Talk:Spock's Brain

Worst episode ever?
"Spock's Brain is considered by some to be the worst episode of the original series of Star Trek." - Where is evidence for this? I would say this is POV without a reliable reference (i.e. not someone's blog) and I recommend it gets deleted until a reference comes along. --JohnLynch


 * Live in a cave? :-)  It should say "considered by many".


 * The DAYSTROM INSTITUTE TECHNICAL LIBRARY:


 * " This is often nominated by fans as the worst TOS episode ever. This episode is a nominee for the DITL "Worst of Trek" award."


 * EX ASTRIS SCIENTIA


 * "For most people this is the worst of all TOS episodes"


 * STAR TREK: HYPERTEXT


 * "Possibly the dumbest episode in the entire Trek canon"


 * TREK NAVIGATOR - The Ultimate Guide to the Entire Trek Saga by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross (1998, Back Bay Books)


 * "Considered one of the worst episodes ever"

--StAkAr Karnak 01:53, 8 Sep 2004 (UTC)


 * Aaah okay, fair enough. Thanks :) And I don't have much to do with "fans." I just watch the show :P --John Lynch 08:47, 19 Sep 2004 (UTC)

--I liked it. 75.33.237.38 21:52, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

I hope you liked it on an ironic level. Although, "Brain and brain. What is brain?" is a line I'm not going to forget. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.24.16.197 (talk • contribs)


 * I liked it too. I always thought Nazi planet was the worst.  Jumped the Shark suggests that it's  Singing hippies. Colonel Warden (talk) 15:59, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I think I remember from commentary on the Sci-Fi channel that the script to this was originally written as a joke, which ended up going too far. Someone know the whole story? --Paul Soth 05:42, 7 Sep 2004 (UTC)


 * So.... considered by three fan created sites to be a poor episode. Is that really citeable? Also, what's noteworthy about the notes in this case? Kirk has a different hair cut, Chekov uses an earpiece etc? Alastairward (talk) 11:26, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

I agree with those who say it is a three-way tie for "worst" episode: 1) And the Children Shall Lead  2) The Way to Eden 3) Spock's Brain.     IMHO I would put Spock's Brain third from the worst -- the Gorgon creature is cringe-worthy, and so are the hippies...but at least the premise of Spock's Brain is played straight.  Chesspride 172.164.5.148 (talk) 18:52, 22 July 2016 (UTC)

comment by a Trek nerd
This probably can't be noted on the page, but it's interesting to me that this episode uses the same "free the natives from their computer god" plot that ST-TOS so often used. It's just so poorly done, so insipid. Yes, I believe Gene Coon (writing as Lee Cronin) began it as a self-parody, but I think 3rd season producer Fred Freiberger didn't want any comedies: there are virtually no (intentional) comedies in season 3. ProfessorAndro (talk) 15:12, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

I see it more as "stopping the natives from stealing other brains" than "freeing" them from some computer overlord. Chesspride 172.164.5.148 (talk) 18:57, 22 July 2016 (UTC)

Gene Coon's inspiration?
There may be an unmentioned connection to Gene Coon's having access to J. T. McIntosh's 1951 short story, "Machine Made" where a computer mainframe helps a young woman repair her own brain. The 1966 edition appears to precede Gene Coon's screenplay. Did any science fiction magazines of the time notice that too? One appears to be somewhat more than tangentially connected to the other. I wouldn't be surprised if Gene Coon were familiar with J. T. McIntosh's contributions to science fictiondom. Dexter Nextnumber (talk) 08:15, 11 December 2009 (UTC)

Adult spoof/homage
This episode is the basis for this adult movie. Worth mentioning? --Weazie (talk) 23:37, 15 March 2011 (UTC)

The third movie "Search for Spock" is the more obvious source.137.205.183.31 (talk) 10:09, 11 August 2016 (UTC)

While we are on things that are not worth mentioning, according to the Profanisaurus, a "spock" is a sock used as semen receptacle. When a spoof comes along called "Spock's sock" I think it would be safe to cite the present episode as inspiration.137.205.183.31 (talk) 10:11, 11 August 2016 (UTC)

Planet Involved
"Stardate 5431.6" Kirk says Sigma Draconis VII, not VI. AMCKen (talk) 16:48, 7 May 2012 (UTC)

wrong stardate
 79.176.221.122 (talk) 12:35, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

wrong stardate
 79.176.221.122 (talk) 12:35, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

lynda carter
If I'm not mistaken, Lynda Carter (wonder woman) appears in a small non-speaking role in one scene of the episode. Uncredited. --74.38.73.235 (talk) 09:36, 20 May 2018 (UTC)