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Amok Time

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This article is about the 1967 episode of Star Trek TOS. For "Time Amok", the 2022 episode, seeStar Trek: Prodigy.

"Amok Time"
Star Trek: The Original Seriesepisode
Arlene Martelas T'Pring andLeonard NimoyasSpock
Episodeno.Season 2
Episode 1
Directed byJoseph Pevney
Written byTheodore Sturgeon
Featured musicGerald Fried
Cinematography byJerry Finnerman
Production code034
Original air dateSeptember 15, 1967(1967-09-15)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Who Mourns for Adonais?"
Star Trek: The Original Seriesseason 2
List of episodes

"Amok Time"is thesecond seasonpremiereepisode of the American science fiction television seriesStar Trek.Written by science fiction authorTheodore Sturgeon,scored byGerald Fried,and directed byJoseph Pevney,it first aired on September 15, 1967.

The episode features First OfficerSpockreturning to his homeworld for a brutalVulcanwedding ritual. It is the only episode ofThe Original Seriesto depict scenes on the planetVulcan.

It was the first episode to air (though the fifth, by production code) of season 2 featuring EnsignPavel Chekov(Walter Koenig) as the ship's navigator. It was also the first episode to list "DeForest KelleyasDr. McCoy"in the opening credits, and the first episode broadcast in the series' new time slot of 8:30 pm on Friday night. This is the first episode to use the"Vulcan salute"and introduced the concept ofpon farr,the Vulcanmating cycle.

Plot

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Spock,first officer of theUSSEnterprise,exhibits unusual behavior and requests leave on his home planet Vulcan. CaptainKirkand Chief Medical OfficerDr. McCoyagree, and Kirk divertsEnterprise.En route, Kirk receives orders from Starfleet to represent the Federation at the inauguration ceremony for Altair VI's new president. Though Kirk sets course for Altair VI, Spock secretly changes course back to Vulcan. Spock claims no memory of ordering the course change.

Kirk orders Spock to Sickbay, where McCoy finds evidence of physical and emotional stress which will kill him within eight days if not treated. Spock explains that he is undergoingpon farr,a condition male Vulcans experience periodically throughout their adult life, and that he must mate or die. Kirk sets course for Vulcan, believing that Spock's life is more important than his career.

At Vulcan, Spock invites Kirk and McCoy to accompany him to the wedding. T'Pring, Spock's betrothed, arrives with Stonn, a pureblood Vulcan whom she prefers to Spock.T'Pau,a renowned matriarch, begins the ceremony. However, T'Pring demands thekal-if-fee,a physical challenge between Spock and a champion she selects; unexpectedly, she chooses Kirk. Spock begs T'Pau to forbid it, but T'Pau leaves the decision to Kirk; another champion will be selected if he refuses. Kirk accepts the challenge, only to learn that it is "to the death".

The two fight withlirpa.Kirk is challenged by Spock's strength and agility as well as the thinner atmosphere of Vulcan. T'Pau lets McCoy inject Kirk with a compound to offset the effects of the Vulcan atmosphere. Spock later garrots Kirk with anahn'woon.McCoy declares Kirk dead and requests transport toEnterprise.

Spock renounces his claim on T'Pring, who explains that she feared losing Stonn in thekal-if-fee.By choosing Kirk, T'Pring would have Stonn either way: If Spock was the victor, he would release her from the marriage for having made the challenge, and if Kirk won, he would not want her. Spock compliments T'Pring on her logic and returns to theEnterprise,warning Stonn that "having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting".

AboardEnterprise,Spock announces his intent to submit himself for trial for killing Kirk, when he discovers Kirk is alive and well. The injection McCoy gave Kirk was aneuroparalyzer.Asked about what followed, Spock states that he lost all desire for T'Pring after he thought he killed Kirk. Kirk learns that Starfleet, at T'Pau's request, has belatedly given theEnterprisepermission to travel to Vulcan.

Reception

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For the franchise's 30th anniversary,TV Guideranked "Amok Time" No. 2 on its list of the 10 bestStar Trekepisodes.[1]In 2009, Zack Handlen ofThe A.V. Clubgave the episode an A rating.[2]In 2012,The A.V. Clubranked this episode as one of top ten "must see" episodes of the original series.[3]

In 2012,The Christian Science Monitorranked this the best episode of the originalStar Trek.[4]

In 2014,Gizmodoranked "Amok Time" as the 12th best episode ofStar Trek,out of the over 700 ones made by that time.[5]IGNranked "Amok" number 9 in a top ten list of original series episodes.[6]

In 2015,Wiredmagazine did not recommend skipping this episode in their binge-watching guide for the original series.[7]

In 2015,Polygonranked "Amok Time" as one of the three best Spock-centric episodes ofStar Trek.[8]

In 2015,SyFyranked this episode as one of the top ten essentialStar Trekoriginal series episodes.[9]

In 2015,New York Public Librarycited this episode as having Spock's second best scene in the show.[10]

In 2016,The Hollywood Reporterrated "Amok Time" the 28th best television episode of allStar Trekfranchise television prior toStar Trek: Discovery,including live-action and the animated series but not counting the movies.[11]In 2016,Newsweekranked "Amok Time" as one of the best episodes of the original series, noting it has one of the most memorable fights inStar Trek.[12]In 2016,Business Insiderranked "Amok Time" the 10th best episode of the original series.[13]

In 2016,Radio Timesranked the duel between Kirk and Spock on Vulcan as the 15th best moment in allStar Trek.[14]They note this shows the audience the Vulcan home planet of Vulcan for the first time, and also introduces the Pon Farr aspect of Vulcan culture.[14]

In 2017,Business Insiderranked "Amok Time" the 10th best episode of the original series.[15]They note this is the first episode to use the phrase "Live Long and Prosper"in Star Trek.[15]

In 2018,Colliderranked this episode the second best original series episode.[16]

In 2018,PopMattersranked this the 10th best episode of the original series.[17]They highlighted Spock's line "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true." while noting the introduction of planet Vulcan, Pon Farr, various guest stars, and what they call a "thrilling gladiatorial battle".[17]

A 2018Star Trekbinge-watchingguide byDen of Geekrecommended this episode as one of the best of the original series.[18]

In 2019,Nerdistincluded this episode on their "Best of Spock"binge-watchingguide.[19]

In 2019,CBRranked this episode as one of the top 8 most memorable episodes of the originalStar Trek.[20]

In 2024Hollywoodranked Amok Time at number 7 out of the 79 original series episodes.[21]

Legacy

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Gerald Fried's incidental music for the fight—titledThe Ritual/Ancient Battle/2nd Kroykah—became a standard underscore for combat scenes in season 2.[22][23]It was notably spoofed during theMedieval Timessequence in theJim CarreyfilmThe Cable Guy(1996).[24]

Leonard Nimoyfirst used his signatureVulcan salutein this episode.[25]

The chart-topping British pop bandT'Pautook their name from the Vulcan matriarch who presides over events on the planet.[26]

TheOmegaversegenre ofspeculativeerotic fictionis noted as having been influenced by the episode.[27]

References

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  1. ^Logan, Michael (August 24, 1996). "10 Truly Stellar Episodes".TV Guide.
  2. ^Handlen, Zack (May 1, 2009).""Amok Time" / "Who Mourns For Adonais?"".The A.V. Club.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2013.RetrievedNovember 2,2012.
  3. ^Handlen, Zack (August 15, 2012)."10 must-see episodes of Star Trek".TV Club.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2019.RetrievedJune 29,2019.
  4. ^"Star Trek: The Original Series: The 10 greatest episodes (+ video)".Christian Science Monitor.September 8, 2012.ISSN0882-7729.Archivedfrom the original on July 23, 2019.RetrievedJuly 23,2019.
  5. ^Anders, Charlie Jane."The Top 100 Star Trek Episodes Of All Time!".Gizmodo.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2019.RetrievedJune 26,2019.
  6. ^IGN Staff (September 5, 2016)."The Top 10 Classic Star Trek Episodes".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2019.RetrievedJune 29,2019.
  7. ^McMillan, Graeme (January 28, 2015)."WIRED Binge-Watching Guide: Star Trek".Wired.ISSN1059-1028.Archivedfrom the original on December 29, 2018.RetrievedJuly 24,2019.
  8. ^Hall, Charlie (February 27, 2015)."Remember Leonard Nimoy with three of his best Star Trek episodes".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on July 23, 2019.RetrievedJuly 23,2019.
  9. ^Kaye, Don (February 27, 2015)."Long Live Spock: 10 essential Star Trek: The Original Series episodes".SYFY WIRE.Archivedfrom the original on July 9, 2019.RetrievedJuly 9,2019.
  10. ^"10 Best Spock Moments in Star Trek: The Original Series".The New York Public Library.Archivedfrom the original on July 10, 2019.RetrievedJuly 10,2019.
  11. ^""The Enterprise Incident" - 'Star Trek': 100 Greatest Episodes ".The Hollywood Reporter.September 8, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on March 24, 2019.RetrievedMarch 24,2019.
  12. ^EST, Newsweek Special Edition On 1/2/16 at 9:09 AM (January 2, 2016)."Newsweek's top 10 episodes from the original Star Trek series".Newsweek.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2019.RetrievedMarch 27,2019.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^Kiersz, Elena Holodny, Andy (September 22, 2017)."Here are the 13 best original 'Star Trek' episodes, ranked".Business Insider Australia.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2019.RetrievedJune 26,2019.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ab"The 50 Greatest Star Trek moments of all time - 6".Radio Times.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2019.RetrievedJuly 6,2019.
  15. ^abKiersz, Elena Holodny, Andy."Here are the 13 best original 'Star Trek' episodes, ranked".Business Insider.Archivedfrom the original on July 6, 2019.RetrievedJuly 6,2019.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^Lesnick, Silas (August 14, 2018)."The 20 Best Episodes of 'Star Trek: The Original Series'".Collider.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2019.RetrievedJuly 4,2019.
  17. ^ab"The 20 Best Episodes of 'Star Trek: The Original Series'".PopMatters.July 16, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on July 13, 2019.RetrievedJuly 8,2019.
  18. ^"Star Trek: An Episode Roadmap for Beginners".Den of Geek.September 8, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2020.RetrievedJuly 3,2020.
  19. ^"A Guide to Binge Watching 7 Great STAR TREK Arcs".Nerdist.Archivedfrom the original on July 11, 2019.RetrievedJuly 15,2019.
  20. ^"Star Trek: The 8 Most Memorable Episodes The Original Series".CBR.December 9, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on December 10, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 16,2020.
  21. ^Blauvelt, Christian (May 18, 2013)."Ranking All 79 'Star Trek: The Original Series' Episodes from Worst to Best".Hollywood.RetrievedJune 8,2019.
  22. ^'Star Trek' boldly going symphonic[usurped],Canadian Online Explorer.Retrieved August 23, 2010
  23. ^Music makes movies memorable[usurped],Canadian Online Explorer,June 11, 2000. Retrieved August 23, 2010
  24. ^"A Loose Live Wire: Carrey's Mugging Turns 'The Cable Guy' into Farcical Turnoff",San Jose Mercury News,June 14, 1996
  25. ^Leonard Nimoy does a William Shatner Impression on Hero Complex: The Show - Part 2ArchivedMarch 22, 2022, at theWayback Machine,Nerdist.May 23, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2018
  26. ^1000 UK Number One Hits by Jon Kutner & Spencer Leigh, page 327
  27. ^Kristina Busse (November 26, 2013). "Pon Farr, Mpreg, and the rise of the Omegaverse".Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World.By Jamieson, Anne. United States:Smart Pop.ISBN978-1939529190.
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