The Doomsday Machine // Star Trek: The Original Series Reaction // Season 2 

Please no spoilers! So that I can provide my best and most honest reaction, please do not mention the names of any future characters, events, or episode titles (this goes for future series as well). Please do not say which upcoming episodes are good or bad, otherwise I will have trouble forming my own opinion! Thank you, and enjoy!

William Windom is one of the finest character actors to ever have lived.

While you will never be able to watch these episodes for the first time every again, you can, a few years down the road, watch a reaction channel that is watching the series, just like many of us are doing with your channel. Watching along with someone who has never seen the show before is the closest you can come to experiencing it for the first time again

For my money, William Windom did the finest bit of acting in any Trek series. He really came off as someone who lived through true horror and came out with a broken soul. I loved that they even made the planet killer look kind of like Moby Dick, perfect for Decker to obsess over.

I totally understand your sadness of the idea of having watched them all- But you know, my dear, this is why those of us who have seen them 1000 times watch you

I'm a retired veteran, and shell shock or not, I still love and admire Commodore Decker. He had absolutely no fear and did not take to being pushed around, yet had a deep love for his crew and ship. A true warrior.

I’ve never seen Bunny so intense. Both her hands balled up into fists, punching one hand with the other, etc. Great fun.

Matt Decker is a very complex character. He's a large part of what makes this episode so great. This is a very intense episode and one of the best. People initially get quite mad at Commodore Decker and yet ironically it is he who ends up saving millions of lives. If they hadn't followed his lead, they would have sacrificed the Rigel colony in order to go warn Starfleet. Because Decker forced them to attack the Doomsday machine all those millions would have died. It's an irony of this episode that in the end Decker was right. It would be worth it to lose both ships if it stopped the machine. Of course, we as the audience are rooting for Kirk and crew, and so Deckard is the antagonist, and yet he is the one that makes the outcome that needed to help Rigel. And of course this is one of Scotty's finest moments.

Mirror, Mirror and The Doomsday Machine are two of the most iconic and re-watchable episodes of TOS. I look at Matt Decker as a guy who is suffering from severe PTSD due to the traumas he endured.

William Windom (Decker) was a great character actor. He appeared in dozens of TV shows and films from the 60's to the early 2000's. Even in smalls roles like in 'Planes. Trains and Automobiles' he was a stand out.

This episode was nominated for a Hugo award. Your elaborate description of Kirk's qualities as a leader are what we with a military background sum up as "badass".

Yes! Love this one. "Vulcans never bluff." It's probably my favorite Alexander Courage theme You're watching the remastered effects. But even with the original effects, can you imagine how awesome it must've been to watch these epic Sc'fi battles in 1968? Love this show! And Kitk is the man. Indeed..

One of my favorite episodes. William Windom was a well known character actor and does a great job here as Commodore Decker.

My all time favorite Star Trek TOS ever! And Sol Kaplan's amazing score for this episode has become the stuff of legend! The Decker suicide scene in this episode late one night made my dad start to cry! Here is the original 1967 trailer for it!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aHGW-qplAQE.html

William Windom was great in this, he was in a lot of movies and TV, great character actor

Bill Windom deserved the Emmy here; showing us depression, shock and especially panic, has never been topped. Also please note the horns when Spock finally confronts Windom and gets him to vacate the captain’s chair. This the first and only time we hear trumpets in the 79 episodes ❤🎉😊. Ps: isn’t it obvious this should have been explanned into a feature film?

The dramatic tension, the musical score, everything during the climax of this episode with Kirk starting down the Doomsday machine while Scotty is frantically attempting repairs... peak Star Trek!!

It's a shame that most reactors haven't seen 'The Caine Mutiny' so they don't recognize the call back William Windom is going with the memory cards as a tribute to Bogart and the steel ball bearings. Bunny's reaction was perfect. When she said she nearly cried with Decker I thought 'you want, that will pass.'

Fun Fact: The original Doomsday Machine prop was designed by the episode writer and made from a wind sock dipped in concrete. Pretty ingenious and inexpensive.

“A guy with authority trying to commandeer the Enterprise for bad reasons” is another staple of Trek, but Commodore Decker stands out to me. Lots of moments from this episode live rent free in my brain, usually accompanied by that iconic danger music. And as always: ❤ Spock!

According to Wikipedia and IMDB, the actor playing commodore Decker, William Windom, had a heck of a life. Apart from a full life acting in TV and the theater, and five different marriages, he was a parachute trooper during WW-2 in Europe, a sports sailor, and a tournament-level chess player.

Bunny does a great job. She really understands Star Trek and story craft. Its fun to watch things with her.🙂

There's a bit of Queeg from The Caine Mutiny in Windom's performance here. The playing with the data discs a la Bogart with the ball bearings. Great episode for Spock & McCoy on the Enterprise with Kirk & Scotty on the Constellation and how the chain of command works on a starship. All with the consequences of building such weapons. I know it's fan made, but hearing you come to terms with Star Trek and new episodes of TOS ending for you, might I suggest the 11 episodes of Star Trek Continues. Another great reaction.🖖

Your empathy makes your reviews even better. You must be a friend worth having.

I don’t know if anyone else said this, but the Constellation is a sister ship of the Enterprise. Both are Constitution class starships.

Everyone else is singing his praises and so shall I. William Windom's performance is the best guest actor in the series. Shocked one moment, factual the next, and then the heart breaking moment when he says Don't you think I know that? There was but not anymore! It's devastating. This may be his best work ever. Then you get all these wonderful moments between Spock and McCoy, Spock and Kirk, and Scotty and Kirk. And the Doomsday Machine action is incredible! How can you not love this show!

Well, take this from me as a fan who grew up with this show, I've watched each of these episodes well into the triple digits and I still love rewatching them. When you love the show, you love revisiting these characters and these stories, and your appreciation and fandom for all of it simply grows.

The crew of the Enterprise call Scotty the"Miracle Worker".

Great episode. Nothing in the history of TV beats the musical scoring of this show in a tense situation or fight.

Bunny. Feeling sad upon the realization that you can only experience Star Trek the original series once, for the first time, is coincidentally how many of us are feeling about this precious journey you are on, as we experience these episodes again, but now through your eyes, and through your heart. You, without any doubt, are making this a special time for all of us; and while it's true that many of us will follow you into other journeys in the future, none will be quite like this one.

I love the way you've fallen in love with this show. And of course this is the reason the franchise is still alive 55 years after the original series was cancelled, because the series was just that good.

The novelization said The Doomsday Machine was over 2 Billion years old. TOS at it's best was amazing. That score and orchestral work...Hats off!

"This is the longest 30-seconds of my life!". Watching you watch them for the first time is almost as satisfying as doing it myself.

"I've never heard that term before." Consider adding Dr. Strangelove (1964) to your movie reaction list.

Years ago, it was suggested that Commodore Decker is the father of Commander Decker from "Star Trek The Motion Picture".

The original version of this episode used the 18" AMT Enterprise model kit you could buy from any model store as the Constillation, as they needed to rough up the model. They couldn't use the regular Enterprise model for that, and there was no budget to produce something truly special. Once again they made a fantastic episode on a shoestring budget. The remastered special effects really elevate both the Constillation and the Doomsday Machine so much.

Decker had to have massive survivors guilt, while blaming himself directly for their. It’s no wonder he was driven suicidal.

Now would be a good opportunity to enjoy Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”, 1964, if you haven’t already. Lot’s of quotable quotes and memes are based on it. Scotty has inspired generations of engineers. Summer of ‘79, in the Ga Tech cafeteria every seat around the big color TV was full at 5pm because that’s when “I Dream of Jeannie” started immediately before “Star Trek” on Ted Turner’s old Atlanta WTCG Channel 17, which became TBS. We “all” wanted to be Major Healy and Scotty. Memories…Great reaction Bunny!

Commander Decker was indeed a tragic figure. He was a great Starfleet officer and starship commander. The shock and horror of seeing his ship defeated and his crew all dead would have destroyed most officers. We can be angry with him for almost making the same mistake with the Enterprise, but we can also understand his rage and guilt. He could not live with such shame. He couldn't go home, so he went down with his ship. A tragedy for him and his crew.

William Windom was all over TV. He later starred in "My World And Welcome To It", based on the works of James Thurber. He turns in a good performance as the unstable Decker.

A good episode, written by Norman Spinrad, a genuine science fiction writer. Veteran actor William Windom delivers an excellent performance as Commodore Decker. And your reference to the Sunk Cost Fallacy was apt.

Yay, one of my fav episodes! I read a book once in the TNG timeline that the Doomsday machine was built to fight the Borg. Hope you are doing well 🙂

This is my favorite Star Trek episode. You nailed it in the analysis. This episode has everything. A little starship combat and a lot of character interactions. A guy we have sympathy for at the beginning, loses our sympathy by being a knucklehead in the middle, and then sacrifices himself at the end, leaving you conflicted about how you feel about him. It's a great tragedy. William Windom was excellent in this, the Spock and McCoy back and forth is fun, and lots of Scotty saving the day is great too.

This episode consistently makes it onto the most popular lists of ST episodes. Fun facts: the episode was written by Norman Spinrad, a popular sci-fi author from the 60's and 70's (as was Harlan Ellison for City on the Edge of Forever). William Windom was the character actor who played Commodore Decker. He did guest appearances on many shows back in the day including Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke & the Twilight Zone.

I saw an interview of WIlliam Windom who played Commodore Decker, where he discussed his role in this episode. The scene where he flew into the Doomsday Machine, he filmed many different reactions. I think he described it like throwing everything against a wall and see what sticks.

There was a novelization of a duplicate planet killer encountered by the Enterprise-D commanded by Jean Luc Picard. This planet killer was piloted by a being who took control of the machine in order to destroy the Borg. The novel is titled, "Star Trek: The Next Generation: Vendetta: The Giant Novel", whatever that means. The author is Peter David.

I always found it funny that Mr. Scott says “a cranky transporter’s a mighty finicky piece of machinery to be gambling your life on” Considering how easily the transporter gets ‘cranky’ its a gamble quite a bit! At least Scotty can be relied on to fix it!

Doomsday machine a.k.a M.A.D (mutually assured destruction) the definition of the Cold war itself.

That smug look of victory on your face when Spock takes back command speaks volumes.

When you're done with STOS consider watching "Dr. Strangelove" at some point for a comedic take on this same theme. Enjoyed your reaction.

This has the best musical score of episode of TOS! I own the CD and play it often. Although he won an Emmy a few years later, William Windom should've been nominated here! He based his performance on Captain Ahab in the 1956 film _Moby Dick._

This episode also introduced a LOT of original dramatic musical scoring, some of which was well-reused, later in the series.

I was 8 years old when this episode first aired. Needless to say, I was awestruck by it. And now, at 64, it remains my #1 favorite of all of Star Trek. This was the kind of TV we had in the 60s. Great writing, strong acting, intelligent dialog, fantastic effects with very little to work with, and above all, it was all family-friendly.

I won't say anything specific at this time. But when you get to watching the movies I'll be bringing up this episode..

The Enterprise and the Constellation are both Constitution class starships. So that means they are the same size. They are sisters. Later on, there was a new class of ship, itself called the Constellation class. But that's different, and was later.

The audio for this when the DD machine is after a ship is pretty much the music to Jaws.

Don't be sad There's Star Trek the Animated Series, Star Trek the original crew movies, Star Trek the Next Generation, Star Trek The Next Generation movies, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek Enterprise, Star Trek Continues (fan series). and other lesser liked stuff

Yes, he's strong. The strength of a man obsessed. Mr. Windom said that years latter the parallel to _'Moby Dick'_ was made. He said if he had realized it at the time, he would've olayed into that angle. His fiddling with the data cartidges was his decision to give a tip of the hat to Humphrey Bogart's character in _'The Caine Mutiny'_ during the court martial scene.

So cool to watch you go through the thrills of this, my favorite TOS episode. I love Spock in this one, and one of my favorite parts is when Kirk is ordering him to take command of the ship - the camera going back and forth from Spock to Decker - the looks on the faces of the bridge crew, "uh oh, what's going to happen" - Spock's "Vulcans never bluff". Good stuff, indeed.

Once in a blue moon a TV show from any genre produces a performance from an actor that is simply jaw dropping. A couple of examples come to mind.... Wellington demolishing Simmerson in Sharpe’s Eagle or Regan calling out his commanding officer in The Sweeney episode Jack or Knave. Such moments are rare and to be cherished. William Windom’s performance is one such moment. His mental collapse after being given the reality by Kirk’s “There is no third planet” is brutal if honest. It is a defining moment in TV and is to TV what “Tears in the Rain” is to cinema..... It’s that memorable and we have Humphrey Bogart and the Caine Mutiny to thank for it.... Make no mistake Star Trek redefined what quality TV could do in 60s America and it was a long hard battle which it won over time....

Yeah, seen this episode dozens of times, and William Windom's scene always wrecks me.

This episode has the distinction of being simultaneously a great Kirk episode, a great Spock episode, a great Scotty episode, a great guest-star episode, and a great orchestral score episode. That's mighty rare.

I know it might be hard to find, but I recommend watching the episode with the original visuals. Honestly, I prefer the original look of the Doomsday Machine, even if the original special effects are a little janky.

The one thing that always sticks with me from the first time I saw it, the music is fantastic. And I’m pretty sure John Williams was inspired by this for the JAWS theme.

You can still watch TAS for the first time...and Continues...and the TOS movies...and TNG...and DS9...and Voyager...and the TNG movies...and Enterprise...and the Kelvin movies...and Discovery...and After Trek...and Short Treks...and Picard...and Ready Room...and Lower Decks...and Prodigy...and Strange New Worlds...and other fan made productions...and Galaxy Quest...and Captain Starr...and The Orville...and all the behind the scenes/convention panel/biographical/blooper type ancillary stuff...and video game walkthroughs...and novels and comics to read...and all the new stuff they make in the meantime...

I love this episode. The acting is top-notch. The actor who played the commodore was William Windom. He played the part of a doctor in one particular episode of another show that I like called "Simon and Simon." The episode he played in is titled "Under the Knife" and is from season 3 episode number 19.

This has always been one of my favorite episodes! Great reaction. I agree that its nice to see well trained personnel respond to a crisis with their training instead of turning on each other for drama.

Watching The Apple with you, I realized that I was thinking about things I never thought about before (Vaal won't regulate the climate any more so Starfleet better check on them to make sure they aren't freezing.) It happened in A Taste of Armageddon too (calculating, for the first time, how many died in that 500 year war). Then I realized that I always watched these alone, and haven't watched them *_with_* anyone since 1972. Reacting to your reaction, I am stimulated to think about it more than ever.

I love Scotty's technical description. "Poof!" 😂

Aug 2024 - I’m soo glad I discovered your review channel. It’s been said that, “The Doomsday Machine” episode is probably one of the most popular (for lots of reasons) of the original Star Trek series of the late 1960s. Did you catch that the doomsday machine device itself even had its own musical theme?! From your reactions and carefully given comments, you did an excellent review. I’m so glad I had a chance to see it! Thank you for exploring a 1960s TV series that now is known throughout the world. More power to you!

"BLAST REGULATIONS".... This why Kirk is the best! I couldn't agree more! 😄

Here we go. Definitely a fan favorite. This is easily in my top 3 of the series. Remember this after you finish the show: just because you saw them doesn’t mean your perspective on a given episode can’t change. Maybe you’ll find something you missed, or somehow see it completely differently after a rewatch. I’ve been watching these episodes for a couple decades now and there have been a few that have gone up in stock since I first saw them. Life and time always bring perspective. You also have several seasons of other shows to go, and I can guarantee you have a lot of gold ahead of you yet to discover.

Another Bunny Day!! I think from ur rxn that u haven’t seen DR STRANGELOVE!!! If so, please add this incredible Stanley Kubrick black comedy to your list!

Star Trek would run on syndication on local network TV at 5 pm in my area. In 1978 this was one of the first episodes I saw and I hid behind the couch for most of it. In the original special effects the may of the machine was very scary!

I fell behind and never caught up, but this one brings me out. One of my absolute favorites. Although part of it may be that I love a good argument, so let me state the Unpopular Opinion: Spock is WRONG. Decker is *COMPLETELY RIGHT* . (On the strategy, I mean.) SPOCK: Logically, our primary duty is to survive in order to warn Starfleet Command. DECKER: Our primary duty is to maintain life and safety of Federation planets. Do you deny that? I clap practically every time he says that. What the hell is Spock thinking? "Too bad about Rigel, let's run away and call StarFleet." Does he REALLY think that is what Kirk would do? If you are in trouble, you don't toss in the towel and let MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DIE. You find a new solution. Now, granted, Decker's first idea of "new tactics" (get closer and fire harder) was complete trash. But poor tactics don't make him any less wrong on the strategy (save Rigel, no matter what). And Decker's second idea (blow the thing up from inside) worked pretty damn well, even if Kirk had to refine it for him. (I think, under less stress, they could have loaded a shuttlecraft with a bunch of photon torpedos and seen how well the Planet-Killer liked that. But they had a spare starship handy, so that worked, too.) Honestly, if there was no Constellation or Decker and nothing else worked, do you think Kirk would be "run away, call for help"? He would have used the Enterprise as a last-ditch kamikaze, even if it was pure suicide, That's the heroic choice. The MILLIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE at stake leave no other option. (There is, theoretically, a way Kirk could save most of his crew in such a situation, but that gets into spoilers. But even if he couldn't, he would choose "stop that thing, even if I die" over "sucks to be you, Rigel" in a heartbeat.) And while I'm beating up on Spock (whom I normally love, don't get me wrong), did you notice that once Kirk distracts the machine and it is chasing the Constellation, Spock is about to "strongly suggest" that the Enterprise beat feet and let the machine kill Kirk and Scotty (and Washburn and the two damage-control guys)?? It is Decker who gets that if they take turns shooting the machine, it won't know who to fire at and the two ships can coordinate attacks. Seriously, Spock. FFS. ********************** William Windom (Decker) was so good at playing emotionally-fragile characters that he was sometimes called "Weeping Willie". Among Windom's other roles was a segment for "Night Gallery" (Rod Serling's comeback series, after "The Twilight Zone") called "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar", with Windom in the lead. Fine emotional work, and one of the best segments from that series.

It was a major thing for Spock, as a Vulcan, to offer condolences.

Don't worry about running out of TOS episodes to watch, Bunny. There's TNG after this. And then DS9, VOY and ENT. All five series together have 703 episodes. And you're only watching one per week. It will take you *more than 13.5 years* to finish. I honestly doubt human civilization will survive that long. So you'll be all right. Don't worry about running out of new episodes to watch.

The director told him I'm going for a bathroom or smoke break, just say your lines to the camera as if you're truly devastated about losing your crew. So he did just that. The camera was focused on him and he definitely did his job. Brilliant.

Bunny this episode and A Taste of Armageddon with the Ambassador and Commodore follow a similar pattern. 'I am in command." "That may be, but we are not going to follow your orders anymore. You can file a complaint with Star Fleet."

Great Reaction 👍👍👍👍. Just about my favorite episode 😊 For more on Someday Machines, check out the dark comedy "Dr. Strangelove, Or how I learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" A great Stanley Kubrik film.😊

Well, if you ever have a tough day you can think about the battle music from this episode. It helps!

Nichelle Nichols had accepted an invitation to sing at a Concert in NYC during the filming of "The Doomsday Machine" so Elizabeth Rogers stepped in as Lt. Palmer to take Uhuta's place. She reprised her role in the 3rd Season episode "The Way to Eden".

Scotty's accent drops while he's talking about the detonator switch.

its not that he was panicking: He knew that robot was destined to cut through the galaxy and eat planets and destroy life aimlessly and there was *no one else* who even knew about it and it HAD to be stopped somehow. It was his sworn duty as a starfleet officer to preserve life and protect members of the federation and neighboring planets and systems. He was mad, yes, but for all of the best and noble reasons. what is 400 people versus literally trillions of people across space in the galaxy: and if it isnt stopped it'll coast from galaxy to galaxy chopping planets to shreds and consuming them with 0 regard for life. William Windham said the director "went for a smoke" and let him act that "Straight out of hell" scene. Remarkable work. You really do feel how devastated he is about the entire situation and loss of his entire crew.

Windom absolutely nailed this part! Star Trek in all of its many different shows had a knack for hiring amazing actors for one off parts that stand out as much as the regulars and this is certainly one of them. I have to wonder that since Commodore Decker was dealing with PTSD that this was a way to show what many from WW2 were dealing with but was never talked about since the writers came from that era. Keep up these great reactions and this was one I was really excited about viewing.

Wonderful reaction today! BTW: It's not Star Trek, but if you want to see another example of a "Doomsday Machine" device in action, I highly recommend the excellent film, "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb". It's a dark comedy about the Cold War. I can't wait for your future reactions!

If you search youtube for "Star Trek New Voyages, 4x01, In Harm's Way" you can watch a fan-made sequel to this. Very nicely done with original sets rebuilt.

bunnytails, you speak of Scotty with some affection in your closing remarks. This episode was the favorite of James Doohan, Scotty's actor, may he rest in peace.

Love the impersonal vibe, when Commadore Decker calls Mr Sulu, "Helmsman"! William Windom was a terrific actor & known as much in his time. His portrayal of Commadore Decker made this episode of Star Trek easily top 5 of all time & probably top 2!

@richcarrCCC 1 second ago It bears repeating, William Windom deserved an Emmy Award for his performance in this episode, a nomination at the very least, furthermore, ;) I believe a Saturn Award would have been most befitting for his superb portrayal of Commodore Decker.

One of my favorite episodes. Decker, being a Commodore, had the authority to take command of the Enterprise in the absense of the Captain. When contact with Kirk was restored, Kirks order for Spock to relieve Decker may be a breach of protocol but it legally protects Spock and the crew from repercussions. Kirk would have to answer any complaint that Decker might make to higher authorities. Even if Kirk hadnt been out of contact on the Constellation Decker could assume control of the Enterprise, to the extent of directing the actions of the ship . . . but the Captain is in control of how these actions are carried out, as its his ship. At any rate, the crew is protected by Kirk's orders in any squabble berween command officers. In my opinion.

It's too bad they won't allow the programs as original effects, unaltered. You would be surprised how good it looked for the time, and especially the budget. The Constellation was quick built out of one of the AMT original model kits from about 1966/67. I actually built one to look busted up like in this episode. 13/14 years old. Had to visit the local SEARS store to watch the show in color and take notes to get the painting details correct. We only had a 19" B&W TV set.

William Windom as Decker is hands down, the best guest star of the series! You love him, then hate him, then feel bad for him again! Spock is at his most logical in this one as well, coldly following every order he is given. The drama, the writing, the music, the acting, this one has it all and is my absolute favorite episode! Thanks for the great reaction to this perfect gem! Windom has some other great performances in Night Gallery, check them out when you get the chance. You won’t regret it. 😄

I've always loved the actor William Windom (who played Decker). He was on a lot of TV shows and movies growing up - his hard-bitten, grizzled portrayal seems to have been common in a lot of his roles. I was lucky to meet him many years ago in the late 90s or early 2000s after a reading of a play by the Ross Valley Players (in Marin County north of San Francisco). My dad taught a screenwriting class, and one of his students had this troupe read his screenplay on stage, and Mr Windom was a member of the group. I got to fanboy-out and tell him how much I'd loved all his acting roles. He was almost as grumpy in person as his roles, but in a loveable way ;-)

The music at the climax may sound familiar. 7 years later John Williams would borrow it to compose the Jaws theme for Spielberg and he would forget to credit Sol Kaplan, the composer.

Perhaps the best known treatment of a Doomsday Device is Stanley Kubrick's Dr Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. That would be a good movie reaction.

William Windom had a brief series called "My world and welcome to it." Also, this episode is pretty much Moby Dick in space and Decker is Ahab and the planet killer is the whale.

20:00 - You: Why isn't it attacking? Me: The Enterprise is acting like free food coming passively straight toward it. Would *you* shoot a *free lunch?*

I've never seen an actor portray the look of "oh shit, I'm dead" than the Commodore's expression in this episode as he was being disintegrated. Even all these years later, it's still effective

Known as James Doohan's favorite episode, the Doomsday Machine has some of the best acting of all episodes. From Decker's trauma to Spock and McCoy confronting Decker on the bridge. Note also the communications officer's reaction when Spock finally relieves Decker on Kirk's orders.