User reviews

The Enterprise arrives in Melkotian space, Kirk's aim to set up relations with the secretive race. The Melkotians don't take kindly to visitors, however, and, as a form of punishment, seemingly send the 'big five' (Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov) to a warped version of Tombstone, circa 1881, based on information they plucked from Kirk's mind. When I saw this episode in my early years, my first thought was that the budget for the show had really been curtailed by this point: they couldn't even set up a complete 'Old West' town - what, they ran out of wood? Was wood too expensive by this time? Of course, I missed the key line of dialogue from McCoy: the characters themselves realized the town was incomplete. Bits and pieces were selected from Kirk's brain, creating a surrealistic hodgepodge of history and stylized staged drama. I wasn't even acquainted with the term 'surrealism' when I first viewed this episode, young as I was, so it wasn't until years later that I started to appreciate the gloomy dramatic elements of this eerie ghost story - an almost nightmarish stroll among some phantoms and shadows of a violent past era.

When I was younger, my favorite moments in this episode involved Kirk's somewhat comical attempts to communicate 'his reality' to some of the residents of this half-baked town: to the bartender, to the cowardly sheriff Behan, and to the main antagonists themselves, the cold-eyed Earps. But, in my later years, these scenes became the weaker aspects to the story: why was Kirk wasting his time running around trying to convince apparitions of who he really was? Why waste time trying to make peace in the face of a predestined, preordained clash of wills? Make no mistake, minutes after their arrival to this fake Tombstone, the 'landing party' has already deduced that they're trapped in some strange illusion; they're not sure of its exact nature yet, but they realize it's some replay of history, a recreation of reality, but unreal in essence - they know the aliens tapped into Kirk's mind. So Kirk's lame efforts are at odds with the nature of this storyline - the thing's a head trip and those scenes stray from the premise, as if Kirk is trying to make meaningful contact with natives of just another planet, as with most episodes.

To me, the strengths of this episode are the moments when the Trek-makers adhere to the eerie play of shadows premise: the Earps and Doc Holliday are the best sample of this; they're consistently portrayed as some ghostly, almost demonic versions of lethal western characters. I wonder what direction the actors received for their portrayal - probably something like 'act as if you're zombies.' Morgan and Wyatt in particular come across like some bizarre wax figures come to life. The stylized presentation of the 'not quite there' town, as if half of it is trapped in another dimension, remains a trippy excursion into Twilight Zone territory, exemplified by that clock hanging in mid-air where a wall should be; the viewer's mind is also drawn to that clock because we're constantly reminded of how it's closing in on 5:00, the time of our heroes' doom. It's a countdown to doom, quite effective. Oh, and, Chekov is shot and killed in this episode; yes, this is Chekov's final episode...just kidding. Check out the film "Tombstone"(93) for another interpretation of this page of American history.

Supposedly the third season's budget cuts resulted in the very abstract Wild West town setting. I am skeptical of that because any major Hollywood studio of the era would certainly have a Wild West setup on their back lot.

Plus, the story itself is explicitly about all of this being an illusion.

Spock knowing about Wyatt Earp, etc, was more of an issue for me. However, the reason that's even in the script is a side effect of so much Wild West production of that era.

It seems like a lot of people pan this episode for its bare bones approach in terms of production values. To me that's part of its charm. It's looks like an offbeat play that's character focused, with the threads of a story to tie it together.

There's an existential quality to this episode that, for me at least, brings out an ethereal plane for Kirk and crew. It's surreal. It's a puzzle within an enigma that pits the mettle of the bridge crew against an alien race that is trying to evaluate Star Fleet's finest.

I have to admit, the whole Western thing seems pretty cliché, particularly for the time when this show was being made. Westerns were all the rage in the 50s and 60s, and I suppose Star Trek had to pay homage to the genre in some form or fashion. "Spectre of the Gun" offers that, just as other episodes touched on medical and courtroom drama formulas.

Another positive about this episode is that the creative team really had to be inventive to make this Alien Western feel both Alien and Western. The cinematography is yet again a little more daring and inventive than in the previous two seasons. Shatner is challenged to carry this episode with his thesping, as he was called upon quite a few times for the third season.

In my personal opinion this episode might have really shined had the whole Western thing been dropped, and replaced with some strange alien culture. But, as others have mentioned, the Western theme was brought in to save dollars.

In spite of the low budget feel of this episode, I still find it intriguing in much the same lines as "The Empath", which as I pointed out was more of a theatre exercise where the camera was more focused on the actors than the actual story.

Take it for what it's worth. It's a little more dramatically inventive if somewhat on the cheap side. Give it a shot.

This unusual episode might well have been subtitled "Enterprise meets 'Twilight Zone' "---there are a number of such elements here. It's also a provocative and intriguing exploration of the nature of reality vs. illusion, and as I watched it, not just once but many times (which goes to show just how hooked I am on this original series), I found myself speculating on various aspects of this exploration---not the least of which was the stupidity of the Melkotians for not doing their homework! They should have known that the information they gleaned from Kirk's mind was erratic and inconsistent, so they could only come up with an illogical scenario in which to throw the landing party. Fascinating (in Vulcan the word is "sem-rik".) And speaking of Vulcan---I was thoroughly intrigued by the triple mind-meld, which was actually a beautiful demonstration of one of Spock's unusual and little-known abilities: telepathic hypnosis. I noticed that he worded his spoken suggestions differently for each member of the rest of the command crew---each one a bit different, but the end result was the same: the idea that the bullets were unreal, they did not exist. The only thing damaged in the shootout was the wooden fence! As for the question of whether the review contained any spoilers, I would have to say " no". Something to think about.

I think what has stayed with me all these years are the cold fish-eyes of the Earps and Doc Holliday. Normally portrayed as heroes, these black clad, cold blooded killers face off against the Enterprise principles. A planetary people, the Melcotians, are angry with Kirk and the gang for crossing into their territory. He proceeds anyway because of his basic bullheadedness. The crew find themselves in Tombstone, Arizona, on the day of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. They are recognized as the Clantons and their ilk (normally the bad guys in the story). I always get a kick out of guys like Chekov (and even Kirk in some episodes) when, in the most dire circumstances, they are taken in by their human weaknesses. Chekov gets himself killed because he can't wait three hours (make that five minutes) to hook up with a saloon girl, ticking off Virgil Earp, who has desires for her. Their lives are at stake; what is he doing? What is weird is the Enterprise crew continues to wear their regular uniforms, yet the townspeople and the Earps see things differently. They have old western gun belts, but the rest of their attire is their day-to-day clothing. Why didn't the Melcotians go the extra step? All that aside, it is a pretty entertaining episode.

The Star Trek's writers conceived a fine cinematic experience at western surreal concept over the infamous incident at OK Corral, the episode is really unusual as far I know never seen before a well thought-out screenplay bounded with an inventive and lavish sets.

The Melkotians send ours friends Capt. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty and Chekov to the old Tombstone as Clanton's gang to duel against the fearsome Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday that'll takes place at famous spot OK Corral due Captain Kirk refused attend Melkotian leader's ordering to return when Enterprise had entering at their galaxy's frontier.

Thanks for reading.

Resume: First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5.

Enterprise ignores the warning of a space buoy and crew members transport to the service of the Melktonian planet.

This episode has some good moments but for me was quite disappointing given the potential of the premise.

The plot is a recycled concept where members of the crew are forced by a more powerful being into a situation where they need to survive. The concept of it being the Gunfight at the OK Corral is silly but has excellent potential for entertainment. I like the idea of it all coming down to how reality is perceived, but unfortunately it falls flat with a series of mostly uninspired and repetitive scenes.

I enjoyed the scenes with Chekov and the girl, along with the eventual non-violent resolution to the problem, but I found myself bored and frustrated with several other scenes. Kirk repeatedly trying to explain their real identity to other characters and the lifeless exchanges with the Earps are the low points for me.

I think what is most disappointing is that a setup like this offers so much potential fun, yet never delivers. How great would it be to see the landing party getting wholeheartedly into the Western stereotype roles like Kirk and Spock did as gangsters in 'A Piece of the Action'?

Performances are below the usual standard from all, with the guest stars playing the Earps being particularly wooden.

Speaking of wooden, I liked the idea of the set looking like a movie set which works well for the story.

"Spectre of the Gun" (Oct. 25, 1968) Old TV Guide synopsis: 'For violating Melkotian space, the crew is made to appear as the Clanton gang in Tombstone, Arizona, to be met - and killed - by the Earps and Doc Holliday at the OK Corral.' 'WAGON TRAIN to the stars' was never better personified than in Gene L. Coon's science fiction reenactment of a much filmed shootout from 1881, boasting many familiar faces from popular Westerns of television lore. Of course, our Enterprise crew is sentenced to die at the O. K. Corral as the doomed Clanton gang, with only a few hours to find a solution to their predicament. Chekov's persistent love interest gets him shot dead by a jealous Morgan Earp (Rex Holman), until Kirk realizes that his character, Billy Clanton, actually survived the upcoming gunfight. It's an interesting contrast between 23rd century physician McCoy and 19th century sawbones Doc Holliday (Sam Gilman), while the Earps remain unfazed by Kirk and his theories, the final showdown a genuine surprise.

The Enterprise crew *try* to fulfill their current mission of making contact with beings called the Melkotians. However, the Melkotians are inhospitable types; they're having NONE of this, and thereby set Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, and Chekov up to be "punished" in a recreation of Tombstone, Arizona, 1881...just before the infamous shootout at the O. K. Corral. And since Kirk & Co. Are intended to represent the Clanton gang, they're not supposed to make it out of this alive.

Written by Gene L. Coon (under a pseudonym), this is a delicious hook for an episode, and for once, the crew make their need to be conscious of their budget work FOR them. Led by director Vincent McEveety, they make this incomplete set look appropriately surreal. This is also a scenario in which our protagonists have to do some real THINKING to get out of this jam. Yet, they also try to make use of the materials at their disposal to see if they can't create some sort of tranquilizer for the Earp brothers & Doc Holliday.

Excellent atmosphere and a provocative script (albeit one that's likely to be questioned by viewers afterwards) make this one of the better episodes of the third season. Things are also incredibly tense from the get-go.

The solid roster of guest stars includes Ron Soble ("True Grit") as Wyatt Earp, the lovely Bonnie Beecher (with whom Koenig gets to lock lips), Charles Maxwell as Virgil Earp, Rex Holman ("Panic in Year Zero!") as Morgan Earp, Sam Gilman ("Macon County Line") as Doc Holliday, Charles Seel ('Duel'), Bill Zuckert ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"), and Abraham Sofaer ("Quo Vadis") as the Melkotian voice. Interestingly, the men playing the Earps & Doc were made to come off as a group of coldly ominous automatons. It's a haunting touch.

The most fun I had was in enjoying the characters go through their paces in this stylized "Western" setting. Trivia buffs will note that DeForest Kelley had acted out the notorious gunfight before: on TV, where he'd played Ike Clanton, and in the feature film "Gunfight at the O. K. Corral", where he played Morgan Earp.

Seven out of 10.

When I first saw this episode in 1968, I was half impressed. The clever ending I liked, and the knockout gas scene, but the half-built sets put me off. In hindsight, this episode has much to recommend it.

The western set functions like a stage production: bare bones, but enough to give you the general idea. Quite fitting considering who put them there (the Melkotians apparently also had a tight budget). The photography and staging are excellent, especially at the OK Corral. There's a real feeling of dread.

The actors playing the western bad guys are top notch, as if they walked straight off one of the many westerns still on TV at that time. As a bonus, the bartender is a hoot, a Walter Brennan soundalike.

Ordinarily I'd roll my eyes at this type of show: all-powerful aliens (again), an Earth-like setting (again), a plot based on earth's history (again). But it works. The dialog is top-notch and the bad guys look fearsome. Yet there's even room for Scotty's humorous and unnecessary "pain-killing" swig of liquor.

At first glance, this episode looks like "this isn't my Star Trek!" But in the context of a final season when many people have bailed on the show for various reasons, here we have an episode that dares to be different and be almost experimental.

And it almost qualifies as a spoof of all those other westerns still hanging on for dear life. They can't do a space travel show, but Star Trek can visit the wild west. Beat that, Gunsmoke!

I don't understand the 3rd season criticism. I read a review of this episode the other day that called it "corny", "goofy", etc... Have these people ever seen the rest of the series? How is this episode cornier than "The Omega Glory", or "The Apple"? Every complaint about this episode I've seen can easily be said about any 1st or 2nd season episode. (Kinda sounds like Star Wars prequel hate to me.) I think the third season is actually better in places than the first two seasons. For one thing, the music is much better, a lot more subtle. The slow pace people complain about is actually a good thing because it allows for more character development as well as simply slowing down and presenting the environment a little bit. Yes, the episodes are corny, but THIS IS STAR TREK!!! That's par for the course here, friends.

I like the feel and look of this episode. Sure, the Sylvia character isn't really needed but one could easily say that about many Star Trek characters. I like this episode a lot better than the movie Tombstone. That's for sure.

The best thing about a beloved show from your childhood is watching it over and over and finding things you missed. I've lived in Taos New Mexico for over a decade but recently rewatched this episode and realized the McCoy makes a reference to a style of whiskey known as Taos Lightning which has recently been resurrected by some local distilleries... Taos Lighting can also be seen written on the blackboard menu of the dining room of the hotel in the show Deadwood.