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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

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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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

Reviews (14)

Totally entertaining, mind-expanding scifi spectacle
"Galaxy Being" is the superb, seminal episode of the original Outer Limits, and it still packs quite a unique wallop today--indeed all the more so by contrast with the dismal state of contemporary scifi cinema. This is a towering, all-time great portrayal of the human encounter with the alien, who is at once intelligent, wise, noble, confused and stressed-out. His final, stern lecture to the foolish, frightened earthlings who in their ignorance would destroy him, puts this film into the same class as "Day the Earth Stood Still", one of OL's most important thematic forerunners. But then, in a brilliant stroke, there is a strong and daring infusion of emergent parallels between the rational and the non-rational, between recent discoveries of science and ancient, intuitive, mystical teachings--way ahead of its time in 1963. Another profound theme, embodied in both the alien and the Cliff Robertson character, is the courage of the individual who would seek to investigate the unknown, against the pressures of brain-washed society to conform, and all the efforts of authorities to keep humanity subservient and under control. Should these loner, visionary scientist types who break the rules in their quest for knowledge be careful what they're fooling around with? Of course; and yet, its often by mistakes that we learn the most and advance furthest as a species. The special effects are stylish and riveting, especially the design and imaging of the alien itself, which has few comparisons. The human/alien relationship is mirrored as well by the maritally troubled husband/wife couple, who have their own differences to overcome. The lame gender stereotypes of today's pathetic, post-Cameron/Hurd scifi offerings (i.e., the men as wimps or swaggering macho idiots and foils for the obligatorily smarter, stronger, wiser but good looking female lead) are nowhere to be seen, so you might not like this if you require that kind of shallow, formulaic content. The focus here, setting the tone for the whole series, is on the timeless and recurring themes of human existence, the quest for meaning, the finding of the self in the other, transcendence versus domination, the triumph of the human spirit and hope. Outer Limits is the Shakespeare of TV/cinematic scifi, and will admirably withstand the test of time. By the way, there is one unintentionally diverting moment here to watch for which I've got to mention, because I've never seen it commented upon elsewhere. It involves quite a double handful that Cliff Robertson gets hold of in the last act. How did that get by ABC's watchful eye?

Please Stand By
An inventor, and a manager of a radio station, creates a 3-D monitor device in order to communicate with alien beings from outer space. He receives a signal from the galaxy of Andromeda. This is the pilot episode and a classic one. The key episode that gives you the premise and the series approach. Cliff Robertson is the perfect example of a cursed and lonely tinkerer ("But the secrets of the universe don't mind. They reveal themselves to nobodies. Who care ?") lost in his radio experimentations and in search of an absolute. The best scene remains the intense dialogues between Cliff Robertson and the Andromedan Being about the fundamental questions : Life, Death, War and God ("Infinity is God. God, Infinity, all the same."). Pre-"Counterweight" Jacqueline Scott plays skeptical and pragmatic Carol Mawxell who threats her husband ("Carol, it's more than interesting, it's important !"). Pre-"Production and decay of strange particles" Allyson Ames (Leslie Stevens' wife) is very gorgeous. The alien's optical effects is strange and magnificient at once and it is the best "bear" of the entire series. There are two beautiful scenes with the negative effects : 1.The Being enters a shop, with suspended instruments, and examines items (binoculars, musical box, bust). 2.The Being cauterized the injury of Allan Maxwell's wife with a blast of radiation. You have a "The day the Earth stood still" reference with the army, the jeeps and the alien's warning ("There is much you have to learn.").----"The planet Earth is a speck of dust, remote and alone in the void. There are powers in the universe inscrutable and profound. Fear cannot save us. Rage cannot help us. We must see the stranger in a new light-the light of understanding. And to achieve this, we must begin to understand ourselves, and each other."

-End of transmission-

Debut Episode Of This Sci-Fi Series Is Still The Best!
This VHS video contains the premiere episode of the 1960s science-fiction TV series, "The Outer Limits". Cliff Robertson stars in "The Galaxy Being", a story of energy gone haywire.

I recall watching this thrilling episode as a little kid years ago, and even today it's still a terrific sci-fi outing.

That's Jacqueline Scott as Robertson's wife. Jacqueline was a veteran guest star in many, many TV shows of that era, including a 2nd guest spot on "The Outer Limits" (the episode "Counterweight" in December 1964). Scott also very ably appeared in shows such as "The Fugitive" (as Richard Kimble's sister), "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", "Lassie", "Ben Casey", "Route 66", "Perry Mason", "The Twilight Zone", and "Marcus Welby".

Somewhat ironically, "The Galaxy Being" episode of "The Outer Limits" premiered on network television on Monday, September 16, 1963, exactly one day before "The Fugitive", another series which featured Miss Scott frequently as a guest star, made its network debut.

If you're looking for one of the best episodes of "The Outer Limits" TV series, look no further than this particular entry.

'Scared the [stuff] out of a then ten-year-old!
When I saw the pilot episode of the classic sci-fi anthology, I was frightened beyond belief. The mouthless, glowing alien that the unwitting radio announcer "yanks" from outer space was enough to make a kid sleep with a nightlight on.

As an adult, I can now better appreciate the social commentary built into this particular installment. Also, the acting of a young Cliff Robertson, fresh from his popular role in "PT-109" can be also be credited for the success of this entry.

While the later "The Bellero Shield" explored a similar theme of reversed "alien abduction" with better results, "The Galaxy Being" was a great start to a show that should've lasted beyond its two years.

Outer Limits #1: My radio conversation with an alien...
On September 16, 1963 viewers watching ABC at 7:30 on that Monday night noticed that the picture on their television screen started to do funny things. Then a deep voice intoned: "There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture..." Thus started one of the two greatest science fiction anthology shows in television history, "The Outer Limits."

"The Galaxy Being" was the pilot episode, starring Cliff Robertson as Alex Maxwell, a technician at a radio station who makes contact with an alien. The first half of this episode highlights the simple but compelling conversation between these two in which they discuss everything from life and death to God ("Infinity is God. God infinity. All the same," the alien tells the human). The episode takes a radical, but not totally unexpected turn in the second half when Alex goes away and a DJ boosts the station's signal, which manages to bring the alien to Earth. The alien was shot as a negative photographic image, which is amazingly effective, as most simple, elegant ideas often are. Of course the alien's mere presence sends frightened citizens running in terror and Alex comes back to find an imminent confrontation between the alien and all those people with guns.

Writer and Director Leslie Stevens comes up with a nice introduction to the world of "The Outer Limits." The episode appeals to both those who like the intellectual dimensions of good science fiction and those who want cool monsters from another planet. It also establishes one of the show's strongest elements, which was making viewers uneasy with what was going on rather than going for fear and terror. Robertson also provides the first of many strong performances by actors on this show (e.g., Robert Culp in several key OL episodes). His Alex Maxwell might be an ordinary Joe, but making first contact with an alien is a cause for curiosity and wonder, not fear and loathing. No reason to get into allegorical dimensions regarding the Cold War, because the simple lesson here is that aliens are people too. ... Read more

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Round up this vintage Rawhide episode originally broadcast in 1963. Clint Eastwood stars as Rowdy Yates, who becomes "Sir Lancelot" to Judy Hall (guest star Susan Oliver), a freshly tarred and feathered saloon singer to whom he offers safe haven with the cattle drive. Trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) disapproves of her disruptive presence. Out of spite, she vows, "By the time I finish with his crew, he'll be lucky if he has one cow left." James Best, perhaps best known as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard, guest stars as Willie Cain, whose interest in Judy ("She bounces class like a fistful of diamonds") dramatically increases when it is revealed that she is in fact an heiress. The legendary Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolf Man) gives a heartbreaking performance as gentle giant Rock, who tragically defends her honor. As usual, grizzled cook Wishbone (Paul Brinegar) gets the episode's best line. Suspecting that Lola's Saloon is watering its drinks, he remarks of the carousing drovers, "Usually they'd be so drunk they couldn't hit the floor with their hat in three throws." --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Episode
To quote another reviewer, this is indeed proof of the golden days of the western and Clint Eastwood. In this one, the crew goes to a saloon in a nearby town to relax, but the locals have a scene hatched - steal their money and their supplies! One of the sweet lady singers in the saloon warns them, and a good old fashioned bar brawl ensues! But there are two evil lady saloon singer gals who didn't like her telling the visitor to the saloon what was going on, so they decide to take it out on her. The crews hears everyone laughing at her..." do you hear that... that's the sound of someone else taking pleasure in someone else's misery!"
They offer her safe haven with them for a while, but one of the guys is kind of bent on getting to know her, and she is hard to get to know. Each individual has their own unique personality such as the one guy who likes the new lady: "Noone laughs at me - nobody!"
Very realistic confrontations in this series. They are shown more the way hard feelings develope in real life. Character interaction is excellent.
First class western bravado. ... Read more

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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

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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

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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, needs a blood transfusion in order to have a chance to live. And Spock is the only one capable of giving his father the blood he needs since he's half Vulcan. Also, Spock's father is the leading suspect in the murder of another passenger onboard the Enterprise.

"Journey To Babel" has a lot of interesting characters and it's an entertaining episode. I recommend anybody who likes Star Trek to get this episode.

The best Star Trek Ever.
This is an extremely good Star Trek episode. First we meet Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, and we get to see many of the races that belong to the Federation aboard the Enterprise enroute to a conferance on the planet Babel to debate on letting the Coridan planets join the Federation. It is also a good action/adventure story that sees Spock trying to save his father's life via a blood transfusion while the Enterprise battles an unknown alien ship. This was the best Star Trek episode of all, just as Star Trek IV was the best of the Trek movies.Written by D.C. Fontana.Directed by Joseph Pevney.Music Score by Gerald Fried. ... Read more

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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

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"The Alternative Factor" is a minor episode in which Kirk encounters two versions of a fellow named Lazarus (Robert Brown), one from our own dimension and the other from an antimatter cosmos. The latter Lazarus intends to create an opening between worlds, potentially causing an intergalactic Armageddon. Though directed by Gerd Oswald, an interesting feature filmmaker from Hollywood, "The Alternative Factor" has to work a little too hard to make its point. Still, it isn't boring, and the theme certainly fits that long-standing Star Trek obsession with dualities. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Strange plot that is hard to understand
"The Alternative Factor" is one of the worst episodes of the original Star Trek. Spock and the crew find what seems to be a dead planet. Kirk finds a man named Lazarus and they beam back up to the Enterprise. They later find out that Lazarus is a time traveller and there's a mysterious being on the dead planet that he says is actually a person trying to interfere with his time travel. Lazarus will do anything to get some crystals so he can get in his flying saucer and get off the planet as soon as he can.

"The Alternative Factor" isn't the worst episode of the original series, but it's not one of the best. The plot is strange and it makes you wonder what it's even about at times. I wouldn't recommend getting "The Alternative Factor" unless you're a diehard Trek fan.

One of the five worst episodes in the original series
This episode is clearly in the bottom five of the original Star Trek series. It starts with the basic idea of twins, one good and the other evil, almost identical in structure, but opposite in temperament. In this case, both are named Lazurus and each is from a different universe. This basic idea had already been used in episode 5, "The Enemy Within", where a transporter malfunction split Kirk into his good and evil personalities. However, that is only one reason why this episode is so weak.
Supposedly, because one is from a matter universe and the other from an antimatter universe, if they ever meet, it will cause the destruction of both universes. This is of course scientifically absurd, when any antimatter encounters any matter equal amounts of both are converted into energy. Therefore, the antimatter Lazurus would have been destroyed when he first encountered the matter of the Enterprise.
The two Lazuruses pop back and forth across their universes, making it difficult for you to determine which one is currently on the Enterprise. As they perform their universe hopping, the crew of the Enterprise is befuddled, although they eventually figure out that they are dealing with two distinct individuals. The solution is to wait until they both are in the process
of hopping from one universe to another and then destroy their ships, which is what created the path between the universes.
This traps them in the "corridor" between the universes, where the mad Lazurus will eternally be at the throat of the good one. The absurdity of this solution seems lost on all the participants. Obviously, if being in the corridor has rendered you immortal, then even the actions of a madman could not harm you. The simplest solution would have been to kill the mad
Lazarus, saving both universes. Nevertheless, there is a sensible reason why the creators did not choose this option, as that allowed them to pose the one interesting theme of the story,
that one can end up in purgatory by committing actions worthy of a saint.
I have trouble ranking what I consider to be the top and bottom five episodes of the original Star Trek series. Therefore, I cannot say that I rank this one last, but it is tied for 75th place.

The lemons weren't confined to season 3
This episode, in which a loner travels between universes in a small ship, just never comes together. Despite the fact that nothing short of the universe is at stake, the episode feels trivial. While Robert Brown certainly has a tough assignment here as the two Laseruses (Laserii?), he seems torn between trying to make each of them 'real' while still being sufficiently different that the viewer will not become confused. Unfortunately he does not succeed in either regard, and the seemingly haphazard storyline doesn't assist the viewer any either. The team also seems to struggle to fill up the episode's allotted hour, but the main problem is the story is presented in a way that doesn't make sense; everything feels arbitrary and desultory. The self-flagellation between universes, while memorable, is not particularly effective either. About the best thing about this episode is the end-the disturbing idea of someone spending eternity battling a madman.

What of Lazarus? Worth watching; not one of the best Treks
The Alternative Factor is the 1966 TOS Episode featuring Lazarus and his anti-matter counterpart. Lazarus is a madman who is obsessed with his counterpart and has devoted his life to finding and annihilating him (and 2 universes in the process).

A few inconsistencies abound in this one. First, it's pretty confusing trying to keep track of which Lazarus is which as they go back and forth through the portal. Second, as one reviewer suggested, why didn't Kirk just kill one of them (or why didn't the anti-matter one just kill himself)? Third, when Spock and Kirk talk about the physics behind it, Spock starts out saying when counterparts meet from parallel universes they "cancel themselves out violently". Then out of nowhere Spock says it's matter-antimatter and that means the total annihilation of both universes. No only is this inconsistent in the dialogue, but illogical (are you listening Spock?) scientifically.

Fourth, why are they locked in the corridor for all eternity? Wouldn't they die eventually? Or don't people need food in the corridor; or do they become immortal there? If time stops there, then it's no big deal as they wouldn't be conscious anyway.

Fifth, Lazarus says he's a "time traveler". Why do they stay in the same time throughout the episode then?

Sixth, if they are parallel wouldn't there be a Kirk and Spock counterpart also (this is explored in a later and superior episode)? And why is the Lazarus in Kirk's world insane, while the other sane? If they are