Rating: 
Summary: Immunity Syndrome: Best Episode?
Review: "Obsession" is a great episode (particularly for those interested in the origins of the Matt Decker character in the first movie). However, for my money, "T.I.S." is among the very best episodes in the original series. Why? One of the most compelling sci-fi statements of all time coming from the mouth of Dr. McCoy: that humans are mere anitbodies in the organism that is our galaxy.
Rating:
Summary: Immunity Syndrome: Best Episode?
Review: "Obsession" is another of those Star Trek episodes inspired by Melville's "Moby Dick" with Kirk in the Ahab role this time around. Three members of a landing party are killed on Argus X by a gaseous creature that drains all the red blood cells from their bodies. Kirk abandons the Enterprise's mission to deliver desperately needed drugs to another planet, claiming this same creature attacked the crew of the USS Farragut 11 years earlier. Kirk had been a member of the crew and holds himself somewhat responsible for the deaths of 200 crewmates. However, he neglects to share all relevant information with the crew, which makes Spock and McCoy doubt the captain's judgment. Of all the episodes where Kirk goes over the deep end, this is the lamest of the bunch. The air of mystery which makes his every deed look suspicious is too contrived, as does the ending when he finally comes to his senses. But there is a nice scene when Spock and McCoy confront Kirk about his actions, so this episode does have some nice moments.While "The Immunity Syndrome" does not offer anyone acting like Ahab we do have a giant amoeba playing the symbolic part of the great white whale. The Enterprise encounters a massive area of darkness and discovers the giant single-cell organism inside. When the always-curious Spock investigates in a shuttlecraft, he ends up inside and discovers the creature is about to reproduce. Since one of these things is a threat to the galaxy, two would probably be a lot worse, so Kirk takes the Enterprise inside the amoeba (I mean, come on, that is obviously what they have blown up here, an amoeba) in an effort to save the universe. The magnified amoeba is certainly interesting looking, but the tension in this episode is equally artificial. But it sure is amazing what you can find out there in deep space. "The Immunity Syndrome" is, at best, an average Star Trek effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Another couple of episodes offering ST twists on Moby Dick
Review: "Obsession" is another of those Star Trek episodes inspired by Melville's "Moby Dick" with Kirk in the Ahab role this time around. Three members of a landing party are killed on Argus X by a gaseous creature that drains all the red blood cells from their bodies. Kirk abandons the Enterprise's mission to deliver desperately needed drugs to another planet, claiming this same creature attacked the crew of the USS Farragut 11 years earlier. Kirk had been a member of the crew and holds himself somewhat responsible for the deaths of 200 crewmates. However, he neglects to share all relevant information with the crew, which makes Spock and McCoy doubt the captain's judgment. Of all the episodes where Kirk goes over the deep end, this is the lamest of the bunch. The air of mystery which makes his every deed look suspicious is too contrived, as does the ending when he finally comes to his senses. But there is a nice scene when Spock and McCoy confront Kirk about his actions, so this episode does have some nice moments. While "The Immunity Syndrome" does not offer anyone acting like Ahab we do have a giant amoeba playing the symbolic part of the great white whale. The Enterprise encounters a massive area of darkness and discovers the giant single-cell organism inside. When the always-curious Spock investigates in a shuttlecraft, he ends up inside and discovers the creature is about to reproduce. Since one of these things is a threat to the galaxy, two would probably be a lot worse, so Kirk takes the Enterprise inside the amoeba (I mean, come on, that is obviously what they have blown up here, an amoeba) in an effort to save the universe. The magnified amoeba is certainly interesting looking, but the tension in this episode is equally artificial. But it sure is amazing what you can find out there in deep space. "The Immunity Syndrome" is, at best, an average Star Trek effort.
Rating:
Summary: Does your auntie matter if you have antimatter?
Review: Back to back antimatter solutions for J.T. Kirk. "Obsession" is about a Dracula-like cloud roaming the galaxy. "Immunity Syndrome" is about a giant amoeba in space. Great SFX rule in this episode. BEST LINE: Bones: Shut up, Spock! We're trying to rescue you! Spock: Why, thank you, CAPTAIN McCoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Subpar second season shows
Review: Obsession-This below average show concerned a hemoglobin-seeking space cloud from Kirk's past. The episode certainly has a couple things going for it; like The Doomsday Machine the episodes explores obsession with past mistakes and the quest for redemption. Evidence of Kirk's fallibility and capacity for introspection are always welcome, and his humane decision to give Garrovick the second chance he never received himself is poignant. Unfortunately, the story itself is not terribly engaging. Call me shallow, but it's hard to get excited about these gaseous clusters! (see/don't see Metamorphosis and the Lights of Zetar as well) (2.5 stars) The Immunity Syndrome-The giant amoeba episode has less going for it than its companion on this disk. While the hook is probably slightly more intriguing than Obsession's, this is really a 'face value' episode. It doesn't pack any subtle messages. If the episode were more engaging, I'd say no problem, but unfortunately this one is pretty dull. McCoy fans will appreciate his prominent role in this one though. (2 stars)
Rating:
Summary: Subpar second season shows
Review: Obsession-This below average show concerned a hemoglobin-seeking space cloud from Kirk's past. The episode certainly has a couple things going for it; like The Doomsday Machine the episodes explores obsession with past mistakes and the quest for redemption. Evidence of Kirk's fallibility and capacity for introspection are always welcome, and his humane decision to give Garrovick the second chance he never received himself is poignant. Unfortunately, the story itself is not terribly engaging. Call me shallow, but it's hard to get excited about these gaseous clusters! (see/don't see Metamorphosis and the Lights of Zetar as well) (2.5 stars) The Immunity Syndrome-The giant amoeba episode has less going for it than its companion on this disk. While the hook is probably slightly more intriguing than Obsession's, this is really a 'face value' episode. It doesn't pack any subtle messages. If the episode were more engaging, I'd say no problem, but unfortunately this one is pretty dull. McCoy fans will appreciate his prominent role in this one though. (2 stars)
Rating: 
Summary: Problem: Killer Clouds & Giant Germs. Solution: Anti-Matter!
Review: REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek Original Series DVD Volume 24: Obsession / The Immunity Syndrome OBSESSION PRELIMINARY BRIEFS: Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Obsession (no, really...); dealing with guilt; priorities; Making the right choice when caught in a dilemma Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Four dead, one injured REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Oh, what to do: destroy a gaseous vampire-cloud that has killed half a starship crew and will doubtless kill endless more beings in the future, or transfer and deliver a highly-perishable vaccine to a world stricken with a deadly plague that could claim millions of lives? As might've guessed, that's the little dilemma ol' Jimmers has to turn around in his head here. Throw in his guilt over hesitating to destroy the same creature years before-- a seeming error that claimed the lives of several shipmates-- and the son of one of those crewmen, and Kirk is firmly entrenched in the stickiest of wickets! Fortunately, ol' Jim manages to overcome his single-minded obsession towards the deadly cloud-being, and saves the day once again! But not before he has that obligatory moment of self-doubt over the course of action he's taking, which naturally is chock-full of that Shatnerian method acting that you all know and love! McCoy's confrontation with Kirk following this precious moment adds a bit more meat to the ham sandwich with one of the series' most memorable bits of character-developing dialogue! Also thrown into the mix: Thanks (once again) to his differing half-Vulcan physiology, Spock manages to survive the vampire cloud's shipboard attack with narry a missing red corpuscle (mainly 'cuz he doesn't possess any)! And there ain't many just-in-the-nick-of-time transporter rescues that are more suspenseful than the one that puts the final punctuation on this eppie's climax! Tricky stuff, that anti-matter... THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME PRELIMINARY BRIEFS: Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: A Macrocosm of the Immune System Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: The shadow of the camera man can is just noticeable as he pans/dollies in for a close-up on Kirk's reaction to McCoy's intercom statement that the crew is "all dying". Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: none REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
Continuing this disc's "killer-parasite-creatures-that-must-be-stopped-at-all-costs" format, the Enterprise enters and must destroy a giant space amoeba that threatens to destroy life on other worlds. Thanks to a little shuttle-bound research from Mr. Spock and a dollop of anti-matter, the Enterprise endeavors to act as a galactic antibody to keep the horrible cosmic disease from spreading even further out through the ether! This particular show highlights the advantages of DVD technology: the high-pitched whining sound that pops up when the Enterprise enters the amoeba's outer membrane caused me to react in a similar manner as the crew did when the noise hit their ears- a bit annoyed, and a tad nauseous. Now, THAT'S interactive TV! 'Late
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary...
Review: The two episodes in Volume 24 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek are outstanding examples of television writing at its best. Obsession owes its success to the Moby Dick formula, although in this case Captain Kirk is motivated by concern for the Federation, not vengeance. Essentially a character study, this episode reveals how hard Kirk drives himself, and how unremittingly self-critical he is. In Ensign Garrovick (Stephen Brooks), Kirk sees a younger version of himself, and when he disciplines Garrovick, he is in essence punishing his younger self. We also see hints of the unshakable foundation upon which Spock & McCoy's often bickersome friendship is based. Watching The Immunity Syndrome for the first time in many years, I was struck how well the episode holds up, not only scientifically, but also in the visual effects department. Dr. McCoy's use of DNA and other terminology was written thirty years ahead of its time, and the swirling colors of the giant Amoeba are all the more impressive for being created well before the advent of CGI. This tightly plotted, and skillfully executed episode is the perfect answer for those who condemn Classic Trek for being "boring" or looking "cheesy." Both episodes on this DVD make excellent use of Sol Kaplan's score for The Doomsday Machine (Volume 18), which is appropriate, given the similarity in plot structure. The picture is vastly improved over previous issues, which clearly enhances the visuals in The Immunity Syndrome. The sound has been tastefully enhanced for multi-channel systems.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary...
Review: The two episodes in Volume 24 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek are outstanding examples of television writing at its best. Obsession owes its success to the Moby Dick formula, although in this case Captain Kirk is motivated by concern for the Federation, not vengeance. Essentially a character study, this episode reveals how hard Kirk drives himself, and how unremittingly self-critical he is. In Ensign Garrovick (Stephen Brooks), Kirk sees a younger version of himself, and when he disciplines Garrovick, he is in essence punishing his younger self. We also see hints of the unshakable foundation upon which Spock & McCoy's often bickersome friendship is based. Watching The Immunity Syndrome for the first time in many years, I was struck how well the episode holds up, not only scientifically, but also in the visual effects department. Dr. McCoy's use of DNA and other terminology was written thirty years ahead of its time, and the swirling colors of the giant Amoeba are all the more impressive for being created well before the advent of CGI. This tightly plotted, and skillfully executed episode is the perfect answer for those who condemn Classic Trek for being "boring" or looking "cheesy." Both episodes on this DVD make excellent use of Sol Kaplan's score for The Doomsday Machine (Volume 18), which is appropriate, given the similarity in plot structure. The picture is vastly improved over previous issues, which clearly enhances the visuals in The Immunity Syndrome. The sound has been tastefully enhanced for multi-channel systems.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect examples of Original Series at its best
Review: This disc has two great episodes of the original series: In "Obsession" Kirk pursues a mysterious, if clearly deadly life-form - a cloudlike being that sucks the life out of men. As Ahab encountered "Moby Dick", Kirk has had a fatefeul run-in with the cloud-beast, years earlier. Men died and Kirk was too slow to pull out his phaser and despatch the beast. Unsure whether the mysterious beast would have even succumbed to phaser fire, Kirk is left only with his doubts, guilts and an obsession - something he had practically forgotten....until the good captain re-econcounters the evil cloud. "Obsession" excels because the guilt and fear are convincingly etched on Kirk's face, but also for another reason hard to forget: the beast has its own scent, something like honey, and its effect on Kirk surpasses the cheesy effects of the show. "Immunity Syndrome" is also an excellent epsiode - the Enterprise seeks the story behind the mysterious dissappearqance of a Vulcan starship, and discovers a huge space-born amoeba. The life form surrounds itself with a dark zone that nothing can escape from. Rather than make the nature of the creature and the ship's predicament (once the Enterprise enters the zone, it's trapped) immeidately obvious, the story builds gradually. Once inside, the beast sucks the ship and its crew of their energy - rapidly diminishing the crew's ability to deal with the problem. I remember this episode especially for the desperation clearly etched on the crew - when Kirk decides that somebody has to fly a shuttlecraft into the mysterious creature, You just knew that it was a one-way trip. The episode culminates in excellent exchange with Spock - calling out from his dying shuttle - for the Enterprise to leave him behind and save itself. "Dammit, Spock" McCoy shouts over the speaker "We're trying to save you!" Spock responds, registering perhaps the most surprise he's ever displayed - "why thank you....Captain McCoy." A True TOS moment and one more reason to get this video.
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