3.12 — “The Empath”
Plot: Assigned to rescue research scientists from an incipient supernova, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are instead captured by sadistic aliens who have taken the researchers and killed them in the process of using them for scientific experiments. With the cast in captivity is a beautiful but mute young lady whom McCoy christens as “Gem.” She turns out to have strong empathic powers. Soon the aliens ask Kirk to choose which of his friends to use for their experiments, which leads to the three principals jockeying to see who can be the first to sacrifice himself for his fellows.
Thoughts: We have another episode in which our heroes are used for tests by all-powerful higher beings with obscure motives. The variation this time–and it’s a pretty good one–is that the crew aren’t the ones being tested, but are being used as pawns for the testing of Gem, the Empath. That’s pretty cool.
I like the atmosphere created by director John Erman, with the cobwebs in the teaser and the fade-in from black at the start of the first act. There were a lot of travel scenes, and there is an unusually vivid sense of place created both on the planet’s surface and in the abstract underground prison and laboratory.
I do think the story condescends to Gem, who shows little initiative and is deficient in many ways, but can still become “precious” with the example of our strapping young men to guide her. The actress did a fine job with what she was given, however. There’s a Jesus quality to the character when she lays on hands and heals people out of her compassion, et cetera, that adds a little extra dimension.
The craft of the three lead actors is strongly in evidence as they compete to show the ultimate sign of devotion to their principles, and each other. These are fine performers. DeForest Kelley especially stands out, and reportedly called this his favorite episode, perhaps because he was given so much to play.
Stringing Kirk up shirtless is something we haven’t seen since–um,, first season? I can’t remember. Well played. DeForest keeps his shirt on, however.
When K, S, and M are held in the energy field on a black background, I had a vision of Zod, Ursa and Non being held on Krypton before being banished to the Phantom Zone.
2.5 of 5 sand-bats that look like crystals until they bite your face off.
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