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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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"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 that different from each other why would the matter-Lazarus be obsessed with someone who isn't really like him (save his looks).

Nonetheless, with all these flaws it's still worth watching, as the idea of the annihilation of the universe and eternal hell in the corridor are profound concepts, though they are only brought out toward the end and undeveloped. And this, one of the weaker TOS episodes still towers over the later series
imho.

What is the matter/anti-matter with Lazarus?
"The Alternative Factor" is one of those neat science fiction ideas that does not necessarily translate into an effective episode. The Enterprise comes across a strange craft and a very upset being named Lazarus, who claims to be chasing an evil enemy who must be destroyed. Lazarus insists Kirk must help and when the captain refuses, the strange visitor steals what he needs any way. When Kirk follows he encounters the "evil enemy" of which Lazarus spoke, who is some sort of a twin. Apparently Lazarus' people have discovered a corridor between the matter and anti-matter universes. When the first Lazarus discovered he had a twin, he went insane. Even more alarming, if the two meet outside the corridor, they will destroy both universes. This would not be a good thing. I have to admit that this is one of those times when I think the logical thing to do would be to simply zap one of the two Lazaruses and avoid the potential destruction of absoltuely everything. But that is just me and apparently Kirk was not going to learn this particular bit of wisdom until "The City on the Edge of Forever." "The Alternative Factor" is long on talk and short on action and is a lesser than stellar Star Trek episode. ... Read more

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There's an emergency on Janus VI, a seemingly uninhabited planet rich inmetals and rare minerals crucial to Federation operations.There's a lot of money to be made by the mining contractor involved, butthere's a swift-moving, unseen monster roaming thesnaky tunnels of Janus's interior, turning miners into acid-drenched goo.Fifty men have died, and it's up to the Enterprise to find the alien culprit and defuse the lynch-mob mentality spreading among the paranoid miners. Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), andDr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to initiate thedetective work, leading Spock to quickly conclude that the thousands ofsilicone balls mysteriously strewn about the planet's deepest caves mighthave something to do with the reasons behind the atrocities. Written byseries guru Gene L. Coon and directed by mainstay Joseph Pevney (whoalternated directorial chores with Marc Daniels during the show's secondseason), "The Devil in the Dark" is a breathlessly paced episode reflecting a delightful variety of cross-genre influences--Westerns, creature features,gritty noir. Add one of the most effective and moving instances of theEnterprise's search for new life on Star Trek (plus McCoy'sinfamous complaint, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer"), and this is a memorable program indeed. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A fine piece of sci-fi television writing.
The Devil in the Dark is one of Star Trek's best episodes. A rock like creature, a Horta has been striking back at the miners who are unknownly destroying her eggs. Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock discover that the creature is intelligent, despite it's apperance , and find a way for the Horta and the Miners to live in peace. An excellient showing of how in the Star Trek universe, all life forms are treated with respect and dignity, This show was written by Gene L. Coon. A man who shared a lot of commen ideas with Gene Roddenberry about what Star Trek should be.Directed by Joseph Pevney.Music Composed and Conducted by Alexander Courage.

The essence of "Trek"
The original "Star Trek" television series certainly boasts a number of episodes which are rightly labeled "classics" by fans of science fiction. "The Devil in the Dark," written by Gene L. Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney, is one of the most memorable of those classic shows.

In this installment of the series, the crew of the Starship Enterprise investigates the deaths of a number of workers on a mining colony. They discover the killer to be a frightening creature that can burrow through solid rock as easily as a hot knife through butter. But, this being the "Star Trek" universe, all is not necessarily as it seems, and Captain Kirk's investigation results in a number of stunning revelations.

"The Devil in the Dark" boasts one of the series' most memorable aliens in the "monster" of the title. The episode also features memorable dialogue between principal characters Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. But what makes this show most special is its embodiment of the central "Star Trek" worldview. As our heroes struggle to understand the alien creature which is locked in conflict with the human miners, they uncover truths which are relevant not only in the fictional "Star Trek" universe, but in the "real world" as well.

Horta-culture
Yet another in the string on winning episodes, this one concerns a conflict between miners and a silicon-based life form. This unusual episode has a strong element of suspense, since we are not only trying to figure out just what's happening, but also worried about what lurks in the dark tunnels. The episode is more than just suspenseful though. Themes explored include the rights of all creatures to survival, and the mammal bias inherent in our notions of both ugliness and maternal love. Star Trek must have been one of the first shows to devote so much thought to ecological/environmental questions, which like so many themes explored by Star Trek has only grown in importance. More research is of course devoted today than ever before to boundary conflicts, and more generally to finding ways to balance our human resource needs with the survival of other species.

Tidbit: William Shatner's father died during the production of this episode.

Ugly alien isn't so ugly....
Spoiler Alert for those who didn't see the episode.......

Turns out this creature that's eating the employees of this mining company is only protecting it's young. While Kirk and Spock find out about the creature we find out something about humanity. I thought this was a mindless creature that radomly killed only to discover it was acting on parental instinct. This is a must see for any Trek fan. Orginal or Next Generation, you name it.

Great Star Trek Moment: Spock's mind-meld with the Horta
The Enterprise is investigating the death of dozens of miners in the colony on Janus VI in what surprisingly proves to be one of the more emotional Star Trek episodes. The killings began after the miners opened up new tunnels and discovered thousands of silicon spheres. Eventually Kirk and Spock stumble on the truth: the nodules are really eggs from a species of silicon life known as the Horta. In their ignorance, the miners have been destroying the eggs, thinking them worthless. One of the things I like about this episode is that the miners are actually bothered by this once they learn the truth, so maybe there is some hope for humanity. Spock's mind-meld with the mother Horta, where he weeps for the lost children, is one of Leonard Nimoy's finest moments on the show (think about it: the actor is talking to a fake rock) and even McCoy manages to work a minor medical miracle with a trowel and some thermal concrete. "The Devil in the Dark" is one of my favorite Star Trek episodes and a testament to the show's strengths because it is a very effective episode despite a pretty hokey looking "monster." William Shatner has some particularly interesting behind the scenes stories to tell about this particular episode in his memoirs. ... Read more

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A randy Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), andScotty (James Doohan) take shore leave on Argelius II, a trip that becomesa nightmare when Scotty is suspected in a series of murders. From its openingscene featuring a seductive belly dancer to the ultimate revelation of thekiller's identity, "Wolf in the Fold" has the aura of a psychological horrorstory. No wonder: The script is by Robert Bloch, author of the novelPsycho (basis for the Hitchcock film), who also came up with the idea ofthe Enterprise computers being overtaken by none other than Jack theRipper. Actor John Fiedler, whose raspy, high-pitched voice is most familiar asthe sound of Piglet in Walt Disney's Winnie the Pooh, is very good as theultra-annoying Hengist, a skeptical prosecutor out for Scotty's head. One of thefew Trek episodes to focus on Scotty, "Wolf" is downright exotic at timesin its spooky tone and depiction of the sensual life on Argelius II.(Director Joseph Pevney even spent some of Paramount's money getting a startlingoverhead shot of a seance.) Here's a weird factoid: Harlan Ellison, author ofTrek's great "City on the Edge of Forever" episode, also once wrote afuturistic Jack-is-back story called (ta-da) "City on the Edge of Tomorrow."--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Violence was handled more casually in season 2
The 'Jack the Ripper' episode is another action episode from the second season. The conclusion to the teaser is quite chilling, although the episode never quite reaches that pitch thereafter. The exotic pleasure palace and seance keep things going for a while, but much of the show is ultimately taken up by the 'baton-passing' of Rejack. Once we know the episode's fairly compelling hook, there isn't much novelty even in Rejack's penultimate resting place.

This episode also was not the highpoint of gender sensitivity. 'The Boys' are pretty glib in their loose talk at the beginning of the episode, and the violence towards women isn't treated as anything more than a plot device to get Scotty into trouble. On the other hand, the same could be said of most Star Trek violence towards MEN. There's no denying though that death was treated more lightly after the first season. Some second season episodes (Patterns of Force was the worst offender) stepped way over the line; the producers seemed to feel that as long as they didn't side with the bad guys (and they didn't) any subject could be treated, and in some cases treated lightly.)

Would you believe Scotty is really...Jack the Ripper?
Writer Robert Bloch's fascination with Jack the Ripper pops up in "Wolf in the Fold" (Bloch and Harlan Ellison wrote a couple of short stories on the Ripper for "Dangerous Visions" way back when). On Argelius II, Scotty is accused of murdering a dancing girl. He denies it, and when another woman is found dead in the Chief Engineer's hands seconds after sensing the presence of an evil thing that hates women, he denies it even more vehemently. Kirk and Spock race to the ship's computer and eventually come around to the strange but inescapable conclusion that the real murderer is an energy-based life form that feeds on the emotion of fear. They are able to trace it back hundreds of years and millions of miles to Earth and the Ripper's killing spree at the end of the 19th century. Actually, Bloch's story is as good an explanation for why the killings stopped as anything the Ripperologists have come up with. Things fall into place rather nicely for Kirk and Spock, but then that happens a lot on television. John Fiedler turns in a nice little performance as Chief City Administrator Hengist, who wants to nail Scotty to the wall.

A murder trail for Scotty.
When Scotty (James Doohan) is found to be the lone person on site when three women were killed, he is put on trial, and it's up to Kirk, Spock and Bones to uncover his innocence. The investigation soon reveals that an energy creature once known on Earth as Jack the Ripper, is respoceible for the murders. this Star Trek story is full of horror and suspence, but as a kind of funny ending to it, which would make Alfred Hitchcock proud.Written by Robert Bloch. Directed by Joseph Pevney. Music Composed and Conducted by Gerald Fried.

Exciting Jack The Ripper episode
"Wolf In The Fold" is an exciting episode of the original Star Trek. A woman is killed and Scotty's fingerprints are the only ones anybody can find on the knife that killed her. Eventually 2 more women are killed and Scotty is the closest one to both of them when the lights come back on. Scotty and the USS Enterprise crew must proceed to a court session along with 2 men that are from the planet on which the murders occurred. They must determine who is the killer of these 3 women.

"Wolf In The Fold" is an exciting Jack The Ripper tale. Is it a creature killing the women? Or is it Scotty or some other person? I recommend getting "Wolf In The Fold" in order to find out. It starts getting real exciting and suspenseful once the court sessions begin onboard the USS Enterprise. You'll also become familiar with the talking computer of the Enterprise.

This episode gets a B- grade and is ranked 34th out of 80
Kirk and McCoy decide to take Scotty, who is recovering from a head wound accidentally caused by a female crew member, to a nightclub on the planet Argelian. Scotty becomes infatuated with a lovely dancer at the club and they leave together. In the meantime, Kirk and McCoy decide to sample some of the planet's other pleasures and leave. A scream sends them to a foggy alley to find the dancer dead with Scotty holding a bloody knife. McCoy suggests that perhaps Scotty's subconscious distrust of women, since his accident, has manifested itself in murder. Hengist, the local authority, wants to arrest Scotty, but Kirk intervenes and seeks the help of a priestess of an old psionic cult. Unfortunately, she's killed and once more the blame seems to fall at Scotty's feet. Before she dies, the priestess says that something with an insatiable hunger and hatred of women is present in the room. Scotty still claims to have amnesia during the time when the women were killed. In the end, the entity turns out to be an ancient life form, Redjac, previously known on Earth as Jack the Ripper. It now appears in true form; a non-corporeal vampire who thrives on others' fear. It preys on women because they are more easily frightened. It has been living in the body of Hengist and, when discovered, kills Hengist and flees to the U.S.S. Enterprise. McCoy administers tranquilizers to everyone on board so that the creature cannot evoke fear. Enraged, it is forced to return to Hengist's body. Kirk, knowing this would happen, beams it into space at maximum dispersal, where it will die for lack of nourishment. ... Read more

Description

In this dramatic two-hour episode, Charles takes Mary to an eye specialist when she begins to experience difficulty seeing. He is devastated to learn that she will most certainly lose her sight and for a while cannot bring himself to tell her the truth about her condition.When Mary does go blind, Charles and Caroline decide it would be best for her to attend a special school in Iowa.Although reluctant to participate and learn in the beginning, Mary develops a special bond with her teacher, Adam Kendall that changes her outlook on life.Mary becomes an excellent student and is invited to stay on as a teacher. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Included on the Complete Season set!
In a very unclear and probably intentionally confusing marketing move, this and all of the other "2-hour TV special" Little House DVDs being released separated are actually included on the Complete Season box sets being released by the same company. I purchased three of these "specials" before realizing that they were all 2-part episodes to be found on the complete season sets. This one, for example, can be found on the Complete Third Season, which is now available. While I don't have a problem with these 2-part shows being released separately, I don't understand the need for it and I really, really wish that it would be made clear somewhere on the packaging. Considering that these single disc releases have no special features, this is the worst example of DVD "double dipping" I've seen in a long time!!

wonderful....great memories of a terrific show
Hands down, "I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away" is a classic in the "Little House on the Prairie" series and is something you'll definitely want to see if you're a fan of the show. Indeed, it is a critical turning point, both on the show and in the true-to-life books, and it launches some drastic changes in the entire Ingalls family. When fifteen-year-old Mary is stricken with blindness, it is her initial denial and her family's fear and guilt that makes for a very emotional first few months. Mary's parents send her to a top-notch school for the blind, where she refuses to learn at first but is pulled in the right direction by her patient teacher Adam Kendall. In time, they form a loving bond that will last forever, and Mary's character matures a hundred times over through her experience.

This is a beautiful episode, and it is easy to see why actress Melissa Sue Anderson was nominated for an Emmy for her performance here as Mary. This entire show is filled with many memorable, touching, and sometimes shattering moments that test a family's strength and inspire you. Anyone who takes the time to appreciate this wonderful show will definitely see that.

Wonderful episode, superb TV series...highly recommended.

BEST episode of the 4th season!!!!!!!
This is televison at its BEST in the 1970's and LHOTP at its BEST!!!!! the acting is superb and this is the season finale for season 4, this is also the most pivotal point in the LHOTP storylines. the episode is all about Mary going blind and how the Ingalls deal with Mary's blindness. 5 stars out of 5

Takes you back...
This is one of my absolute favorite episodes of Little House on the Prairie. This is where the character of Adam is introduced. Finally the girls are starting to grow up. Mary is stricken blind and after much denial and fear finally overcomes the shock of it all, and finds her way back. Adam helps her through her struggle with tough love, and Mary is able to be the teacher that she always wanted to be. ... Read more

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Easily one of the best episodes from the original Star Trekseries, "Amok Time" was written by the novelist Theodore Sturgeon, who came upwith a story about a Vulcan mating cycle that occurs every seven years anddrives the normally stolid, logical, pointy-eared humanoids wild. When Spock(Leonard Nimoy) is suddenly caught in the grip of pon farr, acrazy-making urge to mate, he sets a course for his home planet despiteorders to the contrary from Captain Kirk (William Shatner). Kirk comesaround, however, and accompanies Spock and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) toVulcan, where Spock is to wed T'Pring (Arlene Martel) in an arrangedmarriage. But T'Pring formally rejects Spock, forcing a duel in which thecaptain must participate or let Spock die. There's high drama galore in this one, beginning with Spock's feverish savagery and extending to thefascinating complexity of Vulcan rituals, set against the eerie emptiness of the planet's landscape. For good measure, there's also the startling sight of Kirk and Spock fighting it out to the death. Supporting performances areterrific, including that of Celia Lovsky (the real-life wife of Peter Lorre) as the matriarch T'Pau. This is also the episode that gave birth to thesplit-fingered Vulcan salute (inspired by Nimoy's memories of the kohaninblessing at Jewish temples) and the phrase "live long and prosper." One ofTrek's more highly charged episodes, you can feel a certainspontaneous energy here--indeed, some of the more inspired actors even made uptheir own lines. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Must See
This episode, in which Spock must return to his home planet, is deservedly a classic. Amok Time typifies the vitality and fast-pacing of the second season shows. There is real mystery as we try to comprehend just what is wrong with Spock. Certainly it is no coincidence that the thoughtful and critical Nimoy's strongest performance came in the show that gave him both a range of emotions AND a plausible reason for stepping out of character. Nowhere is Spock's shame about his (and all of our) dualistic natures more palpable than here.

This episode is helped also by the musical score and minimalist sets on Vulcan, as well as solid acting by the other Vulcans. If one is willing to look beyond minor script problems such as the humans' utter ignorance of Vulcan biology and the details of how Spock ends up fighting Kirk, there really isn't much to gripe about. Funny too how success breeds success; there is a warmth and chemistry between the big three here that just couldn't be reconjured in episodes that didn't earn the actors' trust.

Spock's Home World Revealed.
The history and culture of the planet Vulcan is revealed as Spock returns home to take a wife, but that same woman wants another Vulcan instead, and Spock must choose between the traditions of his people or his friendship with Captain James T. Kirk.A thrilling episode with a surprise ending, courtesy of Bones.

Beastie Boys
Just saw a beastie boys video today that reenacts the pon farr battle on a street corner.

spock fans! this is the one!
Easily one of the top five episodes in trek history! If you're a fan of Nimoy's character you've gotta see this one! Too great for words! The whole series rocks and this is one of the very best!

Who Are The Vulcans?
The original Star Trek TV series aired from 1966-1969 and reflected the era in which it was made. The Cold War was still raging although the threat of nuclear war had receded somewhat and a shooting war was in progress in Vietnam. The horrors of World War 2 were still fresh in many peoples minds and even World War 1 was still a living memory for many people. Thus, many people were groping for a way for mankind to overcome the urges that seemingly pushed it to greater and greater levels of self-destruction. The writers of Star Trek decided to create a character, Mr Spock, who would come from a world that had decided to cope with these challanges by banishing emotion. Mr Spock's struggle with this became the theme of many episodes, especially this one and Journey to Babel. Dr McCoy's criticism represents a critique of this approach, i.e. that man must live with his emotions and control them, not eliminate them entirely. Even though Spock and McCoy represent very different approaches to life, they are the closest of friends, as we see in this fine episode. People can live in peace, not by necessarily banishing all differences and living in some fuzzy, empty, middle ground, but by respecting all philosophies that search for the ultimate truths. This is the message of the original Star Trek and is represented beautifully in this episode and this is why I am so disappointed in the subsequent TV series and movies which lost this vision. ... Read more

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"The Man Trap" was the first broadcast episode of the Gene Roddenberry series. Though it was not the first story produced for the show, the process was still new enough that contracted writers were obliged to fill in various blanks, develop some of the key characters, and smoothly introduce some of the Trek technology we've come to take for granted. Writer George Clayton Johnson conceived a story in which Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) runs into an old flame, a woman named Dr. Nancy Carter (Jeanny Bealy), who's in need of medical supplies on a planet where she and her husband (Alfred Ryder) are the only humans. "Nancy," however, turns out to be a shape-shifting creature that sucks the salt from the bodies of humanoids. Once it's loose aboard the Enterprise, the "salt vampire" can look like anyone in its pursuit of nourishment.With McCoy having such a pivotal part in the narrative, Johnson worked with the series' story editor and episode director (Marc Daniels) on fleshing out his underdeveloped character. There were other issues to think about: this premiere show introduced the Enterprise's transporter technology as well as Star Trek's realistic take on scary extraterrestrials. Everyone involved survived the episode, and while it played only to a meager television audience, Trek was off and running for three-plus decades. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Who's that Salt Creature with the Suction Cups for Fingers?
The Man Trap or Who's that Salt Creature with Suction Cups for fingers?

Another one of those creatures with the power of illusion in this early episode. McCoy and Kirk beam down to see a former love of the good Doctor; only to learn too late that she died at the hands of the ...Salt Vampire...the thing looks like something rejected from an Outer Limits episode and in fact it is designed by a fellow named Chang. He was a creature designer for Outer Limits before Star Trek came along.

By the time Kirk and company find out it's too late. The Salty monster takes the lives of a few crew members assuming their look and identity. This must have inspired the shape shifters on the subsequent series. It's a good episode if you remember it was done in the sixties.

This episode gets a C- grade and is ranked 63rd out of 80
The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at planet M-113 to deliver supplies to Dr. Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy, whom Doctor Leonard McCoy was once romantically involved with. The Crater's have been on M-113 for five years conducting an archeological survey of the planet's ruins. They are the only known inhabitants of the planet. Crater tells Kirk that the only thing they need are salt tablets. Otherwise, they want to be left alone. Kirk debates this, insisting they must need other supplies and must at least allow McCoy to give them physicals. While this is happening, Darnell, one of Kirk's landing party, meets a beautiful young woman and wanders off with her. When Kirk goes looking for the young man, he finds him dead, his body scarred with suction cup shaped marks. The Captain orders the Craters to beam aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The decency to lament the death of a species
While this is officially episode number 6, it was the first one to be aired, so it served to introduce us to the main characters and some of the technology that they were to use. The Enterprise stops to check on an isolated married couple who are investigating an ancient and alien archeological site. The woman is an old love interest of Doctor McCoy, and she dutifully looks like she did many years ago and calls him by her old pet name of plum.
However, the woman is in fact a creature that has a tremendous physiological need for salt and is capable of sucking it out of a person's body. "She" is also capable of adopting any appearance, although it appears to be an act of mind blocking rather than shape-shifting. It kills a member of the crew and while the "husband" knows what happened, he covers for her and they both end up on the Enterprise, where she continues to kill. It is here where we learn for the first time that Spock does not have sodium chloride in his blood, making him immune from the salt-sucker's death grip. Eventually, the creature is tracked down and killed by McCoy's own hand, but not before he hesitates and we see an emotional outburst from Spock who implores McCoy to kill the creature.
There are two main themes running through this episode. The first is that of the wily alien, who can muddle your mind and considers humans to be little more than a source of sustenance. While there is no explicit argument made either way, the implicit one is that the creature is not intelligent. For if it was intelligent, it would not have killed the first crewman and would have simply made the request for the salt that it needed. An intelligent creature would have recognized that humans would have to kill it if it began killing them. All of the behaviors indicate that it is operating largely on instinct, where the images and sounds are projected into the minds of the Enterprise crew.
The second main theme reinforces the first, in that Kirk laments the death of the creature, as she was the last of her species. In the final scene, Kirk appears lost in thought, and when prodded, he confesses to have been thinking about the buffalo. Once again, the approach is to consider it to have been an animal rather than an intelligent creature. Even though it was necessary to kill it to save his life, Kirk has the fundamental morality to regret the events. This establishes the fundamental theme that the purpose of the Enterprise is to seek out new life and creatures in order to establish friendly ties.
While not one of the best episodes of the series, it is a sound beginning, and on that plane, about as good as it could have been. In it we learn some of the technology that will rapidly become routine, and we see what truly made Star Trek great, the incorporation of grand ideas into the plots.

"I was thinking about the buffalo, Mr. Spock."
Seriously, don't you hate it when you look up an old flame and find out she's become a salt vampire? And if you think your job is difficult, just think how hard it is for the head of the tourism authority of planet M-113 to come up with new ways to attract visitors. The planet is barren, the scenery is far from beautiful, and on top of that, you never know when a salt vampire disguised as someone you know will walk up to you and suck all the sodium chloride out of your body.

The U.S.S. Enterprise enters orbit of planet M-113 to drop off supplies to Robert Crater (Alfred Ryder) & Nancy Crater (Jeanne Bal). The Craters are married but Nancy had once been in a relationship with Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). The Craters tell Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) that they want to be left alone but he is unable to grant their request after a member of his landing party turns up dead. As Kirk and McCoy try to solve the mystery, Nancy Crater starts to roam freely aboard the Enterprise. She is actually the sole survivor of planet M-113, a shape-shifter who needs salt to survive. After the creature is exposed, McCoy kills it in order to save his captain.

Chalk up the salt vampire as another one of Star Trek's classic aliens. The long-tangled hair, the dried skin, the suction cups on its fingers - what's not to like? Yet despite the episode's camp value, it is also memorable for helping to bring Dr. McCoy's character into the spotlight. The original Star Trek was great because of the interaction between Kirk, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and McCoy and this was the first episode that started to flesh out the cantankerous and lovable doctor. You can literally feel his pain when he is forced to kill the creature in the form of Nancy. Such attention to character detail is what helped make the series special and one of the reasons why it continues to endure.

First episode to air was not the best of the early shows
The Man Trap-This episode, in which we meet a salt-craving creature with 'The Thing'-like shape-changing abilities, was the first Trek episode to air. While decent enough, it certainly is not an exceptional episode. While it is conceivable that this was the only episode completed in time, more likely it was selected for first because it was not what NBC had called 'too cerebral'. Other factors that NBC might have liked include the fact that it was largely planet-based and had an alien that 'looked like an alien.' While this episode does touch on loneliness, the subjectivity of beauty, and all creatures' right to survival, it does no more than touch on these themes. As an action episode, it's no more than passable, and again everything from the delivery of the lines to the music is slow, slow, slow (compared to even one year later). The episode is, quite honestly, most memorable for 1) the well-designed vampire, and 2) the shock-value of humans being preyed upon.

It is interesting to observe some aspects of the show seen here that would change over time. The Kirk character was more aggressive and conservative here, although the Captain's logs oddly enough were delivered in almost a whisper in the early shows. The early episodes made an effort to show what life was like throughout the ship, and included more everyday activities like people eating, drinking, and sleeping. We also see character development even among secondary characters; this pattern would not be continued in later seasons. Music is also used only sparingly in early episodes. Other odd quirks are Sulu as a botanist/ jack of all trades, and the showing of the ship out of orbit during several scenes. ... Read more

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Hippies on the Enterprise! This 1969 episode presents an unusually jaundiced view of flower children as Kirk and crew attempt to deal with a group of young--and so misguided!--idealists in search of the legendary planet Eden. Oddly enough, it is Spock who best understands these free spirits, and this episode offers the rare pleasure of seeing the Vulcan join in a jam session with his Vulcan harp, as well as the spectacle of Enterprise crew members attempting to get down. This episode is enjoyable in its own right, and also as an interesting look at how the kids of the '60s came off to those a few years their senior. Only a "Herbert" (that's slang for "square") could fail to enjoy watching duty-bound Kirk wonder whether he's a little too rigid. (Movie trivia buffs may notice that the hippie who gets "a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy" is none other than Charles Napier, a character actor who would later appear in nearly all of Jonathan Demme's films, including his rather grisly fate at the hands of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.) --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (15)

This episode gets a C- grade and is ranked 66th out of 80
Chasing the stolen vessel Aurora, the U.S.S. Enterprise rescues the thieves just before the Aurora is destroyed. The group is led by Dr. Sevrin in a search for a mythological planet named Eden, a planet reputed to be a paradise. Since one of Sevrin's group is the son of a Federation ambassador, Sevrin is held in protective custody while his followers are permitted to be free aboard ship. But when Spock is able to deduce Eden's location, Sevrin's followers free Sevrin and take over the starship. Reaching Eden, Sevrin takes his people down to the surface in a shuttlecraft. When Kirk leads a landing party in pursuit, they find that the planet's vegetation all secretes deadly acid, and the fruits are all poisonous. Madly refusing to believe Kirk, Sevrin bites a piece of fruit and dies immediately. With his death, his followers are taken back aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The Way To Eden
In "The Way To Eden," Captain Kirk and the crew bring aboard a group of very strange people. The people are like rebels and are headed by a relentless leader named Sevrus. These strange guests are wanting to get to a place called Eden real bad. However, Captain Kirk is not all that willing to take them to Eden since they are on his ship and because Eden is basically a myth, so it might not even exist. The rebels like Spock and he's the only one on the Enterprise that can reach them, but not even he can stand in the way of their idea of getting to Eden. Will Captain Kirk lose control of his ship to these rebels, or will he once again keep his ship and make some peace?

"The Way To Eden" isn't a bad episode. It's not one of my personal favorites, but it's pretty good. The enemies in the episode are somewhat intriguing, the episode is interesting, and the acting is pretty good. The best part of the show to me was the part where you'll find out that Spock knows how to play a musical instrument very well. The last 10 minutes of the episode was also well done.

I recommend "The Way To Eden" to anybody who likes episodes of Star Trek where the crew of the Enterprise mainly just deals with some enemies onboard the ship that want to take control of the ship.

Oh...brother
The notorious hippie episode is-like many Treks-best watched with tongue-in-cheek. Few episodes offer stronger proof of just how stodgy many of the older white men behind the scenes must have been. Plenty of episodes are sexist, but this one is decidedly anti-youth as well. On the other hand, if these youths are representative of the 23rd century, who could blame them? There is hardly a tint of idealism present, and they are lead by a madman (although I have no idea how Spock came to this-ultimately correct-conclusion so quickly.

This is one of the most embarrassing examples of just how easy it is for an outsider to take control of the Enterprise. Equally implausible are Chekov's lack of loyalty to his insignia (although Irina was attractive), and Spock's participation in the jam session. Skip Homeier, who we last saw in Patterns of Force, is no more believable here as an insane Dr. Severin. The ending on the planet 'Eden' is also extremely rushed (and why? so many earlier scenes were begging to be snipped), although honestly I was ready for the episode to end.

One a positive note, this episode is different and it is campy, and those are both things that many of us look for in Trek TOS. Kirk's perturbation at being labeled a Herbert, and Spock's subtle enjoyment of the Captain's insecurity, also make for a few (hard earned) laughs.

Hippies of the future
In this one the crew meet futuristic beatnics. The leader has strange ears of a different kind. They look like someone just stretched them out of silly putty. Other than that it's a pretty odd outing for our favorites. I remember one scene where one of the hippies bites a poison apple. Not what paradise is supposed to be. Chekov finds a lost love from the academy that joined this group. Wish that the powers that be gave him more lines to tell us what he did in his academy years. I am surprised that Kirk dismissed their culture so quickly. The Federation is supposed to be so tolerant of other planets and people. It's another case where paradise was not ment for mankind. All in all I'd have to rate this a five out of five stars for seeing Spock jamming (playing his Vulcan harp) with the beatnics from outer space.

Spock! Get down wit yo bad self!
It's a shame that Jimi Hendrix wasn't asked to be the guest star on this episode as the hippie leader. Jimi and Spock could have put on a show that would have made Monterey look like child's play. So what are a bunch of 23rd Century hippis to do? Seek the planet Eden. They's have nothing to do all day but stay dirty, have free love, smoke space grass, and listen to 8-track recordings of Spock jams.

It's a dang shame the whole planet is poisenous. I smell 'The Man' behind this one! Rock on Spock. ... Read more

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Perhaps best known as the episode in which Abraham Lincoln is seen, rather absurdly, floating through space in a big ol' presidential chair, "The Savage Curtain" is one of those death-match shows in which a busybody alien wants to witness true human(oid) mettle in an arranged battle. Lincoln asks Captain Kirk(William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to accompany him to a planet where Excalbians have organized a fight between good (Kirk's party plus a Vulcan icon) and evil (Genghis Khan, Kahless the founder of the Klingon Empire, and two guys you never heard of). The derivative, obvious story was half-written by Gene Roddenberry and dumped on another writer, Arthur Heinemann, after Roddenberry pulled back from Star Trek in its third season. Heinemann added some interesting moral underpinnings, but this is one of those instances in which a good television show seems to be mimicking itself. On the plus side, the show gives Sulu (George Takei) a rare opportunity to command the Enterprise bridge--experience that surely served him well later as a Starfleet captain in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An alien species exhibits intellectual curiosity
The major premise of this episode is intellectual curiosity, although in this case the curiosity is exhibited by alien creatures made of liquid rock that live on a volcanic planet. They probe the minds of the Enterprise crew and from Kirk's they create a facsimile of Abraham Lincoln as an emissary to the Enterprise. Lincoln is beamed aboard and is treated as a visiting dignitary. He demonstrates all of Lincoln's charm, wisdom and humor and Kirk is taken with him. Lincoln then asks Kirk and Spock to beam down to the surface of the planet with him. After reflection, they agree and beam down to an area on the planet that has been made suitable for human habitation. Once there, they discover Surak, a Vulcan revered for his principles of nonviolence, the founder of the Vulcan way of logic, and a hero plucked from Spock's mind.
A rock creature called Yarnek appears and conjures up four people from history considered to be the epitome of evil. The four evil ones are then to battle against the four "good guys", in an experiment so that Yarnak's species can learn which is stronger, good or evil. To guarantee compliance, Yarnak vows to destroy the Enterprise if good is defeated. Surak and Lincoln are killed, but in the ensuing battle, the evil ones are defeated and the survivors flee. Yarnak returns and is puzzled and disappointed by the results. He feels that they have learned nothing of the difference, although he releases the Enterprise.
The choice of of the four evil ones puzzles me. They are Ghengis Khan, Khalis, the founder of the Klingon Empire, and two others that are unknown. My first choice would have been Adolf Hitler, and I will always wonder why they did not make that choice. Perhaps his time does not go back far enough into history for the producers to consider it appropriate. To the Klingons, Khalis is a hero, which may explain some of the ambiguity that Yarnek senses. Ghengis Khan is also a significant figure in the history of northern Asia, not necessarily considered to have been evil. Yes, he conquered a large part of Asia and Europe, but there are other figures from human history that were far worse.
The main premise of this episode is one that I believe has a higher probability of coming true than many others used in the Star Trek series. When humans encounter other intelligent beings, the two species could immediately go to war. Barring that, the other species could easily demonstrate an enormous curiosity about humans and our values. If they are a species that does not possess a moral sense equivalent to ours, then good and evil would be concepts that they would not understand. If they are capable of probing human minds, then experiments of this type could certainly be possible. Therefore, I enjoyed the episode, ranking it roughly in the middle of the list.

Another season 3 that is only good if taken lightly
Another real tanker, this one is a sort of celebrity death match in which Lincoln and the good guys throw down with Genghis and the bad company. Everything about this episode feels dark and pessimistic, right down to the lighting. Even the scenes with Lincoln are oddly cold and foreboding; as soon as he transports aboard, the lighting/print become as dark as any in the show. An episode featuring Lincoln also deserved better dialogue.

Once on the planet, things become even more frightful. The rock aliens are some of the creepier and crueler of Star Trek creatures, particularly given their specious reasons for wanting to watch a battle between good and evil. The episode's dream-like feel makes the threats seem real, even though the plot is laughably simple. The episode is classic 3rd season in never even attempting to reach a firm conclusion about the philosophical/moral question it poses as well. On the one hand, Lincoln and Surak in particular prove to be poor fighters (Surak even proves to be a poor logician, suggesting Kirk negotiate even after the aliens have threatened to destroy the enterprise if Kirk does not fight). But the bad guys prove to be even worse fighters. So maybe the strongest are the people who are good, but not too good? Or maybe Kirk and Spock are more moral even than Surak? Don't spend too much time thinking about it, because the braintrust behind this episode didn't bother to. The bottom line is that for a supposedly intelligent species, the Excalbians present an extremely poorly posed question/challenge. But there is something truly disturbing about both their appearance and their arbitrary and brutal methods. And who says they would have a value system like ours, after all?

Tidbit: Several gaffes occur here. Not only is the negative reversed in one shot of Kirk, but there are speed changes at three points, at least one of which seems unintentional. Very bizarre. And why don't Genghis and Zora have speaking parts? Perhaps it saved the show money, but it conveys the unfortunate impression that the producers thought of the minorities as intellectually subhuman.

Deserves Better
This is a difficult episode to rate. It is very uneven, seems rushed, maybe everyone was having a bad week but any Trek fan will know the third season was hell for all involved.

But I think it is better than most think. It is actually a wonderful story, it is just limited by budget and admittedly heartless acting. This could have been a masterpiece if done better , but it still deserves a look.

I lo ve the spooky music and Yarnek is pretty spooky looking if you are in a dark room and not taking things too seriously.

If you are a Trek fan, I believe this is worthy of collection. This episode seems to air very rarely; I don't know why. Give it a chance.

Kirk and Spock encounter Lincoln and Surak
Jim Kirk gets to meet one of his heroes in this somewhat offbeat Star Trek episode from the show's final season. The Enterprise is survey the planet Excalbia when Abraham Lincoln appears on the viewscreen and is quickly beamed aboard. Lincoln invites Kirk and Spock to the planet, where they encounter Surak, father of Vulcan philosophy. Then a rock creature named Yarnek comes alive and explains its race has no conception of good or evil and wants to find out which is stronger. These four good beings will have to fight four evil figures from history: Genghis Khan, Colonel Green (leader of a genocidal war on Earth in the 21st century), Kahless the Unforgettable and Zora (who experimented with the body chemistry of subject tribes on Tiburon). So, on the one hand we have your standard superior alien tests the crew of the Enterprise to render some sort of inane judgments, but on the other hand we have Kirk and Spock meeting Lincoln and Surak. There is something to be said for meeting a figure you admire from history, which makes Kirk's willingness to treat "Lincoln" as being "real" so believable. Or, as Surak says, "Whatever I am, Spock, would it harm you to give response?" Everyone is forced to fight with sticks and stones, which does not prove much to my way of thinking, which makes "The Savage Curtain" an average episode of Star Trek at best. But any episode with Abraham Lincoln in it cannot be all bad.

Lincoln infests, but helps the Enterprise
"The Savage Curtain" is actually a pretty good episode. When I first seen it and when someone claiming to be Abraham Lincoln first appeared on the Enterprise, I thought this episode would be crazy, but it proved me wrong. Kirk and the Enterprise crew must team up with Abraham Lincoln and go to a planet to fight off other famous figures in history.

When you first start to watch this episode, it might make you think that it won't be any good, but if you watch the whole thing, you'll probably like it pretty well. I recommend anybody to get this episode. It has an intriguing plot and some good effects. ... Read more

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Buttoned-down Spock shows a whole new lust for life when the "life essence" of an egotistical alien takes up residence in his body and decides not to leave. The Enterprise is practically hijacked by a being of pure will, one of three ancient survivors of an extinct race (kept alive in a funky day-glo bubble) who makes a modest request of the human crew: lend us your bodies. It's only supposed to be temporary, just long enough to build a set of android substitutes to house their energy, but the devious character who lucks into Spock's Vulcan vessel likes his new flesh and blood and decides not to leave. It's bland drama but great fun as a character piece: Nimoy smirks and flirts as the cocky, swaggering kidnapper and Kirk still gets the girl, even with an alien pulling the strings. Diana Muldaur, who went on to play Dr. Pulaski during the second season of The Next Generation, makes her first of two original-series appearances in this episode (she appears as a different character in episode 62, "Is There No Truth in Beauty"). --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not bad
In this offbeat episode, aliens change venue from giant spheres to crewmember bodies. Most of this episode lacks the action feel of many of its neighbors; it has an operatic, schmaltzy feel more akin to Metamorphosis or several 3rd season shows. Yet, I actually feel the episode takes a turn for the worse when the plot takes several predictably threatening turns. The action and drama are turned up, but at the expense of some of the episode's uniqueness; it becomes just another Enterprise in danger episode. It might not have been so bad to have the occasional feel-good show in which an interaction with aliens was synergistic from the get go.

Tidbit: This episode must beat out Spectre of the Gun for the 'longest teaser' award. Doohan, as was so often the case, played the voice of Sargon here. Muldaur would reappear in the superior Is There in Truth No Beauty?, as well as on The Next Generation.

"Risk is our business!!" ....that should be the catch phrase
I remember that line from this episode. Too bad the producers didn't use that catch phrase to promote the latest Trek movie. I can't remember such an unusual episode in a long time.

The best part of this episode is hearing James "Scotty" Doohan as the voice of Sargon. He's the evil alien entity who is left from a long dead civilization that makes us look primitive. It wasn't until I read the back of the cassette box that I discovered that Doohan voiced the ominous Sargon. Diana Muldaur; who portrayed Dr. Pulaski on Next Generation, plays Dr. Ann Mulhall. She was mysteriously assigned by Sargon who attempts to steal the bodies of Kirk, Spock and Mulhall. I know that Mulhall's name was not created by coincidence.

It has a little excitement. The scenes with a Sargon influenced Spock show an emotional side to Nimoy we hardly get to see. His alien counterpart is in love with the Mulhall. The takes with the artificial android bodies these other worldly beings were to inhabit were creepy by 1960s standards. The makeup artists had these flesh color duplicates of human bodies.... when activated would carry the mind of the aliens indefinitely. The sets were simple and very Outer Limits like in design. I wonder if Muldaur ever thought she'd be working on Star Trek again almost two decades later? This is one that can stand repeated viewing.

The Risk Soliloquy
Captain Kirk is at his most passionate and persuasive, as he answers Dr. McCoy's objection to a plan that involves
"tremendous" risk to the crew of the Enterprise. Kirk delivers a series of emotional yet convincing arguments, and finishes with a conclusion that proves irresistible: "That's why we're aboard her!"

Alien minds take over humanoid bodies to build androids!
"Return to Tomorrow" is one of those delightful Star Trek episodes where the characters have their bodies taken over by aliens, giving the actors a chance to show off their skills as thespians. On an uncharted planet Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Dr. Ann Mulhall find a trio of entities confined to spheres, representing all that is left of a once great race that destroyed their civilization in a horrible war. The three--Sargon, his wife, Thalassa, and Henoch, a former enemy--want to transfer their minds, temporarily, into the bodies of Kirk, Mulhall and Spock, so they can build android bodies. Promising such great wonders as warp engines the size of walnuts, everyone agrees. But then, of course, Henoch decides he really, really likes Spock's body and wants to keep it. By the way, "Return to Tomorrow" highlights the fact that the original Star Trek really lacked a strong female character. Dr. Mulhall pops up out of nowhere as the requisite female body. This is still the second season and "Plato's Stepchildren" is not until the third season, but why not use Uhura? That would have been interesting. So would having Nurse Chapel be the body and then having Sargon in Spock's body. That would have been even more interesting. But then the episode does off Diana Muldaur as teh guest star and it is always fun watching Spock play the heavy. Of course, the only realistic scenario would be to use two other males besides the Captain and First Officer, but then what fun would that be for Shatner and Nimoy? "Return to Tomorrow" is one of those episodes where the performances stand out even if they do not overcome the liabilities of the story.

Talk about some risky business
In "Return To Tomorrow," Captain Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy, and a new woman all beam down to a place that is literally under miles of solid rock. The reason they beam down to this place is to find out who or what the voice is that all of a sudden has the power to control the Enterprise ship and to read the crew members' minds. Once they get there, they find a mind inside a well-lighted sphere. This soul inside a globe wants to use the Enterprise crews' bodies in order to see what it's like. Everything seems all right with this, but could there be some invisible danger lurking around the corner?

"Return To Tomorrow" isn't really like most other episodes of Star Trek. Most of the shows from Star Trek - The Original Series involve a MAJOR enemy that the crew must get past, or some other kind of dangerous conflict, but "Return To Tomorrow" pretty much doesn't. Don't get me wrong, there is some danger, but there's very little of it in this episode, making it somewhat light-hearted.

All in all, "Return To Tomorrow" is fairly decent, but it's not one of the best episodes from the classic Trek. It's entertaining and it has good acting, but I wouldn't really recommend getting it unless you're collecting all the episodes. ... Read more

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The Enterprise prepares for the evacuation of doomed planet Sarpeidon, but Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) find that all inhabitants have left via a time-travel device that has sent them to different periods of their own choosing. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy accidentally pass through the device, with the captain landing in the middle of an 18th-century-style witch-hunt while Spock and McCoy travel back 6,000 years to the Ice Age.

The script, by UCLA librarian and spec writer Jean Lisette Aroeste (who also wrote "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" for the original series), gives the episode a special charge with its dual story lines set in the past. The dramatic weight of the story, however, is clearly with Spock, who regresses into the savage emotions of his prehistoric ancestors--eating meat, choosing another transportee (Mariette Hartley) as a mate, and nearly killing McCoy when the good doctor insults him. This is a favorite among some Trekkers, made all the more enjoyable by the anxious, White Rabbit-like performance of Ian Wolfe as a Sarpeidon librarian in charge of the time-travel facility. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This episode gets a B- grade and is ranked 33rd out of 80
The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise investigate the planet Sarpeidon whose sun is soon to go nova. Upon beaming to the surface, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy discover the inhabitants gone and a library containing the planet's accumulated knowledge. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are surprised to find a lone inhabitant on the surface, Mr. Atoz, the librarian, who mistakes them for citizens of Sarpeidon. Mr. Atoz has been transferring people into the planet's past using a machine called the "atavachron". While investigating this unique technology, Kirk leaps to rescue a woman he hears screaming and ends transported to a period fraught with superstitions and witchcraft. Attempting to follow Kirk, Spock and McCoy enter the atavachron's portal to find themselves in a different time -- Sarpeidon's ice age. McCoy, who is close to freezing to death, and Spock are rescued by a beautiful woman, Zarabeth. While close to the portals they entered from, Kirk, Spock and McCoy can communicate with each other but little more. However, this is enough to get Kirk arrested for practicing witchcraft. Spock increasingly finds himself attracted to Zarabeth, and disturbingly more emotional and irrational, and even takes to eating meat. McCoy convinces Spock that this time in Sarpeidon's past is linked to Vulcan's primitive past and that they must return to their own time. Zarabeth insists they cannot return to the present without dying. In jail, Kirk is befriended by a lawyer, another traveler of Sarpeidon's present, who helps him escape to find the portal, and return to the library. Zarabeth helps McCoy and Spock to the place where she found them. By following the sound of Kirk's voice, they find their portal and leap back into the library. Mr. Atoz leaps to his own designated past and the Enterprise, with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy safely aboard, warps from orbit just as the sun explodes.

One of the best episodes and a great performance from Spock
"All Our Yesterdays" is one of the best and most original episodes of the original Trek. Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy are in a library when they find a strange old man that tells them to view some tapes from the past. But what they don't know is that there is a time portal nearby and if they go through it, they will end up going to the time period that is on the tape in which they are viewing. Spock and Dr. McCoy end up going back to the Ice Age while Captain Kirk goes to a place that looks like it's from the 1800's. They must find a way to get back to the library so they can beam back to the Enterprise.

"All Our Yesterdays" features one of Spock's greatest performances. He and Dr. McCoy experience some conflict and Spock falls for a lady that was also sent to the Ice Age. This is a 5 star episode and I recommend any fan of the original series to get it.

Absurd story lines make a bad episode
The story line of this episode may not be the worst of the entire series, but if it isn't, it is tied for last. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to the surface of Sarpeidon to rescue the inhabitants before their sun goes nova. Of course, the idea that Kirk would first contact the planetary government before beaming down to the surface does not appear to have been considered. They beam down and have no clue where they are, where the inhabitants are or what they are to do. The idea of scanning the planet before beaming down also seems to have been ignored.
Very quickly, they find that they are in a library where one can choose disks and view episodes of the planet's past. Unknown to them, the planet's inhabitants have all been sent back to some time in the past in order to escape the destruction when their sun goes nova. When someone is viewing a disk, that time is active, so if one passes through the portal, they will be transported back to that time. Kirk hears a noise and inadvertently passes through the portal, back to a time of swords and witchcraft. He aids a woman being accosted, but is branded as a witch and jailed.
Spock and McCoy attempt to follow Kirk, but are sent back to the time of an ice age, where they meet a woman who was sent back as punishment. The scantily clad woman, played by Mariette Hartley, is a hot one, so hot that Spock falls for her. After some bizarre tribulations and an absurd fight (of course) between Kirk and the head of the Sarpeidon library, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are returned to their appropriate time and the Enterprise whisks away in the nick of time.
The worst aspect of the story is the idea that all of the inhabitants of a planet would avoid death by "escaping" to the past. Many science fiction stories deal with the paradoxes of time travel; in this case millions of people have gone to the past, which of course would have destroyed their present. While he is in the past, Kirk meets a prosecutor who traveled back from the present, meaning that those who traveled back were actively involved in their worlds. Therefore, they would have dramatically changed the timeline, altering their historical record and changing the world from which they traveled. No sophisticated society would do this.
I rank this as one of the worst episodes in the original series, the plot was not well done, reflecting the fact that the series was about to end and all players knew it and just wanted to get it over with. Unlike "This Side of Paradise" the other episode where Spock falls in love, Spock's emotions appear forced in this one, his kiss with Mariette Hartley has no spark at all.

Average episode
This Salem witch trial/ ice age time travel episode fares pretty well in comparison with its neighbors (although not its projenitor, City on the Edge of Forever). Which is to say, there is some drama and some semblance of a plot. In that inimitable 3rd season way, even the first minute of the teaser is somehow menacing. We sense that something is a little off, and that the Triumvirate is in for trouble, even before we meet the extra librarians. Part of it is the dramatic music played at the very start of all these late 3rd season shows. Part of it is that they were relying almost exclusively on early introduction of the "Kirk/ Enterprise in danger" crutch at this point in the show's run. In any event, Kirk, like a curious and courageous dog, bolts off into the great unknown, triggering a cascade of misfortune. By this point in the show, the stars were often no wiser than the guest characters; why did they ignore Mr. Atoz in the first place? As the Triumverate grows colder, less idealistic, dumber, and less faithful to their characters, we care less about their fates (see That Which Survives, Whom Gods Destroy, The Way to Eden, and Requiem for Methuselah for nearby examples).

But back to the episode. While the library idea is interesting, much more could have been done with it. Both time travels end up being pretty banal. And the rationale for Spock's personality change is weak at best. On the other hand, its an interesting change from his normal behavior. The conclusion of this episode, with the enterprise outpacing the fireball, has the now characteristic rushed feel, as though the bags were packed for the next flight even before the director said, 'that's a wrap'. Gone are the short little wrap