The best that can be said about “Shore Leave” is that it is *almost* an allegory for lucid dreaming. But I have to question whether or not that was the actual intent of the episode, especially because there is very little explicit evidence to support such a conclusion. The problem for the episode is that, without any sort of underlying thematic foundation, the whole thing becomes a pointless, nonsensical, nearly never ending romp. I certainly don’t mind being led down the rabbit hole once in a while, but I’d very much like to find something other than dark, dirt and roots when I get there.

The premise of the episode is to follow what happens when the crew of the Enterprise beams down to a planet in which their thoughts come to life. Framing the episode is the need for the crew – and its captain in particular – to have a holiday. And as far as driving home the idea that “all work and no play makes Kirk a dull boy” (or rather the importance of recreation), the episode is mildly successful. Perhaps the most entertaining moment is when Spock manages to use a very obvious ploy to get Kirk to beam down to the planet for his own shore leave.

But the events on the planet are monumentally atrocious. It’s one of those circumstances where bizarre could have been entertaining and enjoyable. And it would have, had there been a real purpose to the whole endeavor. But unfortunately, “Shore Leave” is an episode primarily about nothing – unless you try and wedge in the concept of lucid dreaming.

Events begin to take a turn for the weird when Dr. McCoy sees a white rabbit followed by a blonde girl. Then there is Sulu finding an “ancient” police revolver. Yeoman Barrows is accosted by Don Juan. Kirk sees an old flame. McCoy gets stabbed by a knight. And it takes the crew an awful long time to figure out what is readily apparent fifteen into the episode: the planet brings the crew’s thoughts to life. The effect is to make the planet into some kind of living dream. But the trick is being able to control your thoughts and feelings so that you do not become overwhelmed or threatened by the “dream.” Of course, the crew never actually has to take that final step – the one that could have driven home the lucid dream allegory.

Instead, following a ridiculously long fistfight between Kirk and the upperclassman who tormented him during his time at the academy, the episode comes to an uninspired ending when a humanoid being walks into the midst of the crew and explains everything – that the planet was designed to be an amusement park for a race of advanced beings. But the sudden and anti-climactic ending means that any possible meaning, aside from the value of taking a break from all your worries once in awhile, is utterly lost.

“Shore Leave” features some enjoyable outdoor cinematography and a few minor attempts at a kind of deeper meaning. Even the opening mystery of trying to determine what is going on is entertaining enough. But because the whole thing is so utterly pointless and drawn out, the episode simply isn’t worth a whole heckuva lot.

Filed under: Original Series