One of my very favorite Star Trek episodes from the original series was this wonderful comic turn for guest star Roger C. Carmel. This was Carmel's second appearance as Harry Mudd, futuristic enterprising con man and he thinks he's found heaven. I think this sequel was better than the one that Carmel did originally, Mudd's Women.
The Enterprise goes into orbit around a planet with only one human life form that of Harry Mudd. The rest of the planet is composed of androids and remember this is before The Next Generation where Data would try to understand the human experience. These androids were built by a long dead humanoid civilization and the only human contact they've had until the Enterprise arrives is Carmel. As they say, he's flawed and even they know that.
What they've collectively decided and it's a collective intelligence just like the Borg is that they should take the Enterprise and go back to Earth to serve man and create an orderly and logical society, one like the Vulcan. But even Spock sees some problems with them taking over.
So Bill Shatner and Leonard Nimoy and the rest join forces with Carmel to defeat the androids. Their use of illogical behavior allows for some outrageous overacting that the cast thoroughly enjoyed because they looked it.
But best in the cast is the Stella Mudd android that Carmel created so he could have the last word. She's played by Kay Elliott who has her career role in this. And you have to see how Shatner and the rest use her for a little final comeuppance for Carmel.
Wonderful comic episode, a real classic.
The Enterprise goes into orbit around a planet with only one human life form that of Harry Mudd. The rest of the planet is composed of androids and remember this is before The Next Generation where Data would try to understand the human experience. These androids were built by a long dead humanoid civilization and the only human contact they've had until the Enterprise arrives is Carmel. As they say, he's flawed and even they know that.
What they've collectively decided and it's a collective intelligence just like the Borg is that they should take the Enterprise and go back to Earth to serve man and create an orderly and logical society, one like the Vulcan. But even Spock sees some problems with them taking over.
So Bill Shatner and Leonard Nimoy and the rest join forces with Carmel to defeat the androids. Their use of illogical behavior allows for some outrageous overacting that the cast thoroughly enjoyed because they looked it.
But best in the cast is the Stella Mudd android that Carmel created so he could have the last word. She's played by Kay Elliott who has her career role in this. And you have to see how Shatner and the rest use her for a little final comeuppance for Carmel.
Wonderful comic episode, a real classic.