Episode:2x01
Amok Time

Jack's Rating:

Under the stress of his first "pon far," Spock returns to Vulcan to wed his childhood betrothed, only to find that she has chosen another and forces Spock into a ceremonial fight to the death with Kirk.

Features:
Stardate: 3372.7
Air Date: 09/15/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
What a way to start off a new season! This is another of the most iconic classic Trek episodes. I remember seeing this one as a kid and loving the twist at the end....and Spock's reaction of course! Naturally you can't think of this episode without hearing this!

Episode:2x02
Who Mourns for Adonais?

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew is trapped on a planet by the Greek god Apollo, who wants humans to stay on the planet to worship him.

Features:
Stardate: 3468.1
Air Date: 09/22/67
Director: Marc Daniels

Jack's Review
Yet another classic! This one really captivates me to this day. Who's to say that the ancient greek gods weren't aliens? If all myths and religions have a basis in fact....well anyway, this is a great episode.

Episode:2x03
The Changeling

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise encounters Nomad, a small mutated Earth probe that has been destroying planets in its path in an attempt to sterilize the "imperfect" life forms on them.

Features:
Stardate: 3451.9
Air Date: 09/29/67
Director: Marc Daniels

Jack's Review
Here it is....my second favorite episode of all time. This one has everything you need to be a classic. Powerful enemy, eminent danger for the ship, a mind meld, and Kirk at his absolute best! It also follows the red-shirt rule! My step-dad and I used to drive my Mom crazy walking around saying "I am Nomad. I am Perfect" for a week after seeing this episode on TV. Couple of neat trivia items here: This is the first time Scotty says the famous "giving them all we got" phrase. This episode is also one of four times Kirk is able to talk a computer to death. The other episodes are The Return of the Archons , I, Mudd, and The Ultimate Computer.

Episode:2x04
Mirror, Mirror

Jack's Rating:

While transporting during an ion storm, Kirk, McCoy, Scott, and Uhura are switched with evil counterparts in a parallel universe, and it is up to the parallel Spocks to get their respective crew members back.

Features:
Stardate: Unknown
Air Date: 10/06/67
Director: Marc Daniels

Jack's Review
And here we have the reason why Season 2 is the best season of the original series. Because of this episode, everyone knows that goatees mean you are evil! This is a truly exceptional episode...hands down. The overall peril Kirk and company face is nerve-wracking, and the acting is terrific. Let's face it, everyone has a person or two they would like to put in the agony booth, right? I would easily list this one in my top ten TOS episodes.

Episode:2x05
The Apple

Jack's Rating:

The seeming paradise found by the Enterprise on Gamma Trianguli VI is really controlled by a computer called Vaal, which tries to destroy the Enterprise to prevent intervention from the outside.

Features:
Stardate: 3715.3
Air Date: 10/13/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
One of the great Trek demotivators you will see online pegs this episode down. "These people are so happy and beautiful...let's destroy their machine-god and teach them to kill and screw." In all fairness, the prime directive doesn't apply here since the children of Vaal's society is completely stagnant. David Soul of Starsky & Hutch makes an appearance....if you can spot him under that red/brown makeup.

Episode:2x06
The Doomsday Machine

Jack's Rating:

A giant robot ship wandering through the galaxy destroying everything in its path cripples the starship Constellation and then turns on the Enterprise.

Features:
Stardate: 4202.9
Air Date: 10/20/67
Director: Marc Daniels

Jack's Review
This one really shines with the new HD effects! The over the top acting by William Windom is terrific. I usually dislike episodes where someone pushes Kirk and the crew around but this one makes sense. The overall peril of the planet eater is so palpable that it should make you nervous.

Episode:2x07
Catspaw

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise finds a haunted castle inhabited by tiny aliens who have transformed themselves into a witch and a warlock and imprisoned some of the Enterprise crew.

Features:
Stardate: 3018.2
Air Date: 10/27/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Considered one of the bad episodes of the original series, Catspaw is one of the more bizarre episodes at least. It has many fun parts and an overall classic Trek feel to it...so it can't be that bad.

Episode:2x08
I, Mudd

Jack's Rating:

An android masquerading as an Enterprise crew member hijacks the ship and delivers it to Harry Mudd, who has developed a race of beautiful android women.

Features:
Stardate: 4513.3
Air Date: 11/03/67
Director: Marc Daniels

Jack's Review
A hysterical romp with Harry Mudd! Roger Carmel was amazing in that role and I really wish he had come back another time or two. As it is, this is the last live action appearance of Harry Mudd until Rainn Wilson's very different Mudd on Discovery. This one is a riot with a really fun ending. Did you know that Roger Carmel did voice work on the original Transformer's cartoon? You won't hear Cyclonus, Motormaster, or Bruticus the same ever again!

Episode:2x09
Metamorphosis

Jack's Rating:

The shuttlecraft Galileo, carrying Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford, is drawn to a small planet by a mysterious cloud, which turns out to be a creature that has been caring for shipwrecked warp drive inventor Zefram Cochrane.

Features:
Stardate: 3219.8
Air Date: 11/10/67
Director: Ralph Senensky

Jack's Review
The first appearance of Zefram Cochrane is one of the earliest episodes of the original series I remember seeing when I was a kid. In fact, I remember seeing the companion on screen and asking my step-dad what it was, which hooked me into watching the episode! I love this one because of Elinor Donahue as well - Ellie Walker from Andy Griffith! While her character is rather irritating (on purpose) the rather sweet ending more than makes up for that.

Episode:2x10
Journey to Babel

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise is transporting delegates to a Federation conference, when Spock's father, Ambassador Sarek, becomes ill and requires a transfusion from Spock.

Features:
Stardate: 3842.3
Air Date: 11/17/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Ah, what a fun story! Here we have Spock's parents, Andorians, Tellarites, spy games, Kirk-fu, and play-doh food! A CLASSIC original episode.

Episode:2x11
Friday

Jack's Rating:

Attempting to negotiate a mining treaty on Capella IV, the Enterprise crew becomes involved in a Klingon-instigated civil war and must save the pregnant wife of the planet's leader.

Features: The Klingons
Stardate: 3497.2
Air Date: 12/01/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
This one is a lot of fun. It has one of the best McCoy "I'm a Doctor not a..." lines too. Julie Newmar (Batman's Catwoman) plays a terrific role here as well.

Episode:2x12
The Deadly Years

Jack's Rating:

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty undergo accelerated aging after being exposed to radiation on a planet, but Chekov isn't affected and Dr. McCoy must find out why in order to cure the others.

Features:
Stardate: 3478.2
Air Date: 12/08/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Artificial aging is a plot device in a few Trek episodes -most notably "Unnatural Selection" with Dr. Pulaski in TNG and "Distant Voices" on DS9. This one stands as, I think, the best of the three. The danger to the crew seems real and the acting as the main characters age is great - specifically McCoy..."Don't stand there jawing, Spock..."

Episode:2x13
Obsession

Jack's Rating:

Kirk is obsessed with trying to kill a cloud-like vampire creature similar to one that killed Kirk's commanding officer, Captain Garrovick, 11 years earlier.

Features:
Stardate: 3619.2
Air Date: 12/15/67
Director: Ralph Senensky

Jack's Review
Around 2009, I finally grabbed all three seasons of TOS on DVD which enabled me to properly binge the series. This is one of the few that I had never seen in syndication. It's a great episode that adds some back-story to Kirk.

Episode:2x14
Wolf in the Fold

Jack's Rating:

Scotty is accused of the brutal murder of several women who were really killed by a non-corporeal creature known in Earth's past as Jack the Ripper.

Features:
Stardate: 3614.9
Air Date: 12/22/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Another fun - if basically goofy - episode. Fun fact - John Fiedler who plays inspector Hengist did voices for several Disney films - Piglet in the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Father Sexton in Robin Hood, and Owl in The Rescuers.

Episode:2x15
The Trouble With Tribbles

Jack's Rating:

When the Enterprise stops at the K-7 space station to pick up a shipment of a new type of grain, trader Cyrano Jones introduces the Enterprise crew to tribbles, cute furry creatures that multiply so rapidly that they almost fill the Enterprise to its seam

Features: The Klingons
Stardate: 4523.3
Air Date: 12/29/67
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Here we have one of the top 5 TOS episodes and easily one of the top Star Trek episodes ever made. It's funny as heck and probably one of the most accessible episodes of the original series - making it a great episode to show anyone you want to introduce to Trek.

Episode:2x16
The Gamesters of Triskelion

Jack's Rating:

While surveying an uncharted planet, Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov are transported to the planet's surface, where they are forced to be gladiators in combats staged for the pleasure of unseen aliens.

Features:
Stardate: 3211.7
Air Date: 01/05/68
Director: Gene Nelson

Jack's Review
I love this episode. It follows the A and B story formula and contains one of the silliest Kirk maneuvers witnessed in any episode - the kiss and punch! Ridiculous, silly, fun. I wouldn't change this episode for one-thousand quatloos!

Episode:2x17
A Piece of the Action

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew investigates the progress made by a planet visited by a Federation ship over 100 years earlier, and find that a book on the Chicago mobs of 1930's Earth has served as the role model for the planet's development.

Features:
Stardate: 4598
Air Date: 01/12/68
Director: James Komack

Jack's Review
Man, this one has everything. Gangsters, comedy, Fizzbin, Kirk trying to drive a car, and Vic Tayback. If you enjoy the episodes where the crew encounters past Earth-style civilizations, this one should be on your list!

Episode:2x18
The Immunity Syndrome

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise is sent to investigate a giant amoeba-like creature that has killed all life on Starbase 6 and the Vulcan-crewed starship Intrepid, and Spock penetrates the amoeba in a shuttlecraft.

Features:
Stardate: 4307.1
Air Date: 01/19/68
Director: Joseph Pevney

Jack's Review
Another that should be labeled a classic. The story is classic sci-fi and fits perfectly into the story-of-the-week formula of the classic Trek shows. A tidbit of trivia - this is the last episode of TOS to show the interior of a shuttlecraft, the last episode directed by Joseph Pevney, and the last time Kirk wears the green wrap-around tunic - although, filming order actually makes "Bread and Circuses" the last appearance of the green tunic on-screen.

Episode:2x19
A Private Little War

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew becomes involved in a civil war on Neural, and must arm the tribe of an old friend of Kirk's in order to maintain a balance of power with the opposing tribe that is receiving arms from the Klingons.

Features: The Klingons
Stardate: 4211.4
Air Date: 02/02/68
Director: Marc Daniels

Episode:2x20
Return to Tomorrow

Jack's Rating:

On a long-dead planet, the Enterprise finds three disembodied entities who ask for assistance in constructing android bodies for their brains, but one of the entities tries to steal Spock's body instead.

Features:
Stardate: 4768.3
Air Date: 02/09/68
Director: Ralph Senensky

Episode:2x21
Patterns of Force

Jack's Rating:

On a routine visit to the planet where a Federation historian has been stationed, the Enterprise finds that the planet's culture has been patterned after Nazi Germany.

Features:
Stardate: 2534
Air Date: 02/16/68
Director: Vincent McEveety

Jack's Review
It's the space Nazi episode! Banned in Germany, this one really hits home in a lot of ways. Plenty of laughs and peril. Skip Homeier always plays a great bad guy, but he will always be Ollie from The Ghost and Mr. Chicken to me!

Episode:2x22
By Any Other Name

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew is captured by a group of Kelvans from the Andromeda Galaxy, who are scouting this galaxy for possible colonization.

Features:
Stardate: 4657.4
Air Date: 02/23/68
Director: Marc Daniels

Episode:2x23
The Omega Glory

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew finds the empty starship Exeter in orbit around Omega IV, and beams down to discover that the Exeter's captain has provided advanced weapons to the Kohms in their battle against the Yangs.

Features:
Stardate: Unknown
Air Date: 03/01/68
Director: Vincent McEveety

Jack's Review
Another round of amazing acting from guest star Morgan Woodward - as seen in "Dagger of the Mind" in season one. The initial story is terrific, but the twist at the end is just...well...odd.

Episode:2x24
The Ultimate Computer

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise is fitted for tests of an advanced computer containing the erratic brain patterns of its inventor, Dr. Richard Daystrom, and begins a real attack on other starships during what is supposed to be a war game.

Features:
Stardate: 4729.4
Air Date: 03/08/68
Director: John Meredyth Lucas

Episode:2x25
Bread and Circuses

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise crew encounters the abandoned S.S. Beagle in orbit around Planet 892-IV, and beams down to find that its captain has introduced a Roman-like gladiator culture to the planet.

Features:
Stardate: 4040.7
Air Date: 03/15/68
Director: Ralph Senensky

Episode:2x26
Assignment: Earth

Jack's Rating:

The Enterprise travels back in time to 1968, where Kirk and Spock help a mysterious stranger named Gary Seven avert a nuclear crisis.

Features: Time Travel
Stardate: Unknown
Air Date: 03/29/68
Director: Marc Daniels