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In "Errand of Mercy," war between the Klingons and the Federation is imminent, and it's up to Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to persuade the peaceful, agrarian planet Organia to sign on with the good guys before the Klingons overwhelm the place. Organia is in a strategically valuable position for whichever warring side claims it first, but the Organians don't seem to care. Kirk and First Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy) make an awfully good pitch for Federation protection, but Organian leaders reject the offer as a tacit invitation to violence, taking little heed of a Klingon invasion and earning the enmity of both Kirk and Klingon Commander Kor (John Colicos). Essentially a Cold War satire disguised as a Federation-Klingon showdown, "Errand of Mercy" is the brainchild of producer-writer Gene L. Coon, who makes a wonderfully convincing case for the absurdity of each side's claim to moral superiority. Highlights include the Butch-and-Sundance banter between Kirk and Spock as they form a two-man Resistance movement. The episode is directed by John Newland, best known as the host of the supernatural television series, One Step Beyond.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" begins with a medical accident that leaves Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) a paranoid madman. Leaping through a time portal to Earth's Great Depression of the 1930s, McCoy causes disastrous changes to history, forcing Kirk and Spock to follow him and undo whatever disruptive action he took centuries before. There, Kirk meets a kindly social worker, Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), with whom he falls in love before realizing her fate is the key to a restored future. A shattering drama, "City" brings out the best in the cast and production teams, looking like a feature film that found its way onto television. The background on this show is equally compelling and sometimes hysterically funny, beginning with a highly fanciful script by Harlan Ellison (including a scene with cast members riding a carousel that passes in and out the side of a mountain) that was either rewritten by series creator Gene Roddenberry or producer Gene L. Coon, depending on who's telling the story. Ironically, Ellison's original version won a Writer's Guild award while the revision captured a Hugo, but the real prize is the episode itself. --Tom Keogh

Description
"Errand of Mercy," Ep. 27 - Kirk and his crew come face-to-face with the Klingons, and both learn the meaning of war when beings from the planet Organia interfere. "The City on the Edge of Forever," Ep. 28 - Kirk and Spock go back in time to rescue McCoy. Arriving in 1930, Kirk falls in love with Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), only to learn that for time to return to normal she must die.

Errand of Mercy was Star Trek's first story dealing with the Klingons. The late John Colicos, best known as Baltar from Battlestar Galactica, was given a virtually free reign to create the look of his character. He saw Kor as a futuristic Ghenghis Khan, and that template prevailed until the redesigned Klingons appeared in the first Star Trek movie. Under Colicos' masterly performance, the Klingons are shown to be barbaric, militaristic, brutal, but not ENTIRELY evil. Kor recognizes the value of valor, and laments that duty requires him to kill Captain Kirk: "Always it is the brave ones who die. The soldiers." He is also perceptive enough to recognize that Klingons and Federation members are more alike than Kirk would care to admit. This is further demonstrated by the surprise ending, which hints at the events of Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country. The plot development at the end, involving the true nature of the Organians is an effective and original twist.

The City on the Edge of Forever is considered by many to be Star Trek's finest episode. The screenplay, based on a story by Harlan Ellison, is craftily writted and paced. It is also Star Trek's best time travel story. Starting as a chase through time for a deranged McCoy, the victim of an accidental drug overdose, the story takes an abrupt turn toward lighter fare when Kirk and Spock arrive in 1930 New York City. After Kirk meets Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) and recognizes a kindred soul, the story seems headed for a romantic conclusion. Kirk at last seems to have found true and pure love. Then, what the audience least expects it, Spock lowers the boom: Edith Keeler must die, or history will be altered and humanity will be subjected to another Dark Ages. The superb writing--most of the dialogue was by Gene Coon, one of Star Trek's unsung heroes--is backed up by top flight performances by Shatner, Nimoy, Collins, and the late DeForest Kelley. Is it a stretch to say that 50 years from now, Collins will be remembered for this role, rather than for Dynasty? The lighting for the 1930 portion of the story looks unusually subdued for a Star Trek episode, but perhaps the filmmakers were trying for a Depression-era look.

Paramount has done a very good job with sound and picture transfer. Images are sharper, colors more vibrant, and flesh tomes more realistic than before. There are two small mistakes on the box cover: Despite the disclaimer, the original music for City on the Edge of Forever (based on the pop tune "Good Night, Sweetheart") has been restored for the DVD. The VHS version featured much less effective music. Also, one photo on the back cover is from the second season episode, "Metamorphosis."

I envy those who are seeing these episodes for the first time.


Why only two episodes on each DVD?   August 21, 2000
 14 out of 19 found this review helpful

In Australia,where I live,I can go into a store and buy a Star Trek video with these episodes on and it has a third episode on it as well.The 3 episode videos of the series also have new filmed introductions by Star Trek actors such as James Doohan and George Takei.So why is it that the DVD versions have only two episodes and little else? Not good enough Paramount.


Why this was the Best Star Trek Episode   June 12, 2000
 14 out of 17 found this review helpful

The original Star Trek was far superior to the followups for many reasons and City on the Edge of Forever, the pinnacle of that series. Harlan Ellison's legendary feud over script revision with Gene Roddenberry is well known, and supposedly the original script is even better than the one used. Nevertheless I've not seen any other TV script that approaches the profundity of this. Kirk and Spock track Bones through a time/space portal to 1930 and meet Edith Keeler, a person who changed history after being saved by Bones. Kirk falls in love with her, but has to decide between love and the Allied WWII victory. This whole episode is thought provoking, the characters are believable, the fact that this was done in 1967 shines through in its creativity and emotional intensity. Such a contrast to the ridiculous follow-up series and films. All episodes of the original are worth seeing, but this is the best.


A Classic Episode and a Classic Villan on this DVD!   July 14, 2000
 11 out of 12 found this review helpful

In Errand of Mercy, We finally meet the Klingons. One of the longest and most influential trek villians (and then allies), it is wonderful to see their debut. Kirk and Spock have beemed down to Organia, a strategically important planet in the battle between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Kirk orders the Enterprsie too get the fleet, and it is up to the Captain and First Officer to prevent the Klingons from seizing Organia. The episdoe becomes an ultimate game of wits and risk. Who's manipulating whom? A must see!

In "The City on the Edge of Forever", Joan Collins guest stars as Edith Keeler, as 1930's social worker. Dr. McCoy, in a halucinatory and paranoid state, beams down to an orbiting planet, and jumps through the Guardian of Forever. He alters the timeline, and suddenly the Enterprise is gone. Kirk and Spock have to go after him to undo the pollution to the time line. In 1930's earth, Kirk falls in love with Edith. And he has to make the ultimate choice: The future of humanity or his love for Edith Keeler. An ultimately definning moment for Kirk, this episode is a trek favorite.

Just to see Edith and to see the Klingons alone is enough reason to buy this DVD. The quality of the sound is particularly wonderful - and the images are clean and sharp.

What a wonderful addition to the Trek DVD library!


The magically reappearing digit conspiracy revealed!   July 3, 2001
 11 out of 15 found this review helpful

Well, I'd have to admit that it'd be an understatement to say that this particular volume contains two of the series' most historic eppies. The first show, 'Errand of Mercy', introduced us to the original Klingons, who looked more like members of Genghis Khan's Mongol horde than the ridge-headed warriors of the movie & NextGen/ DS9/ Voyager fame. And of course there's the Organians, whose outward appearance & apparent level of technology belie their true power, which proves to be far greater than the combined might of the Star Fleet and Klingon Forces.

Then there's 'The City on the Edge of Forever', Trek Classic's most celebrated & controversial episode. It featured an early appearance by 'Dynasty' mistress Joan Collins, who played the tragic love interest of James Kirk. How... original!

Then there's the controversy: writer Harlan Ellison's fight for creative control of this particular Trek has become Hollywood legend, and still garners debates to this day. I've always enjoyed hearing & reading about this battle, especially Ellison's venomous statements about Gene Roddenberry. Even after nearly four decades, he's still got a beef about the whole affair!

But the main reason I watch the show nowadays is to look for flubs, continuity errors, & left-in bloopers. And 'City' has one doozy of a moment. After the cordrazine-maddened McCoy runs into the past, he meets and gives a quick medical once-over to a vagrant, then passes out. The bum takes advantage of McCoy's state, and swipes the doctor's phaser. Here's where the weird part comes into play: in the long shot where the vagrant is fiddling with the weapon's controls before vaporizing himself, you can see that the middle finger of his right hand is missing a knuckle. Then it cuts to a close-up showing his hands working the dials & buttons, and the knuckle miraculously reappears!

At least with James 'Scotty' Doohan, they made a (mostly successful) effort to cover up his slight lack of manual dexterity. But, I guess a different standard applies if you're only a one-episode bit player...

'Late