Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 62: Is There In Truth No Beauty? [VHS]

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The Enterprise has dangerous cargo indeed: the Medusan Ambassador Kollos and his lovely telepathic interpreter Miranda Jones (future Next Generation star Diana Muldaur). It's a Trek twist on "Beauty and the Beast," a study in surfaces, assumptions, and secrets. The apparently hideous Medusans are a race of great culture, intelligence, and warmth, yet their appearance drives others to madness, while the cool, unemotional Jones (a Vulcan-educated human) brings out the beast in Kirk and McCoy, who pull out their best come-ons and flattery over a cozy dinner. (It's kind of satisfying to see babe-magnet Kirk lose his touch, but give the man credit: he never stops trying.) When an insane crewman sends the Enterprise deep into uncharted territory, only the navigational skills of the Kollos can save them, but it will necessitate a mindmeld with Spock and in that direction, as we know, lies madness. Nimoy breaks out of his Vulcan reserve as Kollos greets the Enterprise crew with smiles while channeling through Spock's body, but the episode highlight is Spock's jerky, bug-eyed attack of insanity, capped by distorted point-of-view camerawork and set to brassy stings of stock music. Shatner must have been jealous. --Sean Axmaker