The Enemy Within
A transporter accident splits Kirk into two halves: one gentle, the other savage, but both vital to the captain's existence. The two must be rejoined.
It's our first tour de force performance by Shatner in a dual role as Kirk's good and evil halves. From the demands for brandy to the final confrontation, Bill offers up slices of perfectly seasoned ham. Apparently when the captain loses his will to command his speech is even slower . . . than . . . usual . . . Well, even if the acting is overdone (which won't ever change), the story offers something more substantial than what could have been a series of fistfights. Kirk clearly needs both halves, as do we all, even horned space dogs. Also, he has the internal fortitude to contain both, unlike the famous Dr. Jeckyll. Sulu's running commentary from the planet is cute, if a little forced. The absence of shuttles should also be explained. (The "real life" reason being that the models were not ready at the time.) It's a shame how "two Kirks" quickly becomes a cliché, since it begins as such an intriguing concept.
Spock Saves the Day: Spock nerve pinches evil Kirk and jogs good Kirk along in making a number of crucial decisions.
Oops: What on Earth is Spock implying to Rand about evil Kirk's "interesting qualities"? Yes, rape is just fascinating . . .
Developments: The Vulcan acknowledges his warring halves in a more helpful fashion than in The Naked Time, claiming his intelligence masters both. But Mr. Logical is actually pretty emotional throughout this episode, whether concerned for Kirk, excited to observe the split good and evil in a man, confrontational with McCoy, or happy to see Jim back together. Captain and first officer look out for each other not just in a professional sense but as friends. Shatner dominates many scenes, but careful observation of Nimoy is revealing.