What Are Little Girls Made Of? is a little classic in the Star Trek saga, primarily because it features one of the best uses of Majel Barrett (Gene Roddenberry's wife at the time) as Nurse Chapel, a fact that proves no role is really secondary in this series.
Nurse Chapel's expanded presence is dictated by the fact that Kirk is going to beam down on the planet where her fiancé, Dr. Roger Korby, from whom no one has heard anything in a long time, and she insists on joining him since she can't wait to see if Korby is still alive. Once they're on the planet, however, a nasty surprise awaits them: Korby's obsession with technology has driven him insane, and his new expertise regarding the construction of androids prompts him to build a replica of Kirk that could take over the Enterprise.
Predating Balde Runner by sixteen years, this episode, like many others, provides a riveting and well-written exploration of the theme of humanity, more specifically what makes man different from machines (or aliens for that matter). Tha script is praiseworthy because it depicts Korby as a genuinely flawed human being, not a traditional mad scientist, just like Nurse Chapel isn't another heartbroken woman who serves as a mere plot contrivance. Plus, much like The Enemy Within, any episode where Kirk has to face another version of himself is a lot of fun to watch. A little classic, indeed.
Nurse Chapel's expanded presence is dictated by the fact that Kirk is going to beam down on the planet where her fiancé, Dr. Roger Korby, from whom no one has heard anything in a long time, and she insists on joining him since she can't wait to see if Korby is still alive. Once they're on the planet, however, a nasty surprise awaits them: Korby's obsession with technology has driven him insane, and his new expertise regarding the construction of androids prompts him to build a replica of Kirk that could take over the Enterprise.
Predating Balde Runner by sixteen years, this episode, like many others, provides a riveting and well-written exploration of the theme of humanity, more specifically what makes man different from machines (or aliens for that matter). Tha script is praiseworthy because it depicts Korby as a genuinely flawed human being, not a traditional mad scientist, just like Nurse Chapel isn't another heartbroken woman who serves as a mere plot contrivance. Plus, much like The Enemy Within, any episode where Kirk has to face another version of himself is a lot of fun to watch. A little classic, indeed.