Spock's Brain

Taking this episode's side in all fairness there are legions of original series Star Trek stories way worse than this, for some reason there's been a kind of social media pile-in on poor Spock's Brain and it doesn't deserve all of it!

This is an episode from the wonders of the starry cosmos for little children. And viewed as such no harm in being so, and it has a lot - actually quite thoughtful on science and exploration, as indeed on whether a body can exist separately from a mind, and on declining, pampered civilisations clinging to former sophistication - going for it.

Perhaps the actors had just been told about some more cuts in the Star Trek Season Three budget, I will admit that....

But plot-wise and ideas-wise, wallops possibly a good third of all TOS Star Treks out of the ballpark.

Why the low rating? OK, I know it's not City on the edge of forever, but Spocks Brain has got a lot going for it. There's the attractive subterranean alien girls who's only ability to be intelligent lies in putting on a big football helmet with Glowy things sticking out of it. Let's not forget the 7 foot tall cavemen with funny haircuts who live on the planet surface. And best of all, and I mean this, how great is it to see Spock being remote controlled around by Dr. McCoy?

In all seriousness, Spocks brain is not the apex of Star Trek. But it is definitely entertaining and I demand it be given a little more respect :-)

I get why many Trek fans don't like this one -- it's beyond daft -- but I actually enjoyed the silliness of the episode. And the fact that it features several really hot, young women in skimpy outfits means that I don't have too many complaints.

The episode begins as the Enterprise approaches an unidentified craft. As the crew try to communicate with the ship, a beautiful woman in a purple mini-dress and thigh high PVC leg wear (like go-go boots crossed with suspenders) beams aboard and renders everyone unconscious. When they wake up, they discover Spock's body in the sick bay -- minus his brain!!!

By following the ion trail left by the woman's ship, the Enterprise arrives at a class-M planet; a landing party led by Kirk beams down to the surface, determined to find Spock's brain and restore it to its rightful place.

There are savage cavemen on the surface, and hot women down below. Kirk and his crewmates are fitted with pain belts. McCoy controls Spock's brainless body via remote control. Spock's brain is used to control the women's underground complex. And McCoy tries on a technologically advanced helmet that increases his knowledge so that he can plug Spock's brain back into his body. It's incredibly camp and utterly goofy, and clearly not to everyone's taste, but I had a lot of fun.

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Trek at it's best is sublime, at it's worst embarrassing to watch, but why is this episode so panned? It is great fun. Admittedly one is left feeling one has watched some sort of pantomime special, or a Trek equivalent of Police Squad. However, there are far worse episodes in series three - The Way to Eden is at the bottom of the barrel in my opinion - and I'm personally grateful that the studio pulled the plug as the scriptwriters were rapidly running out of new ideas.

The plot is simple. A matriarchal underground society steals Spock's brain because their old one - which controls all their underground machinery - has broke. See? Perfectly understandable. Kirk, Scotty and McCoy beam down to rescue him/it, in the process discovering there's a bit more to this act of theft than first appears.

Would it be a spoiler to reveal that Spock is reunited with his brain ready for the next episode? DeForest Kelley is a delight to watch as the stressed brain surgeon, and his banter with Nemoy immediately after is equally entertaining.

Forget the smug derision this episode gets. It's Trek at it's goofy best, up there with The Trouble with Tribbles and various other "don't worry too much about the plot" episodes.

OK, so it's not the greatest of the original trek's, & for what it's worth i don't think that "City on the edge of forever" is either, but it's not as bad as some would have you believe! Synopsis: female organ-snatchers filch yer fave science officer's cranial organ. Crewmates, well Kirk & McCoy really, go on "great quest" to re-unite said missing mind with original owner.

Ummm, thats about it...

Bearing in mind this is a 3rd season episode, AKA Fred Freiberger's death-knell, it could have been worse. Yes there is some eye candy. Yes, there is something for De Kelly to do other than pronounce another death.

Deep meaning: No, not really.

Deus Ex machina: not so much..........

Cheerful resolution: for Spock, yes. For Fred, go watch The way to Eden...

Mindless fun(sorry, i'm so, so sorry): well, yeah.

It's camp, Technicolour & entertaining. Not every hole can be a goal. But at least it's not too insulting. That's to follow in later episodes!