For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky

One drawback to this episode is the startling revelation about one of the main crew members in the pre-credits sequence: there's a scene in this early section which has so much dramatic impact that the rest of the episode cannot help but be somewhat anti-climactic in comparison. The plot has to do with one of those enclosed worlds concepts well known in science fiction: the inhabitants of a huge ship built inside an asteroid believe themselves to be on a typical planet - their 'sky' is actually the inner shell of the asteroid - similar to the hollow Earth concept developed by Edgar Rice Burroughs for his Pellucidar sci-fi/fantasy stories. It's intriguing and fanciful; the people of this Yonada have a different (and erroneous) view of the universe. They're not stupid, simply misinformed, and need someone like Kirk and his crew to explain the reality of things, kind of like getting away from the whole 'the Earth is flat' view. The hook to the episode is that things need to be righted pretty fast - Yonada is on a collision course with a planet, set to strike in a little over a year.

This isn't that bad of a 3rd season episode, but it doesn't really go anywhere with the intriguing concepts. The story falls back on the now-tiresome 'ruling machine gone wrong' plot, with any of the lackluster tension stemming from the main Enterprise trio getting zapped by this Oracle-instrument as punishment (I also wondered why this machine resorted to heating a room at the end instead of the tried-and-tested zapping attack). The one deviation of the usual scripting is that the high priestess of these people falls for McCoy instead of Kirk (or even Spock or Scotty). This episode is McCoy's story all the way and actor Kelley gets the opportunity to show some range here, further developing the sober dramatic aspects of his character. However, as with the rest of the story, the good set-up is abandoned towards the end: out of necessity, McCoy essentially abandons (not divorces) his new wife and life to continue his adventures on the Enterprise, so that we can see him in a few more episodes for the rest of the 3rd season. If there had been a 4th season, we may have seen a sequel to this episode then. As it is, we never find out what happens regarding the McCoy-Natira relationship, and that's a shame. Or a cheat, if you will.

Whilst there is no doubt that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are the undoubted stars of the greatest science fiction show of all time, ultimately Star Trek only deserves that title in part due to superb performances from a wider ensemble cast and Deforest Kelly as Dr McCoy is at the head of the remaining crew. In many episodes his conflicts with Spock, his outbursts of moral indignation, or his exhortations for Kirk or others to follow a particular course dominate, but here we have an episode more or less devoted to McCoy. It's a cracking one at that.

McCoy contracts Xenopolycythemia, an incurable disease that leaves him with only a year left to live. Shortly after, the Enterprise encounters what appears to be an asteroid on a collison course with a heavily populated planet; however, readings indicate it to be hollow and propelled by atomic power -- a spacecraft. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam inside the ship and discover a race of people who have been living there for 10,000 years, blissfully unaware of its true nature.

Can Kirk and Spock discover a way to correct the course of the asteroid/spaceship? Will the inhabitants' many secrets include a cure for McCoy's disease? Will McCoy decide to remain in Yonada (as the people call their world) when beautiful high priestess Natira declares that she wants to be his mate? The answer is, of course, yes to all three!

There are however, a couple of burning question that aren't answered: why does the 'oracle', the leader of the Fabrinis, keep the truth from its people? What harm would there be in them knowing that they are on a spaceship destined for a new home planet? And what exactly does Natira see in Bones? I mean, he's a nice bloke and all, but he's not exactly an Alpha male like Kirk.

6.5/10. Not a remarkable episode, but still enjoyable, particularly as this one further explores the friendship between its principle characters and allows DeForest Kelley to take centre stage for a change. However, I'm rounding my rating down to 6 for the Fabrinis' horrible oufits, surely a fashion crime that should be punished by the oracle.

A quite sizable population or entourage, have managed to conceal and to camouflage, their ship in a void, of a large asteroid, a space travelling meteoric comet mirage.

A rock is a hard place to change the culture and mind-sets when they've been cast away for so long.

Season 3, episode 8. The Enterprise finds an asteroid, Yonada, that is on a collision course to Darren V, a highly populated planet and it will be there within 396 days. That asteroid has fired a missile towards the Enterprise - attacking it. Also, everyone on board the Enterprise has gotten a check-up and are in good health, all but Dr. McCoy who learns he has about 1 year to live - he has incurable disease called xenopolycythemia (polycythemia). Kirk, McCoy and Spock beam down to the asteroid Yonada and they find it is populated with humanoids that worship an oracle -- it is a space ship disguised as an asteroid. The High Priestess, Natira, orders the capture of the trio then releases them later on. Natira develops an interest in McCoy and prays to the oracle for marriage to McCoy. Finally Spock and Kirk are released to go back to the ship and McCoy agrees to stay with Natira if that means saving the planet of Darren V. Spock ends up discovering the Fabrini archive that has a cure for McCoy's condition.

Of course we all know that "all's well that ends well" - McCoy will be cured and back on the Enterprise with the others while everything will be smoothed over with the Natira and her people and Darren V will be saved.

An average episode... what we expect from from Star Trek TOS. I will say it's a relief to see McCoy as a "love interest" from a lovely lady.

7.5/10