Product Details

• Actors: Star Trek Original Series
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: October 24, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004Y630
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,114 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• This is item 18 in The Star Trek: The Original Series Series.

Editorial Reviews

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"The Doomsday Machine"
Writer Norman Spinrad had in mind a futuristic Moby Dick when he conjured up this story, though things didn't quite work out that way. The original idea was that the Enterprise would encounter an obsessive, Ahab-like captain whose Starfleet crew had been destroyed by a planet-killing robot ship, and who sought revenge by taking command of James T. Kirk's vessel for a private hunt. Alas, the tough-as-nails actor Robert Ryan proved unavailable for the guest spot, and Trek producers cast the more visibly vulnerable William Windom instead, softening the script accordingly. "The Doomsday Machine," as a result, falls short of its potential. The story still concerns the destruction of life aboard the starship Constellation and Kirk's inability to beam back aboard his own ship. But while a major conflict between Windom's unsteady character, Commodore Matt Decker, and that of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) for control of the Enterprise is entertaining enough, one yearns to see a real showdown. (In karmic terms, that face-off took place later in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, between then-Admiral Kirk and Decker's son, Captain Will Decker, played by Stephen Collins.) Also a little dubious is the tubular robot ship, which is supposed to look both mechanical and organic, yet resembles moldy cannoli. --Tom Keogh

"Wolf in the Fold"
A randy Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Scotty (James Doohan) take shore leave on planet Argelius II, a trip that becomes a nightmare when Scotty is suspected in a series of murders. From its opening scene featuring a seductive belly dancer to the ultimate revelation of the killer's identity, "Wolf in the Fold" has the aura of a psychological horror story. No wonder: the script is by Robert Bloch, author of the novel Psycho (basis for the Hitchcock film), who also came up with the idea of the Enterprise computers being overtaken by none other than Jack the Ripper. Actor John Fiedler, whose raspy, high-pitched voice is most familiar as the sound of Piglet in Walt Disney's Winnie the Pooh, is very good as the ultra-annoying Hengist, a skeptical prosecutor out for Scotty's head. One of the few Trek episodes to focus on Scotty, "Wolf" is downright exotic at times in its spooky tone and depiction of the sensual life on Argelius II. (Director Joseph Pevney even spent some of Paramount's money getting a startling overhead shot of a séance.) Here's a weird factoid: Harlan Ellison, author of Trek's great "City on the Edge of Forever" episode, also once wrote a futuristic Jack-is-back story called (ta-da!) "City on the Edge of Tomorrow." --Tom Keogh

Product Description

"The Doomsday Machine," Ep. 35 - Kirk is stuck on a disabled ship while its revenge-crazed commander seizes control of the U.S.S. Enterprise from Spock and pursues a planet-killing robot ship. "Wolf in the Fold," Ep. 36 - Has a head injury to Scotty turned him into a cold-blooded "lady-killer"?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Doomsday Machine IS a classic, October 17, 2000

By	Michael Hickerson (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews

It's always interesting how the Parmount Trek DVDs work out. So far, there hasn't been one that contains two BAD episodes of Star Trek. And every once in a while, you get lucky and get one with a GREAT episode and a pretty good one. Such is the case here.

The GREAT episode, of course, is Norman Spinrad's superb "The Doomsday Machine." Essentially a ship-bound story designed to cut budget corners, this is one of classic Trek's finest hours. Featuring the cast in high form and the addition of guest star William Winham as the obsessed Commodore Matt Decker, the tension is palatable. All the elements of great sci-fi and classic Trek are on display and the conflict between Decker and Spock is not to be missed. Yes, the effects do look a bit dated, but when you've got a superb story and well realized, three-dimensional characters, you can overlook such flaws.

As for the good episode, Wolf in the Fold is it. Dealing with Scotty and giving our favorite engineer a bit more to do that talk about his engines, this episode lacks the punch is should have. And coupling with the Doomsday Machine will bring it down by comparison. But it's still an enjoyable enough adventure that is worth viewing by any Trek fan.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Keough, What Are You Thinking?, December 11, 2000

By	Michael K. Beusch (San Mateo, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Tom Keough certainly doesn't know what he's talking about. His review makes The Doomsday Machine, an episode almost universally admired by Star Trek fans, sound like a dud. I agree with Keough that Robert Ryan would have made a terrific Matt Decker, but I think that William Windom fills the role extremely well. A lesser actor would have merely inspired dislike from the audience when he wrests control of the Enterprise from Mr. Spock. However, Windom does such a good job of establishing Commodore Decker's pain and guilt over the loss of his crew in the early part of the episode, he creates a sympathetic character that still holds the audience's sympathy even when he is making a suicidal Ahab-like attack on the Doomsday Machine. William Windom, in my opinion, does just as good a job as Robert Ryan would have. His presence helps, rather than hurts, the story. As far as Keough's claim that the Doomsday Machine looks like "moldy cannoli," all I can say is that moldy cannoli must look pretty scary.

Well, at least Keough does seem to like Wolf in the Fold. This is a far-fetched, but entertaining whodunit. Like Keough, I liked the performance by John Feidler. Like William Windom, he is a veteran character actor who always manages to add a great deal to any film/TV episode in which he appears.

In fact, my own (minor) complaint is with the cover. Nichelle Nichols is pictured on the front, but does not appear in either episode on the DVD!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Is There a Wolf in the Fold of the Doomsday Machine?, October 25, 2000

By A Customer

As usual, the 18th volume of the classic Trek series is an exemplary sample of DVD quality, bringing wonderful colors and hues as well as crisp digitally enhanced sound to the series. The saturation level and sharpness are superior to the Paramount laser disc version, (if anyone still collects laser discs). One caveat: Towards the end of Doomsday Machine(one of James Doohan's favorite Trek episodes, about 45 minutes in, Kirk states that he is intending on ramming the U.S.S. Constellation right down the Planet Killer's throat. The camera zooms in on Spock and there is SILENCE, where normally a crescendo of climactic music is supposed to be. This can be heard on the VHS and Laser Disc copies. OOPS! Is this a remixing problem or alternate version? One last thing: Would Paramount please put some extra clips, commentary, bloopers, or something on their DVD's?