Series: Star Trek (The Original Series)
Episode: 1.29 Operation Annihilate! (4-13-67)
Rating: 3/5
Redshirt Status: 0/23 (23 total for Season 1)
Notable Guest Stars:
Craig Hundley – Peter Kirk. He would later become an award winning producer.
Review:
I was not impressed with this episode. Perhaps its because I am used to the way modern television finales are put together. Usually it ties in the season to the next. With the exception of The Menagerie the original series was not really good with overall arcs other then ‘we are fighting Klingons and Romulans”. In the case of this episode, it has no connection to the season 2 starter Amok Time.
In its basic premise, there is a alien life form that has been traveling planet to planet and adding people to its collective brain trying to build ships etc. It is not the Borg, however, its these flat pancake looking things which end up being brain cells. The Enterprise is able to stop them and save the day.
The only interesting bits about this episode is you get some background on Kirk. You find out he has a brother named Sam, and several nephews. It is slightly unclear what happened to most of them, as only Peter is seen on screen. I believe it suggested they were dead, but it was vaguely mentioned. I do know that there is at least one book where Kirk’s other two nephews are alive. It is also unclear what happens to Peter afterwards, although a deleted scene suggests that Sam’s best friend and lab partner took him.
Spock also revels something new about Vulcans. Apparently, they have an inner eyelid that protects them from bright light, so while he was blinded by experiments to kill the creatures, it was not a permanent state.
Interesting Notes:
- Directed by Herschel Daugherty
- Written by Steven W. Carabatsos
- Series Finale of Season 1
- The alien is made out of stage vomit.
Pros:
- Kirk character background
- McCoy/Spock friendship
Cons:
- The plot doesn’t quite make sense and is all over the place.
- Vagueness about Kirk’s family
Sokorra Lewis 