Various Enterprise crew beam down to the planet Gamma Trianguli VI to investigate the people & their culture. What they find are a lush environment full of vegetation, plants that shoot poison darts, exploding rocks, and a local populace that are meek and submissive, always obeying the word of some being named Vaal. And Vaal requires regular "feeding".... Meanwhile, the starship is in incredible trouble due to the power that Vaal is emitting.
There are numerous pleasures to be had watching this episode, scripted by Max Ehrlich ("Z. P. G.", "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud") and directed by prolific 'Star Trek' director Joseph Pevney. Part of the thrust of the story is that Kirk & company may have to actually *interfere* with the normal lives of these people, which is usually NOT something permitted by Starfleet. These people may not want for anything, but they don't *grow* or *progress* as a species. (Everybody seems to be the same indeterminate age, and none of them know what children are!). In the end, the story is equated with that of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden, hence the title 'The Apple'.
It doesn't pay to be a red shirt in this episode, as they all get knocked off on a frequent basis. Adding to the humor is the fact that the people of Vaal laugh HARD when Spock states that he fails to see what is so amusing. Kirk gives Scotty a lot of grief as the beleaguered engineer is faced with all these technical issues facing the Enterprise. I can believe that he's doing his best, but to hear Kirk threaten to FIRE him was quite a hoot indeed. Spock takes a licking more than once and keeps on ticking.
The excellent guest stars include physical specimen Keith Andes ("Clash by Night"), the gorgeous Celeste Yarnall ("The Velvet Vampire") who is able to join in the ass-kicking during a requisite action scene, and a young David Soul (of "Magnum Force" and 'Starsky & Hutch' fame) as another of the locals. Most endearing is when Soul and Shari Nims ("Easy Come, Easy Go") mimic Chekov & Yeoman Landon in an act of affection, since that sort of thing is new to them.
The ending is absolutely hilarious, putting a fine capper on this overall engaging episode.
Eight out of 10.
There are numerous pleasures to be had watching this episode, scripted by Max Ehrlich ("Z. P. G.", "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud") and directed by prolific 'Star Trek' director Joseph Pevney. Part of the thrust of the story is that Kirk & company may have to actually *interfere* with the normal lives of these people, which is usually NOT something permitted by Starfleet. These people may not want for anything, but they don't *grow* or *progress* as a species. (Everybody seems to be the same indeterminate age, and none of them know what children are!). In the end, the story is equated with that of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden, hence the title 'The Apple'.
It doesn't pay to be a red shirt in this episode, as they all get knocked off on a frequent basis. Adding to the humor is the fact that the people of Vaal laugh HARD when Spock states that he fails to see what is so amusing. Kirk gives Scotty a lot of grief as the beleaguered engineer is faced with all these technical issues facing the Enterprise. I can believe that he's doing his best, but to hear Kirk threaten to FIRE him was quite a hoot indeed. Spock takes a licking more than once and keeps on ticking.
The excellent guest stars include physical specimen Keith Andes ("Clash by Night"), the gorgeous Celeste Yarnall ("The Velvet Vampire") who is able to join in the ass-kicking during a requisite action scene, and a young David Soul (of "Magnum Force" and 'Starsky & Hutch' fame) as another of the locals. Most endearing is when Soul and Shari Nims ("Easy Come, Easy Go") mimic Chekov & Yeoman Landon in an act of affection, since that sort of thing is new to them.
The ending is absolutely hilarious, putting a fine capper on this overall engaging episode.
Eight out of 10.