Ready For Take-off? Its “Star Trek” Again

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32253, 23 March 1970, Page 3

Ready For Take-off? Its “Star Trek” Again

The N.Z.B.C. obviously does not believe in letting old acquaintance be forgot, even when the acquaintance has worn very thin indeed.

Tliis week there are seven new series or shows which demand attention, and three of them are very familiar to New Zealand audiences; Patty Duke, both of her, will be back on Wednesday, Andy Williams on Thursday, and, heaven help us all, “Star Trek” on Saturday night.

The “Maths and Meaning” series begins this evening, the first of seven programmes designed to explain the reasons behind the new maths curriculum. Its timing, 6.45 p.m., is ideal and its duration, 15 minutes, should not over-tax the powers of concentration of children or their parents. The Patty Duke series begins on Wednesday, and no doubt she will command a small but firmly captive audience. On the same day skiing enthusiasts will enjoy the beginning of “The Killy Style” in which a champion skier visits the world's most famous ski resorts, starting at Tongariro National Park. Wednesday is very much an off-night, with F Troop and Mum’s Boys sandwiching Peyton Place, although “It Takes Thief” is usually worth while. This Wednesday “The Reporters” bring viewers a look at the Zambesi Valley where there are regular skirmishes between Rhodesian soldiers and Zambian guerrillas; it is a trouble spot of which little is heard or seen in New Zealand. A new series with Andy Williams starts on Thursday and although the members of the supporting cast named Blood, Sweat and Tears are not familiar, there will be a warm welcome for Petula Clark. A feature of the week is the main presentation on the afternoon of Good Friday—- “ Alice Through the Looking Glass.” a musical adaptation; of the Lewis Carroll fairy tale. It runs for about an hour and a quarter, and it is more on the lines of a pantomime than a play. The chess pieces sing and dance and the White Queen indulges in some spectacular gun-play. Agnes Moorehead plays the Red Queen and Alice—a little well-developed, perhaps. compared with the Alice of our own childhood —is Judi Rolin.

It is very hard to understand why “Star Trek" has been allotted a choice Saturday evening time. Those who defend the programme mutter “Jules Verne” over and over again, and perhaps, some day, such strange lives will be led as those of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. But science fiction must surely have much more appeal to the kiddies than their parents: and the faint possibility that outer space may become the playground of adventureseekers at some distant date is hardly sufficient reason to let Spock loose again on Saturday evenings. The N.Z.B.C. has “Note for Note” running on Saturdays at present, a musical quiz With what is loosely described as family appeal. But could; not CHTV3 conduct some sort] of talent quest, of its own,; without cutting across the lines of national programmes,] such as “Studio One”? There] are some good musical groups and vocalists in Canterbury.

- and a local quest would have much more appeal on a Sat- ’ urday evening than the inter- . minable voyages of the Enterprise. With a local show, ’ there is always the element of surprise which “Star Trek” so lacks. To make way for such riches as ‘Star Trek,” something had to go, and several , programmes complete their runs this week. “High Chaparral” is one of them, but there . are three other westerns as well during the week, and no doubt they will survive for some time. “Speed Racer,” “Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table” finish, so does the three-part “Life of Christ,” and “Star Trek” is a replacement for Tom Jones, whose departure will obviously meet with very mixed feelings.

All in all, however, it is a fair to average week of viewing. Any seven days which has only two programmes based on doctors is a triumph. The repeats this week are numerous—eight of them.

At the end of the week, there is a 8.8. C. version of “lolanthe,” which will be of special interest. It has been rewritten to give it a more modern flavour—the Socialists replace the Liberals, for instance,.as Conservative opponents, and other changes have been made by Alan Melville (“The Mikado” of recent date) to bring the humour up-to-date where the targets of Gilbert’s jibes have disappeared. Joan Sims plays the Fairy Queen, Patrick Cargill is the Lord Chancellor.