanting some rest. They spot an uninhabited planet in the Omicron Delta region - no life at all on it not even a worm - and decided to take Shore Leave there. McCoy, Sulu and a three others were the first to beam down to the planet's surface while Kirk & Spock decided to stay aboard ship. Not long after the group beamed down, McCoy mentions that the planet looks something out of Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Sulu smiles and goes go check out the flora closely. The next thing McCoy sees is a large white rabbit passing my followed by a little blonde headed girl - of course he calls up to Kirk and Kirk only believes that it's McCoy's way of getting him down there with them but Spock ends up sorta tricking Kirk into beaming down with the others. As soon as Kirk arrives he's told more about the white rabbit and finds that others have had strange things to happen too. Kirk contacts the ship and says that the others should not beam down until the group on the planet investigates what's going on - why the rabbit, tiger, old nemesis and other odd things are happening on an uninhabited planet.

It's a playful, fun episode. It's not a good episode to introduce someone who is new to Star Trek... but great once you know what the original series is all about.

7/10