"Star Trek" The Doomsday Machine (1967)

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Director:

Marc Daniels

Writers:

Norman Spinrad (written by)
Gene Roddenberry (creator)

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

20 October 1967 (Season 2, Episode 6)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The USS Enterprise encounters the wrecked USS Constellation and its distraught captain determined to stop the giant planet destroying robot ship that killed his crew.

Plot Keywords:

Destruction Of Planet | Federation | Space | Starship | Computer

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
William Windom	...	Commodore Decker
James Doohan	...	Scott
George Takei	...	Sulu
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Lt. Palmer
John Winston	...	Lt. Kyle
Richard Compton	...	Washburn
John Copage	...	Elliott
Tim Burns	...	Russ
Jerry Catron	...	Montgomery

Runtime:

USA:60 min | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

In the Star Trek novel, Vendetta, author Peter David related that the planet-killer was actually a prototype for a much larger version. The weapon had been built by a race called The Preservers, who were fighting (and losing) a war with the Borg.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The scale of the planet killer device compared to the Enterprise and her shuttle craft varies.

Quotes:

Mr. Spock: [Decker has taken a shuttlecraft] Commodore, I must insist that you return to the ship.
Matt Decker: You said it yourself, Spock - There is no way to blast through the hull of that machine, so I'm gonna take this thing right down its throat.
Capt. Kirk: This is Kirk. Matt, you'll be killed!
Matt Decker: I've been prepared for death ever since I - ever since I killed my crew.
Capt. Kirk: No one expects you to die for an error in judgment!
Matt Decker: [final words] A commander is responsible for the lives of his crew, and for their deaths. Well... I should have died with mine.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Free Enterprise (1998)

One of the very best original Star Trek episodes

After 'Mirror Mirror' this episode ranks as one of the very best Star Trek shows in the second season of the Original series. It is even better than 'The Trouble with Tribbles.' I just viewed a taped copy of it and the sci-fi work done here was incredible for a 1960's era show: you get to see the Enterprise's shuttle bay when Commander Decker exits the ship and unforgettable images of the Doomsday machine itself. NBC must have spent a ton of money on this particular episode.

Kirk, Spock and Decker's performances here are superb as all three get their turn playing cat and mouse with a deadly planet eating machine. It flat out deserves a 10 out of 10 ranking in my view and should be among anyone's top 10 Star Trek picks. Scotty also has a starring role--saving Kirk's life at the very last minute. The only missing original Trek character is Uhura who was played by Lieutenant Palmer (the late Elizabeth Rogers) for this particular episode.