A problem with the transporters causes Captain Kirk to reenergise as two versions of himself.
This is a strong episode that combines a pretty suspenseful plot, with some great character moments and effectively presents the duality of human nature.
A ticking clock factor drives the plot well as we see characters needing to get off a very cold planet before they freeze to death. It does contain a plot-hole when viewed in context of the franchise. They are reliant on the broken transporter being fixed as shuttle-crafts had not been factored into the show when the episode was written. However, I did not find this a problem.
Many characters have good moments such as Sulu, Scotty and Dr McCoy. Yeoman Rand is crucial to the story and Grace Lee Whitney superbly portrays her character in a very difficult and frightening situation. Mr Spock is tower of strength through most of it and Leonard Nimoy's performance suitably excellent.
William Shatner plays the two versions of Captain Kirk that writer Richard Matheson uses to examine the positive and negative aspects of humanity. There is no need to analyse the theme in this review as the episode itself is quite explicit in how it addresses it, but I have to say that I love this Jeckyll and Hyde concept within a Star Trek setting. Shatner does overact in some scenes, but it is part of the charm.
There are a number of visuals I love, particularly the shots distinguishing the two versions of Kirk with its shadowy lighting and disorientating angles. A nice transition between scenes happens when one Kirk enters an elevator and as the doors close the bloodied hand of the other Kirk appears in front of the same doors. At one point we see one Kirk sat at an empty meeting table talking to the ground crew and for me illustrated the loneliness of command.
I felt the age of the episode in several instances but it is such a fascinating concept done in an entertaining way, that I have to take into consideration the era in which it was made. A difficult part is the attempted rape of Yeoman Rand by Captain Kirk. The act itself is suitably nasty in its depiction, but what is said and done later is more disturbing. I get the impression that even if it was not committed by an alternative version of Kirk, that Rand might have been compelled to let the matter drop. Spock's final comment to her is in my view open to interpretation, but if it's meant in the way it sounds it is quite a callous and antiquated thing to say for a character living in the twenty third century.
Overall I think its a great episode but needs to be appreciated as a product of its time.
This is a strong episode that combines a pretty suspenseful plot, with some great character moments and effectively presents the duality of human nature.
A ticking clock factor drives the plot well as we see characters needing to get off a very cold planet before they freeze to death. It does contain a plot-hole when viewed in context of the franchise. They are reliant on the broken transporter being fixed as shuttle-crafts had not been factored into the show when the episode was written. However, I did not find this a problem.
Many characters have good moments such as Sulu, Scotty and Dr McCoy. Yeoman Rand is crucial to the story and Grace Lee Whitney superbly portrays her character in a very difficult and frightening situation. Mr Spock is tower of strength through most of it and Leonard Nimoy's performance suitably excellent.
William Shatner plays the two versions of Captain Kirk that writer Richard Matheson uses to examine the positive and negative aspects of humanity. There is no need to analyse the theme in this review as the episode itself is quite explicit in how it addresses it, but I have to say that I love this Jeckyll and Hyde concept within a Star Trek setting. Shatner does overact in some scenes, but it is part of the charm.
There are a number of visuals I love, particularly the shots distinguishing the two versions of Kirk with its shadowy lighting and disorientating angles. A nice transition between scenes happens when one Kirk enters an elevator and as the doors close the bloodied hand of the other Kirk appears in front of the same doors. At one point we see one Kirk sat at an empty meeting table talking to the ground crew and for me illustrated the loneliness of command.
I felt the age of the episode in several instances but it is such a fascinating concept done in an entertaining way, that I have to take into consideration the era in which it was made. A difficult part is the attempted rape of Yeoman Rand by Captain Kirk. The act itself is suitably nasty in its depiction, but what is said and done later is more disturbing. I get the impression that even if it was not committed by an alternative version of Kirk, that Rand might have been compelled to let the matter drop. Spock's final comment to her is in my view open to interpretation, but if it's meant in the way it sounds it is quite a callous and antiquated thing to say for a character living in the twenty third century.
Overall I think its a great episode but needs to be appreciated as a product of its time.