The Original Series, Season 2: The Doomsday Machine

The Original Series, Season 2
"The Doomsday Machine"
Airdate: October 20, 1967
36 of 80 produced
35 of 80 released
Click here to watch on CBS.com
Introduction

Responding to a distress beacon, the Enterprise find a series of star systems where once healthy worlds have been smashed to rubble. While looking for an answer, they find the USS Constellation. The entire crew is dead, save its commanding officer, Commodore William Decker. A new and terrifying enemy is responsible for destroying the planets and killing the crew of the Constellation. It falls to Kirk to stop this new weapon before it cuts a swath of destruction across the Federation. Complication matters is that the increasingly unstable and guilt ridden Decker siezes command of the Enterprise, bent on revenge, even if it costs the crew of the Enterprise. Stranded on a derelict, cut off from his crew, will Kirk be able save his ship and the Federation?

The Enterprise limps dangerously close to the Doomsday Sushi Handroll...

Matthew and Kevin both gave this a 5, for a total of 10. This episode really has it all. A genuinely tense storyline that contains a relatively non-hamfisted Cold War allegory and a really well done character study in comparative Starfleet captains. The cherry on the awesome sundae are some pretty well achieved special effects. Enjoy the podcast everyone!