Why I Teach 'Othello' – Students Should Know About People Like Iago

 

When teaching my writing about literature classes – we cover poetry, fiction, and drama units – I always choose to teach William Shakespeare's Othello for the drama unit. Arguably, Othello is one of old Will's greatest plays, and it is certainly the most modern one. 

A Very Modern Story

All the issues that are dealt with in the play – racism, friendship, misogyny, substance abuse, greed, lust, peer pressure, jealousy, infidelity – are very present in our lives today. Also, more than half of my students are not white, so a play about a powerful Black man is something that interests them more than Hamlet, which is about a rich white boy.  

A Foreign Language? 

Many of my students have had some experience with the Bard because they read Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade – just like I did and many generations before and after me. Still, students are squeamish at first because their thoughts about Shakespeare are what one feels when going to a foreign country worrying about not being able to speak the language. However, Shakespeare coined around 1,700 new English words and phrases that we currently use, so his plays don't have to be read with Google Translate open on their phones.  

White as Othello and McKellen as Iago

Some people can say that Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth are better plays – I just accept these opinions as personal preference – but I stand by Othello as the greatest one because it has the most teachable moments in it. One of the most outstanding aspects of the play is its villain Iago. In my mind Iago is Shakespeare's greatest antagonist simply because he is an anti-antagonist. None of the characters know exactly what he is doing until it is too late for them. 

Shakespeare's Best Villain

Iago's methodology is so complex and yet unravels in subtle and discreet manner, and he is obsequious to the point of not being obvious about it. This is a delicate thread that Shakespeare sews through each act that only finally finds it mark in Act V when all the feces hits the fan in such a spectacular way. No one goes to watch Othello expecting to see Othello and Desdemona holding hands and walking off into the sunset, and that's the point of tragedy – catastrophe is expected, desired, and perhaps even welcome. 

Now, getting back to my students, I find it interesting over my years of teaching the play how their reactions to Iago are very consistent. They are surprised about how a friend could be so conniving and deceitful. I point out that Iago is very blunt about his intentions in Act I Scene I when he tells the hapless Roderigo "I follow him to serve my turn upon him." Roderigo should have realized that if Iago could do this to Othello that he could become a victim too, but he is a fool, and Iago exploits that. My blunt message to my students is sometimes someone is not who you think that they are. 

A False Friend

 Imogen Stubbs as Desdemona

Of course, Iago is a smiling fiend as he feigns friendship with all those whom he will hurt – Emilia, Roderigo, Desdemona, Cassio, and Othello – the depth of his machinations and impact on their lives is devastating. For example, in Act IV Scene III, Iago even comforts Desdemona who is upset because she doesn't know why Othello is angry with her, but we know the reason for Othello's anger is holding her in his arms. 

Dramatic Irony

Some students don't understand how these people allow themselves to be duped. It seems obvious to them that Iago is a traitor, liar, and manipulator. I agree with them but then discuss the matter of dramatic irony – the audience knows what the characters do not. In real life that can mean that we can find ourselves dealing with someone like Iago. In fact, I have known someone who was like Iago in my lifetime, and I mention that in class.

Desdemona and Othello in a happy moment

In Act II when everyone in Cyprus – except obviously Iago – is worried that Othello may have been lost in the storm that swamped the Turkish fleet that was expected to attack the island. Iago watches as Cassio consoles an emotionally upset Desdemona and hatches the devious plot to make them appear to be lovers. When Othello charges into the room alive and well, he shares a blissfully loving moment with Desdemona. Iago watches them with contempt and says, "O, you are well tuned now, but I will set down the pegs that make this music."     

What Makes A Villain?

In class I discuss the matter of villainy itself. The students will identify what makes someone a villain, and I propose the question: "Does a villain see himself as the bad guy?" To get them thinking in terms that they can relate to, I ask, "Does Thanos from the Marvel movies think he is a bad guy?" They nod their heads, and I follow up by saying, "No, he thinks what he's doing is right even though it's horribly wrong. It's the same with Iago. He believes he has been wronged (Othello promoted Cassio to lieutenant instead of him) and that it's right for him to seek revenge."

In life we are probably going to meet at least one Iago – a smiling and friendly person who will wish to harm us in some way. By reading Othello and discussing what makes Iago so good at being bad, I want my students to realize the warning signs of a frenemy. Iago acts as if he cares about Othello when in Act III Scene III he says, "O, beware my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." What he is doing is actually planting the idea of the jealousy that he is warning Othello about. It's brilliant, cunning, cruel, and very effective. 

Students' Opinions

Othello's anger gets more intense

After we finish reading the play in class – and watching some scenes from the TV movie directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Willard White as Othello and Ian McKellen as a particularly cruel Iago – I ask for students' opinions about the play. Over the years I've heard many comments about how Othello gave up too easily or that Othello made mistakes and shouldn't have believed what Iago says. Othello was a great general and should have know Iago was setting him up. Putting the blame on Othello always doesn't surprise me because that's common as victims are often blamed for what happens to them.

Yeah, sure, but this is easier said than done. I remind them that Othello is an outsider. He is counting on Iago to interpret situations and help him navigate the course to best outcomes. Othello mentions that Iago is trustworthy and calls him "Honest Iago." All the signals he has come to rely upon tell him Iago has his best interests in mind. 

No Happily Ever After

I get my students' feelings about this, but I again mention the dramatic irony part. We have all the information to recognize these things that Othello does not. If he knew what we knew, there would be no play – he would have skewered Iago like the dog that he is and gone back to Venice to live a happily married life with Desdemona.

In the end, my students do mostly get it. They also understand my point about being able to identify an Iago that may be in their lives one day. When this happens, I feel like I have accomplished my two most important goals. Number one: I have exposed them to a great Shakespearean play, Number two: I've taught them to be more cautious about choosing friends. I have to say I feel pretty good about both of these outcomes.

When and if you have the time, I suggest you take the chance to watch the Othello movie that I use in my classes for free on YouTube. There are excellent performances and White and McKellen shine brightly!

TV Review: 'The Punisher: One Last Kill' – One of the Least Enigmatic Marvel Characters Returns

 

I was very excited when I learned that Jon Bernthal would be returning to play Frank Castle/the Punisher in a special presentation on Disney+. The title of the event toys with us – The Punisher: One Last Kill – making it seem as if this will be Frank's swan song. To any of the character's detractors, don't get your hopes up. 

Bernthal brought this character to life in the Netflix series Daredevil and two seasons of the The Punisher. Bernthal nailed the character to the wall and splattered it with blood, grit, and heart. He embodies the spirit of the character so convincingly – every nuance of pain and suffering is etched on his face and the way he walks and moves. In this way Frank/The Punisher is the least enigmatic Marvel anti-hero. We know exactly what drives him; there is no mystery as to why he does what he does. He is avenging his family's deaths, and it's a very simple equation. 

Frank haunted by ghosts from the past

Bernthal co-wrote this special with director Reinaldo Marcus Green, and it is evident in every one of its 51-minute run time. We see Frank down and almost out as he sits in an empty room and is haunted by ghosts from his past and the deaths of his wife and children. We may have thought we had seen this character at low points before, but here he is mired in the darkest depths of despair. 

His New York City neighborhood has become engulfed in gang violence that is so horrific that even the NYPD has backed out and lets things run amuck. Frank knows that his wiping out of the Gnucci crime family is partially to blame for the death and destruction happening in the streets, and his emotional cauldron has boiled over, and he has given up and is letting it continue to be out of control. 

The old vet and his dog

In the first few moments Green sets the tone by showing a sympathetic old man (John Douglas Thompson) and his little dog. The man wears a Marine Corp hat, so we know Frank would defend his brother. A moment later a gang of creeps attacks the man, and one of the gang members throws the dog under a city bus. If you're like me, you'll be screaming for The Punisher to come out and kick this guy's ass, but he is nowhere to be found. 

We see Frank visit the graves of his wife and kids where he leaves a key to a locker that contains all his weapons. He lets them know he is down and out – he is done! Frank then takes out a gun, puts it to his head, and prepares to end it all. How fitting all his enemies would find this result – Frank Castle dead by his own hand. Only a vision of his daughter stops him from pulling the trigger. 

A bloodied Ma Gnucci in flashback

As an exhausted Frank starts lumbering home, he is confronted by Ma Gnucci (a terrific Judith Light) who recounts how he wiped out her family, including her youngest son whom she loved the most right in front of her eyes. Frank seems stunned to hear her account; it's a rarity for him because his victims have always been on the wrong side of the law and don't get much of a chance to tell him a story, but this makes it personal. 

So, this matriarch of the Gnucci family that Frank dispatched goes all John Wick on him. She has put a bounty on his head – every criminal and low life scum in the city will be out to get him. They say revenge is sweet, and old Ma Gnucci is licking her chops as she drives away in the back of her limousine. It's time for Frank to go back to the cemetery and get that key, but he has no time. He starts to get attacked almost immediately.

While the rest is spoiler material, I can let you know what follows is the bloodiest charnel that is more intense than any other episode featuring Frank/The Punisher before. It is brutal, nonstop blood and guts the rest of the way. If you like this sort of thing, you will not be disappointed. 

Frank is back!

The last thing I will leave you with is that this special episode makes everything personal. It also gives fans just what they want from the character, who despite the violence associated with him has found a way to endear himself to the audience. The last scene will not only solidify this fact but have you wanting more. 

Please check out the trailer below:

New Pentagon UAP Files – There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth

 

In William Shakespeare's magnificent play Hamlet, there is a line of dialogue that always haunts me. In Act I Scene 5, Hamlet says, "There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Shakespeare somehow innately knew things he should have not understood in the late 1500s. Was he visited by little green men who gave him information? I think not. 

Beyond Old Concepts

Old Will must have known about Galileo Galilei (they were contemporaries) and his use of the telescope to see the skies. Galileo knew that the Earth was round and understood that it was not the center of the solar system and that the sun was, and I believe this inspired Shakespeare's quotation, but there was more to it too.

By the time Hamlet sees his murdered father's ghost in Act I Scene 4, his mind is opened to a new consciousness. Thus, he utters that famous line to Horatio because he has a new awareness of things not of this planet. If there are ghosts, what does that mean about the universe? Alas, poor Yorick, we can only speculate. However, there are those in power who may show us the way. 

Government Files  Released

The government's release of files pertaining to UAP (Unidentified Anomalous/Aeriel Phenomena) has caused a stir or a yawn depending on your perspective. While I still prefer UFO (Unidentified Flying Object), either way the subject has brought us into a time where we have a Horatio moment. Are we going to accept and believe, or are we going to remain skeptical and wonder if it is all much ado about nothing (sorry, I couldn't resist)?

More than 170 files have been released – some of them going back to the 1940s. There are stories from farmers and other citizens, commercial and Navy pilots, and even NASA astronauts. They tell varying stories about seeing aircraft doing things that we know our current planes and other vehicles cannot or should not be able to do. These are unexplained events that seem to defy what we feel is natural or normal.

UAP os UFO?

I prefer the old UFO tag for these events – simply because it feels more mysterious and open ended. When I think of a UFO, it reminds me of my childhood. I was scared when I heard that word. Little green men could be outside my house, ready to come in and suck my brain out to study it. All the movies and TV shows I had seen didn't help. They always made aliens seem scary and intent on hurting us.

A Revelation

But then I saw E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and that changed things for me. It gave me the Horatio moment I wanted and needed. Aliens weren't evil and brain suckers – they just came here to explore and then wanted to go home. They could play with children, drink beer, and get us in trouble in school. Hey, who wouldn't want that alien as a bestie?

Steven Spielberg – clearly the cinematic equivalent of Shakespeare in our time – knew what Hamlet knew. There were more things out there than we could dream about, and that didn't mean that they were all bad. Why would we even think that other beings from other planets would be malevolent? Because that's what the movies and TV taught us. That guy in the Twilight Zone episode with an eyeball on his forehead basically confirmed our worst fears. 

Moving Forward

So, how should we deal with this new information? Although some people are saying it has all been seen and heard before in various other reports, I remain open to understanding that there are many solar systems beyond ours, and many galaxies beyond our galaxy. In the vast configuration of the universe as we know or don't know it, the possibilities are infinite. 

Klaatu Barada Nikto

If and when the day comes when we have a The Day the Earth Stood Still moment – an alien craft lands in one of our cities – I want to believe that they will be more like the kind Klaatu than his scary robot Gort. After Klaatu is shot as he is giving a greeting to the people of Earth, Gort is ready to blow us all away. But Klaatu's message – Klaatu Barada Nikto – saves us from being vaporised. 

If an alien race comes to our planet, hopefully, we will greet them better than we did in that movie. Klaatu's message was one of peace that came with a warning – other planets won't take kindly to us bringing our warlike ways out into space.  

If aliens do come, let's hope that they will be friendly and here to save us from ourselves. Which, by the way, wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.   

Please check out this video to get an idea about what has been released and if you think it's significant or not.

Happy Mother's Day: My Favorite Songs About Mom

It's Mother's Day here in the United States, and I was thinking about some songs that are really apropos for this day. I realized that there are some really great songs about the girl who married dear old dad. 

So, here is my very subjective list, and I'm saving the favorite one for last.

10. The Mother's Day Song by Bryant Oden 

Here is a song that is funny, but it also tells us about how much Mom does for us everyday of the year. 

9. "In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride

A song by a mom about being there for her daughter. Simply a beautiful song!

8. "You're the Sunshine of My Life" by Stevie Wonder

Another beautiful song about a woman is who the mother of your children and does so much more. 

7. "Mama's Song" by Carrie Underwood

Check out this lovely song about what Carrie learned from her mother and how she will use that with her own kids.

6. "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders

If you're like me, you'll love this one. Even if you are a man who is married, your mother can still be your "favorite girl." The lyrics start at the 3:30 minutes mark!

5.  "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon

As someone who has lost his mother, this song kind of hits harder on Mother's Day. However, I know we will have a reunion one day, and that is comforting. 

4. "What Mama Say (Life is Good)" by Jason Mraz

This one is a reminder of all the things your mother ever said to you, and even though it is all in good fun, it really rings true. "You better listen to your mama!" Don't forget that ever! 

3. "Mother Like Mine" by The Band Perry

This band comprised of three siblings sings about the "The Lady of the House" in an ode to the woman who raised them right. A lovely song on this day or any other.

2. "Let it Be" by the Beatles

Paul said this song came from a visit by his late mother in a dream. She told him to "Let it be" in regard to the difficult things he was going through (like The Beatles breaking up). Truly a beautiful song that tugs at my heartstrings each time I listen to it. 

1. "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert (as sung by Luciano Pavarotti)

Arguably one of the most beautiful songs ever written, this one always brings a little tear to my eyes. I can remember listening to this song at Christmastime as a kid while Mom decorated the tree. An ode to the Virgin Mary that also reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice as a mother that she would have to endure. 

So, there you have it. I know it's a very subjective list, but these are my favorite songs about moms. 

Happy Mother's Day to everyone out there. If you still have your mother, I hope that you're able to spend the day with her. If you're far away, there is always Zoom or a phone call.

And if you're like me and have lost your mother, spend some time thinking about her and all the things she used to do for you. I think about her every day, but this is the day that I miss her most of all!

Happy 'Star Wars' Day!

 

It is May the Fourth! I want to wish everyone a Happy Star Wars day.  It is on this day we celebrate the magical universe that George Lucas gave us. So, from here on Earth and all the way to a place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far way, I wish you happiness. And May the Force be with you!

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of 'Star Trek TOS' – Impact and Legacy

 

In this last of my series of posts I have made about Star Trek: The Original Series in celebration of the show's 60th anniversary, I am reminded of how indelible the series was for me and so many people. You just don't watch Star Trek – you interact with it, you bond with the characters, and you too embark on a mission to go where no one has gone before. 

The Dreams

The Trek Triumvirate

As a kid watching the show in my pajamas before bedtime, I was fascinated by the series and the stories I was seeing. Then I would go off to bed and dream about what I had seen. Sometimes I was on the bridge at the helm taking orders from Captain Kirk (William Shatner), or other times I was on an away mission with Spock (Leonard Nimoy) or helping out in Sick Bay with Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley). These dreams were real and vivid, and I will never forget them.

Long after the series ended, I never forgot those dreams. Nor did the millions of Trekkies who were profoundly affected by watching the show. There was a lasting impression of the significance and impact that Star Trek had upon us. The "dream" was not just about being on the show – it was the promise of a future that was bright with hope for better times. 

Impact

In Gene Roddenberry's bold vision for the future that we saw in Star Trek, there was an Earth that was completely united. There was no more United States – or any other country for that matter – we were a United Earth. In that idealistic world division and conflict were gone. Yes, there remained the love for where you were born and lived – as Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig) would remind us about his love for Russia – but the greater good was much more significant than national pride.

In the Star Trek world of the future there were no planetary wars, no poverty, no racism, and no need for economic rivalry. It was understood that money was a thing of the past – people had a universal and equitable quality of life. There was no starvation, no deprivation, and no racial inequity. All the things that we worry about now had been resolved, and everyone lived in peace and harmony.

Extended to Off World

After humans had gone into space and met races from other planets, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise would not always find things were as idyllic as back on Earth. There were a wide range of races that had not reached what had been achieved back home. Some of them would be at levels experienced on Earth centuries ago. 

Roddenberry's grand idea of the Prime Directive was employed as a way of dealing with people that the crew encountered that were at different levels of development. It would be morally wrong to exploit those races who were at more primitive levels. If their societies were at war, the crew could not take sides – even if one side seemed more aligned with Federation philosophy than the other. 

No Guarantees

A Social Gathering with Alien Diplomats

Unfortunately, the crew would encounter beings whom were at a similar level of development – with technology and weaponry matching the Enterprise – that did not have the same ideals. The Klingons, for example, had no problem interfering with a planet's culture and exploiting its resources. They would not align with the Prime Directive and actively work against it.

Kirk Battles the Gorn Captain

Occasionally, the crew would encounter a superior alien culture that would challenge them. The Metrons, for example, directly interfered with the Enterprise's mission in "Arena" (Season 1, Episode 18) and put Kirk and the Gorn captain on a planet to fight one-to-one to decide the fate of both ships and crew. This could be seen as a direct violation of the Prime Directive, but it was out of Kirk's hands to do anything about it. This situation would seem very barbaric by Federation standards, and it was being instigated by a so called advanced society. 

The People

The Main Cast Members

At the center of it all was the captain and crew of the Enterprise. The main cast is beloved, and they were a key factor in the show's success. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were the core characters that were involved in many of the stories, but the rest of the crew were essential too. Even the extras who were in the background working in engineering, on the bridge, or eating in the lounge contributed to the show's success.

There were also the amazing guest stars who came and went, and many made lasting impressions on the audience. As a kid I sometimes worried about the fate of the main characters because they were in dangerous situations, and the guest actors made it believable due to their acting skills. 

Legacy

Exemplary Leaders

The lasting legacy of Star Trek TOS is multivalent – it touches generations of people all over the world. Roddenberry's enduring vision for a better tomorrow spawned multiple TV series, movies, video games, books, and merchandise. The overall message to reach out and find other people and to understand differences in culture and traditions is profoundly reassuring.

What we take away from our love of the TOS and all that followed in the overall Trek universe is that there should be respect and recognition for all people. That we can only survive as equal partners on the planet that is our home and eventually on planets that we visit with curiosity and compassion. 

This message got to me as a kid in my pajamas watching with fascination and wonder, and it stays with me now and will forever be with me as I know it remains with many other fans around the world. Yes, we may boldly go to new places, but only with an open hand to extend a greeting of peace and understanding. 

When I dream now, I beam down to a planet's surface, meet a new race of people, raise my hand, spread my fingers in the Vulcan salute, and say, "Live long and prosper."  That's the legacy of TOS and what Roddenberry started all those years ago, and what a marvelous and wonderful thing it is for all of us to have now and forevermore. 

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of 'Star Trek TOS' – Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy

 

When watching Star Trek: The Original Series it is a mistake to underestimate the power of the iconic Trek Triumvirate – Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Their chemistry together was dynamite that would combust across the screen. 

This trio set the tone for what what would follow – establishing the standard for a starship captain, the first officer, and ship's doctor. All those who followed them knew to tread carefully in their footsteps. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy! They are a tough act to follow. 

So now, let's take a look at The Big Three and how important they have been to the Star Trek universe – they set the framework for every series to follow to some degree.

Captain James Tiberius Kirk

Despite all the bluster about Shatner's acting style – and there are plenty of actors and comedians who love to attempt imitations – there is only one William Shatner, and only he could pull off the Kirk we know and love in TOS.

Shatner Head Shot 1958

Shatner had starred in many different TV shows in his career before getting cast in the lead role of the TV drama For the People playing an assistant district attorney. It was cancelled after 13 episodes, and that was fortuitous for Trek fans because, if the show had been successful, Shatner wouldn't have been available to play Kirk.   

Actor Jeffery Hunter had played Captain Christopher Pike in the first pilot "The Cage." There are different explanations as to why he turned down the chance to come back as captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, among them that his wife felt a TV series would not be worthy of his talents as a film actor. 

Actor Jack Lord – who would go on to Hawaii Five-O fame – auditioned for the part, and Gene Roddenberry offered the role to him, but Lord wanted 50% ownership of the show, so Gene turned back to Shatner, whom he wanted as first choice, and now he was available because his TV show was cancelled. 

Roddenberry wanted Kirk to be "A swashbuckler in space" and felt that Shatner had the personality for the part. Gene envisioned Kirk to be like his favorite literary hero Horatio Hornblower, and he believed Shatner had the talent and physical ability to handle the part. 

Everything worked out for Trek fans because Shatner was the perfect Captain Kirk. One of the reasons he's so often imitated is because of how well he nailed the part. I firmly believe that no one else could have brought to the character what Shatner did, and that is why he is so beloved.

Kirk could be strong when he had to be, and yet he tried to understand his crew with compassion when it was needed. Shatner gave Kirk a good sense of humor, and he interacted with the crew as a leader who set a fine example for everyone.

Of course, there were Kirk's romantic encounters that as a kid I felt were not necessary, but looking back now it is Kirk's attraction to the ladies that made his character well rounded. He was not just all business – he also knew how to have a good time. 

Kirk was brave, honest, and dedicated to his crew's safety and the safety of his ship. Kirk would always say "My ship" in a variety of situations, and he would have done anything for the Enterprise, including give up his life to save her. 

The thought of the TOS without William Shatner as Captain Kirk would be like thinking about the Batman TV series without Adam West. Both men were the heart of their respective shows, and they wouldn't have worked without them. 

Please check out Kirk's kisses – the one with Uhura was due to them being forced to kiss by the psychically powerful Paltonians, and the one with Yeoman Rand was Evil Kirk. 

Mr. Spock

Sitting back and looking at Star Trek: The Original Series objectively, there was no more important character living and working on the U.S.S. Enterprise than Mr. Spock. His importance as part of the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy is the stuff of legends, and he did act as a kind of stabilizing force between Kirk (the heart) and McCoy (the soul) of the show.

When looking for someone to play Spock – remember his casting goes back to the first pilot "The Cage" – series creator Gene Roddenberry was looking for someone who could portray an alien convincingly. Roddenberry wanted a diverse crew, and what could be more diverse than having an alien as one of the crew members? 

Nimoy was not his first choice for the role. Roddenberry considered George Lindsay (Goober on The Andy Griffith Show) and Martin Landau (a respected TV actor). In a conversation with Gary Lockwood (who would go on to play Lt. Cmdr. Gary Mitchell in the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before") about the role of Spock, Lockwood suggested Leonard Nimoy.

Nimoy in 'The Lieutenant' 1963

Roddenberry was familiar with Nimoy from working with him on the TV show The Lieutenant, and brought him in for an audition. Roddenberry saw Nimoy as having the right demeanor for Spock – he was a dramatic actor with a seriousness that impressed Gene. Nimoy also had a sense of being a bit detached and unemotional – this would work well with a character that was forced to suppress his own emotions. 

As portrayed by Nimoy throughout the series, Spock is a walking contradiction. Being half-Vulcan, Spock is not emotional out of necessity and reacts to other people's emotions with a slightly raised eyebrow. Still, he is half-human, and Roddenberry's genius was to set up Spock for internal conflict that made his character constantly checking himself, holding back, and hiding his struggle with duality.

Spock's frequent sarcastic exchanges with the overly emotional Dr. McCoy are legendary and amusing, but Spock never raises more than an eyebrow as McCoy criticizes him for being green-blooded and pointy-eared. 

Nimoy at first pushed back on wearing the pointy ears – they bothered him in fact; however, Gene insisted on it because he wanted Spock to represent the other – the person on the outside looking in at the way the human crew operated, almost in a way evaluating human interactions with all his logic and intelligence. 

The audience was attracted to Spock's appearance on the show and their approval happened almost immediately – resulting in a sort of Spockmania. People were fascinated by Spock as being someone totally different coming across their TV screens every week.

Nimoy came up with Spock's split-fingered salute – from his Jewish faith – and the slogan "Live long and prosper" as well as the idea for the mind meld and the famous nerve pinch to disable an opponent. Nimoy helped create Spock as he portrayed him, imbuing the character with some of his own stoic reactions to the world.

Spock was like an anchor – holding steadfast in a storm of emotions that blew around the Enterprise. I think that is the appeal of the character, for he provided a symbol of calm no matter how bad the tempest might be. Leonard Nimoy's Spock is an iconic figure and one of the richest and most memorable TV characters of all time. 

Please check out some of Spock's best moments in TOS. 

Dr. McCoy

Adding the last part of the Trek Triumvirate, Gene Roddenberry had to find the perfect person to play the ship's doctor. This would be a key decision for the Big Three had to get along well enough off screen to make it seem real on screen.

Kelley in 'Fear in the Night'

Before being chosen to play Dr. Leonard McCoy, DeForest Kelley had a lot of movie and TV experience. His first film was the low budget movie Fear in the Night. It did well at the box office but did not lead to the big film career he expected. He went to New York City where he worked in theater and on some TV shows. He came across Gene's radar when they worked on 333 Montgomery, a failed pilot for a TV series.

When Roddenberry was making the first Trek pilot, he thought of Kelley for the role of ship's doctor, and he also wanted him for the second pilot's doctor, but both times he was overruled by the directors. When the series was approved to start filming, Gene insisted on bringing Kelley on as Dr. McCoy  – thank goodness that he prevailed because it was another casting triumph.

Kelley had been in a number of cowboy films, and he brought that air of cockiness and bravado to Dr. McCoy. There was also sense of empathy and passion in Dr. Mr.Coy, who would often refer to himself as "an old country doctor," in a slight Southern drawl. 

McCoy was known for several catch phrases throughout the series. One was his penchant for telling Kirk the status of a wounded crew member. His very dry "He's dead, Jim" is legendary. He would also complain about the use of the transporter as "Spreading a man's molecules." And, McCoy had no problem telling off the captain when he felt Kirk was asking too much of him. McCoy would say, "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic" or some other hysterical nonsensical role that fit the moment. 

McCoy was the soul of the ship, Kirk the heart, and Spock the mind. This is what made their Triumvirate work so well together. The rapport was obvious and grew stronger over the show's three seasons.

An episode would usually end with the Big Three bantering about the transpired events. McCoy would give Spock some remark, causing Spock to raise a disapproving eyebrow, but Kirk would chuckle and let us all know they were good friends after all. 

Please check out some of the best Dr. McCoy moments.

A Perfect Trio 

Whatever you call them – The Triumvirate or The Big Three – Kirk, Spock, and McCoy had great chemistry, and they brought that out in almost every scene they were in together. Please check out some of their best scenes together.

What's Next? 

In my next and last post in this series of posts, I will take a look at the importance of Star Trek and its legacy. Until next time, Live Long and Prosper!