Star Trek (TV Series) For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky (1968) User Reviews

A Day on the World-Ship of Yonada

[Bogmeister · 6/10 · 4 February 2007]

One drawback to this episode is the startling revelation about one of the main crew members in the pre-credits sequence: there's a scene in this early section which has so much dramatic impact that the rest of the episode cannot help but be somewhat anti-climactic in comparison. The plot has to do with one of those enclosed worlds concepts well known in science fiction: the inhabitants of a huge ship built inside an asteroid believe themselves to be on a typical planet - their 'sky' is actually the inner shell of the asteroid - similar to the hollow Earth concept developed by Edgar Rice Burroughs for his Pellucidar sci-fi/fantasy stories. It's intriguing and fanciful; the people of this Yonada have a different (and erroneous) view of the universe. They're not stupid, simply misinformed, and need someone like Kirk and his crew to explain the reality of things, kind of like getting away from the whole 'the Earth is flat' view. The hook to the episode is that things need to be righted pretty fast - Yonada is on a collision course with a planet, set to strike in a little over a year.

This isn't that bad of a 3rd season episode, but it doesn't really go anywhere with the intriguing concepts. The story falls back on the now-tiresome 'ruling machine gone wrong' plot, with any of the lackluster tension stemming from the main Enterprise trio getting zapped by this Oracle-instrument as punishment (I also wondered why this machine resorted to heating a room at the end instead of the tried-and-tested zapping attack). The one deviation of the usual scripting is that the high priestess of these people falls for McCoy instead of Kirk (or even Spock or Scotty). This episode is McCoy's story all the way and actor Kelley gets the opportunity to show some range here, further developing the sober dramatic aspects of his character. However, as with the rest of the story, the good set-up is abandoned towards the end: out of necessity, McCoy essentially abandons (not divorces) his new wife and life to continue his adventures on the Enterprise, so that we can see him in a few more episodes for the rest of the 3rd season. If there had been a 4th season, we may have seen a sequel to this episode then. As it is, we never find out what happens regarding the McCoy-Natira relationship, and that's a shame. Or a cheat, if you will.

Camouflage

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 1 December 2012]

This was an episode of the original Star Trek series that I really liked. Several millenniums ago a civilized race built a giant spaceship and camouflaged it with material to make it look like a moon that was detached from planetary orbit. The reason was to make sure no one looked at it with any suspicions and that the chosen survivors would arrive at a new world and just take up the civilization again.

It's gone horribly wrong and the ship never really arrived and now the humanoids living there don't even realize they're living inside a giant ship. The artificial sun and stars are their world. And they've got a giant computer which has taken control and everyone on the ship has a control device implanted in their heads so they never question the will of the 'oracle' or their origins.

More than that has gone wrong, the ship is on a collision course with an inhabited Federation planet which brings the Enterprise on a mission to save their associated planet. They discover it is indeed not a floating asteroid or moon, but has signs of life.

Deforest Kelley gets a little romance here. He's got a disease that no doubt he diagnosed himself and has months to live. He and high priestess of the oracle Kate Woodville fall for each other and that doesn't stop her from defending her way of life as she sees it.

An interesting concept that Star Trek deals with is the notion that a place they come to thinks they are the center of a universe. That is something we earth folks had to learn and some of us still haven't.

The Prime Directive about non-interference is something that William Shatner concludes doesn't apply when we're saving two planets from total annihilation. How Shatner and Leonard Nimoy do it you have to see this episode for.

an average Star Trek show with some good points

[fabian5 · 7/10 · 15 October 2007]

This was one of those episodes which William Shatner cited in his book "Star Trek Memories" where the Star Trek scripts were declining in either quality, believability or both. Shatner notes that McCoy discovers he's terminally ill and subsequently falls in love with the high priestess of Yonada--Natira. At the show's end, McCoy decides to leave his wife to return to the Enterprise where he is cured by the Yonada's catalogue of advanced medical technology which the Enterprise crew access from Yonada's computer. (p.266) Simply put, there are far too many coincidences in this single episode to make it credible. Moreover, McCoy and Natira's love scenes are generally devoid of passion--something one would not expect from a married couple.

Its strange that a laser beam from the Yonada's oracle quickly knocks out Kirk and his party when they first beam down to the Yonada asteroid. But when we reach the conclusion, the oracle doesn't employ a similar device to knock out Spock and Kirk who are now trying to access the oracle's computer? Instead, it reacts by abruptly heating up the room that Kirk and his crew are in. I thought the scene where Spock consults the holy book or 'sacred text' to discover how to which navigate the asteroid in a room that was heating up to nearly intolerable levels was funny. Shouldn't the book have spontaneously caught fire? However, despite these logical shortcomings, the show's overall premise is fine, just nothing spectacular.

A grade of 6 or 7 seems very reasonable. I rate it a 7 overall because it appropriately highlights the danger of unquestioningly placing one's faith in religion which is symbolised by the all powerful oracle that is guiding Yonada into a collision course with the Federation planet Daran V which contains 4 billion people. The story's theme that the suppression of dissent and independent thought--through the 'instrument of obedience' which is implanted in every Yonadan citizen--can be dangerous also rings true. Hence, the show's premise is eminently believable even if its execution was problematic.

Personally, I find the lady's taste questionable

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 15 October 2021]

Bones McCoy is diagnosed with a terminal illness but he participates in an away mission with Kirk and Spock.

This is a fairly enjoyable episode with a good basic premise and a nice focus on Bones, but unfortunately we have seen a lot of its plot detail many times before.

Some of the story is virtually identical to 'The Paradise Syndrome' and this is combined with the overused Star Trek plot device of subjugation by computer. That being said, the idea of the asteroid ship is excellent, the themes around censorship and the control of information are good, plus Bones getting a love story is nice to see.

Bones and Natira works to a certain extent. DeForest Kelley and Kate Woodville do have a bit of chemistry, and his illness makes the attraction plausible for a short while. However, like many one off romances in episodic storytelling, plot contrivances reign supreme and the reset button is conveniently pressed as the episode draws to a conclusion.

Bones having the central focus is very enjoyable for me and should be for anyone who likes the character. I think Kelley does a top job with the material. I love the scenes where he reasons with Natira about the fate of Kirk and Spock, plus his stoic attitude towards death is superb. Probably my favourite part is when Spock is given the bad news by Kirk and he shows the expected level of verbal emotion, but puts his hand on Bones' shoulder and holds it. Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner support Kelley well and Majel Barrett is typically great also.

Subterranean Subterfuge...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 16 February 2022]

A quite sizable population or entourage, have managed to conceal and to camouflage, their ship in a void, of a large asteroid, a space travelling meteoric comet mirage.

A rock is a hard place to change the culture and mind-sets when they've been cast away for so long.

Hey, could have been worse! ***SPOILER!!***

[patricia-resnick · 7/10 · 3 May 2009]

I'm being a bit unfair. One thing I will say is that this should have been a 2-parter, or at least had better flow and pacing. There was time spent on things that didn't need that much, to the detriment of segments that could have used more time. Overall, it just needed more time to develop things properly. So, better scripting and, certainly, better direction. Still, I always can watch this episode, which is more than I can say for a lot of First Trek. Ms. Woodville is excellent as Natira, although her accent leaves me more than a bit irritated. "We need her to sound exotic and foreign...I know, a really phony sounding British accent, yeah, that's it!"

On the other hand, we do have James Doohan as the voice of the Oracle, and that's a bit of fun. It's also fun to see Bones get the girl. And get the girl he does, at least until the end. I've seen comments about him riding off into the sunset and leaving her behind, but it seemed more like a mutual decision to me. She also had a role to play with her people, and she chose to stay with them. McCoy had a role to play with his people, and he chose to stay with them.

Each of them understood the other's decision, even if it pained them. That understanding was a part of who each of them were portrayed to be. Bones was, if anything, responsible, and so was Natira. I do wish the series had gone on long enough to see their scheduled reunion in a year's time.

As for the lack of passion, this was television in 1968. There wasn't a lot of passion, at least when the censors were able to avoid it. And Kirk was the love 'em and leave 'em ooey-gooey passionate one on this crew. I think the fact that they married was meant to imply a different kind of passionate side, even if we didn't get to witness it. It also worked better with McCoy's personality; he was just more of a commitment sort of person, and so was Natira.

The love scenes were rather stiff and "directed" looking, but there was a tenderness to the whole thing, or at least I perceived one. By the way, about the Oracle using the heat at the end, the heat allowed them to be made gradually more uncomfortable, including Natira. Of course, they couldn't kill three stars of the show. This was more necessary and useful. If they had killed Natira outright, they wouldn't have had her to motivate the others to stop what they were doing. (stopping Natira's punishment being a motivator)

Yeah, all things being equal, better direction and scripting could have made it better, but it certainly could have been worse!

Brought me to (good) tears

[ml-imdb-com · 9/10 · 29 January 2015]

Reading previous reviews did not talk me out of leaving my comments. In fact, one previous comment in particular ensured that I must leave mine - the comment that deplored it as a bad love story -- so very wrong.

I did not consistently see Star Trek TOS when it first came out (I was age 9) because it showed at 6pm - dinner time. Fortunately, within the first few years of reruns, I did see most of them. Now, I'm stepping through them all daily, in order, thanks to the Internet (Netflix). This episode is one of perhaps eight that I never saw back then 40+ years ago. I bet I would have rated it "too mushy" back then...

This is a love story, couched in a fairly typical SF story. I've read a whole lot of SF, including many with a similar premise. But after following the Star Trek crew through 3 seasons, this is by far the most heartfelt and genuine story in 60+ episodes.

This episode brought tears of pleasure to my eyes. Yes, in classic TOS fashion, the acting may have been clumsy, but the story shone through. Though attractive, Miss Woodville was by no means the most stunning of the beautiful actresses in TOS - I am not simply smitten by her as admitted by another reviewer (however I do very much appreciate his being so candid). (In some other episode reviews, I'd have to fess up to a high score just because of the babe.)

Put simply: McCoy pledges his entire love, to a woman whom he hardly knows. He trusts her with all his heart. And she trusts him equally. Irregardless of whether or not there are reasons why neither should should trust the other, they do.

Yes, yes, I know - McCoy has nothing to lose, he's gonna die in a year anyway -- irrelevant.

Yes, yes, I know - In the end, they go separate ways -- I agree, this was a disappointment, but I recognize that they couldn't eliminate the Bones character at this time. (This is the reason for my 9 rating not 10.)

Yes, yes, I know - she couldn't marry within her world, she's the high priestess -- unimportant.

The bottom line is that these two both believed with all their heart, that this was what they both wanted. And they committed to each other fully. Especially in light of their probably limited future together. What greater love is there?

This was a well-formed TOS episode with all the usual stuff, the bridge crew, a red alert, phasers, transporters, a decent but misguided race, an evil in-understandable alien, a love interest, etc.

Trying to culminate my thoughts here, I think I can sum it up. All previous episodes, I watched, and (mostly) enjoyed, but was not moved enough to type in a review. In this episode, once I stopped crying, I realized I wanted nothing more in my life than to trade places with McCoy.

McCoy finds love on a 'doomed' world

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 4 August 2015]

In the opening scene we learn a shocking truth; Dr McCoy has diagnosed a fatal disease in himself and only has a year to live. For the time being he can still do his job though and insists that he be allowed to do so. Shortly afterwards the Enterprise is fired on; it traces the missile back to Yonada, an asteroid which turns out to be a spaceship. This craft has no life signs and will crash into an inhabited planet in little over a year. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam onto the 'asteroid' and soon discover that it is a generational ship and its crew, which is very much alive, have no idea that they are on a ship. In fact the fact is deliberately hidden from the people aboard and actions that may lead to the truth coming out are punished by the 'Oracle'. The most senior person there is Natira, the High Priestess of the society, and she is clearly attracted to McCoy and he feels the same way. This makes it easy for him to keep her occupied while Kirk and Spock investigate the Oracle. Unfortunately they are caught and forced to return to the Enterprise. McCoy however decides to spend his final year with Natira. Shortly afterwards he learns that there may be a way to save the people of Yonada… but it would mean reading their sacred book; something nobody may do until they reach their destination.

This is a decent enough episode which makes up for its lack of action with a more emotional story. The opening revelation the McCoy has only a year to live certainly comes as a surprise although the fact that a cure is found in the end does not. The way the cure is discovered in the Yonada's archives is defiantly one of the least subtle examples of Deus Ex Machina possible! The reason for McCoy's illness is of course to make us believe that he would fall in love with a woman he just met and abandon his life on the Enterprise to stay with her. The idea that the people of Yonada have no clue that they are on a ship is rather interesting as is the fact that those who built the ship created a belief system which actively prevented people discovering the truth before they reached their destination. It was nice to see McCoy getting the woman for once although there was a lack of real passion between him and Natira. Overall a solid but not an outstanding episode.

For the plot is (somewhat) hollow but reached for the sky

[bluegrafx · 9/10 · 27 October 2021]

This one gets a lot of criticism, but has some very novel ideas. Ursula K. LeGuin has written stories about nearly as fast as light multi-generational starships, and spends a lot of time focusing on how that would work from a socio-political-religion level as opposed to just what kind of engines are used. Like how do you actually make that work without the "crew" descending into chaos, without factions or weird cults developing.

This TOS episode has just such a starship, and addresses that problem. They make the spaceship look like an asteroid and "The Creators" chose to have a rigid religion, with a high priestess and an (naturally computer) oracle that dispenses wisdom, guidance, and punishment. Everyone has an implant in their head so the oracle can deliver pain whenever someone questions the reality of the situation or the social structure.

All the priestess knows is that they're promised a new world, and they'll get there "real soon" and don't ask any other questions. It's a great premise and that part of it is handled quite well. And the priestess doesn't jump to conclusions, but does ask the Oracle for the truth.

The McCoy is dying, he and the high priestess fall in love and sorta get married, is a weakness. The tidy ending is really forced. Priestess wants to stay with her people, McCoy wants to find a cure. So they go their separate ways. It doesn't make sense from an emotional standpoint. (At the end it's revealed that the asteroid will make it to its destination in a little over a year, and Kirk intends that the Enterprise is there.) Also, it's a bit of a stretch that somehow Spock knows how to read an alphabet of a planet that was destroyed by a supernova 10,000 years before, or the fact that even though the planet was destroyed and no one knows about this spaceship, somehow some of their writings survived, even to the point of knowing their name, but nothing else? Point off for that major plot hole.

Also, why doesn't the oracle use the shocker instead of the heat at the end? Point off there, but point back, because it's a great underlying premise that isn't addressed too much in sci-fi. And the high priestess is a very strong character and not just eye candy.

"We shall make him well".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 23 January 2011]

There were more than a single Star Trek episode where the female lead, in this case Katherine Woodville as high priestess Natira, who would have a costume design that looked like it might have been a natural for the world of high fashion, but just never caught on. I wonder why that is, since there were always celebrities willing to flaunt their figures in a sensational way. But Natira did wear her share of eye shadow and those big old false eyelashes, and I had to chuckle over the colorful wardrobe of the Yonada security guard. They looked like they might have been getting ready for an appearance on the Sonny and Cher show.

So Natira put the big time move on Dr. McCoy, leaving Captain Kirk out in the cold as the episode's romantic interest. This after gaining the viewer's sympathy that Bones had only a year to live as a result of contracting a terminal case of xenopolycythemia. Those diseases always sounded like the real thing when they were mentioned on the show.

Once again, Roddenberry interjects a socio-political and ideological theme with the 'instrument of obedience', an implant that causes physical pain if one's thoughts stray beyond the accepted norm. The Oracle punishes the Enterprise crew a couple of times for daring to challenge, but I have to second some other reviewers here who wondered why the Oracle resorted to the heat treatment instead of the more severe physical pain administered the first time around. Along those same lines, I also wondered why Natira didn't consider that Kirk, Spock and McCoy might have killed the old man who violated the Oracle. There were no witnesses, and the man was already dead when Natira discovered them all together. That was too early in the story for her to be a trusting high priestess.

The kicker of course was McCoy's and Natira's mutual decision to part ways after having declared their unique and undying love for each other. That was when McCoy was dying of course, but it IS a little troubling that the script handled their situation so unceremoniously. Come on, they already got married! I guess McCoy was never meant to discover what one might call a new kind of instrument of obedience.

Dr McCoy is Centre Stage

[csm-78119 · 8/10 · 18 February 2021]

Whilst there is no doubt that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are the undoubted stars of the greatest science fiction show of all time, ultimately Star Trek only deserves that title in part due to superb performances from a wider ensemble cast and Deforest Kelly as Dr McCoy is at the head of the remaining crew. In many episodes his conflicts with Spock, his outbursts of moral indignation, or his exhortations for Kirk or others to follow a particular course dominate, but here we have an episode more or less devoted to McCoy. It's a cracking one at that.

A good political story.

[rudge49 · 25 July 2019]

Yes ! Remember this was produced in 1968. The Soviets sent troops into Czechoslovakia to crush the Prague Spring, China was consumed by the Cultural Revolution, the world was a very dangerous place. Throughout the centuries tyrants of every stripe and persuasion have tried to control the information their subjects receive and blame so many of their problems and failures on outsiders with malicious intent. A self contained world where people have few if any memories of the "Good Old Days" and no way to contradict what they are told by their rulers, and face severe punishments if they rebel. Truth is what the rulers-or ruler-will decide on. It does recycle the controlling computer idea from "Return of the Archons"-I wonder if those who built the Oracle saw Landru's plans ? The Prime Directive ? As Kirk told Spock in "Return of the Archons " "That refers to a living breathing society ! Do you think this is ?

Unprevoked Attack !!

[MarkTeacher01 · 6/10 · 27 January 2012]

The part that I STILL don't understand, about this episode, is the very first opening scene !! The crew of the Enterprise is readying for an attack of missiles, that have been launched by the asteroid Yonada. They unceremoniously phaser and destroy the missiles, and then back-track their course, to their point of origin. WHY the unprovoked attack !! ?? It's never revealed !! Later, the people of Yonada end up being peaceful and benevolent, VERY uncharacteristic of a race that would launch missiles at a passing spacecraft !!

It seems that this missile attack was used as a means of getting the Enterprise to pay a visit to Yonada, to investigate the reason for the attack. I just think it would have been easier, and more in line with the Yonada races character, to have the Enterprise discover they were being PROBED by the asteroid, and hence, to investigate why.

Only worthwhile because Kelley gets a lady

[jameselliot-1 · 5/10 · 13 October 2018]

I've always been disappointed by the diminished quality of the 3rd season. I'm not blaming Fred Freiberger but then again I am. The only redeeming quality is hottie Kate Woodville who inexplicably comes on to McCoy within a matter of seconds. Instant wife! The wardrobe in this show is horrible, possibly the worst in Trek history. The Yonadan guards wear ridiculous skull caps and goofy uniforms that look like snuggies.

Average Episode

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 5 May 2014]

McCoy is dying. He has but a year to live. Of course, he will not allow Kirk to divulge this to the crew. After a thwarted missile attack, the Enterprise locates the source. It is an asteroid/planet where people live inside, unaware of the grandness of space. They are part of a civilization that built a huge ship when their sun went nova and have been traveling the galaxy for thousands of years. The usual trio beams down to the planet and is taken hostage by a group of soldiers wearing really weird hats and colorful robes. They are also met by a beautiful priestess. It turns out that there is a creator in their past who has been looking out for them, but they must don a kind of implant that forces their obedience to an oracle. Since McCoy and his illness are center stage here, he becomes the focus of this episode. The priestess is so taken with him that she proposes marriage and he accepts. The other, more critical plot element is that this asteroid is on a collision course with a very populous planet; the resulting impact would be devastating. As with the American Indian episode, they must find a way to get things to change course. The twosome must work their way to adjust a force that could destroy them. This is a pretty typical ST episode, neither good nor bad.

Asteroid, Oracle, Natira & McCoy

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 13 January 2017]

Season 3, episode 8. The Enterprise finds an asteroid, Yonada, that is on a collision course to Darren V, a highly populated planet and it will be there within 396 days. That asteroid has fired a missile towards the Enterprise - attacking it. Also, everyone on board the Enterprise has gotten a check-up and are in good health, all but Dr. McCoy who learns he has about 1 year to live - he has incurable disease called xenopolycythemia (polycythemia). Kirk, McCoy and Spock beam down to the asteroid Yonada and they find it is populated with humanoids that worship an oracle -- it is a space ship disguised as an asteroid. The High Priestess, Natira, orders the capture of the trio then releases them later on. Natira develops an interest in McCoy and prays to the oracle for marriage to McCoy. Finally Spock and Kirk are released to go back to the ship and McCoy agrees to stay with Natira if that means saving the planet of Darren V. Spock ends up discovering the Fabrini archive that has a cure for McCoy's condition.

Of course we all know that "all's well that ends well" - McCoy will be cured and back on the Enterprise with the others while everything will be smoothed over with the Natira and her people and Darren V will be saved.

An average episode... what we expect from from Star Trek TOS. I will say it's a relief to see McCoy as a "love interest" from a lovely lady.

7.5/10

One HUGE HUGE plot hole...

[robertm-85323 · 6/10 · 14 November 2021]

They're always talking about how they don't know they're on a space ship... Yet they talk about how this holy book will be made available to the people WHEN THEY REACH THEIR DESTINATION.... Wait.. WHAT?!??! If they're going to reach a destination, doesn't that mean they're, ya know, MOVING?

Just seems really stupid oversight.

Great Episode

[Moe-yasmine · 9/10 · 9 February 2018]

This has everything you'd want to see in a Star Trek episode. Mystery, exploration, encounter with unknown, and a personal insight into one of the characters which lets us know him/her better. I thought this was one of the better episodes and quite enjoyed it.

McCoy meets girl

[Rviewz2468 · 7/10 · 12 July 2018]

A McCoy episode, and good riddance to that. I've always loved McCoy, in fact he's probably my second favorite character in TOS behind Scotty, with that said you can probably guess that I might have liked this episode a little more than I should. After all it was a pretty bland episode tackling the classic what if the world was a ship sci fi concept. Though one disappointing aspect for me was that the episode seemed pretty much looked into two sets the enterprise bridge and the oracle room.

The episode goes as follows..

The enterprise finds an asteroid that seems to be on course for a federation colony, on closer look they determine the asteroid is in fact a large ship, meanwhile dr McCoy informs the captain that a member of the crew is suffering of a terminal illness with no cure, as Kirk dramatically asks McCoy who it is McCoy responds that he himself is the one suffering of the disease and that he has a year or so left to live. Kirk takes Spock and McCoy with him and beams down to the asteroid/ship, there they find a group of people that stuns him and takes them into their city I think? There they learn of the oracle a talking altar that basically rules the planet, the oracle talks with the high priestess as it Is revealed these aliens have lived on this ship for 10,000 years the crew surmises that the aliens no longer realize they are on a ship and believe this to be a planet, Kirk and the landing party are then punished by getting quickly zapped by the oracle (jeez tough crowd). Kirk and Spock awake while McCoy remains unconscious, Kirk reveals to Spock that McCoy is terminally ill and that's why he's knocked out, an old guy walks in after McCoy wakes up and gives a brief speech on the world being a lie while directly quoting the episode title in there (blah cliches am i right) then immediately collapses and dies. The high priestess Natira comes in and has the dead man taken away while mumbling some stuff about punishment and blasphemy blah blah blah. She gives the landing party a little history lesson and seems to take a liking to McCoy. Spock and like make their way into the oracle room to investigate the oracle but hey detected and zapped. The oracle declares they are to die but McCoy puts on his charm on Natira and gets her to let them beam up while McCoy while stay there and live out the remainder of his life with her (talk about love at first sight). McCoy is made an official resident of the asteroid/ship/planet through his initiation which includes implanting a punishment device in his skull (kinky!) and gives him a look at the secret book of their people (also why is it secret if they didn't know there were alien species out there, why did they plan ahead and build a whole secret compartment for it?). After taking an oath of secrecy on the topics of the book McCoy immediately contacts the ship and gets to gossiping all he can (seriously in the very next scene!), McCoy explains that the book can be used to alter the asteroid/ship/planets's course and save the colony and the people of yanada (the name of th asteroid/ship/planet), the oracle detects McCoy's treachery and uses the punishment device previously implemented to zap him till he's knocked unconscious. Despite being cleared of responsibility by Starfleet Kirk beams right down to the planet and finds an unconscious McCoy, Kirk and Spock remove McCoy's punishment device, but before they can change the course of the asteroid/ship/planet nature walks in and orders them arrested, that is until Kirk talks her into believing that yanada is a ship and that they aim to save it, so after all that they go to the oracle room. The oracle yells at them but they open the secret compartment and use the book to alter the course, and in it Spock finds out that the book contains far more advanced medical knowledge than that of the federation and then they cure McCoy just like that, and so everything is right again.

Now there was nothin really special about this episode. Some real big questions s for me such as the aforementioned secret compartment and why it was built, or a bigger question why did Natira instantly believe that yanada was a ship, I mean she's introduced to us as this fully devoted individual that believes everything of the oracle and then she just happens to buy the word of three aliens who have literally broken her planets laws at every chance and been convicted to death before, nah uh I don't buy it, I mean if someone told you earth was a spaceship you would just say they're crazy but she instantly believes it. Anyways I'm going off topic, the acting was ok but not great, and there was never really a sense of urgency or danger in the episode I mean the whole a ship will crash into a colony in like 2 weeks thing doesn't strike immediate danger does it. Still it's always fun when Star Trek tackles common sci-fi topics like this so extra points on that,. All in all it ends up as a vey meh episode, not one you will hate but not exactly memorable (seriously I watched this yesterday and had to google the episodes plot because it's so forgettable, not a good sign).

McCoy and Natira make this episode great!!

[SusanJL · 10/10 · 17 April 2019]

Loved that McCoy was the focus of this episode. The woman playing Natira was strong, elegant, intelligent and beautiful. It was a poignant episode in view of the terminal illness of Bones. The way Spock showed his concern for McCoy after he learned of his illness was touching. As another reviewer said, a big minus is the old tired evil computer trope trotted out yet again. Another minus - costumes of the alien men, laughably tacky!!!! But to me, overall one of the best written & acted episodes.

Alien babes love the southern accent.

[thevacinstaller-03350 · 6/10 · 6 January 2023]

As I watching this episode, I kept pondering the question, "What made this woman fall in love with McCoy in 2 seconds flat?"..... Well, I think the answer is obvious ---- it has to be the southern accent. As a guy who is over 40, I appreciate and dream of the day that a much younger 10/10 will fall madly in love with me.

Another question ----- Why did the creators of the space ship design a jerk computer that uses implanted devices to maintain order/discipline? I need to know these things as a viewer ---- a purpose or point to how it is designed.

This episode has a solid basic premise but it needed some script doctoring to provide more engagement in the episode beyond the hanging sword of Dr McCoys mortality.

The world is hollow, and we have touch the sky!

[Bababooe · 10/10 · 4 July 2018]

This is one of the best Star Trek episodes ever. It has problems. The story is derivative. An asteroid that is really a ship is uncontrollably heading to a populated Federation planet. Dr. McCoy is sick and has one year to live. He is offered love and he accepts. Given his predicament, why not, most would probably take it. The villain is the Oracle/computer that controls the asteroid/ship, it has lost control.

Here's my main problem with this episode. If the original planet and solar system of the Fabrini exploded 10,000 years ago, how the hell does Spock have so much information about them. Never explained. Maybe they should have thrown in a line about satellites or other Fabrini colonies that retained this information.

Other than that. What we have is the Oracle/computer controlling the people like Big Brother, with the Instrument of Obedience. Pain and death comes to anyone who questions the Oracle. The people must not know that they are inside a giant generational space ship. This may be understandable for the survival of the people. There should be some control, but it looks like the control went too far, into complete ignorance, deception, punishment and death.

I had no problem with Dr. McCoy and Natira falling in love quickly. First, it's a 50-minute show. Second, Bones is a goner, simple choice stay or go. Third, the acting and dialogue was solid between them. Bones even say "But we are strangers to each other" and Natira responds intelligently.

All the acting was solid. The opening scene with the missiles heading to the enterprise, with the heavy Black Sabbath music, was incredible. Kirk enter, quick questions and answers, they shoot down the missiles and trace where they came from. Great, no nonsense. They Bones and Nurse Chap argument and Kirk comes in and Bones notifies that everyone on board has had their annual checkup and is fine, except for one, himself, he has a year to live. This is all great acting. Straight to the point. Natira was also great, strong, intelligent and beautiful. The Fabrini old man was in one great scene, and he says the title, when I was younger I climbed the mountains even though it was forbidden and he found out "For the World is Hollow, and I Have Touched the Sky". Even though all Fabrini had the Instrument of Obedience, possibly when the old man climbed the mountain the Oracle had not lost control then and wasn't punishing people as badly.

Music throughout was great. The opening scene was incredible. The cinematography was great. Tons of close ups with reaction shots. The new cgi was just incredible. The enterprise moving in angles, the shots of the asteroid, enterprise passing under the asteroid. This was cinema quality.

This has it all, except dead red shirts. All the main cast of 7 are there. Only a few other Enterprise extras. The acting was solid all around.

One of the best Star Trek episodes.

I give you Mr. & Mrs. McCoy.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 18 June 2022]

McCoy contracts Xenopolycythemia, an incurable disease that leaves him with only a year left to live. Shortly after, the Enterprise encounters what appears to be an asteroid on a collison course with a heavily populated planet; however, readings indicate it to be hollow and propelled by atomic power -- a spacecraft. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam inside the ship and discover a race of people who have been living there for 10,000 years, blissfully unaware of its true nature.

Can Kirk and Spock discover a way to correct the course of the asteroid/spaceship? Will the inhabitants' many secrets include a cure for McCoy's disease? Will McCoy decide to remain in Yonada (as the people call their world) when beautiful high priestess Natira declares that she wants to be his mate? The answer is, of course, yes to all three!

There are however, a couple of burning question that aren't answered: why does the 'oracle', the leader of the Fabrinis, keep the truth from its people? What harm would there be in them knowing that they are on a spaceship destined for a new home planet? And what exactly does Natira see in Bones? I mean, he's a nice bloke and all, but he's not exactly an Alpha male like Kirk.

6.5/10. Not a remarkable episode, but still enjoyable, particularly as this one further explores the friendship between its principle characters and allows DeForest Kelley to take centre stage for a change. However, I'm rounding my rating down to 6 for the Fabrinis' horrible oufits, surely a fashion crime that should be punished by the oracle.

Yonadans. Pretty but dumb.

[Wes54 · 2/10 · 24 October 2019]

How did they expect to get to their New World? Did Yonadans think it would come to them? The fact that there were Outsiders present on Yonada proved that it was hollow.

Natira had never seen Kirk, Spock, and McCoy before. Where did they come from? Those weird clothes - where did they get them? That strange gear they carried - how did they get it? When they disappear in a column of shimmering light, where do they go? And why do none of them have the Instrument of Obedience?

Maybe if Natira wasn't wearing 4 wigs, 6 pairs of eyelashes, 5 pounds of makeup, and 10 pounds of aluminum foil, she'd know the answer.

Good concept but should have been much better rather than rehash old plots.

[wwcanoer-tech · 6/10 · 1 May 2022]

Discovering a hidden world in peril while its inhabitants have no idea of that they are living in a simulation, that's a good premise.

Early on, Spock and Kirk state that they must tell the people of their situation because to follow the non-interference of the prime directive would mean the end of that world. But then they forget about that for the bulk of the episode, until there is a crisis and Kirk blurts everything out all at once. It's so formulaic and tired.

It would have been far more interesting to watch McKoy learn about the Yonada world and try to gently coax Natira into understanding her situation. This would be filled with ups and downs. McCoy would tell her something and then she would reject it, then McCoy would prove it, until another roadblock.

A good first step would be Spock showing that he can read their language, that he has knowledge of their world, but conflict would arise due to the inconsistencies between the real events and the stories taught by the oracle.

Spock & McCoy could have convinced Natira to secretly go on the hike up the mountain where one can touch the sky. This would require secrecy and deception so as not to alarm the public or the oracle. McCoy would offer to remove Natira's implant but she would refuse and try to negotiate with the oracle but when the oracle causes too much pain then McCoy would remove the implant.

Or, McCoy could have been successful in convincing Natira to read the first pages of the book.

How could the society survive 10,000 years will all medical knowledge hidden from the people? The writers made the people far too docile and naïve. It would be far more interesting for them to be smart and accomplished despite not understanding their situation. They could be excellent at medicine while astronomy is forbidden.

The ending was particularly disappointing. While sick, McCoy pledges to marry and live with a woman but once he's healed then he abandons her! That's low. Far better if we saw McCoy having difficulty fitting in with their culture, or somehow Natira realizes that he will not actually be happy there and we have a sappy scene of him leaving.

Also, pretty much all of Kirk & Spock looking for the computer was slow and boring.