"Star Trek" Dagger of the Mind (1966)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Vincent McEveety

Writers:

Shimon Wincelberg (written by)
Gene Roddenberry (creator)

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

3 November 1966 (Season 1, Episode 9)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Kirk and psychiatrist Helen Noel are trapped on a maximum security penal colony that experiments with mind control and Spock must use the Vulcan mind-meld to find a way to save them.

Plot Keywords:

Penal Colony | Mind Control | Escaped Prisoner | Federation | Space

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
James Gregory	...	Dr. Tristan Adams
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Morgan Woodward	...	Dr. Simon van Gelder
Marianna Hill	...	Helen Noel
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Susanne Wasson	...	Lethe
John Arndt	...	First Crewman
Larry Anthony	...	Transportation Man
Ed McCready	...	Inmate
Eliezer Behar	...	Therapist (as Eli Behar)

Runtime:

50 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

Lethe (Susanne Wasson) was named after the river in Hades in Greek myth. Those condemned souls who drank from it, forgot their past lives. Explaining her blank, vegetative stare from neutralizer "treatment".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Van Gelder reaches the Enterprise's bridge, he attacks and disables a security guard. McCoy is on the bridge at the time, but even after Van Gelder is subdued, he never so much as glances in the unconscious guard's direction.

Quotes:

Mr. Spock: Enterprise log, first officer Spock acting captain. I must now use an ancient Vulcan technique to probe into Van Gelder's tortured mind.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "South Park: Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods (#2.11)" (1998)

Nice to See Marianna Hill again

I rather liked this episode for the particularly fact that actress Hill appears in it, in a rather strong, fluctuate role as Dr. Helen Mirren; psychologist. I have always loved Marianna Hill's work, especially in many of the 60's and early 70's films and TV appearances she's endured, including co-starring with Clint Eastwood in 'High Plains Drifter'.

Hill is remarkably well-done in this one-time episode. In a few scenes she appears slightly apprehensive, almost insecure, far as her abilities as an actress. But nonetheless, she is a great screen beauty, and as fine an actress as any. I especially appreciate that Roddenberry did not subject her character -Mirren- to the typical fawn-femme typecast, as was generally typical of Star Trek women (aka: Kirk's ladies). Her character is independent, strong, and viral. She, and including in her character, holds her own throughout the episode, and displays some of the strongest of female subject, not usually common, for 1960's television.