Star Wars / Star Trek Discussion (SciFi In General)

[MusicallyInspired]

Lol never can figure out why everyone hated Spock's Brain. I loved it as a kid. I thought it was fascinating.

[Rath Darkblade]

What is the episode "Spock's Brain"? I don't think I ever saw it.

[MusicallyInspired]

This woman teleports onto the bridge and knocks everybody out. She walks over and touches Spock's head. After the opening credits everyone wakes up and Spock is gone. He goes down to sick bay and Spock is hooked up to life support and McCoy says "He's worse than dead. His brain is gone."

They end up finding the planet the woman came from and there are like these cavemen who live on the surface. They discover the women live underground. They are using Spock's brain as a central computer to power their whole complex. Kirk is in communication with Spock's brain through his communicator and they mount a device to Spock's head to be able to sustain his life but also remote control him (ok, that's a little funny).

Apparently the woman who took Spock's brain doesn't remember doing anything and talks very simply. There's this helmet thing she puts on and she all the sudden becomes imbued with knowledge. So McCoy uses this helmet to learn how to surgically replace Spock's brain. The women have to abandon the complex and learn how to do things for themselves without relying on "the teacher" (what they call the helmet thing) or Spock's brain, and return to the surface with the men.

[goatmeal]

"Spock's Brain" is generally considered the worst episode of the Original Series.

During the mid-80s, there used to be numerous paperback collections of articles from Trek fanzines, and being the pre-Internet / pre-TNG era, I devoured them all (still have them... somewhere).

One of the articles I remember was a list of all 79 episodes with a rating and short summary/discussion about the episode, all based on this one contributor's opinion for the article. The one entry I can still remember, almost word-for-word 30–35 years later, was the following:

Spock's Brain - 1/10
On second thought, make it 0.

[notbobsmith]

"Spock's Brain" is generally considered the worst episode of the Original Series.

During the mid-80s, there used to be numerous paperback collections of articles from Trek fanzines, and being the pre-Internet / pre-TNG era, I devoured them all (still have them... somewhere).

One of the articles I remember was a list of all 79 episodes with a rating and short summary/discussion about the episode, all based on this one contributor's opinion for the article. The one entry I can still remember, almost word-for-word 30–35 years later, was the following:

Spock's Brain - 1/10
On second thought, make it 0.

"Turnabout Intruder" is arguably worse. (A woman swaps bodies with Kirk.) "Spock's Brain" is so silly there's some enjoyment to be had there ("Brain and Brain! What is Brain?!"). There's nothing enjoyable (or sensible, or intelligent...) about "Turnabout Intruder".

[Rath Darkblade]

No one can restore a BRAIN! "Spock's Brain" distilled down to four minutes

I am surprised any of the cast could deliver these lines with a straight face. I'm struck by the stupid dialogue and cheesy action.

The whole point of the episode seems to be that women cannot think for themselves, and must rely on a man's brain to act at all. Am I right?

[MusicallyInspired]

The whole point of the episode seems to be that women cannot think for themselves, and must rely on a man's brain to act at all. Am I right?

Lol I think you're reading into that a little too much.

[goatmeal]

"Turnabout Intruder" is arguably worse. (A woman swaps bodies with Kirk.) "Spock's Brain" is so silly there's some enjoyment to be had there ("Brain and Brain! What is Brain?!"). There's nothing enjoyable (or sensible, or intelligent...) about "Turnabout Intruder".

While cringe-worthy (especially viewed 50 years on), at least "Turnabout Intruder" comments (albeit poorly) on equal rights: women can't be starship captains in the supposedly enlightened future, because...?

"Spock's Brain" is a variation on the theme of 'a machine ruling over a primitive humanoid society' -- like "The Apple" and "Return Of The Archons" before it -- only sillier.

Although I did like the "tick-tick-tick-tick" sound effect whenever brainless Spock moved.

[Collector]

"Turnabout Intruder" is arguably worse. (A woman swaps bodies with Kirk.) "Spock's Brain" is so silly there's some enjoyment to be had there ("Brain and Brain! What is Brain?!"). There's nothing enjoyable (or sensible, or intelligent...) about "Turnabout Intruder".

Agreed. I feel it is the worst of all the TOS episodes. It is just a pain to watch. Also agree about Spock's Brain being so silly there's enjoyment to be had. Sort of like watching a bad cult film that is so corny that it is fun.

[MusicallyInspired]

Don't think I've ever seen Turnabout Intruder yet.

[Tawmis]

Don't think I've ever seen Turnabout Intruder yet.

Actually... if it's original series stuff... if I watched it I don't know it, off hand. But I only really watched the original with my father. So I don't have any of that memorized.

Just figured this would be a chance to use a silly SQ gif, which you'd appreciate, and keep it still with the SciFi theme of the thread...

[Collector]

Don't think I've ever seen Turnabout Intruder yet.

It was the ver last TOS episode. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708485/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[Collector]

[notbobsmith]

I am surprised any of the cast could deliver these lines with a straight face. I'm struck by the stupid dialogue and cheesy action.

I think DeForest Kelley was especially heroic in this episode. "Where are you going to look for Spock's brain?" That's professionalism.

The whole point of the episode seems to be that women cannot think for themselves, and must rely on a man's brain to act at all. Am I right?

Lol I think you're reading into that a little too much.

Given "Turnabout Intruder"s themes, this may not be that far off the mark.

[MusicallyInspired]

I knew it was the last episode I just hadn't seen it yet. I've seen most of them. I was going through it with the kids along with TNG but somewhere along the line we just stopped watching it and continued with TNG and then DS9 when the time came to watch them side by side. Haven't gone back yet.