Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Star Trek: The Empath

Episode: "The Empath"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 3, Episode 12
Original Air Date: December 6, 1968
via Memory Alpha
Devotees know that the idea of an empathic being is an important one in the Star Trek franchise, most significantly in The Next Generation's Deeana Troi.  In this week's episode, our heroes meet Gem, a mute but empathic woman.  Gem is held captive by the Vians who, we learn in time, are using her to judge the worthiness of her entire race.

The Enterprise comes to Minara II to rescue a research team before the system's star goes supernova.  The landing team of Kirk, Spock and McCoy can't find the researchers and instead are abducted themselves into a mysterious underground lair.  First they meet the silent, yet captivating Gem (so named by the doctor), then the Vians.  The Vians know of the impending doom and also know they can only save one race in the system from extinction.  They are aware of Gem's psychic powers though they are unsure of her moral integrity.  Through a series of torturous abuses, they use our friends to test her willingness to sacrifice herself for the greater good.

The show is weakening.  My interest in the individual stories is waning.  But there were a few things I enjoyed about this episode.  I like Kathryn Hays (Gem) a lot.  She never says a word but she moves beautifully - significant dance experience, I imagine.  The close up shots of her expressing earnest concern are eye-roll inducing but that's the director's fault, not the actor's.  There is also a touching scene as Spock, once again, bends in concern over a dying Dr. McCoy.  "You've got a good bedside manner, Spock," says Bones.

*****
via Memory Alpha
Gold Key's third Star Trek comic book issue was released in December 1968, entitled "Invasion of the City Builders."  As with the previous installments, one wonders if the writer (Dick Wood) or artist (Alberto Giolitti) had ever actually watched the show.  The ship's bridge for instance - a major set on TV - has no resemblance whatsoever to that seen on screen.  Also, the Enterprise dips inside a planet's atmosphere in order to scan it - not required on our regularly scheduled program.

That said, I enjoyed this story - a good old science fiction allegory, in this case against the ever increasing urbanization of society.  The natives of Planet Questionmark have lost control of the city building robots they'd created generations before.  The machines keep building far beyond the population's needs.  As a result, farm space is being squeezed out and the food supply with it.  Thankfully, the Enterprise showed up in time to defeat the robots and stave off extinction.

15 comments:

  1. Much as I enjoyed the series on the whole, I could not shake the feeling this was one of those episodes they just made up as they went along. Never watched it again after it first aired. Judging someone's moral integrity through cruelty still seems absurd to me.

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    1. "The Empath" began as an unsolicited script from a fan, Joyce Muskat. Like "Plato's Stepchildren," it was banned in Britain for the torture scenes.

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  2. I remember this one mostly because of Kathryn Hays.
    The comic book sound lots better than the show.

    Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.
    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Actually, I'd have to say the comic was better! I wouldn't have said so for the first two issues but for this one, yes.

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  3. How amazing to not utter a word in an episode, but to still have such presence. Awesome! :) ~Jess

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    1. She did a good job. The cameramen did their best to ruin her performance but she persevered.

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  4. "You've got a good bedside manner, Spock" is an amazing line

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    1. For all of the weaknesses of the third season, McCoy's character development - particularly his relationship with Spock - has been most enjoyable.

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  5. Kathryn Hays was wasted on such a weak episode. A gorgeous and elegant woman--what more can be said?

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    1. Excellent point. My assessment of skilled actors has always depended on whether they could make me love or hate the character they were interpreting. The one time I saw this episode in '68, Kathryn Hays made me love Gem. She deserved a better production.

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  6. Let's hear it from the easily distracted (me): Is anyone keeping tabs on the number of deathbed scenes per McCoy, Spock and Kirk? If so, who is winning?

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    1. It's gotta be Kirk, though I've not kept official stats.

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  7. I like seeing allegories in science fiction so I can make those connections to real life.

    She looks like she has an expressive face.

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    1. A lot of the best scifi literature is allegorical. It makes sense. What better way to discuss where we are as a species than to predict where we're headed?

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