Ah, but that's the official story, eh?
BY ANY OTHER NAME
This episode features many ideas and tropes that have appeared in earlier episodes but here they are given a fresh spin at least.
There’s an almost overwhelming amount of continuity (in TOS terms) in play:
- The energy barrier from WNMHGB is heavily featured (with a suitably grim Kirk) and there’s also Spock’s mind touch from A Taste Of Armageddon as well!
- It’s been ages since we saw Spock playing tri-dimensional chess but he does it here.
- Finally, the auxiliary control room set also makes a welcome return, doubling as “life support control”.
Another trope subverted is the young, headstrong, black security guard – is NOT killed! Sucks for Yeoman Thompson though
This episode starts off like many other “Kirk on planet / Enterprise in danger” episodes but then mixes things up, resulting in a series of comedic skits. Hey, at least it’s different! And while I appreciate the change, Unfortunately, I know that this is the start of several “empty starship” episodes that are to come. Here it works quite well, but I have no idea why Kirk was allowed to remain walking around. Medicine and engineering I can understand, maybe science but isn’t Rojan the one in command?
I also like the reason given for the human-like appearance of the aliens – it actually makes sense!
The notion of an alien race seeding the Milky Way galaxy has not yet been established yet though, has it? Therefore, what makes less sense is the discussion about the long odds of a humanoid alien evolving in another galaxy, when they seem so numerous in ours!
This is an excellent point! And even if they are born and raised as tentacled squids until old enough to take on human form, are humans really able to care for such c
The landing party play the “one of the prisoners is sick” card…again! They’ve done this in
I, Mudd (and maybe one other episode, I’m not sure) but this time it actually works! Fortunately, the ploy ultimately turns out to be unsuccessful and the crew must resort to “the human factor” to win the day. As part of this Kirk yet again uses his seduction moves in order to manipulate an enemy female but this time dialled up to eleven!
Other, random thoughts:
- Kirk seems appalled at the notion of exploding the Enterprise to stop the Kelvans. Was he just bluffing all the times in the past when he threatened to do the same or otherwise risked the ship in some foolhardy wager?
- Rojan’s freeze ray doesn’t work on Kirk’s eyes, such is the awesomeness of the captain! Either that or Shatner didn’t understand what “neutralises nerve impulses to the voluntary muscles” meant

- When interrupting Kirk and Kelinda, Rojan enter’s the cabin through the side door, which some blueprints say is the bathroom. What was he doing in there, checking the captain’s log?
