WARNING: This thread WILL contain unhidden spoilers for this entry. Because this re-watch is in a slightly-subjective chronological order and not in production order, please refrain from talking about the content of other episodes or movies in this thread. If you do, please put that content inside spoiler tags. Some people here may be watching Star Trek for the first time.
#7: Star Trek: The Original Series, season 1, episode 5 “The Enemy Within”
Written by Richard Matheson, directed by Leo Penn.
Stardates 1672.1 through 1673.1 (December 2266)
“We all have our darker side. We need it. It’s half of what we are.” - Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy
While on a survey mission, the Enterprise’s transporters malfunction and split Captain Kirk into two different people - a “good” Kirk and an “evil” Kirk. With a doppelganger on the loose, and the good Kirk losing the will to command the ship, the rest of the away team remains stranded on a planet where the temperature is rapidly dropping.
Originally released: 6 October 1966
“The Enemy Within” on Memory Alpha
THE STAR TREK FRANCHISE REWATCH PARTY MASTER LIST
Check here to find out where you can stream or digitally purchase Star Trek: The Original Series in your country. Star Trek: The Original Series is also available on DVD & BluRay.
What did you think?
Visual effects comparison of the original broadcast & the Remastered versions.
Well, that is some scary makeup. oO
This ep seemed like a real good premise, but… I’m not sure how well it ultimately came off. Shatner was generally like a chameleon in terms of his acting chops, but I feel like this one pushed him a little bit too far out of his comfort zone. And / or the script maybe wasn’t the smoothest. Still, it had both a moving and existentially provocative ending.
Even mid-level TOS was must-see viewing.
