Spock's Brain (20 Sep. 1968)

The crew of the Enterprise pursues a mysterious woman who has abducted Spock's brain.

Director:

Marc Daniels

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Gene L. Coon

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Marj Dusay	...	Kara
James Doohan	...	Scott
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
George Takei	...	Sulu
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Majel Barrett	...	Nurse Christine Chapel
James Daris	...	Creature
Sheila Leighton	...	Luma

Storyline

The Enterpise is approached by an ion-propelled craft (much to Eng. Scott's liking); from it enters a female who renders everyone unconscious. When the crew wakes up, McCoy finds Spock alive in sick bay but with his brain surgically removed. McCoy urges its quick restoration if he's to survive at all. Desperately Kirk follows an ion-trail to a system where he gambles on an icy planet populated by a simple-minded all-male race of large cavemen who attack them. The landing party captures one, who says Kirk and crew are small like 'The Others' - bringers of pain and delight - whom they fear. McCoy brings down Spock's body, mobilized with a mechanical brain-substitute installed. They enter the acclimatized, underground dwelling of 'The Others' - a similarly simple-minded all-female race of enslavers - and overpower female Luma by surprise. Kirk makes communicator contact with Spock, who knows not where he is but is aware of autonomic functions. As they finally find Kara, the female ...

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Plot Keywords:

brain | attack | pain | humanoid | primitive man | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Roddenberry was fascinated by the idea of a matriarchal society, and revisited the idea in Genesis II and Star Trek: The Next Generation: Angel One.

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Goofs

The "star date" starts on 5431.4 but in mid-show the date is inexplicably given as 4351.5.

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Quotes

Dr. McCoy: I'll never live this down - this Vulcan is telling ME how to operate.

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Connections

Featured in The Wonder Years: Just Between Me and You and Kirk and Paul and Carla and Becky (1989)

User Reviews

Idiotic Example of the Series' Worst Excesses

One of the worst episodes of the series, with poor dialogue and acting, and a remarkably stupid premise.

A mysterious visitor appears on the bridge of the Enterprise, renders the crew unconscious, and removes Spock's brain to run their civilization. Naturally, Kirk, Scott, McCoy, and (an automaton-like) Spock go below the planet surface to retrieve the brain. Unfortunately, the dialogue consists of such memorable lines as "Brain and brain, what is brain" and Shatner's hammy tendencies make themselves readily apparent as they would throughout most of the third season).

Skip it.