Metamorphosis

Season 2, Episode 9, Aired
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Episode Summary

When their shuttle is diverted to a planetoid, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy encounter Earth's Warp Drive pioneer, Zefram Cochrane, who appears to have survived there alone for 150 years.
7.7
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • Guy who invented warp drive tries to take a bath with some brainy commissioner lady

    3.0
    "Bad"
    By hrtonslv, Dec 01, 2011 Report Abuse
    Well I don't understand why this episode has a rating as high as it does. It looks like I will bring it down a wee bit. I would have rated this a 1.0 if it were the 1970s. Now that I have grown up and now in the 2000s I nudge it to 3.0 only for the reason I am more sentimental. And the story of love I am always a sucker for. But it has always been my least favorte episode of all time. At least back then. It might edge out "The way To Eden" these days.moreless

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    0 5

  • Interesting, but not TREK's finest hour ...

    7.0
    "Good"
    By peck2000, Nov 29, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode is pivotal in that it's the first time we get to see Zephram Cochrane, inventor of the Warp drive, who's been missing in the ST universe for about 150 years. The thrust of the plot is that Kirk, Spock, McCoy and an irritable, critically ill diplomat called Nancy Hedford are drawn to a remote planet by an ethereal life form as company for another human, who turns out to be Cochrane.

    It turns out that the life form, "the Companion", cares deeply for Cochrane and wants him to be happy in his benign imprisonment. Kirk convinces the creature that in confinement humans will wither and die, so the Companion takes over the body of the dying Nancy. Kirk and the others are allowed to leave, but Cochrane elects to remain with the Companion.

    This is not a great episode, but it contains aspects that will become important later on in ST mythology.moreless

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    1 0

  • It has some flaws, it's a little dated, but I find this installment under-rated.

    7.1
    "Good"
    By Mac-Ale, Nov 29, 2010 Report Abuse
    The shuttle crew and an important commissioner are stranded on a planet by a cloud-like alien intellect.

    I'd actually ignore the continuity of this episode with the tortuous use of Zephram Cochrane in the movie "First Contact", I frankly like the tragedy of the character as explained here much better. This episode is one of the first I remember backward and forward from the reruns of the early 70s, and it has some memorable aspects.

    The idea of a completely "alien" alien in love with a human is intriguing and fairly remarkable for the series (and the late 60s) and its decently played here. It comes off as novel and sweet in most aspects. It is also interesting to see Spock, McCoy, and Kirk gradually discover the intent of "The Companion". The progressive ideas begin to falter when Kirk begins to stupidly spout how an alien can't love a human because sex ("joining") is impossible, but that's typical "Kirk-speak" - too bad it destroys the idea that by joining thoughts, the man and alien have already had more intimate relations than people are ever able to have. Those kind of ideas would have to wait for more sophisticated sci-fi. What many fans never realize, though, is that Kirk's stupidest dialog can often highlight an issue extremely well.

    I actually like the staging of Hedford as changing in personality after joining with "The Companion" and in one clever scene, she uses the gueze of her costume to simulate glancing at Cochrane in a the same way as when she was a shimmering energy entity. The violin score introduced here works well, and becomes standard for some later episodes that introduce love.

    I find this episode more interesting than many people give it credit for.moreless

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    3 0

  • The shuttlecraft Galileo, with Kirk and three others aboard, is drawn to a planet where they meet the creator of warp drive.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Celedorian, Nov 29, 2010 Report Abuse
    This is an okay episode written by Gene Coon. The central storyline about a different sort of creature in love with a human being was ahead of its time and the ensuing love triangle that happens plays out rather well. George Duning's sensitive score is one of the best in the original series, and Elinor Donahue is great as the stuck up Federation Commissioner. I'm not crazy about Glenn Corbett's performance of Zefram Cochrane, and the idea of meeting the guy who invented warp drive is somewhat wasted as a way to simply explain why Kirk and company are familiar with this guy, but overall "Metamorphosis" is a solid but forgettable offering.moreless

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    1 0

  • The shuttlecraft carrying Kirk, Spock, McCoy and a ill diplomat is pulled off-course to a planetoid, where they meet the castaway creator of Warp Drive, who has been cared for over 150 years by a mysterious alien. Unexpectedly good (and very underrated)..moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Jay-Spacedust, Nov 21, 2008 Report Abuse
    After a run of more so-so episodes, things bounce back with this enchanting story.

    I went in to this episode knowing little about it, with it seeming to be one of the very few 'Star Trek' episodes that I had not seen (at least, not recent enough for me to remember; I am currently in the process of putting that right, watching right from the Original Series through to 'Enterprise'). To my pleasant surprise, I personally found it to be an unexpected favourite. It is, in my opinion, a much underrated episode. I was very surprised to find it didn't have a higher rating on this site. It did seem a bit convenient that the shuttlecraft was carrying the three main characters Kirk, Spock and McCoy but I'll let that one pass.

    There are some continuity problems regarding Zefram Cochrane, being somewhat different here to his later (or should that be earlier!) appearance in the movie 'Star Trek: First Contact'. In that movie, set before this episode, he appears to be a somewhat different character, but I don't think there's much that couldn't be explained away with some creative reasoning. After all, he's been living alone on the planetoid for 150 years in this episode, that's bound to change a man!
    There are also other little niggles, such as Cochrane being said to come from Alpha Centauri, but what's to say that didn't become his home after the events of 'First Contact'? (And if anything, surely it is the movie that breaks the continuity, not this episode?)

    But anyway, this episode boasts some great performances, and a story that unfolds really well. There are no enemies to battle with or anything like that, no 'monster of the week', but a quite different story, and kudos to 'Trek' for brining to life such a different tale.

    The only character I didn't warm to was the ill (and very miserable) Commissioner Nancy Hedford. Okay dear, we know you're dying, but even so...!

    One thing that must be mentioned is the music. Most of it was recorded for this episode (unlike some others, which consist of standard, pre-recorded 'Trek' scores), and was wonderful. It really brought the episode to life.

    I love the way that the story unfolds, and we find out more about "The Companion", and her love for "The Man". Some episodes in the second (and third!) season are ones I only really care to watch once before moving on, but this episode really has a re-watchable appeal.

    I'm surprised this episode isn't held in higher regard. Personally I love it. But as I've said before, that's one of the appeals about 'Star Trek', there is something for everybody. If you don't like one episode, odds on there will be something for you in the next one. Personally, this one might even make my Top 10 favourite episodes. I know others with disagree.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Kirk should have offered supplies and equipment to Cochrane before leaving the planet, but didn't. It's not clear how he and the Companion are going to survive based on Cochrane's ability to grow fig trees now that the Companion can't provide for him. Edit
    • Trivia: Cochrane was 87 years old when he "disappeared." Edit
    • Technically Goofs, there are several points of this episode that are ignored in the movie First Contact: 1) Glenn Corbett looks nothing like a young James Cromwell; 2) Cochrane here appears to have no first-hand knowledge of Vulcans even though in First Contact he makes...well, first contact with them; and 3) here Cochrane is from Alpha Centauri but in the movie he is an Earth Native (there have been various non-canon and fan explanations for why he would no longer consider Earth his "home"). Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Shuttle-in-distress footage recycled from the episode "The Galileo Seven." Edit
    • Zefram Cochrane would later appear in the Star Trek movie First Contact, the events of which precede this episode. Edit
    • Desilu No: 5149-31. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Kirk: Commissioner, stay inside. Hedford: Just how long do I stay inside, Captain? Kirk: That's a very good question. I wish I could answer it. Edit
    • Cochrane: I have a small place, all the comforts of home. I can even offer you a hot bath. Hedford: How perceptive of you to notice I needed one. Edit
    • Kirk: Perhaps you can find out what we're doing here. Cochrane: I already know. Kirk: You wouldn't mind telling us? Cochrane: You won't like it. Kirk: I already don't like it. Edit

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