The Doomsday Machine // Star Trek: The Original Series Reaction // Season 2

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

Please no spoilers! So that I can provide my best and most honest reaction, please do not mention the names of any future characters, events, or episode titles (this goes for future series as well). Please do not say which upcoming episodes are good or bad, otherwise I will have trouble forming my own opinion! Thank you, and enjoy!

[@Metal0sopher]

@ 0:53 What do you mean? It only gets better from here. You can watch Enterprise, The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space 9, all the motion pictures, all of them just as good or better in their own way. You've got years ahead of you.

[@Lexington1705]

William Windom is one of the finest character actors to ever have lived.

[@billn7183]

His IMDB page goes on forever

[@tehawfulestface1337]

I grew up with William Windom in almost every show on TV. That it was almost expected to see him everytime you turned on the TV. That you would see him on several shows on one night by just changing the channels. A legend from my childhood.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

I'm not sure I've seen him in anything else, but he sure was amazing here.

[@randyshoquist7726]

Among the highest profile actors to guest star in TOS.

[@gordieparenteau6555]

A true character actor if there ever was one.

[@rockabye274]

Mirror, Mirror and The Doomsday Machine are two of the most iconic and re-watchable episodes of TOS. I look at Matt Decker as a guy who is suffering from severe PTSD due to the traumas he endured.

[@johnwhite5485]

In my kesd than humble opinion, those are the two best.

[@tkmad7470]

Totally agree and would add Where No Man Has Gone Before

[@clash5j]

While you will never be able to watch these episodes for the first time every again, you can, a few years down the road, watch a reaction channel that is watching the series, just like many of us are doing with your channel. Watching along with someone who has never seen the show before is the closest you can come to experiencing it for the first time again

[@bjgandalf69]

You have to have watched these episodes a ton of times to not forget parts of them. I've seen TOS too many times but I've found recently that I had forgotten a lot of TNG that I have not watched as many times and many episodes I haven't seen since they were first broadcast.

[@pauld6967]

@clashSj Very true. She and the rest of us will be watching TOS, TAS, DS9, VOY, ENT and even the true heir to the legacy: _'The Orville.'_ Meanwhile the Fake Trek shows Duhscovery, Pretendcard, Lowered Standards & So Now What will be completely forgotten.

[@bjgandalf69]

@@pauld6967 I started to write a very similar reply and I lost it when the video went to an ad. I would add that she should also watch the fan series Continues as it is very close to.the spirit of TOS with return and great new guest stars, continued stories and other great surprises plus at least 2 sequel stories.

[@rogershore3128]

It's scary to think she is watching them for the first time and I must have watched them hundreds of times in 55 years... Where did the years go?

[@solvingpolitics3172]

@@pauld6967Never watched anything past TNG, are they any good or did they just substitute special effects for storyline?

[@TheNeonRabbit]

For my money, William Windom did the finest bit of acting in any Trek series. He really came off as someone who lived through true horror and came out with a broken soul. I loved that they even made the planet killer look kind of like Moby Dick, perfect for Decker to obsess over.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

He did, due totally to his excellent acting the episode scared the crap out of me when I saw it as a teenager. Windom does an inspired Captain Ahab impersonation.

[@allenporter6586]

I would also nominate Mark Leonard in Balance of Terror, the weary warrior who longs for peace but knows his duty. Leonard truly shows the struggle between someone who takes their oaths seriously but also has seen the true costs of war.

[@hawkmaster381]

I'm a retired veteran, and shell shock or not, I still love and admire Commodore Decker. He had absolutely no fear and did not take to being pushed around, yet had a deep love for his crew and ship. A true warrior.

[@jayb8369]

Amen from a fellow retired veteran. 100% concur with your assessment.

[@GrantWaller.-hf6jn]

My brother's are correct

[@BobBenson-qz8lp]

Commodore' Decker's judgement and fighting skills was good enough for him to raise in ranks to a commodore, just one step below Fleet Admiral. His intuition, bravery and self sacrifice is to be respected and admired. It's just that he knew he had to try something to avoid the doomsday machine from entering their part of the busy galaxy even if it risked the enterprise, but his idea of flying the shuttle INTO the machine bypassing the outer layer of protection of the machine, was the wrong execution of a right idea that even Spock didn't figure out.

[@Biggles266]

@@BobBenson-qz8lp Fleet Admiral is faaar above Commodore. Commodore is the first flag rank and has in fact been discontinued in many naval services to be replaced by the title 'Rear Admiral, Lower Half'. Then you have Rear Admiral (Upper Half), Vice Admiral, Admiral, Fleet Admiral, and finally Admiral of the Fleet. But yes, Kirk even said himself trying to stop Decker from Kamikaze-ing out of grief that they need his skills, experience and judgement. He was a good officer and commander who just became unhinged with grief and the trauma of how he had to listen to his crew of hundreds begging for their lives and then dying.

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

Decker tried his best to save his crew, but bad luck gave him the wrong results. It's like Kirk told him on his guilt-ridden kamikaze run, "Matt, nobody expects you to die for an error in judgment!"

[@dondevice8182]

I totally understand your sadness of the idea of having watched them all- But you know, my dear, this is why those of us who have seen them 1000 times watch you

[@rogershore3128]

Who watches the Watcher?. She'll get that joke some day.

[@watchmanonthewall14]

Exactly.

[@jjs2351]

She is definitely worth watching !

[@davezink7944]

I'm 66 now - you're right , seen these episodes a thousand times , she gets so emotional , neat to watch - she's seeing these for the 1st time ,, so fun to watch 🍒

[@deafheaven99]

I’ve never seen Bunny so intense. Both her hands balled up into fists, punching one hand with the other, etc. Great fun.

[@brom00]

William Windom (Decker) was a great character actor. He appeared in dozens of TV shows and films from the 60's to the early 2000's. Even in smalls roles like in 'Planes. Trains and Automobiles' he was a stand out.

[@Madbandit77]

He's best known as Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Cabot Cove's local doctor on the mystery drama, "Murder, She Wrote". He was kind of like Dr. Watson to Angela Landsbury's Jessica Fletcher.

[@MrGadfly772]

Matt Decker is a very complex character. He's a large part of what makes this episode so great. This is a very intense episode and one of the best. People initially get quite mad at Commodore Decker and yet ironically it is he who ends up saving millions of lives. If they hadn't followed his lead, they would have sacrificed the Rigel colony in order to go warn Starfleet. Because Decker forced them to attack the Doomsday machine all those millions would have died. It's an irony of this episode that in the end Decker was right. It would be worth it to lose both ships if it stopped the machine. Of course, we as the audience are rooting for Kirk and crew, and so Deckard is the antagonist, and yet he is the one that makes the outcome that needed to help Rigel. And of course this is one of Scotty's finest moments.

[@kerry-j4m]

WOW,I never thought of Decker this way and have watched this episode countless times. Agreed and well said. GOOD job.

[@manco828]

More like billions of lives.

[@zmani4379]

Excellent point -

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Great point. Although Decker's obsessed mind failed to come up with the idea of using the Constellation.

[@karidrgn]

Yet that sacrifice is only worth it if it works.

[@archlittle6067]

This episode was nominated for a Hugo award. Your elaborate description of Kirk's qualities as a leader are what we with a military background sum up as "badass".

[@juandesalgado]

According to Wikipedia and IMDB, the actor playing commodore Decker, William Windom, had a heck of a life. Apart from a full life acting in TV and the theater, and five different marriages, he was a parachute trooper during WW-2 in Europe, a sports sailor, and a tournament-level chess player.

[@Stogie2112]

He should have never gotten married the first time! He didn't have time for a wife. He was too busy enjoying Life!

[@kirishima638]

Greatest generation

[@kurtb8474]

I was 8 years old when this episode first aired. Needless to say, I was awestruck by it. And now, at 64, it remains my #1 favorite of all of Star Trek. This was the kind of TV we had in the 60s. Great writing, strong acting, intelligent dialog, fantastic effects with very little to work with, and above all, it was all family-friendly.

[@josephblunt5987]

Hear, hear!

[@neospock5034]

The dramatic tension, the musical score, everything during the climax of this episode with Kirk starting down the Doomsday machine while Scotty is frantically attempting repairs... peak Star Trek!!

[@oobrocks]

Bill Windom deserved the Emmy here; showing us depression, shock and especially panic, has never been topped. Also please note the horns when Spock finally confronts Windom and gets him to vacate the captain’s chair. This the first and only time we hear trumpets in the 79 episodes ❤🎉😊. Ps: isn’t it obvious this should have been explanned into a feature film?

[@cdfreester]

I agree, Windom deserved an Emmy for this performance. He is my favorite guest star of all TOS.

[@sudonum3108]

It was turned into a movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was based upon this episode. A giant machine that consumes ships, a conflict between Kirk and Decker over who commands the Enterprise. I’m sure there are other clues.

[@LeChaunce]

@@sudonum3108 Well, this and The Changeling. We used to call ST:TMP "Star Trek: Where Nomad Has Gone Before".

[@daveangels]

Careful with spoilers please, I don't think she has seen the first movie

[@jeffturnbull9661]

​@sudonum3108 this episode, largely due to Windom's performance, is far superior to The Motion Picture

[@stevejoshua9536]

Bunny. Feeling sad upon the realization that you can only experience Star Trek the original series once, for the first time, is coincidentally how many of us are feeling about this precious journey you are on, as we experience these episodes again, but now through your eyes, and through your heart. You, without any doubt, are making this a special time for all of us; and while it's true that many of us will follow you into other journeys in the future, none will be quite like this one.

[@wiggywan1832]

Yes! Love this one. "Vulcans never bluff." It's probably my favorite Alexander Courage theme You're watching the remastered effects. But even with the original effects, can you imagine how awesome it must've been to watch these epic Sc'fi battles in 1968? Love this show! And Kitk is the man. Indeed..

[@dngillikin]

The musical score for "the Doomsday Machine" was by Sol Kaplan, who had previously provided the score for "The Enemy Within" in the first season.

[@kwebb121765]

@@dngillikin Two of the best scores of the series.

[@cleekmaker00]

@@dngillikin Kaplan's Score was specifically written for this Episode, and many of the Themes were reused for other episodes through the run of TOS.

[@edgarcia4794]

Your empathy makes your reviews even better. You must be a friend worth having.

[@jjs2351]

I agree. She gives a sensitive feminine perspective that I find very endearing.

[@kennethbaker5223]

💯

[@cleekmaker00]

Nichelle Nichols had accepted an invitation to sing at a Concert in NYC during the filming of "The Doomsday Machine" so Elizabeth Rogers stepped in as Lt. Palmer to take Uhuta's place. She reprised her role in the 3rd Season episode "The Way to Eden".

[@Elplaceteno]

Bet she regretted it. This was TOS best episode. At least according to me an James Doohan (Scotty).

[@chrisgarrett1257]

Fun Fact: The original Doomsday Machine prop was designed by the episode writer and made from a wind sock dipped in concrete. Pretty ingenious and inexpensive.

[@geminicricket4975]

Fun, sure, but I think I would have preferred something that actually looked like an interstellar weapon than the "Ice Cream Cone of Terror". Just sayin'... ;)

[@rogershore3128]

I have to admit as a 62 year old I love the new effects here. They really went to town on that one.

[@Slashygirl66]

​Many say it looks like those Bugles snack.

[@mikejankowski6321]

A cornucopia of destruction, for sure.

[@zoppie]

The sad fact is Roddenberry did ask Spinrad to send him some sketches of what the thing ought to look like. What I wouldn't give to see those.

[@Cheryworld]

William Windom was great in this, he was in a lot of movies and TV, great character actor

[@revans18]

It's a shame that most reactors haven't seen 'The Caine Mutiny' so they don't recognize the call back William Windom is going with the memory cards as a tribute to Bogart and the steel ball bearings. Bunny's reaction was perfect. When she said she nearly cried with Decker I thought 'you want, that will pass.'

[@rogershore3128]

Ironically one of the few colour films Bogart did......

[@johnmackendrick5173]

Back a -ahem- few decades ago, our English class got to read out the play the movie was based on. It was basically just the courtroom scene. I got to read Queeg's part and it was fun. I had no idea how it was going to end. I just read the script. I told myself Queeg was in the right no matter what the facts turn out to be. Then I fell apart completely at the end -- insisting I was in the right while turning into a raving lunatic -- overacting with relish. A couple of the students looked at me in complete disgust. So I figured I played it correctly. Bogart, of course, did it much better.

[@roberttoews2775]

And did you notice the colours of the cards? They are gold and green, Same as the colours of his and Kirk’s uniforms and hints at the tension between the two.

[@revans18]

@@johnmackendrick5173 The book has been adapted into a play "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial' which adapts only the courtroom bits, a movie, 'The Caine Mutiny' which adapts half the book, but no one has adapted the whole book.

[@johnmackendrick5173]

@@revans18 That play is likely what our class read in high school. This was before I saw the movie. I just knew that Queeg was the bad guy and that I wanted to play him as if he was the good guy. Teachers would let me take the meaty roles because I was such an introvert in real life.

[@Michael-ed3dp]

"This is the longest 30-seconds of my life!". Watching you watch them for the first time is almost as satisfying as doing it myself.

[@steelers6titles]

William Windom was all over TV. He later starred in "My World And Welcome To It", based on the works of James Thurber. He turns in a good performance as the unstable Decker.

[@tbessie]

I remember "My World and Welcome to It" from when I was a kid. About 20 or so years ago, I met William Windom at the reading of a play (he lived in the Bay Area), and told him how much I'd enjoyed that show. He said he wished the network had felt the same (I think it only lasted one season). Always loved his acting.

[@Stogie2112]

That was an awesome TV show. I watched it every week.

[@thomaskalinowski8851]

I love the way you've fallen in love with this show. And of course this is the reason the franchise is still alive 55 years after the original series was cancelled, because the series was just that good.

[@starmnsixty1209]

From what I've heard of the drivel that is the modern Trek, it's a franchise on life support now at best.

[@SatoshiMatrix1]

The original version of this episode used the 18" AMT Enterprise model kit you could buy from any model store as the Constillation, as they needed to rough up the model. They couldn't use the regular Enterprise model for that, and there was no budget to produce something truly special. Once again they made a fantastic episode on a shoestring budget. The remastered special effects really elevate both the Constillation and the Doomsday Machine so much.

[@maxducoudray]

“A guy with authority trying to commandeer the Enterprise for bad reasons” is another staple of Trek, but Commodore Decker stands out to me. Lots of moments from this episode live rent free in my brain, usually accompanied by that iconic danger music. And as always: ❤ Spock!

[@Bawookles]

Well, take this from me as a fan who grew up with this show, I've watched each of these episodes well into the triple digits and I still love rewatching them. When you love the show, you love revisiting these characters and these stories, and your appreciation and fandom for all of it simply grows.

[@cashflowhustles]

Exactly. 👍

[@ckline5486]

Bunny does a great job. She really understands Star Trek and story craft. Its fun to watch things with her.🙂

[@indetigersscifireview4360]

Everyone else is singing his praises and so shall I. William Windom's performance is the best guest actor in the series. Shocked one moment, factual the next, and then the heart breaking moment when he says Don't you think I know that? There was but not anymore! It's devastating. This may be his best work ever. Then you get all these wonderful moments between Spock and McCoy, Spock and Kirk, and Scotty and Kirk. And the Doomsday Machine action is incredible! How can you not love this show!

[@dustinkosman6615]

I don’t know if anyone else said this, but the Constellation is a sister ship of the Enterprise. Both are Constitution class starships.

[@NightHawke]

True, they had to go with the ship design they had, as we will see in later episodes. Of course, the original junked Constellation was a dressed-up AMT model of the Enterprise, which really makes watching the original effects cringe-inducing! The Reliant of "Wrath of Khan" was the first non-Constitution-class starship in all of Star Trek to that point.

[@nstents7781]

That smug look of victory on your face when Spock takes back command speaks volumes.

[@komradewirelesscaller6716]

My all time favorite Star Trek TOS ever! And Sol Kaplan's amazing score for this episode has become the stuff of legend! The Decker suicide scene in this episode late one night made my dad start to cry! Here is the original 1967 trailer for it!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3mqiGCnpdF0h6c

[@shabadoo25]

Great episode. Nothing in the history of TV beats the musical scoring of this show in a tense situation or fight.

[@mythenmetzermewtufreund128]

Yes the powerful theme of the Planet Killer.

[@Interstellar-in5wb]

@@mythenmetzermewtufreund128 It's been suggested that Sol Kaplan's planet-killer theme may have quite possibly inspired the "Jaws" theme by John Williams. Shem von Schroeck's video Doomsday Machine Revealed compares this (at 8m53s): kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3LJdot6eNiFo8km53s

[@Interstellar-in5wb]

@@mythenmetzermewtufreund128 It's been suggested that Sol Kaplan's planet-killer theme may have quite possibly inspired the "Jaws" theme by John Williams. Shem von Schroeck has a youtube video called Doomsday Machine Revealed that compares this (it's in his video at 8m53s).

[@scottstahl1797]

The novelization said The Doomsday Machine was over 2 Billion years old. TOS at it's best was amazing. That score and orchestral work...Hats off!

[@robertblades6209]

The crew of the Enterprise call Scotty the"Miracle Worker".

[@bunnytailsREACTS]

He really is!

[@geminijustgemini7784]

“How can you be thought of as a Miracle Worker if you tell the Captain how long it REALLY takes?

[@geminijustgemini7784]

You were almost crying for the Commodore, and now you hate the Commodore within a matter of 5 to 10 minutes, that is excellent writing. And you don’t get writing like that these days

[@TroyConvers5000]

Kirk related to this in 'Debt of Honor' and how much he took him for granted.

[@curtiscolwell1572]

Young lady I truly enjoy your honest thoughtful insights .....I personally believe almost every one loves Scotty and thinks of him as a miracle worker ....I got to meet James Doohan at a couple of sci-fi conventions and he was one of the warmest kindest human beings I'd ever met ...he truly enjoyed meeting with the fans .....he is / and was a one of a kind ....a real life war hero and cinematic miracle worker ❤

[@joepolymath2308]

This episode has the distinction of being simultaneously a great Kirk episode, a great Spock episode, a great Scotty episode, a great guest-star episode, and a great orchestral score episode. That's mighty rare.

[@johnbuchanon7717]

Now would be a good opportunity to enjoy Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”, 1964, if you haven’t already. Lot’s of quotable quotes and memes are based on it. Scotty has inspired generations of engineers. Summer of ‘79, in the Ga Tech cafeteria every seat around the big color TV was full at 5pm because that’s when “I Dream of Jeannie” started immediately before “Star Trek” on Ted Turner’s old Atlanta WTCG Channel 17, which became TBS. We “all” wanted to be Major Healy and Scotty. Memories…Great reaction Bunny!

[@EddieReischl]

This is my favorite Star Trek episode. You nailed it in the analysis. This episode has everything. A little starship combat and a lot of character interactions. A guy we have sympathy for at the beginning, loses our sympathy by being a knucklehead in the middle, and then sacrifices himself at the end, leaving you conflicted about how you feel about him. It's a great tragedy. William Windom was excellent in this, the Spock and McCoy back and forth is fun, and lots of Scotty saving the day is great too.

[@Stogie2112]

Commander Decker was indeed a tragic figure. He was a great Starfleet officer and starship commander. The shock and horror of seeing his ship defeated and his crew all dead would have destroyed most officers. We can be angry with him for almost making the same mistake with the Enterprise, but we can also understand his rage and guilt. He could not live with such shame. He couldn't go home, so he went down with his ship. A tragedy for him and his crew.

[@SKIP-yj3xp]

Years ago, it was suggested that Commodore Decker is the father of Commander Decker from "Star Trek The Motion Picture".

[@DannyD714]

in the novel of ST TMP it's confirmed that will decker is the son of commodore decker.

[@TroyConvers5000]

It's canon, and was almost a plot thread between Kirk and Will in TMP.

[@jruhnke7670]

Gene Roddenberry confirmed (in an interview), that Commander Decker is the son of Matt Decker.

[@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm]

Of course it is! Why else would they give them both the same name?

[@meowenstein]

"I've never heard that term before." Consider adding Dr. Strangelove (1964) to your movie reaction list.

[@starmnsixty1209]

Excellent suggestion.

[@stewmott3763]

If you'd grown up in the eighties, you'd know (and fear) that term only too well! 🙂

[@anorthosite]

[General Buck Turgidson]: "GEE I wish We had one-a-them Doomsday Machines !!" :)

[@sirequinox4874]

A good episode, written by Norman Spinrad, a genuine science fiction writer. Veteran actor William Windom delivers an excellent performance as Commodore Decker. And your reference to the Sunk Cost Fallacy was apt.

[@jmominis]

I always found it funny that Mr. Scott says “a cranky transporter’s a mighty finicky piece of machinery to be gambling your life on” Considering how easily the transporter gets ‘cranky’ its a gamble quite a bit! At least Scotty can be relied on to fix it!

[@MichaelJShaffer]

There's a bit of Queeg from The Caine Mutiny in Windom's performance here. The playing with the data discs a la Bogart with the ball bearings. Great episode for Spock & McCoy on the Enterprise with Kirk & Scotty on the Constellation and how the chain of command works on a starship. All with the consequences of building such weapons. I know it's fan made, but hearing you come to terms with Star Trek and new episodes of TOS ending for you, might I suggest the 11 episodes of Star Trek Continues. Another great reaction.🖖

[@TheBTG88]

One of my favorite episodes. William Windom was a well known character actor and does a great job here as Commodore Decker.

[@buttercupstruelove340]

There was a novelization of a duplicate planet killer encountered by the Enterprise-D commanded by Jean Luc Picard. This planet killer was piloted by a being who took control of the machine in order to destroy the Borg. The novel is titled, "Star Trek: The Next Generation: Vendetta: The Giant Novel", whatever that means. The author is Peter David.

[@andrewdennis2806]

I love this episode. The acting is top-notch. The actor who played the commodore was William Windom. He played the part of a doctor in one particular episode of another show that I like called "Simon and Simon." The episode he played in is titled "Under the Knife" and is from season 3 episode number 19.

[@rogershore3128]

I think Murder She Wrote was his most famous role....

[@josiahslack8720]

@@rogershore3128 Perhaps. He was the lead in a sitcom in the 60s called "My World and Welcome to It" based on the cartoons and writing of James Thurber. I loved that show when I was a kid, and the contrast of the character of Monroe (his part in the show) against that of Decker was striking.

[@rogershore3128]

@@josiahslack8720 It does annoy me that there are so many great shows from the late 50s and 60s that just don't get to see the light of day. TV or modern channels show very little of the output from those eras. They tend to show the same stuff time and time again....

[@cmb318]

@@rogershore3128 Imagine the reactors of today viewing shows like The Prisoner, The Outer Limits from the 1960s, Night Gallery, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, or The Incredible Hulk tv show. Hardly anyone reacts to those or other well know shows from past decades.

[@rogershore3128]

@@cmb318 I know it's a shame. Good call on the Incredible Hulk, everything modern superhero movies are not: intelligent and emotional.

[@Bippy55]

Aug 2024 - I’m soo glad I discovered your review channel. It’s been said that, “The Doomsday Machine” episode is probably one of the most popular (for lots of reasons) of the original Star Trek series of the late 1960s. Did you catch that the doomsday machine device itself even had its own musical theme?! From your reactions and carefully given comments, you did an excellent review. I’m so glad I had a chance to see it! Thank you for exploring a 1960s TV series that now is known throughout the world. More power to you!

[@MrStephenLast]

I saw an interview of WIlliam Windom who played Commodore Decker, where he discussed his role in this episode. The scene where he flew into the Doomsday Machine, he filmed many different reactions. I think he described it like throwing everything against a wall and see what sticks.

[@rogershore3128]

Didn't he reprise the role for a video game?

[@talos4694]

@@rogershore3128 I don't know about any video game, but Windom appeared as the same character in a Trek fan film called 'In Harm's Way'. BarBara Luna also appeared in it although playing a different character than the one she played in 'Mirror, Mirror'.

[@rogershore3128]

@@talos4694 Didn't know about that one

[@johnclawed]

Watching The Apple with you, I realized that I was thinking about things I never thought about before (Vaal won't regulate the climate any more so Starfleet better check on them to make sure they aren't freezing.) It happened in A Taste of Armageddon too (calculating, for the first time, how many died in that 500 year war). Then I realized that I always watched these alone, and haven't watched them *_with_* anyone since 1972. Reacting to your reaction, I am stimulated to think about it more than ever.

[@aint_just_whistlin_dixie]

This episode consistently makes it onto the most popular lists of ST episodes. Fun facts: the episode was written by Norman Spinrad, a popular sci-fi author from the 60's and 70's (as was Harlan Ellison for City on the Edge of Forever). William Windom was the character actor who played Commodore Decker. He did guest appearances on many shows back in the day including Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke & the Twilight Zone.

[@Tiffinki]

bunnytails, you speak of Scotty with some affection in your closing remarks. This episode was the favorite of James Doohan, Scotty's actor, may he rest in peace.

[@y00t00b3r]

The Enterprise and the Constellation are both Constitution class starships. So that means they are the same size. They are sisters. Later on, there was a new class of ship, itself called the Constellation class. But that's different, and was later.

[@pauld6967]

Yes, he's strong. The strength of a man obsessed. Mr. Windom said that years latter the parallel to _'Moby Dick'_ was made. He said if he had realized it at the time, he would've olayed into that angle. His fiddling with the data cartidges was his decision to give a tip of the hat to Humphrey Bogart's character in _'The Caine Mutiny'_ during the court martial scene.

[@talos4694]

I asked him once at an autograph show if he was mimicking Humphrey Bogart's obsessed captain from 'The Caine Mutiny" when he was playing with the data cartridges. (Bogart's character played with large ball bearings in that movie.) Windom confirmed to me that's what he was doing.

[@sarahfullerton6894]

Also, please take a look at the COLORS of those two data cartridges: green and yellow. They represent the conflict between Kirk (in green) and Decker (in yellow). A clever, but often overlooked little detail. I love these types of details.

[@richdurbin6146]

Decker had to have massive survivors guilt, while blaming himself directly for their. It’s no wonder he was driven suicidal.

[@kevinlewallen4778]

Congrats, Bunny, you're the first reactor to point out (11:25) what I scream at the screen every time I watch this one: GET BEHIND IT! Tactical foolishness aside, it's a great episode.

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

I think the most obviously best idea would have been to get away from it, until they could clear its interference, then send a message warning Rigel and the rest of Starfleet it was coming, _Then_ going back to attack it, or pick up Kirk and his party.

[@kevinlewallen4778]

@@TheNoiseySpectator Good point.

[@carybrown851]

The only problem with that is that only from the front could any attack be even marginally effective.

[@kevinlewallen4778]

@@carybrown851 Eventually that was clear. No phaser attacks would work from any angle, only going inside with an explosion would work. But as long as they were still attacking with phasers, it was foolish to get in front.

[@bryangriffin2093]

I grew up watching this show. I am 61 now and still watch it when I stumble across it on cable

[@robertstroud5750]

DID YOU KNOW??? William Windom, who played Matt Decker.....His Kindergarten Teacher was none other than Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch in The Wizard Of Oz??

[@madmitch3365]

Yay, one of my fav episodes! I read a book once in the TNG timeline that the Doomsday machine was built to fight the Borg. Hope you are doing well 🙂

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Shrill trumpet music notwithstanding, this is one of my favorite episodes. "Not with my ship, you don't!" That and when Spock motions to the two security guards, I love that part.

[@Bar-Lord]

Here we go. Definitely a fan favorite. This is easily in my top 3 of the series. Remember this after you finish the show: just because you saw them doesn’t mean your perspective on a given episode can’t change. Maybe you’ll find something you missed, or somehow see it completely differently after a rewatch. I’ve been watching these episodes for a couple decades now and there have been a few that have gone up in stock since I first saw them. Life and time always bring perspective. You also have several seasons of other shows to go, and I can guarantee you have a lot of gold ahead of you yet to discover.

[@jime6688]

A few things you might find interesting. The machine was based on a windsock from an airport. The device was POSSIBLY created by some race to combat the Borg according to some theories. This is the first time(maybe the only time) they walk around the entire bridge. Notice near the beginning they are up there near the view screen. That hadn’t happened before.

[@shallowgal462]

This has the best musical score of episode of TOS! I own the CD and play it often. Although he won an Emmy a few years later, William Windom should've been nominated here! He based his performance on Captain Ahab in the 1956 film _Moby Dick._

[@clash5j]

I have to believe that Humphrey Bogart's "Captain Queeg" from The Caine Mutiny also had to have been somewhat of an influence

[@josiahslack8720]

@@clash5j Indeed - he's reported to have said that the business with the data disks was based on Queeg's fidgeting.

[@shallowgal462]

@@clash5j Absolutely! Watch the way Decker fiddled with tapes in his hand, then watch Bogie's performance as Queeg. Ball bearings, I believe.

[@toddjones1480]

Next time you watch this the episode will be the same, but you’ll be different. I did my first watch of this series as a 3yo, so my takes on some of these episodes have seen some wild swings.

[@michaelrenkes4463]

Many people believe that John Williams lifted his iconic Star Wars theme from The Doomsday Machine.

[@spinynorman887]

William Windom (Decker) was robbed by NOT getting an Emmy for his performance! He managed to steal the episode in spite of the usual stellar performances by the regular cast. You went from sympathizing for him to despising him to feeling regret for his fate. Many (myself included) feel this was the best of the original series. I have been anticipating this reaction, and you did not disappoint! Fun fact: The design of the Doomsday Machine was based on an airport wind sock. Crazy that such a mundane bit of equipment was transformed into a fearsome planet killer! Love ya!

[@noneya3635]

The one thing that always sticks with me from the first time I saw it, the music is fantastic. And I’m pretty sure John Williams was inspired by this for the JAWS theme.

[@markjeghers4408]

A powerful study in emotional trauma. His reaction was completely irrational and destructive and tragically human. Great science fiction, thrilling action, deeply emotional drama. This episode has everything and is probably my number one favorite. I'm glad you liked it.

[@artvankampen8993]

William Windom as Decker is hands down, the best guest star of the series! You love him, then hate him, then feel bad for him again! Spock is at his most logical in this one as well, coldly following every order he is given. The drama, the writing, the music, the acting, this one has it all and is my absolute favorite episode! Thanks for the great reaction to this perfect gem! Windom has some other great performances in Night Gallery, check them out when you get the chance. You won’t regret it. 😄

[@Icypenguigo]

Yet another one of the most iconic episodes of the Original Series. Everything about it is so memorable. The Doomsday Machine is a terrifying design, and one of my favorites in all of Star Trek. The music in this episode is also fantastic, it inspires a true sense of dread.

[@jack_m100]

The audio for this when the DD machine is after a ship is pretty much the music to Jaws.

[@ObriensKayak]

Windom absolutely nailed this part! Star Trek in all of its many different shows had a knack for hiring amazing actors for one off parts that stand out as much as the regulars and this is certainly one of them. I have to wonder that since Commodore Decker was dealing with PTSD that this was a way to show what many from WW2 were dealing with but was never talked about since the writers came from that era. Keep up these great reactions and this was one I was really excited about viewing.

[@rogershore3128]

I think Robert Ryan was originally going to do the role but a film commitment stopped him appearing.

[@ObriensKayak]

@@rogershore3128 dang! I never knew that! It’s so tough to picture anyone else in this role though because Windom was that good. Wish they would give retroactive awards for past performances.

[@rogershore3128]

​@@ObriensKayak Crazy is it not?. And Frank Sinatra was originally the first choice for Dirty Harry. It's amazing how many iconic roles go to actors by default....

[@kerry-j4m]

Roddenberry was a WW 2 pilot,and also an LAPD cop,a commercial airline pilot too. 8 yrs as a cop to add,impressive job resume.

[@nedzed3663]

I've never seen an actor portray the look of "oh shit, I'm dead" than the Commodore's expression in this episode as he was being disintegrated. Even all these years later, it's still effective

[@Stogie2112]

Decker experienced the ultimate Kobayashi Maru scenario. He suffered the death of his crew and then his own death. The look of pure horror on his face made Television History.

[@socksumi]

Gotta give credit to Scotty and the countless times he save the ship and everyone on board by his engineering skills and trouble shooting abilities. This time he rigged the explosive with a delayed switch that destroyed the doomsday machine and he fixed the transporter in seconds and saved the captain's life. Scotty is Star trek's truest unsung hero.

[@TomHill-xh7ec]

Scotty's accent drops while he's talking about the detonator switch.

[@jeffthompson9622]

William Windom(Commodore Decker) also starred as a comic strip creator in "My World, And Welcome To It" from 1969 to '70, and with Inger Stevens in "The Farmer's Daughter," from 1963 to '66.

[@rosshall6475]

This has always been one of my favorite episodes! Great reaction. I agree that its nice to see well trained personnel respond to a crisis with their training instead of turning on each other for drama.

[@craigborchard7424]

I love that the Constellation was just a store-bought model of the Enterprise. They flipped around a couple of the numbers that came with the Enterprise model's decal sheet: NCC-1701 becomes NCC-1017 and presto-chango ... different ship!

[@user-EricWatson55]

I love Scotty's technical description. "Poof!" 😂

[@dahomeykingdom]

The actor for Decker was in the movie "To kill a mockingbird" as prosecutor an all time classic movie

[@donfoley6946]

On the original effects, an AMT model of the Constellation was used.

[@eschiedler]

Star Trek would run on syndication on local network TV at 5 pm in my area. In 1978 this was one of the first episodes I saw and I hid behind the couch for most of it. In the original special effects the may of the machine was very scary!

[@NeilPower]

I was young when I saw this episode too the first time. When Decker said, "They say there's no devil, Jim, but there is, right out of Hell. I saw it!" My mind went crazy imagining what this thing was and not sure if I want to see it.

[@johnauten8142]

Hi Bunny, this is Star Trek at its very best. The storyline, the music, an extremely talented guest star and the main cast. All of these elements congealed perfectly into one of the greatest and by some considered the best of the original series. William Windom was not the first choice to play Decker, it was Robert Ryan and the original title was The Planet Eater. But fortunately some changes were made and we got a much better episode.I got to meet William Windom when he was touring around doing the Jack Thurber stories. He was a really nice person with endless tales of his long career in movies and TV.

[@kenmcauliffe3028]

It was a major thing for Spock, as a Vulcan, to offer condolences.

[@Slashygirl66]

The director told him I'm going for a bathroom or smoke break, just say your lines to the camera as if you're truly devastated about losing your crew. So he did just that. The camera was focused on him and he definitely did his job. Brilliant.

[@rogershore3128]

It's amazing how the cast all get great moments in this episode. Spock, McCoy, Scotty and Kirk.... It's like the good vibes are bouncing off each other in this episode. I'm assuming this episode is meant to take place directly after The Changeling which is why Uhura is not in it......

[@johnmackendrick5173]

He said later that he just threw the entire gamut of emotions at the camera and knew they would edit it to make it look good.

[@anorthosite]

Windom's first scene was IMO some of (if not THE) finest acting in the whole series. This episode was essentially a retelling of "Moby Dick", with Commodore Decker being Captain Ahab.

[@thedoctor755]

One of the best TOS episodes right here :) I loved your journey from "Awwww, poor Decker" to "who is this idiot??" 😆 But, Decker was redeemed in the end. He had the best of intentions, and it was his last effort that led to the machine's destruction. Good thing they had a spare Constitution class ship 🙂

[@sparky6086]

Love the impersonal vibe, when Commadore Decker calls Mr Sulu, "Helmsman"! William Windom was a terrific actor & known as much in his time. His portrayal of Commadore Decker made this episode of Star Trek easily top 5 of all time & probably top 2!

[@BenChanNYC]

Kirk's "You're the lunatic responsible for almost destroying my ship?!" is one of my favorite lines in the entire series. 😂

[@CJRamos-jv3pb]

So cool to watch you go through the thrills of this, my favorite TOS episode. I love Spock in this one, and one of my favorite parts is when Kirk is ordering him to take command of the ship - the camera going back and forth from Spock to Decker - the looks on the faces of the bridge crew, "uh oh, what's going to happen" - Spock's "Vulcans never bluff". Good stuff, indeed.

[@tehawfulestface1337]

Bunny, your reaction to Commodore Decker while watching the episode was the direct opposite of mine. William Windom was a childhood hero and I was hyped to see him in an episode. He had earned my respect long before I first saw William Shatner. I looked up to him and expected him to save the day. And HE DID ! I was thrilled when Kirk followed his lead in the end. One of the best episodes.

[@dennismason3740]

The music at the climax may sound familiar. 7 years later John Williams would borrow it to compose the Jaws theme for Spielberg and he would forget to credit Sol Kaplan, the composer.

[@rogershore3128]

If you listen to the film "Creature from the Black Lagoon" 1954 you can clearly hear the basis of the Jaws theme. So around long before Star Trek....

[@dennismason3740]

@@rogershore3128 - I literally haven't seen Creature since 1962 - I will check it out, thanks.

[@rogershore3128]

@@dennismason3740 It is there. Caught me out as well...

[@Rick-c5s]

"BLAST REGULATIONS".... This why Kirk is the best! I couldn't agree more! 😄

[@ToneHobart]

William Windom had a brief series called "My world and welcome to it." Also, this episode is pretty much Moby Dick in space and Decker is Ahab and the planet killer is the whale.

[@Albert_Wesker_1969]

Very true. Either reading the book or watching the film adaptations would one be privy that the writers took inspiration from that piece of literature.

[@josiahslack8720]

@@Albert_Wesker_1969 The writer was Norman Spinrad, who was already a pretty famous science fiction author at the time.

[@jruhnke7670]

You did a Great job Analyzing Comordore Decker and the episode! I also really love this episode. the character going from being shell-shocked to taking over... is impressive. You manage to Love, then Hate, then Respect the character. The pacing and directing of this episode also helps make it work. But I also Really Love the Music in this one! The composer (Sol Kaplan), managed to write "all" of the music for this episode (although it got broken up and used in other episodes too). The music for this piece is almost Operatic in how it helps tell the story. It greatly assists in the sadness, the horror, the tension, and the drama. If you listen carefully... you will hear the "Jaws" theme in the background. Interesting... because this episode was made 9 years before the movie "Jaws." I enjoyed your Review of this episode. I was waiting to see it. Thanks!

[@robertstephens1203]

My 2nd favorite episode behind Balance of Terror. William Windom was great! Scotty was the MVP in this episode. The scene when he's trying to get the transporter working still gives me chills.

[@phr3dmcc0y]

its not that he was panicking: He knew that robot was destined to cut through the galaxy and eat planets and destroy life aimlessly and there was *no one else* who even knew about it and it HAD to be stopped somehow. It was his sworn duty as a starfleet officer to preserve life and protect members of the federation and neighboring planets and systems. He was mad, yes, but for all of the best and noble reasons. what is 400 people versus literally trillions of people across space in the galaxy: and if it isnt stopped it'll coast from galaxy to galaxy chopping planets to shreds and consuming them with 0 regard for life. William Windham said the director "went for a smoke" and let him act that "Straight out of hell" scene. Remarkable work. You really do feel how devastated he is about the entire situation and loss of his entire crew.

[@photonicus]

Well, if you ever have a tough day you can think about the battle music from this episode. It helps!

[@angmar42]

I love that some fan-theories speculate that the doomsday machine was designed as a last offensive weapon against the Borg.

[@ChrisReise]

0:53 There's a small solution to this conundrum you're mentioning here. There are a few fan-made series on youtube that live up to the original series quite well. They are: 1. "Star Trek: New Voyages" (later called "Star Trek: Phase II") 2. "Star Trek Continues" (Very well done series that completes the 5-year mission) 3. "Starship Farragut" (Different crew but in the same timeline as the original series) 4. "Starship Exeter" (Different crew but in the same timeline as the original series) 5. "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" (Takes place 12 years after "Star Trek VI" starring Nichelle Nichols as Captain Uhura and a LOT of other "Trek" and sci-fi actors.)

[@komradewirelesscaller6716]

Those are all very well made productions.

[@janicielle]

I love the makeup you're wearing today. I like to wear pink eyeshadow, too.