Original air date: October 13, 1967
Captain’s Log stardate 3715.3
SYNOPSIS
Primitive inhabitants of Gamma Trianguli VI worship a god who orders them to kill visitors from the Enterprise.
CANON CONTEXT
The episode makes the only TOS in-series reference to the saucer section being able to separate from the rest of the Enterprise when Kirk is discussing options for Scotty to save the ship.
RECAP
I feel the need to count how many episodes are centered around a computer that is ruling a group of people. It’s a storyline that’s getting quite old.
Let’s start with the inhabitants of this planet. Overly tanned much? I think so, yes. Besides that, and in all seriousness, their leader is Vaal. No one’s ever seen him but he communicates through this lovely guy pictured above. Those antennae are how they communicate with each other. What annoys me most about this whole thing is again the lack of curiosity. Instead, we want to harp on the fact that these people have no sexual contact. That doesn’t stop Chekhov from getting all up in the yeoman’s business.
One difference is that this time the frightened femme fatale is not for the captain. Of all the yeoman’s we’ve seen up to this point she has been the worst, for me, in the believability department.
Anyhow, here is this supposedly primitive race that’s being ruled over by a machine and all anyone can do is show concern for their lack of procreation and who would teach them how it’s done. I was concerned for the number of times Spock ended up on his back. When the first of three crewman was attacked in the same way they died instantly. But not Spock. We’ll just overlook that won’t we.
Okay, back to Checkov and a rather intimate scene between him and the yeoman who embrace and kiss. They end up seen by a pair of young people from the planet who decide to mimic what they’ve just seen and find they rather enjoy kissing. This is not acceptable to Vaal who teaches his people how to kill and instructs them to do so immediately.
I hound mention that the leader, who apparently lives here and requires food replenishment often, is still very much a machine and for unknown reasons pulling the Enterprise down out of the sky.
The set here was rather boring and not as frightening as I would’ve liked. When the Enterprise was able to fire phasers at this thing I was fully expecting an actual person to come out of the mouth to surrender. Much like the Wizard of Oz. Instead, the machine is destroyed, leaving this whole race of people to figure out just what freedom truly is.
Now I understand there are some people who think Kirk shouldn’t have interfered based on the federation directive not to interfere with any planet or culture. Count Spock among one of those who thinks he shouldn’t have butted in.
The one saving grace is the last two minutes of the episode where the title of the episode is explained. I leave that exchange for you to read yourselves.
DID THEY REALLY SAY THAT?
Mr. Spock: Captain, you are aware of the biblical story of Genesis.
Capt. Kirk: Yes, of course I'm aware of that. Adam and Eve tasted the apple and as a result were driven out of paradise.
Mr. Spock: Precisely, Captain. And, in a manner of speaking, we have given the people of Vaal "the apple" - the knowledge of good and evil if you will - as a result of which they too have been driven out of paradise.
Capt. Kirk: Doctor, do I understand him correctly? Are you casting me in the role of Satan?
Mr. Spock: Not at all, Captain.
Capt. Kirk: [circumnavigating Spock with McCoy] Is there anyone on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan?
Mr. Spock: I am not aware of anyone who fits that description, Captain.
Capt. Kirk: No, Mr. Spock, I didn't think you would.