Court Martial

There's a difference in accounts and the ship's log, digital does not confer with analogue, the captain must explain, the evidence is plain, just a heartbeat from metaphorical flog.

A man has lost his life at the hands of the captain but his recollection of events does not align with those recorded by the ship's computer and a court martial is convened to ascertain the truth.

"Court Martial" (Feb. 2, 1967) Old TV Guide synopsis: 'A computer offers damaging evidence against Kirk, who has been brought to trial for criminal negligence.' An episode that seems to divide fans, I always enjoyed this courtroom drama where a Federation starship captain is tried for negligence and willful perjury, brought by Percy Rodrigues as Commodore Stone (Malachi Throne played a similar character in "The Menagerie"). It's nice to see longtime Hollywood veteran Elisha Cook as the bibliophilic attorney Samuel T. Cogley, pitted against the glamorous Joan Marshall as Areel Shaw, among Kirk's numerous loves scattered across the universe. Richard Webb had starred in his own syndicated series, BORDER PATROL, and would be typecast thereafter as lawmen for the most part (1972's "Beware! The Blob"). McCoy gets the best line as he berates Spock's seeming disinterest in his captain's fate while playing chess aboard the Enterprise: "you're the most cold blooded man I've ever known" "why, thank you doctor!"

The legal drama TV show format, so popular in the 60s (The Defenders, Perry Mason etc.), gets a sci-fi makeover with Court Martial, which sees Kirk charged with culpable negligence after the death of his old friend Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Finney (Richard Webb). The Enterprise's computer shows that Kirk jettisoned Finney's research pod during an ion storm while still only on yellow alert, whereas Kirk insists that he strictly adhered to Starfleet regulations and waited until red alert was sounded before pushing the button.

A courtroom drama, albeit one in space, could have been a real snooze-fest, but Court Martial is far from it thanks to an intriguing script that further explores the popular Trek theme of man vs. Machine, an excellent performance from William Shatner, terrific support from Elisha Cook Jr. As defense lawyer Cogley, and a fun final act that once again sees Kirk in a fist fight, his shirt reduced to rags. There's also romantic interest for Kirk in the form of sexy prosecution attorney Areel Shaw (Joan Marshall), an old flame of the captain's (obviously!). All in all, a well-rounded episode.

"Star Trek" and legal drama don't exactly go hand-in-hand, which is why I was apprehensive about 'Court Martial'. But it's solid, thanks to the performances and the show's star. In a prosecution of James T Kirk, Shatner doesn't have to do a lot of puffing up; Kirk's just that kind of stalwart character, especially when he's got Spick and McCoy testifying to his righteousness.

There's an ending twist that's sort of iffy, but it does culminate in a "battle-damaged" (torn shirt) captain engaging in an engine room brawl. That's classic Original Series right there. The only thing missing from the Captain Kirk checklist was an alien girl dalliance.

7/10

What should have been one of the worst first season episodes is salvaged by solid performances by William Shatner and guest stars Percy Rodriguez and Elisha Cook Jr, good editing and directing. Cook is especially charming as the defense attorney representing Kirk in a court martial concerning the death of a Lieutenant Commander who shares a rocky history with our captain, and Shatner's acting is spot-on for this difficult episode. Daniels' directing is also fairly good, but hampered by the limitations of the plot.

The initial premise is promising. Kirk is charged with negligence in the death of a Lt Comm Finney, whose career has been overshadowed consistently by Kirk's. Kirk repeatedly claims that he jettisoned Finney's pod after declaring a red alert and telling Finney to get to safety, but the ship's video record and computer logs tell a very different story. (Incidentally, one of the most ridiculous use of props I have ever seen in ST occurs in the crucial courtroom scene involving the video logs - take a close look at the control panel Kirk uses to jettison the pod. How many pods does the Enterprise jettison in a given day, and why does the Captain do this himself from a control panel on his arm rest???).

Unfortunately, just as the full story is revealed, the episode devolves into a poorly considered, rather cliché conclusion - which I will not discuss in order to avoid a spoiler.