The second season is really getting into its groove at this point. The Doomsday Machine is a classic episode about a horror from beyond the galaxy that threatens to kill billions. This is also an episode about how Kirk is in charge of the Enterprise even when he isn't in command and is on another ship. It features another, "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic," the third so far. I watched the version with replace special effects and I miss the goofy looking tube monster, but I guess the red glowing on the inside was alright.
The episode begins with the Enterprise searching through a solar system that has had it's planets turned to rubble. They are looking for the USS Constellation which was in the area and hasn't been heard from. Uhura is gone for some reason, so Lt. Palmer detects a distress beacon in another solar system of rubble, but this one has 2 planets still. The find the Constellation badly damaged and adrift. It still has life support so Kirk beams over with Scotty and a team of engineers. The find the ship badly damaged, but overall functional and while looking for the lots stumble across it's commander, Commodore Crazy Eyes (I know his name is Decker, but with the stubble and crazy eyes it isn't clear why anyone takes him serious). Crazy Eyes left his crew on the now destroyed 3rd planet and he isn't taking it well. He beams back with McCoy and promptly takes command stranding Kirk on the damaged Constellation.
McCoy is infuriated by Crazy Eyes crazy move to take command, but apparently doesn't have the medical records to prove he is crazy so oh well. Crazy Eyes risks the entire ship going on a suicidal attack run and only turns back when Spock threatens to relieve him on grounds of suicidal tendencies. The titular doomsday machine is a huge cone that eats rubble from the planets it destroys and shoots a fiery beam at anything that attacks it.
Communications with the Constellation are restored and Kirk orders Spock to take back command. Crazy Eyes doesn't like it one bit, but the security staff are clearly with Spock so he give in, only to attack a red shirt on the way the sick bay. Crazy Eyes steals a shuttle and flies it into the monster with no effect. This gives Kirk and idea though and he has Scotty rig the Constellation to detonate on a 30 second timer and then everybody but Kirk returns to the Enterprise. After positioning the Constellation to be devoured Kirk starts the detonator, but of course transporters go down and he is only saved at the very last minute.
Commentary time: This isn't the most intellectual of episodes, but it is tense and really helped by the actor playing Commodore Decker who does a good job showing a commander broken by having lost his crew. It does seem like Spock could have taken over earlier, but saving it for Kirk to order him works well to show Spock's personal loyalty.
7 out of 10
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
TOS: The Apple
The Apple is one of those episodes I remember mostly from a specific image, in this case the image of a flower with deadly poison darts inside. This isn't one of those episodes that wins awards, but despite the plot holes discussed below, it manages to be a fun one to watch. The prime directive comes up in this episode again, and it seems this is exactly the kind of civilization it was designed to protect. But no, Kirk can't do that, he has to destroy their culture and offer to replace it with human culture.
The episode begins with Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Chekov beaming down with an an assortment of red shirts to investigate a planet that appears to be paradise. The weather is perfect from pole to pole and it is covered in the best lush plant life you can buy to decorate a sound stage. Kirk ignores a warning from Scotty that the anti-matter pods are losing potency and they start exploring. But the villain from the first act rears its flowery head and kills a red shirt with a blast of poison flower darts. Yes, the first act villain is a flower, and I say first act like that because the flowers disappear and are never mentioned after the first act. Spock takes a dart load for the captain and they attempt to beam back to the ship, but the energy drain stops it. Spock makes one of his unexplained recoveries, but they lose another red shirt to lightning.
Kirk notices a figure following them and greets the man as only Kirk can, with a punch in the face. The humanoid speaks English of course and appears to be from the village of spray tan. His name is Akuta and he take them to his village. Akuta explains he is the eyes and mouth of Vaal, evidently the deity of this world. They seem much like us, but appear to live forever rather than reproducing. Every day they feed Vaal by bringing minerals to a giant snake head normally protected by a forcefield. Spock seems to think maybe they should follow the prime directive and leave these primitive people as they are. McCoy and Kirk see things differently and decide they are obviously slaves to a machine.
The decision is made somewhat easier when Vaal starts trying to destroy the Enterprise by dragging it down with a tractor beam. Vaal also tells the people to kill the intruders by bashing in their skulls. They manage to get one red shirt, but Kirk stops and confines them before they can kill anyone else. All this fighting and feuding gets Vaal hungry for fuel, but this just gives Kirk and idea. He has Scotty blast Vaal's forcefield with the phasers to drain Vaal of power. It works and Vaal is destroyed. Kirk leaves the primitive villages to fend for themselves and figure out all that love stuff on their own.
The break down: If it wasn't for the threat to the Enterprise, this episode would be Kirk as his most arrogant. They show up at a planet that seems to be doing just fine (other than an infestation of deadly dart flowers) and destroy the thing granting the people immortality so they can be, "free." Not a bad episode, but not the best either.
6 out of 10
The episode begins with Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Chekov beaming down with an an assortment of red shirts to investigate a planet that appears to be paradise. The weather is perfect from pole to pole and it is covered in the best lush plant life you can buy to decorate a sound stage. Kirk ignores a warning from Scotty that the anti-matter pods are losing potency and they start exploring. But the villain from the first act rears its flowery head and kills a red shirt with a blast of poison flower darts. Yes, the first act villain is a flower, and I say first act like that because the flowers disappear and are never mentioned after the first act. Spock takes a dart load for the captain and they attempt to beam back to the ship, but the energy drain stops it. Spock makes one of his unexplained recoveries, but they lose another red shirt to lightning.
Kirk notices a figure following them and greets the man as only Kirk can, with a punch in the face. The humanoid speaks English of course and appears to be from the village of spray tan. His name is Akuta and he take them to his village. Akuta explains he is the eyes and mouth of Vaal, evidently the deity of this world. They seem much like us, but appear to live forever rather than reproducing. Every day they feed Vaal by bringing minerals to a giant snake head normally protected by a forcefield. Spock seems to think maybe they should follow the prime directive and leave these primitive people as they are. McCoy and Kirk see things differently and decide they are obviously slaves to a machine.
The decision is made somewhat easier when Vaal starts trying to destroy the Enterprise by dragging it down with a tractor beam. Vaal also tells the people to kill the intruders by bashing in their skulls. They manage to get one red shirt, but Kirk stops and confines them before they can kill anyone else. All this fighting and feuding gets Vaal hungry for fuel, but this just gives Kirk and idea. He has Scotty blast Vaal's forcefield with the phasers to drain Vaal of power. It works and Vaal is destroyed. Kirk leaves the primitive villages to fend for themselves and figure out all that love stuff on their own.
The break down: If it wasn't for the threat to the Enterprise, this episode would be Kirk as his most arrogant. They show up at a planet that seems to be doing just fine (other than an infestation of deadly dart flowers) and destroy the thing granting the people immortality so they can be, "free." Not a bad episode, but not the best either.
6 out of 10
Thursday, March 12, 2015
TOS: Mirror, Mirror
My perceptions of the mirror universe were tainted by some of the DS9 episodes which returned to it, but this episode shows why they thought it was a good idea to try. It features a classic, "I'm a doctor Jim, not an engineer," and introduces the idea that the evil form of a man is the one with a beard. As a bearded individual I find this highly questionable (or my theory is correct and we live in the mirror universe already).
The episode begins seemingly at the end of an episode we missed. The captain is wrapping up negotiates with the planet of the neutrals (I don't remember the name, but they are clearly what inspired Futurama). The neutrals won't let the Federation have their dilithium crystals because even though they are good now, they might turn out to be evil someday or kill a fly or something. Kirk beams back up along with Scotty, McCoy, and Uhura. But the ion storm they are in messes things up and they are sent to a violent mirror universe. Spock tortures a man for a minor mistake and things get worse from there. Chekov tries to kill the captain, but Kirk is saved by a man disloyal to Chekov.
Scotty starts working on a plan to get them home and Kirk uses the computer to figure out it is possible, but security chief Sulu and first officer Spock are on to them. Kirk returns to his cabin and finds a beautiful woman waiting for him. She thinks he has stopped loving her because if his odd behavior, but he convinces her he still loves her, which is good because she has access to his magic box that assassinates people remotely. Kirk ordered the ship to not kill and the neutrals and Spock informs him he is orders to kill Kirk if Kirk doesn't carry out his orders in 4 hours.
But they don't have even that long as the gap between the universes is clenching shut fast. Uhura distracts Sulu on the bridge while McCoy and Scotty divert power to the transporters. Spock confronts them in sickbay and is injured as they disable him. McCoy stays behind to save Spock while the other rush to the transporter room. Spock awakens and mindmelds with McCoy and figures out what is happening. He decides to help them to get his Kirk back, but not before good Kirk talks him into maybe being a little less evil.
Reviewishness: One of the best alternate universe stories ever told Mirror, Mirror inspired numerous knock offs, for some reason more that The Alternative Factor. The episode is a fun chance to see the actors playing different versions of themselves. Other than Spock who is still Spock, but adapted to different circumstances. Sulu is especially good as evil Sulu.
8 out of 10
The episode begins seemingly at the end of an episode we missed. The captain is wrapping up negotiates with the planet of the neutrals (I don't remember the name, but they are clearly what inspired Futurama). The neutrals won't let the Federation have their dilithium crystals because even though they are good now, they might turn out to be evil someday or kill a fly or something. Kirk beams back up along with Scotty, McCoy, and Uhura. But the ion storm they are in messes things up and they are sent to a violent mirror universe. Spock tortures a man for a minor mistake and things get worse from there. Chekov tries to kill the captain, but Kirk is saved by a man disloyal to Chekov.
Scotty starts working on a plan to get them home and Kirk uses the computer to figure out it is possible, but security chief Sulu and first officer Spock are on to them. Kirk returns to his cabin and finds a beautiful woman waiting for him. She thinks he has stopped loving her because if his odd behavior, but he convinces her he still loves her, which is good because she has access to his magic box that assassinates people remotely. Kirk ordered the ship to not kill and the neutrals and Spock informs him he is orders to kill Kirk if Kirk doesn't carry out his orders in 4 hours.
But they don't have even that long as the gap between the universes is clenching shut fast. Uhura distracts Sulu on the bridge while McCoy and Scotty divert power to the transporters. Spock confronts them in sickbay and is injured as they disable him. McCoy stays behind to save Spock while the other rush to the transporter room. Spock awakens and mindmelds with McCoy and figures out what is happening. He decides to help them to get his Kirk back, but not before good Kirk talks him into maybe being a little less evil.
Reviewishness: One of the best alternate universe stories ever told Mirror, Mirror inspired numerous knock offs, for some reason more that The Alternative Factor. The episode is a fun chance to see the actors playing different versions of themselves. Other than Spock who is still Spock, but adapted to different circumstances. Sulu is especially good as evil Sulu.
8 out of 10
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
TOS: The Changeling
Growing up I was told that The Motion Picture was based on a TOS episode, but I had never seen it before tonight. I can see why they picked this one, but I wish they had used it's pacing and not just its plot. This episode has a dalek, I mean V'ger, I mean nomad for a villain, although it is more of a dangerous god child than a villain. This episode features the second, "he's dead Jim," a mindmeld with an AI, and the second destruction of a computer by Kirk using nothing but paradox.
Changeling begins with the ship arriving at a populated system to check on some researchers, only to find the population of over 4 billion completely gone. The ship is suddenly hit with an energy weapon, "as strong as 90 photon torpedoes," traveling at warp 15. Apparently they changed the rules for how warp factor is calculated by the time I learned them, but at any rate the ship is in grave danger. Just as the shields are knocked down Kirk hails and this time they get a response. It is in some television writers idea of binary to start with, but after some data it speaks in English. The ship they are talking to is less than a meter in length so they agree to beam it aboard.
The probe is named Nomad and Spock quickly realizes it is at least partly a probe from earth launched hundreds of years ago, and that it thinks Kirk created it. While trying to work things out it kills and then heals Scotty and erases Uhura's memory, but don't worry, they can reeducate her (yeah, this is actually the plan, and by the end of the episode she is, "at college level"). Spock mindmelds with Nomad and learns that it was damaged and encountered an alien probe that it merged with. Their programming also merged and it took Nomads desire to look for life and mixed it with the alien probes desire to sterilize soil samples. This might be a problem.
Kirk accidentally reveals that he is not a machine and Nomad decides it doesn't have to be pushed around by a bag of guts any more. After killing at least 6 red shirts it makes its way to engineering. Kirk confronts it and convinces Nomad that it must eliminate all that are in error, and that it is in error. Scotty beams it off into space just before it detonates and Spock mourns the loss of such a logical being.
Segment of review: The idea of an earth probe merging with an alien probe is kinda silly, but once you get over that assumption this is a good episode. Nomad is a fairly cheesy prop that floats in just such a way that the top or bottom is always mysteriously out of frame, but there are some cool low angle camera shots that manage to make it imposing. The whole Uhura losing her memory but being fine thing still bothers me so it is:
6 out of 10
Changeling begins with the ship arriving at a populated system to check on some researchers, only to find the population of over 4 billion completely gone. The ship is suddenly hit with an energy weapon, "as strong as 90 photon torpedoes," traveling at warp 15. Apparently they changed the rules for how warp factor is calculated by the time I learned them, but at any rate the ship is in grave danger. Just as the shields are knocked down Kirk hails and this time they get a response. It is in some television writers idea of binary to start with, but after some data it speaks in English. The ship they are talking to is less than a meter in length so they agree to beam it aboard.
The probe is named Nomad and Spock quickly realizes it is at least partly a probe from earth launched hundreds of years ago, and that it thinks Kirk created it. While trying to work things out it kills and then heals Scotty and erases Uhura's memory, but don't worry, they can reeducate her (yeah, this is actually the plan, and by the end of the episode she is, "at college level"). Spock mindmelds with Nomad and learns that it was damaged and encountered an alien probe that it merged with. Their programming also merged and it took Nomads desire to look for life and mixed it with the alien probes desire to sterilize soil samples. This might be a problem.
Kirk accidentally reveals that he is not a machine and Nomad decides it doesn't have to be pushed around by a bag of guts any more. After killing at least 6 red shirts it makes its way to engineering. Kirk confronts it and convinces Nomad that it must eliminate all that are in error, and that it is in error. Scotty beams it off into space just before it detonates and Spock mourns the loss of such a logical being.
Segment of review: The idea of an earth probe merging with an alien probe is kinda silly, but once you get over that assumption this is a good episode. Nomad is a fairly cheesy prop that floats in just such a way that the top or bottom is always mysteriously out of frame, but there are some cool low angle camera shots that manage to make it imposing. The whole Uhura losing her memory but being fine thing still bothers me so it is:
6 out of 10
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
TOS: Who Mourns for Adonis?
After failing to defeat countless godlike beings last season I suppose it is time Kirk finally got to defeat one on his one (well, Kirk+Spock and the Enterprise). This is one of those episodes everybody remembers as being the, "greek gods one," and that is fair. I guess it is better than the last few godlike aliens who for some reason have never been heard from before or since (no, I don't count novelizations, sorry). Also as a fan of American Gods it is cool to see such a similar idea carried out in science fiction form.
The episode begins by introducing us to Lt. Carolyn Palamas, Scotty's love interest in this episode. While they flirt on the bridge the ship is scanning an uninhabited M class planet, well, seemingly uninhabited. Suddenly a giant green hand extends from the planet and grabs the ship stopping it. The a face appears and addresses them. Kirk is defiant as usual, but gives in after the green hand almost crushes the ship. Kirk beams to the surface with Scotty, McCoy, Chekov and Palamas. They are greeted by the figure who appears before them in space, only this time on a throne in a Greek looking temple. He tells them he is Apollo and after some shows of force they are at least convinced he has some power.
The men are unimpressed, but Palamas falls for Apollo and he changes her into a sexy god outfit and they go off into the woods after Apollo blasts Scotty for protesting. Back on the ship Spock has the crew search the surface for the source of Apollo's power and tries to break away several times. Off in the woods Apollo explains that the rest of the gods dispersed into space and he is the only one left and that he needs their worship for his power. Kirk starts to believe that Apollo is in fact the same as the one who inspired the Greeks, but is still determined to get back to his ship. Kirk and company continue to defy Apollo and it appears to drain him of his power.
The episode wraps up with Kirk convincing Palamas her duty to the Enterprise is more important than living with a god and Spock finds that the temple is the source of Apollo's power. Palamas enrages Apollo by refusing his love and Spock blasts the temple from orbit. Apollo's power is broken and he dissolves in to nothingness. Kirk is somewhat reticent to have destroyed something so important to earths past, but then the episode wraps and they are off to more adventures.
Tasting and Judgement: This isn't the most tense episode of all time, but it isn't dull in any way. Sure it is a bit cheesy to have a guy acting like a god, but the actor gives a go(o)d performance and keeps this one from being too campy. We are now entering the part of Star Trek that SNL parodied to good effect, but this episode manages to stay a bit above average.
7 out of 10
The episode begins by introducing us to Lt. Carolyn Palamas, Scotty's love interest in this episode. While they flirt on the bridge the ship is scanning an uninhabited M class planet, well, seemingly uninhabited. Suddenly a giant green hand extends from the planet and grabs the ship stopping it. The a face appears and addresses them. Kirk is defiant as usual, but gives in after the green hand almost crushes the ship. Kirk beams to the surface with Scotty, McCoy, Chekov and Palamas. They are greeted by the figure who appears before them in space, only this time on a throne in a Greek looking temple. He tells them he is Apollo and after some shows of force they are at least convinced he has some power.
The men are unimpressed, but Palamas falls for Apollo and he changes her into a sexy god outfit and they go off into the woods after Apollo blasts Scotty for protesting. Back on the ship Spock has the crew search the surface for the source of Apollo's power and tries to break away several times. Off in the woods Apollo explains that the rest of the gods dispersed into space and he is the only one left and that he needs their worship for his power. Kirk starts to believe that Apollo is in fact the same as the one who inspired the Greeks, but is still determined to get back to his ship. Kirk and company continue to defy Apollo and it appears to drain him of his power.
The episode wraps up with Kirk convincing Palamas her duty to the Enterprise is more important than living with a god and Spock finds that the temple is the source of Apollo's power. Palamas enrages Apollo by refusing his love and Spock blasts the temple from orbit. Apollo's power is broken and he dissolves in to nothingness. Kirk is somewhat reticent to have destroyed something so important to earths past, but then the episode wraps and they are off to more adventures.
Tasting and Judgement: This isn't the most tense episode of all time, but it isn't dull in any way. Sure it is a bit cheesy to have a guy acting like a god, but the actor gives a go(o)d performance and keeps this one from being too campy. We are now entering the part of Star Trek that SNL parodied to good effect, but this episode manages to stay a bit above average.
7 out of 10
Monday, March 9, 2015
TOS: Amok Time
The second season opens with a bang! Theodore Sturgeon returns for his second episode and both expands the Star Trek canon substantially, but also plays of the audience expectations at the beginning of a new season. Unlike a midseason episode I suspect the audience at the time might have been willing to believe Kirk had actually been killed and was going to be replaced for the new season (I have no idea how the rumor/leak machine worked back then). It marks the first visit to Vulcan and introduces us to the concept of pon farr. Also far more importantly it introduces the Vulcan salute and greeting of, "live long and prosper."
The episode begins with McCoy expressing concern about Spock's condition. Kirk doesn't believe him until Spock angrily tells nurse Chapel to leave is quarters and throws a bowl of soup after her. Spock initially refuses to explain what is going on, but requests a stop at planet Vulcan for leave. Kirk refuses to do so without answers, but gives in to the idea in the middle of the night only to learn Spock has redirected the ship against orders. Spock finally explains that as a part of Vulcan biology they must return to their homes to mate when their biology dictates. Kirk agrees to divert, but is ordered not to by an admiral who he promptly ignores. The whole time Spock is extremely agitated holding sharp objects behind his back ominously.
Arriving at Vulcan, Spock asks Kirk and McCoy to beam down with him as his closest friends. They agree and beam down to a barren, hot arena like setting. Spock rings a gong and the wedding party enters led by an important Vulcan leader, T'Pau, "the only person to ever turn down a seat on the Federation Council." The ceremony begins only his bride, T'Pring insists on a challenge, but instead of picking the Vulcan man ogling her the entire time, she picks Kirk as her champion. After some hesitation Kirk accepts, and then learns it is a battle to the death with unpleasant bladed weapons.
Kirk holds his own for a while, but Spock is clearly too much for him. T'Pau calls a break and McCoy injects Kirk with a hypo to help him breath the Vulcan air and round two begins, this time with bolas like weapons. Spock manages to get it around Kirks neck and chokes him to death. McCoy beams back to the Enterprise with Kirk's body and Spock demands an explanation from T'Pring. She explains it was the best way to be sure to get with her lover and Spock beams back to surrender himself. Fortunately for him Kirk is alive and well back on the ship, McCoy drugged him with magical knock out drugs to fake his death. Even better T'Pau has requested their presense to Kirk isn't even in trouble for violating the admirals orders.
Examination: In addition to the well paced, tense story this episode has a fantastic soundtrack. Not just the Vulcan fight theme, but throughout the episode the music helps build the drama. This is also a classic trio episode and all three are at their best.
9 out of 10
The episode begins with McCoy expressing concern about Spock's condition. Kirk doesn't believe him until Spock angrily tells nurse Chapel to leave is quarters and throws a bowl of soup after her. Spock initially refuses to explain what is going on, but requests a stop at planet Vulcan for leave. Kirk refuses to do so without answers, but gives in to the idea in the middle of the night only to learn Spock has redirected the ship against orders. Spock finally explains that as a part of Vulcan biology they must return to their homes to mate when their biology dictates. Kirk agrees to divert, but is ordered not to by an admiral who he promptly ignores. The whole time Spock is extremely agitated holding sharp objects behind his back ominously.
Arriving at Vulcan, Spock asks Kirk and McCoy to beam down with him as his closest friends. They agree and beam down to a barren, hot arena like setting. Spock rings a gong and the wedding party enters led by an important Vulcan leader, T'Pau, "the only person to ever turn down a seat on the Federation Council." The ceremony begins only his bride, T'Pring insists on a challenge, but instead of picking the Vulcan man ogling her the entire time, she picks Kirk as her champion. After some hesitation Kirk accepts, and then learns it is a battle to the death with unpleasant bladed weapons.
Kirk holds his own for a while, but Spock is clearly too much for him. T'Pau calls a break and McCoy injects Kirk with a hypo to help him breath the Vulcan air and round two begins, this time with bolas like weapons. Spock manages to get it around Kirks neck and chokes him to death. McCoy beams back to the Enterprise with Kirk's body and Spock demands an explanation from T'Pring. She explains it was the best way to be sure to get with her lover and Spock beams back to surrender himself. Fortunately for him Kirk is alive and well back on the ship, McCoy drugged him with magical knock out drugs to fake his death. Even better T'Pau has requested their presense to Kirk isn't even in trouble for violating the admirals orders.
Examination: In addition to the well paced, tense story this episode has a fantastic soundtrack. Not just the Vulcan fight theme, but throughout the episode the music helps build the drama. This is also a classic trio episode and all three are at their best.
9 out of 10
Sunday, March 8, 2015
TOS: Operation - - Annihilate!
In addtition to the most interesting punctuation in an episode title, this managed to be an exciting tale of space adventure. I know I have seen this one a few times before, but somehow I missed how much the Futurama episode The Day the Earth Stood Stupid was a reference to this ep. The giant brain cell props are pretty cheesy, but the menace of sticking a tentacle into your spinal cord and spreading it through the body was pretty ominous. When reading the episode description I was confused because I didn't remember an episode with Kirk's brother, but that is because he dies before we even meet him.
The episode begins with the Enterprise investigating a colony on Deneva that has gone silent. They don't respond to any frequencies and even the private transmitter Kirk orders Uhura to contact doesn't reply. Spock points out that a straight line can be drawn from this system through four other systems that were all destroyed by an outbreak of madness. Upon reaching Deneva the only sign of life is a single person vessel the flies from the planet into the sun. Just before burning up the colonist broadcasts a message that he is free. McCoy points out that Kirk's brother lives on the planet and Kirk gives him a good, "duh, that is why I am trying so hard to reach a seemingly random transmitter on the planet," look.
Kirk beams down with Spock and an away team to investigate. The find the planet strangely quiet other than a group of men with clubs who try to attack them. They go to Kirk's brother's office and find him dead, his son unconscious, and his wife raving mad. She is sedated and beamed aboard. Despite the drugs McCoy gives her she is still awake and tells Kirk that creatures came to the planet on a ship and took over. She is overwhelmed by pain and dies. Kirk beams back down just as the team goes to investigate a strange humming. They find it coming from strange blister like creatures. There phasers manage to stun one (despite being set to kill) but decide to move on for some reason and as soon as their backs are turned it attacks Spock. Kirk pulls it off easily, but Spock is overwhelmed by pain and beamed back to the ship.
McCoy finds a hole in his back that the creature used to insert something into his nervous system. Spock suddenly regains consciousness and runs to the bridge where he tries to seize control. This time when they take him to sickbay they restrain him. But his Vulcan mind overcomes the pain and he regains control. And uses his new control to break through his restraints and attempts to beam down, but is stopped by a well armed Scotty. Spock convinces Kirk that only he can beam down since the creatures can't do anything more to him. Kirk agrees and Spock manages to shoot a creature long enough to stun it. He takes it back to the ship in a metal tool box and McCoy begins trying to figure out how to kill it.
They somehow decide/figure out that it is part of a giant brain that spans dimensions or something and that normal weapons won't work. No dose of radiation or heat seems to effect it, but Kirk remembers the sun-diving Denevean from the opening and suggests they try bright light. It works! Exposure to extremely bright light kills the creature and they test it on Spock. It works again! Only Spock is left blind just as the nurse returns with the lab results on the dead creature showing they only needed to use a narrow bandwidth of harmless light. McCoy is devastated and Kirk proceeds to blast the planet with that specific frequency of light with a set of satellites they apparently carry for just this purpose. The planet is saved, and just as Kirk is writing his log entry Spock returns to the bridge with the news that he forgot Vulcans have a special second eye lid so it is cool. Ear joke and roll credits.
Interpretation: This is the last episode of the first season and while it wasn't quite as deep as last nights episode, it is very exciting and nothing stands out as totally BS which is nice.
8 out of 10
The episode begins with the Enterprise investigating a colony on Deneva that has gone silent. They don't respond to any frequencies and even the private transmitter Kirk orders Uhura to contact doesn't reply. Spock points out that a straight line can be drawn from this system through four other systems that were all destroyed by an outbreak of madness. Upon reaching Deneva the only sign of life is a single person vessel the flies from the planet into the sun. Just before burning up the colonist broadcasts a message that he is free. McCoy points out that Kirk's brother lives on the planet and Kirk gives him a good, "duh, that is why I am trying so hard to reach a seemingly random transmitter on the planet," look.
Kirk beams down with Spock and an away team to investigate. The find the planet strangely quiet other than a group of men with clubs who try to attack them. They go to Kirk's brother's office and find him dead, his son unconscious, and his wife raving mad. She is sedated and beamed aboard. Despite the drugs McCoy gives her she is still awake and tells Kirk that creatures came to the planet on a ship and took over. She is overwhelmed by pain and dies. Kirk beams back down just as the team goes to investigate a strange humming. They find it coming from strange blister like creatures. There phasers manage to stun one (despite being set to kill) but decide to move on for some reason and as soon as their backs are turned it attacks Spock. Kirk pulls it off easily, but Spock is overwhelmed by pain and beamed back to the ship.
McCoy finds a hole in his back that the creature used to insert something into his nervous system. Spock suddenly regains consciousness and runs to the bridge where he tries to seize control. This time when they take him to sickbay they restrain him. But his Vulcan mind overcomes the pain and he regains control. And uses his new control to break through his restraints and attempts to beam down, but is stopped by a well armed Scotty. Spock convinces Kirk that only he can beam down since the creatures can't do anything more to him. Kirk agrees and Spock manages to shoot a creature long enough to stun it. He takes it back to the ship in a metal tool box and McCoy begins trying to figure out how to kill it.
They somehow decide/figure out that it is part of a giant brain that spans dimensions or something and that normal weapons won't work. No dose of radiation or heat seems to effect it, but Kirk remembers the sun-diving Denevean from the opening and suggests they try bright light. It works! Exposure to extremely bright light kills the creature and they test it on Spock. It works again! Only Spock is left blind just as the nurse returns with the lab results on the dead creature showing they only needed to use a narrow bandwidth of harmless light. McCoy is devastated and Kirk proceeds to blast the planet with that specific frequency of light with a set of satellites they apparently carry for just this purpose. The planet is saved, and just as Kirk is writing his log entry Spock returns to the bridge with the news that he forgot Vulcans have a special second eye lid so it is cool. Ear joke and roll credits.
Interpretation: This is the last episode of the first season and while it wasn't quite as deep as last nights episode, it is very exciting and nothing stands out as totally BS which is nice.
8 out of 10
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