The Lights of Zetar
- Episode aired Jan 31, 1969
- TV-PG
- 51m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
A mysterious, twinkling mass of sapient energy ravages an important archive and Scotty's new girlfriend may be linked to it.A mysterious, twinkling mass of sapient energy ravages an important archive and Scotty's new girlfriend may be linked to it.A mysterious, twinkling mass of sapient energy ravages an important archive and Scotty's new girlfriend may be linked to it.
Barbara Babcock
- Zetar
- (voice)
Bill Blackburn
- Lieutenant Hadley
- (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci
- Crewman
- (uncredited)
Roger Holloway
- Lt. Lemli
- (uncredited)
Jeannie Malone
- Yeoman
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaShari Lewis decided to write the romantic angle centering on Scotty as a way to deviate from the formula of Kirk always getting the romantic interests. This is the third show where Scotty actively pursues a specific woman. In season two, he wooed Kara in "Wolf in the Fold", and Carolyn Palamas in "Who Mourns for Adonais?".
- GoofsAt 48:00 (for 10 seconds) Kirk, McCoy and Spock are speaking. Through the doorway behind McCoy, you can see a discarded newspaper lying on the floor that one of the (TV) crew members apparently left on the set. It is still there at 48:58 for another 25 seconds or so.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Capt. Kirk: Well, this is an Enterprise first - Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock and Engineer Scott find themselves in complete agreement. Can I stand the strain?
[chuckles]
- Alternate versionsSpecial Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
- ConnectionsFeatured in Nostalgia Critic: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2012)
Featured review
A mixed bag of an episode with slightly more good than bad
Enterprise travels to Memory Alpha and encounters a mysterious cluster of lights.
This is an okay episode with a decent concept and some fairly good character moments but unfortunately the story moves too slowly.
I like the idea of what the lights of Zetar actually are and something similar is used to far better affect in the classic TNG episode 'The Inner Light'. However, in this episode the plot unfolds in a frustrating way. It takes such a long a time to get the reveal I find myself tempted to skip through scenes.
Jan Shutan gives a decent performance that makes the best of the role, but it does not help that Mira Romaine is a one off character in whom I have no investment. To compound matters Scotty is written quite annoyingly in his scenes with her. It makes me not want Mira to pull through just to get him back to normal as opposed to acting so possessive, distracted and patronising. This, for me, did not work in 'Who Mourns For Adonis' and it does not work here. It appears particularly bad on a modern viewing as Mira is treated like a child in so many scenes.
On the positive side Kirk, Spock and Bones are great as ever, particularly towards the end of the episode where the banter between them is as good as any episode.
There are plenty of decent visuals that work well, such as the lights and the use of close-up shots of Shutan's eye. I also think the images and effects of the female victim who the landing party encounters on Memory Alpha is very creepy.
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and James Doohan all give solid performances, particularly Doohan.
For me it's a 5.5/10, but I round upwards.
This is an okay episode with a decent concept and some fairly good character moments but unfortunately the story moves too slowly.
I like the idea of what the lights of Zetar actually are and something similar is used to far better affect in the classic TNG episode 'The Inner Light'. However, in this episode the plot unfolds in a frustrating way. It takes such a long a time to get the reveal I find myself tempted to skip through scenes.
Jan Shutan gives a decent performance that makes the best of the role, but it does not help that Mira Romaine is a one off character in whom I have no investment. To compound matters Scotty is written quite annoyingly in his scenes with her. It makes me not want Mira to pull through just to get him back to normal as opposed to acting so possessive, distracted and patronising. This, for me, did not work in 'Who Mourns For Adonis' and it does not work here. It appears particularly bad on a modern viewing as Mira is treated like a child in so many scenes.
On the positive side Kirk, Spock and Bones are great as ever, particularly towards the end of the episode where the banter between them is as good as any episode.
There are plenty of decent visuals that work well, such as the lights and the use of close-up shots of Shutan's eye. I also think the images and effects of the female victim who the landing party encounters on Memory Alpha is very creepy.
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and James Doohan all give solid performances, particularly Doohan.
For me it's a 5.5/10, but I round upwards.
helpful•32
- snoozejonc
- Nov 13, 2021
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