William Windom said he could easily cry on cue, so that's why directors liked working with him

This scene always makes me laugh. Every time something stops working or disappears I say "There was, but not anymore!"

The only other star trek guest actor to equal emotional intensity was morgan woodword

When Matt, heard Jim voice, and told Jim what the Hell just happened, Jim asked where his crew is. "I Just Did, beamed them down to be safe, on the Planet's surface,..then, this "THING" came along, don't you think I know? Be eamed his whole crew to the planet's surface, then the crew cried because the planet was destroyed

William Wyndham was a wonderful actor. For a comedy take, my world and welcome to it.

Look at shatner trying so hard!

I became a fan of William Windom's (as a young girl) when he starred in the sitcom "My World & Welcome to It" ... ... What a talent !

Spring break is over buddy

That's what they call pathos.

Makes you wonder how Kirk would react under similar circumstances?

how does the acting compare to Discovery?

1. Why would you beam your crew down to a planet with a device that eats them for food roaming around? 2. If everyone leaves the ship. Nobody can inform Starfleet about the planet killer or even that the crew is stranded on a planet.

Absolutely incredible. It still moves me after all these years.

I love how Kirk is using his usual coarse approach "There is no third planet!" Trying to get answers, but it only serves to boost Decker's equally sharp retort (even in his broken state). Also love how Matt was looking for justification by asking Kirk 'isnt it the right thing for the captain to be the last man aboard?' To which Kirk only answers with a hard blink of the eye, and its revealed why that question torments Matt because ironically his duty and decision to bravely go down with the ship backfired and is what is now giving him survivors guilt

I totally concur

Was always my favorite episode ever.

Was the Doomsday machine a giant ice cream cone? This is a great episode, with a great guest star.

Our ship? Attacked, that - that thing! His great grandfather was very nearly President of the United States. He was on a $2 bill as well.

This video is a perfect example of a term coined in Star Trek - "Replicative Fading" - this video has been cycled though so many compression cycles and clean up routines that it's now mostly blur.

To this day, every time I watch this scene I feel Decker's pain and cry!

Fantastic!

Kirk: "This can be me, one day."

Decker: "There is no 3rd planet!" Kirk: "Ok, the 4th planet then".

Best episode in my opinion

Best episode ever 😎🛸🚀

As a child I mocked his performance, but as I aged his scenes really hit me. I think it’s the utter lack of humility he displays - he is so emotionally wrecked after having lost his entire crew that he does not care how he looks or sounds. His raw emotions are running rampant and he is just letting it all boil to the surface.

Incredible scene I always loved this episode!

Start to end, amazing episode. Left a real impression when I saw it first-run at 6 years old.

Best?! LOL! Corniest, I give him that!

Response to all comments: "Ah, forget about your theories. That thing's headed for the heart of our galaxy. What are you gonna do about it?"

In an interview, Windom said he wasn't sure how far to go on playing Decker so he asked the director for advice. Director told him to just go nuts with it and play it way over the top to see how it worked, and this is the result.

William Windom should have won an Emmy, hands down...

This is horrifyingly real. I looked up this episode for the actor, truly an amazing preformance

Funny thing, Windom never liked his performance in this. He felt he went too over the top.

Sorry to disagree, but I think he and a lot of guest stars on TOS did a lot of overacting (and don't even get me started on William Shatner). Of course, it has to be difficult for any actor to properly carry such melodramatic material that was often written for 60's television, especially sci-fi.

Windom was great in all the parts he played . Truly one of the best of his era. His Captain Ahab-like performance here was perfect! I can't picture any other actor in this role.

Agreed - so memorable

Boldy going where no actor has gone before! Out acting William Shatner!

That is a gripping performance.

Windom at one time specialized in desperate man roles..like his Night Gallery "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley 's Bar".

the 4th planet is now the 3rd planet, you fool!

The pathos he emotes is believable. You really believed he'd lost his crew

Originally it was scripted for Decker to a stronger character, a captain Ahab type. Shatner was not best pleased as it would of taken the focus off him, so the script was re written.

I thought he matched Shatner in overacting!

Worst video quality ever, Richard Gal.

William Windom said the director didn't have a clue as to how he was to act this scene, so he told him to just wing it. And what an amazing job he did!

The director for the episode wasn't even present during the filming of these scenes.

Windom reached into the depths of his soul to act this part

Great writing, great acting by Windom. Shatner’s or the director’s choice to have Kirk feel some compassion, but enough to reach out and comfort him. It’s as if Kirk couldn’t really forgive him for losing his crew. A great scene.

Yes, movie type acting