Star Trek

The Mark of Gideon

Season 3, Episode 16, Aired 1/17/69

Episode Summary

Kirk beams down on a diplomatic mission...and finds himself on an Enterprise where all the crew have vanished and only a mysterious woman resides.

6.8

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Cast & Crew

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William Shatner

Captain James Tiberius Kirk
Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley

Dr. Leonard Horatio "Bones" McCoy

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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Captain Kirk attempts to beam down to the overpopulated planet of Gideon but is shocked to find himself back on the Enterprise - with the crew gone.

6.5

"Fair"

By Celedorian, Jan 01, 2011 Report Abuse

This is a "mystery" story with some interesting ideas and a few chilling visuals, but the payoff is anticlimactic due to plot holes and gigantic believability issues. (Interestingly, this episode was co written by one of Star Trek's more memorable guest stars. Stanley Adams. He played Cyrano Jones in the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".) I wish "The Mark of Gideon" would have turned out better, because I love a good mystery, and the problems of overpopulation and the issues of how to handle them make for excellent sources of drama for a science fiction show. As for vanishing crewman, Star Trek: The Next Generation would recycle the plot idea, and thankfully their version ("Remember Me") is a suspenseful mystery with a great payoff. As for "Gideon", it misses the mark.moreless

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Tepid script, poor story, the viewer can almost see the concept at war with itself.

3.4

"Bad"

By Mac-Ale, Dec 26, 2010 Report Abuse

Kirk is used as a pawn to carry disease to a planet cursed with long life and over-population.

When I look at a program, I ask two questions. 1 - Is the story grand or unique and does it say something powerful about people and the human condition? Is some of the dialog unforgettable? 2 - Is the script competent and believable? If one fails and the other doesn't, it still has some merit to me. "The Mark of Gideon" fails both tests. Hard.

The planet dynamics make no sense, no world could be so populated that it teems on every surface with one species. If one accepts the premise, why would birth control be so repugnant? The writers struggle with this by putting in non-sequiters that essentially say that the people love life so much that they long to die. How in the world can Gideon be capable of making a fake Enterprise so precisely that it simulates every single function of the real ship but they can't figure out how to make the view screens any better than cheap one-way glass? Other episodes make a strong point that one man cannot pilot the Enterprise, Kirk seems unconcerned about it. Aside from some of Spock's dialog with the planet, the writing quality is not sterling here either. Kirk says goodbye to his love interest with, "you are needed everywhere." Good grief, THAT'S on-topic.

Aside from wanting to deal with a serious issue like over-population and 30 minutes of dramatic mystery (what the fake Enterprise is), this episode could contend for the worst of the worst. It may be in the bottom five.moreless

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Interesting concept, but too many glitches to suspend disbelief

6.3

"Fair"

By Gislef, Dec 26, 2010 Report Abuse

Like many third season episodes, the writers try to go for an "alien" culture. While the people are humanoid, the fact that they are essentially immortal, and that their own love of life has driven them to become immortal, is... well, unique. It's not necessarily understandable from a human viewpoint.

On the other hand, it's not clear where you go for there. So they value life... but they use Kirk's blood as a virus. Again, this might be some alien-type rationale ("Hey, we're not killing her: we're just injecting Odona with a deadly virus from someone else.") but it strains credulity just a bit too much.

Then there's the fake Enterprise, which makes no sense in this or any other context. Besides the improbability of being able to make such an exact duplicate... why do they care if Kirk is happy? Knock him over the head, put him in a cell, take blood as needed. The Gideonites also seem awfully confident that the Enterprise will just fly away and figure the captain is lost in a transporter accident.

Like other third-season episodes, the director tries to get alternately spooky and artsy. Granted, there are a few creepy moments, but those don't make sense either. Why is the ship silent, and then they hear the heartbeats, and then they stop? Did a circuit blow out? And why are people standing around peering through the viewports.

The writers get in a few stabs at diplomacy and bureaucracy, but Spock disposes of two guards and rescues the captain. For a planet filled to overcrowding, it's amusing he only has to deal with two people.

I'll give it a B for effort, and a C- minus for coherency.moreless

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1 0
Beaming down to a planet that the Federation is trying to secure diplomatic relations with, Kirk finds himself on an Enterprise completely deserted, except for one mysterious young woman. An episode that should be far more intriguing that it is...moreless

6.5

"Fair"

By Jay-Spacedust, Dec 26, 2010 Report Abuse

The first few minutes of this episode, with Kirk arriving on board a deserted Enterprise, looked to make for a very interesting and mysterious episode. Sadly, things soon really plummeted the story was weak and awkward, with some real nitpicks and plot holes, and lacked the intrigue that should have gone with such a story.

This episode in many ways sums up why the third season is widely regarded as the weakest of the Original Series; In the first or second season, this would probably have made for an interesting if slightly filler episode, but here it is handled with little flair, and is not very engaging for the viewer as a result.

[Minor spoiler] The Enterprise, which turns out to be a duplicate, could be an interesting concept, but as other reviewers have also picked up on how could the people of Gideon create such an exact duplicate? It just wasn't believable. [End of minor spoiler]

Likewise, there is little real spark between Kirk and Odona, and by now the whole "Kirk and guest female of the week get romantically involved" device was getting very overused and worn out.

This episode holds little rewatchable value. While other episodes (such as the infamous "Spock's Brain", for example) may be even worse to watch, "The Mark of Gideon" certainly ranks amongst the Original Series' weakest episodes.moreless

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2 0
Kirk talks about contraception

7.0

"Good"

By hrtonslv, Dec 24, 2006 Report Abuse

Who could forget that beautiful line that makes me cry... It is said by Odana who is answering her father's question about what pain is like "It is like when you see that people have no hope of happiness. You feel great despair. Your heart is heavy because you know you can do nothing. Pain is like that. How interesting that she describes mental pain when Hodin was asking about physical pain. I still get spooked out when Kirk turns on the viewing port and all those people are looking at them. Nice scene, director.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Other than because it's spooky, it's never explained why the heartbeats start up, then stop. Edit
- When Spock approaches the two Gideon guards, he uses the Vulcan nerve pinch on the one furtherest away from him. Not surprisingly, the guard closer to him sees Spock's hand and reacts. Logically, Spock would have rendered unconscious the man closest to him, and behind his partner, first. Edit
- For some reason, as Kirk pages the ship and the camera shows different areas, sick bay and only sick bay is on red alert. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- Gene Dynarski also played Ben Childress in "Mudd's Women" and Cmdr. Orfil Quinteros in the TNG episode "11001001." Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Hodin: We're trying to readjust the life cycle of an entire civilization. Kirk: You're killing your own daughter! Hodin: My daughter hoped to make you feel the agony of Gideon. But it was impossible. No stranger could realize the horror that life can be here. I will not beg for your understanding of my personal grief, nor will I parade it for you to gain your cooperation. My love for my daughter is too deep for display. My pride in her runs even deeper. Edit
- Kirk: You're mad! Hodin: No, we are desperate. Edit
- Hodin: What is it like to feel pain? It is like ... when you see that people have no hope of happiness ... you feel great despair ... your heart is heavy because you know you can do nothing ... pain is like that. Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Title References the Biblical recount of Gideon. Before Gideon prepared for battle, God told him to reduce the number of his men by having them drink from a stream. Those who drank directly from the stream were sent home and those who scooped water in their hands were kept. Edit

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