"Star Trek" Catspaw (1967)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Joseph Pevney

Writers:

Robert Bloch (written by)
Gene Roddenberry (creator)

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

27 October 1967 (Season 2, Episode 7)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When Kirk and his landing party arrive on the planet below, they are met by eerie mists, a dark castle...

Plot Keywords:

Black Cat | Federation | Space | Starship | Computer

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
James Doohan	...	Scott
George Takei	...	Sulu
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
Michael Barrier	...	DeSalle (as Mike Barrier)
John Winston	...	Transporter Chief
Rhodie Cogan	...	First Witch
Gail Bonney	...	Second Witch
Maryesther Denver	...	Third Witch
Jay D. Jones	...	Crewman Jackson (as Jimmy Jones)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Antoinette Bower	...	Sylvia
Theodore Marcuse	...	Korob (as Theo Marcuse)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

James Doohan (Scotty) lost his right middle finger during WWII. Most of his scenes are shot to hide it; however, it is very noticeable in the episode "Catspaw." When Scotty is holding a phaser pistol on Kirk & Spock, only two fingers are holding the butt of the phaser.

Goofs:

Continuity: The black cat is a short hair in some shots and a long hair in others.

Quotes:

Captain James T. Kirk: [turning to McCoy] Bones...
[sees skeleton hanging further down]
Captain James T. Kirk: Doc?
Dr. McCoy: You were saying something about "trick or treat"?

What's with this awful episode?!

Despite my sometimes acerbic reviews of the Star Trek series, I actually do love the show and have seen the episodes again and again and again. However, unlike most reviewers, my reviews tend to run the gamut in score--from 1 to 10. And, while I score most of the episodes in the 7 to 8 range, there are just a few that are so dreadful I must admit it and score them much lower. Yes, I have seen every episode of every Trek series and all the movies, so I do have at least an informed opinion. But, because I hated STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE and STAR TREK V and loved STAR TREK II, III and others, you know my opinions can be trusted to be somewhat balanced. I think this makes me a big fan, but not a zombie-like person who loves and accepts everything provided it's Star Trek. I really think there are many out there that give an automatic 10 to anything Trek.

Now this episode is the closest thing I can think of to a Star Trek Halloween special!! The crew land on a weird foggy world and it's inhabited by a couple of freaky witches--complete with black cats and monsters, etc.. This concept is so fundamentally silly that I think this is all I really need to say about the episode. It might be interesting only if you turn off your brain and enjoy it on a completely non-intellectual level.