The Enterprise answers a distress signal from another ship, the USS Defiant, not knowing what lies in wait. Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Chekhov board the Defiant, finding the entire crew dead, having killed each other. The transporter is malfunctioning and only three can return to the Enterprise. The Defiant and Captain Kirk become "interspatially trapped", dissolving, with a possible "interphase" the only hope of rescuing him. This area of space, where dimensions "rift", causes not only the loss of the Defiant and Kirk, but a type of angry dementia where those afflicted act out in a violent, uncontrollable rage. Like in a lot of instances throughout the Trek's various series, we see the result of another ship's tragic demise, planting a seed in our minds as to how the Enterprise crew will try to not wind up suffering a same fate, avoiding the similar circumstances.
I agree with other reviewers on this site that "The Tholian Web" is a strong entry in the maligned Third season, allowing us to see Spock in charge, butting heads with Bones over the right strategic methods to escape their current predicament, only to settle their grievances after a taped recording from Kirk, in case of his death, disrupted the hostility stirring between them. Spock treats his command with logic and absent an influx of emotion, a goal to not only save Kirk, but get the Enterprise out of an evolving jam. These race called the Tholians are angry with the Enterprise occupying their part of space, threatening to blast them to atoms, before Spock returns the favor with a phaser burst that knocks the alien ship for a loop. A second Tholian ship emerges, joining forces with the injured first ship, forming a type of "web", a trap which will imprison them if Scotty cannot get the transporter to operate as well as the warp engines, both of which are losing power. The tension between Spock and Bones (Spock repeats over and over to Bones that he belongs in the laboratory testing for a cure to the dementia epidemic, instead of barking at him in regards to his commanding methods), the rising cases of those with dementia, the steadily forming Tholian energy web slowly trapping the derelict Enterprise, Kirk's possible death, and absence of warp engines, test the resolve of everyone on board the ship. I damn well think this is a plot that works well and has lots of suspense. I am starting to think the third season might have some gems ripe for reevaluation. Uhura (in her Swahili civilian attire and quarters, a nice scene for Nichele Nichols) and Scottie both see a "figment" of Kirk appear on the Enterprise, then disappear, their testimony of this falling on skeptical ears, considered just delusional desire for his being alive. The idea of the Enterprise befalling the same interspatial fate as the Defiant also adds some extra uncertainty to an already distressing sequence of events. Seeing practically an entire episode absent Kirk I consider quite an alluring factor for Trek fans as we experience the ship in a perilous situation, this time with the pressure applied to Spock who never wavers even as Bones contradicts him on numerous occasions. And Spock takes some chances that might or might not result in saving the ship and its crew, such as the decision to not leave Kirk, because any movement might have resulted in never recovering him, or ordering the starting of the warp engines at 70 % as the web is closing, entering the rift, quite a dangerous risk. All in all, "The Tholian Web" is a peculiar Trek episode in that it shows how Spock handles an onslaught of crises and prevails. The tractor beam on Kirk before his gutsy warp into the rift shows that Spock could indeed multitask—and perhaps captain his own starship if such an opportunity had arisen.
My favorite scene, besides the viewing of Kirk's speech to Bones and Spock, who receive it after a heated (well heated from Bones, Spock still remains like a mountain unmoved)argument, has Spock, Bones, and Scottie together about to drink the concoction from the good doctor, a poison diluted with alcohol (Scottie owns this scene as he plans to apply Scotch to the "cure" for extra potency!). This episode really gave others a chance to shine without Kirk; "The Tholian Web" is well worth a look (if just to see Chekhov explode in furious anger at Spock!).
I agree with other reviewers on this site that "The Tholian Web" is a strong entry in the maligned Third season, allowing us to see Spock in charge, butting heads with Bones over the right strategic methods to escape their current predicament, only to settle their grievances after a taped recording from Kirk, in case of his death, disrupted the hostility stirring between them. Spock treats his command with logic and absent an influx of emotion, a goal to not only save Kirk, but get the Enterprise out of an evolving jam. These race called the Tholians are angry with the Enterprise occupying their part of space, threatening to blast them to atoms, before Spock returns the favor with a phaser burst that knocks the alien ship for a loop. A second Tholian ship emerges, joining forces with the injured first ship, forming a type of "web", a trap which will imprison them if Scotty cannot get the transporter to operate as well as the warp engines, both of which are losing power. The tension between Spock and Bones (Spock repeats over and over to Bones that he belongs in the laboratory testing for a cure to the dementia epidemic, instead of barking at him in regards to his commanding methods), the rising cases of those with dementia, the steadily forming Tholian energy web slowly trapping the derelict Enterprise, Kirk's possible death, and absence of warp engines, test the resolve of everyone on board the ship. I damn well think this is a plot that works well and has lots of suspense. I am starting to think the third season might have some gems ripe for reevaluation. Uhura (in her Swahili civilian attire and quarters, a nice scene for Nichele Nichols) and Scottie both see a "figment" of Kirk appear on the Enterprise, then disappear, their testimony of this falling on skeptical ears, considered just delusional desire for his being alive. The idea of the Enterprise befalling the same interspatial fate as the Defiant also adds some extra uncertainty to an already distressing sequence of events. Seeing practically an entire episode absent Kirk I consider quite an alluring factor for Trek fans as we experience the ship in a perilous situation, this time with the pressure applied to Spock who never wavers even as Bones contradicts him on numerous occasions. And Spock takes some chances that might or might not result in saving the ship and its crew, such as the decision to not leave Kirk, because any movement might have resulted in never recovering him, or ordering the starting of the warp engines at 70 % as the web is closing, entering the rift, quite a dangerous risk. All in all, "The Tholian Web" is a peculiar Trek episode in that it shows how Spock handles an onslaught of crises and prevails. The tractor beam on Kirk before his gutsy warp into the rift shows that Spock could indeed multitask—and perhaps captain his own starship if such an opportunity had arisen.
My favorite scene, besides the viewing of Kirk's speech to Bones and Spock, who receive it after a heated (well heated from Bones, Spock still remains like a mountain unmoved)argument, has Spock, Bones, and Scottie together about to drink the concoction from the good doctor, a poison diluted with alcohol (Scottie owns this scene as he plans to apply Scotch to the "cure" for extra potency!). This episode really gave others a chance to shine without Kirk; "The Tholian Web" is well worth a look (if just to see Chekhov explode in furious anger at Spock!).