Trekathalon TOS: 1-18 Arena

It's a trap!

Takes a little while for the 'Arena' part of this episode to get going, doesn't it?  I had completely forgotten the intrigue and action with the destroyed federation base, and the pursuit of the Gorn.  I really enjoyed that part, but then this episode's namesake kicks in, and it starts to drag.

There's Ted Cassidy again as the Gorn commander.  Remeber how I thought he looked cool and menacing in What Little Girls are Made Of? He's the opposite here, stomping around awkwardly like Frankenstein's monster.  The Gorn suit must have been hell.

The scene where Kirk pushes a conveniently placed rock onto the Gorn (pictured), had me in stitches.  It's a "meep meep" away from a Wile E. Coyote bit.  Shatner is also turning into his parody here.  The much lampooned delivery really starting to come out in his soliloquies as he wanders the desert.  Bonus: Godlike alien Deus ex machina.

Oh and is that Bronson Canyon?