Enterprise arrives on a planet to evacuate a couple of scientist left there months ago to study the local star that is ready to go nova. Kirk Spock & McCoy (KSM) beam down to the planet and find the science lab is deserted and find a video tape showing the two scientists disappear. KSM also disappear and reappear in a dark room, find a mute woman, that McCoy names Gem. Gem heals a cut on Kirk, she's an Empath, a being that can absorb the pain and damage of others and then healing herself. Good idea.
We are then introduced to a couple of aliens, Vians. They are apparently testing Gem, and torturing KSM for some unknown reason. We have filler scenes of KSM and Gew discovering the 2 scientists dead and frozen in giant tubes, and they escape only to be recaptured by the Vians. The boredom has started.
The Vians take and torture Kirk, Gem heals him. Vinas then say they will next test Spock or McCoy. Chances are one will become insane and the other will die. McCoy injects Kirk to sleep. Spock, since Kirk is out, is now in command and decides to sacrifice himself. McCoy sneak attack, injects Spock with sleep, sacrifices himself. How noble. The Vians beat the hell out of McCoy. Gem at first reluctant, but then helps McCoy. McCoy knowing that this could kill Gem, pushes her away. Nice move, but the whole thing is not executed very well.
Then we are told by the Vians their plan all along was to test Gem to see if her people were worth saving before their star went nova. They were not convinced until Kirk made his BIG SPEECH that the Vians have become all intellect and no "EMPATY". The Vians agree with Kirk and save Gem's people.
It's ironic that these Vians were testing Gem's capacity for empathy, but they needed Kirk to point out that they themselves have lost empathy. The idea is fine. But repetitive filler and boring scenes. KSM acting was ok. Gem was good. The Vians sucked. Sets sucked. The music sucked. This is not a great episode. But it has some decent ideas and all Star Trek fans must watch.
Here's some plot holes. What were the Vians going to do if KSM didn't show up? The two scientist were dead, and no others to torture for Gem to save. Not enough background on Gems people and the Vians. Bare bones script, and tons of repetition. What happened to the two scientists? Whey were Kirk and McCoy tortured? Why not just put some pain to them and see what Gem does? The Vians were relying on saving Gems people off this one test? Seems illogical.
We are then introduced to a couple of aliens, Vians. They are apparently testing Gem, and torturing KSM for some unknown reason. We have filler scenes of KSM and Gew discovering the 2 scientists dead and frozen in giant tubes, and they escape only to be recaptured by the Vians. The boredom has started.
The Vians take and torture Kirk, Gem heals him. Vinas then say they will next test Spock or McCoy. Chances are one will become insane and the other will die. McCoy injects Kirk to sleep. Spock, since Kirk is out, is now in command and decides to sacrifice himself. McCoy sneak attack, injects Spock with sleep, sacrifices himself. How noble. The Vians beat the hell out of McCoy. Gem at first reluctant, but then helps McCoy. McCoy knowing that this could kill Gem, pushes her away. Nice move, but the whole thing is not executed very well.
Then we are told by the Vians their plan all along was to test Gem to see if her people were worth saving before their star went nova. They were not convinced until Kirk made his BIG SPEECH that the Vians have become all intellect and no "EMPATY". The Vians agree with Kirk and save Gem's people.
It's ironic that these Vians were testing Gem's capacity for empathy, but they needed Kirk to point out that they themselves have lost empathy. The idea is fine. But repetitive filler and boring scenes. KSM acting was ok. Gem was good. The Vians sucked. Sets sucked. The music sucked. This is not a great episode. But it has some decent ideas and all Star Trek fans must watch.
Here's some plot holes. What were the Vians going to do if KSM didn't show up? The two scientist were dead, and no others to torture for Gem to save. Not enough background on Gems people and the Vians. Bare bones script, and tons of repetition. What happened to the two scientists? Whey were Kirk and McCoy tortured? Why not just put some pain to them and see what Gem does? The Vians were relying on saving Gems people off this one test? Seems illogical.