This always has been one of my favorite episodes. The obvious Shakespearean references aside, this episode provides an interesting view of Kirk-as-Hamlet. Like Hamlet, Kirk is faced with a murderer, but is unable to take decisive action to apprehend him until it is too late. Fortunately, unlike Hamlet, Kirk's vacillation costs Caridian his life, rather than Kirk's own.
The episode has a number of nice touches--Janice Rand's glance at Lenore Karidian as the latter leaves the bridge (in Rand's last appearance on the show)--comes to mind very quickly, but it also has a sour note or two. When Spock questions Kirk's decision to allow the acting company to travel with the Enterprise, McCoy too readily attributes it to Kirk's attraction to Lenore; the doctor should be a bit more professional than that. In addition, Riley seems to give up too easily when confronted by Kirk.
The episode has a number of nice touches--Janice Rand's glance at Lenore Karidian as the latter leaves the bridge (in Rand's last appearance on the show)--comes to mind very quickly, but it also has a sour note or two. When Spock questions Kirk's decision to allow the acting company to travel with the Enterprise, McCoy too readily attributes it to Kirk's attraction to Lenore; the doctor should be a bit more professional than that. In addition, Riley seems to give up too easily when confronted by Kirk.