TAS: The Lorelei Signal

            This episode manages to be very progressive when it comes to having strong female characters, and still has an ending the feels pretty damn sexist. It is dangerous territory to have an episode about sirens who only prey on men, but that part is handled pretty decently. Having Uhura and nurse Chapel be the ones who save the day is also pretty cool, but of course it is Spock and Scotty who do the saving in the end. 
            The Enterprise receives a distress signal that contains a strange music. When the men of the ship hears it they can't resist wanting to go investigate. They even have hallucinations of beautiful women which should have probably raised some alarm, but whatever. Kirk can't resist beaming down along with McCoy, Spock and some redshirt. They are greeted by beautiful women who already know their names. They start hanging out and drinking together, but there was something in the drinks and all the men pass out.
            When they awaken the men are wearing headbands that glow when the women are around and they are greatly aged and quite weak. Back on the ship Uhura has taken over and is investigating with nurse Chapel. Computer analysis shows that they are having their energy drained and that it will be fatal if not stopped. Female guards are posted to the transporter rooms to keep any more men from beaming down. Back on the planet the men are feeling weak, but Bones manages to inject them with enough stimulant to flee into the garden where they hide in a giant urn. Spock goes back in to try and call for help. He manages to call Uhura who sends down teams of female security officers who take control of the situation. 
            After rescuing the captain from the urn that was filling with water they learn from the women of the planet that they weren't from there, but when they arrived they gained this power to control men. They also live forever as long as they keep feeding on the energy of men, but they can't reproduce. In a rapid turn to sexism the women all decide to give up eternal life to go to some other planet where they can find love. Spock uses to transporter to reverse the aging they suffered and all is as it was.

            Review: I am going to give this episode some credit for the strong parts played by Uhura and nurse Chapel. Some of the explenations are pretty thin, but overall this episode works pretty well.

6 out of 10