The Conscience of the King // Star Trek: The Original Series Reaction // Season 1

[@robabiera733]

I think this is an underrated episode that gets very serious and very deep into the characters. It's one of the reasons why those first thirteen episodes are so iconic.

[@skipmaloney2126]

You haven't heard Shakespeare until you've heard him in the original Klingon.

[@mem1701movies]

THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY...THE FUTURE

[@mjbull5156]

Dam genius, considering Klingon does not have the verb "to be".

[@dakker5292]

@@mjbull5156 so Klingon is or 'not to be'

[@zmani4379]

"taH pagh taHbe!"

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@mem1701moviesTrust many Shakespeare scholars and actors,'that undiscovered country, that bourne from which no man returns' is not the future, but death. The Star Trek movie got it wrong, or perhaps the Klingon was giving Kirk a clue.

[@kieronball8962]

Barbara Anderson who played Lenore, went on to win a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance as Police Officer Eve Whitfield, in the long running detective tv show Ironside.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Great show! Ironside's theme music is where the "revenge siren" in KILL BILL comes from.

[@leftcoaster67]

She did a pretty darn good job.

[@marialanier6155]

That's great, didn't know that 😊😊😊

[@leemonsampson1844]

This was her most famous role on television

[@johnsavard7583]

Incidentally, Nichelle Nichols was a singer before Star Trek. She sang with Duke Ellington and later with Lionel Hampton.

[@dpsamu2000]

More than that she, more than any other person, and her company recruiting for the shuttle program, resulted in the shuttle crews having the diversity that makes the shuttle crews, and today's space program itself so much resemble the diversity of the crew of Star Trek.

[@TroyConvers5000]

She sang with Hamp? Damn!

[@SuperINFINITY181]

“Oh, this guy! THIS guy!” Yep, the emotion that anyone who heard Riley’s rendition of “I’ll take you home again, Kathleen” was likely to feel… In a way, it was essential that Riley was given this second appearance to round out his character, else “Kathleen” would be all he was remembered for; but this episode made it clear that there was much more depth to him.

[@mmattson8947]

They never filmed the scene where Lenore pleads that she never poisoned Riley. And every person in the rec room that night looked away guiltily, as they remembered Riley talking about wanting a "song".

[@bettyleeist]

Yes,Lenore is crazy,🤪 because,she’s not well.🤧 I felt that she had wanted revenge,because,of all the people her father supposedly killed?And,it was good 👍 for Lenore to go to an insane asylum,because,she probably,would’ve killed more people?😊

[@JoeCool7835]

This is a fantastic episode. It's a shame it's not brought up more often.

[@pepsiman990]

This is one of the underrated episodes. Good story, good dialog and good acting. This episode doesn't get the respect it should. She doesn't remember because she had a psychotic break from reality.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

The intensely dramatic scene with Kirk, Kodos, and Lenore in Kodos' quarters later in the episode features some of Trek's best writing and acting, particularly by the great Arnold Moss. It's one of the absolute finest moments in the series if not all of television itself.

[@technofilejr3401]

22:15 The characters of Spock and McCoy were better friends than we knew in the Original Series. Despite their philosophical differences and banter, they had a lot of respect for each other. Also they were both always worried about how to best support Kirk in their roles.

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

On the surface it may seem that they are just bickering and never agreeing, but yes. In this episode I really felt that trust and respect. Very wonderful.

[@technofilejr3401]

@@bunnytailsREACTS As the seasons and later the films will attest this trio are like the Three Musketeers

[@artboymoy]

When I was younger I wasn't into this episode as much but being older now, it's a great play in of itself. Lenore's breakdown was spectacular in it's mania. A great little mystery and drama. Above average episode for sure. People shut out trauma in different ways. She's blocked the entire event out. Worth looking into what trauma does to people, to enlighten yourself.

[@jaymedina3142]

I actually really appreciate this serious episode. One of the more memorable I think. Funny, when the daughter walked into the room the very 1st time, a guys reaction would be "wow, beautiful lady". Your reaction was "that's a beautiful dress"!! 🤣

[@stephenkronfeld9228]

The slaughter on the colony happened when Kirk was about 13. Riley was even younger, about 7.

[@NoHandleGrr]

Novels aren't canon.

[@stephenkronfeld9228]

@@NoHandleGrr yes, but in the show, they said the massacre happened 20 years earlier. Since Kirk on TOS is clearly in his 30's and Riley is in his 20's, the ages I mentioned are probably right or close.

[@NoHandleGrr]

@@stephenkronfeld9228 yes, probably. Stating something is likely and stating something as absolute fact are two very different things.

[@jdeang3531]

@@NoHandleGrrhence the word about

[@traverserred]

This is one of my fav episodes from the original series. A murder mystery with a twist. and the perfect example of how kirk has a reputation of being a ladies man but every one of his love interests are tragic.

[@mjbull5156]

A tragedy referencing Shakespeare's two best known tragedies.

[@NephritduGrey]

True, even when he had to blow up his true love, the Enterprise herself.

[@johnclawed]

No, he had several love interests that were not tragic.

[@RandomNonsense1985]

@@johnclawedCarol Marcus wasn’t tragic, but the child her and Kirk produced together most certainly was.

[@gumbomudderx7503]

I hope you’re feeling better now! Thanks for these even when you aren’t up for it. I think what they mean in the episode is she totally blocked it out of her mind as a mental defense mechanism from killing her own father. Keeping Spock in the dark is never a good idea…he’s going to get to the bottom of it!

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

You're welcome!

[@CJRamos-jv3pb]

I love this often forgotten episode. Yes, some suspension of disbelief is required (only eye witnesses can ID Kodos, paper being used for the voice print instead of a computer display), but this is all indicative of the times. bunnytails nailed the "Nazi Parallel" being drawn, although the numbers killed by Kodos would be more along the lines of a concentration camp commandant than say Hitler. Also nailed the character development aspect, when we see another side of the Spock/Bones relationship. I love the acting, and the chips on the table (capturing a mass killer, and saving the witnesses). Such a great TOS episode.

[@artboymoy]

Not really a Nazi extermination of Jewish people that Kodos did but more like the colony of Jamestown in the 1600s.

[@flnthrn2]

60's TV has a quality...... never duplicated, imposible to replace.

[@KerbalSpaceCommand]

The phaser has the ability to be overloaded. It can be used as a bomb, I don't know if it's an intentional function or just something that you can do. If you remember in the Cage, number one setup her laser pistol to build up an overload, a forced chamber explosion.

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

"Phaser pistol" not "Lazer pistol". There is a difference. How are the two different? .... 🤔 I can't tell you because it is classified.

[@brucechmiel7964]

Captain they are targeting Lasers at us. Lasers? They wouldn’t penetrate our navigational deflector. Case and point why Trek tech is superior to Star Wars. But Star Wars did beat out Trek in the boobs department. Memory alpha has one paragraph on the subject. While Wookieepedia has over two pages worth. George Lucas himself commissioned a painting of Ayala Secura posing in erotica. Not even Gene could top that.

[@mikeg2306]

Interestingly it goes back to The Cage, so it's not one of those literary devices made up for experience and then never used again.

[@ianburns1167]

@@brucechmiel7964 Star Wars ships are ridiculously faster, equivalent to quantum slipstream. But that's the only thing they have going for them in comparison.

[@brucechmiel7964]

@@ianburns1167 Exactly, Star Wars ships only have one viable defensive measure against ships in Star Trek and that’s to just run away.

[@sirequinox4874]

The costume designer on Star Trek: TOS was a man named William Ware Theiss, and he was a genius at his job.

[@steelers6titles]

William Ware Theiss was the series' costume designer; he did a great job. He also did Janice Rand's "beehive" hairstyle, made up of two (very heavy) wigs. Grace Lee Whitney said the hairpiece was later stolen.

[@ianburns1167]

He really did some iconic design.

[@gregoryeatroff8608]

I loved how the plot paralleled Hamlet, with Kirk torn by indecision on his mission of vengeance.

[@MrJonnydanger]

"If you believe that i am, than I am - if it pleases you to do so" -- I used a version of this line on my mom all the time if she asked me if I did something like made a mess or did a chore... Drove her insane lol

[@SG-js2qn]

Pro tip: Writers are often inspired by something happening at the time. CO-incidentally, just 4 days after this episode aired, the movie "A Man For All Seasons" was released. Based upon the stage play of the same name, that film was set in Middle Ages England, with the lead character - Sir Thomas More - portrayed as *"the ultimate man of conscience."* Also, the trial of 11 SS men from the Sobibor Extermination Camp, which had begun in Sept '65, concluded on Dec '66, about two weeks after this episode was aired. So these are the things that were in the news. As for why in this episode they need a person to identify Kodos, normally in law you need a witness in order to bring charges (if I have that right). Typically you can't just grab people, unless it's a tyranny. As for the daughter becoming increasingly insane ... this is a play on the MacBeth story, where Lady MacBeth goes insane.

[@steelers6titles]

Magnificent performance by Paul Scofield.

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

But, the events you have sighted as inspirational to this episode happened _after_ this one aired. The release of "A Man for All Seasons" could have been inside information known in Hollywood, but how would they know about the upcoming trial of the S.S. guards?

[@NoHandleGrr]

The name of the play and character are "Macbeth," not "MacBeth." The title of the episode is from Hamlet: "The play's the thing/Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

[@davidmarquardt9034]

@@steelers6titles I saw the film years ago, it's too bad they never seem to show it anymore. I read somewhere that the entire cast of the play reprized their roles in the movie. That's a very unusual but fortunate occurrence.

[@SG-js2qn]

@@NoHandleGrr Sorry, you're right. I was looking at how it was spelled and I still typed it wrong.

[@gregorysouthworth783]

So sorry you have been ill. I hope you are feeling better. Roddenberry was a major fan of Shakespeare. This episode was something of a Shakespearian play inside a Shakespearian play. In TNG, Picard frequently references Shakespeare as well.

[@docsavage8640]

Great episode. I always liked when they bring back a background character like Riley.

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

Yes, that was cool to see! He definitely made an impression in both episodes.

[@ilionreactor1079]

​@@bunnytailsREACTSThey hired the "day player" before the producers realized he had been on before, so they changed the character to be the same guy. They do that with a couple of minor characters (some are also stand-ins), though there is one gal whose name they changed halfway through the episode.

[@professor-josh]

The costume designer, William Ware Theiss was a genius. Such imaginitive work on a limited schedule and budget.

[@berranari1]

Bunny time is my favourite time. Bunny made the video whist sick. "What a trooper!" Star Fleet is impressed. Get well soon Bunny. 😀

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

Thanks! I am feeling a lot better now!

[@NoHandleGrr]

Trouper. The word is "trouper," as in "which members of the troupe show up because the play must go on." It has nothing to do with troops, troopers, or the military.

[@berranari1]

@@NoHandleGrr It does when I use it. Thanks for trying to teach me something. But I am not the personality type that wants to conform to any preconceived notions. As a former stage actor myself I understand the history of troupes but things change. The word slut once meant an untidy woman. Terrific used to mean something that terrified. Words and phrases change from the original. Get over it.

[@NoHandleGrr]

@@berranari1: words are nothing but "preconceived notions." Otherwise I could simply nastrdr tal wihj nda bujoena, otnw gaanah? You're welcome.

[@berranari1]

@@NoHandleGrr no sh1t Sherlock. I actually predicted that you would end up using gibberish. 🤣

[@Kunsoo1024]

Trauma can cause memory loss - the mind can do amazing things to avoid pain. She was driven mad by the combination of her love and respect for her father as a great performer and father, and the knowledge of what he did.

[@CarlosMoreno-jt3vm]

Barbara Anderson was only twenty years old at the time she was cast as Lenore, and went on to public and critical acclaim as Officer Eve Whitfield in the police drama Ironside the following year, playing the role for three seasons and winning an Emmy for it. This episode would mark the second and final appearance of Bruce Hyde as Lt. Kevin Riley. Hyde left acting on television to do more stage work and would eventually teach acting up until his death just a few years ago. Sadly, this episode was also the final appearance of Grace Lee Whitney as Yeoman Janice Rand. She was only contracted for seven episodes and she'd already filmed six, but Star Trek was already having money problems and cuts had to be made. Another reason for her character going away is that there was a definite chemistry between her and Kirk, and it was felt that this would get in the way of Kirk being the space player he was. Still a much darker reason for Whitney's axing was that she was sexually assaulted one night after the wrap party for "Miri" by an un-named studio executive, who used his influence to see to it that she was never invited to return to the show, even as a guest player. Sad, but true.

[@stevev2492]

I seem to recall that Anderson didn't have to do much in Ironside except look good, this episode shows that she was a good actress.

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

To complicate things, Whitney was also doing a lot of alcohol and pills, problems that were probably exacerbated by the trauma she survived, and her intoxication was affecting her performance.

[@MichaelJShaffer]

William Ware Theiss was the costume designer for TOS (and later early TNG, if your journey should take you there) and loved designing the costumes for the ladies. I always enjoyed this episode. Some of the best Trek is very Shakespearean in nature, and as a kid, I always enjoyed the backstory character building of Kirk feom thia episode, and the Spock McCoy interaction is always a delight.🖖

[@davidjuby7392]

his designs led to the term "the Theiss titilation factor" to describe the many female costumes he specifically created

[@timmooney7528]

Some of the costumes were intended to appear as exotic materials, and they were made from shower curtains. Makes one wonder how many outfits were barely held together with pins and hot glue?

[@davidjuby7392]

it just makes one wonder what he could have done with a better budget@@timmooney7528

[@miguelvelez7221]

This is a FANTASTIC episode filled with outstanding moments and that's due to the regular cast and guest players all bringing their A game and great TV direction puts it over the top. My guess is it misses a lot of fan lists because it's not flashy as a sci fi story. No alien worlds being explored, no scientific conundrum to solve. It's a revenge mystery that happens to take place in the 23rd Century aboard a Federation Starship. Shatner has a lot on his plate but handles it with both ease and intensity, and in many ways this is the first real look into Kirk's past remember. He also has to play a Kirk who is himself playing a role while trying to keep Corridian's daughter distracted and pump her for information without her knowing. Shout out to Riley, a truly missed opportunity to add to the cast, someone who as a character seemed to have some connection to Kirk as having experienced the same deprivations at that colony. He also always had a good everyman quality, more so than say Sulu or Chekov. Chekov is supposed to be a wunderkind given his posting and age and who decides who gets to what position onboard. He's young and eager, but he must have past the test with McCoy, Spock and Kirk to be posted on the bridge, be navigator and back up at the science station when Spock has other duties. Sulu, well... He's a funky cool dude with all these various hobbies, he fences, he's interested in botany (His first appearance in production order is actually as a member of the science division.) he collects antique fire arms, and he's THE MAN at the helm of the pride of the fleet. He's... Kinda awesome and he wears it with this ease and humor. I could see Riley if they had done more with him as a more down to Earth guy, pun intended, serving aboard ship, but unlike a lot of the other guest Junior officers Riley seemed way more unflappable and easy to get along with. We damn sure know he's probably a fun guy at the bar. I also want to point out that this episode is one of the few where we get some sense of what life is like in the Federation away from just the actions of Starfleet and its officer corps. Even a little history with what what happened on that colony. It's not a lot but it stands out to me since we got so little of it in TOS's run.

[@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh]

The Shakespeare's garb was probably in a closet on the Backlot somewhere. The "futuristic" clothes looked pretty late 60's to me.

[@ianburns1167]

I really like this one, there's so much nuance to the evil. How Kodos did monstrous things that he regrets but still justifies to himself, how he wants his daughter to be separate from that. How Kirk wants vengeance and justice at once, and the two can't always be separated. And he knows his motives aren't pure but it has to be done.

[@TheMikester307]

Oh, and "Daily"s" voice was actor John Astin!

[@callinglast]

It was Agatha all along!

[@oobrocks]

This was inspired by Hamlet; “the plays the thing; whereas we’ll catch the conscience of the king,” the end of act 2. This is in my top ten bc I truly appreciate Shakespeare l

[@ArkansasPilgrim]

William Theiss was the costume designer for Star Trek. He designed a LOT of great dresses and clothes.

[@fredkelly6953]

The Klingons are very passionate fans (as only Klingons can be) of Shakespeare even making their own version of Hamlet. So yes the bard's work does live on well into the future.

[@sebastianblack6506]

This episode will always be a favorite of mine because it was the last episode of TOS I needed to see to complete the series back when it used to run in syndication on WPIX channel 11 in New York. I stayed up past midnight on a school night to make sure I caught it, having missed previous chances. My father watched it with me even though he wasn't a Star Trek fan. The Conscience of the King has one of the best scores of any Trek episode, composed by Joseph Mullendore. Regarding your question about why they need an eyewitness to Kodos' actions, well if someone is going to be accused of crimes against humanity you better be able to back it up with firsthand accounts. Love the fact Bunny compared Kodos to Thanos. Never would have thought of that.

[@RealBLAlley]

This is a fantastic episode that is rarely discussed. It's more than fair to see it as a precursor to Thanos, where their logic has validity yet it;s clear they found some level of satisfaction in their cruelty.

[@seantlewis376]

"Conscience of the King" is not as well known as many others because it is straight up drama, without much action or comedy on board. It is a fantastic episode, but it is serious drama. This makes it pretty well known among Trek fans, but not one of those people who are getting familiar with Trek are familiar with. Nichelle Nichols was a professional singer before joining Star Trek. She only had a few chances to sing during the series, but her voice is beautiful.

[@kschneyer]

WW2 had been over for only 21 years when this episode was made; there were many survivors of the Holocaust who were young adults. There were also people who literally devoted their lives to hunting down missing perpetrators, and there were persistent rumors that Hitler himself might have escaped. Popular culture at that time was full of literary speculation about remorse by the perpetrators and what, if anything, it might mean. It appears in novels, films, other TV shows…

[@johnmackendrick5173]

Yes, costumes were designed specifically for the show. William Theiss, in my opinion, was a creative genius for creating these clothes on a shoestring budget.

[@donfoley6946]

What some don't think about, is the idea that Kirk is talking to a computer and it talks back to him and gives him information. This was 1966 when nothing like this even remotely existed, and Siri didn't come out until much much later!! Way ahead of it's time, just like the communicator was the inspiration for the flip-phone! And now we have cell phones that have replaced so many different things!

[@steelers6titles]

John Astin ("The Addams Family") does the voice of the Astral Queen's captain. He is uncredited.

[@tracyjayne9926]

Has anyone mentioned the Starship Captain, that Captain Kirk is taking over the transporting of the troupe from, is voiced by John Astin who played Gomez from the TV Adams Family? He was a Huge Star Trek Fan and was trying to find a way onto the show.

[@paulpolpiboon9535]

@7:53 "He's going to Bones about this" the more you watch the show the more you'll see that they are close friends, the three of them are all tight with each of each other.

[@thomaskalinowski8851]

One of the slobbering aliens from the Simpsons Halloween episodes was named after Kodos, and now that's the association most people have with the name. One thing to remember about this episode is that it was only 20 years or so after the end of World War 2. All the actors and writers, as well as most of the audience, were alive when the Holocaust happened. It had an immediacy for them that doesn't exist for most people today.

[@NoHandleGrr]

And Kodos' brother, Kang, is from "Day of the Dove" and DS9's "Blood Oath." Both Simpsons' aliens' names are from Trek.

[@isnamthere4690]

I would've liked to see the looks on their faces down in the laundry room when the phaser flew out of the chute.

[@JJ_W]

Agreed. It's not as if trash chutes and laundry chutes are armored.

[@brianmiller9382]

One of the things I think is useful (and I have done this before in discussing previous episodes) is to talk a bit about the actors and actresses who guest started in the episode for historical context. Barbara Anderson, who played Lenore (a nice literary name - from Poe, dark and disturbing, like the Lady Macbeth character she was playing at the beginning - a bit of foreshadowing) was a very well known actress of that period. Others have mentioned her most famous role - Eve Whitfield on "Ironside" (with Raymond Burr). But I also remember her as agent Mimi Davis in seven episodes of the final season of the original Mission: Impossible (1972-1973). The actress who played the female IMF agent on M:I during the last two seasons, Lynda Day George, who played Agent Lisa Casey, was pregnant in the final season and had to miss several episodes, so Barbara Anderson was brought in to play another female agent during her maternity leave, and it is important to know that both Star Trek and Mission: Impossible were Desilu Studios productions and filmed right next to each other, so there are many interesting connections between them, not the least of which was Leonard Nimoy himself. Both franchises are Paramount properties today. Star Trek loved Shakespeare, and more references to it appear in future episodes and movies, especially Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

[@MKermas]

"Younger, captain. Much younger." by Karidian is surely not a real answer, but it fits the theatralicy nature of the episode perfectly. It is one of my most favorite lines of the whole series in one of the best episodes of the whole franchise.

[@chipstercamarillo9373]

the late Matt Jeffries, was the designer for the original series the look of the Enterprise, the Romulan ships the Klingon ships. The access tubes on the ships referred to as the Jeffries tubes are named after him. These is a brilliant episode

[@staicu2295]

One of the more underrated episodes but it's still good

[@e.salminen3193]

"The Conscience of the King" is my favorite episode of all the Star Trek series

[@cinemarchaeologist]

The women of STAR TREK are bedecked in the pride and joy of the show's ace costume-designer Bill Theiss.

[@DayTrooperGW]

Spock and McCoy actually are friends and have great admiration for each other. You'll see their relationship develop further as you watch more Trek. And this is definitely one of the more underrated episodes. 'Shakespeare in space' works really well here 😀

[@sarahfullerton6894]

Bunny, I hope you're feeling much better soon! Cheers!

[@derekfnord]

8:20 -- That's a damn good catch about the silliness of needing living eyewitnesses to identify Kodos when there are known photographs of him! Well spotted!

[@actioncom2748]

I don't agree. The computer said the case was closed. The Witnesses are the only ones keeping the case alive.

[@PenneySounds]

This is the last we see of Riley. It's interesting that he had only two appearances and they differ so widely in tone.

[@mikejankowski6321]

And he did a great job both times.

[@PenneySounds]

@@mikejankowski6321 Oh yes, the actor really got to show off his range even though the part was small.

[@Bawookles]

The clothing by the women in this episode (and in many other episodes) were always an attempt to look "futuristic" but they are all unmistakeable as products of the 60's with the wild assortment of colors and elaborate decorations on the fabrics.

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

I just love them!

[@Bawookles]

@@bunnytailsREACTS Ha! Well, 60's fashions were completely unique! Another reason for all the color in Star Trek is color tvs were the new thing in the mid-60's and companies were trying to get people to buy a new color tv to replace their old black and white ones. They would promote new shows like Star Trek by saying "look at all the colors! You NEED to buy a color tv to appreciate it!" You'll notice even with the backlighting on sets that they are throwing purples and greens and red backlighting just to make it more colorful.

[@HachimanMVP]

I'm sorry to hear you were sick! As the series goes on, you'll come to realize Bones and Spock are much closer than you first realize. Though they bicker almost incessantly, they value each other's expertise and opinions.

[@channel80news]

Thank you again for doing this, especially while sick. It's such a relief to get to experience these through a fresh set of eyes. It's one of the best parts of my week.

[@michaelm6948]

Growing up watching the original series in the late 60s and early 70s, this wasn't a big favorite of mine. But it definitely grew on me, I like the Shakespearean theme, and the tragic aspects. It's also interesting to get back story on the main characters and the experiences that formed them.

[@davidhoman3807]

21:22 - yes, I think she was just that looney, her own brain protecting itself.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

Hi Bunnytails, sorry you have been sick. Feel better soon!

[@Charmolution]

I agree. The worst thing with Lenore is the hypocrisy. Second would be the murder. Distant second.

[@mijmijrm]

Kodos is a little like Thanos of the Avengers movies. Thanos had a plan to eliminate half of life to allow sufficient resources for the rest. Kodos made a similar decision to execute enough people to allow the remaining resources to sustain the rest of the colony.

[@janehrahan5116]

Except kodos's plan makes sense though brutal. Based on the expected arrival date 4000 was the most he could save. His "eugenics" even was trying to select for people who could survive till the required time. Thanos's plan is unworkable and evil. Kodos had an impossible situation and made an impossible choice.

[@lawrencewestby9229]

I can't count the number of times in the last 50+ years I have said, "I am tired.", the same way Karidian/Kodos does to Kirk.

[@sagefoole]

"The Conscience of the King" is a line from Hamlet, JFYI.

[@LogicalNiko]

Last episode for Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney). Arnold Moss (Kodos) was a big Broadway Shakespearean actor (longest run of The Tempest on Broadway) and also played a lot of characters throughout Hollywood in the 1950s. Costumes in the original series were designed by William Theiss and was brought in by D.C. Fontana. He specialized in making dresses that technically met all the censors criteria but looked like they would not. They called his design the Theiss Theorem “the sexiness of a dress is directly proportional to how easily it would be to have an accident (to fall off)”. He won several academy awards in the later movie work, and his futuristic looking designs continued to evolve right through to his work on The Next Generation uniforms and many aliens’ styles.

[@royroblox]

Great reaction, and awesome to see all the love for this ep in the comments too! The pace and intrigue to it makes it one of my favorites. You nailed my biggest questions too -- if 8,000+ people were on that colony, how were 9 people the only eyewitnesses, when they have voice and photo records of Kodos? And if Kirk was ~15 when it happened, Riley would be maybe 5-8 years old ... so would he really remember Kodos? Still a great one :)

[@lazyperfectionist1]

I once read a list of 20 things that _never_ happen on _Star Trek._ One of them was something along the lines of, "The ship goes to a planet, starts investigating, and everything is soon revealed to be _exactly_ as it appears."

[@kermitcook8498]

Nice who done it episode. I love it when we invite the alleged perpetrators in. Lenore became best known as a TV cop. Kirk will continue with his inevitable side quests. Spock will continue to try not to smile and have the rare side quests of his own. Riley, according to the books, progresses well in the trek universe. Get better, Bun.

[@mccollumparkfarmersmarket7836]

There's actually an episode 20:14 where they can erase memories. Because in the future they do not believe in execution, Only rehabilitation. It's been 35 years since I say the re-sindicstion of those shows. I'm 56. So forgive my lack of episode names I had to make room for other things

[@ArkansasPilgrim]

It's a 3rd season episode. It has also been mentioned that Dagger of the Mind showed how crazy it was to mess with peoples brains, then they show it as a commonplace, accepted thing. One of the problems with the 3rd season.

[@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm]

There is still one death penalty offense on the books; General Order 4, regarding Talos IV. In the Menagerie Spock was on trial for taking Captain Pike there. Had he lost that trial he would have been executed

[@wetukman]

I love you are covering this as a young one (60 now) I watched this big time the stories and quality of how they recorded this must 35mm film is amazing, I love your reactions the ending was always like "what next"

[@johnandrews2167]

They are all good! Of course, all in the eye of the beholder.

[@dngillikin]

My wife loves "Melodramatic Conspiracy Theory Spock" in this episode.

[@scorptrio8231]

Your reaction to the twist reveal was priceless! I very clearly remember having a similar reaction the first time I saw this episode (1974, I was six.) Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings about one of the most important things in my life. It was from THIS episode, that I first heard the name Macbeth and learned who Shakespeare was. After watching it, I ran to the encyclopedia and read all I could about Shakespeare and his plays. Later episodes, also had me looking up everything they talked about, to see if it was part of real history or something they made up for the fictional future in the show. "Requiem for Methuselah" has many of those, so look forward to that episode!

[@SixshotRevan]

This episode was written in a modernized Shakespearean style in and of itself. It really felt like a "what if Shakespeare was still writing today". Very well done.

[@JeffreyCantelope]

The guy responsible for the TOS wardrobe was William Ware Theiss. He did wonders with a limited budget

[@winslowredcross2835]

What a nutjob! LOL Kirk sure can pick'em sometimes. This is a great episode. Leonerd Limoy was always so good as Mr. Spock. Great reaction bunnytails!!

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

Thanks :)

[@Tiffinki]

Classic Trek's costume designer was William Theiss. He was clearly good at what he did. With some of the female costumes, he made them seem more revealing than they really were with a clever wardrobe trick. He designed them to look "accident-prone," as if parts of the costume might fall off any moment. That's how they worked around 1960s censorship.

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

Great reaction video, this episode was pretty sad...Kirk's response at the end was him doing his job as captain and retaining composure and just moving on..."ahead warp factor 1". They've brain/memory wiped crazy people a few times in Star Trek... it's the futuristic "humane" way of mental illness treatment. The look in Lenore's eyes at the end of the play (wow, the spectators really got a good show!) Was absolutely insane...the sparkle, the staring into space. Whatever happened to Riley after this? I'm not sure, he played bit roles early in the series, and kind of disappeared... I'm surprised they even let him back in engineering after what he did in The Naked Time, LoL! But that wasn't his fault, but you gotta wonder why they don't have security cameras on a 23rd century starship, yet the computer can detect the heartbeats and location of everyone on board? As for fashionable dresses, it was the 1960s, and the futuristic look was HOT back then...the space age began then, and fashion designers imaginations went wild...also, nearly everyone was on illicit drugs. 🤣

[@CJJC]

Nice to find the “The Conscience of the King is underrated” crew. It’s good stuff.

[@Qoltar]

The Dresses - to answer your question - the show's Costume designer was William Ware Theiss and he had a talent for designing many dresses that looked quite sexy, attractive and sometimes looked like they might fall off the actress - but they didn't. - The Music Loving Klingon

[@edquinn5773]

Abother great video Bunny, hope you feel better soon. I agree, i think her mind just snapped, being the one who killed her dad.

[@nicholasregan6526]

13:24 that reaction always made me chuckle, yet good realistic acting if he's guilty, btw, get well soon!

[@balrog92000]

I am sorry you're feeling ill. I hope you get better soon.

[@emilsitka9537]

Star Trek taught me much more of an appreciation for Shakespeare than the force feeding I got in school.

[@jeanettegirosky7735]

Shatner was actually a trained Shakespearean actor and was an understudy of legendary actor Christopher Plummer who later plays General Chang in Star Trek VI. Anyways I always enjoyed this episode....not in my top ten but a good one.

[@technofilejr3401]

Wow didn’t know that

[@michaelparks6120]

This applies to nearly every episode.

[@carlazaz1690]

Thanks for sticking it through. Conscience is an excellent episode, although the poisoning scene with the spray bottle has always been a hoot. And Karidian has one of the greatest voices ever in Trek. Now that you've met Kodos, time to meet Kang.

[@dunringill1747]

I hope you are feeling better. If not - then get well soon. This episode is a solid one that doesn't really get talked about.

[@chriscma1]

One of the witnesses probably recognized Kodos and was killed after he confronted Lenore, setting her on her path of murder. She may have wound up on Tantalus Colony. Bruce Hyde (Riley) was a fine musician. At a convention, he played the piano and laughed when someone brought him a glass of milk, which he drank good naturedly.

[@DavidB-2268]

At the beginning of his acting career, William Shatner spent a number of years at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada. He understudied the great Christopher Plummer in the role of Henry V.

[@leemonsampson1844]

John Astin, of the Addams Family, was the voice of the ship captain Kirk spoke to ❤❤❤

[@EddieReischl]

This is a good episode, very well acted. Basically, in Shakespearean English, "A cautionary tale for men to avoid the babes with the crazy eyes."

[@tomstanziola1982]

11:25 - Riley is alone probably because he's on the graveyard shift in Engineering, Bunny. 🐇 I remember Kirk telling someone that the ship's lights are dimmed at night.

[@chuckbenedict7235]

Underrated who done-it. The Shakespeare references carry forward in many Star Trek episodes and movies. Nice review.

[@vincentsaia6545]

One of my favorite episodes STAR TREK helped start my love of Shakespeare

[@tabuno1662]

Actual live witnesses to a massacre are required to convict any surviving criminal.