21 – Return of the Archons
February 9, 1967
Grade: D
Summary
About a hundred years before this episode, a Federation ship disappeared near Beta 2. Kirk and company arrive to investigate their disappearance. It seems the people have been taken over and brainwashed by some leader called Landru, who has hidden his operatives throughout the city to enforce his rituals and laws.
Commentary
This forgettable episode was pretty mediocre. Not every episode can be as good as Space Seed.
One thing this episode has going for it is Torin Thatcher. Though I don’t think he’s an excellent actor, he’s much too accomplished to be wasted in a piece of junk like this.
Of Note
We hear in this episode that “individuality will be absorbed into the body.” Sounds a lot like the Borg, doesn’t it?