Once Upon a Planet
The crew returns to the Shore Leave planet for some relaxation, to find that the kindly Keeper has died. A malicious machine is in now control.
Kirk and Spock both take pains to point out this planet is not amusing, leaving one to wonder if it ever was. McCoy seems remarkably calm in returning considering that he died in this place, though he admits later it was "pretty hazy." I'll bet. Some early moments are nice: Uhura's song, McCoy's Southern estate, Lewis Carroll motifs - but then the writers let their imaginations run on automatic, setting free the usual TAS creatures, plus a giant cat. At least we get to hear Spock say, "Was anyone considering pterodactyls?" It would have been even better to hear a meek "I was," but we don't. (This isn't Ghostbusters, alas.) It's not clear how the machine gained self-awareness, nor does Kirk distinguish between machines as tools and life forms. What was happening on the ship is most interesting: zero gravity! And then we have a few officers having a picnic with the two-headed Chinese dragon. One wishes this level of surrealism were maintained throughout.
Spock Saves the Day: Spock fakes his death to get into the underground cavern, then helps Kirk confront the computer.
Oops: He seems to be pointing out the obvious even more than usual, probably because this scenario has happened before. Repeatedly.
Developments: In the TOS episode By Any Other Name, we see that Spock can place himself in a trace that mimics death. But here McCoy has to use a drug, as he's done with Kirk. (And against Spock's will in The Empath.) No explanation is given, since the writers' memories seem here to extend only to the script to which they are writing a sequel.