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Our favorite Starfleet trio, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock(Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to Capella IV topersuade the resident warrior race to sign up with the Federation.Unfortunately, a Klingon agent named Kras (Tige Andrews, the captain of TV'sMod Squad) has preceded them and set enough doubt into play that thetake-no-prisoners Capellans decide to give Kirk and company a hostile reception.Written by story editor D.C. (Dorothy) Fontana, "Friday's Child" has the broadoutlines of a Western, with the good guys getting rebuffed by hostile Indiansand a final showdown with crude weapons set up in the barren hills. JulieNewmar's guest role as Eleen, wife of a former ruler and a pawn in the barbedpolitics between Kirk, Kras, and the Capellans, even has something of thefrightened but stoic native princess about it. Viewers hoping to catch Newmar ina Capellan catsuit, however (an extension of her iconic, sleek presence asCatwoman in the old Batman TV series), will be sorely disappointed: Eleenis quite pregnant, fit to burst and placed in McCoy's capable hands. Trekstalwart Joseph Pevney directed this action-adventure piece, which contains oneof the good doctor's most memorable utterances, spoken when Eleen expects McCoyto carry her up a steep hill: "I'm a doctor, not an escalator!" --TomKeogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Classic season 2. Action plus parallel earth culture study
Here we have a classic action episode about a war-like people caught between the Klingons and the Federation. This is one of the more nuanced cultures we encounter on Star Trek (with parallels to Native Americans or other indigenous groups), despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that they are not 'highly advanced'. The thoughtful, conscientious scripts of the first season often made the most of more advanced civilizations, but as the show became less introspective and more action-oriented, it made more sense to include less advanced cultures. The second season episodes often did so with success (see also Bread and Circuses, A Private Little War, and a Piece of the Action). By the third season, they were again relying almost exclusively on more advanced aliens, albeit for a new reason. It was easy to introduce the 'danger' theme, but without the complex motives we might expect of advanced people (contrast the subtlety of season 1's A Taste of Armageddon and Errand of Mercy with the sadism and nihilism of, say season 3's, Plato's Stepchildren and The Savage Curtain). The latter episodes lack both suspense and plausibility.

But back to Friday's Child. Julie Newmar gives a strong performance, and we begin to see one of the signatures of the 2nd season-real humor-first in the play between Newmar and McCoy. It just seems like the cast had fun making the second season shows. But this episode isn't all fun; it's one of the more violent episodes. In addition to the brutality of the teaser, this is captured in the show's heavy music and dark lighting. Interestingly, the Federation (read the U.S.) commit missteps throughout the episode, proving unable/ unwilling to adapt to te local culture. While the Klingon (read Russian) is equally inept, it is in some ways the Capellans who shine. The original chief shows integrity and courage, and the usurper ultimately shows these traits as well in the somewhat convoluted and convenient climax. One might have wished for a less rosily convenient ending and more introspection about the superpowers' manipulation of the indigenous people, but the episode certainly works on the level (suspenseful, yet ultimately humorous and not too cerebral) it is intended. Funny ending, too.

Kirk blows off the Prime Directive for an unborn child
"Friday's Child" is one of those diplomatic disasters that the Enterprise stumbles across from time to time. On Capella IV, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are negotiating for Federation mining rights. The Klingons also have a representative negotiating as well. When there is a coup and a Capellan named Maab takes over as leader, their culture demands that the old leader's wife must die. Kirk, refusing to let the pregnant woman be slaughtered, stops the execution and has to escape with her to the hills so she can have her baby. Then the politics gets really confusing, which is pretty much where this episode loses me; nothing like being consistent to a really stupid principle. Besides, the Capellan's have such funny looking outfits and it is just strange to see the Enterprise crew scrambling around rocks avoiding guards throwing killer frisbees. Actually, Peter David does a nice take off on this episode as the backstory behind Quintin Stone's bizarre behavior in the STNG novel "A Rock and a Hard Place." But "Friday's Child" is a below average Star Trek episode.

The sky changes colors
The first half of this episode was filmed on Capella 4 and the second half was filmed in Calfiornia, thus the changing sky and landscape. No, actually this is a fine episode that really plays on the strengths of the big three more than many other episodes. The big three try to deal with a fight for leadership that puts them on the run and Scotty and the ship try to deal with Klingons out in space. The episodes that show the constants in emotions and feelings in other beings are some of the best and this episode plays it out beautifully. Seeing Spock and Kirk fight with bow and arrow is also a big plus.

No Mission is ever easy for James T. Kirk
Kirk, Spock,and Bones try to get the people of Capela to sign a mining treaty with the Federation, but their efforts are hampered by the Klingons, and then they must flee for their lives when they save a wife of a slain ruler (Julie Nemar) who is pregnent with child. Meanwhile the Enterprise is engaged in battle with a Klingon warship and is unable to help the landing party. Directed by Trek veteren Joseph Pevney.

An exciting adventure with a few twists
"Friday's Child" is one of the best episodes of the original Star Trek. Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy must beam down to Capella IV in order to get some rocks from the planet for their ship. However, there is a major obstacle in their way, a Klingon. Kirk must prove to the new leader of Capella IV that he's worthy of the rocks that he needs. But first, he must do something with the Klingon that has gotten their first.

In "Friday's Child," you will see an exciting adventure while Kirk and the crew try to stay away from the approaching Klingon and the people of Capella IV. In addition to the Enterprise crew, they have brought a woman from Capella IV with them.

If you're a fan of Star Trek, "Friday's Child" is one of the episodes you need to get. Dr. McCoy puts on one of his best performances of the series and you'll see him perform one of the biggest deeds of being a doctor. At the end of the episode, there are many funny lines that you'll remember from the series. "Friday's Child" is one of the best overall episodes of the original series that any Trekkie needs to own. ... Read more

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The Enterprise's Vulcan-born first officer, Mr. Spock (LeonardNimoy), generally smiles about as often as Greta Garbo. But in episode 25 ofthe original 1960s series, not only does Spock smile, he laughs, dangles from atree, kisses a good-looking blonde woman, and gets into a fight with his best friend. Could this be some long-lost episode in which Nimoy's stoic heroregresses into a 6-year-old? No, but it is one of the most popular stories from Gene Roddenberry's classic Trek. Spock, Captain Kirk(William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Sulu (George Takei), and acouple of crewmen beam down to Omicron Ceti III hoping to find out what happenedto a group of scientists who built a research colony on the planet. What theydiscover is a little spooky. The self-satisfied colonists claim they'vecreated a true paradise where no one has needs or wants, where no one ages or gets sick, and everyone is part of a collective mind bent on positivity.Kirk, naturally, argues that paradise robs men of their need to suffer andcrawl toward progress. Meanwhile, Spock is zapped by an exotic flower that is the real source of all this community goodwill, and he instantly gets happy--acting like a kid, renewing a romance with a comely biologist (an angelicJill Ireland), and giving the sputtering Kirk an earful of entertaininginsubordination. Story editor D.C. Fontana's script contains some obviousparallels between a chemically induced "paradise" and a drug-induced high in the '60s. But the real draw here is Spock's uncharacteristic joy and the drama behind Kirk's shattering decision to break his friend's heart. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

"For the first time in my life, I was happy."
Happy is putting it mildly! See Spock swing from trees and engage in some serious lip-lock with Leila Kalomi! The care-free colonists of Omicron Ceti III have a secret -- they should have died of Berthold Rays, but they're all happy, healthy, and not at all concerned that all of their animals have died. Kirk gets to the heart of the matter (with Samsonite luggage in hand).
One of my favorite, favorite episodes of all time. This episode features one of the sweetest goodbye scenes ever. Guest stars include the lovely, and much missed Jill Ireland as Leila.

Another top notch episode from the end of season 1
Yet another excellent episode, this one concerns a planet where plant spores have caused an epidemic of joyful inebriation. Like many of the best early shows, the slow pacing here allows a sense of mystery to develop before the hook is revealed to us. This is one of the more convincing of the 'Enterprise in danger' episodes, but it is more than that. The plot device enables several crew members to flesh out their characters, most notably Leonard Nimoy. It is difficult not to feel angry at Kirk as he goads Spock with racial slurs, even as we understand why he says what he does. Certainly the conflict between the happiness provided by drugs and alcohol on the one hand vs. their 'unnatural' tendency to hinder personal development and achievement is as resonant today as it was in 1967.

"We march to the drumb, not stroll to the flute."
I like this episode because It's cool. I like how William Shatner gives into the dark side in order to combat the spores while everyone else has been infected. I like this because it says that all of us should march to the drumb, and not stroll to the flute. I think that applies to the Star wars fans who dwell on the original Star Wars trilogy. I also like how Spock shows human emotions for the first time. This is a very cool episode. When I watched it! I imagined myself being infected by those spores, and getting angry to defend myself against it's affects. That's a little spooky, Isn't it? I highly recommend this film to future Star Trek fans.

Mr. Spock is happy for a while...
"This Side of Paradise" is the infamous episode where Spock is actually happy for a while. The Enterprise visits Omicron Ceti III, expecting to find all the colonists dead from Berthold radiation. Instead they find a happy, thriving colony. When Spock seeks an explanation from Leila Kalomi (Jill Ireland), an old friend, she shows the Vulcan a bunch of plants that suddenly spray him with spores, turning him into a happy camper, just like the other colonists. The next thing we know McCoy is beaming the plants up to the Enterprise until the entire crew, include Captain Kirk, have been infected. "This Side of Paradise" is one of the better "accidental" utopias episodes, mainly because seeing Spock smiling and laughing is so unforgettable. We do have to suffer through Kirk's flowery speech on the destiny of mankind (we are intended to march to the drum, not stroll to the flute), but Spock's final line is memorably touching.

Spock Does Hallucinogens -- and Jill Ireland
For the first time in his life, Spock has a good time. After Jill Ireland's character, Leila, tricks him into ingesting hallucinogenic spores, he smiles, laughs, plays in trees, marvels at clouds and sunsets, and becomes incredibly insubordinate to captain Kirk. He also falls in love with Leila.

Eventually, the entire crew, with the exception of the captain, succumb to the spell of the spores and abandon the Enterprise in lieu of an idyllic life on a peaceful planet.

This fun episode is a bit slow in parts, but Kirk's solution to the problem is one of those classic Trek moments. It must be viewed to truly appreciate. Over all, a very good episode. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Slightly below average
This below average show concerned a hemoglobin-seeking space cloud from Kirk's past. The episode certainly has a couple things going for it; like The Doomsday Machine the episodes explores obsession with past mistakes and the quest for redemption. Evidence of Kirk's fallibility and capacity for introspection are always welcome, and his humane decision to give Garrovick the second chance he never received himself is poignant. Unfortunately, the story itself is not terribly engaging. Call me shallow, but it's hard to get excited about these gaseous clusters! (see/don't see Metamorphosis and the Lights of Zetar as well)

Kirk as Ahab in search of the great gaseous creature
"Obsession" is another of those Star Trek episodes inspired by Melville's "Moby Dick" with Kirk in the Ahab role this time around. Three members of a landing party are killed on Argus X by a gaseous creature that drains all the red blood cells from their bodies. Kirk abandons the Enterprise's mission to deliver desperately needed drugs to another planet, claiming this same creature attacked the crew of the USS Farragut 11 years earlier. Kirk had been a member of the crew and holds himself somewhat responsible for the deaths of 200 crewmates. However, he neglects to share all relevant information with the crew, which makes Spock and McCoy doubt the captain's judgment. Of all the episodes where Kirk goes over the deep end, this is the lamest of the bunch. The air of mystery which makes his every deed look suspicious is too contrived, as does the ending when he finally comes to his senses. But there is a nice scene when Spock and McCoy confront Kirk about his actions, so this episode does have some nice moments.

The Best story ever on the Captain of the Enterprise.
William Shatner delivers his best performance ever on Star Trek in this story of the Captain meeting the same cloud creature who murdered the captain and half the crew of a starship Jim had served on 11 years before. His obsession soon almost blinds him to the safetly and needs of the Enterprise crew, until Spock and Bones help Jim see matters clearer. Eventually Jim with the help of his former captain's son (Stephen Brooks) are able to destroy the creature with a matter/antimatter bomb and both men return to the Enterprise safe.Written by Art Wallace. Directed by Ralph Senensky. Music Composed and Conducted by Sol Kaplan.

Kirk encounters an earlier enemy and becomes obsessed
"Obsession" tests Captain Kirk's character more than just about any episode of the original series. While on a planet, he smells something that smells familiar. He soon discovers it's the same cloud, or creature, that killed many people including his commanding officer that he was real close to. Now, Captain Kirk must fight off his anxiety and past memories and find a way to kill the creature.

Another interesting aspect is that Kirk's former commanding officer's son is now onboard the Enterprise in order to give Kirk a helping hand. Kirk is obsessed with killing this cloud and this episode is worth seeing so you can see if he can get rid of this 'obsession.'

"Obsession" is a good episode and I recommend any Star Trek fan to get it. It showcases one of William Shatner's best performances as Captain Kirk.

Good KIRK Analysis
"Obsession" begins with a classic TOS teaser. Kirk and Spock beam down to a "planet" with three redshirts to obtain a mineral they need. They have found a very good sample and are about to beam up when Kirk smells a familiar, ominous odor. He knows that whatever is emitting this odor is dangerous. Kirk, Spock, and the redshirts go off to find where the odor is coming from. The classic part--the three redshirts are killed by the alien of the week, a dangerous cloud.

"Obsession" is a wonderful character study of Captain Kirk as he faces demons from his past. This cloud killed 200 men on the USS Farragut, when Kirk was a luitenant. "Obsession" is very entertaining and quite dramatic in places. This is one of the most character driven plots the series has provided. This is definatley a winner. ... Read more

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The standard-bearer for the entire Star Trek canon, this episode begins with a medical accident that leaves Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) a paranoid madman. Leaping through a time portal to Earth's Great Depression of the 1930s, McCoy causes disastrous changes to history that include the disappearance of the Enterprise. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) must follow him and undo whatever disruptive action he took centuries before. There, Kirk meets a kindly social worker, Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), with whom he falls in love before realizing that her fate is the key to a restored future.

A shattering drama, "City" brings out the best in the cast and production teams, looking like a feature film that found its way onto television. The background on this show is equally compelling and sometimes hysterically funny, beginning with a highly fanciful script by Harlan Ellison (including a scene with cast members riding a carousel that passes in and out the side of a mountain) that was either rewritten by series creator Gene Roddenberry or producer Gene L. Coon, depending on who's telling the story. Ironically, Ellison's original version won a Writer's Guild award, while the revision captured a Hugo, but the real prize is the episode itself. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Not the book but a classic
In the program McCoy accidentally injects himself with substance that makes him paranoid and is compelled to leave the ship for the planet they are near. Through a series of events he goes through a portal to old earth (depression era). Some how he changes history and the Enterprise disappears. So the mission is to retrieve McCoy before he changes time. This naturally includes a love interest (Joan Collins.)

Read the book first (ISBN: 1565049640). This is not a serialization of the program; it is the original written script. You will be surprised at the transformation from a Harlan Ellison novel to a Star Trek episode (28).
To fit the mold of the series McCoy replaced a drug dealer. The first thing Harlan asked was that if this was, that if clothes were stolen that they did not look like they ware miraculously a perfect fit. And Spock stops Kirk from saving Edith. Kirk would have given up the future for love.
Now watch this episode, and yes the changes were necessary and this is one of the best.

Okay, it's dated, cheesy...but still the classic Trek
To the New Age Trekkies who are journeying with Captains Janeway
and Archer, the old crayola-colored helm and styrofoam planet sets of the original Star Trek series may seem "cheesey" (got that from a college Soph). However, it is the chemistry of the original crew, Kirk, Spock and Mc Coy, as well as all the crew,
that started the Star Trek Phenomenon. "City On The Edge Of Forever" epitomizes this chemistry. Future generation Star Trek episodes have tried to emulate this original Emmy winning "back in time on earth" formula (most recently "Enterprise, Carbon Creek" in which "I Love Lucy" is extolled), but the fact is, the sentiment, the feeling, the heartwarming relationships in this Joan Collins guesting episode have never been equalled. If you never saw the original Star Trek, if you never felt the chemistry that started it all, this is the episode to buy and enjoy.

I agree. Absolutely the best of the original Star Trek
episodes. Maybe even the best of the "time travel" genre. I love the original Star Trek, over & oover & etc. Production values low but the stories are so superb & original it doesn't matter. But this episode is the best of those. Joan Collins was once a babe & this is her best work. The Star Trek series that have followed have used & reused the the plots from the original merely requiring some rewrite. But they haven't attempted this one. How could they? The world-wide depression, the rise of facism, WWII pending, all are actual events from history. They must be allowed to proceed or the world that Kirk & Spock know will never exist. Pretty heady stuff for a t.v show.

Let's get the he*& out of here
The final issue in an unprecedented string of six consecutive well-above average episodes was probably the greatest of them all. Here we have the classic episode in which The Triumvirate pass through a portal into Depression Era Earth, where they must try to reverse changes that have been made to history. This episode in addition to being packed with tension, somehow feels more professional than most other episodes; as one reviewer noted, it truly does feel like you're watching a short movie. And while most of the other past/parallel Earth episodes relied primarily on the comedic aspects, those are clearly secondary here (all though by no means absent). This is a serious show, and the actors and production team took it as such. Kirk's love affair with Keeler is probably Trek's most convincing, and it is no coincidence that she is one of the strongest female characters to appear on the show (the lack of more was in my opinion perhaps Trek's greatest failure). And lets face it, for the climax of the episode everything gels; the scene simply feels 'right' to an extent almost never witnessed on network TV. We feel Kirk's choice and his loss, but realize it had to be. Sacrifice. The tone is carried over perfectly to the final scene, in which Shatner issues the final, bitter and disgusted line of the episode perfectly.

Sweet
I think that this is a nice love story, but not great science fiction. Joan Collins doesn't seem convincing when she says what she thinks the future will be like. It's a "chick" episode! ... Read more

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Writer Norman Spinrad had in mind a futuristic Moby Dick when heconjured up this story, though things didn't quite work out that way. Theoriginal idea was that the Enterprise would encounter an obsessive, Ahab- like captain whose Starfleet crew had been destroyed by a planet-killing robotship, and who sought revenge by taking command of James T. Kirk's vessel for aprivate hunt. Alas, the tough-as-nails actor Robert Ryan proved unavailable forthe guest spot, and Trek producers cast the more visibly vulnerableWilliam Windom instead, softening the script accordingly. "The DoomsdayMachine," as a result, falls short of its potential. The story still concernsthe destruction of life aboard the starship Constellation and Kirk'sinability to beam back aboard his own ship. But, while a major conflict betweenWindom's unsteady character, Commodore Matt Decker, and that of Spock (LeonardNimoy) for control of the Enterprise is entertaining enough, one yearnsto see a real showdown. (In karmic terms, that face-off took place later inStar Trek: The Motion Picture, between then-Admiral Kirk and Decker'sson, Captain Will Decker, played by Stephen Collins.) Also a little dubious isthe tubular robot ship, which is supposed to look both mechanical and organic,yet resembles moldy cannoli. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

MAYBE THE BEST ORIGINAL STAR TREK EPISODE
I can't resist writing the review of one of the most exciting, action-packed, interesting science fiction hours ever done. Forget the fact that modern CGI could do special effects 20X better; this story of the Enterprise versus an hugely powerful alien planet killer while Kirk and the crew face off against the obsessed Captain of the destroyed starship Constellation (Matt Decker, played by William Windom) makes for great drama. Never have the stakes been higher for Kirk ( perhaps except in "City on the Edge of Forever", which is a more personal story, this is a pure Kirk, crew and the Enterprise adventure) as the Captain, watching helplessly on a viewscreen, sees his beloved crew and ship facing imminent destruction inside the fiery maw of the tremendous planet killer.
The fantastic score, quick pacing and terrific performance make it a standout SF episode comparable to any series. It isn't perfect, some may consider the planet killer a cornucopia in space, but it is one of the most satisfying episodes of Trek with a terrific moral about superweapons. It has an air of immediacy and freshness even today. If you don't have all the episodes already, you should have this one. Even casual fans like it. A side note:
compare the ability of the Enterprise to withstand attack in this show to subsequent movies. After the first film, the ship was evidently depowered. This episode almost borders on comic book level combat, but it works because it puts the larger than life characters in a situation where you're not sure they can make it.

Definitely one of the best episodes
In "The Doomsday Machine," Captain Kirk and the crew find an injured ship with a commander that has just witnessed his whole crew die aboard his ship after a tube-shaped creature in space attacked his ship. Kirk has to do what he can to help the ill and paranoid commander whom he has a lot of respect for, while also keeping the Enterprise a safe distance from this galactic creature that can eat whole planets.

"The Doomsday Machine" isn't my favorite episode of Star Trek - The Original Series, but it's definitely one of the best. It has great acting, especially by Spock, good effects, and it's exciting. If you like the classic episodes of Star Trek, get this episode now!!!

A Top-Notch Nail Biter
This is The Original Series' most intense episode, and still elicits nail-biting even after numerous viewings.

While other reviews have given us the story line in brief, suffice it to say that with it's limited budget, this episode holds up well and upped the bar for all TV Science Fiction to follow.

"Doomsday Machine" went over budget due to special FX issues, and up to it's time was the most FX-laden TV show in history. It was also one of the most expensive to produce, and was a trying project for Star Trek's 60's-era FX house to complete. Fortunately, a local toy store had a model of the "USS Enterprise" for sale, which was quickly purchased, burned with a cigarette lighter, and stressed to look like a destroyed Starship "Constellation", thus saving thousands in new model building. One can clearly see that the "Constellation" is a toy when viewed from behind as it flys into the Planet Killer's fiery maw. Very well done!

William Windom's whigged-out portrayal of Commodore Decker is absolutely perfect and adds tension to the plot. The Planet Killer itself, while frequently panned for it's papier mache-look, is terrifying for the time and well done, in my opinion. It appears malevolent, albeit coldly computerized, and massive. The sound effects of this episode and the music round out a first-rate episode.

A conflict between regulations and what is right
The longevity of Star Trek is due in large part to the ideas inherent in the plots. Social and political messages were embedded in the shows and it was only the cover of a science fiction story that allowed them to be aired on network television at that time.
In this episode, the fallacies of thermonuclear weapons are examined. A powerful, robotic and self-sustaining weapon wanders into Federation territory. It severely damages one starship, killing everyone but the commander (Commodore Decker). Kirk and the damage control party beam aboard the crippled ship to determine what happened and Kirk stays behind while Decker and McCoy beam back to the Enterprise.
The story then becomes one of military discipline on the part of the Enterprise crew and obsession on the part of Commodore Decker. In agony over the loss of his command, Decker assumes command of the Enterprise and orders an attack that all but he knows is hopeless. The tension between Spock, Decker and the remainder of the Enterprise crew is intense, as they try to resolve the conflict between adherence to regulations and what they know to be right.
The conflict is resolved when communication is reestablished between Captain Kirk and the Enterprise. Decker is relieved of command and he unintentionally shows the crew of the Enterprise how to destroy the robot. This episode also has one of the most intense resolution scenes in the original series. William Shatner properly underplays his role, staying calm and collected, when it would have easily been possible to put too much stress into the scenes.
This is one of the best episodes in the original series. It is tense, well-acted and shows how critical adherence to regulations is to the crew of a star ship.

Above average, but overrated
I've always felt this good episode, in which a(nother) deranged captain pursues a Doomsday Machine (flying doobie?), was a bit overrated. The episode certainly has its share of action, and thought provoking themes. The latter include the dangers of 1) technology and 2) hubris and obsession in the wake of a loss. One problem is that William Windom is no Gregory Peck; his Ahab is over the top. The episode is also somewhat sterile, with too much of the Doomsday Machine and the music that follows it everywhere. Yet even this monotony somehow adds tension as the show builds to its climax. A good episode, but somehow not quite as dramatic and momentous as it aims to be. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Robert Wagner Fan
YES! Please DO make a new movie -- AND PLEASE release the entire series! It Takes a Thief is my all-time favorite TV show and Robert Wagner is STILL my favorite actor! I, too, would buy every single one!

I second that movie idea
Yes there should be a major motion picture based on "It Takes A Thief," but I suggest Rob Lowe as his son. Would also buy a DVD collection of every episode.

RW as Alexander Mundy - It Takes a Thief
And it would take an exceptional talent to one up Wagner in this pilot for the excellent series that followed. I enjoyed Fred Astaire playing Wagners dad in the tv series. The fabulous 60's. It Takes a Thief will go down as one of the best tv series of that golden era. Saw RW on the Larry King show recently. He still looks fantastic at 72! Hey RW, how about a 2002 version of "The return of Alexander Mundy." Is the actor who played Noah Baine still around? Great series. I loved it.

Great series
That was a great series, they have released other series on DVD that were not as popular at the time but so far not this one.
I wonder what they are waiting for.

My favorite TV show of all time
I don't know why I love this series but I do. As with a previous reviewer, I would love to own Magnificent Thief on DVD and I would purchase the entire series on DVD as well. I have all episodes on VHS and watch them over and over. Some of the best episodes are "Takes one to know one" and Turnabout. Love this stuff. Maybe we should write to Universal and start bugging them to get this series out on DVD. Anyway, this "made for TV" movie set the stage for the short lived series (1968-1970) and I want more. Maybe Wagner should do another movie as Alex Mundy only 30 years later with Tom Cruise as his son following in his footsteps. Tom is optional. ... Read more

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Kirk reluctantly agrees to play along with a Federation test of a new supercomputer, designed by the brilliant Dr. Daystrom (William Marshall, the booming baritone stage actor most famous for Blacula) to run a starship almost single-handedly. It does its job too well, locking the human crew out of ship operations and using deadly force during the Federation war games. Spock and McCoy continue their now-legendary banter about man versus machine while Kirk muses over the obsolescence of his own command. Marshall is excellent as a former-boy-wonder genius banking his reputation on this breakthrough, treating his creation like a son. That's not too far from the truth: designed after his brain pattern, this thinking, reasoning, learning machine carries with it the insecurities and desperation of its creator. The fears of the emerging digital revolution explored in The Ultimate Computer in 1968 remain today: what is the fate of man in the face of technological efficiency? Films from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Colossus: The Forbin Project to Demon Seed and The Matrix have echoed these themes, and this Trek episode--primitive special effects, zero-budget sets, and all--stands up to them quite nicely. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Best Kirk vs the Computer episode
The Enterprise beams aboard Dr. Richard Daystorm, a scientist who developed the computer systems for many Federation starships, and now he's invented a new computer called the M-5, which can run the ship without Captain Kirk's orders. The Captain does not like the idea and soon his fears are justified as the M-5 takes over total command of the Enterprise, the Captain then relies on his past skills as a computer destroyer to reclaim command of the Enterprise, thus showing that human beings should control starships, and not computers. Actor William Marshall turns in a brillent performance as Dr. Daystorm.Teleplay by D.C. Fontana. Story by Laurence N. Wolfe. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Music Composed and Conducted by Sol Kaplan and Fred Steiner.

Man vs. Computer
A famous inventor boards the Enterprise and brings his invention, a computer, onboard the ship with him. The M-5 computer is capable of running a starship by itself without the aid of human assistance. It is supposed to be going through an experiment by playing war games with other ships. However, trouble arises when Captain Kirk and his crew find out that the M-5 computer has taken over completely and there's nothing they can do, including control the Enterprise in any way. Everybody better watch out because if something goes wrong, the M-5 computer could possibly destroy innocent lives when it's not supposed to.

"The Ultimate Computer" is a good episode of Star Trek. It is interesting, or in Spock's words fascinating, and it has great acting. I recommend it to anybody who likes Star Trek - The Original Series.

A certain event, a computer with a survival instinct
In this episode, a supercomputer called the M-5 is placed on board the Enterprise. It is so sophisticated that nearly all of the crew disembarks so that it can run the ship. However, it has been constructed using a human mind as a template. The creator of the computer, the brilliant Dr. Daystrom, used the patterns of his mind to build the circuits of the M-5. Unfortunately, Daystrom is mentally unstable, so the M-5 is also unstable.
When the M-5 is subjected to a war games exercise, it does not understand that it is a mock attack, so it treats it as a real one and destroys a star ship, killing everyone on board. The remaining ships then form an attack force, but Kirk is able to disable the computer and regain control of the Enterprise in the nick of time.
The most significant point in this episode is that a black man is portrayed as a very intelligent man who strongly defends his invention. He stands up to Kirk, interacting with the people in power as an equal, if not as a superior. Another point is that Dr. Daystrom has the most memorable reaction to the Vulcan neck pinch in the entire series.
I enjoyed the episode, it is often portrayed as anti-technology, but that is not true. I consider it an example of the reality of bleeding edge technology. Whenever a dramatic leap of technology has been attempted, there have been mishaps and deaths. Steam ships and locomotives blew up, ships sank, space shuttles exploded, planes crashed etc. Artificial intelligence (AI) remains an elusive goal with success being difficult to measure. However, one of the consequences of successfully implementing AI will be a computer behaving in a manner similar to that of the M-5, exhibiting a strong survival instinct. This is one of the episodes that is a safe prediction of a future event.

Slightly above average
This war games episode, in which command of the Enterprise is handed over to a computer (with predictable results) is a solid offering. The episode, in classic second season fashion, has more than it's share of action presented in a dramatic fashion with proper pacing and strong direction. The episode is simultaneously thoughtful as it touches on important issues such as human obsolescence, pratfalls (to put it mildly) of technology, introspection, fame and immortality, and the risks inherent in putting too much into your work. But the episode ultimately suffers from an ending that is too predictable (you'll never guess who outwits a computer!) and too pat (Kirk lectures M5 for only 1 minute!).

It should be noted that this is one of the most prominent roles played by an African-American on Star Trek TOS. While one is initially frustrated by the character's fate, further reflection suggests a lack of prejudice in this episode. Rather than walk on eggshells, the brain trust gave him the same fate (collapse of some sort) that (almost) always befell all Federation elite.
Despite McCoy writing him off as almost insane, Daystrom's motives are fairly complex. This creates the interesting paradox that Kirk exploits at the end of the episode. The computer is flawed whether it 'is' pure computer or part human!

Shatner performs well in one of his most symapathetic and demanding roles. The friendship between he, Spock, and McCoy is also presented in an unstilted and natural way. A good story is always the best route to character development, humor, and other supplimentals.

Wesley is one of the more sympathetic federation brass. While he is certainly insensitive to Kirk and less than circumspect about the potential dangers of the operation, he is one of the few Starfleet elite to show any capacity for reasoning, let alone sound judgment.

There are several signs that this is a late season episode with a tight budget. There is no original score, the entire episode takes place on board the ship, and the space station and cargo ship are retreads from The Trouble with Tribbles and Space Seed respectively. And then there is Shatner's expanding waistline.

Do Not Trust Dr. Daystrom on computers.
The U.S.S. Enterprise is to be the new test ship for the new M-5 multitronic computer system, a computer meant to be able to run a starship without human intervention. Also aboard for the test is Dr. Richard Daystrom, the inventor of the M-5 and an obsessive and unstable man.

Initially the M-5 performs well, but when it decides to destroy a robot freighter, Kirk orders the test cancelled. The M-5, however, protects itself and makes it impossible for it to be disconnected. The computer becomes increasingly erratic, a result of Dr. Daystrom's decision to impress his engram onto the computer as part of its programming. Starting a scheduled war games drill, M-5 uses the full arsenal of the U.S.S. Enterprise to attack four other Federation starships.

In a last-ditch appeal to the M-5, Kirk makes the computer realize that it has committed the sin of murder for killing the crew of the U.S.S. Excalibur. Since Dr. Daystrom would be ethically abhorred at such an act, the M-5 is equally penitent and tries to commit suicide by leaving the U.S.S. Enterprise defenseless against a counter-attack by the remaining three Federation starships. The Federation fleet's intent is to destroy the U.S.S. Enterprise, for destroying the U.S.S. Excalibur. At the last moment, Spock and Scott are able to finish disconnecting the M-5 unit. Kirk keeps the shields down, gambling successfully that the attacking ships would not fire on an undefended vessel. Restoring communications next, the fleet is called off by Commodore Robert Wesley. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

This is it--the Real McCoy!
This is the infamous Blooper Reel. Yeah, the picture quality is horrendous. No, it's not especially funny.

But it is exactly as I remember seeing it at a Philadelphia Star Trek convention in 1978. Right down to the dark images on the projection screen.

Its real value to a Trekker is that it's part of Star Trek history. Most of the early fans watched this at conventions. Foundational books such as "The World of Star Trek" (David Gerrald) to "The Making of Star Trek" (Stephen Whitfield) positively gushed over the Blooper Reel. So, for better or worse, you too can share in that experience with this video.

Think of it as primary research. It doesn't have to be pretty. It just has to be.

Live long and prosper--
Joe
Former boyhood president of "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" (ca. 1974!!)

Not For Everyone
Of COURSE it looks and sounds bad! It is true - these were eventually rejected and trashed, folks. I saw them over 15 years ago, and the quality was just as bad then. This isn't a video for most people, it's for us die-hard TOS fans who love trivia and oddities concerning the series. If you are willing to accept it for what it is, it is certainly watchable and actually quite humorous. I guess we should be thankful that Mr. Roddenberry decided to save them in the first place, no matter how they were mistreated later on. As far as I know, these are the ONLY bloopers of TOS in existence.

A true collectible
I have done a little research and my understanding is that the STAR TREK outakes on this video were obtained directly from film stock found the dumpsters outside of the facilities where the show was edited. This means that they are vary rare and to my knowledge, don't exsist in any other public collection of Star Trek Bloopers. Unfortunately, this also means that that their veiwing quality is marginal because of their exposure to the outside elements. However, if you are a die hard Star Trek fan/collector (like many people I know), just possessing these rare and funny outakes more than makes up for their quality.

As for the the quality of the bonus bloopers, they are great, and are guarenteed to make you laugh until your sides ache.

Star Trek Bloopers
Very disappointed in this video. It is not worth the money. Looks like someone pieced together very old films that were worn out. It was not what I expected and I would highly recommend people do not waste their money.

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!
I have collected bootleg bloopers from Star Trek since Gene Roddenberry leaked the first out-take reel to the fans. I have seen much better, and have better than the product being offered here. Save your money, spend it on an Aldeberan Shellmouth....anything. Do not waste your money on this trash. I came, I saw, I bought, I kicked myself. Call this recording a REHASH OF TRASH. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An overwrought, highly-stressed Captain Kirk blunders into Romulan space and finds the Enterprise surrounded by enemy vessels, all equipped with strategically valuable cloaking technology. Along with Spock, Kirk is invited to meet with the Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) to discuss the situation, leading to a crisis when the captain suffers a breakdown following Spock's apparent betrayal. Written by story editor Dorothy Fontana (who was unhappy with the final results) and directed by John Meredyth Lucas (who briefly took the producing reins from Gene L. Coon during season two), the episode has a colorful espionage angle, but depends heavily on an improbable romance between Spock and Linville's character. Still, there are things to savor here, especially Kirk's one-and-only appearance with Vulcan/Romulan pointed ears. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the incidents you can't miss
The Enterprise is captured by some Romulans in "The Enterprise Incident." Captain Kirk is taken hostage and charged with espionage. The commander of the Romulans particularly likes Spock because he is a Vulcan (a distant relative of the Romulans). This Enterprise incident might turn out to be one of the toughest challenges that Kirk and the crew have encountered so far.

"The Enterprise Incident" has one of the best plots of any of the episodes from Star Trek. Spock gives one of his best performances and you won't believe what Captain Kirk does in order to get back onboard the Romulan ship.

"The Enterprise Incident" is one of the best incidents that has ever happened to the original Star Trek series. I recommend everybody to get "The Enterprise Incident."

Mr. Spock kills Captain Kirk with the "Vulcan death grip"
"The Enterprise Incident" is the classic Star Trek episode in which Kirk apparently goes off the deep end, ordering the Enterprise into Romulan space. Quickly urrounded by Romulan ships, Kirk and Spock meet with the Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) in which the First Officer declares Kirk acted alone, without authority, in a blatant attempt to grab some glory. An enraged Kirk attacks Spock who then uses the "Vulcan death grip" to kill the captain. Of course, that was the last episode of the show and nothing was heard from Star Trek ever again. Actually, it is all a complicated plot for Starfleet to get their hands on the Romulan's cloaking device. But while Kirk goes undercover as a Romulan, it is up to Spock to keep the Romulan commander distracted. Leonard Nimoy and Joanne Linville deserve a lot of praise for this episode, because their scenes are arguably the most erotic in the entire series. Take that William Shatner! "The Enterprise Incident" is on my Top 10 list of Star Trek episodes and I know I am not alone in that regard.

Probably the strongest episode from season three
This Romulan intrigue story is one of the 3rd season's most solid offerings. It offers a tight and dramatic plot, with plenty of twists and surprises. The teaser is particularly well-executed, and may be second only to Mirror, Mirror's opening in dramatic effect. I also enjoy the moral ambiguity of this episode. By that I mean not only that we are left to ponder whether the ends justify the means, but also that WE are left to ponder that question, rather than being beaten over the head with it and having it answered for us. Would a 1st season episode have been comfortable with this ambiguity, let alone keeping it implicit? No normative judgments implied, but Star Trek had in some sense grown up by the Fall of 1968, for better or worse.
Tidbits: Spock was able to stay fairly true to himself in this romance; others weren't so lucky in their 3rd season romances, which generally yanked crewmembers far out of character. As a result, here the sacrifice Spock makes is a real one, in which he compromises himself. The production team did a nice job of giving the Romulan ship interior a different feel.

This is also very cool.
I like this episode because it's very cool. It's cool, because it has alot of action as well as drama. It's absolutely the greatest Star Trek episode since Space Seed. I highly recommend this.

The Best Original Series Show
This was the best show for the original series. I couldn't believe it when Spock 'killed' Kirk. Then his reaction when he saw Kirk was alive was so funny. I'm just surprised Bones controlled himself from teasing Spock for it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Illya Special
These two episodes are obviously designed for the fans of Illya. He's in both of them, and Solo is nearly non-existant. The Arabian Affair has fun with Illya convincing a tribe of Bedouins that he is the son of Lawrence of Arabia. Michael Ansara, as always, makes a good Arab sheik, and Phyllis Newman isn't bad as his headstrong daughter. She gets to hold her own in some exchanges with Illya. The plot, as always, is ever so slightly over the top, but everyone seems to be taking it with the non-serious attitude that made this show fun.

The second show, the Foreign Legion Affair has Illya parachuting off into the desert with a pretty stewardess to escape the Thrush villians. This results in an out -of-the-frying-pan into-the-fire situation, since they are promptly captured by a Foreign Legionnaire commandant, played by Howard da Silva, who thinks they are spies (well, he's partially right) but also doesn't know the legion has been disbanded. Like Phyllis Newman in the Arabian Affair, the stewardess gets to hold her own against Illya, and he actually smiles at her. They made a good match in this episode, inspite of her habit of biting people, Illya included, when she gets stressed out. One of the best scenes is on the plane when she asks him if he'd like coffee, tea, or milk, and to get rid of her, Illya retorts in a snappy way, "borscht". She doesn't turn a hair and answers, "cabbage or beet?" Obviously, this is an interesting woman, and unlike most of the heroines of the time (the mid 60s) she gets to take an active part in her own rescue! A good episode.

"The Arabian Affair" and "The Foreign Legion Affair"
This is a must have for Illya-philes. Both episodes showcase him extensively and, I think, well. There are some great shots of "The Illya Look" where everyone around him want to run screaming. Not too much by way of stupid moves in this one, definitely a plus.

"The Arabian Affair": Illya gets knifed and taken by a band of desert dwellers. The daughter of the leader is intent on selling him for a new camel. The Russian gains the support of the tribe by pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia's son. He then leads them on a raid on a THRUSH outpost where they are doing experiments on some flesh-melting chemical. All and all, an enjoyable romp. Even my 10 year old son liked this one.

"The Foreign Legion Affair": Not as good as the first, but still worth watching. Again, some great shots of "The Look". Illya is carrying microfilm that THRUSH wants. He ends up having to jump out a plane in a tandem jump with the stewardess and they land in the middle of the desert hundreds of miles from civilization. They find an old outpost of the Foreign Legion where the commandant and his faithful Lt. are the only ones left. The commandant does not realize the Legion is now defunct. A few moments of "Illya you know better than to do that", but what can we expect from the 60s? Another entertaining watch.

If you are a Robert Vaughn/Napoleon Solo fan, this is probably not the best video for you because there isn't much of him in it.

Not a good example of UNCLE's best, but still watchable
Volume 10 has "The Arabian Affair" and "The Foreign Legion Affair", both which appeared in Man from UNCLE's 2nd season. Although "Man from UNCLE" is my favorite TV show, as I said, these two episodes are not a good example of UNCLE's best, but still enjoyable in a way.

Episode 36, "The Arabian Affair" has Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) going to the Arabian desert to find THRUSH's new vaporizing machine. Instead he is captured by a local tribe. Though he emplores the tribe chief Sulador (Michael Ansara) to let him go, Sulador refuses, saying that his daughter, Sophie (Phyllis Newman), wants to keep Him to trade him for a camel. In New York, Napoleon Solo (Robert Vauhn) finds out that THRUSH agents are always eliminated when the retire. With this valuable information, he convinces a retiring THRUSH agent, David Lewin (Robert Ellenstein), to learn where THRUSH's base in Arabia is. Lewin and Napoleon are taken to the base, where they meet up with Illya and the tribe, whose confidence he had gained. Together, they launch an attack on the base. * Kind of a stupid plot if you ask me. Some of the humor was funny, some weren't. The next episode if you ask me is much more fun.

Episode 51, "The Foreign Legion Affair" finds Illya stealing THRUSH code documents. While flying over a desert in a private airplane, the plane is hijacked by THRUSH agents. Illya manages to parachute out of the airplane with a stewardess, Barbara (Danielle DeMetz) with the documents. They wander in the desert and after a time finds an abandoned Foreign Legion post run by Captain Basil Calhoun (Howard Da Silva). The Captain, thinking that Illya and Barbara are enemies, holds them prisoner while Napoleon races to find them before THRUSH does. * A much better episode than "The Arabian Affair". One reason is because of Danielle DeMetz. She is one of my favorite UNCLE guest stars, her starring in also "The Come with Me to the Casbah Affair" (3rd season) and also "The Five Daughters Affair" (3rd season). In all three episodes she plays a great role. She's so funny! Another reason is that this episode has plenty of David McCallum to see.

If you want my advice and you want to by some UNCLE tapes, I suggest you buy Volume 1, 3, 10, 17, and 21 before you buy this tape. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A nifty idea: the Greek god Apollo turns out to be quite real, apowerful extraterrestrial (Michael Forest) waiting some 5,000 years for thehuman race to develop enough to meet him out in the cosmos. Catching sight ofthe Enterprise, he immobilizes the ship and demands that the members of alanding party--Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley),Chief Engineer Scott (James Doohan), Chekov (Walter Koenig), and antiquities specialist Lieutenant Carolyn Palamas (Leslie Parrish)--bow beforehim and prepare to spend the rest of their lives being cherished through hisinsistent love. A doubting Kirk recruits his people to secretly find themechanical source of Apollo's power to throw lightning bolts, become a giant, and punish his naughty Enterprise children by tossing them aroundlike rag dolls. The stern god gives Kirk a sword, so to speak, by falling forLt. Palamas, setting the stage for some stormy drama late in the game. Written by television veteran and Greek myth aficionado Gilbert Ralston (with a polishby producer Gene L. Coon that enhanced the story's relationships), anddirected by Marc Daniels, "Who Mourns for Adonais?" is one of those classicTrek episodes that lingers in the memory for the creative incongruity of its story line (starships and Olympians) and principal set (anAthenian temple with a few trees, shrubs, and confused Starfleet personnel). Wonderful stuff. A subplot involving Scotty's big-time crush on Palamas providesa rare glimpse into the emotional life of one of the supporting players--even if his gallant efforts to save her from Apollo's wooing result in a concussion ortwo. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Strong show
This is a strong show about the Greek god Apollo. When Trek was at its best, it generally combined thought-provoking and socially relevant questions with tight, internally consistent, and action-packed stories. Who Mourns for Adonais is one such episode. In addition to the interesting idea that the Gods may have been real, we have the very real themes of 1) the pros and cons of hero worship/letting others make decisions for you, 2) the quest for power, and 3) the pros and cons of a simple, care-free life. The guest acting is pretty good here, too, and there aren't too many holes in the plot.

Overall, a strong episode, although I for one at times tire of the more 'literal' episodes, enjoying instead the dreamy, surreal, and menacing ones. I see no reason why we should expect to encounter a moral code (or any system for that matter) similar to our own in outer space. Also there are quite frankly limits to just how good a 'literal' take can consistently be, especially after 35 years and given the time and budget constraints of an episode. That is why I am drawn to the more off-beat shows.

Having digressed, I must return to the fact that this is one of the better of the 'literal' shows.

The missing element in later "Trek" incarnations!
""Adonis" ranks as having the sexiest guest stars ever to appear in the Roddenberry classic. Michael Forrest, as the god Apollo, and Leslie Parrish, as the object of his affections, exudes some vicious heat in their respective roles.

While the episode may not be an overwhelming "classic" to many, it still entertains and the cast seems comfortable in the rather outlandish premise.

And the sexual tensions bouncing all over the place make this episode a standout. The subsequent series, while technologically more advanced and possessing better acting and writing, failed to "ignite" the basic sensuality of the original.

Boy, did the original cast know how to "have fun"!

The Enterprise gets to worship the Greek God Apollo
There is nothing like the REALLY old time religion, as Kirk and crew discover in "Who Mourns for Adonais?" The Enterprise is just going merrily along through space when a giant hand grabs the ship. Then the face of the Greek god Apollo appears and he invites Kirk and the crew down to a planet to worship him for eternity. Of course, Kirk and the crew take exception to this, especially Scotty, who, in the attendant sub-plot complication, has taken a liking to Lt. Carolyn Palamas. You see, she is the ship's expert on ancient civilizations--you sure need one of those when you are a buhjillion light years from earth and have a Starfleet computer--and Apollo likes her best of all. Since Apollo pretty much fits your standard textbook definition of a God, Kirk has to use the guile of Mercury and the golden tongue of, well, Apollo, rather than the strength of Atlas to get out of this situation. "Who Mourns for Adonias" never really made perfect sense to me as a title, but we do get to see the crew decked out in togas for the first time and the mystery of what happened to the Greek Gods is settled once and for all. Actually, this is not as bad an episode as you might think at first and Kirk does get to give another one of his rousing speeches in defense of humanity.

The crew meets the Greek God Apollo
The Enterprise and its crew are minding their own business when a force that resembles a giant green hand in space comes over the ship and holds it in place. Captain Kirk and some of his crew go to a planet and encounter a man saying he is the Greek God Apollo. Apollo demands that the Enterprise crew worship him, and he wants to take Lieutenant Palamas (Leslie Parrish) as his wife. If the crew doesn't cooperate, Apollo has weapons such as lightning to try to make them behave.

"Who Mourns for Adonais?" isn't one of the top 20 episodes of Star Trek - The Original Series, but it is pretty good. It has an interesting plot, good acting, and good special effects. I recommend any Star Trek fan who likes the episodes where somebody in history encounters the crew to get "Who Mourns for Adonais?"

The Greek Myths on Star Trek.
The crew of the Enterprise meet the Greek God, Apollo and discover the history behind Greek Mythology. Wonderful episode dedicated to the poems of the Greek poet Homer. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

France Nuyen gives an outstanding performance as a shrew
The Dohlman of the planet Elas is a beautiful woman who is pledged to be married to the leader of Troyius, in an attempt to end years of bitter war between the planets. The Enterprise is ordered to ferry the Dohlman to Troyius and the Troyian ambassador is assigned to teach the Dohlman the manners needed to function in Troyian society. Since he knows it will take some time, he asks Captain Kirk to take it slow, so the Enterprise departs at sublight speed.
Because the Dohlman is an arrogant, spoiled shrew the job is impossible. She repeatedly insults the Enterprise crew and the ambassador, refusing to learn what she needs to know. She eventually stabs the ambassador, and Kirk becomes her teacher. After she refuses Kirk's help, he slaps her, which changes everything. After one more childlike fit, she emerges crying and Kirk softens and wipes her tears away.
This creates a problem as the tears contain a chemical, which causes anyone who comes in contact with them to fall hopelessly in love with her.
A member of the Dohlman's entourage is working for the Klingons, sabotaging the Enterprise so that it will self-destruct when it goes into warp. To force this issue, a Klingon ship appears and makes a mock attack run. Scotty finds the sabotage just in time, so the Enterprise does not go to warp. The Klingons then demand the surrender of the Enterprise and attack. The fight is one-sided, as the Enterprise does not have warp power. However, the ceremonial necklace worn by the Dohlman contains dilithium crystals, which allow the Enterprise to regain warp power and they defeat the Klingon ship. The stress of battle cures Kirk of his love for the Dohlman and impresses her so much that she then meekly beams down to her wedding.
This is an episode with a great deal of tension. We can see the conflict in Kirk as he tries to manage the battle and his overpowering love for the Dohlman. The behavior of the Dohlman is very well played and appropriate, as it is needed to provide the proper background for the story. France Nuyen gives one of the best guest star performances of the series. It is not one of the very best episodes of the original series, but I rank it in the top twenty.

'Worth it just for Nuyen alone!
Episodes like this one, along with "Who Mourns for Adonis?" "Mudd's Women", and "Mirror, Mirror", are probably the reason the original Trek is, by far, the sexiest of the various incarnations. Perhaps, it fortunate that the series initial run was during the "sexual revolution" of the 60's, allowing female characters to be suggestively attired to the obvious delight of males everywhere.

While the story line isn't one of the series best, "Star Trek 57: Elaan of Troyius" does feature an eye-popping turn from guest France Nuyen in the title role. Nuyen is one of the most exotically beautiful actresses to even grace both the big and small screen. And she is more than just a pretty face; she is an excellent performer that has, sadly, not had extensive work.

Her appearance in this episode is one of the many trailblazers from the landmark show.

Nothing wrong with this one, either
Elaan of Troyius, which loosely follows the plot of Taming of the Shrew, is boosted by a strong acting performance from Frances Nguyen. She also brings out the best in Shatner; their scenes together, which run the gamut of emotions, are fairly convincing. The episode also features more action than average, including a dramatic ending, and there are no huge holes in the storyline (although at times it's tough to know exactly what Elaan's motivations are.) The episode is also boosted by a strong score and good costumes for the Dohlman (if not her guards!) One negative aspect is the implicit sexism behind 'the taming'. Overall, a slightly above average episode.

Tidbits: This episode, the second of the season to be produced, was the 13th to be aired. This ties Bread and Circuses for the longest lag of the entire series, and is probably mostly due to the 'high tech' scenes involving the 'Klingon' ship making rapid passes while firing on the Enterprise.

One of Star Trek's best battle sequences!
I know people think this episode is cheesey (which it is) but it's also very memorable. The space battle at the episode's conclusion is extremely well done--the special effects are well above average and the music really heightens the tension. In my opinion, it's every bit as good as the space battle from "Balance of Terror." France Nuyen, playing Elaan, does a spectacular job with not great material; she also gets to wear some of the show's most, uh, memorable costumes. Definitely worth repeated viewing, especially for the space battle sequence.

Captain Kirk has to baby-sit the Dohlman of Elas
James T. Kirk has more than his fair share of success when it comes to romance, but "Elaan Of Troyius" is one of his great falures. The Enterprise is on its way to the Tellun star system to play peacemaker between the planets Elas and Troyius. To achieve peace the king of Troyius will marry Elaan (France Nuyen), the Dohlman of Elas. However, the people of Elas are a warrior race who have so little interest in civilized behavior that the Dohlman stabs the ambassador from Troyius who is supposed to teach her the customs of her new planet. This means that Kirk gets to try and teach the Dohlman some manners and unlike the ambassador, he does not feel inclined to observed diplomatic niceties. After watching Kirk as the great romantic hero of the galaxy, it is rather fun to watch him basically baby-sit a beautiful woman who happens to be a completely spoiled brat. Then, just to make things really interesting, the Klingons show up. Ah, the trials and tribulations of a Starfleet captain. Think "The Taming of the Shrew" rather than "Pygmalion" with this episode since Kirk and Elaan end up falling for each other but are forced by duty to do the right thing. Obviously "Elaan of Troyius" was the inspiration for the excellent STNG episode, "The Perfect Mate," one of my personal favorites. This is an above average Star Trek episode, but I would not put it in my Top 10. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Years before George Lucas knocked us out with his wildly imaginative barscene in Star Wars (in which a broad mix of exotic creatures mill about),Star Trek did much the same thing in "Journey to Babel." Serving as atransport for a variety of extraterrestrial diplomats, the Enterprisebecomes a warp-capacity hotel for truly eclectic visitors. (Director JosephPevney credits the makeup artist with this episode's impressive array of alienspecies.) The story finds murder committed aboard the ship and an attack onCaptain Kirk (William Shatner), all in an effort to sabotage the imminentsigning of a peace treaty. But against this mystery is an even more curiousfamily drama featuring Spock's conflicts with his parents, the Vulcan ambassadorSarek (Mark Lenard), who disapproves of his son, and his human wife, Amanda(Jane Wyatt). Story editor Dorothy Fontana wrote the script after deciding itwas time to show us the oft-mentioned mother and father of theEnterprise's first officer (Leonard Nimoy). We can thank her forinventing all the fascinating details of a complicated family relationship thatultimately became crucial to a couple of feature films and even a memorableepisode of The Next Generation. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

More top Trek
In another classic Trek, we meet Spock's parents, and the Enterprise turns into a veritable 'who's who' of alien dignitaries. Like so many second season shows, this episode is fast paced and dramatic. There are actually several plot lines going at once. Not only do the subtleties of Spock's relationship with his parents play well here, the show is augmented by the fact that so much else happens (murder, Kirk and Sarek's physical troubles, a spy aboard the ship, a Klingon vessel, etc.) A lot to juggle, but the writer and director managed it well, even bringing everything together at the end. True, it's absurd that Kirk and company would know so little about Spock's family, but the bombshell does make for a dramatic close to the teaser.

Ambassador Sarek and his wife Amanda ARE Spock's parents
Certainly "Journey to Babel" has the best teaser in Star Trek history. The Enterprise crew is decked out in their formal dress to welcome the Vulcan Ambassador Sarek aboard. Kirk and McCoy are surprised when Sarek snubs Spock and go into complete shock when Spock tells that Ambassador Sarek and his wife are his parents. Sarek is one of several delegates bound for a conference that will debate the admission of Coridan to the Federation (the planet is rich with dilithium). When one of the delegates shows up dead, Sarek is a prime suspect until it is revealed he has a heart condition. McCoy is all ready to perform surgery with Spock serving as a blood donor when Kirk is also attacked by the assassin. With the captain incapacitated, Spock cannot relinquish command, even if it costs his father his life. Mark Lenard as Sarek is absolutely the PERFECT Vulcan, achieving a naturalness that is the envy of every other actor who has ever had to play a Vulcan. Even Leonard Nimoy seems to be acting as "Vulcan-like" in this episode as he ever had in the entire run of Star Trek. Jane Wyatt as his mother Amanda is clearly too emotional for a woman who has been living with Vulcans most of her life, but she looks great when she smiles and casting Margaret Anderson from "Father Knows Best" is almost as great as that of casting Lenard. "Journey to Babel" is just a wonderful episode with every scene involving Spock and his parents a treat, especially when father and son comment on Amanda's emotional outburst on the subject of logic. It is just so clear these two love her so much (arguably the most romantic moment in Star Trek history!). Simply a wonderful, wonderful episode that deserves to be on everyone's list of Top 10 Star Trek episodes.

Another top episode..A bit about Spock as well
This is another top episode of the original series. In this episode viewers find out that Spock's half human and half Vulcan. Spocks father is Sarek (Mark Lenard) and mother is Jane Wyatt, the twist is that Sarek is Vulcan's ambassador to the Federation and has not accepted the fact that Spock chose to join the Federation instead of the Vulcan Science Academy. A bit of a strained situation follows.

The Enterprise is headed to Babel with a bunch of different ambassadors and Sarek has a tense situation with another ambassador over federation membership. This lead to Sarek's nemisis's murder. But is Sarek the culprit? Plus Sarek has a heart condition which makes him gravely ill? Will Spock help his father or will he remain loyal to Captain Kirk who is also injured by an unknown assassin.

The answers to these will leave the viewer impressed with the plot and as stated before this is one of Star Trek's finest episodes. Plus the music when Sarek and Amanda (Spocks mother) first arrive on the Enterprise is classic!

Highly recommended!

An episode with a plot and many subplots
"Journey To Babel" isn't anything like any of the other Star Trek episodes. It has a plot and many subplots to it. The Enterprise is transporting many passengers to a new place, including Spock's parents. Captain Kirk gets injured and Spock's father, Sarek,