Star Trek – Spock’s Brain

★  September 20, 1968 Season 3 Episode 1

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, Gene L. Coon and Arthur H. Singer

Season 3 is upon us! This may just be me…so all you Star Trek fans weigh in but I think this is the worst episode of the original series. I haven’t heard one of the cast speak good of this episode either. William Shatner has called it one of the worse and Leonard Nimoy was embarrassed during the entire shooting of this episode. 

When you look at the complete picture though…I only see two really bad episodes so when you are talking about 3 seasons with 79 episodes…that is a good track record. With this episode…I guess they tried something different and it just did not work. 

It’s unfortunate that this episode may have been the introduction for many late viewers to the Star Trek series because it kicked off the 3rd season. Basically what we have here…instead of “The Search for Spock” we have The Search for Spock’s brain. 

Star Trek

A mysterious woman magically arrives on the ship. The pushes some buttons on a box on her arm and everyone falls unconscious. When they are under, she steals Spock’s brain. Then, when they awaken, McCoy informs the Captain that this occurred at which point, Kirk asks if Spock will be okay…uh ok.  I couldn’t help but laugh the first time I heard this! What was Kirk thinking?

It gets even worse when they use a cool box on Spock’s body to reanimate him. It seems, according to McCoy, that although Spock has no brain, since he was a Vulcan that his body would live on for 24 hours without dying. What that meant…the clock is ticking while on the search for Spock’s brain. 

It has a 5.2 rating at IMDB but most of the episodes get a 6.5 or above. Maybe I’m being too hard on it? Give it a watch when you can and tell me that is the case or was I completely right?

From IMDB:

Written by Lee Cronin, the pseudonym of Gene L. Coon. Some have assumed that it was used because he was unhappy with the results. Actually, it was because he had left Paramount and was under contract with Universal, so he was not supposed to be working for Paramount as well.

First appearance of Scotty’s new hair style, where it was brushed back instead of parted to the side.

The Controller is “Nomad” repurposed from Star Trek: The Original Series: The Changeling (1967) with a globe on top.

This is the only Original Series episode to use a regular character’s name in the title.

This is the first episode in broadcast order in which the credits are displayed in blue font as opposed to the yellow font of the first two seasons.

TOS Seasons 3 marks the first time Star Trek is credited as being produced by Paramount. During Seasons 1 & 2, Star Trek was a Desilu property. In the summer of 1968, it was sold to Paramount.

This is the only time moving stars are shown on the bridge view screen via rear-projection. This is evident because the camera pans across the screen and people move in front it with stars moving, which would not have been possible if the view screen scenery had been matted in later. (In Star Trek: The Original Series: The Doomsday Machine (1967) they walk in front of the screen, but it is a static picture of stars, although in the digitally mastered edition they did add some moving objects.)

In informal surveys taken at science fiction conventions, this episode is promptly and almost universally named as the worst of the original series.

Footage of the Eymorg computer’s displays in operation is recycled from Star Trek: The Original Series: Assignment: Earth (1968) and Star Trek: The Original Series: The Paradise Syndrome (1968).

Gene Roddenberry was fascinated by the idea of a matriarchal society, and revisited the idea in Genesis II (1973) and Star Trek: The Next Generation: Angel One (1988).

Although scantily clad young women were common in this series, the Eymorgs, with their mod mini-dresses, were purportedly a response to Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1967) which featured them on a regular basis. Luma, in particular, was a response to Goldie Hawn’s air-headed persona.

The Vulcan philosophy of “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,” is paraphrased. In reference to Spock’s brain Kara says, “The need of my people for their controller is greater than your need for your friend.”

According to her official website, Marj Dusay said she had not viewed this show until a fan sent her a VHS tape in the 1990’s. The multitude of autograph requests she received over the years led her to believe that this show was popular. She described having fun in the role, and that she was delighted with the costume and boots designed for her.

This takes place in 2268.

There are two Morg guards in the scene where Kirk and his men are held captive. The big one who guards the communicators and other items taken from the Enterprise crew is played by Pete Kellett. The bald one by the door who says “Yes, mistress,” is none other than an uncredited Sid Haig.

Pete Kellett, the uncredited actor who played a Morg guard, has the single, dramatic line, “Yes, mistress”. He was the only Morg that had dialogue.

Marj Dusay played the role of Kara, which was the name of the cabaret dancer character in the opening scene of this season’s show “Wolf in the Fold”.

James Daris, the creature that Kirk stuns with his phaser, had a role in the “Mission: Impossible” show “Encore” in which William Shatner played one of main adversaries of the IMF team. As one of the henchmen of the other adversary, he did not share scenes with Shatner’s character.

Sheila Leighton (Luma) and Marj Dusay (Kara) each appeared separately in shows of “Hogan’s Heroes”. Leighton was cast in one role, and Dusay played three different roles.

Summary

When the Enterprise encounters an ion-powered vessel – far more advanced than their own warp-powered technology – they soon find themselves knocked unconscious by a beautiful alien who suddenly appears on the bridge. When they come to, they find that Spock’s brain has been surgically removed using technology way beyond their own current level of development. Following the ion trail left by the spacecraft, they arrive at a barren, ice-covered planet where the men live on the surface and the women in a highly advanced underground complex. Spock’s brain is now the central intelligence that runs the entire complex. The problem before them: how to reunite his brain to his body.

CAST

William Shatner … Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk
Leonard Nimoy … Mister Spock
DeForest Kelley … Dr. McCoy
Marj Dusay … Kara
James Doohan … Scott
Walter Koenig … Chekov
George Takei … Sulu
Nichelle Nichols … Uhura
Majel Barrett … Nurse Chapel
Daris … Creature
Sheila Leighton … Luma
Bill Blackburn … Lieutenant Hadley (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci … Lt. Brent (uncredited)
Roger Holloway … Lt. Lemli (uncredited)
Pete Kellett … Morg Guard (uncredited)Jeannie Malone … Yeoman (uncredited)
Eddie Paskey … Lieutenant Leslie (uncredited)

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

30 thoughts on “Star Trek – Spock’s Brain”

  1. That is such a great clip! I actually remember liking this episode, watched it as a kid and I’m a huge Star Trek fan. I think it falls short when taken out of context, that most old shows are better when they first air. That being said, I’ve re-watched the original series from start to finish and overall, I love the characters over the episodes. Some episodes were great, very memorable but some were awful.

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    1. I only found two episodes I just didn’t like at all…this was one of them….the other one comes near the end of this season. Parts of it is funny with McCoy I have to admit….parts are funny in a bad way.

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  2. I was 17 or so when I first saw this one and it was pretty bad even in 1975. The whole concept was hilarious and its easily the worst original Trek episode. What’s more shocking is that they thought this was a great start to the final season, which had just been recued by Viewer letters campaigns. It’s almost as if they were trying to get it cancelled or something…….

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  3. The whole premise is silly, even on a show where you’re ability to suspend disbelief gets tested on a regular basis. Thanks for presenting the good and as you said very little bad from such an amazing show.

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    1. LOL…yea they made only one more bad one after this…still not a bad record for three seasons…I don’t know what they were thinking in this one. Nimoy was even embarassed.

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      2. I can’t think of a series I have watched a lot that went beyond a year or two that didn’t have a stinker or two in there. If they go to a character has a dream and everyone is acting weird, cause its a dream I KNOW it’s gonna stink. Same most of the time for ‘a very special halloween episode’

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      3. Yea…I don’t know if you watched Dallas or not…but one season was a dream from Bobby…oh people were pissed off at the time.

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  6. Sorry to hear you thought it was the worst one in TOS. I thought it was pretty middle of the road but no worse than many. I did have to laugh when I saw Spock’s body as a remote-controlled robot. I did notice Scotty’s hair was different and that the opening credits changed colors. Interesting that S1&2 were Desilu but S3 taken over by another company.

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    1. Yea Lisa…there is only one more episode that I don’t like….not bad at all considering 3 seasons. I know it’s science fiction but whew…that was a whole lot to swallow. I know some other episodes stretch the imagination…and Nimoy didn’t like this one either. BUT….I did find some people that liked it.
      He didn’t like his hair brushed back at all…later on he rebelled!

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      2. You know…I’m going to start looking… I don’t see the big deal but they went out of their way to hide it.

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  7. Not a great episode, as others have said, but it did have a profound affect on my wife (when she saw it as a young girl) as she always saying “Brain is brain. What is brain?” whenever she is trying to work things out in her head! 😂

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  9. I never watched that episode, so I can’t make a fully informed comment here. But the plot does sound a little odd. If I ever would purchase an episode, it’s a safe assumption I wouldn’t pick this one!

    The crazy thing is, and I’ve mentioned this before, we had Star Trek back in Germany while I was growing up there, and I know 100% that I watched at least some episodes. But I’ve yet to come across an episode you’ve covered thus far, which looks familiar. Granted it was many years ago, likely sometime in the mid-’70s!

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    1. Yea you watched them before me…I didn’t see them I don’t think…until the 80s when they would have a marathon going on…
      I’m off until I have to go back Wednesday…I will see that doc dude! I thought I would get to last night but didn’t….but it’s coming man.

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      1. No worries, Max, that Mellencamp documentary likely isn’t going to disappear!

        My music buddy Mike Caputo told me earlier today there’s a Fourth of July Twilight Zone marathon happening on the Heroes & Icons Network. I’m not sure that channel is part of our cable line-up.

        I’m off until Wednesday as well. I could definitely get used to 4-day weekends! 🙂

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      2. If you can watch it some…watch it! I would but I have all of them lol.
        Oh yes I love this being off! I want to see it becasue I love docs… I would rather watch a documentary on Queen than that movie that came out….I could watch a documentary on grass growing and like it….

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    1. Yes it’s pretty poor as I’m sure you remember. Actually…when I rewatched it…I did find enjoyable moments between him and McCoy but that was about it.

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  11. I was 11 when this one aired. NBC had moved Trek to a later time slot that conflicted with my bedtime, but I convinced my dad to let me watch it. He wasn’t impressed with the show, and this episode didn’t convince him to let me watch the rest of the season. It really is a strange story, one that a friend of mine called “Frankenstein in space.”

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