This episode neatly epitomizes the black hole that Star Trek was descending into in season 3. The Enterprise takes aboard several children whose parents have committed mass suicide on a colony without asking serious probing questions concerning the reason for their deaths even though Dr. McCoy notices the lack of emotion in the kids. Shouldn't alarm bells be ringing here among the Star Trek personnel? Predictably enough, the children soon take control over the starship with supernatural telepathic powers and direct it to Marcus 12 under the influence of a 'friendly angel' called Gorgan (played by Melvin Belli). The children manipulate the Enterprise crew to do their will and nearly have Kirk arrested as the captain struggles to regain command over his ship. Once Kirk eventually breaks Gorgan's spell by playing a tape showing the children playing with their parents on Triacus and then their parent's terrible deaths and graves, the children cry and see Gorgan's true evil nature. Kirk is back in command and everything returns to normal. McCoy then says "its good to see the" kid's cry.
Children--especially several children--do not make plausible science fiction subjects. Its hard to believe that this plot is realistic: that a bunch of kids can take over the massive Enterprise without quickly eliminating Kirk from the picture. Almost all the Enterprise crew--including Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekhov fall under their spell...but the equally human captain Kirk is immune from their mind control? There are just too many plot holes here! Belli's performance as Gorgan is also poor since he was really an attorney, not an actor. This episode is almost as bad as 'Spock's Brain' or 'The Way to Eden.' It seems to have been written with a minimum of insightful ideas.
Children--especially several children--do not make plausible science fiction subjects. Its hard to believe that this plot is realistic: that a bunch of kids can take over the massive Enterprise without quickly eliminating Kirk from the picture. Almost all the Enterprise crew--including Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekhov fall under their spell...but the equally human captain Kirk is immune from their mind control? There are just too many plot holes here! Belli's performance as Gorgan is also poor since he was really an attorney, not an actor. This episode is almost as bad as 'Spock's Brain' or 'The Way to Eden.' It seems to have been written with a minimum of insightful ideas.