Tonight's remastered Star Trek

Kirk talks a computer to death.

Again.

"This unit cannot murder."
"Why?"
"Murder is contrary to the laws of man and God."
"But you have murdered. Scan the starship Excalibur, which you destroyed; is there life aboard?"
"No life."
"Because you murdered it. What is the penalty for murder?"
"Death."
"And how will you pay for your acts of murder?"
"This... unit... must... die."


OTOH, William Marshall had a terrific voice. I wasn't aware that he had passed away.



William Marshall (19 August 1924 – 11 June 2003; age 78) was an American actor, director, producer, and opera singer who appeared on Star Trek: The Original Series, playing Doctor Richard Daystrom in the episode "The Ultimate Computer". He was the cousin of fellow Star Trek actor Paul Winfield.

Marshall is perhaps best known for playing the title role of the 1972 cult vampire melodrama, Blacula, and its 1973 sequel, Scream Blacula Scream. He was also known for his performance as the "King of Cartoons" on the children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse from 1987 through 1991.

Marshall was born in Gary, Indiana, and later lived in Pacoima, California. He was trained as a classical actor as well as an opera singer. He died from complications of Alzheimer's disease in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 78. He died exactly four years after the passing of his TOS co-star DeForest Kelley. Marshall's cousin, Paul Winfield, died the following year.

Paul Winfield had an awesome voice too

:(

One of my faves

I thought the Federation didn't have the death penalty? (Except for that General Order 4 business.)

not actual legal consequences. Also, we don't know when the Federation banned the death penalty, at least I don't remember.

In the Menagerie it was clearly stated that the only death penalty in the Federation was for visiting that quarantined planet.

Watching this episode last night I was paying close attention to that aspect. Remember that Spock made a big deal about the fact that Daystrom had apparently imprinted the computer with his "engrams." (Did Ron Hubburd write this ep?). Later on the Bridge, when Daystrom is trying to reason to reason with the computer, he tells it that killing against everything "they" believe in.

In fact, it didn't even seem to have occurred to Kirk et al to charge the computer with a capital crime until they realized that Daystrom himself believed in the DP.

(Can I abbreviate it DP without sending the Lounge pevs into an endless fit of the giggles?)

I haven't watched the episode in a LONG time. I'll try to remember to pay close attention to that if I run across it again.

P.S. I giggled a little.

Perhaps the writer of this episode simply assumed the DP still existed. Perhaps it was Daystom's personal beliefs.

"That's the situation I hoped for when I forced the M-5 to realize it had committed murder. Daystrom felt such an act was against the laws of God and man. A computer that carried his engrams also believed it."


So did I.

Similar to all those Shakespearean-trained actors in England who were relegated to playing robots on "Dr.Who".

and that generally means pandering to the masses, not indulging in summer stock.

He portrayed Captain Dathon so well, and his death scene with Patrick Stewart was touching. One of my very favorite episodes.

When Trek was on its game, it was one of the best things on television.