I made it through The Original Series! And wow, what a let down of an ending. By stardate All Our Yesterday is the last episode, and it would have been a better ending. I think in this episode the writer intended the woman who steals Kirk's body to be actually insane, but it still comes across as kinda sexist to think that Dr. Lester was unable to become a starship captain because she is a woman. They have had women in all sorts of rolls across Starfleet, and while we haven't seen any women captains I had always assumed there were some around.
The episode opens with the ship checking in on an archaeological expedition that has been devastated by some form of radiation. The head of the expedition is a Dr. Janice Lester who had a long term relationship with Kirk when they were both in the academy and now she is unconscious and not doing well. Kirk is left alone with her for a few minutes while the others check on another survivor. Just as they are along Dr. Lester stuns Kirk with some sort of box and then uses a machine on the wall to switch bodies with him. Kirk in the body of Dr. Lester is left unconscious as the real Dr. Lester relishes having taken over Kirk's body. Just as she is about to kill the real Kirk the others return and they all beam aboard the Enterprise.
Suspicions are immediately aroused when "Kirk" insists that care of Dr. Lester be left to the archaeological expeditions doctor despite his lack of experience when compared to McCoy. There is a throwaway line about how Dr. Lester spent years studying the operations of the Enterprise, but that doesn't explain how she knows everyone's name. She changes the ships course to an isolated colony the opposite direction they had been traveling arousing Spock's suspicion something is wrong. McCoy insists on examining "Kirk" to make sure he is ok while Spock violates direct orders and talks to "Dr. Lester" who has escaped from medical custody and is now in the brig. Spock confirms that the body switch has occurred with a mindmeld.
Spock is caught and "Kirk" insists on court martially him for mutiny immediately. At the hearing "Kirk" is clearly losing control. After the hearing has concluded but before the vote Scotty and McCoy discuss what they will have to do if the captain doesn't accept their verdict, but the captain hears what they said and insists on executing the lot of them. This is too much for the rest of the crew who stop listening to "Kirk's" orders. "Kirk" and the doctor he has been working with agree to kill Dr. Lester to keep their secret, but just as they attempt it Spock assists in reversing the body swap. Somehow they all know it has happened and the real Dr. Lester, back in her body, is left in the care of the doctor.
Review: What an odd episode to end the series with. To be fair I am glad this happened in third season since by now we are familiar with how the captain usually behaves and how the crew, while loyal, have seen some strange stuff by this point. Also, this plan was clearly never going to work. Dr. Lester was way to crazy to succeed as a starship captain irregardless of her gender.
4 out of 10
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