The one aspect of this story that intrigues me is one that none of the other reviewers on this board has touched on so far. This was the first time Gene Roddenberry, along with writer Robert Bloch, used what would become a repeated Star Trek gimmick, the use of a conundrum to trip up the main character(s). It's when Kirk forced Ruk (Ted Cassidy) to remember his original programming, which wouldn't have allowed him to save Kirk from the bottomless pit, even if he (Ruk) was ordered by Dr. Korby (Michael Strong) to obey Nurse Chapel's command. Kirk would have done everything necessary to protect the Enterprise, even if it meant challenging Korby and Ruk himself. This conundrum was a little weak though, and would be done to greater effect in later stories.
I have to say, in one respect, this episode certainly lived up to the Star Trek tag line. Andrea's (Sherry Jackson) costume boldly went where no one had gone before. In fact, without going back to prior episodes to actually check, I'd have to say that the skirts on Uhura and Chapel were visibly shorter than previously seen in the show's brief run. And speaking of Nurse Chapel, how was it that just two episodes prior in 'The Naked Time', she expressed an admiration for Spock. But of course, she would have presumed her old flame Korby to be dead. Which he was when you come right down to it, as this story's twist ending eventually revealed.
Another revelation made here - Captain Kirk has a brother in the service named George Samuel. Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think we ever heard about Sam again. It's a big universe.
I have to say, in one respect, this episode certainly lived up to the Star Trek tag line. Andrea's (Sherry Jackson) costume boldly went where no one had gone before. In fact, without going back to prior episodes to actually check, I'd have to say that the skirts on Uhura and Chapel were visibly shorter than previously seen in the show's brief run. And speaking of Nurse Chapel, how was it that just two episodes prior in 'The Naked Time', she expressed an admiration for Spock. But of course, she would have presumed her old flame Korby to be dead. Which he was when you come right down to it, as this story's twist ending eventually revealed.
Another revelation made here - Captain Kirk has a brother in the service named George Samuel. Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think we ever heard about Sam again. It's a big universe.