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Lovable scoundrel Harry Mudd (Roger C. Carmel) returns following his debut appearance in the first-season episode "Mudd's Women," this time as the leader of a race of helpful (and leggy) androids. Mudd tries to take control of the Enterprise, but soon finds that the androids have plans of their own. This is one of Trek's few purely comic episodes, and it hits a nice level of whimsy as Kirk and the crew fight android efficiency with good old human illogic. "I, Mudd" also sets a benchmark achievement for the Star Trek design crew: It called not just for beautiful women in revealing costumes, but for beautiful twins in revealing costumes. Truly a tough one to top, cheesily foreshadowing the "Fembots" of Austin Powers infamy. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not my bag, but some people love it
This episode, which features Harry Mudd and a group of androids, must be one of the toughest to review if only because it is such a bizarre episode. This is one of the few episodes that undeniably means to be campy. None of the actors play this one seriously, and that's for the best given the material. Unfortunately, most of the humor falls completely flat. Nevertheless, I respect the episode for trying something different.

This show certainly helped set the carefree tone that would extend FAR more successfully into the next episode.

Why is Harry Mudd always surrounded by beautiful women?
I did not like Harcourt Fenton Mudd the first time he showed up on Star Trek ("Mudd's Women") and he is just as insufferable the second time around in "I, Mudd." It seems Harry is the sovereign of an uncharted planet where he has 200,000 androids severing him, some of whom are very beautiful. The androids also want to study other humans and Harry suggested grabbing a starship, which explains why the Enterprise crew is being waited upon by the androids as well. However, things like this are always too good to be true and the androids eventually reveal that they intend to use their newfound knowledge to control the instabilities of all the humanoids in the galaxy. The episode does include a fun twist in that Kirk, who usually defeats super computers by using logic, this time around turns to illogical behavior to confuse the poor androids. Even I am cheered by the final gag of how Kirk and the androids decide to punish poor Harry. "I, Mudd" is really not that bad of an episode, once you get past the fact Harry is in it.

The best of the Mudd episodes
Harry Mudd (Roger Carmel) is one of Captain Kirk's most troublesome and noted rivalries. Mudd returns in this episode as the ruler of an android (robot) civilization. Mudd has a plan in mind to take Captain Kirk and his crew as hostages, and then to take over the Enterprise by use of his androids. As powerful as the androids are, and as mischievous and sneaky as Mudd is, will Kirk and the crew have a chance to get the ship back?

For about the first 30 minutes of "I,Mudd," I didn't think I was going to like the episode because it was mostly just a lot of talking and arguing among the cast crew. However, the last half of "I, Mudd" more than makes up for the first half. It was very entertaining to watch Captain Kirk and the crew try and outwit the androids by confusing them with what is logical and what is illogical. What happens at the end of the episode is one of the most hilarious parts of any of the Star Trek episodes. I recommend anybody who likes episodes of Star Trek - The Original Series with a lot of wits and humor mixed in to get "I, Mudd."

Shut Up Stella."
That line is told by Roger C. Carmel as he returns as Harry Mudd, in this story of Mudd being found on a planet ruled by androids who want to learn more of human beings, so Harry plans to have the Captain and the crew of the Enterprise stay behind on the planet and he will leave aboard their ship, but then the androids turn the tables and want to leave Harry behind as well, so Harry and the crew use human illogic to cause the robots to overload, a laugh a minute episode from the Star Trek cast.

GREAT HUMUR
I think the last 17 mins. {of humor}. makes it a buy, if you dont have it ... Read more

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What is it with Starfleet captains? So many of them become wildly grandiose. Witness "The Omega Glory," in which another starship commander, Ronald Tracey (Morgan Woodward), tramples the Prime Directive by interfering in a long-running conflict between primitive societies, in this case the Yangs and Kohms of planet Omega IV. Siding with the Kohms, Tracey creates an imbalance of power that Kirk works to adjust by arming the Yangs proportionately.

The script by series creator Gene Roddenberry is one of his not-so-subtle allegories for the state of the world in the 1960s, specifically our own cold war between nuclear superpowers. So bluntly drawn is Roddenberry's parallel between Omega IV and 20th-century Earth that this is one of the few Star Trek episodes that risks becoming completely absurd after a point. William Shatner (Captain Kirk) takes the biggest risk of all with a passionate, lengthy speech of the sort pranksters like comic actor Kevin Dunn are wont to imitate today. But the fact is that Shatner pulls off such chancy material very well, and certainly does so here. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

What was once ours is ours again!
This was always my favorite episode of the original series. The idea of generation after generation of Americans fighting to take back their country from Chinese invaders after nuclear war still gives me the chills. Driven out upon the plains and into the mountains they adopt the ways of the Native Americans and take back their country one city at a time- with nothing but bravery and unshakable resolve. Even the phasers provided to the Kohms (Communists) by the renegade captain of the U.S.S. Exeter cannot stop the Yangs (Yanks.) Frankly, I can't see how this could be viewed in anything but heroic terms. It isn't always winning that makes a nation great- it is never giving up, never forgetting your identity even after overwelming disaster. What was once ours is ours again; it shall never be taken from us again!

The reaction when Kirk sees that tattered flag almost makes you forget that he is a Canadian....

One other thing, this episode is not just about extreme American patriotism. I remember the general atmosphere of 1968 when this was originally aired. Roddenberry was trying to get Americans to put themselves in the place of the Vietnamese. He wanted Americans to imagine what it would be like to have our own country invaded and occupied by an outside power- and how we would never just give up and accept it. Roddenberry was trying to tell us that it was insane to think that an outside invader can ever win the "hearts and minds" of a people who deeply love their country and their culture. Apparently we still haven't figured that out.

The Holy Words of "E Pleb Neesta" must apply to EVERYONE!
"The Omega Glory" is far and away my favorite Star Trek episode involving a parallel Earth, mainly because the similarity is saved until the thrilling conclusion of the episode (cf. "Miri," where the planet looks just like Earth in the teaser). The Enterprise discovers the USS Exeter in orbit around Omega IV with everyone dead on board. On the surface Kirk, Spock and McCoy find Captain Tracey, who explains that some biological agent on the planet killed his crew, except for those few who stayed on the surface. However, it becomes clear Tracey has violated the sacred Prime Directive, uisng his phaser to aide the Kohms against their ancient enemies, the Yangs. However, the Yangs overwhelm the Kohms in a final battle (Morgan Woodward does a marvelous job of just describing the slaughter; no need for thousands of extras on this one) and the Starfleet officers are all stunned to learn that the Yangs worship the flag of the United States of America. I have to admit, the first time around this one had me completely fooled. Realizing that Kohms and Yangs are corruptions of Communists and Yankees, Kirk is able to recognize the garbled words of the Pledge of Allegiance. But then the Yangs bring out their most sacred Holy Words, which also sound so familiar to Kirk. But before he can supply the answer Kirk has to fight Tracey, thereby proving the ancient dictum that good will always triumph over evil. "The Omega Glory" is one of my personal favorites. I think it has something to do with all that time spent in college studying "ideographs," what Cloud William and Kirk would call "worship words." Certainly it is the most pro-American episode from the Star Trek universe.

Worst story line in the original series
In terms of story line, this is my least favorite episode in the original series. It is political in nature, but there is no subtlety and ends up being a piece of pro-American propaganda. It was written by Gene Roddenberry himself and it is clear that it was meant to be a comment on the cold war between the Communist and American blocks.
The setting is a parallel Earth (Omega IV) where the Communist side, now called the Coms, won control of the world in a bacterial holocaust. The American side, now called the Yangs, is fighting to regain control of the areas they lost. Over the centuries, the planet's inhabitants have developed immunity to the disease and now live for centuries. However, the disease is still present and is quickly fatal to anyone who makes planetfall.
The Enterprise arrives at Omega IV and finds the starship Exeter, under the command of Ron Tracey, orbiting the planet. It fails to answer all attempts at communication, so Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Galloway beam over to find only empty uniforms. They access a log entry that says that they must beam down to the surface if they are to have any chance at survival. They beam down to find that Captain Tracey has violated the Prime Directive, fighting on the Com side against the Yangs.
Kirk is imprisoned with the Yang leader and eventually they begin to communicate, collaborating to escape from the jail. However, the Yang leader turns on Kirk, knocking him unconscious. The Yangs attack again, defeating the Coms and the Starfleet personnel are brought to the Yang leaders, who are celebrating their victory. They bring out their sacred objects, which are an American flag, a copy of the constitution of the United States, a bible and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The absurdity of this occurring on another planet is bad enough, but the events and dialog become very preachy. William Shatner's acting is at its' worst when he is speaking to the Yang leader and he says, "Do you understand?" Complete with wildly exaggerated arm movements, Kirk is more a fire and brimstone preacher than a starship captain.
This episode aired on March 1, 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War. While it has a point about avoiding the massive death of an all out war between two competing blocks, it degenerates into a piece of absurd pro-American propaganda. It is one episode where the diversity of humanity, such a proud feature of the series, is ignored. Fortunately, Chekov was not in this episode, adding more pro-Russian absurdities.

So much for American pride
This patriotic episode, in which the Yangs (American whites) are oppressed by the Colms (Communist Asians), is a real stinker, no matter what your political philosophy. The Roddenberry-written episode starts strongly enough with an intriguing and disquieting teaser, but despite plenty of action it's a downhill ride once we reach the planet's surface. I can see the appeal of the 'what-if' stories; they allow us to imagine other possible historical trajectories on earth, and they are cheap to make. But the second season really overloaded us with them. Worse, this episode is in my opinion totally biased, presenting Asians as savages and Americans as heroic. A more measured approach with some heterogeneity would have been nice; on the other hand it wouldn't have made for as viscerally-gripping an episode. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't mind simplistic, but this goes too far, and it's too offensive along the way. By the time we get to Old Glory, we feel almost embarrassed for Shatner. I give him credit though for being professional enough to play the scene seriously.

Tidbit: Morgan Woodward, who plays Tracey here, was also Dr. Van Gelder in Dagger of the Mind.

A glorious episode
A Starfleet captain violates the Prime Directive by using Federation technology to protect a primitive tribe called the Kohms from barbarians that call themselves the Yangs. Throw in deadly viruses and a trip to a planet that houses people who are thousands of years old, and you have one of the most complex missions that Captain Kirk and crew have ever taken on full force.

"The Omega Glory" is one of those suspenseful, action packed episodes of the original series. You'll see several fights, hear many arguments, and even see an UNFORGETTABLE technique used by Spock! It also has a nice patriotic theme and storyline in a way. Best of all, it's really entertaining. What more could you ask for?

The Enterprise crew's mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, and new galaxies, and most of all, to go where no man has gone before. They certainly do a lot of that in this episode!

It may not be a top 10 episode, but it is very good. To save a place in your Star Trek collection for it would be a smart decision. I can now say with 100% honesty that I've seen every single one of the Star Trek - The Original Series episodes, and "The Omega Glory" was a great episode to save for last. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

US only!
The movie-length episodes on this one are great, so much so I had one imported to my house in England (cause you can't get U.N.C.L.E stuff over here). Watch out though, one of the episodes was turned into a TV movie and is often shown on TNT... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of UNCLE's 2nd Season BEST!!
"The Foxes and Hounds Affair" and "The Discotheque Affair" are what I think are UNCLE's 2nd season best, besides "The Deadly Toys Affair", "The Dippy Blonde Affair", and "The Minus X Affair".

Episode 33 "The Foxes and Hounds Affair": Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) tries to obtain a thought-reading device from a magician but when they do, he and his companion are separated while Victor Marton (Vincent Price) and his THRUSH thugs are chasing them in Europe. Illya gets back to New York safely but his companion, who has the device tries to come back to New York through another route. Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll) sends Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) out as a decoy for Marton and his THRUSH rival Lucia Belmont (Patricia Medina), without Napoleon having a clue of what's going on! Mimi Doolittle (Julie Sommars), the magician's assistand is drawn into the wild goose chase. While Illya chooses a destination in which the agent carrying the device can land in New York, Napoleon and Mimi are captured. Soon Illya is also captured. Can THRUSH get information out of Illya to find the device? * A definite five-star episode!! Illya and Napoleon are terrific, getting great lines and get to do a lot. One of my favorite scenese is the fight at the funeral house where Illya accidentally punches Napoleon!

Episode 34 "The Discotheque Affair": While UNCLE is trying to find a load of THRUSH records hidden under a discotheque, The Bealer's, THRUSH plants a listening device in the apartment next to Alexander Waverly's office. Because Napoleon's arm is broken, Illya is put in charge of the section two's involvement in infiltrating the discotheque and Napoleon is assigned to take care of a rent dispute with a tenant, Sandy Wyler (Judi West). In her apartment, he finds the device. As UNCLE feeds out false information to the planted listening device, Illya infiltrates the discotheque, run by THRUSH agent Vincent Carver (Ray Danton), posing as a musician. Carver tells Tiger Ed (Harvey Lembeck) to kill Carver's girlfriends, Farina (Evelyn Ward), but Napoleon rescues her and she helps him, only to switch sides again. * Another great episode!! I always enjoy hearing Illya and Napoleon banter. Illya looks pretty cool in this episode when he poses as a musician, wearing a white turtleneck, a reddish suit, and dark sunglasses. Well, actually, he looks cool whenever he appears!! I also like all the dancing they do at the discotheque.

UNCLE rules!! If you love "Man from UNCLE", don't forget to watch these episodes!! ... Read more

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This smart, funny episode finds the Enterprise visiting the planet Iotia, where the starship Horizon accidentally left behind Earth materials a century before. During that time, as Captain Kirk (William Shatner) discovers, the Iotians have made much of one of those items, a book called Chicago Mobs of the Twenties. The planet's population has divided into rival gangs who dress, speak, and do violence like the spiritual descendants of Al Capone, plunging Kirk, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) into a facsimile of Earth's colorful and dangerous past.

The episode is played for comedy: Kirk and Spock keep getting kidnapped by the warring hoods, each of whom wants the Federation team to use their technology to defeat the other side. The big payoff, however, is a summit meeting of bosses, where Kirk employs plenty of gangster-movie jargon to get matters settled. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Except on Tuesday
This gangster episode, and Tribbles, were the two Trek comedies that really worked. While I wouldn't exactly call the humor here subtle, it is intertwined in a fairly traditional action plot. We are able to enjoy Kirk and Spock's thuggishness for its own sake while simultaneously staying focused on the plot, for the simple reason that their behavior is called for by the story, rather than being a gimmick. The idea of a highly impressionable alien race who's cultural evolution could depend so thoroughly on a random event (the leaving behind of the book) is an interesting one as well. This episode is also helped by strong guest acting, most notably from Tayback.

The funniest of the original series
This is without question the funniest episode of the original Star Trek series. There is no funnier deadpan scene anywhere in television than the one where Kirk is "explaining" the fizzbin card game and asks Spock what the odds are against getting a royal fizzbin. His deadpan, yet truthful answer is, "I have never computed them." I laughed out loud the first time I saw that and still smile when I see it, even though I have seen it over fifty times.
The main premise is that a Federation vessel visited a planet before the Prime Directive was imposed and members of the crew interacted with the planet's inhabitants and contaminated them. Therefore, the primary task of the Enterprise is to repair the damage. The earlier Federation vessel left a book that described the Chicago gangs of the prohibition era and the inhabitants have modeled their entire culture after the book. Their clothing, buildings, speech and social structure are all modeled from the gangster movie cliches.
After many trials and errors, including Kirk trying to drive a car, there is a climactic scene where Kirk takes charge and unifies the government under one of the gang bosses. His pacing on a pool table while brandishing a machine gun and speaking one gangland cliché after another is one of the best scenes in the entire original series. His solution, where the Federation is described as an interplanetary gang, is funny and original. I have always wondered what the reaction of Star Fleet command was to his report of how he solved the contamination problem.
Funny, and essentially a spoof of a movie genre, this is one of the best Star Trek episodes ever, original series and beyond.

"A Piece of the Action," the 2nd funniest Star Trek episode
"A Piece of the Action" has the Enterprise visiting Sigma Iotia II, where a hundred years early the USS Horizon visited. Apparently this was before the Prime Directive, because one of the Horizon crew left behind a book: "Chicago Mobs of the Twenties." Now, once you get past the fact that (a) someone was toting a book into Deep Space and (b) it happened to be that particular book, you can really enjoy this one. Bela Oxymy wants the Federation to supply his gangsters with weapons so he can take over the planet, taking down Krako and the other bosses. My favorite part is when Kirk makes up a very complicated card game to play with the gangsters holding him hostage and Spock has to admit having never calculated the odds on the rarest of possible hands. Then there is also the bit where they try to drive an automobile. In the end, Kirk decides if you cannot fight them, join them. "A Piece of the Action" may well be the second funniest Star Trek episode, after "The Trouble With Tribbles," of course.

Excellence
In my opinion, A Piece Of The Action is in the top 3 episode category along with Mirror Mirror and the Corbomite Manuever. The whole episode is very deep and never uneventful. The action never stops. It employs humor in the form of "slang talk" which people like Spock and McCoy dont understand. I cant explain it all here, but I will tell you it is a very good episode.

One of the funniest and best Star Trek episodes
"A Piece of The Action" is one of my five favorite episodes of Star Trek. In "A Piece of The Action," Captain Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy beam down to a planet whose landscape is similar to that of earth. The boss of a bunch of gangsters demands that the trio from the Enterprise make a deal with him which would help him ward off some of his enemies. To put it short, the Enterprise crew has been tricked. There must be a way for Captain Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy to escape the planet alive, but they have a little bit of fun first.

"A Piece of The Action" is a great episode of the original series of Star Trek. It is well written and some parts of it are hilarious, especially the part when Captain Kirk drives a car for the first time. It's also amusing the way that Kirk talks in slang and has to repeat himself for the others to understand him.

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy both give one of their best performances to make this one of the unforgettable episodes of Star Trek. I recommend "A Piece of The Action" to anybody. ... 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

Reviews (5)

Get Out Your Handkerchief...
Because there won't be a dry eye in the place when Michele Nichols, a young leukemia patient, says goodbye to Susan Hayward's Dr. Maggie Cole. Darrin McGavin once again demonstrated he is one of Hollywood's most solid performers.

Say Goodbye Maggie Cole
I saw this movie on tv many years ago but haven't seen the VHS release yet. This movie has haunted me all these years not only because of Susan Hayward and her acting in it BUT the music in the background by Dusty Springfield. She sings the hauntingly wonderful melody that is the title of the movie, "Learn to say goodbye" that brings tears to your eyes. I have Dusty's album with this song and it is wonderful. I have always believed that music can make or break a movie. The movie/music combination is supurb. I am going to buy it and I do hope it is good quality although I do not care that much because I know the music will be wonderful. If you like Susan Hayward OR Dusty Springfield this movie is a must.

Pleased but not real pleased
I just wish the quality of the tape could have been better. I know this was from TV it just wasnt that great of quality. I am still glad I found the movie. She was a great star and I still enjoy watching any of her movies.

The redhead returns
I vividly remember when Susan Hayward returned to Hollywood in the early 1970's after she had escaped to aquamarine waters of the Florida straits fishing for marlin. She came on strong and appeared in televison films like this one and another Barbara Stanwyck reject and things looked grand. But she could not overcome the plight of a tumor of the brain. She supposedly received the seed of this disease at the 1955 hydrogen bomb test site on the insiduous set of The Conqueror with John Wayne.This television movie gave Susan's fans a last look at this great Golden Era Hollywood legend. It is indeed a treasure.God love her.

say goodbye maggie cole
haven't seen this movie in almost thirty years, but it was my favorite susan hayward movie. i loved the way the sick girl learned a new word everyday and never gave up. ... Read more

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"A Taste of Armageddon" is one of classic Trek's occasional, obvious metaphors for the absurdity of the then-cold war between East and West. Gene Lyons stars as a Federation ambassador named Fox, who boards the Enterprise to reach the planet Eminiar VII, where he hopes to negotiate a peace treaty with the inhabitants. Instead the crew of the Enterprise gets caught in the middle of an interplanetary war between Eminiar and neighboring planet Vendikar. The twist is that the war is being fought on computers, and compliant residents of those "destroyed" areas obediently report to disintegration chambers, where their "virtual" death is made literal. When the Enterprise is "hit" in one of these simulations, both the warlords of Eminiar VII and Ambassador Fox fully expect Capt. Kirk and crew to report to the disintegration center. The feisty Kirk has other plans, of course. And while the madness of this controlled Armageddon makes a suitably surreal satire of the arms race in the 1960s, the story also evoked the endless, daily reports of body counts during the Vietnam War, with no resolution in sight. Aside from its parable aspect, however, the episode gave Kirk one of his earliest and most compelling scenes of Kirkian preachiness in a bold monologue about peace, reportedly written and rewritten numerous times by series producer and indispensable creative hand Gene L. Coon. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Don't miss this one
This thoughtful episode concerns a planet that has sanitized war. The episode explores important themes such as 1) the sacrifice of the individual good for the societal, and 2) the drawbacks of all types of war. The latter issue in particular remains a timely one as science continues to pursue technologies that may (at times unwittingly lead to more efficient and sanitized killing. This is one episode where Kirk offers a convincing and fresh argument against a society's folly. Another plus of the episode is that it admits shades of gray rather than oversimplifying the issues. Add in a plot twist that brings the Enterprise and crew more directly into the action, and you've got a winning show. Strong guest acting, from Opatoshu, Babcock, and Lyons also boost this episode.

Tidbit: Barbara Babcock would reappear in Plato's Stepchildren during season three.

Just step into this booth for the war effort........
The old war by computer theme is played out here. Instead of fighting a war with weapons; this planet has it's citizens stepping in booths for execution. The machine decides who lives and who dies. Kirk of course ends it all with one of his talks with the Vedikarians. With one sweep of his phaser the natives have to fight the old fashioned way.... with futuristic weapons of mass destruction. The Federation again paves the way for peaceful resolutions to conflict. Only this war will last a few hundred years before they actually become citizens of the Federation.

Kirk proves there is no such thing as a clean war
One of the fun things about science fiction is that you can take things to their logical albeit extreme conclusions. That is what the Enterprise encounters on Eminiar VII in "A Taste of Armageddon," a planet that has been at war for five centuries but which fails to show the usual signs of destruction. This is because they have been fighting the war with computers; after such an attack Anan 7, leader of the High Council announces that half a million people were "killed," and now have to report to disintegration chambers. Unfortunately the Enterprise, which was warned not to approach the planet, has also been destroyed and Kirk's crew needs to beam down for disintegration. Of course, Kirk takes exception to this request and decides to remind these people of the true face of war. As far fetched as this idea might be, you have to remember the idea of the Neutron Bomb, which would kill the people but leave the buildings, a weapon that was ironically considered by some to be more "humane" than your traditional nuclear device. Kirk's efforts to restore sanity are hampered by the presence of Federation Ambassador Fox, who wants to stick to the traditional diplomatic approaches despite the fact nobody on the planet is impressed at all by such delicacies. "A Taste of Armageddon" is another, albeit minor example, of Captain Kirk versus the Super Computer plotline that was so prominent in Star Trek's first season.

Good Episode on the Nature of War
What if war were fought with computers and the casualties reported to disintegration chambers? This episode covers this question and does a pretty good job.

There is a fair amount of action and the suspense is well done. The conflict between Scotty and the none-too-bright diplomat is especially well handled. This is one of Scotty's best command assignments. He runs the Enterprise with intelligence and restraint.

Kirk's solution to the episode's problem is very suspect in light of the prime directive that he's supposed to be following, but over-all, this is a very good episode.

Human life vs war and Computer control.
Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and a landing party discover two worlds that wage war with computers and haul the people designated to die into energy chambers to die. When the Enterprise is declared a "war casuliy", Kirk, Spock, and the Federation use all their skills to destroy the computers and show them that real war ia a thing to be avoided at all costs. A strong statement on how human life is more important then being declared "dead" by numbers on a computer. A Star Trek must have for any fan of the original series.Teleplay by Robert Hammer and Gene L. Coon. Story by Robert Hammer. Directed by Joseph Pevney. Music Composed and Conducted by Alexander Courage. ... Read more

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In this taut, exciting episode, the Enterprise trespasses Melkotian space and is punished in a unique fashion. Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Scotty (James Doohan), and Chekov (Walter Koenig) are all transported to the planet's eerie surface, where they are trapped in a re-creation of 1881 Tombstone and mistaken for the Clanton brothers, doomed principals in the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral.

Despite their efforts to avoid trouble, Kirk and company can't seem to avoid their fateful duel with the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday (Sam Gilman). When Chekov is shot dead by Morgan Earp (Rex Holman), the danger is all too clear. The strange Twilight Zone look and atmosphere of this episode--tumbleweeds and Old West facades popping up in a black void--grips one's imagination and doesn't let go until the very end. Fans of Captain Kirk's street-fighting style will especially enjoy the thrilling climax. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Surreal set & excellent performances make it one of the best
A major question that will have to be addressed when humans meet new species will be convincing them that our intentions are indeed peaceful. If the creatures can read our historical records and perhaps our minds, they will find ample evidence that we are not to be trusted. Our history is replete with the callous destruction of each other as well as any species deemed unworthy. Our minds are full of irrational fears, prejudices and impulses to destroy that which we don't immediately understand.
In this episode, the Enterprise is given specific orders to make contact with the Melkotians. As they approach Melkotian space, they encounter a buoy, which issues a warning, telling them that they are not welcome and to immediately leave the area. After noting the warning, they move onward to the Melkotian planet. Once arriving, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, and Chekov beam down to the planet, only to find themselves in a fog, which parts to reveal a facsimile of a frontier town.
This is the backdrop to a reenactment of the famous gunfight at the OK corral in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. In that fight, the Clanton gang fought it out with the three Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. Kirk's party is forced to assume the role of the Clanton gang, which lost the fight. Only one member of the Clanton gang survived the battle, the person whose role is being filled by Chekov.
Despite everything they do to avoid it, the "Clanton gang" is clearly being forced into a fight that they feel they cannot win. However, when Chekov is "killed" by Morgan Earp, Kirk and company realize that the results are not pre-ordained. However, when they try to build a device to render the Earp gang unconscious, Spock realizes that there is a solution that does not involve killing the members of the Earp gang. He understands that what they are doing is not real, so if they truly believe that the bullets from the Earp gang are not real, then they will not be harmed. They manage to win the fight without "killing", which impresses the Melkotians, and they allow the Enterprise to continue and make contact.
This episode is superb, both in the premises of the story and the execution. The choice of a scenario from Earth's violent past (and Kirk's mind) is an excellent test of the true nature of the humans who desire the contact. All of the members of the Earp gang play their roles very well. Their muted, yet clearly violent hostility towards the "Clantons" is very well done. I consider it some of the best acting by guest stars in the series. The surreal aspects of the set and the other supporting members of the episode all combine to create just the right atmosphere for a test of what the human species really is capable of doing and avoiding. It is one of the better episodes in the original series.

Welcome to season three
Spectre of the Gun was the first third season episode to be produced, and one need watch no more than the teaser to sense that the show would have a very different feel during the 1968-1969 season. First off, those shiny, synthetic-looking uniforms that replaced the corderoys of the first two seasons. A minor point, yes, but perhaps a metaphor for other changes. The third season shows have a slick quality about them, an emphasis of style over substance. There is a sense that everyone is somehow in the know, no longer willing to invest themselves in the simple morality tales so common in the first season. This process was certainly well underway by the midpoint of season 2, when we began to see action (and high camp in the seminal case of I, Mudd) episodes that were light, devoid of moralizing, and somewhat tongue in cheek. By the third season, it could no longer be reigned in. Gone was the moral foundation of the show, but also gone was the feeling that the actors were having fun. What's left is highly formalized episodes.

It should be added though that stylistically season was 3 was by far the most developed season. Musically, scores became more florid and psychadelic, unusual camera angles and cuts became more common, and character' actions became less predictable. I for one enjoy the fluidity, trippyness, and dark tone of the third season. I know I'm in the minority (to say the least) here though.

But this is supposed to be a review of Spectre of the Gun, in which the crew are forced to participate in the events leading up to the gunfight at the OK Corral. Overall this is a pretty good episode, with more action than most 3rd season shows. Better though is the fact that this episode is very atmospheric, with a stong score, wind, and effects contributing to the sense of unreality and futility. But this too is an illusion. We end with the positive message that the crew were tested, and found worthy, for not killing. They are not judged on the basis of wanting to kill, but rather for not killing (although upon scrutiny even this worthiness is undermined somewhat by the fact that at that point the crew knows the Earps are unreal).

This episode doesn't hammer the moral theme as earlier seasons did. Surprising is the extent to which the crew must focus on their own survival, even to the extent of accepting demeaning abuse the Earps.

This episode has it's flaws though. Most notably, only Kirk seems phases by Chekov's death; of course the others were no doubt constrained by the new production team.

Galactic Cowboy
The Earps VS. Kirk's crew

In this one we get one of those surreal budget crunched episodes. That's one where the producers can't afford any lavish sets and costumes so the script has to center on something cheap to produce. The story is about Kirk and co. being taken to another dimension to fight the Earps. It's all an illusion by some other worldly being who wants to study humanity. How many times have we seen that plot? It's a good episode and we get to see Kirk in a moment where he's thinking "What if their guns aren't an illusion?" .
For all it's worth, it's better than most of the third season material. At least we get to see a few moments of drama and dialogue between the crew. Kirk is in top form in this one. We get to see him handle his command knowledge in a cowboy western environment.

Howdy Pardner!!!
Get a load of this one. The show was so broke, that the sets were 2x4 fronts. They weren't even cardboard buildings, just rickety boards nailed together. So hokey that it must be seen to be believed. If you believe the bullets aren't real you won't be harmed? I believe this hammer won't hurt when I bang it on my thumb...............OUCH!!!!!!!!

The Earps and Doc Holliday coming gunning for Kirk's crew
DeForrest Kelly played Morgan Earp in the 1957 film, "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," so there is an interesting bit of irony to "Spectre of the Gun." The Enterprise ignores the warnings of a Melkotian space buoy and orbits the planet. Apparently he has orders to establish contact at all costs. Well, the costs might be pretty high because the Melkotians order the execution of the landing party, taking the infamous gunfight at the O.K. corral from Kirk's mind as the setting for their deaths. Of course, the Enterprise officers are the Clayton gang and they are about to be gunned down by the Earps and their pal Doc Holliday. There is a very nice sense of "unreality" to the entire affair, somehow reminiscent of the dream ballet from "Oklahoma." Ironically, the Earps are portrayed rather accurately as the pistol-whipping thugs they were in Tombstone way back when. Again, there is a weakness in the premise, what with Kirk being order to force contact with the Melkotians, which is not exactly enlightened behavior on the part of the good guys (think Commodore Perry being ordered to "open" Japan). But strange situation is played out well and the best part of this episode is that it is Spock who effectively saves the day. "Specter of the Gun" ends up being an above average episode of Star Trek. ... Read more

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"Balance of Terror" is a terrific drama that was essentially an outer-space version of a 1950s submarine movie. Writer Paul Schneider introduced both the Romulans and the concept of a "neutral zone" to Trek lore, wrapped up in this story about the first encounter between a Federation and Romulan ship in 75 years. The resulting face-off between two vessels and their strong, noble captains--Kirk (William Shatner) and his Romulan counterpart (Mark Lenard, who later played Spock's Vulcan father, Sarek)--is directed and edited with suspense worthy of the classic sub movie The Enemy Below. It's an example of how the original Trek series took lots of risks and constantly invented itself, in contrast to the more codified look and feel of The Next Generation and subsequent series. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A classic submarine battle fought in outer space
Mark Lenard makes a memorable first appearance on Star Trek as the Romulan commander in "Balance of Terror." This episode is pretty much a classic submarine story updated to outer space, made compelling by the cat and mouse game between the two captains. Kirk is performing a wedding but is interrupted by news that several Earth Outposts have been attacked by a cloaked ship firing a plasma weapon. The Enterprise goes in pursuit of the Romulan vessel. When Spock pirates a view of the Romulan bridge we learn that this is the first time anyone from Starfleet has ever seen the Romulans, so there is some surprise that they look like Vulcans. The sub-plot involving Lt. Stiles, who distrusts Spock because of the physical comparison, shows that even in the Star Trek universe envisioned by Gene Roddenberry, human prejudice is still going strong. "Balance of Terror" does a nice job of working out the moves and counter moves in the running battle. Lenard brings a wonderful sense of dignity to his role and it is obvious from his first scene why they would take any opportunity to bring him back. That he was given the plumb role of Sarek was a fitting reward. I also think this is the point in the first season where William Shatner clearly has a handle on Kirk as the best starship captain in Starfleet. Also, as grating as the Spock/Stiles subplot happens to be, the bracketing subplot about the wedding is one of the better story lines involving those unfortunate extras who die all the time on Star Trek. Still, this is an episode that deservedly ends up on most fans' top ten episode lists. I know it is on mine.

The "first" encounter with the Romulans in the series
This is another classic episode of Star Trek and one of my top 5 favorites. It gives us a "first" glimpse at the Federations mortal enemy the Romulans (Romulan Empire) and my goodness they also look like Vulcans!?!?! Well, that is answered in episodes yet to come in upcoming series (The Next Generation).

This begins when a mysterious ship is destroying Federation Outposts and James Kirk and the USS Enterprise soon discover it is their classic enemies the Romulans. What follows is a classic strategic cat and mouse "game" that is like the movie "The Enemy Below" that starred Robert Mitchum as a WWII US Destroyer Captain and Kurt Jergens as a German U-Boat Commander. The Jergens part in this episode is played oustandingly by the late Mark Lenard. You can guess who plays Mitchum's part, why of course James T. Kirk (William Shatner).

Both of these Captains start to have a respect for each others skills and the best line of the episode is when the Romulan Commander tells Kirk, "in another reality we could of been friends". Talk about respect, that says it all dosen't it?

Overall, this is a classic episode and highly recommended to all Star Trek fans.

"In a different reality, I could have called you friend."
Star Trek produced its first truly outstanding episode in "Balance of Terror." Drama, pathos, conflict, great special effects, strong character moments, a great enemy, solid acting, top-notch dialogue, and an on-ship wedding. What more do you want? There's more stuff in this one episode than certain Star Trek films. It falls short of true perfection but it was still the first episode of the original series that dared to be great and the first that can officially be declared a classic.

The wedding of U.S.S. Enterprise crew members Angela Martine (Barbara Baldavin) and Robert Tomlinson (Stephen Mines) is rudely interrupted when the ship learns that Federation Outpost 4 along the Romulan Neutral Zone is under attack. It is soon obliterated and Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) discovers that three other Federation outposts in the same area have been similarly destroyed. While investigating the carnage, the crew learns that a lone Romulan ship is the guilty culprit. The Enterprise pursues the ship but is at a marked disadvantage because the Romulan ship is employing a cloaking device which makes them impossible to track. As the two ships play a cat-and-mouse game with each other, the Enterprise manages to catch a glimpse of the Romulan bridge and discovers that their mysterious foes resemble Vuclans in their appearance. Lieutenant Andrew Stiles (Paul Comi) instantly becomes hostile toward Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) because he suspects the Vulcan of being a Romulan spy. When the Romulan Commander (Mark Lenard) is forced into a corner, he decides to directly take on the Enterprise. However, he is defeated and destroys his ship when faced with the prospect of capture. A blow also is dealt to the Enterprise when Kirk learns that Tomlinson did not survive the battle. With a heavy-heart, the captain comforts Martine who is devastated by her loss.

"Balance of Terror" is a landmark episode in so many ways. It introduced the Romulans who would become recurring villains for years to come and the concepts of the cloaking device and the neutral zone which would also become important Star Trek staples. It also was definite proof that Star Trek could do action and adventure without compromising any of its progressive ideals. The transplanted battleship-submarine conflict alone would have distinguished "Balance of Terror" as solid entertainment but the way the story took the time out to humanize the combatants while addressing the notion of bigotry elevated the episode into something truly special. Star Trek juggled many balls with this outing and did not drop a single one. In sum, "Balance of Terror" is a rousing episode that still entertains to this day. It easily ranks among the best works Star Trek has produced in any of its incarnations.

Best Trek yet
This Romulan battle episode was one of Star Trek's best shows. This episode demonstrates that while science fiction expands the range of possible stories, generally some of the best stories are the most universal. This episode could easily have been transported to the deep, and renamed Das Boot. The basic premise is simple enough, but the story is divided into discrete sections, each of which contains a surprise. I can't think of an episode which more often faded to commercial with actual drama. We are allowed right inside the Captains' minds, so we feel both their uncertainty and fear about encountering each other, and see them reformulating their strategies and estimations of each other as the chess match unfolds.
The episode is further assisted by Mark Leonard's acting (he's even better here than in Journey to Babel) and a dramatic score. The wedding scene also does not detract, since it reminds us that everything is affected by war. Kirk also is at his best here. Over the course of the episode he shows brilliance, compassion, and forgiveness. He also consoles, mediates, accepts criticism, is decisive, and stands up to injustice. Other pluses here include the stance taken on racism, and the fact that the brain trust, even at this early stage in the show, was not afraid to give Kirk a worthy adversary.

Brotherhood of Warriors
This is one of the finest of all the original Star Trek episodes. Because of budget constraints, the original series had to emphasize acting and quality scripts and less on "gee-whiz" special effects that have made the subsequent follow-up Star Treks much poorer in quality than the original. Mark Lenard puts in a superb performance as the tragic Romulan commander, a man of integrity serving a totalitarian dictatorship , similar to two other great warriors serving bad causes, knowing that they are in the wrong, but still compelled to fulfill their duty as they saw it knowing it would lead to disaster--General Robert E Lee and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
All the dilemmas and challenges of a military commander are seen in this episode: trying to outguess the enemy, insubordination, the necessity to disobey orders from above, the loss of comrades.
Get this video and see it! ... 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

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"The J For Judas Affair" and "The Master's Touch Affair"
This pairing of fourth-season MFU episodes is certainly one worth checking out. The first episode, "The J For Judas Affair", stars Chad Everett and Broderick Crawford as father and son of a large multinational conglomerate, responsible for making most of the world's weapons. Son Adam Tenza (Everett) is, however, in cahoots with THRUSH, and schemes to take the company away from his father for THRUSH's purposes. A very strong episode, with excellent writing and entertaining plot twists, not to mention a spectacular scene with Solo and Illya breaking into the Tenza underground vault. The episode wraps in the jungles of Guatamala and ends this whodunit with a horrifying surprise.

The second episode, "The Master's Touch Affair", stars Jack Lord as THRUSH defector Pharos Mandor, who's feeding names of THRUSH heads to UNCLE in exchange for money and lavish surroundings. Unfortunately, THRUSH gruntman Valandros (Nehemiah Persoff) is planning to assassinate Mandor before he can divulge the names of the three THRUSH chiefs from London, Moscow and NYC. The girl, in this case, is the lovely Leslie Parrish, who plays a kidnapped supermodel in the claws of Mandor. An entertaining episode, with an elaborate escape sequence where Solo rescues a drugged Illya from Mandor's compound.

All in all, Volume 16 is one worth picking up, if for no other reason than as a worth introduction to the fourth and final season of the series. ... Read more

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When their mission to secure a mineral trade ends in failure, a freak ion storm catches Kirk, McCoy, Uhuru, and Scotty in mid-beam-up and sends them to a parallel dimension where Federation leaders are as ruthless as the Klingons, and Star Fleet promotions are attained by assassination. They find themselves on an alternate Enterprise, peopled with evil counterparts to the individuals they know (all attired in glittery, glam-rock uniforms), including most famously an evil, goateed Spock whom Kirk must convince to overthrow the empire. Kirk and his landing party try to fit in with this crew of villains who are threatening with annihilation the planet where the mineral trade went sour, while searching for a way back to their world and fending off assassination attempts. "Mirror, Mirror" achieves the best of what Star Trek is capable, which is to say space opera brought to a high pitch by melodrama. Everyone appears to be having great fun turning their characters to the dark side, especially George Takei, whose evil Sulu beams when making his assassination attempt against Captain Kirk, and Leonard Nimoy, who makes Spock's shift from the meditative logician to the ruthless goateed one seem, well, quite logical. This episode in particular fueled popular culture in such a way that in some circles it is now impossible to sport a goatee without being called "the evil Spock." The story of the evil Spock is continued in the Deep Space Nine episode "Crossover." --Jim Gay ... Read more

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The Logic of History
"Terror must be maintained or the empire is doomed. It is the logic of history."

The concept of an alternate reality, of a place where a decision I made has its alternative or counterpart, has always held scientific and philosophical fascination for me. The quotation above was spoken by Spock, the Spock of the Taryn Empire. The ruthless assassinations and blood letting as it exists in the alternate universe is only one indicator of how human decisions and manifest themselves in the future. Perhaps a dictatorship arose on earth where a democracy existed in our own time-line. Such would be enough to cause the eventual formation of the empire and the conditions under which Kirk, Scott, Uhura, And Mccoy found themselves to be playing. The concept of an abusive captain, a conniving and vengeful first officer, and a Gestapo-like security apparatus is not something we are accustomed to seeing on our own starships, and it speaks profoundly to humans' abilities to act as savages.

The episode is the first of its kind, and therefore some understandable and predictable faults must be pointed out. First, the transporter accident which caused the episode is not explained to our satisfaction, at least, not to mine. More fundamentally, however, there seems to be an underlying assumption that only one alternate reality exists. If each decision, or even each significant historical event has alternatives, does that not speak for numerous if not infinite realities? Yet this is not so much as hinted at. Too, there is the lack of history. I wanted to see more hints of imperial history, to better understand what makes a Vulcan killer or such a ruthless authoritarianism possible. These questions could not have been answered in anything less than a television movie, and such was simply not done with the first series. These defects are the reason the episode earns only four stars. Yet its moral, scientific, and philosophical assertions and implecations make it a show worth several viewings.

The Only Good Mirror Universe Story Ever.
While beaming back to the Enterprise during an ion storm, Jim, Bones, Scotty, and Uhura (William Shatner, DeForest Kelly, James Doohan, and Nichele Nicholas) find themselves transported into a Mirror Universe where the history of everything they know is altered. Here in place of the Federation, is an evil "Galactic Empire" where they destroy worlds that oppose them and the officers move up in rank by political murder of their comanders. In order to get home, they are aided by a woman (Barbara Luna) to fix the transporter and use the power of the warp engines to balance it for the four of them to beam back to their home universe where everything they know is waiting for them, aboard their Enterprise. But they have to hurry because the doorway between the two universes is closeing fast and they have only three hours to get the work finished and return home. Very well written episode with very good effects work.Written by Jerome Bixby. Directed by Marc Daniels. Music Score by Fred Steiner.

The best episode of the original series
This is my favorite episode of the original Star Trek series. Due to a freak ion storm, Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhuru are beamed to an Enterprise in a parallel universe. In this alternate universe, there is no United Federation of Planets, but an Empire dominated by humans. Discipline is brutal, officers assassinate superiors to achieve rank and the mission is to destroy the Hulkans if they refuse to cooperate. One of the best lines ever to appear in Star Trek is uttered by Spock at the close, "It was easier for you as civilized people to behave as barbarians than it was for them as barbarians to behave as civilized people."
There are several memorable scenes, but one of the best is when the barbarians are forcibly placed in the brig. The rage exhibited by McCoy, Scotty and Uruhu is very realistic and I have always felt that the episode would have been better if there had been some treatment of the actions of the "evil" officers plotting while in the brig of the "good" Enterprise. Even though he is first officer of a ship whose purpose is to destroy uncooperative civilizations, Spock is still thoughtful, still fundamentally a Vulcan. One of the excellent spin-off story lines that could have been done would have been some explanation of how the Vulcans managed to acclimate themselves to serve an "evil" empire.
The final scene on the "evil" Enterprise is one that begs for a sequel. It is clear that the "evil" Spock will attempt to save the Hulkans, but the only tool he has is one that causes people to disappear without a trace. Howeve