Dagger of the Mind

The Cinemondo escaped lunatics take a nice, much-needed break by relaxing in the comfy neural neutralizer chair… and we examine some serious brain tampering in the Star Trek episode Dagger of the Mind. It’s a more “grounded” episode than we’re used to so far in the first season, but it’s still got some great moments and memorable performances, and one of those classic moral dilemmas about the ethics of mind control. Some folks might watch this and see the insidious neural neutralizer device being used at the Tantalus Penal Colony to brainwash the inmates and find it a bit prescient. A machine that tells you what to think? No way! Will Captain Kirk and crew figure out what’s really happening here in this idyllic underground prison? Will poor Kirk survive an overpowering love for Dr. Helen Noel? Will the Tantalus Penal Colony finally update their AC ducts? Take a trip with us as we explore and psychologically unpack this fun episode of Star Trek.

Written by Shimon Wincelberg (under the pen name "S. Bar-David") and directed by Vincent McEveety.

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