Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 25
Original Air Date: March 9, 1967
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| via Memory Alpha |
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| via Memory Alpha |
*****
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| via Memory Alpha |
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song over hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Star Trek: The Devil in the Dark
Episode: "The Devil in the Dark"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 25
Original Air Date: March 9, 1967
"The Devil in the Dark" plays on a hypothetical I've often wondered about myself: what if there were a life form based on some element other than carbon? The Enterprise visits on a vital mining colony on Janus VI to investigate a creature who has been killing miners. Sensors and phasers are ineffective because the critter is silicon-based rather than carbon-based.
Apparently, this was William Shatner's favorite episode. In his words, it was "exciting, thought-provoking and intelligent, it contained all of the ingredients that made up our very best Star Treks." I enjoyed it, too, though there were a few sections that dragged, particularly an extended mind meld between Spock and the creature. I appreciated the authenticity of the miners. They came across as run-of-the-mill blue collar types - all credit to the actors for that.
*****
Ken Lynch (Chief Engineer Vanderberg) was born July 15, 1910 in Cleveland, Ohio. He built his career in 1940s radio, performing in numerous dramas in that medium, including Hop Harrigan, One Thousand Dollars Reward and Gunsmoke. He had a substantial resume in television, too, with multiple appearances on Perry Mason, McCloud and Bonanza among many others. He managed to score a few roles in major films as well, including North By Northwest and Anatomy of a Murder. Lynch died of a virus in 1990.
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 25
Original Air Date: March 9, 1967
*****
I loved the twist that the villains were really the heroes and Spock's mind-meld is classic.
ReplyDeleteI like the twist, too. I sort of saw it coming once they got curious about the silicon balls - knew they had to be eggs. Still, the development was nice. I do feel the meld went on a bit too long but for the amount of information he had afterwards, it was probably appropriate.
DeleteI sort of remember this one.
ReplyDeleteYou know, we've discovered some kind of non-carbon life form on Earth, now, right?
From what I can find, not yet.
DeleteIt's some kind of bacteria. I'll see if I can find the link.
DeleteCool! Let me know what you find.
DeleteGosh, I remember the mind-meld with the creature but my mind is a blank on the rest.
ReplyDeleteGetting old and not remembering is not fun. Or possibly I just have so much information in my brain that it is leaking out my ears ?
cheers, parsnip
I guess you'll just have to watch again!
DeleteI enjoyed that episode. The special effects were clearly silly even back then, but still enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteOne does often have to forgive the special effects. Star Wars is still nine years off - a long time in film technology. The shag carpet come to life is not so much terrifying as hilarious - kind of cute, though.
DeleteGreat episode.
ReplyDeleteCarbon is so overrated!
Yeah, carbon... What a loser. Tungsten's where it's at, man!
DeleteThis is one of my very favorite episodes...every time I have a migraine, I flash back to Spock and his mind-meld with the Horta, yelling "Paaaaiiiiinnnnn."
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly from one of Shatner's books, his father passed away the week they were filming this episode. The way he spoke about the cast and crew and the way they supported him that week - so much love and affection, and appreciation, there. That may be another reason why this episode stands out for him...
That's sweet.
DeleteIs this the one where Bones fixed the monster with spackle? I loved that!
ReplyDeleteYup! He looks so giddy with the goop all over his hands, too - a kid playing with wet clay.
DeleteI love the Star Treks where they imagine all sorts of wildly improbable alien life forms. Wandering away from ST, thought Orson Scott Card did a good job of this with the Descolada, a super-intelligent virus. Although he got a little carried away with the concept.
ReplyDeleteEnder's Game... I've never read it. My teaching partner's a big fan, though, so I should probably give it a try.
Delete"No Kill I !"
ReplyDeleteDid Not Us And!
DeleteI was impressed by how quickly the Horta picked up the lingo.
Vanderburg is hilarious although understandably frustrated when Spock queries him about the hortas egg sitting on his desk.
ReplyDeleteVanderberg is brilliant - I'm glad to know there will still be foremen with Jersey accents when we venture into the cosmos.
Delete