Star Trek Review: THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

Director Gerd Oswald's, "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR," is a fascinating Sci-Fi fable. Oswald also directed the classic "Trek" episode, "The Conscience of the King" and numerous other television series, including "Bonanza" and "The Outer Limits".

Robert Brown ("Here Come the Brides", "Primus") is compelling as both the "good" and the "bad" Lazaruses. Interestingly, Brown was cast shortly prior to the filming, to replace John Drew Barrymore who was unavailable. Lazarus is also the name of the New Testament man whom Jesus brought back from the dead.

Scenes on the alternative universe planet were obviously shot on a set, as opposed to the REAL location shots for the regular planet scenes. Oddly enough, the "unreal" quality of the set scenes helps sell the difference between the two universes.

The compact, flying saucer-type spaceship, that the Lazaruses have landed on the planet, is a great prop. It has an air of familiarity about it, like a symbolic object, vaguely recalled from a dream.

This episode contains one of Classic Trek's more memorable lines. At the end of the show, the universe(s) have been saved, with the matter and anti-matter Lazaruses locked battling, in a limbo cube between the universes, for eternity. Back on the Enterprise's bridge, a character comments on the positive resolution of the universe threatening crisis. Shatner's Kirk soulfully asks, "But what of Lazarus, what of Lazarus?"

"THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR" should be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Parallel universe fans may dig this episode.

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