“While on a re-supply mission to a rehabilitation colony for the criminally insane, the Enterprise crew discovers that the chief doctor has been using a device which destroys the human mind, and has imprisoned Kirk and his companion.”
This episode was strange because it started off decent, it sort of lagged in the middle and then the ending was awesome. I ended up considering this episode for one of my top 10 favorite TOS episodes. The episode begins with a convict emerging from a cargo container on the Enterprise (evidently he has escaped from the penal colony in a very stereotypical style, might as well hide in some laundry). He then knocks out a security guard with the classic karate chop to the back of the neck. I’m not even going to say who this guy looks like, I’m not going to go to the same well for a third time. Anyway, this dude’s acting SUCKS (to be fair Morgan Woodward is a good actor, he’s just bad here)
They discover he is a Doctor from the penal colony, his partner Dr. Adams runs the facility. McCoy is suspicious of this other doctor and asks Kirk to check him out. Kirk is irritated by this and asks McCoy to find him a capable doctor to take down to the surface. McCoy is probably a bit insulted, but he has a good way to get even. He sends a Dr. of psychology to accompany Kirk and to Jim’s surprise it is a girl that he had a one night stand with at the Christmas Party … no I’m not making this up.
Of course this girl is unbelievably cute. But , she’s more than a pretty face, she’s also a great character. I really liked her. While Rand and Uhura are lame and insignificant, Dr. Noel actually has an interesting job duty. Her acting is very good and the character is smart and rather tough. There’s a lot more depth to her than the typical skanks that they have for characters. Marianna Hill co-starred in an Elvis movie and was in High Plains Drifter and The Godfather II.
Dr. Adams (played by James Gregory/Gen. Ursus) has been brainwashing these convicts and he eventually turns the machine on Kirk. In a great scene, Kirk is fighting for control of his own mind and succeeding. He eventually pretends to be brainwashed. He makes a plan with Dr. Noel and she crawls into the venting system (oh and under those tiny skirts they are wearing shorts). She eventually turns off the power to the facility but not before she actually kills a guy. So basically Adams was crooked and he messed up his partner with this mind control machine. This episode marks the first appearance of the Mind-Meld.
Really though, what happen to the female uniforms from the time of Enterprise until TOS? Seems like woman’s rights have gone backwards. Also Spock’s ears are HUGE. Well this was a good episode, it takes a look at both mind control and criminal reformation. I liked it because of the chemistry between Kirk and Noel … it’s a shame they never used this character again.
ST TOS COUNTDOWN: 10 down 70 to go
5 comments:
My understanding this was suppose to be a another rand episode (why!?) but she was too drunk and on drugs to make it in...or something....this new lady was a hottie.
Also your reviews of tos are much longer than enterprise...which was basically 2 sentences talking about how depressed you are about watching the show
Good thing she was drunk because this episode would have sucked with Rand in it.
At some point this will probably depress me as well.
There will always be a special place in my heart for Dr. Noel and Yeoman Barrows.
Oh man, Yeoman Barrows, I totally forgot about her. Shore Leave is coming up too. The funny thing about Classic Star Trek is that it seemed like that felt that they needed to toss in beautiful women to keep interest in the show, little did they know that it wasn't needed ... although it is nice.
I have no memory of this episode.
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