The Empath

Season 3, Episode 12, Aired
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Episode Summary

On a planet doomed to destruction, Kirk, Spock & McCoy become involved with two aliens who use them as laboratory animals in a bizarre series of tests on an alien empath who may be the savior of her planet.
6.9
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Fair
133 votes
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Fan Episode Reviews (7)

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  • A pair of aliens capture Kirk, Spock, and McCoy and involve them in a series of experiments with a mute woman with empathic abilities.

    5.0
    "Mediocre"
    By Celedorian, Dec 24, 2010 Report Abuse
    Usually, putting Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley in a room together is enough to save any Star Trek episode, even if the episode is all talk and there's no money for sets or special effects. Not this time. It's not their fault; they put on an acting clinic (and guest star Kathryn Hays is fabulous as the mute empath); there's simply no getting around the fact that the episode doesn't have much of a plot. The writer tries to cover this fault by including a couple of aliens to do whatever she wants done at any point in time, but who these aliens are is never explained, and why they do what they do makes no sense. Still, it's interesting to see an exploration of the friendship and bond between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. And George Duning's sensitive score is wonderful.moreless

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    0 0

  • On a doomed planet, Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet a mute empath, but also find themselves as the subjects for two alien beings' series of experiments. Average in some ways, but some good moments and concepts save it...moreless

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Jay-Spacedust, Dec 23, 2010 Report Abuse
    "The Empath" is a mixed episode, and seems to be a 'love it or loathe it' story. But it has some very good concepts included, even if they weren't all executed perfectly.

    For someone who has no dialogue, Kathryn Hays gives a very intriguing performance as mute empath Gem. I was really drawn to the character, and found her very memorable.

    In some ways, I felt this to be a poor man's version of "The Cage" (the original, unaired pilot for the series). First, the aliens' visual appearance struck me as similar the long cloaks, the elongated heads and the similarities followed through to much of the plot, with their 'experiments' and illusions, and Kirk and co. being their 'subjects'.

    The plot is mixed but mostly I found it to be quite good. One thing I did feel though, was that it was a bit dragged out in a couple of places to fill the running time.

    One of the things that many people don't like about this episode is the sets or rather, lack of. Indeed, the vast majority of the story is filmed in a large, dark hall, with no visible walls or anything. I suspect that this might just as easily been down to the third season's drastically reduced budget as it was to any sort of artistic intentions.

    One good thing about the episode is the in-episode score, which suits the story perfectly, particularly that relating to Gem.

    The late DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) mentioned this as (one of) his personal favourite episode(s), and its nice to see it get such a recognition, as it is an often overlooked and underrated instalment.

    I totally disagree with those who say this is the worst episode of the series there are some far worse offerings. And this is coming from someone who has sat through the terrible "Spock's Brain"!

    All-in-all, although far from perfect, this is an intriguing third season episode, and doesn't deserve to be so underrated.moreless

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    2 1

  • Stuck in the center of a doomed planet, Captain Kirk, Bones, and Spock come to reallize they are nothing more than lab rats for a mysterious race of aliens. A mute women must learn compassion in order to save the day.moreless

    5.4
    "Mediocre"
    By Brettlew22, Dec 23, 2010 Report Abuse
    The worst episode in the entire series. It's nothing more than a mixture of "The World is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky" and "The Cage". Only it lacks the things that made those episodes so engaging. The episode takes place in a boring, black void. There's just not much going on and doesn't feel "real". Almost all episodes in the series feel authentic or realistic. In this episode, you simply don't wan't to believe it, it's not imaginitive enough. In general, it lacks the Star Trek "flair" that I have come to love so dearly. If there was a single episode that represented the drop off between seasons 2 and 3, this was the episode. This is an episode I pray a first time viewer wouldn't watch. It's also the only episode I can't watch 20 times over.moreless

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    2 3

  • A couple of egg headed pranksters tell McCoy he has an 80% chance of dying

    3.7
    "Bad"
    By hrtonslv, Dec 23, 2010 Report Abuse
    I have a lot to say about this episode. I was reading one review that mentioned the plot was quite intelligent and under rated. I totally agree with that thought. To add, (and I'll go on another tirade about me watching the shows in the 2000s vs. the 70s) I thought what Lall or Thann (I forgot which is which.... does anyone know?) said at the end of the episode was one of the most brilliant sentiments ever said in the show. "Everything that is truest and best in all species of beings has been revealed by you. Those are the qualities that make a civilization worthy to survive." I totally broke down and cried at this point because that is the only reason I go on living in this crazy, unfair world. It is what I am suppose to do, be as good as I can be and represent myself in the best possible light no matter how ugly and unfair the rest of the world seems to be. By now, some of you who actually take the time to read my reviews certainly know I'm a very emotional individual. But, I never gave that line a second thought when I watched it in the 70s. So why the really low score? Here is the most classic example of a solid plot line gone terribly, terribly bad. It is dreadful to watch, and if I ever see it again, I will fast forward to the end where one of the egghead says that brilliant linemoreless

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    4 2

  • Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are on a planet to study its sun's coming nova, when they are abducted by sadistic aliens attempting to teach compassion to a mute.

    6.0
    "Fair"
    By Tom_ZeCat, Jan 14, 2009 Report Abuse
    While this episode isn't as dreadful as some have made it out to be, it's also a long way from being one of Star Trek's elite stories. For a race trying to teach compassion, the Vians are extremely short on it themselves. While it's possible to successfully create duplicitous characters who preach one thing, but do something else, that doesn't happen very well here. The Vians have absolutely no depth that make you believe them to be real people. They're nothing more than a clumsy plot vehicle. There is some suspense when Kirk, Spock, and McCoy vie over who will sacrifice himself to protect the others, but there's little else that's interesting coming from our main three characters. Kirk's preaching at the end seems forced. The episode is saved by the performance as Kathryn Hays as Gem. She makes the most of the weak material she's given to work with. I did feel her inner struggle was genuine. Gem was a character I identified with and felt for. The episode is worth watching on that basis. Kays' performance saves this episode from belonging on the trash heap of poor Star Trek Episodes like The Way to Eden.moreless

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    3 1
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • The Enterprise crew seems curiously disinterested in all the people that are going to die. The Prime Directive and limited resources presumably prevent them from interfering. However, they don't even seem aware of the other civilizations populating the planets. None of them recognize Gem's race, and Spock merely speculates that she couldn't have evolved on the planet. Edit
    • It's not clear how Spock determines that Gem couldn't have evolved on the planet. It's a Class M planet with no noticeable difference in atmosphere or gravity or lighting. It in fact appears a bit like Vulcan or a desert environment on Earth. The Vians presumably evolved there, and they don't look that substantially different from Gem other than larger heads. Edit
    • There seems to be no point or purpose to the high-pitched whining noise that painfully renders first the scientists and then the landing party unconscious. The noise doesn't accompany later teleportations, and the Vians are easily capable of rendering teleported victims unconscious or imprisoned without it, as we see when they teleport Kirk away and he's in chains. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • In one of his last interviews before his death, DeForest Kelly was asked what his favorite original series episode was and he responded "I suppose it would be 'The Empath'". He goes on to describe the uniqueness of the cinematography and production values, and remarks "Gee what a wild way to shoot a show". Edit
    • The Vians and the Talosians (from "The Menagerie") sure seem to be related - they look about the same, they have a similarly emotionless approach to things, and they treat humans as lab animals. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • McCoy: I can't destroy life, even if it is to save my own. Edit
    • McCoy: Well, personally, I find it fascinating that with all their scientific knowledge and advances, that it was good old-fashioned human emotion that they valued the most. Scott: Perhaps the Vulcans should hear about this. Kirk: Mr. Spock, can you be prevailed upon to bring them the news? Spock: Possibly, Captain. I shall certainly give the thought all the consideration it is due. Edit
    • Scott: Not to dispute your computer, Mr. Spock, but from little what you've told me, I'd say (Gem) was a pearl of great price. Kirk: What, Scott? Scott: You don't know the story of the merchant? The merchant... who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Kirk: Yes, she was all that. And whether the Vians bought her or found her makes little difference - she was of great value. Edit

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