"The Paradise Syndrome" - Season 3, Episode 3
Star Trek "goes native" and heads right to sleep.
Let’s get this out of the way first: “The Paradise Syndrome” is not an accurate or respectful portrayal of actual Native Americans. “Native Americans” as a term has always been somewhat inaccurate beyond its use to refer to the general public’s understanding of the indigenous people of North America. These were, and are, a diverse group of people, each with their own religious practices, cultural norms, and governmental structures. There is no true typical “Native American;” there are Sioux, Lakota, Cherokee, Iroquois, Apache. American media often collapses these groups onto each other into a mishmash of clashing images and generalized attitudes, often characterized by loose leather, feathered clothing, a religious reverence towards nature and undeveloped landscapes, and a stoic resolve towards horrible tragedy. The “noble savage,” as this archetype is often called, dominates popular portrayals of Native American society.
“The Paradise Syndrome” is no different, as it presents an idyllic, pre-industrial society - explicitly a combination “of Navajo, Mohican, and Delaware,” which the episode refers to as “among the more advanced and peaceful tribes” - with which Kirk falls in literally love. The episode takes its name from “Tahiti Syndrome,” which it may have also invented, a condition that McCoy describes as a psychological longing for simplistic, if less technologically advanced, ways of life among those with high stress and demanding jobs. Kirk is helpfully diagnosed with it at the episode’s beginning, as he looks upon the planet he, the good doctor, and Spock are surveying. Oddly, the planet contains the aforementioned Native Americans, unaware of an apocalyptic asteroid headed right for them. But as the trio look around before beaming up to divert the planet-killer, a strange thing happens. An obelisk of unknown origin, far beyond the “capabilities” of the native people, swallows Kirk up as he calls Scotty on the communicator. Underneath the obelisk, Kirk’s memory is wiped by a strange machine, and he can figure no way out. Spock and McCoy, confused by the Captain’s absence, are left with no choice but to beam up and take care of the asteroid problem.
Kirk and Miramanee share a tender moment. Miramanee was played by Sabrina Scharf, whose acting career did not extend far past this. She retired in 1975 and became a real estate lawyer and environmental activist, at least one of which is a worth goal. Not to be unkind, but this episode does not suggest a massive loss to the art form.
From this point, the episode follows two separate plots. The “A” plot is Kirk’s, who emerges from the obelisk and is taken to be a god by the locals. While he is without his immediate memory, some instinct and behavioral recollections remain, as he is able to prove his godhood by “giving life” to a drowned boy via CPR. “Kirok,” as the Captain comes to be known, is quickly promoted to “medicine man” and pledged to be married to the beautiful Miramanee, played by Sabrina Scharf. The two fall in love. Kirok “invents” lamps, irrigation, and all kinds of improvements. He fights off a rival for Miramanee’s love. She becomes pregnant. This takes two months.
No Star Trek episode has come close to the time scale of “The Paradise Syndrome,” which is merely one problem with it. Due to the decompression, the stakes feel low and the pace lazy. The plot focuses on Kirk and Miramanee’s romance, but she is an uncompelling and poorly characterized deuteragonist. Kirk has, of course, had numerous episode long romance arcs during the show, and they usually falter when his romantic foil is portrayed as childlike or simplistic. “The City on the Edge of Forever” is beloved both because of its tragic end and because that end is earned; Edith Keeler is a real person with cares and passion. She helps the unfortunate. She loves the stars. By investing in her, the episode invests in the resonance of her loss. After watching “The Paradise Syndrome,” the audience knows as much about Miramanee as they did before. She’s nice, she’s naive, she’s devoted to tradition. She is, in other words, indistinguishable from every other “noble savage” in the episode besides her spurned lover, who at least gets angry.
Spock and McCoy debate how to approach the Asteroid Issue. Their scenes are the best part of the episode, as Spock is confronted with drastic failures but maintains his Vulcan commitment to probabilistic thinking and analysis. McCoy, fired up the whole time, challenges him every step of the way. It is always fun to see Spock as Captain, both because of his strengths and flaws. “The Galileo Seven” realized that very early on.
The “B” plot here tries to make up the excitement gap but fails too. Spock and McCoy take the Enterprise right into the asteroid’s path but fail to divert it due to engine failure. They spend the next two months slowly driving in front of the asteroid with a four-hour head start, desperate to make it back to the planet where they hope Kirk - and that fancy obelisk - will provide a solution. Things come to a head as the asteroid approaches and conditions on the planet deteriorate into raging winds and rains. Kirok fails to understand how to re-enter the obelisk, is denounced as a false god by the people, and he and Miramanee are stoned almost to death. Only Spock and McCoy’s arrival saves them. A Vulcan mind meld gives Kirk his memory back, and Spock’s deductions during the previous two months have helped him conclude that the obelisk is activated by noise. Normally music, but the correct combination of tones as spoken will do as well. The ancient key to the obelisk, it turns out, is:
“Kirk to Enterprise.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Once inside, Spock and Kirk are able to turn on some ancient machinery which destroys the asteroid. The planet is saved. Unfortunately, Miramanee is not. Credits roll as Miramanee passes away in Kirk’s arms, taking his child with her, the single poignant image of the hour.
The crew figure out their way into the obelisk. It is quite the prop and was built on location especially for the episode. Due to budget constraints, “The Paradise Syndrome” is the only Season 3 episode that was filmed on location outside of Desilu Studios.
“Tahiti syndrome” gives up the episode’s ghost. It is easy to see what’s being aimed at here. Kirk is given a paradisical life for two months, a simple existence of farming, without captaincy’s responsibilities. But eventually, the universe comes calling. Tahiti Syndrome is a psychological “disorder” because it is false. The “idyllic” nature of agricultural subsistence is both a lie - something the episode does not really examine - and unavoidably given to natural whims. Industrialization, or “civilization” as Star Trek would call it, allows humans a certain mastery over their environment. Science replaces superstition, experimentation replaces religious ritual. The asteroid is always coming whether you know it or not.
That’s something we’re sympathetic towards here. But “The Paradise Syndrome” actualizes itself poorly. Beyond its appropriative use of Native American iconography, the episode simply fails in executing its central metaphor. The romance between Kirk and Miramanee is the conflict after all, she represents the simpler life he can never have as a starship captain. That requires passion, attraction, real chemistry. But not only do Shatner and Scharf have none of that, the characters’ romance is set up as an obligation regardless. “Medicine Man” and “Tribal Priestess” are always to be married in this mashup of indigenous cultures, once Kirk gets the title, he gets the girl.
On every level, “The Paradise Syndrome” fails to invest the audience in its ideas and conflicts. While it does, at the least, have a coherent perspective, watching it presented is a bore.
Stray Thoughts
The location work in the episode is, at the least strong. Usually, Star Trek exteriors are dry, desert affairs, with Southern California’s limited geographic diversity acting as a limitation. Here, the crew shot at Franklin Reservoir, a park located north of Beverly Hills, and the variety is appreciated. Franklin Reservoir is rather famous too, not because of this episode, but for doubling as the fishing hole in opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show.
There is some crucial, and kind of hilarious, lore dropped in this episode. Spock’s research on the ancient obelisk reveals that it was placed by “The Preservers,” an ancient spacefaring species that visited Earth long ago and transported dying Earth cultures to planets where they would be safe. How kind. This tracks with Star Trek’s mild interest in “ancient alien” theories, but also explains why the Enterprise is constantly running into entire planets full of humanoid beings that mimic Earth culture.