Star Trek – The Immunity Syndrome

★★★★★ January 19, 1968 Season 2 Episode 18

If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog. 

This show was written by Gene Roddenberry and Robert Sabaroff

This episode has flown under the radar of some fans. I rate it very highly and it’s one of my favorites of the 2nd season. 

The Enterprise is on its way for a well-deserved rest on some planet but then they find a disruption in the Gamma VII-A solar system. The U.S.S. Intrepid, manned by Vulcans, is in the area and all on board died. Mr. Spock sensed the 400 deaths, being a Vulcan himself.

The Enterprise continues its investigation when they see a dark hole on the screen it’s not a black hole, it’s not a cloud but what is it? They are being sucked into the hole, the ship’s energy is being drained and the members of the Enterprise are being drained of their lives. it is a living organism much like a cell that is 11,000 miles wide.

Bones volunteers to go out in a shuttlecraft to inspect it closer to send back the information to the ship. Spock steps up and insists that he is the person for the job. Kirk insists that it is his decision. What is this Amoeba-like creature? Who will Kirk send out on the suicide mission?

Again I can’t say much else or I would give it away. Personally, I really like this episode.

From IMDB:

This is the last time the interior of a shuttlecraft is shown in the series.

The space amoeba optical effects were created by Frank Van der Veer of Van der Veer Photo Effects. The amoeba itself was a mixture of liquids pressed between two thin sheets of glass. As the sheets were moved, the liquid would flow, as if the amoeba were pulsating.

This is the last episode directed by Joseph Pevney who, along with Marc Daniels, holds the record for directing the most number of episodes for the series (14).

This was the last time in which Kirk’s green wrap-around tunic was used. The last time viewers would see the shirt would be in Star Trek: Bread and Circuses (1968), which had been filmed earlier but not aired for almost a year.

This is the first episode ending with a “Paramount Television” logo instead of the “Desilu” logo, after Desilu was sold to Paramount Pictures.

The end credits include a make-up test shot of Bill Blackburn (who normally played Hadley) as the android from Star Trek: Return to Tomorrow (1968) wearing a brown velour zippered top.

Although the name was cut from the final draft, the captain of the USS Intrepid was named Satak.

John Winston (Kyle) wears a gold uniform for the only time in the series. This was done so that he would match the stock footage from the captain’s chair viewpoint, showing Chekov and Hadley’s right shoulder. This was apparently arranged partway through filming, because, in the teaser, Kyle can briefly be seen at the helm wearing his typical red uniform.

The equipment inside the shuttlecraft included computer banks that were previously seen in the Starbase operations room in Star Trek: The Menagerie: Part I (1966) and the Eminian war room in Star Trek: A Taste of Armageddon (1967).

The remastered version of this episode features never-before-seen effects shots of the Enterprise in total darkness illuminated only by its windows and running lights.

This was what is known as a “bottle” episode, which is often done to save money. Star Trek was often at odds over its budget and often exceeded it due to special effects and set constructions. The network insisted they produce a “cheap” episode to save money. This one had no expensive guest stars (which saves a lot of money), no outdoor location filming, and no new set construction, and therefore came significantly under budget.

The young crew woman whom Kirk admires, as he records his log at the end of this show, appears to be the same extra who portrayed the second female Klingon in Star Trek: Day of the Dove (1968).

Kirk’s deep compassion for his crew is shown somewhat more prominently than usual at around 10:10. Due to exhaustion, Lt. Uhura is sitting with her head leaning on her hand in an uncharacteristically distracted manner. As Kirk approaches her to give her instructions to send a signal to Star Fleet, he squeezes her shoulders and pats the right one affectionately.

In the remastered version of Star Trek: The Doomsday Machine (1967), two shuttle craft are seen in Enterprise’s hangar. In this one, the “Galileo” is the only one seen. This is because Commodore Matthew Decker used the “Columbus” in a suicidal attempt to destroy the planet killer. The Enterprise had not put in for re-supply since that incident, so the “Columbus” had not yet been replaced.

The scene where Spock telepathically feels the loss of the Intrepid’s crew is famously mirrored in the original “Star Wars.” As Obi-Wan Kenobi, he suffers much the same reaction when a planet is destroyed by imperial forces.

Only episode of the series that doesn’t have a guest cast, other than semi regulars John Winston and Eddie Paskey.

The usual banter between Spock and McCoy takes on an uncharacteristically dark tone as Spock is preparing to board the shuttlecraft. His exhausted condition obviously affects his behavior, McCoy accuses Spock of ambition and spite. “You’re determined not to let me share in this, aren’t you?” Had he been thinking more clearly, he would have realized Vulcans do not act on ambition or spite. (More accurately, they *profess* not to do so.)

The CGI shots in the remastered version appear in 16:9 (widescreen), instead of the standard 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio.

47 reference: Spock states that the shuttle’s shields will last only 47 minutes.

Spock explains that Vulcan was never conquered, and that Vulcan collective consciousness cannot conceive of the feeling of being conquered. However, in Star Trek: The Conscience of the King (1966) McCoy says “Now I know why they were conquered” in response to Spock’s refusal to drink alcohol. This might be explained by Vulcan never having been conquered, but one or more of their colonies having been annexed by another power at some point. Or, more likely, that McCoy just doesn’t know Vulcan history very well.

This takes place in 2268.

As Enterprise applies thrust in an attempt to break free, McCoy grabs Chapel to keep her from hitting the wall. One (possibly intentionally) botched take of this, with McCoy holding her by her breasts, can be seen in the famous blooper reels.

Summary

The Enterprise is sent to investigate the disruption of the Gamma VII-A solar system and the destruction of the U.S.S. Intrepid, staffed solely by Vulcans. When they arrive they find a large dark mass floating in space that is draining energy from everything around it, including the Enterprise. Drawn into the mass, they find a huge amoeba-like creature and Kirk must decide which of his two friends, McCoy or Spock, to send into it aboard a shuttle craft on a mission of no return.

CAST

William Shatner … Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk
Leonard Nimoy … Mister Spock
DeForest Kelley … Dr. McCoy
James Doohan … Scott
Nichelle Nichols … Uhura
Walter Koenig … Chekov
John Winston … Lt. Kyle
Majel Barrett … Christine Chapel
Bill Blackburn … Lieutenant Hadley (uncredited)
John Blower … USS Enterprise Lt. Cmdr. (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci … Lt. Brent (uncredited)
Bob Johnson … Starbase 6 Commander (voice) (uncredited)
Jeannie Malone … Yeoman (uncredited)
Eddie Paskey … Lieutenant Leslie (uncredited)