The Corbomite Maneuver
- Episode aired Nov 10, 1966
- TV-PG
- 50m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
After the Enterprise is forced to destroy a dangerous marker buoy, a gigantic alien ship arrives to capture and condemn the crew as trespassers.After the Enterprise is forced to destroy a dangerous marker buoy, a gigantic alien ship arrives to capture and condemn the crew as trespassers.After the Enterprise is forced to destroy a dangerous marker buoy, a gigantic alien ship arrives to capture and condemn the crew as trespassers.
Anthony D. Call
- Dave Bailey
- (as Anthony Call)
Majel Barrett
- Nurse Christine Chapel
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Bill Blackburn
- Lieutenant Hadley
- (uncredited)
Ted Cassidy
- Balok's Puppet
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci
- Crewman
- (uncredited)
Walker Edmiston
- Balok
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Jeannie Malone
- Yeoman
- (uncredited)
Sean Morgan
- Crewman
- (uncredited)
Eddie Paskey
- Lieutenant Leslie
- (uncredited)
Frieda Rentie
- Enterprise Lieutenant
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough the script instructed Leonard Nimoy to emote a fearful reaction upon his first sight of Big Balok, director Joseph Sargent suggested to Nimoy that he ignore what the script called for and instead simply react with the single word "Fascinating." The suggestion of this response helped refine the Spock character and provide him with a now-legendary catchphrase.
- GoofsWhen Balok begins his 10-minute countdown of the Enterprise's destruction, McCoy enters the bridge wearing a standard long-sleeve uniform shirt. Shortly after this, camera cuts around the bridge include one focused on Spock and McCoy standing by the science station, with McCoy wearing his short-sleeve medical tunic. Then, when Lt. Bailey has his frantic outburst, McCoy goes to him to calm him, wearing the long-sleeve shirt again.
- Alternate versionsSpecial Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song. The Remastered version has the alien cube change the direction of its spin when the cube also reverses direction, but is not consistent in maintaining this in all shots.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek Logs: An MTV Big Picture Special Edition (1991)
- SoundtracksTheme From Star Trek
Written by and credited to Alexander Courage
Featured review
My Favorite TOS Episode
This episode may make some Trekkers' Top 20 lists, but likely not many Top Tens. Yet quietly and without fuss this "bottle show" episode remains perfectly indicative of TOS's purpose, spirit and delivery.
Think Murray Leinster's classic sci-fi short story "First Contact" with an additional plot twist, possibly two. A scriptwriter or editor who may have had Uhura say the same line a tad too often and missed "adrenaline gland" but had to have served in the Navy, knew the true meaning of "countermand," and wasn't afraid to ask, "What are you going to do with that six percent when they give it to you, Jim?"
Add Joseph Sargent's direction, Fred Steiner's music, Gerald Perry Finnerman and his color gels, Anthony Call's laser-accurate performance complemented by that of the core ensemble, Clint Howard's eyebrows and dubbing, and Ted Cassidy's voice of authority as only he could deliver. Splendid sound effects and their editing, which offset the visual effects, though the physically infeasible appearance of the alien mother ship got the point across very nicely. And an ending that made me smile as a youngster, and does so today.
And Now I Digress, Somewhat: I often feel compelled to explain to today's "post-next generation" sated with digital effects and compulsory cheesecake just how TOS had its impact, my having watched its world premiere and nearly every episode at first broadcast. And I'm saddened to see TOS and its actors parodied today, much less by the actors themselves.
Friends, when TOS premiered "In Living Color!" its only competition was Irwin Allen's "running and jumping shows," which had as much science as a peanut butter sandwich left out in the double sun too long. The Outer Limits (in black-and-white!) had run its course after only two seasons, and not even the revered Rod Serling would attempt the genre on the 'tube with recurring characters.
We readers of Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein, Sturgeon and the other masters of the genre (okay, Harlan Ellison, we know you must scream, so you can count yourself) climbed down our trees and praised The Great Bird of the Galaxy for making the 'tube finally listen and display something hopeful to talk about before we finally caught up with our own imaginations on the moon.
The actors had chops, if the scripts couldn't make you feel they could make you THINK, the characters grew to make you care, and not one scantily-clad beauty was the token she first seemed if you were young enough to be allowed to watch. Wondrous times indeed.
So start with this episode, or return to it as you would an old friend, and from there go back and forth to your heart's content. Long live Balok, and pass the tranya!
Think Murray Leinster's classic sci-fi short story "First Contact" with an additional plot twist, possibly two. A scriptwriter or editor who may have had Uhura say the same line a tad too often and missed "adrenaline gland" but had to have served in the Navy, knew the true meaning of "countermand," and wasn't afraid to ask, "What are you going to do with that six percent when they give it to you, Jim?"
Add Joseph Sargent's direction, Fred Steiner's music, Gerald Perry Finnerman and his color gels, Anthony Call's laser-accurate performance complemented by that of the core ensemble, Clint Howard's eyebrows and dubbing, and Ted Cassidy's voice of authority as only he could deliver. Splendid sound effects and their editing, which offset the visual effects, though the physically infeasible appearance of the alien mother ship got the point across very nicely. And an ending that made me smile as a youngster, and does so today.
And Now I Digress, Somewhat: I often feel compelled to explain to today's "post-next generation" sated with digital effects and compulsory cheesecake just how TOS had its impact, my having watched its world premiere and nearly every episode at first broadcast. And I'm saddened to see TOS and its actors parodied today, much less by the actors themselves.
Friends, when TOS premiered "In Living Color!" its only competition was Irwin Allen's "running and jumping shows," which had as much science as a peanut butter sandwich left out in the double sun too long. The Outer Limits (in black-and-white!) had run its course after only two seasons, and not even the revered Rod Serling would attempt the genre on the 'tube with recurring characters.
We readers of Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein, Sturgeon and the other masters of the genre (okay, Harlan Ellison, we know you must scream, so you can count yourself) climbed down our trees and praised The Great Bird of the Galaxy for making the 'tube finally listen and display something hopeful to talk about before we finally caught up with our own imaginations on the moon.
The actors had chops, if the scripts couldn't make you feel they could make you THINK, the characters grew to make you care, and not one scantily-clad beauty was the token she first seemed if you were young enough to be allowed to watch. Wondrous times indeed.
So start with this episode, or return to it as you would an old friend, and from there go back and forth to your heart's content. Long live Balok, and pass the tranya!
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- johcafra
- May 27, 2007
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