1x09 Dagger Of The Mind (Cult Tv Boards)

Title: 1x09 Dagger Of The Mind

Crichton Kicks - September 17, 2004 10:01 PM (GMT)

QUOTE

Stardate 2715.1: While transferring cargo to the Tantalus Penal Colony, one of the inmates beams aboard the Enterprise and manages to make his way to the bridge before being disabled by a nerve pinch from Spock. By the time the Enterprise returns to Tantalus, McCoy has run a few tests on their stowaway and urges Kirk to begin an investigation of the penal colony despite the reputation of its director, Dr. Tristan Adams. Kirk beams down with Dr. Helen Noel, a psychiatrist, to learn more about the colony's activities. Meanwhile, Spock and McCoy discover that their patient is Dr. Simon van Gelder who was, six months ago, a part of the staff at Tantalus. Eventually, Kirk and Noel learn about a device, the neural neutralizer, that Adams is using to brainwash his patients. While testing the device, Adams takes the controls and uses the pain of the neutralizer's beam to force Kirk into surrendering his phaser and communicator. Because of Dr. van Gelder's conditioning under the device, he is unable to fully explain what has been happening on Tantalus. Spock, therefore, decides to risk a mind meld with van Gelder in which he learns the entire truth. Meanwhile, on Tantalus, Dr. Noel escapes via air-conditioning duct from the room where she is held and finds the power room. After a brief struggle with a guard, she lowers the defensive shields which allows Spock to beam down with a security detail. Kirk, who had been under the neutralizer's beam when the power died, is able to fight and get away from Adams who is left on the floor of the treatment room. When Spock restores power the neutralizer engages and drains the mind of Adams who dies from loneliness while under the beam. Dr. van Gelder is returned to Tantalus as the director of treatment. He dismantles and destroys the neural neutralizer.

Crichton Kicks - September 18, 2004 03:49 PM (GMT)

I have to admit that this is an episode that really, really shouldn't have worked. It worked for me for the completely shallow reason that guest star Marianna Hill as Dr Helen Noel is worthy of a hubba hubba or two :drool: :lol:

The episode itself I found to be a little mundane, and more than a little reminiscent of the earlier What Are Little Girls Made Of ? for my liking. You also have to ask just how gullible is Kirk ?? That's twice in three episodes that he's been fooled into beaming down to someone with an ulterior motive. Small wonder he isn't becoming paranoid by this point :rolleyes: Then there was the 'let's beam up a shifty looking box, leave it on the transporter pad, all leave me alone and then I'll turn my back on it' incident. Whoever's in charge of security at this point needs shooting :rolleyes:

There's also the first use of the Vulcan Mindmeld, Nimoy hasn't quite mastered it at this point and is clearly still toying with the concept, but still, interesting.

Other than that, not really a remarkable episode, noticable only for a few positives :)

Far from the worst of Trek, but equally far from the best as well.

willowroolz - September 25, 2004 11:05 AM (GMT)

I've always really liked this episode. It's not very logical, admittedly, but Morgan Woodward turns in a quality performance as van Gelder, initially leading us to believe he is insane and then slowly stripping that back to reveal what has really happened. I think the one major disappointment is that they only briefly mention him at the end rather than showing him back to his normal self, which would have been more effective.

And, of course, there's Marianna Hill, who is one of the few women to appear that the director doesn't need to use soft focus on to make her look good :lol:

The first mind meld is interesting. It's always a useful plot device, but here it does feel necessary because it is the only way of fighting through the pain barrier that has been set up in van Gelder's mind.

The neural neutraliser has to be one of the cheapest sets ever created for a tv series yet somehow it still manages to be quite effective, which is more down to the acting ability of those involved than anything else. I must admit to allowing myself a bit of a chuckle when Helen observes that Kirk's face went momentarily blank during the process. Oh no! He's been taking acting tips from Majel Barrett!!

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