Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 10: What Are Little Girls Made Of? [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Seminal first season episode of ST:TOS and one of the series best efforts. A science fiction staple, androids make their initial appearance here before becoming a cardinal feature of the Star Trek universe. The story develops nicely, beginning as a bit of a mystery, then injecting equal doses of intrigue and suspense before we get any substantial clues to help us.

The Star Trek production team did an excellent job in creating the massive but agile android Ruk, effectively played by Ted Cassidy. He tosses Kirk around effortlessly; speaks in a deep resonating voice - "More complex...Much superior!" and "Existence...survival must cancel out programming!"; his complexion is dark gray, and he has sharp angular bones that shape his face which are shadowed for effect. He makes one of Star Trek's most formidable foes. They also did an incredible job of seamlessly connecting the two shots of the real Kirk and the android Kirk at the dinner table. It is exceptionable special effects work for 1966.

Beyond that are the discussion of ethics between Kirk and Dr. Korby and then Korby's final passionate effusion of pathos that surface at the conclusion. Kirk strategically uses both Ruk and Andrea as tools to purpose his escape. He first confuses Andrea by attempting to evoke a sense of romance in her which proves too abstract for her programming to comprehend. Then he convinces Ruk that Korby is no different than the creators that Ruk and the previous android population had done away with. Kirk's cryptic message to Spock is also a humorous treat for Trek fans.

One odd thing to note about this episode is the slightly risque clothing that Andrea wears. She seems quite scantily clad in comparison to the men who are fully dressed with only head and hands exposed.

This episode features numerous scenes of Kirk getting knocked around by Ted "Lurch" Cassidy. To me, this fact alone makes this an episode worth owning.

The story is well-paced and its ideas are well-presented and do not slow down the action. Though Kirk is not the prime mover in the resolution of the story, the ending is quite touching. It's too bad that Nurse Chapel did not play a greater role in the series as a whole.

Oh-and Sherry Jackson is very alluring in her outfit.

A very good episode.

Living in a cave and having hot fem-bot slaves in sleek outfits? Yeah, yeah, you wouldn't hear from me in five years either. A naked Captain Kirk shaved from feet to neck is a bit disturbing though.

I saw this episode as a kid and it has haunted me ever since. Horror-meister Robert Bloch wrote the script, which is laced with gothic elements. We've got subterranean caves, a Frankenstein-like robot, a beautiful android, an evil twin, and a mad doctor with a terrible secret. With the exception of a couple of scenes on board the Enterprise, everything takes place underground in a creepy, cavernous setting, which becomes more and more claustrophobic as the show goes on and the characters begin to die off one by one, overpowered by uncontrollable passions and conflicts. The plot moves relentlessly to horrible revelations and a Grand Guignol finish, capped off by a great tag line by Kirk (who shows his understanding of the bizarre metaphysics of the situation when he is asked where Dr. Corby is). Sure, there are a few weaknesses in the script and some [slow] dialogue, but overall this episode still has the power to make me think -- and shudder a little, too.

The main character of this story, Dr Roger Corby (played by the excellent actor Michael Strong who appeared in the movie Patton) is reminiscent of a scientist like Dr Wernher von Braun who started out as an idealist who just wanted to reach the stars. Needing money and support he was coopted by the rulers of Nazi Germany and ended up building a machine of mass destruction (the V2 rocket that rained down on London and other places late in World War 2) which needed masses of slave laborers who were brutalized and murdered in the thousands to build this device that had such an innocent beginning. Unlike Corby, von Braun got a second chance. This fine episode should provide food for thought and serve as a warning against others who would use science and technology to "improve" mankind without democratic oversight.

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives in orbit around Exo III, to search for exobiologist Dr. Roger Korby. When Kirk asks Spock if Korby could possibly still be alive, Spock glances at Christine, then quietly shuts off his monitor. Christine Chapel, McCoy's chief nurse, is Korby's fiancee. Chapel had signed on with the U.S.S. Enterprise in the hope of finding him. Korby is known as the "Pasteur of archeological medicine." At Dr. Korby's request, only Kirk and a very excited Christine Chapel beam down to the planet. They find the doctor living in an underground cavern built by what is known as, "The Old Ones," the extinct natives of Exo III. He tells them that he discovered the caverns while suffering from severe frostbite, five years before. Using equipment left behind by these now-dead beings, Korby has learned how to construct androids who look and act like humans. His android companions, Ruk and Andrea, amaze Kirk and Chapel with their realness. Although, Korby explains, Ruk existed long before he, himself, arrived, a product of "The Old Ones." Christine recognizes Dr. Brown, Korby's aide, but is mystified by his failure to recognize her. The reason for his behavior becomes clear when they discovered that he, too, is a sophisticated android. Korby's plan is to slowly replace key people in the Federation with androids, integrating the machines into other worlds. Taking Kirk prisoner, Korby creates a perfect duplicate of the Captain, which fools even Nurse Chapel. During the duplication process, however, Kirk plants false memories and ideas in his double's brain which makes Spock realize that something is very wrong. Korby, convinced that his android will fool the U.S.S. Enterprise crew and allow him to take over the starship, has the double beamed aboard. The false Kirk is to look over their proposed route and pick a likely planet on which to begin colonization. Spock immediately becomes suspicious of his captain until finally, after spewing an ethnic slur at the first officer, Spock is certain that this is not Capt. Kirk. He orders a landing party to meet him in the transporter room after the Captain has beamed down to the planet. Meanwhile, on Exo III, Christine Chapel realizes that somehow Roger Korby has changed; he's no longer the wonderful man she'd fallen in love with. He's become somehow distant and unfeeling... though he obviously still has a great fondness for his fiancee. Separated from Christine, Kirk is being guarded by Ruk. The Captain convinces the hulking android that Korby is a threat to his continued existence and must be destroyed. Ruk attacks Korby and is eliminated. It is discovered, to Christine's horror, that Korby has housed his essence inside an android body. Kirk convinces the doctor that he's become more machine than human. In front of his horrified fiancee, Korby grabs Andrea and fires a phaser blast that kills them both. Spock arrives with a landing party to find only Kirk and Christine remaining. Chapel announces that she would like to stay with the U.S.S. Enterprise to complete her tour.

The Enterprise orbits around Planet Exo III to try and find Dr. Roger Korby "The Pasteur of Archeological Medicine." Korby was also the fiance' of Enterprise Nurse Christine Chapel. When the Enterprise receives a message from Korby after being missing for five years, Kirk and Christine beam down to meet him, but are completely unaware at first of Korby's sinister plans. They first meet Dr. Brown, Korby's assistant who greets them at the entrance to the caverns. After one of the two Enterprise security guards falls down a bottomless pit, Brown then leads them to Korby's 'home', where they also meet Andrea, a stunning beauty. When Kirk tries to contact the Enterprise, Korby forbids it. Brown then pulls a phaser on Kirk, who uses Andrea as a shield to block Brown's shot at him. Seing a chance, Kirk fires his own phaser and hits Brown and Ruk, the hulking giant who kills the two security officers Kirk had beamed down, grabs Kirk and slams him up against the back wall as it is revealed that Brown was an android! Kirk is then captured by Ruk. Korby returns to Christine and Andrea in the living room area with Kirk, being held by Ruk. Korby has Andrea reveal to them that she also is an android, then explains to Kirk and Christine that the best way for them to understand the nature of his 'work' is to give them both a demonstration. Later, Korby leads Christine to his laboratory, where a giant turn table catches her eye. Korby then tells Christine that this machine is the instrument that constructs androids. He orders Andrea to turn the turntable slightly and, to Christine's horror, she sees a naked Kirk, unconscious and locked down by Ruk on the turntable and is then spun around and duplicated into an android himself, but during the mental pattern process the ever resourceful Captain plants an ethnic slur during the duplicating process into his double's mind to warn Spock that something is not right on the planet surface. A truly great episode, with the erie and dark caverns of Exo III to scare the daylights out of you, not to mention Ted Cassidy in the scary make-up and deep sinister voice as Ruk.

Now this is good action. Kirk and Chapel (or you could say James and Christene, which I like better) beam down to Exo III to examine ancient artifacts rumored to belong to "The Old Ones", and the adventure begins. I can't really remember how, but then Kirk and Christene are taken hostage, but not before Kirk "damages" Dr.Korby's assisstant. Then Ruk came in so strong, it's hard to tell wether he was mad or the way he was programmed. Ruk was the android product that the "Old Ones" left behind. Wait, I'm telling too much! I can't say another word! So I recommend buying this movie for an episode with action never before dreamed of. Trust me, you'll like it.

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" is a good episode that deals with robots, or androids. Captain Kirk and one of his female crew members beam down to an icy planet where they are supposed to meet the long missing Dr. Corby in person. What they soon discover is that Dr. Corby makes androids. Dr. Corby uses Captain Kirk as an experiment and makes an android out of him. However, nothing goes as originally planned and there is soon a lot of conflict between the Enterprise crew and the androids.

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" isn't a spectacular episode, but it is a good one. I recommend anybody who likes Star Trek - The Original Series to at least watch this episode. If you especially like episodes that deal with robots, I would recommend purchasing this episode.

One of Kirk's kissing episodes. The Beauty is Sherry Jackson as Andrea, an android pinup, and the Beast is Ted Cassidy as Rouk. My favorite scene is when Kirk kisses Andrea to show her what a kiss really is! Earlier in the episode, Dr. Korby told Kirk she had no feelings and told Andrea to kiss him. So, she gave him a small kiss on the lips. But later, Kirk lands a massive wet one on her. After the kiss, She says, "Not programmed for you.".