Why all the hate for "The Immunity Syndrome" ?

[buckeyenation]

While reading various posts, i've noticed a lot a criticism for what i believe to a very fine episode. The concept itself is way cool (a giant cell devouring everything, including one's own life energy) great effects (even without remastering) and brilliant direction by Joseph Pevney. So as Kirk one said to Spock "What's your beef?"

 

[milo bloom]

This is one of those eps that I'd never seen all the way through over the years, and I've been on a DVD kick with TOS and this one came up just the other night. Agreed on all your points except I'm not sure I've ever seen folks complaining about it.

 

[Michael]

It's not the best episode, but it's most certainly a good one. At least in my book. I know I like it well enough; especially for the nice Spock/McCoy moment, where both want to be ordered to take the shuttle into the nucleus. I loved that.

 

[cwnorma]

I too enjoy this episode. It's one forgivable convenience is the shuttle miracle at the end, but then again, no less miraculous than the meet up on the ice planet in the new movie...

That Spock; one lucky guy!

 

[Bad Atom]

I didn't realize there was a lot of hate for this one. It's a great, claustrophobic and tense episode. Sure, the hook of "GIANT SPACE AMEOBA" borders on the ridiculous, but it's the character stuff that really works.

 

[Mytran]

I've never noticed a lot of criticism for this episode either. For myself, I've always considered it a fair second season episode.

 

[plynch]

super-boring

ship show, no guest star, no location IIRC

Plot: ship in danger; ship out of danger zzzzzz

There is dislike for it out there (here) b/c it has come up before.

I'll agree the amoeba is nicely done for 1967±

 

[trevanian]

Was in my top 3 eps after the first round of watching the series in the early 70s, and even now decades later would still be in the top 10. Basically DOOMSDAY MACHINE sans Decker, making the focus even more on the principals.

If there's hate for it -- obviously somebody should have 'wished it luck.'

 

[Kegg]

People hated this episode? It got Star Trek an emmy!

Plot: ship in danger; ship out of danger zzzzzz

That's every Star Trek episode. The ship and/or our heroes get into danger and then they get out of it.

It's not the best episode, but it's most certainly a good one. At least in my book. I know I like it well enough; especially for the nice Spock/McCoy moment, where both want to be ordered to take the shuttle into the nucleus. I loved that.

Absolutely this. I also just like the episodes where they encounter some crazy weird stuff in space and Spock has to speculate as to whatever the hell it means, and this is one of those episodes.

 

[Joanna McCoy-Kirk]

IMHO it's a very good episode; I can certainly think of worse ones.

 

[plynch]

People hated this episode? It got Star Trek an emmy!

Plot: ship in danger; ship out of danger zzzzzz

That's every Star Trek episode. The ship and/or our heroes get into danger and then they get out of it.

Yeah, there's always got to be some danger we want to see avoided. But the good episodes offer us much more. Like a distraught Decker/Ahab. Or a devil who turns out to be a mother. Or a moral dilemma like do we arm our friends to fight our enemies' friends. ImSyn offers little besides getting the E out of danger, which we know in '60s episodic television, is going to happen. Also true when any major character is threatened in the ep. You pretty much know he/she isn't going to be killed. If "person/ship in danger" is THE plotline, it's dullsville, baby, in this guy's opinion. Though as I said above, the amoeba is nicely done.

This is why Way to Eden -- to choose a downright hated episode -- is "better" drama than ImSyn, on first watching. Will our crew help the hippies? Will they see some good? Will some defect to their side? What will they find there? Plus they actually have a point about our sciency/steriilized world. PLUS it's horribly executed by middle aged producers trying to be hip! Hilarious and awful and actually dramatic.

BUT: Like I tell my kids and their music I hate: If you like ImSyn, like it! IDIC, baby! I'm just explaining myself since that's what the board is for. I love Spectre of the Gun for its minimalism, direction and music and people hate that one. [It violates most of the drama rant I just went on, though it does have some mystery to it, on first viewing.]

Peace be with you all.

 

[scotpens]

I don't know of anyone who HATES this episode. It's a routine second-season ep, not a classic but not a piece of crap either.

. . .Sure, the hook of “GIANT SPACE AMEOBA” borders on the ridiculous, but it's the character stuff that really works.

The concept may have been silly, but I always thought the space amoeba was (and still is) one of the coolest-looking optical effects in all of TOS. Psychedelic, man!

. . . Basically DOOMSDAY MACHINE sans Decker, making the focus even more on the principals.

And with the same music by Sol Kaplan (also recycled in “Obsession”).

 

[TheLonelySquire]

I thought this was an excellent episode. Certainly in my top 10 and maybe 5 or 6. Why? Interaction between Spock and McCoy, Kirk struggling with his decision on who to send, and best of all Kirk telling Scotty "Get two tractor beams on that shuttlecraft!" See, that's what Trek, especially TOS, is all about. Never leaving a friend behind. We see it decades later in STIII as well. I may have to watch this tonight in Blu-ray!

 

[Red Ranger]

I don't get the hate, either. I liked the ep, primarily because the Spock/McCoy rivalry is quite intense. I love when McCoy yells, "Shut up, Spock, we're rescuing you!" Equally priceless is Spock's reply, "Why thank you, Captain McCoy." I also got a kick out of Mr. Kyle at the helm.

 

[Kegg]

Yeah, there's always got to be some danger we want to see avoided. But the good episodes offer us much more.

Point taken.

This is why Way to Eden -- to choose a downright hated episode -- is "better" drama than ImSyn, on first watching.

I'd disagree simply because while Way to Eden poses a ton of questions, I'm interested in none of them and I found the show annoying from the outset. Immunity Syndrome's questions are the 'how', and when the choice comes to McCoy and Spock, the 'who' (not who will die, but who will Kirk choose?) which, while not the most compelling in the world, are more interesting I'd argue than Eden.

 

[M'Sharak]

Why all the hate for "The Immunity Syndrome" ?

What hate? It's an enjoyable episode and quite a good one for McCoy/Spock zingers.

 

[Hambone]

I thought this was an excellent episode. Certainly in my top 10 and maybe 5 or 6.

This episode is on my short list of favorites as well. As a kid I found it quite scary; as an adult I found it to be a good character study in the Kirk/Spock/McCoy triad (although I always felt it would have been better to send McCoy out on the shuttle instead of the oh-so-obvious choice of Spock). Plus, the amoeba SFX were really quite good and hold up pretty well today (the CGI replacement shots didn't really improve on this too much).

 

[CommanderRaytas]

Most people around here seem to like it, including myself. It's not like this is The Way To Eden, or Spock's Brain.

 

[Ssosmcin]

and best of all Kirk telling Scotty "Get two tractor beams on that shuttlecraft!"

I love that moment:

"Scotty, tractor beam!"
"We haven't enough time to do it, we only have a 53 second escape margin."
"I'm well aware of that, Mr. Scott. I want two tractor beams on that shuttlecraft!"

And every time, I think: Well, Scotty, if you didn't argue, you only would have had to do one tractor beam.

 

[Mytran]

How many tractor beam emmiters does the Enterprise actually have?