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Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
Episode:1x18
Arena
Jack's Rating:
After chasing a Gorn ship into an uncharted sector of space, Kirk and the Gorn commander are transported to a desert planet, where they are forced to duel to the death.
Features:
Stardate: 3045.6
Air Date: 01/19/67
Director: Joseph Pevney
Jack's Review
Yet another classic episode - one that is perhaps the most recognizable Star Trek episode ever. If you get the chance, check out the episode of Hollywood Weapons where Terry Schappert tries to make the bamboo cannon. My take on that is "of course he can make gunpowder and a cannon out of a hunk of bamboo...he's the goddam captain!"
Episode:1x21
The Return of the Archons
Jack's Rating:
The Enterprise crew beams down to a planet where the zombie-like inhabitants are controlled by a super computer known as Landru.
Features:
Stardate: 3156.2
Air Date: 02/09/67
Director: Joseph Pevney
Jack's Review
You are not of the body. You will be absorbed. It is the will of Landru. This is another classic episode. It is fun to see how the writers overcame special effect and budget constraints by using different existing props and sets. Here we also have our first reference of the Prime Directive. This is another episode that reuses the Mayberry set from Andy Griffith. On a personal note, I went to visit my Dad shortly after he watched this episode. He looked at me and said, "greetings, friend. Are you here for festival?" when I said no, he shouted, "you are not of the body!" at me. It was a riot.
Episode:1x23
A Taste of Armageddon
Jack's Rating:
After the Enterprise is declared a victim of an interplanetary war fought only in the memory banks of opposing computers, Kirk and Spock force the warring planets to face the destruction of real war or settle their dispute.
Features:
Stardate: 3192.1
Air Date: 02/23/67
Director: Joseph Pevney
Jack's Review
A great anti-war episode that really stays focused without feeling like a Vietnam rally....I have always liked the imagination with which the writers tackled the computer-driven war.
Episode:1x25
The Devil in the Dark
Jack's Rating:
A mining colony on Janus VI is faced with death and destruction caused by a rock-like creature, the Horta, which turns out to be a mother trying to protect her eggs from the miners' equipment.
Features:
Stardate: 3196.1
Air Date: 03/09/67
Director: Joseph Pevney
Jack's Review
William Shatner rated this as his favorite...and I list it as mine as well. Even above "City on the Edge of Forever", "Arena", and "The Changeling". We have a touch of mystery, horror, action, and humor. Perfect Star Trek, my friends. Gene Roddenberry listed this as one of his ten favorite episodes in a TV Guide article in 1991, and legendary Sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke recalled the only episode of Star Trek he could remember was this one!
Episode:1x28
The City on the Edge of Forever
Jack's Rating:
After an accidental overdose of the stimulant cordrazine, Dr. McCoy jumps through a time portal on a deserted planet and ends up on Earth in the 1930's.
Features:
Time Travel
Stardate: 3134
Air Date: 04/06/67
Director: Joseph Pevney
Jack's Review
Here we are, perhaps the finest science fiction television episode ever. Time travel in its finest as penned by the immortal and enigmatic Harlan Ellison....Perfect acting by Deforest Kelley, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Joan Collins really makes this episode sparkle. What makes this episode so great? It's the message of friendship, risking everything, and doing what must be done against all odds. You can't help but be touched by the look on Kirk's face during the climax. The fact that this episode concludes with the only swear word in all three seasons is rather fitting based on what the crew had gone through.
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: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: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: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: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: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.