The Tholian Web

The Tholians Are Easily Startled But They’ll Soon Be Back, And In Greater Numbers.

 

24)  “The Tholian Web”  Original Airdate: (11/15/68)  Remaster Airdate: (03/31/07)

 

Evaluation:

The original version of this episode won the 1969 Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in visual effects, so why update the effects at all?  Well for one thing, an unaltered “Tholian” would stick out like a sore thumb amid the rest of the RM series, plus many of its once cutting edge visual effects look dated compared to modern CGI.  While some of the new effects, specifically the new Tholian vessel, still look substandard when measured against contemporary movie effects (or even high end TV effects), they’re still a substantial leap forward from the visuals in the original show.  When considering the difficulty level involved with replacing this episode’s dated special effects, on budget and on time, some of RM missteps here can be overlooked.  The RM show features several new shots of the Defiant, many of which are framed at different angles and all of which are sheathed in a greenish glow.  Though many of the vantages (chiefly a persistent ventral perspective) aren’t particularly flattering, the shimmering energy field is nicely done and is an appropriate enhancement to the original FX.  The effects of McCoy’s hand passing through the fallen crewman and medical table were groundbreaking during the 60s and stand up well, so kudos to the RM team for leaving these shots alone.  The splotchy effect used to portray the Defiant slipping through the weak fabric of space is well designed and deftly depicts the ship “phasing out” of our reality (the original episode simply showed the ship alternatively appearing and disappearing from view as if on a slow strobe setting).  The first sighting of the Tholian ship (at long range) isn’t that earth shattering, but later shots reveal the retention of the diamond-shaped vessel from the original show now with the addition of more surface definition and triangular sections of amber lighting at the ship’s rear.  The Tholian energy weapon, a spinning yellow beam, is a drastic upgrade from the original animated red energy field.  The bizarre image of Commander Loskene remains unaltered, which is a disappointment since one wonders what embellishments the RM team could’ve concocted with CGI technology at their fingertips.  Once the space battle begins in earnest, we’re treated to a nice shot of two blue phaser beams striking the Tholian ship’s forward shields which shimmer with a ruddy hue.  Finer still is the next shot: the Enterprise’s phasers penetrate Tholian shields and repel the enemy craft, which slowly begins turning cartwheels in space.  Save for its updated visual elements, the shot of the two Tholian vessels merging aft sections and commencing their web weaving is virtually identical to the one in the original show.  The webs themselves aren’t much of a departure from the original golden cords in space, but both clarity and color are sharper now.  The rest of the episode’s visual effects involve the webs, the three spaceships and Kirk in a space suit.  These composite shots (some of which required extensive rotoscoping) are extremely complex, particularly the ones involving Tholian ships in motion in front of and behind the Enterprise and of Kirk floating in front of the web.  Again, given the degree of difficulty, budgetary constraints and pressure packed deadlines, the RM team did significant, if not stellar, work on this episode.

 

Money Shot:  The Enterprise’s phasers send the Tholian ship spinning in space.

 

Wish List:  Less repetition of Defiant and Tholian ship shots and a CG overhaul for the Tholian commander.

 

Remaster Grade:  B+

 

Screencaps:

 

Original                                                                             Remastered