This Side of Paradise - episode #25

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE (1st season; episode #25)
Directed by Ralph Senensky / writers: D.C. Fontana, Jerry Sohl    Air Date: 03/02/67


An episode sometimes overlooked, maybe because it lacks a splashy villain or some huge outer space threat. But, the threat is there - just a bit more subtle. This begins as a mystery (as in SHORE LEAVE above) or a "puzzle" as Kirk calls it. The Enterprise arrives at a planet with a small agricultural colony, but the crew expect to find everyone dead due to what are known as 'Berthold Rays'-a lethal form of radiation bathing the planet. Yet, all the members of the colony are quite alive and thriving. How? Why? The answers lie with some funky-looking plants which shoot spores into human beings, indoctrinating them into a future version of the 'happiness pill' society. All worries melt away and humans can relax in their new paradise.
It sounds great and, for awhile, there seems to be no reason to escape something so benevolent. What probably stunned audiences way back when this first aired was the effect these spores have on Spock. Now it was spelled out that Spock does have emotions, he just continually suppresses them in his 'normal' life. The episode has a beguiling quality and moments of incredible poignancy, mostly in scenes with Spock and his new lady love (guest star Jill Ireland). One can imagine, also, Kirk's stunned reaction when he first witnesses Spock behaving like any other human. It's still an eye-opener after all these years and an opportunity for actor Nimoy to act 'outside the box' for this episode.
Of course, things don't stay semi-amusing for long; eventually the entire crew is seduced by these spores, calmly mutiny and the ship empties. One can think, "why not? - as long as everyone's OK" - but it falls to Kirk to determine that mankind thrives on purpose & pain, hard as that may be sometimes. It's also eerie to see Kirk alone on his ship at one point - the last man. There follows his unforgettable confrontation with Spock, where he heaps insult upon insult and all those hints of Vulcan strength are now depicted. McCoy also gets in the best line when he confronts the colony's leader (Frank Overton) towards the end ("You'd better make me a mechanic..") - priceless. We all have our self-imposed purgatories, this story seems to say, but, for now, they are necessary to our goals & achievements. One cold dash of reality comin' up! BoG's Score: 9.5 out of 10

TOS.