Star Trek (TV Series) The Alternative Factor (1967) User Reviews

Lazarus Blinks and the Universe Disappears

[Bogmeister · 5/10 · 30 July 2006]

The threat which Kirk and the Federation face here is nothing less than the complete annihilation of our entire universe - surely the gravest cosmic problem encountered in Trek's history. It's one of those wild cosmic concepts more prevalent on the TNG series, not restricted to a quadrant or even just our galaxy, but everything. However, the execution of this story and the faulty pace of this episode is rather deplorable. There's way too much repetition throughout: Kirk and some crew beam down to a planet's surface, they go back up to the Enterprise, then back down to the planet, over & over, it seems, with no results; Lazarus falls off a cliff a 2nd time...or is it a 3rd? Much of the attempted efforts to explain the dangerous cosmic effect come off as gobbledygook - is it a doorway in space? A hole between two universes? A corridor with explosions at both ends? Say what? There's also confusion on whether Kirk is dealing with a time traveler here or hopping to parallel dimensions (better realized in "Mirror,Mirror" early in the 2nd season). I finally gathered in the end that the threat revolved around matter and anti-matter of two duplicate objects coming together; but, boy, what a headache to get there.

Kirk, Spock and the others encounter a weird guy named Lazarus on a barren planet following a 'winking out' of all existence. He rants on about his nemesis, an enemy which looks humanoid but is a monster. By the 2nd act, we realize this Lazarus is insane, but Kirk & especially McCoy aren't so quick on the uptake, while Spock just calls him a liar. After a few very spacey phrases by this Lazarus, I would think they'd realize the guy's not all there when Lazarus says "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" Yet, as in a few other weak episodes, an obvious nutcase like this one is given free reign within the Enterprise and this causes problems later (I think Kirk did assign security at some point, but they lost Lazarus a minute later). Then we get that 'cosmic effect' and negative images in slow motion for the 4th or 5th time, meant to convey a struggle between - wait for it - two Lazarus dudes! And as we all know, two into one won't go. This episode gets my vote for the worst one of the first season, a precursor to all those really bad, boring ones in the third season. I do give it more stars than those due to a genuinely chilling denouement at the conclusion.

Flawed, but I don't hate it.

[SpacemanBob · 6/10 · 28 March 2021]

One thing that must be considered is that the show didn't have any single dedicated writer or writers, there were many different writers of any one episode to the next.

The person who wrote this particular episode was Don Ingalls, who was a fairly prolific television writer from the early 1960's to mid 1980's. If not prolific, he received a lot of work. It's the only Star Trek episode he is credited with "written by." He is also has a "story by" credit for the 'A Private Little War' episode. That's it.

There were numerous other writers in the series, many for just one episode, so there almost has to be a few misfires, just based on simple probability. This one isn't the strongest, admittedly. It was probably too ambitious and ended up spinning it's wheels. To start with, there's some goofy special effects. Interesting sci-fi themes are explored, but the explanations are vague (or wrong) and unfortunately never tied up. Guest star Robert Brown as Lazarus is in some scenes brilliant, and in others seems over the top. Still, I feel there's enough done well here to make it a worthwhile watch. If nothing else, it's memorable.

Mostly incoherent, but a hauntingly memorable ending

[intp · 5/10 · 19 July 2014]

This was one strange episode that made little sense. Um, why would contact between a single matter object (in this case, the 'evil' Lazarus from the positive universe) with a single antimatter object (in this case, the 'good' Lazarus from the parallel, negative universe) result in the destruction of two universes (or even one)? Wouldn't it just result in the destruction of the two objects? Much nonsense in this episode, like talks about a "negative magnetic corridor" and an "alternative space warp." Inexplicable scenes of combat between the two Lazari are interspersed throughout the episode.

But despite all of these problems, I still find the ending to be remarkably affecting. The "good" Lazarus makes the ultimate sacrifice-- and I do mean ultimate! He is willing to be trapped in mortal combat with his double for all eternity, as a "small price to pay" for two universes. Sheesh, I seriously doubt that most people would not consider that to be "too high a price to pay"-- I think most people would figure, the heck with it, just let the universes be destroyed rather than to suffer like that! Kirk seems deeply impressed by the sacrifice (as well he should be).

Great ending dialogue between Kirk and Spock-- "There is of course, no escape for them, sir... There is of course, no escape... The universe is safe, Captain. ... For you and me. But what of Lazarus? What of Lazarus?" For the hauntingly memorable ending, alone, I consider this a cool episode, but the rest of it is, well, silly nonsense.

A bit of a klunker.

[Blueghost · 15 June 2009]

According to "Star Trek; the Inside Story" by Solow and Justman (the two original producers of the Star Trek series) there were some contractual issues with the actor who was supposed to play the guest lead, and thus this caused some scheduling issues which cascaded into other areas of production.

Result; this episode.

Well, what can a guy say about an installment that was supposed to be the crown jewel of Trek, but wound up being a bucket of swill? An "A" for effort... err... maybe.

Things that I spotted; there's an exterior shot showing Kirk and Spock leading a search team, but the actors are their stunt doubles, and not Shatner and Nimoy. The lead character seems prone to injury, and the science fiction in this episode is more fiction than science.

I'll say this, the reason I tend to prefer classic 1960's Trek to the TNG+ era, is because the first season of TOS Trek is psychological; the second season is sociological, while the third season is more interpersonal (with all its flaws). This episode really strove to be a true science-fiction story, and not some encoded amalgam conveying a comment on contemporary society.

No, this episode really wanted to post the question of sacrifice to save two realms of existence. As stated earlier, director Gerd Oswald wanted the son of a famous actor who had star power (the name escapes me). Said actor was drunk and didn't show up for the shoot. SAG threw the book at the actor for breaking his contract, and torpedoing what could've been an interesting, and a true first pure sci-fi masterpiece for this very memorable series.

But, blaming the guest star for all the foibles isn't fair. Truth is the writing was a little weak in this episode. Without a psychological formula to rely on this episode was truly trying to break new ground. But, because the author(s) did not know enough about the science they were dealing with, and only the philosophical dilemma of what they wanted to pose for the audience, the story falls flat.

Even so, it's still fun to see our favorites run around on the screen to save the Federation (and everyone else in this case) from a fate worse than death.

Not a sterling installment. Watch only in passing... if at all.

Awkward yet riveting hard scifi episode

[Aylmer · 7/10 · 15 February 2020]

I have to be contrarian and admit that I like this episode more than most. It's a refreshing bit of hard science fiction with a wonderful mystery setup. The script hints at the possibility of an invasion from the antimatter universe and/or the destruction of all existence due to the collision of both. The execution, however, leaves much to be desired. This riveting premise unfortunately boils down to several encounters with Lazarus, a young man who keeps habitually falling off cliffs in Vasquez Rocks.

The plot of this episode feels paper-thin with plenty of holes. If the very fabric of the universe is at stake and only one (mentally unhinged) person has any information about it, why let him roam around freely about a starship? There's plenty of laughs to be had as well, especially Spock's unemotional accusation of Lazarus being a liar right to his face, complete with an embarrassing musical sting.

It's mostly the incidental music and Robert Brown's over-the-top performance that gives this episode much of its particular charm. It has that Season 1 innocence to it, hinting at a sort of sinister scientific space mystery approach to exploring the Star Trek universe that the show slowly abandoned as it went along. Watch with the un-altered special effects if possible.

Memorable scenarios, intriguing plot and good performance.

[berfedd · 7/10 · 8 August 2014]

"... and what of Lazarus?"

I had not seen this episode for perhaps thirty years, and probably only saw it one or twice as a child, but it left a strong impression and I was delighted to see it again through the wonders of the internet recently.

Panned in the majority of reviews, I feel it is one of the better episodes of the whole franchise, reflecting Roddenbery's vision of Star Trek as an exploration of the human condition. In this case, living with the knowledge that to preserve the status quo, great sacrifices sometimes have to be made, and the survivors have to live with the knowledge of that.

Kirk and crew are on a routine trip when the whole universe 'winks out' momentarily, as if it had ceased to exist. Simultaneously a raggedly dressed space traveller appears out of nowhere. The two events are clearly connected. Lazarus, as he is called, is actually a being who exists in two universes, yet somehow flits between them. There's a good Lazarus, and a bad, or are it/they really both at the same time? The 'good' Lazarus knows he has to put a stop to this universe-surfing to prevent the annihilation of all space and time, so, yes, there's quite a bit at stake as usual.

Lazuras's tiny spacecraft, the size of a bubble car, was immediately recognisable to me - I wonder in which bunch of neurones in my brain that vision is stored - and it's size is at surreal odds with the events going on all around. I'd love to know whether this was intentional, or just a lazy effort on the prop department's part that week - I like the red star on top of the cockpit, looking suspicious like it's been borrowed off one of those children's rides that one finds parked in shopping malls or outside supermarkets. Likewise the anguished cries of Lazarus as Kirk has to propel him towards eternal doom is another image that is stored 'up there' and was immediately recognisable.

Robert Brown gives a bravura performance as Lazarus, suitably intense as someone/something with both heroic and demonic qualities. He does have a penchant for falling off cliff edges with some regularity, but this is TV-land, where something like that has to come along now and then to bracket the commercial breaks (thankfully in the United Kingdom we've only ever had uninterrupted episodes).

On the basis of the strong impressions it gave me as a 10-year-old, the keen performances, and that I've just re-watched it and been entertained again, a high mark.

Weird Goatee Beard Changes - Thicker Then Thinner

[ErasmicLather · 3/10 · 26 February 2007]

I love these old STAR TREK episodes but this must be one of the lamest ever. I couldn't figure out what on earth was going on - nor could Kirk and Spock by the sound of them. Spock keeps making strange and frankly incomprehensible statements like "it's possible...very possible." It's either possible or not, make up your mind, Mr Spock.

Meanwhile, a man falls off a cliff, again and again, and is cured by a small plaster, though blood drips from his mouth. The best parts are Kirk's line "I want facts, not poetry!" and the Enterprise crew hanging out in the recreation room smirking at the state of the canteen coffee while the goatee man prowls about looking ragged. Couldn't Bones have loaned him a spare suit at least?

It's still all splendid fun, of course, and I recommend it wholeheartedly over all modern TV programmes.

"Sometimes pain can drive a man harder than pleasure".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 6 November 2010]

I watched this one twice in a row because frankly, I couldn't follow the non-sensical explanation of what was going on the first time around. The second time didn't help much either. But you know, even a great series like Star Trek will have it's clunkers, and this would be one of them. Almost comical in a way, because if you pay attention, you'll see stuff like Lazarus' whiskers and beard change in texture and fullness over the course of the story. Yeah, yeah, it could have been Lazarus Two, but not if you keep tabs on Lazarus One.

The thing that threw me off right from the start was Kirk's reaction to Code Factor One. He states to the Federation Commodore that he's explored ALL the alternatives, and concludes that an invasion is imminent. Really? So what were some of those other alternatives? There was absolutely no basis for Kirk to come to that conclusion, given the way the story had unfolded so far.

Well, time travel stories usually make my head hurt, but for once, even though the twin Lazaruses (Lazari?) were chasing around through time, that really didn't seem to matter. Or anti-matter as it were. You know, I didn't plan that, it just came out that way. Interestingly, the time travel element seemed to be overthrown by the 'rip in the universe' theory and the corridor between parallel universes. At least that's something I can understand.

What I find really interesting if you watch a TV series in episode order like I'm doing now with Star Trek, you manage to pick up on little bits of trivia that might have escaped you while watching in random order in TV re-runs. Remember the set with the red screen on the left and the two wall computers positioned slightly to the right. The same set up was used before, I believe in Episode #1.7 - What are Little Girls Made Of? You don't think a lot about how these shows had to stay in budget, but when you see an example of a recycled set like that, it's a neat reminder that even the iconic shows had to watch their pennies.

Yeah, I don't get it either

[shakawtwf · 1/10 · 16 November 2007]

I never understood this episode. It's not interesting, nothing happens in it. During those moments when the world is spinning around, I have to laugh because they look like those old "newspapers spinning towards the camera" shots showing a series of headlines, e.g. "Boy Trapped in Refrigerator Eats Own Foot".

Lazarus keeps falling off of cliffs all of the time. The man easily travels through Time and Space and yet he keeps falling into Space all of the Time? When TOS was originally issued on VHS, this was one episode I made sure I didn't buy. There might be more to see in this episode, I just don't have the patience to wade through all of the boredom.

Dont listen to Bad review

[nicofreezer · 7/10 · 4 May 2021]

This episode is not that bad, but yeah its far from the best but also far from the worst. The Plot is very interesting, it could have been way better but in the end a its an pretty little episode 7/10.

Only the explanation in the last 5 minutes is interesting, but by then it's too late

[pkotta · 5/10 · 21 January 2016]

Yes, it's true, this is one of the worst episodes in the entire series, right down there with "The Empath." Yes, Lazarus is one of the most irritating characters, always falling off cliffs to move the story (such as it is) along.

The *only* thing that's interesting in this episode is when Lazarus finally explains how his cat-and-mouse with his alternate-universe counterpart came about. Both the sci-fi physics element and the madman element of the premise are fascinating. But this explanation comes in the last 5 minutes of the show, after 40 minutes of exhausting shenanigans -- too late to even buy the "r" in the word "redeem."

I would love to know the backstory about how this episode went from fascinating concept to crummy filmed episode. Perhaps that would help ease the pain that this entry's very existence creates in the beating heart of the series.

Another interesting bit about this episode is that with it, the series nearly bottoms out before rocketing to the top with the very next episode, "City on the Edge of Forever." From the very bottom, the only way to go is up.

Ugly Duckling Epidode, But I Like It

[mmcb-97548 · 9/10 · 27 February 2015]

"The Alternative Factor" admittedly lacks the confident charm, military hierarchy humor and sailing-ship-days sense of adventure that made the Star Trek TOS shows so much fun, like Raoul Walsh's Warner Brothers war films, with interesting characters & conflicts but also with what playwrights call intellectual "thought content"as well. (How different a cultural attitude from our fearful times!)

And, admittedly, the special effects in this episode made me cringe in their crudity, the worst instance being using the start of a "newspaper headline" effect--in a montage supposed to represent an outer space, inter dimensional corridor. And yet the same montage interested and impressed me!--

In its resemblance to the non narrative montages put together by contemporary 1960s Underground Filmmakers such as Bruce Conner and Stan Brakhage. The other filmmaker of that times it resembles are the art-house films of the Spanish socialist surrealist, Luis Bunuel with its repeated frustrated actions by "doubled-up" characters. The 1960s saw people who believed their white, masculine identity was being threatened by African Americans, hippie youths & feminist women. Like Bad Lazarus, they had to kill their Double.

The Enterprise left behind the super criminals on planet Botany Bay. Good riddance! But couldn't they have rescued poor Lazarus, With a Madman At His Neck Eternally? I always find the ending disturbing and sad and, therefore, a welcome change from the usual "Well we got the Captain or Spock or the crew back safely again."

In fact you can't understand the mad atmosphere of paranoia in The Alternative Factor outside of its 1967 historic context. When Spock warns Kirk that Lazarus presents the danger of Complete Annihilation & The Destruction of Civilization & Existence, for the folks at home watching NBC, this was no Sci Fi plot but in the Cold War reality of their lives when, as JFK put it a nuclear sword was dangling over all our heads by a thread

A corridor to a parallel universe

[Tweekums · 6/10 · 13 June 2015]

As the Enterprise approaches an apparently uninhabited planet something strange happens; it is as though everything blinked out of existence before reappearing… and when it does reappear scanners identify a life sign on the planet. An away team goes to investigate and discover a man named Lazarus who claims to be hunting down an evil being who destroyed his civilisation. The blinking effect reoccurs and Star Fleet command suspect that it may be a precursor to and invasion… from where or by whom is unknown. Something appears to happen to Lazarus during the blinks too; injuries disappear and reappear, his beard changes slightly and he goes from ranting about his nemesis to behaving rationally. It turns out that there is a link to another universe, one made of antimatter and Lazarus is after his negative self… the only problem is that should they meet both universes will be destroyed.

This episode was somewhat disappointing; the special effects are rather poor and the science behind the threat completely wrong… when matter and antimatter meet they annihilate each other; you wouldn't have to meet your anti-self for this to happen… so Kirk couldn't go to the anti-universe and anti-Lazarus couldn't come to this one; also it wouldn't destroy the entire universe. Even ignoring that the story isn't one of the best; Lazarus is just too manic, it is hard to believe such a man wouldn't be placed under guard. Overall a distinctly weak offering compared to most of Star Trek; still it is still worth watching if you are a fan of the series.

Meet Lazarus and Lazarus

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 6 August 2019]

In some remote and uninhabited part of the galaxy the Enterprise is buffeted by storms that seem to wink out time and space. Checking with Star Fleet Captain Kirk finds out this is a galaxy wide phenomenon, but located and centered on an uninhabited planet.

It's then that they find a strange spaceship and Robert Brown as Lazarus. It takes most of the episode to find this out but Brown is hunting Brown or his anti-matter self from an alternative universe. And if they meet it's total annihilation for everything and everybody.

We're told that one of the Browns is stark raving mad and can't abide the thought of the existence of the other. That's taking hating yourself to some real extremes.

Definitely one of the weirdest and worst of the Star Trek series despite a nice performance from Robert Brown in the dual role.

Leidenfrost layer

[kennethfrankel · 24 November 2011]

Nobody really knows what would happen if a lump of antimatter and matter come together - tiny particles, yes, big lumps, no. It has been speculated that a fuzzy interaction zone would form, keeping the two sides apart. This is like the Leidenfrost layer that forms if a drop of water is sprinkled on a hot skillet - it dances around. At the right temperature, several hundred degrees, steam insulates the water drop and it lasts much longer than at a higher or lower temperature. Another example is walking on hot coals with bare feet. So, similar to the Angels and Demons movie, antimatter may not blow up all at once. Of course, it is possible that the rate of interaction is great enough that for all intents and purposes, it looks like a big explosion. You might have to be more than 10 miles away from the 2 guys when they are fighting, but the universe is safe.

this episode kinda rocked?

[tonyhutchison189 · 7/10 · 22 September 2021]

I enjoyed it. Hokey and repetitive, sure, but frankly it was quite easy to follow. An imperfect episode with an interesting concept and a great ending.

The Alternative Factors Needs an Alternative Script

[Samuel-Shovel · 6/10 · 16 April 2018]

In "The Alternative Factor", the Enterprise discovers a strange blip in the universe. Everything disappears for a few milliseconds before returning and the Enterprise must figure out why this is happening. They are near the nucleus of the indicated location and discover a crazed man on an empty planet claiming that his nemesis has came to destroy our galaxy. He wants Kirk's help in stopping him. It soon becomes clear that there are two of these Lazaruses from parallel dimensions. Which one should Kirk trust?

While the plotting of this episode becomes very problematic the further into we go, there are some aspects of this episode I rather like. I enjoyed Robert Brown's performance and I really liked the experimental shots we get in this one as the camera spins, everything's color is off, and the music blares. I thought it was all rather neat.

The episode itself doesn't make a whole lot of sense but I'm surprised it is so widely panned within the community. Just off the performances and camera-work alone, I think it's better than a handful of episodes from this season (looking at you "Mudd's Women"). But lots of sci-fi fans need great substance and this episode doesn't provide this.

Worst episode of first season

[Guerticus_Maximus · 1/10 · 1 December 2007]

The storyline for "The Alternative Factor" is a great concept – the possibility of a negative parallel universe and a madman whose insane actions could lead to the destruction of EVERYTHING. But there are several aspects of this episode that really bother me, and IMHO, "The Alternative Factor" is the worst first-season episode.

I like the concept for this episode. I also like the dialogue between Kirk and Spock in the briefing room when they finally put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. But letting Lazarus roam freely about the ship is a flaw I can't excuse, and the final solution seems a bit drastic. I'm also not a fan of the special effects. For the most part, first-season episodes are pretty good, but this episode feels like it was put together in a big hurry. I'm giving "The Alternative Factor" a D grade and will find an alternative episode to watch when I can.

Bizarre, but moderately interesting.

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 11 February 2023]

Don Ingalls (writing for the series for the first of two times) came up with this so-so attempt at an exploration of existentialism. The story has the Enterprise beaming aboard a strange character named Lazarus (Robert Brown) who claims to be at constant war with some humanoid being with the incredible, frightening power to cause major "rips" in the universe.

Unfortunately, the premise here doesn't yield great results. This is a mostly slow-moving episode that gets overly repetitive, with frequent use of slow-mo negatives and lots of ranting from Brown, who can be rational at times and a nutcase at other times. And who falls off a cliff AT LEAST twice. (That said, Kirk and company are awfully lax in their treatment of the guy. He gets plenty of opportunities to wander around the starship and do all sorts of damage. For one thing, he's VERY interested in the all-important Dylithium crystals that power the ship.)

The concepts explored here are worthy of some interest (Kirk & Spock have an awfully extended conversation when it comes to the possible nature of what they're facing), but in general 'The Alternative Factor' is not altogether satisfactory. Brown, who had a few dozen TV credits to his name but no role to really call his own, does pretty well in his role. He is one memorable thing about an episode that is clearly aiming high but just falls short in an otherwise solid first season.

Best of all is the chilling implication of the resolution. Otherwise, this is not exactly a must-see episode.

Directed by Gerd Oswald ("A Kiss Before Dying").

Six out of 10.

Ambitious and interesting idea.... weakly executed

[mstomaso · 5/10 · 19 May 2007]

This episode of TOS suffered from a mediocre script and very average directing. Robert Brown does a fair job of performing the rather maniacal Lazarus -an interesting biblical allusion, but a bit difficult to interpret the meaning given the character. The cinematography and the script impose limitations that inhibit dramatic development.

The Alternative factor is essentially a sci-fi mystery (hence the choice of Gerd Oswald, known for Perry Mason, as the director). It presents a plot with some interesting, though somewhat impossible, roots in theoretical physics. The known universe is, apparently, about to be destroyed by a malevolent humanoid from the universe of antimatter. Lazarus has been chasing this being for years - to exact revenge for the destruction of his world. The Enterprise crew is stymied and confused (as will be most members of the audience), until the identity of the would-be destroyer is revealed.

Basically, the story line could have been interesting given an hour or so more explanation. As it stands, it appears to be strafed with plot-holes and inconsistent characterization. The franchise, however, learned from its mistakes and did better with similar approaches in a few episodes of TNG and DS9.

Should Have Been One of Trek's Best, Alas..

[eti55 · 6/10 · 24 November 2017]

The Alternative Factor had the makings of one of the best and most suspenseful episodes in the original series run. While in orbit around an unnamed planet, the ship encounters massive turbulence. Even Spock is in a state of near disbelief..he describes what happened as a "winking out" phenomenon..essentially the entire universe blinked..twice. For a nanosecond everything within sensor range was in a state of non existence.

Upon beaming down to the planet, Kirk and company come across a mysterious man..a seemingly borderline psychotic named Lazarus. When they take him back to the ship to question him, Lazarus tells Kirk that the cosmic winking out was caused by what he described as a "murdering monster" who he was bound and determined to track down..but he gets evasive when Kirk presses him for specifics.

We later find out that Lazarus is in fact two men..one from our universe, the other from a universe where everything is anti matter (connected by a corridor..what the Lazarus from the other universe, who ends up being the sane one, calls an "alternative warp")..and when identical particles meet (in this case two men who are counterparts), it's the end of everything in both universes (there's a really good scene midway where Kirk and Spock are figuring this all out).

OK, early on it becomes evident that this cosmic winking out phenomenon centers around Lazarus..so does Kirk keep him in the brig? Does McCoy at least watch him to make sure he stays in the sick bay? Nope, this guy who may hold the key to the complete destruction of the universe is allowed to freely roam about the ship. This results in two sets of their dilithium crystals getting swiped (a pair taken by each "Lazarus'). This is what's known as a major plot hole (or is it a "door?").

Unfortunately, the above bungling of the plot takes a lot of impact out of what should have been one of the most powerful episodes of the series..where the fate of the universe literally hangs in the balance. It's still a watchable episode, but it was not well put together. Nonetheless, Robert Brown puts in a fine performance as both versions of Lazarus.

The Beard of Lazarus...

[Xstal · 5/10 · 16 February 2022]

Lazarus has a bubble car time machine, but he doesn't keep track of just where he's been, not sure who he is, but his whiskers have fizz, depending on the version of him being seen.

Schizophrenic universes that matter and don't come close to colliding and reducing everything to smoke.

Lazarus & The Parallel Universe

[Rainey-Dawn · 8/10 · 6 January 2017]

Season 1, episode 27. The Enterprise is taking readings of an uncharted planet and find no lifeforms, when the universe "blinks" and they rescan the planet they find a lifeform - a human lifeform. Starfleet noticed it as well and contacted the Enterprise to tell them it's up to them to find out what is going on all alone because they are ordering all other ships out of the area. Kirk and Spock beam down to find a man named Lazarus and bring him aboard the ship. Strange things occur with Lazarus and the universe once again "blinks". Kirk and Spock investigate further only to find out that there is a tear or doorway into a parallel universe, it's up to them to how all this ties in with a bizarre man called Lazarus.

I "get" this episode for the most part... the only two things I'm not understanding is why hasn't the universe "blinked" before or if this is the first time it's been noticed. Lazarus has been chasing this "other creature" for many years so the universe should have "blinked" before I would think. Otherwise I find this one really good.

The other thing I don't understand is: How could 2 of the same humans (one matter, the other anti-matter from alternate universes) -- how could they fighting and killing each other (or just one die) cause both universes to become nonexistent?

8/10

Weird and unbelievable episode!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 6 October 2017]

The Alternative Factor is a weird and most unbelievable plot ever, Star Trek got reputation because in every story has a sense of reality and based on science, but it differs everything on Star trek drive, with some shots in a famous desert spot at Vasquez Rocks where several movies have been made, apart from that and a good performance of Robert Brown as Lazarus brings a good balance of the episode!! Besides it's a Star Trek!!

Resume:

First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

One of the crappiest episodes--even die-hard Trekkies must admit this one was a disappointment

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 6 December 2006]

Uggh! This is the first truly awful episodes of Star Trek--even worse than the "Charlie X" episode!! Now THAT'S bad!! The biggest problem is that the character of Lazarus is just dopey and boring. He rants and raves and lies and just annoys the daylights out of the audience. Plus, despite all the cheesy over-acting by Lazarus, the pay-off just isn't worth waiting for at all! In so many ways, this episode looked either like a "throw away" episode or perhaps one that had been written and re-written again and again and just wasn't perfected. Regardless, the episode has few thrills or excitement and no laughs. In fact, unless you are a huge Trekkie, it isn't worth your time.

FYI--If you want to see the worst episode, there are still probably two or three that managed to surpass this one in lousiness.

UPDATE: By the way, it isn't just me who hated this episode. At the 50th anniversary Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, this was voted as one of the 10 worst of all episodes from every Trek franchise! That is some ignoble designation!