I love this episode, too. That close-up of Gem's face, tears streaming down as they take away McCoy. She knows what fate awaits him. Also, the way she looked at Spock seeing him as emotionless at first, then realizing he hides it then beams a compassionate smile toward him. I think this story should have been an Outer Limits episode. It seems to have the ear marks. However, what is more noticeable for me, is the production design --- it has the look of a Lost In Space episode. I recognize the props as well as the stairway from Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea. Those shows usually had a few props and surrounding darkness in alien surroundings. Sure, it saves money, but here, it's the theme of self-sacrifice which reigns supreme without visual distractions. Makes the acting more up front, the story more important.
Totally agree. I think the minimalistic set works in the episode's favor cuz as you say it lets us focus more on the acting which is the core of this entire show.
@@DowntheRabbitHole0 Also, let's remember that amazing George Duning musical score throughout. He nailed those emotions. He did that in every Star Trek episode he scored.
Here’s something I bet you never noticed. The white scientist was frozen in the tube just like Han Solo. That actor was the original voice of BOBA FETT.
No way, really? I know original Boba Fett was the bartender at Kelsey's bar in All in the Family but now that you mention it that white scientist looks a lot like him so I guess you're right! Cool find!
I love The Empath! It's unusual, but it focuses solely on the relationship among "those three." It's dark, it's dark, it's dark. It's an unusual story, not typical, and very well written. And Kathryn Hays (I think that was her name) is glorious.
As someone who grew up watching the original series on reruns in the 1970's, I disagree vehemently with anyone who claims that ANY episode was crappy. By contemporary standards, most of the episodes wouldn't fly, but as hindsight is 20/20, one MUST consider the era of TV and film. They were highly restricted by both the available technology of the day AND the Network, which didn't want the show on the air to begin with. Roddenberry worked against the prevailing odds; and in much the same way that Rod Serling made The Twilight Zone a success, so did he! It was STORY-DRIVEN! Gene knew that if he gave people good stories, with decent acting, while throwing in some SciFi-Space-Technology gadgets and jargon, people would love it. Why? Because that was what drove 50's & 60's culture! He tapped into that deliberately. I remember watching this episode for the first time; and I loved it! The message was clear: you don't have to kill someone to prove a point. In most cases, we simply need to open our eyes; and in many cases, its the mind's eyes that need to be opened.
Good point Mick. I'm actually working on a video where I point out the really good parts in what are considered the "worst" episodes .... including Spock's Brain.
@@DowntheRabbitHole0 I've heard some people describe _"Spock's Brain"_ as one of the worst episodes. Here again, I loved the concept. A universe with various species of different levels of intelligence. Starfleet encounters an alien life form that can remove a brain without either killing the subject, or damaging the brain. Genius! Of course, one must be willing to suspend disbelief... and buy into the premise of the story. With Star Trek, I found that easy enough to do. Not simply because I was young, but rather because I understood that what we were watching was _"fiction."_ No different than with cartoons, really. 😋 If I had to pick a favourite episode, I guess I would choose *_City on the Edge of Forever._*
When I think carefully about the episodes I like a lot versus the ones I "like less" or skip over replaying, and what they each have in common, it's the soundtrack. My favorite episodes tend to have lesser-used good tracks, sometimes even unique ones. The ones I don't prefer to replay as much have tracks I don't like. This one has those songs that are also in "The Children Shall Lead", and "Metamorphosis", I'm sure you know the bits, and I dislike those musical cues. I suspect had they had other tracks that I already liked more, I might have an over-all better appreciation of the whole episode, as unfair as that may seem. As for all the other aspects of it, the writing, acting, effects, etc., I think it's okay, but the music is not the ones I like to replay.
I suspect you're right, if they had kept those bits of music unique to their respective episodes it would have retained some charm. Empath's music is very key to it working as a story so if they copied some other tracks that wrecks it a bit.
The actress ( the impath ) is a dancer a ballerina of sorts , and what she is doing is MIME act . Mimes don’t talk , they use their body movements to express themselves to others . She isn’t talking to the captain until there is weapon pointed in her face ! In which case she covers up , in feer . Under stand ? She is talking to the audience too . But this illustration isn’t all together acurate either . An impath can sometimes feel your presence , as illustrated in the next generation series . Counselor Troy .
Was it all the over-emoting that made you not like it as a kid? I can see that happening. We signed up to watch space adventure, not an emotional roller coaster.
As a kid I think I did wonder at the Telosian connection. I also thought of this as one of the more interesting episodes from when I'd watched it once a long time ago, one of the most memorable. When I watched it again on disc it landed a bit different, but I'd probably need to see it yet again to really cement my opinion. Her healing ability is more interesting that the usual miraculous healing you see in SF or fantasy, there's a cost of sorts. It's got a big heart... it's too bad this is the screenwriter's only credit as far as I can tell. Something that just occurred to me... there are stories where a species is on a doomed world and because the prime directive prevents contact with pre-warp species (I think that's the criteria?) they have to be left to their fate. What the heavies of the episode are doing is twistedly reminiscent of this, only getting to the heart of what the Federation is supposedly about, species willing to work together or, in this case, perform self-sacrifice for the betterment of others. Only their program, as awful as it is, is accelerated, direct, and potentially will save the species in a way that the Federation wouldn't (unless rules are broken). It doesn't justify their methods but both are advanced groups passing judgement on people they happen upon, despite having the power to save them and maintain galactic diversity...
Definitely an episode with a lot of heart. Some commenters have told me it was DeForest Kelley's favorite. Interesting the point you made about these institutions passing judgement on other species, I hadn't really thought about that before but you're right.
yup hands down the worst episode .... I thought we had come a long way from that garbage when Next Gen came out ..... until I saw Counsellor Troi turned into a frog
I don't recall what I thought of this episode but I definitely didn't think it was bad. Kind of shocked that you say people think of it as being one of the worst, just seems like a normal episode to me. I know very well what it feels like to love "bad" episodes of certain TV shows (or hate "good" episodes) but I would be too afraid to talk about them. So I appreciate your confidence to do so. As a useless side note, even though it doesn't have Kirk (my favourite captain) or McCoy (my favourite ST character), The Cage is my favourite original series episode.
ahh The Cage, very interesting episode especially as the first leap out of the gate .... I'm always surprised how much stuff from way back then makes its way into modern Trek now
I love every single episode of Star Trek, and I think it the greatest series ever made, and the numbskulls that cancelled it after three seasons were idiots, that’s one of the few shows I can watch over and over and never get tired of it, if it wasn’t a great show it wouldn’t still be on television, actually that’s the only good thing on Netflix.
When you said your favorite was one of the worst, I thought you were going to say Spock’s Brain. The Empath isn’t one of my favorites but I wouldn’t call it bad. It’s average TOS.
LOL oh don't worry I have an idea for doing something discussing Spock's Brain trust me .... but no where near a favorite unless I'm super drunk on Romulan Ale
the one with lazarus? god yeah I think i've seen it twice? I've seen the favourite episodes like 300 times but some, like that and like The Empath , I've barely seen.
@@DowntheRabbitHole0I read that Drew Barrymore’s father was to be Lazarus but then flaked at the last minute and they had to scramble to get the other guy. But all he seemed to do was fall off the same cliff MULTIPLE TIMES
You have every right in the world to feel choked up over a blatantly orchestrated melodrama when, blast it, that melodrama WORKS, almost in spite of how blatantly it is orchestrated, plus it also gives our Kirk-Spock-McCoy triumvirate a chance to shine bright. The Empath is a top episode for me as well, perhaps not in the top dozen but close. Kathryn Hays was a sweetheart, I was instantly charmed. People may feel uneasy about her being essentially a Christ figure. This episode is a sermon, in the best sense of a decent sermon (much as the series Breaking Bad is a lengthy sermon on the sin of pride) -- we are unworthy of salvation, because we may never be so perfect as to literally give our lives for each other, but at that point, simple mercy needs to enter our equation. I love it when a story can stand up for the power of faith without having to get all tangled up in the supernatural or the miraculous (although I consider Gem to be downright miraculous). Testimonies to faith are why I love movies ranging from The Shawshank Redemption to the conclusion of Midnight Run. Some people can dismiss such things as mere sentiment, but I do not dismiss something that has been properly earned.
So darned true. Back then they had to make a show work with dialog and acting ... using your brain. Now? Just blow stuff up real big and viewers will accept it
Ah Classic Star Trek nothing like it Kevin I remember watching it when I was very young and thinking how cool and awesome it was with all those special effects etc Thanks for sharing this with us all,it's greatly appreciated by me so thank you Best regards Tony 😊
Season 3 has some great episodes, (Enterprise Incident, Tholian Web) but, due to the reduced budget, I do think it's fair to say that it has more than it's fair share of bad ones. The Empath isn't nearly as bad as say, Spock's Brain, or And the Children Shall Lead, or The Alternative Factor (season 1) But, I also think it makes a much better Outer Limits episode. Or even a stage production. With the very limited set design it really feels like a play being performed on a thrust stage or in the round.
Yeah I guess if you graded every episode in a season the third gets the most stinkers. I like your notion that Empath makes for a good stage play, I totally see that.
I love this episode and it doesn't deserve to be knocked as much as it is, I suppose it's a bit cerebral which is what I love about it. It's like watching a play with it's minimal setting, it's about love, friendship and sacrifice and was DeForrest Kelley's favourite episode 😊
totally there with ya, Gem can't speak but does so much with expressions and Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley are totally on their A-game in this particular show
My favorite "worst episode" is The Alternative Factor. It was my first foray into the idea of parallel universes. I"m pretty sure the topic was covered prior to that and despite some poor dialogue (kill! kill! kill!) the production was pretty good. . .stumbling upon an universe ending phenomenon and grappling with it and making a hard command decision to lock Lazerus away.
I liked the episode but not a fave of mine. It's a sort of what if.....we did a theatre production of trek and used kate bush expression dance to use as a communication medium and used old effects used in the transformation into a wherewolf I.e. stop photography. It works but it is cheap but the story is fine. I know kate bush is mid 70s but it's my only way of expressing it lol excelsior
Thanks del, I have heard tons of praise heaped onto other episodes but this one has always kept a special place in my heart. Speaking of which, I hope you're keeping well.
Ah yes, they played the third season once when I lived there in the 80's and I was always surprised this episode never made it on screen. That explains it.
I wonder sometimes if this episode is so low on many lists because it introduces a VERY Christian idea into a humanist show: "Greater love hath no [wo]man than this; that [s]he layeth down [her] life for [her] friends." (John 15:13). Gem learns that empathy from Kirk, Spock, and McCoy's brotherhood--they represent the best in people. I thought it a masterstroke that it was grizzled, prejudiced, McCoy who models it best when he sedates Spock, realizing what's coming. Even in ST, McCoy's southern upbringing would have made him familiar with that scripture. In learning from them, Gem is able and willing to "take upon [her] the pains and sicknesses of [her] people" (Alma 7:11)--specifically, dying to heal McCoy--and become the Christ figure she is supposed to represent. (There's even a bit of the Pieta statue (reversed) in their departure.) Personally, it's one of my favorites for the reasons listed above--because of its motif.
I described the dancer , right . Well that style of dance is not done here in the United States . We in the United States stump around . Really clumsy ! The mime in this story came from France ! That’s where this style of dance came from . The idea is to depict a form of gentility . Gentleness . And as you can see , gene Roddenberry pict the right person to do the job .
@@DowntheRabbitHole0 Yep, Deforest Kelley gave The Empath high marks--he considered it his favorite episode of the series. Memory Alpha confirms this. Given the sadism of the episode, I have to work up the desire to watch it--but I do like it. The minimalism of the set design was very well done turning a limitation into a virtue as all that darkness gives the show a heightened existential feel of a stage play (akin to Waiting for Godot).
In a way I like how they *don't* spell everything out, which makes this much more of a Twilight Zone episode. The audience discover things as the away team discover them. I'm mostly unhappy with the pacing. It just drags... And I'm one of those people who don't like the Nutrek because of the zippy editing. I still think this is my least favorite episode, there are plenty other bad ones, like Spock's Brain, that are at least amusing. This is a really serious episode.
Well I'm very glad you decided to give it another kick at the can after watching my video. I can see your points about the pacing, they really don't make them like that anymore and they are probably right not do to so. Personally this one works really well but again, I loves me some tragedy so maybe don't totally listen to my recommendations LOL
It's not my favorite episode but I like it well enough. There are definitely worse episodes. Cat's Paw or I, Mudd come to mind... or that one were the implication is that two alien races independently authored word-for-word copies of The United States Declaration of Independence! Yikes!
Before watching this, I'll tell you why I dislike this episode. It's like a... sensory deprivation episode! It's quiet. Dark. Slow paced. Confusing. Boring. As if it's 2 hours long! I always assumed this was the moneysaver of all moneysaver episodes. That there was no plot. Just this lab. The young deaf mute character was played well, the actress was amazing, but still, snooze-o-rama. (Well, her "mime" acting is rather over the top) - I'm gonna listen to your points and see if I'll change my mind.
I like the entire franchise . Because , they were so inventive from episode to episode . SO What was the impath about ? Can anyone say SERVIVAL ? I mean this installation is buried inside a planet after all . Shield ed from the suns radiation .
A lot of shows at the time played up the minimalist sets. Think of The Twilight Zone, The Avengers and The Wild Wild West. I think it's fine. Cheesy? Ugh, Bill Shatner was the lead cheesemeister.
@@DowntheRabbitHole0: some might call it ‘cerebral’ with a minimal amount of ‘action’. Not a lot, except for our heroes being beat up., I still remember Kirk saying, ‘The best defense is a good offense, and I intend to star offending rigt now.’ I think it gets bonus points for being similar to the Very good episodes, the pilot and ‘the cage’. Hope I named the episodes correctly.
@@DowntheRabbitHole0 That was the animated series (aka ST: TAS): The Infinite Vulcan, written by ensign Checkov himself, Walter Koenig who, otherwise, didn't make it in animated form owing to budget restrictions.
