Today we're gonna discuss one of my favorite episodes. Yeah it's another Kirk vs the computer story but a good one which is even relevant today, 55 years later.
Plot:The Enterprise tests a computer that, if successful, could replace Kirk as the captain.
Guest Stars:William Marshall as Richard Daystrom
Nitpick:I never could understand why when the attack begins Wesley blames Kirk and doesn't even consider it could be the M-5. Then I heard a review of this where it was said that it's not inconceivable Wesley thinks that Kirk went power hungry jealous of the computer and was on the war path. I can accept that. What happened to the planet they were going to explore? The episode spends five minutes discussing it and then it's never mentioned again.
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise is summoned to a space station and when Kirk demands an explanation the commodore says it's probably already in their transporter room. There, Kirk and Spock welcome Commodore Wesley who explains the Enterprise will be the fox in the hunt. They will installing Richard Daystrom's latest invention, the mulitronic unit 5 which is supposed to correlate all functions on a starship. It should be able to run a ship all by itself and quicker than human control. Daystrom is a cybernetic genius who created the duotronic systems they currently use. The crew will be removed except 20 officers and then a series of challenges for the M-5 will follow. Kirk asks what he is supposed to do, and Wesley says all he has to do is sit back and let the computer do all the work.
Act 1-The three head to meet Daystrom, McCoy commenting that one computer can't control an entire ship all by itself. Spock says that is what they are trying to prove. In Engineering Kirk, Spock, and McCoy meet Dr.Daystrom and the M-5. Kirk tells Scotty to allow the final hook ups and the system is active. Kirk sounds skeptical at the idea of a computer taking things away from men, and Daystrom points out there other things he can do. Unless he objects to the prestige of being a captain. But M-5 can do his job and everyone else's. Kirk says he will have to prove that to him. Kirk and McCoy leave and Kirk expresses his concern over the computer, though he is not sure why it bothers him so much. He wonders if he really is worried about losing the prestige of being a captain. McCoy points out one always feels bad for someone when they lose their job to a machine but when its your job thats different. On the Bridge, Kirk is forced to let M-5 take control when Spock points out he is being stubborn, and begins to make course adjustments faster than Sulu and Chelov could have. The ship approaches the planet Alpha Carinae II, achieves standard orbit, and makes landing party recommendations. When the recommendations differ from Kirk's, especially the fact that Kirk is not included, he wonders why. M-5 explains that the captain is nonessential personnel. Meanwhile, power is going out on decks 4 & 5 and Scotty finally realizes it's the M-5 turning off power all over the ship.
Act 2-Daystrom has checked the device and found the M-5 was just turning off power on decks that are currently unoccupied. Spock notices that the device is drawing more power than before, which Daystrom says is how its supposed to work. Spock says that the computer is not a human body, it cand process info but only the info put into it. Kirk follows up pointing out a computer can't make a value judgement or use intuition. Daystrom assures Kirk it's anre approach which will work. Uhura calls Kirk and Spock back to the bridge, two ships are attacking in an unplanned war game drill. The Enterprise operatres faster than human controls could of maneuveted her. Kirk says Spock seems pleased, but Spock says he has no desire to serve under a computer. A ship also operates by loyalty to one man, and nothing can replace that or him. When it's over Wesley gives his compliments to the M-5 and regard to Captain Dunsel. Kirk leaves the Bridge humiliated, and McCoy asks what it means. Spock explans Dunsel is a term used in Starfleet Academt refering to a part that has no useful purpose. McCoy goes to Kirk's quarters with a drink, and Kirk comments how strange it was to watch his ship operare all on its own while he sat there. An alert sounds, they have located an abandoned robot ship and the Enterprise has chaged course to it. This is not a war game drill. The Enterprise then closes in and destroys the freighter, for no reason. As the ship resumes course and speed, Daystrom has no idea what to say as the crew are upset. It was a robot ship but there was no reason for the Enterprise to attack it. Kirk decides to call off the M-5 drills and deactvate the unit, however when they try to deactivate it in Engineering they find a force field protecting the device.
Act 3-Daystrum pleads to work with the unit but Kirk doesn't care and says to deactivate it. Scotty suggests cutting its power, but when the ensign tries M-5 taps into the warp engines killing the ensign. Enraged that he's now lost a crewman, he demands Daystrom find a way to turn the machine off. Daystrom insists it was not a deliberate act the ensign just got in the way, and Kirk wonder how long until they all do. It would have been funny if Daystrom has such "we'll make a patch for that!". In the Breifing room, the computer has control of almost all the ship. Spock and Scotty comes up with a way to regain control by accessing a certain relay and disrupting them. McCoy questions Daystrom who make it sound as if the M-5 is a human child who made a mistake. That the M-5 is learning and growing. In the conference room McCoy talks to Kirk about he was only in his 20's when he made the Duotronic breakthrough that made him famous. That was decades ago now. What happens when you peak early? Spend the rest of your life trying reclaim past glory. McCoy explains how Daystrom defends the machine the way a father would a child. Even if the child went antisocial. Spock and Scotty try to bypass the M-5, but it fails. Spock speculates that M-5 rerouted the controls and kept the relay active so they would waste their time on the now useless relay. Kirk asks Daystrom just what this new approach is he keeps talking about. He explains he found a way to imprint human engrams onto the M-5. His own of course. Uhura reports that the vessels are approaching for the war games. Except, M-5 doesnt know it's a game. And it's going to destroy them.
Act 4-When Wesley signals about the war games attack, M-5 acknowledges so they wonder if M-5 understands what is happening and maybe the oar vessel was just a mistake. However as the ships get closer phasers are armed at full power. And the attacking vessels aren't even shielded! As the Lexington is blasted, Wesley wonders what the heck Kirk is trying to prove. The Enterprise keeps attacking, crippling the Excalibur. Wesley begs Kirk to stop the attack, saying they have 50 dead there, but M-5 is blocking all communications. Kirk demands Daystrum find a way to get through to the M-5, and they remember the tie in he used before to talk to it. Uhura taps into Wesley contacting Starfleet, saying that he believes that the only way to stop the Enterprise is destroying it. Daystrom tries talking to it, and as he does McCoy doesn't like the way he sounds. Like he could close to a nervous breakdown. Daystrum tries to explain to the M-5 the attack is wrong, he should defend itself but what it is doing is murder. However, M-5 isn't listening. Dastrum starts rambling about what this was supposed to prove, that he was still relevant as colleagues got famous building on his work. When he snaps at Kirk, Spock knocks him out with a nerve pinch. Wesley gets approval for the attack, and Kirk tries to talk to M-5. Kirk explains that it has murdered, and M-5 seems to be listening. When Kirk asks what he penalty for murder is, it says death. So Kirk asks what it will do for penalty for its crime, and M-5 says it must die. And shuts down. Kirk tells Spock and Scotty to pull the plug, but when power starts coming back he tells Scotty to keep shields down. He gambles that the attacking vessels will not attack if the ship looks dead. And it works. Later, McCoy reports Daystrom will have to be committed to a rehab center. Kirk explains he gambled on Wesley's humanity, he knew they wouldn't attack.
Final Thoughts:I just love this episode for several reasons. The story is regarding fears people had about computers, or machines, taking the place of human workers. And as someone who has lost his job to a computer, like 3 times, oh yeah I can relate. William Marshall is another reason. He has such powerful presence he can make the silliest role seem strong and serious (don't believe me watch Pee-Wee's Playhouse sometime). And the character is very well fleshed out, we can feel the desperation in the man's voice to prove that he was not a one trick pony and could still be relevant years later. Shatner is great here too in the attack scene, you feel that anguish as his colleagues are being killed. Shatner is known for his hammy acting, rightfully so, but he really can deliver when he needs to. Yeah Kirk talks another computer to death but it makes sense to me here. If the computer was programmed with human engrams and does believe murder is a crime against god and man, then when Kirk convinces it that the attack was wrong the result makes sense. You can' t really call it self defense when you are pulverizing the opponent and recklessly killing people. Not as good as Nomad, but still. The final reason I love this one is that all the main characters are here and clicking, for the first time since "I'Mudd".
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