Dagger of the Mind
- Episode aired Nov 3, 1966
- TV-PG
- 50m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
4.4K
YOUR RATING
Kirk and psychiatrist Helen Noel are trapped on a maximum security penal colony that experiments with mind control and Spock must use the Vulcan mind-meld to find a way to save them.Kirk and psychiatrist Helen Noel are trapped on a maximum security penal colony that experiments with mind control and Spock must use the Vulcan mind-meld to find a way to save them.Kirk and psychiatrist Helen Noel are trapped on a maximum security penal colony that experiments with mind control and Spock must use the Vulcan mind-meld to find a way to save them.
Anthony Larry Paul
- Transportation Man
- (as Larry Anthony)
Frank da Vinci
- Lt. Brent
- (uncredited)
Walt Davis
- Tantalus
- (uncredited)
Louie Elias
- Inmate Guard
- (uncredited)
Ron Kinwald
- Tantalus Inmate
- (uncredited)
John Hugh McKnight
- Inmate Guard
- (uncredited)
Eddie Paskey
- Lieutenant Leslie
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn several interviews, Morgan Woodward noted that his work on the episode greatly affected him on both a personal and professional level. Woodward felt the part of Van Gelder was perhaps the most physically and emotionally exhausting role he played. He also stated his experience in playing the part resulted in his being in a largely anti-social state of mind for a few weeks following. However, Woodward, who would later play Captain Tracey in The Omega Glory (1968), credits his work on Star Trek in helping him to finally break away from his being typecast in Western roles.
- GoofsWhen Dr. van Gelder is on the loose on a ship, a security guard is deployed to the bridge. He stands a few feet away from the turbolift doors, facing the interior of the bridge (which makes it nicely convenient for Dr. van Gelder to hit him from behind). He should have been standing further away from the turbolift (possibly by the railing) and facing towards it; was he expecting Dr. van Gelder to gain entrance to the bridge via the viewscreen? He also never moved when the turbolift doors opened; he should have instinctively turned around, especially since he was supposed to be guarding the bridge from the intruder.
- Alternate versionsSpecial Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song. A highlight of the new special effects is a new exterior shot of the penal colony, replacing a re-used matte painting from another episode.
- ConnectionsFeatured in For the Love of Spock (2016)
- SoundtracksTheme From Star Trek
Written by and credited to Alexander Courage
Featured review
The Manchurian Psychiatrist
Morgan Woodward enters Trek here as an apparent Psychotic escapee from a 23rd Century Insane Asylum.
But he is not what he appears.
Was this episode based on The Manchurian Candidate? It has many things that are also in that film, mainly brainwashing, personality changing, but most important, James Gregory, who played "Senator John Iselin" as Dr. Tristan Adams.
Of course, because of Morgan Woodward's character's status, Kirk has to make an inspection of Adam's Clinic. With a "Dr Helen Noel" in tow.
And this is where one disturbing scene plays out: As Kirk and Dr. Noel (The Magnificent Marianna Hill) share a toast with Adams, he has this to say:
"To all mankind, may we never find space so vast, planets so cold, heart and mind so empty that... that we cannot fill them with love and warmth."
And as that word "Empty" is used, the camera looks on to Adam's Assistant, "Lethe" (Susanne Wasson) who looks on with the most utterly blank of expressions. And "Lethe" means either a River in hell that can make you forget, or, the Act of Forgetting in itself. Or "Emptyness".
Dr Adams is perverting his field, by using a machine intended to cause relief from painful memories, and inserting painful memories.
And now, he's got Kirk, who made the mishap of spending the night in the Arkham Asylum of Space and not locking doors to rooms he was looking at. And the "chair" Kirk finds has added significance in the episode "Whom Gods Destroy", where when used as intended it becomes a tool of healing for another iconic character.
But I want to go back and mention the genius of Morgan Woodward's "Psycho", his portrayal was exactly as a person victimized by this invasive procedure would be. And it is also the first time Mr. Spock's Vulcanian "Mind Meld" is shown.
I find that the recent "Star Trek Discovery" episode "Lethe" directly relates to this episode, not just by the name of one character related to the title of that episode, but by the similar mental manipulations that had been done in that show. where the character "Ash Tyler" had been manipulated by the Klingon named L'Rell.
But he is not what he appears.
Was this episode based on The Manchurian Candidate? It has many things that are also in that film, mainly brainwashing, personality changing, but most important, James Gregory, who played "Senator John Iselin" as Dr. Tristan Adams.
Of course, because of Morgan Woodward's character's status, Kirk has to make an inspection of Adam's Clinic. With a "Dr Helen Noel" in tow.
And this is where one disturbing scene plays out: As Kirk and Dr. Noel (The Magnificent Marianna Hill) share a toast with Adams, he has this to say:
"To all mankind, may we never find space so vast, planets so cold, heart and mind so empty that... that we cannot fill them with love and warmth."
And as that word "Empty" is used, the camera looks on to Adam's Assistant, "Lethe" (Susanne Wasson) who looks on with the most utterly blank of expressions. And "Lethe" means either a River in hell that can make you forget, or, the Act of Forgetting in itself. Or "Emptyness".
Dr Adams is perverting his field, by using a machine intended to cause relief from painful memories, and inserting painful memories.
And now, he's got Kirk, who made the mishap of spending the night in the Arkham Asylum of Space and not locking doors to rooms he was looking at. And the "chair" Kirk finds has added significance in the episode "Whom Gods Destroy", where when used as intended it becomes a tool of healing for another iconic character.
But I want to go back and mention the genius of Morgan Woodward's "Psycho", his portrayal was exactly as a person victimized by this invasive procedure would be. And it is also the first time Mr. Spock's Vulcanian "Mind Meld" is shown.
I find that the recent "Star Trek Discovery" episode "Lethe" directly relates to this episode, not just by the name of one character related to the title of that episode, but by the similar mental manipulations that had been done in that show. where the character "Ash Tyler" had been manipulated by the Klingon named L'Rell.
helpful•111
- XweAponX
- Nov 25, 2017
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content