Dagger of the Mind (3 Nov. 1966)

Kirk and psychiatrist Helen Noel are trapped on a maximum security penal colony that experiments with mind control and Spock must use the Vulcan mind-meld to find a way to save them.

Director:

Vincent McEveety

Writers:

Shimon Wincelberg, Gene Roddenberry (creator)

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, James Gregory

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
James Gregory	...	Dr. Tristan Adams
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Morgan Woodward	...	Dr. Simon van Gelder
Marianna Hill	...	Dr. Helen Noel
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Susanne Wasson	...	Lethe
John Arndt	...	Ingenieur Fields
Larry Anthony	...	Berkeley
Ed McCready	...	Inmate
Eliezer Behar	...	Eli (as Eli Behar)

Storyline

When a psychologically disturbed member of the staff of the Tantalus penal colony, Dr. Marcus Van Gelder, manages to escape on to the Enterprise, Captain Kirk and Dr. Helen Noel beam down to the planet to see exactly what is going on there. The head of the prison is a renowned penologist, Dr. Tristan Adams, greatly admired for the advances he has made in treating criminals. While Dr. Noel can find no fault with Dr. Adams or the practices at the colony, Kirk isn't so sure. Mr. Spock must use the Vulcan mind meld on Van Gelder to get too the truth.

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Plot Keywords:

penal colony | mind control | escaped prisoner | 23rd century

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 1966 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Desilu Productions, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is a line from William Shakespeare's Macbeth. It is in the title character's soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 1.

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Goofs

The transporter operator (Berkley) is credited as an ensign, but the uniform is clearly that of a Lieutenant.

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Quotes

Captain James T. Kirk: Bones, are you aware that in the last 20 years, Dr. Adams has done more to revolutionise, to humanise prisons and the treatment of prisoners than all the rest of humanity have done in 40 centuries? I've been to those penal colonies since they begun following his methods, and they're not cages any more.
Dr. McCoy: Jim...
Captain James T. Kirk: They're clean, decent hospitals for sick minds.

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Connections

Spoofed in South Park: Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods (1998)

User Reviews

Nice to See Marianna Hill again

I rather liked this episode for the particularly fact that actress Hill appears in it, in a rather strong, fluctuate role as Dr. Helen Mirren; psychologist. I have always loved Marianna Hill's work, especially in many of the 60's and early 70's films and TV appearances she's endured, including co-starring with Clint Eastwood in 'High Plains Drifter'.

Hill is remarkably well-done in this one-time episode. In a few scenes she appears slightly apprehensive, almost insecure, far as her abilities as an actress. But nonetheless, she is a great screen beauty, and as fine an actress as any. I especially appreciate that Roddenberry did not subject her character -Mirren- to the typical fawn-femme typecast, as was generally typical of Star Trek women (aka: Kirk's ladies). Her character is independent, strong, and viral. She, and including in her character, holds her own throughout the episode, and displays some of the strongest of female subject, not usually common, for 1960's television.