Mudd's Women

This is the first appearance of Harry Mudd, scoundrel of space, a con artist whose cargo are three lovely ladies. He next showed up in the episode "I,Mudd" and even a cartoon version popped up in the animated series in '73. I was never a big fan of the character like many other Trek fans; of all the characters to bring back, they chose this oaf with the huge belt buckle, a throwback to the era of stylish pirates with big earrings. Sure, he can be amusing, but in small doses; after 10 minutes, you want to throw him in the brig to shut him up. He sort of reminds me of the typical characters encountered on the more silly "Lost in Space" TV show. Carmel, a good actor, also tended to be something of a ham and couldn't resist some over-the-top scenery chewing.

This is one of the weaker episodes of the first season, slow going and uneventful. There's a bit of mystery surrounding the three women, who have an odd effect on all the male crew (except Spock, who looks on bemused), causing involuntary arousal. I was more interested in the early use of the transporter at the beginning of the episode, when Mudd's ship is destroyed, but the women had not yet transported to safety on the Enterprise and, for a few moments, there's a question as to whether they would be. For a few seconds, this means they were neither dead or alive, in some limbo, and it all depended on Scotty's and Spock's deft handling of the machinery. This would mirror similar scenes involving transporter use in later episodes. Towards the final act, our beloved starship is once again in danger of spiraling down to its destruction on the planet it orbits, similar to the much more effective "The Naked Time" episode made close to the same time.

But there's no sense of actual tension during this episode. Mostly, the captain and his crew are irritated by Mudd and perplexed by the women - that's pretty much it. The entire plot seems somewhat beneath Kirk and his ship to deal with, including the subplot about some possibly illegal drug. Interestingly, Kirk is all business in this episode, with no time for romance. There is one great exchange between Kirk & McCoy as they conjecture on the mysterious aura of the women and at least one fine performance from guest star Dynarski as one of the miners in the 2nd half of the show. He would later appear as a completely different character in a much later episode, "The Mark of Gideon."

I can see what was risky about 'Mudd's Women' back in the '60s, but at the risk of betraying immaturity, it's the superficial aspects of this episode that grabbed me. For one, Harry Mudd's a fun character and I look forward to seeing him again (I hear good things about 'I, Mudd'). Also, the focus on three super fine actresses; the eye candy runneth over. Plenty of mileage is gotten out of crew members going to pieces at the sight of a beautiful woman (not to mention Spock smirking at all of this). It's the last act that's a bit off, and that believe in yourself bit feels forced.

But it's still an enjoyable episode, with a scoundrel for a (somewhat) foil and for the most part a suitably comic tone.

6/10

I am thrilled that they made this average episode because without it they probably never would have made the wonderful follow-up episode, I, MUDD--one of the very best Star Trek episodes ever made.

Harry Mudd is the commander of a craft that is ordered to stop and be boarded. Instead, he over-taxes the engines and he and his "cargo" are nearly killed. The cargo turns out to be three very ordinary-looking women who are supposed to be über-sexy (you can tell because of the sexy jazz riffs that follow them as they slink about the ship).

The episode is pretty good because Roger Carmel was wonderful as Harry Mudd--he was funny and sleazy and just a lot of fun to watch. Aside from his performance, though, the rest of it all just seemed ordinary. No magic--just an ordinary show with nothing to especially recommend it.

By the way, for Star Trek purists, they keep referring to Lithium Crystals. Later, they changed it to Dilithium Crystals that powered the ship.

FYI--The first few episodes were shown in a completely convoluted manner. This is why Uhuru is wearing yellow instead of the familiar ref (which she wore in the first episode aired). This one was filmed BEFORE the first aired episode ("The Man Trap").

Season 1, episode 6. The Enterprise ends up picking up a madman known as Harry Mudd and three very beautiful, seductive women - Harry's "cargo". All of the men on board the ship are strangely amore for these ladies. Kirk and crew cross examine Mudd and the ladies with the help of the ship's computer they learn Mudd is a smuggler and has been under psychiatric treatment, the ladies the computer found nothing on. One of the women talks a bit too much and they learn the women are wanting husbands. While this is going on, the ship is in desperate need of lithium crystals and beam down to Rigel XII with the women to get the crystals and the women are wanting husbands. There are more to these strangely attractive women than meets the eye - but what? And what does Mudd have to do with them?

A very "attractive" episode. I find myself strangely liking the outlaw Harry Mudd yet wanting to slap him silly. LOL.

8/10

The Enterprise is playing space traffic cop when they stop a ship being driven by one Harry Mudd, an outrageous man in an outrageous pirate like costume. Roger C. Carmel plays Mudd in the first of two Star Trek appearances.

Basically Mudd is charged with some space traffic violations. But it's his cargo that has the crew buzzing. Three gorgeous women who look like they stepped off a Las Vegas chorus line.

But these women take an aphrodisiac concoction that makes them appear as they do and get the men thinking from below decks.

The Enterprise also is in sad need of dilithium crystals to make it go and they've got them on a nearby mining planet. They also have some very antsy minors who haven't had feminine companionship either.

I think you can see where this is going. This episode is highlighted by Roger C. Carmel as the great Harcourt Fenton Mudd.