Mirror, Mirror

Season 2, episode 4. The Enterprise is at the planet of the Halkan Council where Kirk, Scotty, McCoy and Uhura are there to speak to them in order to request permission to obtain dilithium crystals from the planet. The council refuses and the team beam back aboard the ship during an ion storm - but they find they have boarded another Enterprise in an alternate universe. Now Kirk, Scotty, McCoy and Uhura must work together in order to get back to their own universe without being killed by the "evil" or alternate Enterprise crew. One hope remains... the integrity of the "evil" Mr. Spock.

A long time favorite among Star Trek fans - and myself. Unforgettable is the goatee on the "evil" Spock and the scar on the face of Sulu. The only complaint I have about this episode: it's not long enough!!! LOL. If it were longer they could have shown us more of what happened in the "good" universe with the evil versions of Kirk, Uhura, McCoy and Scotty. But what little we did see was a joy to watch as the "good" Spock held them in a cell.

9.5/10

Having failed to convince the Halkan council to allow the Federation to mine dilithium crystals on their planet, Captain Kirk. Dr. McCoy, Scotty and Uhura beam back to their ship during a magnetic storm only to find themselves in a parallel universe where the Enterprise belongs to a brutal empire. This alternate version of The Enterprise is manned by an untrustworthy, backstabbing crew who attempt to move up the ranks using deceit and assassination.

As Scotty and McCoy attempt to rig the transporters to replicate the conditions that transposed them, Kirk has to prevent arousing the suspicions of the alternate Spock and avoid being bumped off by Chekov, while Uhura does her best to keep the lusty parallel version of Sulu at arm's length.

Spock with a beard; George Takei playing a treacherous sex pest; Chekov thrown into an agony booth; good Kirk snogging the evil captain's woman Marlena (BarBara Luna); Uhura looking foxy in a sexier than usual outfit: it's all tremendous fun, one of the most enjoyable TOS episodes.

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.

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.

I recently watched an old episode of The Twilight Zone where an astronaut returns to Earth and to a family that isn't quite right. The concept of a parallel universe has been a part of scifi for a long time. In this episode, after negotiating with a planet to gain dilithium crystals, Kirk beams up. At that very time, something happens, sending him into another universe. it contains similar characters though they are beset with avarice and evil. Even Spock has accepted the fact that maintain discipline he must inflict pain on people, even kill them. Of course, if good Kirk is on this starship, his counterpart is on the Enterprise we know. Of course, here comes the fun. The good Kirk must figure out what happened and find some way to turn things back. The other Kirk sticks out like a sore thumb but has the power of his position. So things aren't so easy to remedy. This is a wonderful use of a unique situation and the writers don't waste it. What's neat is that the good Kirk tries to initiate change on the new ship, so he isn't just single minded in his efforts.