Continuity mistake: When Losira appears to D'Amato, he looks up from his tricorder, startled. The shot then changes angles, and D'Amato looks up at her all over again. (00:11:55)
Other mistake: In this episode, when Kirk's phaser was on overload, it made a small explosion, but in "The Conscience of the King", a phaser on overload would destroy 2-3 decks of the Enterprise.
Continuity mistake: When Kirk splits up the landing party, he asks McCoy to further inspect the vegetation. In the two shot, McCoy isn't wearing his tricorder, but in close-up, it's there, strapped over his left shoulder. Cut back to the two shot, though, and it's gone again. (00:10:20)
Continuity mistake: When Mr. Scott asks Watkins to check the bypass valve, Watkins is facing the engineering boards with both hands on the panel. When we cut to a different angle, however, he's suddenly jumped to a position facing Scott with only one hand on the panel. (00:18:35)
Continuity mistake: When Losira comes for Kirk, he's holding Sulu's tricorder with both hands. When the angle changes to include her, he has it in one hand with his right hand at his side. Cut back to a three shot of Sulu, Kirk and McCoy, and Kirk has the tricorder in both hands again. (00:36:55)
Continuity mistake: When Kirk intervenes to keep Losira from touching Sulu, she jumps back about two feet and stops. When the camera cuts to look at her, she's still moving, and is about ten feet from Kirk.
Other mistake: After Kirk makes the cairn of rocks to bury D'Amato, he places a rock with the man's name on it. If the phasers couldn't cut the rocks of the planet, how did he cut a squared rectangular rock, and how did he put D'Amato's name on it?
Character mistake: Watkins is asked to check the bypass valve, there the woman appears, asked about the panel, it's obvious she's not part of the crew. Instead of calling security or Mr Scott he starts to describe the panel, which I'm assuming would be classified information.
Chosen answer: If they're in orbit, they're being pulled along by the planet's gravity well, therefore, impulse engines would only be used for minor corrections and would be "on standby" while in orbit, but not active. (Like keeping your car idling without revving the engine and creating plumes of exhaust).
Captain Defenestrator
Thank you for the info.
Movie Nut