"The Devil in the Dark"
"The Devil in the Dark"
Captain's Log: 12100.6. 1823 hrs.
The Trektastic Voyage gets back on course with this week's entries. First up is "The Devil in the Dark," a fun episode that features some great performances from all involved and top-notch writing from the legendary Gene Coon, whose writing and producing brought such high quality to the series. This week's installment features the debut of a new way of reviewing the episodes.
The Enterprise diverts to the pergium mining planet Janus VI. Its miners are being picked off by a mysterious creature that reduces its victims to ashy remains. Kirk and Spock beam down to investigate, and it's not long before they discover the creature is in fact real and quite deadly. Spock mind-melds with the creature, learning that it is a Horta. McCoy beams down and heals the creature after Kirk and Spock blast it out of self-defense, and Spock reveals that the Horta only attacked because its young were jeopardized by the mining efforts. A deal is struck between the Horta and the miners through Spock's meld, and both man and silicon-based life-form move on towards a new era of peaceful cooperation.
Story
"The Devil in the Dark" is an entertaining and important episode of Trek. It's one of the episodes that I feel could be shown to the non-fan to show them what Trek is all about. Kirk and Spock's desire to move past their prejudice and xenophobia regarding the Horta is a hallmark of Trek. And the concept of a mysterious creature killing in the dark tunnels of a mining facility takes the haunted house and puts it into a new context.
Action
"The Devil in the Dark" has little action, as its more concerned with characterization and story. Still, there is some phaser blasting and shots of the Horta attacking miners.
Performances
Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley give some of the best performances of the series here. We feel for Kirk as he struggles to get the mining facility operational again and find the beast, we feel for Spock as he suffers the anguish of the Horta, and we laugh with McCoy when he's faced with his first non-carbon based patient. Shatner's performance is especially impressive here, given the fact that his father had died towards the end of the episode's shooting. He decided to stay and finish the day's shoot, showing his professionalism and committment to the work.
Trektastic Moments
We have a few Trektastic Moments here, which I guess I should define, seeing as how this is the first use of the term. "Trektastic Moments" are those that are hallmarks of Trek, whether it be an action or exchange between characters, a line of dialogue, or an event long awaited. Here we have some great Trektastic Moments in the wonderful, warm exchanges between Kirk and Spock about the odds of surviving an encounter with the Horta and the earlier discussions about scientific discovery and the value of life. And we have a "McCoyism" in this episode. Kirk orders Bones to heal the injured Horta, and Bones explains that mostly rock, adding "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer." Pure gold and trademarks of Gene Coon's wonderful writing.
Overall
"The Devil in the Dark" is a fun, thrilling, and entertaining episode of Trek with an important moral message, which is not delivered with a heavy hand. First rate Trek and first rate entertainment. A+ all the way.
The episode's title card.
The dreaded Horta, a very effective special effect, even forty years later.
Spock melds with the tortured creature, experiencing its anguish.
Bones utters one of his famous lines. "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."
Captain's Log: 12100.6. 1823 hrs.
The Trektastic Voyage gets back on course with this week's entries. First up is "The Devil in the Dark," a fun episode that features some great performances from all involved and top-notch writing from the legendary Gene Coon, whose writing and producing brought such high quality to the series. This week's installment features the debut of a new way of reviewing the episodes.
The Enterprise diverts to the pergium mining planet Janus VI. Its miners are being picked off by a mysterious creature that reduces its victims to ashy remains. Kirk and Spock beam down to investigate, and it's not long before they discover the creature is in fact real and quite deadly. Spock mind-melds with the creature, learning that it is a Horta. McCoy beams down and heals the creature after Kirk and Spock blast it out of self-defense, and Spock reveals that the Horta only attacked because its young were jeopardized by the mining efforts. A deal is struck between the Horta and the miners through Spock's meld, and both man and silicon-based life-form move on towards a new era of peaceful cooperation.
Story
"The Devil in the Dark" is an entertaining and important episode of Trek. It's one of the episodes that I feel could be shown to the non-fan to show them what Trek is all about. Kirk and Spock's desire to move past their prejudice and xenophobia regarding the Horta is a hallmark of Trek. And the concept of a mysterious creature killing in the dark tunnels of a mining facility takes the haunted house and puts it into a new context.
Action
"The Devil in the Dark" has little action, as its more concerned with characterization and story. Still, there is some phaser blasting and shots of the Horta attacking miners.
Performances
Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley give some of the best performances of the series here. We feel for Kirk as he struggles to get the mining facility operational again and find the beast, we feel for Spock as he suffers the anguish of the Horta, and we laugh with McCoy when he's faced with his first non-carbon based patient. Shatner's performance is especially impressive here, given the fact that his father had died towards the end of the episode's shooting. He decided to stay and finish the day's shoot, showing his professionalism and committment to the work.
Trektastic Moments
We have a few Trektastic Moments here, which I guess I should define, seeing as how this is the first use of the term. "Trektastic Moments" are those that are hallmarks of Trek, whether it be an action or exchange between characters, a line of dialogue, or an event long awaited. Here we have some great Trektastic Moments in the wonderful, warm exchanges between Kirk and Spock about the odds of surviving an encounter with the Horta and the earlier discussions about scientific discovery and the value of life. And we have a "McCoyism" in this episode. Kirk orders Bones to heal the injured Horta, and Bones explains that mostly rock, adding "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer." Pure gold and trademarks of Gene Coon's wonderful writing.
Overall
"The Devil in the Dark" is a fun, thrilling, and entertaining episode of Trek with an important moral message, which is not delivered with a heavy hand. First rate Trek and first rate entertainment. A+ all the way.
The episode's title card.
The dreaded Horta, a very effective special effect, even forty years later.
Spock melds with the tortured creature, experiencing its anguish.
Bones utters one of his famous lines. "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."
posted by Christopher at 4:22 PM
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