On its way through interstellar space, the Enterprise encounters a mysterious and undetectable planet. Lt. Sulu and Captain Kirk soon disappear from the bridge, and it is up to Spock and the extras to conduct a search of the planet’s toxic surface. But instead of a deadly atmosphere, the officers find the planet to be … More A Boy and a Magnifying Glass, TOS: S1E17 “The Squire of Gothos”
Spock’s wit and logic are put to the test in this harrowing life and death struggle during his first away team command. The Enterprise is tasked with delivering precious medical supplies to the struggling planet Makus III, when they come upon a quasar phenomenon. The quasar offered an amazing scientific opportunity, and Kirk couldn’t pass … More Logical Dilemma, Emotional Choice, TOS: S1E16 “The Galileo Seven”
Captain Kirk takes the Enterprise crew to an ‘uninhabited’ planet for a well-earned rest, but the relaxation is cut short when strange characters inexplicably appear. Dr. McCoy sees a white rabbit with Alice from Wonderland chasing after it, Captain Kirk faces off with one of his old Starfleet Academy rivals, and Sulu gets to play … More A Planet down the Rabbit Hole, TOS: S1E15 “Shore Leave”
Seeking out new life and new civilizations is not always a walk in the park. In this Cold War-style episode, the Federation gets to see the mysterious Romulan race for the first time. The story opens with a wedding ceremony between two minor Enterprise crew members, a celebration of unity and mutual trust, but the … More Misguided and Prejudiced, TOS: S1E14 “Balance of Terror”
As a tribute to Shakespeare, Star Trek, (and Star Trek doing Shakespeare) I give you…a very silly Star Trek sonnet: Flying past stars, aboard the Enterprise Where noble ship and crew bid well adieu Journey to a new world, their mission lies Thou art lazy writing, stock Planet Q Alas it matters not, here cometh strife … More A Silly Star Trek Sonnet, TOS: S1E13 “The Conscience of the King”
From the first grunt of spoken language, human beings have been telling stories. In essence, we have been creating new worlds. Whether it is a heroic epic showing how we can surpass our limitations, or a starship exploring new possibilities, these fantasies help us understand ourselves and the world around us. Or, they can offer … More Freedom in Choice, TOS: S1E11-12 “The Menagerie”
While cruising through space, the Enterprise comes across a spinning Rubic’s cube of some kind. Naturally assuming it to be of absolutely no consequence or interest, they move right along…or at least they attempt to move away from it. Alas, the eight cornered atrocity will not let them pass, and the captain is forced to … More Kirk’s Labyrinth, TOS: S1E10 “The Corbomite Maneuver”
Mental illness is often stigmatized and feared due to it being poorly understood. The truth is that although we have made great progress in our recognition and treatment of many mental illnesses, there are still vast aspects of our brain function which are, for now, uncharted. In a place where knowledge is lacking we often … More Scars, Suffering, and Blank Slates, TOS: S1E9 “Dagger of the Mind”
A snapshot of a population after a disaster event does not always offer information on what the nature of the population was prior to the catastrophe. Upon receiving an ‘Earth style’ distress signal (SOS), the Enterprise crew was astonished to discover a second Earth lightyears away from the original. The main crew beamed down to … More Generation Exterminate, TOS: S1E8 “Miri”
“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both,” is a vastly paraphrased version of a quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin, although he allegedly denied saying it. However, the idea which it conveys can be quite challenging to reconcile. We need both freedom … More Imperfection is in the Eye of the Beholder, TOS: S1E7 “What Are Little Girls Made Of?”
