Title

The Corbomite Maneuver

Episode

Season 1
Episode 10

Air Date

November 10, 1966

Stardate

1512.2

Description

The Enterprise encounters an immense, formidable alien ship whose occupants threaten to destroy the Enterprise.

Personal Rating

Besides the laughable apparition that the alien uses to frighten the Enterprise crew, this episode is simply silly. The alien creature is a joke. And the quality of the audio dubbing of an adult voice onto the child who plays the alien is terrible.

This is still an early episode, so the actors don't quite “click” yet, but it's the first episode that actually feels like a Star Trek episode. Spock is still barking out commands but has begun to mellow. This is the first episode featuring Lt. Uhura and Dr. McCoy, who is a vast improvement over the previous doctor.

The apparition projected by the alien reminds me of that in Spectre of the Gun. The Enterprise uses the same bluff to escape the alien as in The Deadly Years.

Favorite Quotations

Kirk, just having completed a physical examination: “You could see the alarm lights flashing from there, McCoy. Why didn't you tell me?”

McCoy: “Finally finished a physical on you, didn't I? What am I, a doctor or a moon shuttle conductor?”


Mr. Bailey, apologetically to Mr. Spock: “Raising my voice back there doesn't mean I was scared or couldn't do my job. It means I happen to have a human thing called an adrenalin gland.”

Spock: “It does sound most inconvenient, however. Have you considered having it removed?”


Spock: “Has it occurred to you that there is a certain ... inefficiency in constantly questioning me on things you've already made up your mind about?”

Kirk: “It gives me emotional security.”


Sulu, counting down the destruction of the Enterprise: “Four minutes, thirty seconds.”

Scotty: “You have an annoying fascination for timepieces, Mr. Sulu.”


Kirk: “There must be something to do, something I've overlooked.”

Spock: “In chess, when one is outmatched, the game is over. Checkmate.”

Kirk, annoyed with Spock's defeatism: “Is that your best recommendation?”