Star Trek (TV Series) Is There in Truth No Beauty? (1968) User Reviews

Plausible sci-fi and introspective themes make this one a gem

[chrisbaird-ma · 8/10 · 3 April 2013]

I was surprised by the reviews on this message board. I consider this to be one of Star Trek's best episodes. Star Trek tends to portray two types of aliens, both implausible: aliens that are essentially human with minor plastic surgery, and abstract clouds of light/energy. In reality, aliens are more likely to be like the strange creatures we find on earth such as jelly-fish or electric eels: distinctly non-human but still contained in a well-defined body of tissue. I like this episode because the alien, Kollos, is a clever concoction, is very alien, and yet is plausible. Kollos is not some nebulous blob wafting through space, but instead sits inside a transport pod that humans carry about. If humans look directly at Kollos, they go insane. It should be obvious that it is not Kollos' ugliness that drives men mad. Rather, Kollos emits a frequency and pattern of light that damages the human brain and it is the brain damage that makes the men mad. This is much like an epileptic having a seizure if they see flickering lights. A creature with this effect is quite alien and yet very plausible. The crew takes precautions to not look at Kollos, but still treat him with respect, he being an ambassador for his people. Kollos' telepathic interpreter, Miranda, can mysteriously see Kollos without going mad. In a clever plot twist, we learn later that Miranda can do this because she is blind.

The action is well acted in this episode, giving a real sense of suspense. Additionally, the story's exploration of the nature of beauty is thought-provoking.

I only have two gripes with this episode. First, I found it annoying how every male on the Enterprise was obsessed with Miranda's beauty. I know this was somewhat central to the episode's theme of the nature of beauty, but the producers could have done it more subtly. The seniors officers of a flagship military vessel are a disciplined lot. They aren't rendered into babbling fools every time a pretty girl walks in the room. The whole effect just fell flat because Miranda wasn't even that pretty. Secondly, the odd camera angles were very distracting. I can give the camera crew some leeway for trying to spice up the aging third season with some novel camera angles, but there were far too many in this episode. The strange camera shots really took away from the episode.

The dangers of jealousy

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 30 July 2015]

The Enterprise has been given the task of transporting Kollos, the Medusan ambassador. The Medusan's are a race whose beautiful thoughts are matched by an outward ugliness will render any human who looks upon them dangerously insane. This means the only member of the crew who can go near Kollos is Spock; and even he must wear a special visor. Kollos is accompanied by the beautiful telepath Dr. Miranda Jones who explains that she can look at him thanks to skills she learnt on Vulcan. Also travelling with them is Lawrence Marvick, one of the designers of the Enterprise. During dinner Dr. Jones senses that somebody is having murderous thoughts; it turns out that Marvick is jealous that Miranda would rather spend her life with Kollos than him and intends to kill the Medusan. He fails though and is driven insane; in this insane state he seizes control of the Enterprise and takes in far beyond the edge of the galaxy. The only way back will be for Spock to perform a mind meld with Kollos so they can use the Medusan's navigational skills… this leads to more jealousy; this time from Miranda who doesn't want anybody else joining with Kollos.

This is a rather enjoyably episode with three distinct sections; firstly Marvick's actions which take the Enterprise out of the galaxy, then Spock's joining with Kollos to get back and finally the consequences of Spock accidentally looking upon Kollos as they separate. One thing that permeates the whole episode is jealousy; Marvick's jealousy of Kollos, which leads to his insanity and ultimate demise and Dr Jones jealousy of Spock which nearly leads to his demise. The use of a fisheye lens nicely captures the insanity suffered by Marvick and Spock as we see the action from their point of view after they look upon Kollos. Guest star Diana Muldaur does a fine job as Miranda and it is good that we get minimal views of Kollos as any attempt to make a creature as ugly as he is meant to be would inevitably be a laughable failure. Overall a good episode with strong character led story but not lacking in action.

"Gentlemen, here's to beauty".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 13 January 2011]

Diana Muldaur made her second guest appearance on Star Trek in this episode, the first time back in Season II as Federation Doctor Ann Mulhall. Captain Kirk got the chance to get chummy with her that time too, but he had an excuse. He and the Doctor allowed some disembodied space aliens to 'borrow' their bodies to learn a bit about human experience.

This one might have been more appealing if Muldaur's character were written with a bit more congeniality. Even so, I thought the story was fairly compelling, especially with the hook that Miranda Jones (Muldaur) developed her telepathic abilities on Vulcan because she was blind. The Captain registered his surprise quite convincingly when Spock revealed his knowledge of her, and the idea that her dress operated as a highly sophisticated sensor web was a uniquely creative one.

I like the idea posited by another reviewer on this board that the Medusan Ambassador's ugliness was in fact a visual spectrum outside the normal realm of human vision. That could account for the insanity that was the penalty for viewing a Medusan without a protective visor. Considering all the TV variety shows of the era like The Smothers Brothers, the Sonny and Cher Show and the like, it might have been a good idea to have those visors available back then. Those mid to late Sixties programs featured an awful lot of colorful psychedelic accompaniment to the rock bands that appeared on those shows.

Considering Marvick's (David Frankham) important contribution to the Star Trek universe as a designer of The Enterprise, he wound up getting treated quite shabbily in the script, going insane and all. Chances are he didn't need the Medusa touch to go bonkers, his unrequited infatuation with Dr. Jones was probably enough. Or maybe it was because everyone called him Larry instead of Lawrence.

"Don't look, Spock!"

[profh-1 · 6/10 · 24 April 2010]

Tonight: "IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?". Whatta ya know. Some things actually GET BETTER with age. I never cared for this show when it was first-run, and only tolerated it when I was a teenager and beyond. Yet tonight, I really enjoyed this thing.

Lots of fans complain about how every alien race that turns up on STAR TREK is either humanoid, humanoids with bumps on their faces, or "fake" looking rubber suits. Not this time. For once they came up with an alien race that is TRULY alien in every possible way, and so bizarre that they couldn't even show it. (Of course, if the TV audience saw it, they'd all go insane and die soon after.)

One really inspired scene is when Kolos, merged with Spock, comments on the human condition. For the most part he's delighted-- until he realizes just how "alone" each of us is living in "this shell of flesh". Thought-provoking, to say the least.

I finally "got" the whole thing about them being caught in some kind of other-dimensional area, that was somewhat confusing before.

I think this episode is just the kind of thing that could never appeal to kids, or even most teenagers, but at the age I am now (50) I guess I'm just "complicated" enough (as Miranda called Kirk) to get into it. It was nice to see the "plant" room again, used much better here than when it debuted in "And The Children Shall Lead".

I still wonder what it was Kolos said (or did) that made Miranda SCREAM the way she did.

Something I found rather annoying, if not downright completely disconcerting as a kid, was the new music this time out (George Duning) and the way director Ralph Senensky went completely berserk with camera movements, camera angles, and camera LENSES. There's stuff in this episode NOBODY had ever done on STAR TREK before here. Even something relatively "simple", like the shot in the Engineering section, looking from the center of the room out toward the entrance past the little side room with the controls on the wall. I may be mistaken, but I don't think anyone ever lined up the camera that way in any previous episodes. I guess he really wanted this one to stand out.

You know, oddly enough, this story now begins to remind me of an early-1st season episode-- the kind the networks wouldn't have wanted to see. Gene loved "intelligent" stories, I think. There was also one shot of a hallway crammed with crewmen-- something not often seen since the first 13 episodes. There's also bits that remind me once again of THE OUTER LIMITS. Not something that was crossing my mind for the bulk of Season 2 or the other season 3 episodes so far.

And speaking of THE OUTER LIMITS... David Frankham, who played "Larry Marvick", had earlier been in "Don't Open Till Doomsday", one of the most inexplicable and terrifying episodes of that show, in which he was trapped for decades with an alien inside... A BOX. Talk about typecasting-- I mean-- what are the odds???

Never thought I'd say this, but I think for once, Fred Freiberger did something he deserves to be proud of! If only they hadn't run the damn show 10 o'clock Friday nights. I was lucky to see this the first time out, but at least a third of that season I missed-- because that year, STAR TREK was the ONLY show left worth watching for me on Fridays, and since we never left the TV on unless we were watching something, Friday after Friday, I kept forgetting my favorite show was even on!

Finally, I know some over the years have accused Gene Roddenberry of shameless self-promotion, by having Spock wear the "IDIC" medallion (once as a pin, later on a neck-chain), which was a product specially created for Gene's mail-order side-business, but I always thought it was a cool idea, a cool design-- and I wouldn't mind having one of those.

Star Trek: The Original Series - Is There in Truth No Beauty?

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 17 September 2016]

Diana Muldaur returned in a far more showy part than the previous episode featuring her ("Tomorrow is Yesterday") as a blind human telepath with a link to an alien ambassador, Kollos, from the race of Medusians known for their hideous ugliness, which causes those who look upon them to go mad. When a brilliant designer of the Enterprise decides he will kill Kollos out of pent up anger because Muldaur won't love him despite his feelings for her, looking upon the Medusian drives him insane, causing him to tamper with engineering (Scotty and other officers attempt to stop him but his mad drive overcomes their efforts), resulting in a warp speed that sends the ship into an unknown void out of their galaxy. Only Kollos will be able to help Kirk and the Enterprise but that would mean linking with Spock, two entities together in a Vulcan body allowing the Medusian to pilot the Enterprise out of the void and back where they came from. Muldaur's Dr. Miranda Jones was a fascinating and complex character as she hates pity, spent time on Vulcan to learn how to combat and resist the flooding human emotions that could paralyze her…the Vulcan way does allow her to prevent them from overcoming her. Jones, though, is not willing to share Kollos, aware of Spock's respect for the ambassador and need to connect with him. Her beauty has a way of ensnaring the desires of those around her. Conversations on beauty and ugliness are obvious considering the symbolic name of the alien scripted as hideous while Muldaur is quite the sight for sore eyes. Once again Nimoy can present another personality, this time an alien unfamiliar with human flesh experiencing "the shell" for the first time as if a babe introduced a new world. The conflict isn't as much of "ship lost in a place of unknown origin" as Spock and Jones competing for a link with Kollos. The debate over what is considered ugly is of great importance. The IDIC insignia gets some focus, regarding "diversity", which interestingly shows up in a film questioning views on races idea of beauty/ugly. Kollos might be ugly to humans, but what about how we might look to Medusians? And Jones can't see and she is basically in love with Kollos, so looks aren't everything. Kirk will need to appeal to Jones, by confronting her about the jealousy towards Spock for his interference in linking to Kollos in order to rescue him from madness when he accidentally views the Medusian with his own eyes. In the case of Jones, the episode ponders if she is all surface beauty with an ugly inner being. The message is more than a bit loud, but it does speak on matters that still have prevalence today.

One Look and You Go Mad

[Bogmeister · 6/10 · 14 January 2007]

I've always had a problem figuring out the point of this episode. Is it the age-old adage about not judging a book by its cover? That surface appearance usually hides something else within? We are introduced to a new kind of alien in this one, a Medusan (refer to the myth of Medusa), a member of a race evolved into a formless type of energy that one carries around in a box. Colloquially stated, it's too ugly for humans to gaze at - it would drive a human being insane immediately. But, it probably has more to do with a visual spectrum that human eyes can't handle, rather than the traditional concepts of beauty and ugliness. Well, maybe that's it right there: yes, maybe there is no real beauty or ugliness, except the prejudices we humans project onto everything. There's a brief discussion of such during a dinner scene in this episode. Not too profound, but we're still exploring facets of human nature most other TV shows never touch upon.

Like with many 3rd season episodes, this one is afflicted by a slow pace in spots, i.e. it's deadly dull in places. Case in point: one scene has Kirk trying to distract Miranda, the alien's human associate, while Spock proceeds to the alien's cabin; we see Spock walking down the ship's corridor; then back to Kirk & Miranda; then back to Spock, still in that corridor. Suspenseful? No, just slow. All the male crew members seem really taken with this Miranda character, even though she's a real cold fish - ah, yes, she hides an ugliness within her, despite her surface beauty. Well, I never really felt there was this great ugliness in her, just an uninteresting self-absorbed personality. The action stuff is well done: the p.o.v. of a crazed person is shot with a disorienting camera lens, lending a suitably warped flavor to the scene. But when Spock's body is once again appropriated by an alien, you get the uneasy sense that Trek in its 3rd season is running out of ideas: it was done better in "Return to Tomorrow." The ending is somewhat anti-climactic. Take note that Spock wears the IDIC symbol on his uniform in this episode.

She walks in beauty like the night

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 6 October 2021]

Enterprise hosts an Medusan ambassador and a telepathic doctor.

This is an enjoyable episode with some good themes and strong performances.

The plot has a lot of emphasis on dialogue as it focuses heavily on guest characters and their interaction with the Enterprise crew. I would not describe it as a compelling screen story, but it is very interesting.

It contains a number of literary connections with its characterisations and quotations, and it philosophises on the nature of truth, beauty, physical form, and connections between individuals.

It is quite distinct from most other episodes in its complex portrayal of characters. Dr Miranda Jones is one of the great guest characters of the original series, who is written as strong, intelligent, quick-witted, having the power of telepathy, but she also suffers very human failings such as jealousy. Diana Muldaur gives a typically powerful and charismatic performance in this role.

Dr Jones' interaction with male characters like Marvick, Kirk, and McCoy involves them pitching lots of objectification and patronisation her way. Refreshingly, for a female character written in the 60s, she smashes each bit of dated sexism out of the ground for a home run. She is not interested in being idolised for her physical beauty or attain the love and admiration of men. She has an ambition so big it actually transcends humanity.

Kirk and Bones are rather unusually and intentionally portrayed as lecherous, and this works well for the episode themes and Dr Jones' arc.

Spock has an important role, with his Vulcan physiology and mental abilities being crucial to a key point in the story. Leonard Nimoy has one of those rare opportunities when he can be emotional and it is enjoyable to watch.

Visually I think it is excellent. There are a number of unique camera angles rarely used on Star Trek that are effective. I also liked the trippy, flashy green light sequences. Non-humanoid creations are always a plus for me in the franchise. As stated in multiple other reviews, the issue with Kirk at the transporter near the very end is poor continuity, but it doesn't spoil the episode for me.

The eloquent observations of the Medusan

[robert3750 · 7/10 · 29 August 2021]

Some interesting camera techniques were used in this episode, conveying the disorientation of the characters in certain situations. What really elevates the episode for me are the eloquent observations made by the Medusan ambassador when he becomes one with Spock for awhile. What he says is one of the most poignant pieces of writing I've ever read in science fiction (or any fiction, for that matter):

"How compact your bodies are. And what a variety of senses you have. This thing you call... language, though - most remarkable. You depend on it for so very much. But is any one of you really its master? But most of all, the aloneness. You are so alone. You live out your lives in this... shell of flesh. Self-contained. Separate. How lonely you are. How terribly lonely."

The episode has interesting things to say about judging a being based on appearance.

Diana Muldaur made this episode great!!!

[SusanJL · 10/10 · 13 April 2019]

Diana Muldaur's character had qualities a lot of the Star Trek "space bimbos" lacked - sophistication, beauty, grace, elegance, wit, maturity, depth of character... I could go on and on!!! All the men were captivated by her, I can see why. Next to Uhura and Spock's mother (Jane Wyatt), there were no other female characters on Star Trek with more substance to them.

... fascinating and true sience -fiction.

[jamesvaughanantwerp · 7/10 · 1 August 2018]

A creature so strange and alien that humans cannot survive just seeing it! That is a strong and true science-fiction premise. Also with obvious classic overtones. The story is very compelling. Also one of the more genuinely frightening (the Medusa of Greek mythology). The Thing in the box! What it really is, is left up to our imagination. Yet when Spock is inhabited by the alien's consciousness, he proves to be kind and gentle. Experiencing existence inside the fragile, isolated shell of a human body the Alien/ Spock gives one of the most eloquent speeches of the series "... to be so -alone!"

Jealousy is ugly

[vikezupa · 8/10 · 11 May 2021]

The sub-story is the story. This one has two story-lines that are excellently woven into a brilliant, coherent message. Every detail has a point. One of my favorites!

Interesting concept bogged down by plot muddles

[rwalker23009 · 7/10 · 18 January 2021]

This is one of two episodes penned by the librarian Jean Lisette Aeroeste, the other being the far more successful All Our Yesterdays. The first half of the episode unfolds promisingly with a strong performance by guest actor David Frankham as the assistant who is love with the beautiful psychologist Miranda Jones. Things start to go wrong (with the episode) when the Enterprises crosses through some kind of psychedelic "barrier" at the edge of our galaxy, which is nonsense, from a scientific point of view. There is also trouble portraying the Medusan ambassador, who is frequently described as ugly, but actually looks like some kind of light show. As other commenters noted, the senior officers make too much of Dr Jones' beauty. Spock's mind-meld with the Medusan is not really convincing, and Kirk's speech persuading Miranda to save Spock doesn't make much sense. If the point of the ep was supposed to be that love transcends physical appearance, the script just doesn't quite carry the point home. I do give credit for the appearance of the IDIC symbol. Reportedly the actors opposed it as a thinly veiled commercial for a product to be sold to fans. It may have been that, but when you consider some of the philosophies and dogmas that human beings have devoted their lives to, there are a lot of worse things than finding beauty in the infinite diversity of the universe.

Okay character driven episode.

[Blueghost · 11 June 2017]

A lot of people dump on this episode because it's a third season episode that doesn't have the plot driven punch of the first two seasons. It's essentially a science fiction love triangle that relies more on the abilities of the thespians to carry the story with their skill than the writers.

That's not to say that the story isn't interesting, but it's not as deeply thematic as the stories of the first two seasons, and there's a spartan quality that pervades the third season because of budget cuts. Therefore the story is kept simple. The story is essentially a love triangle when a jealous lover driven to rage acts out, and consequences ensue.

The performances are first rate. Where the plot is lacking (in fact, there's hardly a plot at all) the basic story and actors carry the episode. There is a distinct lack of action though a bit of interpersonal intrigue, and the exploration of a character who is unusually handicapped.

To me this is a decent episode, worthy of more than the mediocre criticisms and praise that have come from other fans of the show. It's actually better than a few of the second season episodes in spite of its lack of plot elements.

If you're not a fan, then give it a shot and see what you think.

Another Episode with Plot Issues

[Samuel-Shovel · 4/10 · 14 July 2018]

In "Is There in Truth No Beauty?", the Enterprise is tasked with transporting an ambassador from a race who is perceived as so ugly, that just the sight of one by human eyes will cause instant madness. The Medusan ambassador Kollos is accompanies by a telepathic human aide named Miranda, who claims that her life of training on Vulcan allows her to see him without insanity ensuing.

A scientist aboard happens to be a scorned lover of Miranda's. In a fit of jealousy, he attempts to murder Kollos, predictably causing him to go mad. He takes over control of the engines and shoots the Enterprise out of the galaxy into a disorientating patch of space. Only Kollos's ultra-intelligent mind can bring the Enterprise back.

But he needs control of the bridge, something that is obviously infeasible. Spock must attempt a mindmeld with Kollos, merging the two men into Spock's body. Miranda feels a special connection to Kollos and attempts to stop this from happening. But Spock wins out and the two merge and help the Enterprise reenter the galaxy. Miranda sabotages Spock out of jealousy, trying to make him go mad. A now sick Spock needs a mindmeld with Miranda. Kirk is able to convince her to do it and everyone ends up back to normal. Kollos and Miranda are now linked.

This episode's plot is extremely clunky. I really enjoy the idea behind it but the execution is poor. The premise that something is so ugly it causes insta-madness is a bit laughable, so I prefer to accept that it has something to do with patterns of light like one user recommended. If we can look past this, there's something to this episode. Unfortunately it becomes extremely muddled in the middle. We also sit around having a philosophical conversation that really isn't all that deep or meaningful.

It's also aggravating how all the officers aboard the Enterprise fawn over Miranda like she's an Orion female or something. She shows little in this episode to make me buy into her character.

As it often happens in Season 3, this episode's plot is a significant issue.

Rose Tinted...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 16 February 2022]

The Medusan Ambassador lives in a case, you'll go round the bend if you look at his face, hideous, revolting, shocking and pug ugly, he's no oil painting and quite possibly all nubbly (but we'll never know as to find out would be diabolical).

Unsatisfactory risk analysis leads to unforeseen consequences and the loss of Mr. Spock's sanity.

What is beauty? Well it isn't kolos

[Rviewz2468 · 7/10 · 5 July 2018]

This to me was an all together good episode, the enterprise wasn't fighting a galactic race of evil baddies, but rather the problems stemmed from the governor coming aboard, kolos. Governor kolos was a member of a species so physically ugly that it would literally drive you insane, but on the inside the governor was a kind genius. This was a simple metaphor for the classic what's on the inside is what counts, while also looking into blind people and their limitations in the real world (when given telepathy). The episode wasn't to me particularly analytical but it did question what is beauty, who judges what beauty is and why, which I found relatively interesting, albeit not original.

The episode goes as follows..

The ambassador of an alien species is beaming aboard (kolos), as mentioned before he is so ugly it drives any human insane by looking at him, Vulcans however have an immunity when wearing x ray goggles (and I thought those things didn't work). So Spock operates the transporter and beams up kolos and his assistant, dr Miranda jones (dr Pulaski), Spock's never before mentioned rival. She is human but supposedly was taught in Vulcan and so has little to no emotion. Now Miranda spends the first ten minutes being constantly told how beautiful she is and then turning down Larry something, the guy who also came to help kolos, so naturally Larry something attempts to murder kolos, but there's one flaw in this brilliant scientists plan, he looks at kolos (seriously he looks at the thing he knows will turn him insane, what people do for love). So Larry something goes insane and takes over engineering, where after a good minute off button mashing he gets them well out of their known universe. Larry then dies when he sees Miranda, due to (as McCoy describes) nothing at all. Now incredibly kolos species are expert navigators and so they need him to take them back, so Spock decides on doing a mind meld with him so as to be able to bring them back, but Miranda won't have it, she and Spock are bitter rivals remember. So Kirk distracts Miranda by trying to tune into her emotions while Spock goes to do the meld, Kirk is immediately unsuccessful and Miranda has a tantrum, she wants to meld with kolos but as we learn, she can't as she wouldn't be able to navigate the ship properly, as she's blind. So kolos tells Miranda that he'll meld with Spock, and he does, Spock then instantly gets them back on path, however when he melds kolos consciousness back to his body he forgets his x Ray goggles and goes insane. Spock's tranquilizes and it seems Miranda is the only one who can rescue him. She is reluctant but Kirk gives her one of his famous species on emotion and accountability and ..., so Miranda saves Spock and all is right in the world.

All in all a calm episode, nothing really felt as though the enterprise was going to be in extreme danger, it was cool however to see that a starship can jump halfway across a galaxy through button mashing (maybe janeway should have tried that).

An unusual premise that might work in a comedy, too.

[fedor8 · 3 April 2022]

I enjoyed this episode more than I perhaps had any right to, because it's one of only a handful that I'd seen only once or twice before. It somehow "got away".

Colours are excellent, even better than the typical Season 3 episode, a season that features the best-looking version of "Star Trek". Or as millennials might say, "corny old-fashioned colours", because they'd been so brainwashed i.e. Conditioned to watch ugly, dark, greyish-blueish, modern mono-colour trash that they aren't even capable of appreciating normal or even high-quality cinematography.

Or maybe me liking this episode is totally logical, since Trekkies seem to hate it. What a laughably low average. They really do hate sci-fi, or anything remotely intelligent or original.

The story is rather more original than most. The premise seems silly at first: "an alien so ugly it turns humans insane". More ripe for a comedy, perhaps. Still, the writer and the cast made it work. Plus the director's input, his usage of odd angles and interesting camera movements, quite experimental for a 60s TV series.

First there's romance between the woman and Larry, then between her and Kirk. It is abundantly clear that either the writer or the producer wanted very badly yet another romantic episode with Kirk (for higher ratings?), so much that a rather flimsy plot-device was used to achieve this. Namely, the woman's telepathic abilities are so strong that they needed to be diverted, so that Spock - of whom she is jealous (!) - can use the alien to help it get the ship out of an unknown section of the universe. Yes, a very odd reason for Kirk to have a fling yet again. Couldn't Kirk have simply ASKED for her approval? After all, the Enterprise needed to go back to their own galaxy, and naturally she'd want to go back too, so why would she allow her jealousy to prevent Spock and Coloss from working to get the ship back to safety?

Apparently, not. In fact when "told" by Coloss that Spock must work with the alien on navigating the ship, that she must obey the crew, she lets out a scream. A very odd scene.

Her jealousy of Spock is the only reason we have "conflict" in the 2nd half of the story, which is why her jealousy was invented i.e. Included. It's a dubious shtick that has not too many legs to stand on, but forgivable because the episode works well overall. But what I don't understand is why Spock has to open the Medusian's box. Wouldn't simple telepathy do instead, without risking opening it?

During the early dining table scene, she senses that someone in the room is planning a murder. This is an interesting twist, but unfortunately lacks the element of mystery because Larry was the only possible suspect. Sure enough, it was he who tries to kill the alien and goes insane. Reason? Jealousy, again. He is jealous and angry at the alien, whereas she is jealous of Spock. Strange kinds of jealousies are to be found in this episode.

For a moment there, toward the end, there was danger that the story would become a replica of "Return to Tomorrow", in which an alien who overtakes Spock's body with his permission (grinning included) would decide he likes it too much to return it. Fortunately, the story doesn't go down that cliche path, which must have disappointed Trekkies who so long for low-grade cheese and corny situations.

Not one of the best

[mhubbard-54657 · 6/10 · 28 April 2017]

Not the finest episode. Many of the elements here are repetitive in TOS and are starting to get tired. The low budget is starting to show. The title suggests some moral tale, like many TOS episodes, but it remains murky. The alien who is an energy life form, this time contained in a metal box because looking at it will cause insanity.The telepathic female, who as it turns out is blind, so she is safe. Everyone else has to wear ridiculous looking red tinted glasses that look like they are from the dollar store. You know someone is going to forget their glasses and sure enough, poor Mr Spock gazes upon the entity and is afflicted. He becomes insane, but the insane Mr Spock is just sort of a jovial and witty fellow. Slow episode, contrived, doesn't really hang together. Vague theme of truth vs beauty, not really explored. Nimoy inexplicably sports a silly medallion expressing an obtuse philosophy as "product placement" for Gene Roddenberry who hopes to make money selling the necklaces. We have known Mr Spock all this time and we are just now learning of the philosophic medallion? Apparently Nimoy refused to say some of the lines essentially promoting the medallion. Good for him. Not worth re-watching except for some camp.

Great episode! I was mistaken who played Miranda.

[briansmac · 9/10 · 9 April 2018]

I could have sworn Miranda's charactor was played by Joan Bennett. Sure resembles Joan almost identical although a little younger looking.

It Does Strain Our Patience

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 4 May 2014]

The unknown is sometimes presented as much more frightening than the known. Here the horror of horrors is contained in a receptacle the looks like a toolbox I made in metal shop. This is a Medusan whose visage is so bad that it drives anyone who views it, mad. Aboard the ship is his chaperon, Diana Muldaur, who is blind, hence in no danger from his look. Also with her is a man who was an engineer instrumental in the design of the Enterprise. He is jealous of her fixation on the Medusan, not romantically but rather in her choosing this life over one with him. He decides to kill the Ambassador but in the process, looks upon it, causing him to go berserk and gain control of the ship, driving it to the edge of the galaxy. For some reason, Muldaur's character is unwilling to help in any way. Spock has the ability, using his mind meld, to take on, in human form, the Medusan. She refuses (I don't know why, other than Spock's ability to telepathically connect with other species). Even when Spock makes a near fatal mistake (forgetting his visor), she categorically refuses to assist. Ultimately, this is a really dull episode, plodding along at about a mile per hour. Motivations for actions are left in the ditch and show another slide into mediocrity for the third season.

"BEAUTY IS TRUTH, TRUTH BEAUTY"...

[zitacarno · 9/10 · 6 October 2018]

...so said the great poet Keats in his "Ode on a Grecian Urn". And so it is---truth and beauty, two inseparable concepts, whatever we humans choose to make of them. And one wonders what Kollos---the ambassador in the box---really looked like. Probably the best person to ask would be Spock, who successfully joined with said ambassador in the Vulcan mind-fusion. And we could ask Captain Kirk, the real hero in this story, who when he saw that Spock was in danger went after Miranda Jones with both barrels, chewed her out mercilessly and forced her to see just what her insane jealousy was doing to her. (And she had trained on Vulcan!) So she had to let go of that most destructive emotion so that she could achieve her desired objective---to be one with the ambassador. And she probably felt a great sense of relief.

Medusans Will Make Humans Go Crazy If The See Them

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 12 January 2017]

Season 3, episode 5. The Enterprise must transport the Medusan Ambassador Kollos and his lovely telepathic interpreter, Dr Miranda Jones as well as Engineer Laurence Marvick. A trained Vulcan can handle the sight of the Medusan with special vision glasses. It is Spock that will have to greet the Ambassador. The Ambassador is kept in an protective box and when opened for Spock to see it's a mass of blinding, sparkling light. Dr. Jones being an empath, has studied on Vulcan and learned the discipline needed to work with the Medusan with special glasses on. While at a special dinner, Dr. Jones tells the group that someone near is thinking of murder. Bones feels that Dr. Jones is vulnerable and there is something disturbing about her... Kirk thinks she's "quite a woman". Engineer Marvick is in-love with Dr. Jones but she does not respond to him as he wants... she wants to be with Kollos, the Ambassador. In talk with Marvick who knows her special abilities, Jones learns that he is the one wanting to murder - but he won't answer who it is. Marvick gets mad and enters into the quarters where the Ambassador is, sees it, and goes mad. The crazy Marvick sabotages the ship and they end up in an unknown void. Spock has to mind-meld with the Ambassador to get it back on course, to become one with Kollos. The crew then learn that Jones is blind. Now they have to get Jones' help with Kollos and Marvick to get everything back straightened out.

Still enjoyable to watch but it is one of the lesser episodes. Of course Star Trek fans will watch even the worst of the episodes as well as the best ones.

7/10

The Weaker Star trek ever...

[nicofreezer · 6/10 · 12 July 2021]

My least favorite episode by far, I had trouble getting involve in the story, and for the first Time in Star trek I Can said that i wont re watch this one.

My vote 5.5/10. I put 6 stars for the Mr Spock Funny moment, that was the highlight.

poor production of a trippy idea

[HelloTexas11 · 4/10 · 16 February 2009]

Another weak third-season entry, 'Is There In Truth No Beauty?' nonetheless has at least one key plot element that is very different and as Spock would say, fascinating. The main character is an alien who must be carried around in a black box because his appearance is so horrendous that it drives humans insane. It's too bad the episode cannot live up to this incredible premise. Obviously, I think, it was a mistake to ever 'show' the alien, as its actual visage in no way even approximates such a daunting build-up; all we get is the standard Star Trek psychedelic light display used for any number of things in different episodes, usually when the ship is passing through a magnetic storm or something similar. In any event, Kollos' appearance can at least be tolerated by Mr. Spock, and then only if Spock is wearing a special visor. (For the longest time, I thought the alien's name was 'Carlos,' which I found humorous, but I digress.) Spock is required to mind-meld with Kollos at one point so that the alien can pilot the Enterprise back to safety. This is accomplished, but when Spock/Kollos go back to end the mind-meld, by golly, Spock forgets his visor. Uh oh. He goes crazy but eventually recovers with the help of Kollos' assistant, a blind woman with psychic powers. This might have been a really bizarre, excellent episode but it is poorly directed and comes across as yet one more badly executed show of the series' last season.

Guest starring a trout...

[Pussytiddy · 19 October 2011]

Fred Freiberger's hatchet job mission nears completion as this episode guest stars the dreadful Diana Muldaur and the senior crew of The Enterprise (Kirk, Spock, Bones and Scotty) are somewhat ridiculously fawning all over Muldaur's character and calling her every beauty under the sun...she's blind, but there IS taking pity too far!!A boring episode that goes nowhere, though the ship DOES leave our galaxy for a short while they do ZERO investigating...odd for a crew employed to seek out strange new worlds.Because the episodes centres too much around Muldaur it is a complete waste of time 'action' wise. Muldaur was dreadful in TNG, and she was dreadful when she guest starred in the Original Series.Give this episode a miss...you'll be missing VERY LITTLE and you'll avoid having to gaze upon something much worse than a Medusan...namely an ugly old trout named Muldaur!