The Enemy Within - episode #5
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The Enemy Within - episode #5
THE ENEMY WITHIN (1st season; episode #5)
Directed by Leo Penn / writer: Richard Matheson
Just who is Captain Kirk...really? Is he, in essence, brutal...a thoughtless animal, when all the surface cover is stripped away? Or is he actually gentle, a meek, passive man who pretends to be aggressive? It is, of course, much more complicated, as is the case with most human beings. But, the title of this episode is misleading and so are the first few scenes. The second Kirk who materializes on the transporter platform after a strange malfunction is not a duplicate of the real Capt. Kirk, nor is he, as it turns out, an enemy to Kirk's existence. Kirk himself gets it wrong as he describes what happened in his log. Neither of the Kirks after the credits is the real one in this episode. They are both just half of the real Kirk, who no longer exists at this point.
Excitable.
It's an actor's dream to portray so varied a version of one character, as well as to enact a 'doppelganger' episode (as would happen in several other episodes). Shatner subtly captures the gentle aspects of the 'good' Kirk and also gets to tap into his inner rage with his performance as the so-called evil Kirk version in this episode. This version of Kirk is always sweating, eyes furtive, and then usually there's a spasm into a screaming fit as if he's totally out of control or seriously ill. It's a startling transition whenever we switch from the calm, tired Kirk - who is also ill, though in a more benign fashion - to this obvious madman (the lighting and make-up in these scenes also helps).
However, by the 3rd act, we learn, via Spock's analytical observations, that all of Kirk's power of command rests in this evil half. Of course, the entire episode is about expanding on and examining the usually simplistic concepts of good and evil; the supposed negative side of Kirk is needed for him to function as captain. We humans are made up of many parts, this story says, and all of these are necessary, whether labeled positive or negative (one can say the same for most business and political leaders).
The glaring flaw in the episode, in retrospect, is that no shuttlecrafts were sent to rescue the men trapped on the planet below from freezing to death. Maybe the crafts were all in disrepair or there was something in the atmosphere (or maybe they weren't written into the show, yet). Of course, this added dilemma of crew members slowly dying served to underscore the positive Kirk's growing indecision on such matters. It was probably in this episode that we first learned how infallible a starship captain must be, even if just for the sake of appearance.
BoG's Score: 7.5 out of 10
Extra Trek Trivia: writer Richard Matheson scripted this; among his many works is the famous The Incredible Shrinking Man and Duel (TV-71). Here was the first use of Spock's famed Vulcan nerve pinch, suggested by actor Nimoy as an alternative to simply striking the bad Kirk from behind. Here's Shatner on the Mike Douglas Show in 1969, explaining his process as an actor in this episode: and
____________ footage with music audio of Gravity of Love by Enigma - an interesting experiment,by TrekkieGirl
Last edited by BoG on Fri Nov 07, 2014 12:45 am; edited 6 times in total
Enemy Within full episode
Classic Trek Quotes:
McCoy: "It's dead, Jim." - the first episode McCoy utters this "dead" line, though it's in reference to an alien dog here; usually it's about a crewman or other human.
McCoy: "It's dead, Jim." - the first episode McCoy utters this "dead" line, though it's in reference to an alien dog here; usually it's about a crewman or other human.
Back to the bottle again Captain...?
Last edited by BoG on Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:10 pm; edited 2 times in total
original Enemy Within
Here's some background information on The Enemy Within... Richard Matheson wrote the script and his original ending was even more provocative that the one filmed with Spock & Rand! As is well known, in the finished episode Spock hinted to Rand at the end that she might have liked some of the brutal Kirk's attentions and Rand acted like a team player in response, rather than slapping the Vulcan. Here's the original script:
Finally, here's a link to a YouTube video which re-edits scenes from The Enemy Within into proper order:
It has also come to light that some scenes in the finished version of the episode were edited into a slightly wrong order. For example, I always thought there was something off about that scene where Kirk is told of the transporter problem and "if this should happen to a man..." and Kirk starts to say "Oh my G.." - the article link above and the YouTube video explain why it seems off.
MATHESON'S ORIGINAL ENDING
In Sickbay McCoy tells Kirk not to worry about the crew finding out about his dark side:
McCOY
The same thing would have happened to any one of us
who'd gone through the Transporter at that particular
time. We all have an enemy within.
(beat; smiling)
It's the human condition.
Kirk smiles back and the doctor pats his arm, leaves to help his patients. Kirk starts for the corridor.
INT. BRIDGE - MOVING SHOT - CLOSE ON KIRK
As he emerges from the elevator and moves to Mr. Spock who is at his customary place at the Library-Computer station.
SPOCK
Captain.
KIRK
I want to thank you, Mr. Spock.
I couldn't have made it without you.
SPOCK
(nods once)
What will you tell the crew?
KIRK
That the impostor was put back-
(pause; smiling)
- where he belongs.
JANICE'S VOICE
To die, Captain?
INCLUDING JANICE
JANICE
The... "impostor" told me what
really happened.
KIRK
(a little stunned)
Oh?
JANICE
And I just wanted to say that I
hope he hasn't died.
KIRK
(still off balance)
Why?
JANICE
Because he has some very interesting qualities.
She turns away, smiling cooly. Kirk stares after, then looks at Spock who clears his throat and moves off. Repressing a smile, Kirk goes to his chair, sits. Briefly, he savors the moment, then flicks on his Communicator.
KIRK
(with full authority)
This is the Captain speaking.
EXT. SPACE - FULL SHOT - U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
As it moves off into the night of stars.
FADE OUT.
THE END
It's beginning to look to me that they changed it to make Spock a bit of a villain so as not to make Rand appear like a lady really into S&M abuse and so on. Here's the site from where I sourced this: ENEMY WITHIN BACKGROUND MATERIALIn Sickbay McCoy tells Kirk not to worry about the crew finding out about his dark side:
McCOY
The same thing would have happened to any one of us
who'd gone through the Transporter at that particular
time. We all have an enemy within.
(beat; smiling)
It's the human condition.
Kirk smiles back and the doctor pats his arm, leaves to help his patients. Kirk starts for the corridor.
INT. BRIDGE - MOVING SHOT - CLOSE ON KIRK
As he emerges from the elevator and moves to Mr. Spock who is at his customary place at the Library-Computer station.
SPOCK
Captain.
KIRK
I want to thank you, Mr. Spock.
I couldn't have made it without you.
SPOCK
(nods once)
What will you tell the crew?
KIRK
That the impostor was put back-
(pause; smiling)
- where he belongs.
JANICE'S VOICE
To die, Captain?
INCLUDING JANICE
JANICE
The... "impostor" told me what
really happened.
KIRK
(a little stunned)
Oh?
JANICE
And I just wanted to say that I
hope he hasn't died.
KIRK
(still off balance)
Why?
JANICE
Because he has some very interesting qualities.
She turns away, smiling cooly. Kirk stares after, then looks at Spock who clears his throat and moves off. Repressing a smile, Kirk goes to his chair, sits. Briefly, he savors the moment, then flicks on his Communicator.
KIRK
(with full authority)
This is the Captain speaking.
EXT. SPACE - FULL SHOT - U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
As it moves off into the night of stars.
FADE OUT.
THE END
Finally, here's a link to a YouTube video which re-edits scenes from The Enemy Within into proper order:
It has also come to light that some scenes in the finished version of the episode were edited into a slightly wrong order. For example, I always thought there was something off about that scene where Kirk is told of the transporter problem and "if this should happen to a man..." and Kirk starts to say "Oh my G.." - the article link above and the YouTube video explain why it seems off.
Similar topics
» Episode #55: The Enemy
» episode #61 - The Most Dangerous Enemy
» Episode #140: Face of the Enemy
» episode #39 - Invisible Enemy
» The Last Enemy
» episode #61 - The Most Dangerous Enemy
» Episode #140: Face of the Enemy
» episode #39 - Invisible Enemy
» The Last Enemy
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