Star Trek Review: THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER

Director John Meredyth Lucas' THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER is a solid, man versus machine yarn. He also directed the classic Trek episodes: "The Enterprise Incident" and "Elaan of Troyius".

William Marshall ("The Boston Strangler") as Dr. Richard Daystrom, creates a masterful portrait of a troubled genius. It is unfortunate that Marshall is best know for his title role in the exploitation flick, "Blacula" .

When the computer takes over the ship, Scotty (James Doohan) must go to the "Jeffries Tube," to deal with the problem. The much utilized, multipurpose electronic access corridor was named after a production executive.

William Shatner, as a starship captain, facing his possible replacement by a machine, gives a better than usual performance. The issues at stake here are as relevant today as when this episode debuted three decades ago.

This is the episode in which Kirk/Shatner delivers the classic line, "All I need is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by." This quote, by the poet Masefield, is an example of the many classy touches developed by Teleplay writer, D.C. Fontana, (Story by Laurence N. Wolfe), known to many Trekkers as the writer of the much beloved, "Journey to Babel" episode, which introduced Spock's mother and father.

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER should be rather watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Computer owner/operators will be particularly entertained.

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