The Deadly Years

Naysayers dislike this episode, but I've always loved it and still do. The makeup is brilliant (not perfect, but it was designed for a 480-line TV). The competency hearing shines with its awkward silences. Kirk's swagger gets worse the more he ages. It's fun to see him be proven wrong again and again, which is 180 degrees from what the other episodes depict. "Ask me anything. We're in orbit around Gamma Hydra II."

McCoy turns into a crusty Southern doctor (giving Spock one of his greatest comeback lines). Sure the battle drama is contrived, but It's a nice "back to normal" moment.

I'm currently re-watching the series (on Blu Ray - gorgeous!) and it's so nice to see an episode where they are not fighting super beings with god-like powers. There are waaay too many episodes like that.

Reading all reviews here I'd realize some facetious pitch wretchedly including named a dreary ill-ness describe by some reviewers over Enterprise's crew who were expose on the planet Gama Hydra IV a sort of premature aging, then Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scott and the young Arlene, just Cherkov wasn't affected by such aging process, the plot is resourceful enough to be enjoyable, seeing all those mid-ages power trio growing older faster is fabulous, bolstered by a cogent make up, Dr. McCoy with his inherent bad temper tries out find a clue of this unusual process, the key of the matter could be the Cherkov's immunity, due the fastest ageing Captain Kirk demands order quite often on twice, then Mr. Spoke as half-breed Vulcan due his body constitution somehow postpone the ageing process, but the stern Commodore Stocker (Charles Drake) on board awares of the matter suggest a removal Kirk of the command, Spock as second in command refuses but was overdue by hearing board, then Stocker gets the Enterprise's command, meanwhile McCoy is running out and anything at sight, really gratifying odd episode, without forget the Dr. McCoy's method to care of the unpredictable Vulcan Mr. Spock in order to administer the immunizing is priceless and funny outcome!!

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First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

Season 2, episode 12. The Enterprise is taking Commodore Stocker to Starbase 10 and makes a quick pit stop at Gamma Hydra IV to bring them supplies. Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Chekhov & Galway beam down to the facility where they find no one around. Chekhov goes into one of the buildings and panics & screams out - the rest come running inside to find a dead man. Bones scans him and finds he's died of natural causes, old age. Two seemingly elderly people come in, they are questioned by Kirk about their ages: 29 & 27. The two are beamed aboard ship but they die from old age. Not long after that the group that beam down all started aging rapidly -- all but Chekhov. McCoy estimated they are aging at the rate of about 30 years per day. Galway dies of old age sooner than the others due to her metabolism but the others are aging extremely quickly. To make matters worse, Romulans are in the area. It's a race against time and only their combined wisdom can save them.

Interesting concept were radiation from a comet tail caused the quick aging process. Even more interesting is the reason why Chekhov didn't age and holds the key to the answers.

8/10

I unexpectedly LOVED this ep...particularly Scotty who just wanted to take a nap...all the time! #Who Can Relate

The crew travel down to a planet where everyone is aging mega-rapidly and no one seems to know why. Then they beam back aboard and all of the (except Chekov) start to age rapidly, too. As one of the reviewers so aptly put it...what a drag it is getting old!

Kirk gets forgetful and cranky, McCoy starts drawling like a Southern belle and gets even CRANKIER and Spock would like the thermostat at 200, please...can someone get him a shawl? Nurse Chapel's furrowed brow says it all...these are some grumpy old men!

Commander Stocker does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING under Romulus attack...was he going to talk them to death? Turns out the reason for Chekov's immunity will save the day...AND the Enterprise...but not that awful Monkee wig he wears in the final (recycled) shot.

LAUGHED a lot in this one...which may not have been the intent...but mostly b/c I can relate to all of them...I've never felt more connected to Scotty in my life!

8/10 but it's prolly a 9...I forget...my mind wanders. Time for a nap! 😴

A comet's tail full of radiation, speeds the aging process up with consternation, dithering and old, as the wrinkles crease and fold, leaves the captain on repeat with irritation.

All the landing crew except Chekov suddenly begin to age 30 years in a day after the planet passes through a comets path.