Episode Guide Season 2

Star Trek The Original Series

1) Amok Time, German title: Weltraumfieber

Written by: Theodore Sturgeon

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

Spock becomes violently emotional when he falls under the influence of Ponn Farr, the Vulcan mating urge.

Great, great episode this one, and very daring for the times! A Theordore Sturgeon-written episode, Nimoy's acting is simply outstanding as Spock goes through all the stages of his problem, and Shatner and De Kelley give him great support. The first case of Spectacularly Stupid Admiral syndrome in this ep. The scene between Kirk and Spock, where Spock tells him about Ponn Farr is very well acted, also the scene where Spock smashes his computer terminal-you can't tell it's plasticine is great too. The Vulcan scenes are suitably spooky and action packed, and Spock's anguish and then joy(!) when he thinks he's killed Jim make this one to watch for sure.

2) Who Mourns for Adonais? German title: Der Tempel des Apollo

Written by: Gilbert Ralston

Directed by: Marc Daniels

Kirk must take on the Greek god Apollo

Kirk must take on the geek would be a better title for this episode. What a bloody mess. Instantly forgettable stuff, this is third season fodder. Avoid.

3) The Changeling, German title: Ich heiße Nomad

Written by: John Meredyth Lucas

Directed by: Marc Daniels

A psychotic space probe mistakes Kirk for it's creator

This plot would return in the first Star Trek film. This is a well written episode with a surprising twist at the end by Kirk, who uses flawless logic to trick Nomad into blowing itself up. Good stunt in this one too. Nomad zaps Scotty and Scotty goes flying over the railing. He took another good zapping in the ep before too.

4) Mirror, Mirror, German title: Ein Parallel-Universum

Written by: Jerome Bixby

Directed by: Marc Daniels

During a beam up in an ion storm, Kirk, Bones, Scotty and Uhura are placed into a violent parrallel universe

Another standout, this episode almost always gets onto top 10 lists of the best Treks. Not hard to see why, this is an imaginitve and dark episode from well known Sci-Fi writer Jerome Bixby. The evil Spock is a very interesting character-wish we'd seen more of him! He's both very like the 'real' Spock, but subtly different. The sub-plot with the Halkans is ok, but secondary to the action of 'our' crew trying to get home. This ep has a line that I couldn't believe made it past the censors. Marlena walks out of Kirk's quarters, wearing a see-through dress and says 'Oiling my traps, darling.' EH????? Still, a must see episode.

5) The Apple, German title: Die Stunde der Erkenntnis

Written by: Max Erlich

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

Kirk and Spock discover Vaal, a computer that controls a race of primitive people.

Another third season wannabee. This is crap, and whoever wrote it needs to be shot. Vaal looks like a load of tin foil! Kirk once again snaps the Prime Directive in half.

6) The Doomsday Machine, German title: Planeten-Killer

Written by: Norman Spinrad

Directed by: Marc Daniels

The Enterprise finds the USS Constellation, and a line of destroyed planets leading to an unstoppable planet-eating robot

Excellent episode this one, good acting by the guy who plays Decker, and some solid special effects, except for the planet killer itself which looks like a stunted windsock! The scenes between Kirk and Decker keep you bolted to the edge of the chair, as they duel verbally, with Spock stuck in between. Bones being unable to relieve Decker of duty is a bit hokey though. The model of the Constellation was an Enterprise model kit, and it looks like it was built by a 6 year old, because it's very wobbly and the engines are all out of line! Yeah, I'm a nitpicking git, I know :-) Very good episode apart from that.

7) Catspaw, German title: Das Spukschloß im Weltall

Written by: Robert Bloch and D.C. Fontana

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

The crew find a planet filled with mumbo jumbo

Are the producers putting out one good ep and one bad ep each time? This is too lame to write any more.

8) I, Mudd, German title: Der dressierte Herrscher

Written by: Stephen Kandal and David Gerrold

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

An android named Norman hijacks the ship and the crew meet Harry Mudd again

Pretty good comedy ep this one, especially the bits where they're making the androids conk out by talking rubbish. Kirk is once again a party pooper in this one. I'm surprised he wasn't shagging all the female androids!

9) Metamorphosis, German title: Metamorphose

Written by: Gene L. Coon

Directed by: Ralph Senensky

A strange creature takes Kirk, Spock, Bones and a dying Federation Commissioner on a joyride to meet Zephram Cochrane, inventor of warp drive

This is ok, but it's all been done before in City On The Edge of Forever, and a weird entity would be done much better in Obsession and The Immunity Syndrome. One to watch on a rainy day.

10) Journey to Babel, German title: Reise nach Babel

Written by: D.C. Fontana

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

Spock must undergo dangerous surgery to save his father's life, while the Enterprise is en route to a peace conference

Great stuff this one! Mark Lenard as Sarek is so good, that it's easy to see why fans wanted to see him return. Spock seems much more Vulcan in this one-maybe wanting to impress his father? The plot is excellent and twisty right up until the end, with a lot of humour too. Kirk gets stabbed in the back, and still whips his attacker's arse-what a tough guy! The scenes between Spock and Sarek in sickbay at the end are very well written, and with Kirk stuck in sickbay too, Bones gets the last laugh. A definate must watch ep.

11) Friday's Child, German title: Im Namen des jungen Tiru

Written by: D.C. Fontana

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

The Klingons try to strongarm a primitive race into accepting them over the Federation

Hmmmmmmm. Haven't got much to say about this one. It seems interesting, but it's not very inspired viewing.

12) The Deadly Years, German title: Wie schnell die Zeit vergeht

Written by: David Harmon

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

Kirk, Spock, Bones and Scotty start rapidly ageing after exposure to radiation

Very sci-fi plot! I like this one, but don't watch it often. The story is clever and it really is a case of 'How are they going to get out of this one?' One of the first instances of a useless higher-ranking officer who nearly gets the ship nuked (the first was Decker in The Doomsday Machine), but Kirk uses the same trick he used on Balok with the corbomite device on the Romulans-and they fall for it!! Is it me or do the actors with aged makeup look younger than when they did in the last film-even with the grey hair???:-) Good ep.

My top 10 fave episodes

1) The Ultimate Computer

2) A Piece of the Action

3) The Enterprise Incident

4) The Trouble with Tribbles

5) Space Seed

6) The City on the Edge of Forever

7) Mirror, Mirror

8) Amok Time

9) The Devil In The Dark

10) The Doomsday Machine

Just outside the top 10 are: Obsession, The Tholian Web, The Squire of Gothos, The Deadly Years, and Wolf In The Fold

13) Obsession, German title: Tödliche Wolken

Written by: Art Wallace

Directed by: Ralph Senensky

Kirk becomes obsessed with finding and killing a gaseous creature he thinks was responsible for killing 200 people when he was a young officer

This is a very tense episode and well acted by Shatner. His obsession and guilt are plain, and the scene where Bones and Spock officially question him is very real and military. Eventually, Spock does realise that Jim is right, which gets the good captain off the hook. The Garrovick guy is a bit unconvincing though. The red shirt count is astronomical in this one!! If I was wearing a red shirt, I may as well be painting a bullseye on my back right now :-). The final part where Scotty is trying to beam Kirk up from the planet where he is trying to kill the creature is full of tension and is nail biting. All in all a very, very good episode, just outside my top 10.

14) Wolf in the Fold, German title: Der Wolf im Schafspelz

Written by: Robert Bloch

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

Scotty is accused of murder when suffering from amnesia

A courtroom episode. Usually I hate these, but there's more than meets the eye, which makes it fairly enjoyable (You can't really count The Menagerie as a courtroom episode becuase it was all an illusion created by the Talosians.). Anyway the real killer is pretty obvious but then saying it's Jack The Ripper hiding in his body is very clever, giving a new twist to things, but having his spirit hide in the computer is daft. This was written by Robert Bloch, the horror writer. Good episode apart from a couple of things.

15) The Trouble with Tribbles, German title: Kennen sie Tribbles?

Written by: David Gerrold

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

A shipment of grain must be protected from the Klingons and a bunch of furry cute animals called tribbles

Hehehe. The funniest episode of Star Trek, and also quite clever. Kirk is having a great time winding Mr. Barris up, but some of his put downs would land him with a court martial. The punch up in the bar is quite fun, and worth a rewind or two, and the scene where Kirk gives Scotty an earbending is good. My fave scene is, of course where Jim opens the storage bin and all the tribbles fall on him. The look on his face says it all, really! But if it had been full of grain, it might have been even worse for the good captain. The fact that Barris's assistant turns out to be a spy out to ruin the grain leaves Barris with even more egg on his face! Great ep. One to watch again and again.

16) The Gamesters of Triskelion, German title: Meister der Sklaven

Written by: Margaret Armen

Directed by: Gene Nelson

Kirk, Uhura and Chekov are imprisoned on a planet and must fight for the amusement of 3 disembodied brains

Pffffttt. An Arena clone episode, with shades of Spock's Brain. This is such bollocks it's laughable. Avoid.

17) A Piece of the Action, German title: Epigonen

Written by: Gene L. Coon and David Harmon

Directed by: Marc Daniels

The Enterprise finds a planet that has modelled itself on the 1920's Chicago gangsters

This is one of the cleverest and funniest eps I've ever seen, the characters are straight out of The Untouchables, and the plot is interesting and fun. All the gangster bosses try to muscle Kirk for weapons, but he ends up making them all work together! Jim almost breaks the Prime Directive yet again-but because the 'Feds' gave the planet the book on the Gangsters in the first place, he gets away with it! Spock as a gangster is worth the price of admission alone!! And the bit where they drive the car is hysterical. The first parallel Earth story is still the best, and on my top 10 as one of the best eps of Trek ever.

18) The Immunity Syndrome, German title: Das Loch im Weltraum

Written by: Robert Sabaroff

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

A giant space amoeba is threatening all life in the galaxy

Very similar to Obsession, but this is a clever ep, with some good special effects, and the characters of Spock and Bones trying to save each other is well played by both of them. Kirk is stuck in the middle betwen Spock and McCoy once again, trying to decide which one of them should destroy the amoeba. The final scene where the ship is trying to get away but the power fails is very tense and the ep is pretty rewatchable.

19) A Private Little War, German title: Der erste Krieg

Written by: Gene Roddenberry

Directed by: Marc Daniels

Kirk must preserve the balance of power on a planet after the Klingons arm one of two warring sides with advanced weapons

Star Trek's answer to the Vietnam war is a pretty good episode made better by the gorgeous Nancy Kovak, mmmmm tasty! The big white furry thing that attacks Jim is so unconvincing that I was laughing my head off, though. The Klingon in this one is a typical Klingon loon and suits the ep very well. This is one of the only eps written by Gene Roddenberry that's any good. He was a great creator and producer for sure, but the eps he writes are mostly pretty poor. Kirk definately busts the Prime Directive in this one when he arms the opposing side with rifles. When IS the guy going to get busted? Read the book Prime Directive to find out. Overall an entertaining episode.

20) Return to Tommorrow

Written by: Gene Roddenberry

Directed by: Ralph Senensky

A landing party finds 3 disembodied spirits that wish to have physical form

The writer on this one has definately smoked too much ganja. How did this story get to be filmed? Was there a lack of scripts at the time? Avoid.

21) Patterns of Force, German title: Schablonen der Gewalt

Written by: John Meredyth Lucas

Directed by: Vincent McEveety

On a mission to find a Federation historical observer, the crew are shocked to find a planet modelled after Nazi Germany

Okie Doke. This plot is only the second along these lines but this is a pretty dire ep, apart from the fit blonde piece! Pretty bad stabs at humour too. Not the best by a long shot.

22) By Any Other Name, German title: Stein und Staub

Written by: D.C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby

Directed by: Marc Daniels

A group of ruthless aliens take control of the Enterprise to return to the Andromeda galaxy

What a pathetic bore of an ep, full of plot holes and crap acting from the guest stars. Avoid.

23) The Omega Glory, German title: Das Jahr des roten Vogels

Written by: Gene Roddenberry

Directed by: Vincent McEveety

A starship captain has violated the Prime Directive to gain immortality

Is the show going through a bad patch or what?? This is definately the worst ep of the second season. Did you know this was up for series pilot? If it had been the pilot it would have sunk the show before it started, it's that bad!

24) Bread and Circuses, German title: Brot und Spiele

Written by: Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon

Directed by: Ralph Senensky

A survey ship captain has violated the Prime Directive on a planet very similar to the Roman Empire

I'm getting tired of this plot, once is enough, then a pretty dire follow up and now this....thing. There is one good scene between Bones and Spock when they're both locked up in the jail, apart from that, this is a romp through mediocrity. Ack.

25) The Ultimate Computer, German title: Computer M-5

Written by: D.C. Fontana and Lawrence Wolfe

Directed by: John Meredyth Lucas

The Enterprise is fitted with the revolutionary M-5 computer for field tests, but the computer has it's own plans

Just as I thought this season was sliding to a slippery end, this masterpiece of storytelling happens along. This is my all time favourite episode of the original series, the characters are perfect, the story very strong, the ending is very intelligent and it's a real barnstormer. It appears Kirk is jealous of M-5's ability to control the ship, but thent he computer starts going haywire and Jim has to talk the computer into switching itself off. Real shot in the arm storytelling over the last few duffers. The guy who plays the computer programmer is very good, goign mad as his computer does. Very much one to savour. An almost perfect episode.

26) Assignment: Earth, German title: Ein Planet, genannt Erde

Written by: Gene Roddenberry and Art Wallace

Directed by: Marc Daniels

Kirk encounters Gary 7, a mysterious space traveller who seems to want to destroy the Earth in the 20th century

This is a fun, if a bit predictable ep. The batty secretary is terrific, and the scene where she pulls Spock's hat off is priceless. As for Gary 7, he's an interesting character who should have come back for another go around. The plot is similar to Tommorrow is Yesterday, but after a year between plots (instead of 3 episodes) it's a welcome change. The end, where Kirk works out that the ICBM was meant to blow up in orbit and that the Enterprise was meant to be there is very clever. A fun ep to finish the series