"Metamorphosis"
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are transporting ailing Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford aboard the shuttlecraft Galileo when its knocked off course by a strange cloud creature. The shuttle lands on planet Gamma Canaris N, where Kirk and crew meet Dr. Zefram Cochrane, the famed scientist who discovered the space-warp drive over one hundred years ago. At the age of eighty-seven, Cochrane decided he wanted to die in space and left his home planet of Alpha Centauri, only to be drawn by the cloud creature to Gamma Canaris N. Cochrane was restored to his youthful prime by the creature, which he calls the Companion. They’ve lived in peace together for 150 years, though the time has been lonely for Cochrane with no other human companionship. Kirk communicates with the creature by means of a universal translator of Spock’s devising, and learns that the Companion is in love with Cochrane. Cochrane rejects the love of the alien creature, desiring the human love of Nancy. The Companion unites with the dying commissioner, and Cochrane elects to live a normal life with the Nancy/Companion, neither immortal any longer, but both finally happy in the love each longed for.
Story
“Metamorphosis” is a sensitive and important Trek episode. It speaks to the prejudice we humans tend to have towards anything different from us by means of Kirk and Cochrane’s treatment of the Companion. Kirk is determined to kill the creature if that’s what’s necessary to save Hedford, and Cochrane rejects the creature’s love as invalid because of its alien nature. Yet in the end, both come to respect the creature in different ways after they confront their own initial reactions. The story is also a treatment of the nature of love and the human need for love.
Action
There’s little action in this episode, appropriately enough, considering it is a study of deep emotions and social issues.
Performances
All involved deliver in this area, though it’s Glenn Corbett as Cochrane and Elinor Donahue as Hedford who really deliver the goods. Both demonstrate a wide range of subtle emotions and succeed in the two roles which this episode demands the most from.
Trektastic Moments
The most significant moment here is Kirk, Spock, and McCoy’s meeting of Zefrem Cochrane, the inventor of warp drive. Cochrane’s introduction here is part of Star Trek’s mythos building, and is an element that would be revisited in numerous episodes through all of the spin-offs. Cochrane would return as a middle-aged man in the mid-21st century in the eighth Star Trek feature film, Star Trek: First Contact, which saw Cochrane interacting with the crew of the 24th century Enterprise-E of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Despite the success of that film and its overall compelling story, the “First Contact” Cochrane is difficult to reconcile with the Cochrance of this episode. Of late, I prefer to rule in favor of TOS and ignore much of what came after the final TOS film.
Overall
A moving and important episode in Trek lore. Highest possible recommendation.
The episode’s title card.
Zefrem Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, and a man out of time.
Cochrane communes with The Companion.
Cochrane and NancyCompanion, perhaps the Adam and Eve of a new race of beings?
Story
“Metamorphosis” is a sensitive and important Trek episode. It speaks to the prejudice we humans tend to have towards anything different from us by means of Kirk and Cochrane’s treatment of the Companion. Kirk is determined to kill the creature if that’s what’s necessary to save Hedford, and Cochrane rejects the creature’s love as invalid because of its alien nature. Yet in the end, both come to respect the creature in different ways after they confront their own initial reactions. The story is also a treatment of the nature of love and the human need for love.
Action
There’s little action in this episode, appropriately enough, considering it is a study of deep emotions and social issues.
Performances
All involved deliver in this area, though it’s Glenn Corbett as Cochrane and Elinor Donahue as Hedford who really deliver the goods. Both demonstrate a wide range of subtle emotions and succeed in the two roles which this episode demands the most from.
Trektastic Moments
The most significant moment here is Kirk, Spock, and McCoy’s meeting of Zefrem Cochrane, the inventor of warp drive. Cochrane’s introduction here is part of Star Trek’s mythos building, and is an element that would be revisited in numerous episodes through all of the spin-offs. Cochrane would return as a middle-aged man in the mid-21st century in the eighth Star Trek feature film, Star Trek: First Contact, which saw Cochrane interacting with the crew of the 24th century Enterprise-E of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Despite the success of that film and its overall compelling story, the “First Contact” Cochrane is difficult to reconcile with the Cochrance of this episode. Of late, I prefer to rule in favor of TOS and ignore much of what came after the final TOS film.
Overall
A moving and important episode in Trek lore. Highest possible recommendation.
The episode’s title card.
Zefrem Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, and a man out of time.
Cochrane communes with The Companion.
Cochrane and NancyCompanion, perhaps the Adam and Eve of a new race of beings?
posted by Christopher at 9:03 AM
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