Catspaw (episode)

The Enterprise crew finds witches, black cats, and haunted castles on a distant planet.

Teaser
A landing party of Sulu, Scott and crewman Jackson is overdue for a routine check-in, when Jackson finally answers the ship's urgent hails. His disconcerting message: one to beam up. And, when Jackson materializes, he immediately falls to the floor, dead. But from his dead lips a sonorous voice tells Captain Kirk that his ship is cursed; he must leave or all will die.

Act One

 * "Captain's log, stardate 3018.2. Crewman Jackson is dead... and there are no apparent physical causes. Mr. Scott and Mr. Sulu are still out of touch on the planet below. Leaving Assistant Chief Engineer DeSalle in command of the Enterprise, I'm beaming down to the planet's surface to find my two missing crewmen... and discover what killed Jackson."

With two crewmen missing and a mysterious death, Kirk doesn't plan to leave yet. He organizes a second landing party: himself, Spock, and McCoy. They beam to the point from which Jackson was beamed up. There, Kirk intends to discover what happened to his missing men, and what killed Jackson.

The planet is fogbound, something extremely unlikely given the environmental conditions. Proceeding towards a reading of nearby lifeforms, the landing party encounters three witches; the spectral hags again warn Kirk to leave. Winds and fog try to thwart the landing party, but they discover a large castle – the source of the lifeform readings. Entering, the landing party spies a black cat, and follows it through the corridors, until the floor collapses beneath them, plunging them down to a dungeon chamber, and unconsciousness.

Act Two
Awakening, the landing party discovers they are chained. Scotty and Sulu appear, and Kirk is at first relieved to see his missing men. Then he realizes they're marching to someone else's drum: alive, but unresponsive and no longer allies. The two enthralled men free Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and herd them towards the door at phaser point; a brief scuffle is halted when all the men are suddenly – elsewhere, in the presence of a strange robed man.

This is Korob, decked out in wizard's finery, with robe, wand, and black cat. Spock's comment that mapping expeditions have not discovered lifeforms on Pyris VII wrings a small truth from Korob – that he is not native to this world. Korob first plies the crew with food and drink, then with fortunes in gemstones. All to get them to leave, without asking more questions. But Kirk tells Korob he could manufacture such stones by the ton on his ship; they're valueless, a fact that conflicts with whatever research Korob has done. Korob then reveals that the events were staged to test the landing party. He has learned they are loyal, brave, and incorruptible.

Sylvia enters. She tells Kirk that she can read and control the minds of men. Kirk briefly overpowers Scotty, seizing his weapon, and when he refuses to return it, Sylvia reveals another skill: she can perform sympathetic magic. A small model of the Enterprise, held in the flame of a candle – and the real ship, orbiting above, begins to grow hot.

Act Three
Seizing Sylvia's arm, Kirk removes the model from the flame, and the Enterprise from danger. When he suggests that landing parties will soon appear, Korob seals the model in a block – and above, the ship is suddenly surrounded by a field unlike anything ever encountered, a field that doesn't come from anywhere, but just... is. And, it cannot be analyzed.

Kirk and Spock are returned to the dungeon, while McCoy remains with Sylvia, who intends to question him. Kirk and Spock spend some time speculating about Sylvia and Korob, and Kirk decides they must be stopped. Their questions and interest seems to him a little too sinister.

Elsewhere, Sylvia and Korob argue; Sylvia likes her new sensations. Wherever these aliens call home, they have nothing like it – and she intends to remain here. Korob reminds her they have a duty to the Old Ones, a fact she considers unimportant in light of her new infatuation.

Kirk is returned to Sylvia's presence, where he learns she is infatuated with him, as well. She reveals her plan: to dispose of Korob and join with Kirk. But Kirk is using her, gaining answers through manipulation. Among other things, he learns that the transmuter is the key to her power, a mechanism that facilitates the actualization of thought. But she discovers the deception, and has Kirk hauled back to his cell.

Korob finds Kirk and Spock; he reveals he has released the Enterprise, and he releases them. He also reveals that he can no longer control Sylvia or her pawns, and that he considers her dangerously irrational. He is regretful, offering his opinion that their visit could have been a peaceful one. Time presses, and he cannot explain in detail; instead, he urges the men out of their cell, where they again encounter the black cat – now grown to enormous size. The men are forced to retreat back into their cell.

Act Four
The cat forces the door of the cell, crushing Korob and giving Kirk an opportunity to retrieve his wand. Escaping through the ceiling, Kirk and Spock are confronted by their own enthralled crew, and a brief scuffle ends with Sylvia's pawns out of action, and the reappearance of the cat, as well as Sylvia. The wand Kirk has retrieved is the transmuter, and Sylvia wants it very badly. She transports Kirk into the main hall and tells him to give her the transmuter. She informs him that she has a less powerful, and simpler mechanism; that it's Korob's wand which holds the key to their power. Sylvia is reluctant to simply seize the device from Kirk, despite her contention that he does not know how to use it. Finally, she threatens Kirk with a phaser, demanding the wand. Kirk responds by shattering the wand, an act that undoes everything... almost everything. At the landing party's feet, two small aliens wither and fall. Deprived of their transmuter, Sylvia and Korob have resumed their real forms, and are as Sylvia described them: feathers in the wind, a life form that is totally alien to their universe. They quickly perish, and both landing parties return to the Enterprise.

Memorable quotes
"Captain Kirk! ... Captain Kirk! ... Captain Kirk!"

"Go back! ... Go back! ... Go back!"

"Remember the curse!"

"Wind shall rise!"

"And fog descend!"

"So leave here, all, or meet your end!"
 * - Three illusory witches, warning away Kirk, Spock and McCoy

"Spock. Comment?"

"Very bad poetry, Captain."

"A more useful comment, Mister Spock."


 * - Kirk and Spock, on the curse

"If we weren't missing two officers and a third one dead I'd say someone was playing an elaborate trick-or-treat on us."

"Trick or treat, Captain?"

"Yes, Mister Spock. You'd be a natural."
 * - Kirk and Spock, on the Halloween references

"Mister Chekov, recalibrate your sensors. If you need help –"

"I can do it, sir. I'm not that green."
 * - DeSalle patronizing Chekov after he loses readings of the landing party

"Bones? Doc?"
 * - Kirk, after seeing a skeleton in chains next to McCoy

"Where did your race get this ridiculous predilection for resistance, hmm? You examine any object.  You...you question everything!  Is it not enough to accept what is?"


 * -Korob

"You can't think a man to death."
 * - Kirk, on sympathetic magic

"Maybe we can't break it, but I'll bet you credits to navy beans we can put a dent in it!"
 * - DeSalle, determined to free the Enterprise from Korob's force field

"You are using me! You hold me in your arms and there is no fire in your mind! You're trying to deceive me! It's here like words on a page! You are using me!"

"And why not?!! You've been using me and my crew!!"

"You will be swept away. You! Your men! Your ship!! Your worlds!!!"
 * - Sylvia and Kirk

"Captain, a little more alacrity, if you please."
 * - Spock, as he and Kirk escape the dungeon

"All of this, just an illusion."

"No illusion. Jackson is dead."
 * - McCoy and Kirk, after seeing Sylvia and Korob die

Production timeline

 * "Broomstick Ride" is published in Super-Science Fiction:
 * Treatment by Robert Bloch,
 * Story outline,
 * Teleplay,
 * 2nd draft teleplay,
 * Filmed: –
 * Score recording,
 * Premiere airdate,
 * 1st rerun,
 * First UK airdate:
 * Remastered airdate,

Story and production

 * The title of this episode, "Catspaw", is a term that describes a person used by another as a dupe; as McCoy points out, Scott and Sulu are used as catspaws to lure more crewmen down.
 * Robert Bloch based this episode very loosely on his own short story "Broomstick Ride." Bloch also wrote  In both episodes, the "Old Ones" figure into the guest characters' backstories.
 * Although this was the first episode of TOS Season 2 in production (filmed in early ), it did not premiere until the week of Halloween, 1967. It was, in fact, written in a Halloween-type theme for just that reason. This episode also remains to date the only Star Trek production produced as a "holiday special" type episode.
 * This episode marks several changes to the episode credits. From this point on, the episode titles and end credits are in the same font as the main title of the series. Directors and writers are credited at the beginning of Act One instead of the end of the last act. DeForest Kelley's name is added to the opening credits. Also, Gene Roddenberry is credited as series creator in the opening credits.
 * Several bloopers from this episode can be found in the second season blooper reel.
 * This episode introduces two plot elements that will be revisited in stories later in season 2. First, extragalactic aliens taking human form and then becoming inundated with human sensations will be revisited in episode #51: . Second, an eccentric man with uncommon powers and accompanied by an apparently intelligent black cat, who later turns into a black haired woman, is revisited in episode #55:.
 * In a scene where a hypnotized Scotty is aiming a phaser pistol at Kirk and Spock, it is evident that Scotty is missing a finger of his right hand. (He is only holding the phaser butt with two fingers - ring and pinky.)  This is because actor James Doohan lost his right middle finger when he was part of the Normandy invasion during World War II, serving as a flight officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Cast

 * Walter Koenig joined the cast as Pavel Chekov in this episode, despite his character having already met Khan Noonien Singh in the previous season's as noted in ; also note the rather large wig worn by Walter Koenig in this episode which was later dispensed with when his own hair was long enough.
 * This would be the third and final appearance of Michael Barrier as DeSalle.
 * James Doohan's only dialog in this episode is the statement, "Everything's vanished". George Takei doesn't speak at all; he simply nods "yes" and "no" when his character is queried by Kirk, and later cries "aha!" before engaging Kirk in hand-to-hand combat.
 * Theo Marcuse died in a car accident one month after this episode aired.
 * The role of Crewman Jackson was played by regular Trek stuntman Jay Jones. Jones is credited as "Jimmy Jones", whom some sources believed was Jones' brother. However, in a 1996 retrospective interview, Jay claimed that the role of Jackson was played by himself as his first assignment on Star Trek and makes no mention of a brother named Jimmy being involved on the show. (Science Fiction Television Series, Mark Phillips and Frank Garcia, McFarland and Co.)
 * This is the first episode to feature all 7 of the "classic" cast members who would be brought back for future big screen adventures: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov, although they do not all appear in the same scene together.

Props and effects

 * A detailed metal prop miniature of the Enterprise was created for this episode, then laminated in as one of Korob's tricks. The miniature was donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum by Gene Roddenberry. (The Star Trek Compendium, p. 70)
 * The ornithoid lifeforms were marionettes composed of blue fluff, pipe cleaners, crab pincers, and other materials. The marionettes were operated with thick, black threads that were clearly visible; most of this was corrected in the remastered version of the episode. (The Star Trek Compendium, p. 70)
 * The three witches seen towards the start of the episode were intended to be shown as floating severed heads, hence the reaction from the landing party at their appearance. The characters wore black turtlenecks against a black backdrop, with light shining directly up into the face.  Unfortunately, the effect did not work and the turtlenecks worn by the actors can clearly be seen.  Even in the remastered version of the episode, this oversight is still present. (The Star Trek Compendium, p. 70)
 * This is the first episode in which a scope can be seen at the engineering station on the bridge. The science station scope was slightly altered for this episode; it is of a lighter color than the science scope used in episodes of the first season and has a circular control added to its left side. This dial control, as first seen in this episode, would remain throughout Seasons 2 and 3.
 * The blue planet used in this episode as Pyris VII (albeit a darker blue to illustrate the spookiness of the planet) was reused in subsequent episodes, representing Argelius II in, Sigma Iotia II in , Troyius in and Scalos in  which were all lighter blue color.

Continuity

 * In this episode, DeSalle wears a red engineering tunic, unlike the gold command tunic he wore in and.
 * The short scene of crewmen in turtleneck uniforms walking on a corridor during red alert is stock footage from . This marks the last time that these uniforms are worn by Enterprise crewmembers.
 * Spock's reference to the witches' "very bad poetry" echoes his earlier remarks about the Air Force's "poor photography" in.

Remastered information
"Catspaw" was the eighth episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air, premiering in syndication on the weekend of. Aside from the standard remastering of the effects used for the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), the most notable revised features include new effects shots of Pyris VII, as well as the castle on the surface, with the original shot of the castle entry completely retained as part of the full building. The transmuter effect was also touched up and most of the visible wires controlling the Ornithoid lifeforms were removed.


 * The next remastered episode to air was .

Video and DVD releases

 * Original US Betamax release:.
 * US LaserDisc release:.
 * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 16, catalogue number VHR 2328, release date unknown.
 * Japan LaserDisc release:.
 * US VHS release:.
 * UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 2.1,.
 * Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 15,.
 * As part of the TOS Season 2 DVD collection.
 * As part of the TOS-R Season 2 DVD collection.

Starring

 * William Shatner as Captain Kirk
 * Leonard Nimoy as Spock
 * DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

Guest Star

 * Antoinette Bower as Sylvia

Co-Starring

 * Theo Marcuse as Korob

Featuring

 * James Doohan as Scott
 * George Takei as Sulu
 * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
 * Walter Koenig as Chekov
 * Michael Barrier as DeSalle

With

 * John Winston as the transporter chief
 * Rhodie Cogan as the first witch
 * Gail Bonney as the second witch
 * Maryesther Denver as the third witch
 * Jimmy Jones as Crewman Jackson

Uncredited co-stars

 * William Blackburn as Hadley
 * Jeannie Malone as a yeoman
 * Eddie Paskey as Leslie

Stunt doubles

 * Bob Bass as stunt double for James Doohan
 * Frank da Vinci as stunt double for Leonard Nimoy
 * Gary Downey as stunt double for William Shatner
 * Jimmy Jones as stunt double for DeForest Kelley
 * Carl Saxe as stunt double for Theo Marcuse
 * Vic Toyota as stunt double for George Takei

External link


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