As most of us geeks know, the Vulcan mind-meld was created to get around network Broadcast Standards restrictions. The scene was originally written with Spock hypnotizing Van Gelder. The NBC censors objected on the grounds that (a) Spock wasn’t a qualified medical practitioner and (b) you couldn’t depict someone being hypnotized on the air because a highly suggestible viewer might accidentally be hypnotized while watching it! (I mean, has that actually ever happened?)I can imagine the group reacting to this first demonstration of the Vulcan mind meld and wondering whether or not it will be used again.
Of course.... viewer might accidentally be hypnotized while watching it! (I mean, has that actually ever happened?)
Marianna Hill ... on her back in the power room ... her knees up to her chin ... thighs on full display ... panties leading the eyes inward ...
You weren't hypnotized by that moment?
![]()
Of course.... viewer might accidentally be hypnotized while watching it! (I mean, has that actually ever happened?)
Marianna Hill ... on her back in the power room ... her knees up to her chin ... thighs on full display ... panties leading the eyes inward ...
You weren't hypnotized by that moment?
![]()
What????
Me hypnotized by one of the most awesome trek babes ever????
![]()
Of course.... viewer might accidentally be hypnotized while watching it! (I mean, has that actually ever happened?)
Marianna Hill ... on her back in the power room ... her knees up to her chin ... thighs on full display ... panties leading the eyes inward ...
You weren't hypnotized by that moment?
![]()
Ugh. You make "Dagger of the Mind" sound like a cheesy dimestore romance novel.![]()
45 years ago, TV network censorship was ridiculously prudish by today’s standards. Navels were taboo until Trek’s second season. Open-mouthed kissing was verboten. All acts of wrongdoing had to be punished (hence Trelane’s parents reassuring Kirk that their wayward boy will be disciplined).When did that ruling change? We see characters left, right and center getting hypnotized on TV for, well, decades now.
They had some pretty silly rules back then.In accordance with our precautions to avoid hypnotizing a viewer, the act of hypnotizing must be either out of context or done off-camera. Further, since you are portraying hypnotism as a legitimate medical tool, Van Gelder should be hypnotized by Dr. McCoy rather than Mr. Spock unless Mr. Spock can be established as being qualified in the use of this technique.
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