1x10 The Corbomite Maneuver

8.2/10. This is the first time that TOS has really felt like Star Trek to me. There are no love interests for Kirk, no mysterious new arrivals who quickly start acting strangely, no dramatic hand-to-hand combat in the third act. Instead, there's a just a big problem, one that threatens the whole ship and which has no obvious solution available, forcing the Captain to think on his feet and show the best of humanity in the process.

To put the horse before the cart, it was almost a Picard-esque performance from Kirk, and I mean that as a complement. The introduction of Crewman Bailey, juxtaposed with Spock, created an interesting set of extremes for Kirk to set the midpoint of Bailey was impulsive, wanting to blast the alien ship with phasers almost immediately, and cracking under the pressure. Spock, meanwhile, remains stoic as ever, but also has no suggestions when they're backed into a corner with destruction on the horizon.

Kirk, meanwhile, finds a middle ground. He does everything in his power to avoid violence or the use of force until absolutely necessary. He finds an unorthodox solution (using the poker metaphor to explain his "bluffing" in a nice fashion) that manages to save the crew's skins and comes up with a clever way to escape the smaller ship's clutches. And he even shows the sort of mercy and kindness that characterizes the best of what humanity can be, attempting to aid the being that was threatening to destroy them moments before.

More than that, the "Corbomite Maneuver" reaffirms the animating spirit of Star Trek, both as a series and as a franchise -- the spirit of exploration. The goal of this crew, and to some extent, every Star Trek crew is to "seek out new life and new civilzations." Just like the cross-pollenation of peoples on Earth in real life, that is going to be a bumpy process sometimes, one that puts good people on both sides at risk, but by showing the sincerity, altruism, and trust that Kirk embodies here, amazing discoveries can be made and connections can be forged.

I've also talked a lot about this series's propensity to use ticking clocks as a crutch, some manufactured problem meant to create a sense of urgency about whatever the crisis of the week is. "The Corbomite Maneuver" makes that ticking clock literal, with the opposing alien giving The Enterprise a literal ten minute countdown. But while in other episodes, that sort of time pressure seems contrived, here it creates a sense of foreboding as the bridge crew is forced to just sit there, try to keep their cool, and find away out of this situation. It's too much for Bailey, and it leads to some brave "it's been a pleasure serving with you" moments (especially between Kirk and Bones), but for once it really adds something to the atmosphere of the episode, rather than feeling like a throw-in for T.V. drama.

And to the same end, I like the "solve the puzzle" aspect of this one. So much of Star Trek thus far has been sussing out a mystery -- there are some unknown facts or something weird, and the crew tries to get to the bottom of it. Despite the unknown nature of their attacker (and his giant rubiks cube), that's less the tack of "The Corbomite Maneuver" than that there is a known problem with no clear solution, forcing the crew and Kirk especially to think outside the box to get them out of such a tight spot. It's a formula I prefer and one that this episode executes well, even if it still drags a bit after the initial countdown is over.

Moreover, I love the sort of weirdness of the ending. I thought the alien on the viewscreen looked like a character from a Rankin Bass Christmas special, so the reveal that it's a puppet for a diminutive (overdubbed) alien was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The idea of humanity being tested by superior, or at least more powerful beings is a recurring one in the Star Trek franchise, and the notion that Kirk & Co. passed the test, demonstrating their ability for unique thought and caring, with an "exchange program" being initiated to boot, is a nice illustration of those ideas of cultural exchange and humanistic principles brought to bear.

Overall, this was the kind of Star Trek I know and love, the one that shows good men and women in difficult situations finding creative solutions and proving their mettle and humanity in the process. The reveal of the strange and unexpected in that effort is a bonus, and a testament to the wealth of imagination Roddenberry and his lieutenants were ready to offer at the time. Let's hope the show keeps boldly going in this direction.