Probably the least politically-correct episode of the Original Star Trek series (and that’s admittedly saying a lot), “The Enemy Within” attempts to explore some pretty heavy philosophical themes including the inner struggle of good versus evil and the fundamental nature of leadership. In the end, however, it comes up very short — kinda like Shatner embracing his “identical” stunt double at the end of the show.
It’s amazing the episode that’s made us the most uncomfortable turned out the be our longest podcast to date (about 40 minutes). There’s just so much geeky goodness in this episode, from the first Vulcan Nerve Pinch to Dr. McCoy’s inaugural utterance of “He’s dead, Jim,” that it almost makes up for the hideously awkward bits between Kirk, Spock, and Yoeman Rand. Still, this isn’t an episode we plan to re-watch any time soon.
Can half a man survive? Can a parachute keep you from freezing to death? Does Kirk secretly wear makeup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or send us an email at StarTrekQuest@gmail.com.
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