Series: Star Trek (The Original Series)
Episode: 3.01 Spock’s Brain (9-20-68) SEASON THREE PREMIERE
Rating: 3/5
Redshirt Status: 0/0/44
Notable Guest Stars:
Marj Dusay – Kara. She was known for playing Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light.
Review:
Now we venture into the third season, and we begin with another Spock episode, although hopefully less awkward. However, reading reviews online and my memories of my first viewing of TOS tell me this will not go in that direction. So onward to our show, lovely beings.
The Enterprise finds a station on their travels. Kirk is curious, Scotty is impressed. However then a strange woman beams onboard with some Rave lighting and makes them all pass out so she can fondle Spock’s head.
She removes his brain and leaves him in Sickbay for everyone to find in time to put him on life support. Everyone scrambles to find her so she can give it back.
Chekov gets to show off his know-how. I can understand why Abrams &Co decided he was a prodigy. He seems to absorb information quite quickly.
Scotty gets to show he’s really good at tracking. Honestly I can see why the actors really didn’t care for this episode. I feel like they are on a amusement park ride. And I can figure things out way before the characters do.
Also why are the women shown as so dumb? For that matter, everyone is dumb.
Meanwhile, Chekov is camping. I’d rather be camping with him then down in the pit of Crazy.
This episode has interesting parts, so I’ll say its better then The Alternative factor, but its definitely not the highlight of the series.
Interesting Notes:
- Directed by Marc Daniels
- Written by Lee Cronin (Gene L. Coon)
- Season three was reduced in budget and put into a bad timeslot. This might affect the quality of work people wanted to put into something that seemed to be on the chopping block from the get-go.
Pros:
- Uhura has awesome hair. Actually quite of a few of them have a new hair cut for the season.
- I like the new blue lettering
- Leonard Nimoy’s acting
- McCoy getting to show off his skills
Cons:
- Awkward phasing in of Kara
- NBC/ Paramount should have been able to afford better beards.
- This whole planet schism thing makes no sense. If it lasts for 10,000 years how do they keep the species going?
Sokorra Lewis 