Mirror, Mirror

Captain Kirk, Lieutenant U'Hura, Dr McCoy and Mr Scott are accidentally transported to a parallel universe.

'Mirror Mirror' is an excellent episode with a fantastic sci-fi concept, suspenseful plot and strong character moments.

The plot involves a great situation that has been done to death throughout the franchise, but this is the original and best episode to use it. There is a ticking clock plot that keeps things suspenseful and a lot of situations showing characters under pressure not to show weakness.

When I first saw it in my youth I was on the edge of my seat, particularly towards the end. It does not quite have the same effect on repeat viewings but there is still much to admire about the sci-fi detail and character interactions.

It is a notable episode for some of the supporting characters like U'Hura and Sulu as they do far more than just man their usual stations. Some of Sulu's dialogue is a bit cartoonish in its villainy but that's all part of the sixties charm. Nichelle Nichols and George Takei do some of their best work here, particularly Takei.

Visually it is fantastic, with great costuming, props and lighting to make the Enterprise and crew look and feel like they belong in a more savage place.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy are well written and William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley are on great form.

It is a 9.5/10 for me but I round upwards.

Anticipating the series Sliders by about 30 years this particular Star Trek prime episode is one of the most original and best of the series. A few of the regulars got to explore darker versions of their selves.

After completing part of some unsuccessful negotiations for Dilithium crystals with a pacifist alien planet, the Enterprise Away team which consists of Kirk, Uhura, McCoy, and Scotty get beamed up. But do to a fierce ionic storm are transferred to a parallel universe where the Federation acts more like the Klingon Empire. It's a warlike alliance that has no scruples about wholesale genocide to get what they want.

One of the things that drives this Empire is a cult of intrigue. When our Captain Kirk hesitates about obliterating the aliens Spock is ready to pull a palace coup on the Enterprise against him. And waiting in the wings is Sulu looking to knife Spock literally and figuratively.

As the four regulars in the alien universe look to return to their own universe, we get a great opportunity for Leonard Nimoy, Walter Koenig, and George Takei to explore other darker versions of themselves. Especially Takei who looked like he was having a ball with a treacherous and lecherous version of Sulu. Nichelle Nichols was the object of his lust and she had to alternately encourage and keep Takei at bay as the situation called.

One person that was new was Barbara Luna essentially on the Enterprise to give William Shatner a little Nookie. In fact she glories in being one who serves the Empire and its male officers in every way she can.

This one is a must for Star Trek fans.

I first saw this episode in 1973, when I was 7 and able to understand the meaning of Trek. This has turned out be in my top three episodes of TOS, and here 44 years later, I can never stop watching it.

Now granted there is Star Trek Continues and they made a good follow up to the story, but I would love to see this continue more. What eventually did become of the Terran Empire after the overthrow? Too many questions that should be followed up, in my opinion.

Awesome episode. One of TOS very, if not the best.

Kirk, McCoy, Scott, and Uhura get thrust into an alternate reality where the Federation is an evil empire and their shipmates and friends are now malicious, dangerous adversaries. Now the four have to find a way to get back to their own reality without being discovered and killed.

This is one of the best-written, best-acted TOS episodes ever. Ordinarily there is some aspect of the writing to nitpick about. Not here. Every action anybody takes makes sense, the characters are developed superbly, and the pacing is swift and invigorating. This is quality TV writing, and if every script had been this good the series would have lasted a lot longer, I think. One moment I'd like to point out especially: early on Kirk proposed to disable the phasers so they can avoid phaser-bombing a helpless planet, but Scottie subtly reports to Kirk he cannot because the phaser banks are being guarded. This is good writing: the good guys had a sensible (not contrived) solution to a problem, and the obstacle to that solution also made perfect sense (and was not contrived). That makes the tension feel very real.

The acting takes it over the top. William Shatner's Kirk displays the quick wits and cleverness that make the character so interesting. And notice how our good guy Kirk is not entirely uncomfortable in his new, dangerous environment. Sure, he's disgusted by all the cruelty around him, but you can sense he gets a thrill out of navigating all the treachery. Leonard Nimoy's evil version of Spock is genuinely menacing in a cool, calculating way. Nichelle Nichols' Uhura shows us a cunning, wily side of her we have only ever seen suggested before (and check her out in that revealing outfit.) But the acting prize goes to George Takei. In this episode, his evil Sulu is slimy, sleazy, scary, and wonderfully despicable. As another reviewer suggested, Takei should have played more villains.

Overall, Mirror, Mirror is a ten.

An ionic storm causes confusion, when the landing crew make an intrusion, take a parallel trip, to a pirate space ship, run by uniformed rogues through collusion.

Channels are disrupted and some of the crew beam across boundaries into a parallel world where variations on a theme are enough to make you feel unwanted.