Title

Wink of an Eye

Episode

Season 3
Episode 11

Air Date

November 29, 1968

Stardate

5710.5

Description

The Enterprise answers a distress call from the planet Scalos and is turned into an orbiting genetic reservoir for the benefit of the sterile inhabitants of the planet.

Personal Rating

This is a neat episode because it does a good job of depicting the Enterprise crew and the Scalosians existing in two different frequency domains. It’s clever of Kirk to record his observations on a tape and leave it for the non-accelerated crew members to find. I love finding technical flaws in movies, and in this episode when the crew plays back Kirk’s recording, it’s missing the words recorded by Kirk, “for purposes only the Scalosians know.” It’s kind of a stretch to believe that the Scalosian Deela could simply step out of the way of a phaser beam that presumably travels at the speed of light.

This is one of several episodes in which Spock and/or Bones work to engineer a potion to save the Enterprise, including The Deadly Years, Miri, and The Omega Glory.

Favorite Quotations

Deela, the Scalosian queen, referring to Captain Kirk: “I hate what happens to them when they’re damaged. You’re going to have to learn to control your temper, Rael. I do not want that to happen to this one. If they are so stubborn a species, perhaps they will last longer.”

Rael, another Scalosian: “It may be.”

Deela: I hope so. They all go so soon. I want to keep this one a long time. He’s pretty.”


Kirk, recording a message for Spock: “Kirk to Spock, I have fed all the ascertainable facts into the computer banks.”

Deela, entering the room: “Go ahead. You won’t accomplish anything, but it may be historically valuable.”

Kirk, continuing his recording: “Hyper-acceleration is the key. I have counted only five of them aboard, but they have taken over the ship, and we are under their control due to this acceleration. They are able to speed others up to their level, as they did Compton and me. Presumably, this is ... enslavement? Those so treated exist at this accelerated level, becoming docile eventually. But when ...”

Deela, helping out: “Damaged.”

Kirk: “damaged ... they age incredibly fast, as though accelerated living ...”

Deela: “Burns them out.”

Kirk: “burns them out. Compton was burned out. The device attached to the life support system produces an extreme numbing cold. It is my belief that they are turning the Enterprise into a gigantic deep-freeze ... for purposes only the Scalosians know.”


Deela, responding to Kirk’s explanation for the transporter malfunction: “If I had a suspicious nature, Captain, I would say that you sabotaged the transporter to buy time.”

Kirk: “Yes, of course.”

Deela: “I’m glad we’re both innocent. I despise devious people, don’t you?”

Kirk, being as charming as possible: “Oh, I believe in honest relationships myself.”


Kirk: “Well, Mr. Spock, what have you got?”

Spock: “Dr. McCoy and I have synthesized a possible counteragent to the Scalosian water. Regrettably, we did not have the opportunity to test it.” [Gosh, I wish I could count on my solutions to work without testing them!]