The Ultimate Computer thoughts

[CorporalCaptain]

I had nothing but sympathy for Daystrom…one of the few times I felt at odds with Kirk. He was in the right…but I wonder why he didn’t just have Daystrom tell M-5 this was another drill.

I thought it was clear that Daystrom's suppressed rages were being vented by the M-5, as a consequence of scanning his own engrams into the computer. Daystrom was in the right? No, he needed a long, restful vacation [http://www.chakoteya.net/StarTrek/53.htm]:

KIRK: The M-5 must be destroyed.
DAYSTROM: Destroyed, Kirk? No. We're invincible. Look what we've done. Your mighty starships, Four toys to be crushed as we choose.
(Spock neck-pinches Daystrom.)​

 

[Qonundrum]

Funny you mentioned it but they are computer-controlled and they were being affected. Spock? I think got it manually working but it was only a temp fix that led to the compulsory directive being used.

Yes, exactly [http://www.chakoteya.net/StarTrek/36.htm]:

(Kirk crouches down by Spock under the life-support station.)
KIRK: Spock.
SPOCK: Normal environmental levels have been restored, Captain, but it will not last long. A few hours at best.
KIRK: That should be enough time. Let's get at it.​

Great catch, thanks! Time to do a rewatch, it's been forever and this aging stuff just gets old at times... On the plus side, it'll feel like a new episode again.

 

[PCz911]

William Marshall was fantastic in this role. He chewed up the scenery like no other. I loved his character ( “you are great, I am great”). One of the best tos episodes

 

[Phaser Two]

William Marshall was fantastic in this role. He chewed up the scenery like no other. I loved his character ( “you are great, I am great”). One of the best tos episodes

Yes. He had the most heft of just about any guest star in the series. That voice! And his imposing figure. Everything he said just came off as awesome. "Men no longer neeeeeed diiiie in spaaaaaace."

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Kirk's "Genius doesn't work on an assembly line basis" speech is one of my favorite Kirk speeches.

 

[Ssosmcin]

This episode is chock full of awesome. It's really one of the classics I like to show to newcomers. It's got a great story, fantastic pacing and everyone is involved.

 

[Noname Given]

Seems to me there was a movie in the70s that explored the "computer becomes intelligent and threatens to take over the world" story concept. What was the name of that film again?

-- Forbin

Hey that film was one of my favorites. And I got very into actual Mainframe Computing back in 1975 in junior high school. The scary thing about that film was except for the exceptional and fantastical Artificial Intelligence aspect; the way they were initially interfacing with Colossus used current Mainframe technology of the era. To me that was rather frightening at the time.