Star Trek (TV Series) The Corbomite Maneuver (1966) User Reviews

When All Else Fails, Bluff Your Way Out Kirk-style

[Bogmeister · 7/10 · 27 June 2006]

Technically the first episode filmed after the 2nd pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," this comes across as almost experimental, a dry run for the rest of the first season. You see rarely seen angles, such as from behind Kirk as he exits the turbolift onto the bridge. Though overall the episode comes across as not very eventful by the standards of most Trek episodes, its strengths are showcasing various crew members and their reactions to the presumed threat they face. Exploration is the key factor, as will be usual: the Enterprise is in an unknown sector of space and suddenly blocked by some revolving cube device. Forced to destroy this after it starts emitting radiation, Kirk now faces a choice or path - proceed further to face possible other dangers or turn around. We get a case study of how starship captains earn their pay - the buck seems to stop with him and his next decision could have long reaching ramifications. Within the possibilities of exploration, the theme here is the unknown: how do we, as a species, face it? Do we go on, advance, taking that risk, or do we stop and perhaps stagnate?

But despite grandiose ideas about mankind's future in exploring the galaxy, it boils down to the human equation of how men & women react and interact aboard such a ship. Guest star Call is excellent as the young navigator whom Kirk perhaps promoted too quickly. His nervous breakdown on the bridge is beautifully played. Then McCoy & Kirk get into it as the ship and crew have maybe three minutes of life to go, arguing over the distressed crewman. Even Spock seems uneasy as he fails to find an alternative for the now edgy Kirk, again a well-acted scene. It comes across as very true-to-life, a realistic study of people under tremendous pressure. Kirk's tactic of bluffing a far superior enemy shows, in the first of many such instances in the series, just how quickly and cannily Kirk thinks on his feet and why he is captain. No one aboard, including Spock (who prefers chess to poker) would have come up with such a play. That all being said, this episode is probably best remembered for that long shot of the colossal ship Fesarius approaching the Enterprise. With some of the best dramatic Trek score blaring away at us, it still gives me goose bumps.

How to deal with an intergalactic bully

[mstomaso · 9/10 · 24 December 2006]

The Corbomite Maneouver does a couple of things really well. It is easily one of Star Trek TOS' most dramatic and suspenseful episodes. It also provides the first really good character study for James Kirk in the series - establishing Kirk as the one man who will always find a creative solution for even the impossible situation.

The Enterprise encounters a very highly technologically advanced alien culture in deep space. Their first encounter occurs when Enterprise meets up with a buoy that gives off harmful radiation and simply will not go away. They destroy the buoy and are then confronted by its makers The First Federation - belligerent, unforgiving, and all-powerful. Kirk must think his way out of this one.

The Corbomite Maneouver is also one of the most visually interesting TOS episodes. The special effects, as simple as they are, are well done. And the directing is some of the best in the series.

Kirk's genius

[MaxBorg89 · 9/10 · 18 April 2009]

Like many other Star Trek episodes, The Corbomite Maneuver is a good exploration of an essential 20th century theme such as the futility of war, with the addition of a riveting portrait of what makes a commander worthy of the title, as seen in the episode's depiction of Captain Kirk's skills.

Once again, danger lies ahead as the Enterprise continues on its five-year mission. This time it's more serious than usual, since the mysterious alien attacker claims to be able to destroy the ship with no risk of anything stopping him, and therefore grants the crew ten minutes to pray or something to that effect. Of course, he hasn't considered Kirk who, being the stubborn son of a gun he's always been (when Spock points out the two always argue about decisions Kirk won't take back, the latter explains that arguing makes him feel good), threatens the alien by saying he has a device that will annihilate both the Enterprise and its attacker, and he's not afraid to use it. Obviously it's a bluff, but it may come with a price, as Kirk and his opponent engage in a dangerous battle of wits to determine who's more willing to go through with their alleged threats.

Whereas most Trek episodes have pretty predictable outcomes, mostly because of the formulaic structure of the scripts, The Corbomite Maneuver is commendable for offering a very neat and intelligent twist that sits well with the episode's overall critique of the political climate of the Cold War (yes, subtlety has never been one of the show's strengths, but NBC didn't care since it was sci-fi). The acting is as inspiring as ever (even William Shatner's much mocked speech patterns come off as more serious than usual), especially Clint Howard's (that's Ron's brother) cameo at the end. Fun, tense and clever.

Realistic Elements

[gheilers · 10/10 · 14 April 2007]

Others have already praised this episode for its unique camera angles, and other technical aspects. But there are also script elements that elevate this episode above others in the series. As the episode opens, we hear "Dave Bailey" carping about how bored and fatigued he is after three long days of "star charting". This brilliant line shows us that between "adventures", the Enterprise and its crew are actually doing something productive! Another element is the phaser drills that Kirk has the crew run. Once again, they are keeping busy. Also notice the constant background chatter over the intercom system (a feature that would slowly disappear as the seasons progressed). With this episode, one gets the feeling that this is a "working" vessel and crew (as opposed to nothing but plywood sets) - aspects that would be completely lost by the third season.

My Favorite TOS Episode

[johcafra · 8/10 · 27 May 2007]

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!

Beautifully scripted and acted moments

[marcus-fabius · 10/10 · 14 October 2012]

It is too easy to miss the superb moments in this episode. For me the greatest highlight out of several is the relatively long (ten minutes according to the script) countdown to destruction sequence. When faced with the threat of total annihilation from Balok, Kirk proves his mettle as a starship commander by his calm pronouncements, providing the leadership qualities required to keep the apparently doomed crew focused on their duties. But as the clock ticks down to disaster, the young officer Bailey starts to crack and does so in the most convincing manner when triggered by the apparent futility of Sulu's announcement of the time. This scene is superbly well acted by Anthony Call, as other reviewers have noted. Bravo to him and a personal Lifetime Acting Star from me for a really great performance. As for the others on the bridge, I could almost feel the greater experience of the older crew keeping them in line whilst the inexperienced Bailey disintegrates under the strain. I could also feel the strong compassion in McCoy as he escorts the by now devastated Bailey off the bridge. Marvellous acting from DeForrest Kelley in this episode.

These early episodes of Star Trek retain their dramatic power on repeated viewing, principally because of the great acting and scripts, combined with music that is really cut to the cloth of the drama so well. I think the great variety of musical atmosphere in the original Star Trek series is one of several reasons for the enduring appeal of the series. I have often thought that later generations of Star Trek tended to use background music far too flippantly, almost like Musak, as a cover for mediocre scenes. There are great moments of silence in the Corbomite Maneuver which add immensely to the dramatic effect, with background starship chatter adding to the effect, again as noted by other reviewers. Simply a superb episode.

A great third episode of the Original Star Trek Series

[russem31 · 5 April 2006]

ST:TOS:03 - "The Corbomite Maneuver" (Stardate: 1512.2) is the first regular production episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (though this is the 10th episode to air) - this episode introduces other major characters that the first two pilots didn't - McCoy (who makes his first of many onto the bridge appearances) and Uhura (in her communications chair), as well as minor character Yeoman Rand - Chekov would be the only missing major character - he won't be seen until season 2, and Nurse Chapel is the only minor character not introduced but will be in season 1. Of especial note is the score, Star Trek is known for its wonderful compositions (from the TV series to the movies) and this episode isn't any different - indeed, Fred Steiner composed a classic score.

Newcomers should watch this one first

[karn · 10/10 · 15 January 2017]

This is one of the classic "bottle shows", and it has always been one of my favorites. I was 10 years old when I saw it in first broadcast. It made me feel like I really was flying around the galaxy in a large starship. I most remembered the Enterprise resisting and then successfully breaking free of Balok's tractor beam.

Today I see an episode rich in character development, with everyone (except Mr. Bailey, at first) surviving by their wits against a vastly more powerful adversary. Now my favorite moment is the subtle change in Kirk's face when he realizes (thanks to his angry snap at McCoy) that their way out is to change the game they've been playing:

"Not chess, Mr. Spock. Poker. Do you know the game?"

Followed by Mr. Spock's impressed rejoinder a few minutes later:

"A very interesting game, this 'poker'"

Given the obvious comic potential, it's really too bad the show never followed through on Dr. McCoy's offer to teach it to Spock.

In contrast to the hot-headed and panicky Mr. Bailey, Mr. Sulu's calm, professional competence is on full display in this episode. You knew it was just a matter of time until he'd be promoted and offered command of his own ship.

Although this was the 10th episode shown, it was the first regular production episode. Not only were they fleshing out the characters, the episode itself is tense and well-acted, with a classic Trek moral. Newcomers should definitely watch this one first.

"An interesting game, this poker."

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 21 June 2021]

The Enterprise is currently on a "star mapping" mission, and in deep space encounters a mystery object. It's a multi-coloured, spinning cube, and it proves to be dangerous. (Spock theorizes that it's some sort of space buoy.) After the Enterprise has destroyed it, the crew is contacted by an alien intelligence, personified by a character named Balok. While Kirk has to think his way out of the situation, tensions run high among the crew. Kirk and McCoy argue over the stability of the current navigator, a man named Bailey (Anthony D. Call, 'One Life to Live').

The title stems from some quick thinking by Kirk: when all else fails, and your opponent seems to have all of the advantage, bluff your way out, and hope that the other individual falls for it. While the whole confrontation with Balok is originally analogized as a chess match, Kirk believes it is more of a poker game. This intriguing script was the work of Jerry Sohl, whose other credits include 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Outer Limits'. Director Joseph Sargent, the man behind such 70s theatrical gems as "Colossus: The Forbin Project" and "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three", generates a LOT of tension from the set-up. Certainly the initial encounter with the buoy has a palpable sense of weirdness and urgency about it. As we find out, it's emitting a potentially lethal amount of radiation. But things get turned upside down for the closing encounter with Balok, who is revealed to be something highly unexpected. In fact, the final few minutes are rather pleasant, as we see that an exchange of information about cultures can take place, which of course has always been one of the main purposes that the Enterprise fulfills.

Guest star Call delivers a standout performance as a young man that was promoted hastily, and who in fact may not have been really cut out for his responsibilities. But his very human reaction to the danger is all too understandable. That said, one other element that ensures the staying power of this episode is the presence of a seven-year-old, jovial Clint Howard as Balok, a little bald alien who loves a drink called Tranya. But the whole cast is in fine form, with Shatner as Kirk always keeping a level head and typically having the strength of his convictions.

Seven out of 10.

I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Bailey... when this becomes a democracy

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 4 March 2021]

The Enterprise meets an alien starship with seemingly hostile intentions.

This is strong character episode and a good example of the main Star Trek themes of exploration and avoidance of conflict.

The plot is mainly character driven and it gives great insight into the crew in a potential conflict situation, with a big focus on Captain Kirk's leadership.

There are themes that underlie the story, clearly stemming from the bipolar years during the Cold War, where we have two opposing entities contemplating mutually assured destruction.

It shows the Kirk-Spock-Bones trinity in its infancy with the banter not quite developed to the standard it famously reached in later episodes, but it is very good nonetheless. Also thrown into the equation is Lt. Bailey who provides a powerfully emotional human response to a seemingly hopeless situation. My favourite line of the episode (quoted in the review title) comes in a nice sequence between Bailey and Kirk.

I enjoyed the visuals with the bright sixties colours and makeshift special effects adding to the charm as always. The concept of Balock feels very much in the same vain as The Wizard Of Oz.

William Shatner is brilliant and carries the episode perfectly. He is supported wonderfully by DeForest Kelley in particular, with Leonard Nimoy and Anthony Call also good. Clint Howard famously appears in a badly dubbed role that adds even more charm.

Child's Play...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 15 February 2022]

From the vacuum that's space with no air, a barrier in the form of a square, purple rinse of a chap, then disables and traps, before stalemate prevents more warfare.

Captain Kirk plays his hand with aplomb, pretends they've got a secret bomb, soon the tables are turned, some engines are burned, turns out to be a bit of a con.

Diplomacy saves the day with a bit of brinkmanship thrown in for good measure.

"A very interesting game, this poker".

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 9 October 2010]

I've always remembered this episode as the one in which Captain Kirk had to quickly think on his feet in order to save the Enterprise with only a ten minute warning. The countdown actually got pretty low before Spock inadvertently hinted a solution to Kirk with his chess reference, triggering the Captain's thoughts to a more formidable game of bluff. It was a very cool resolution for Kirk to challenge Balok with his corbomite maneuver while puzzling the crew with what seemed like a top secret plan that no one else knew anything about. It showed just how deft the Captain could be when the fate of the entire Enterprise was put on the line.

Watching these shows again in original air date order, it's interesting to see Dr. McCoy challenge Kirk in his medical records twice in a row; he had done so in the prior episode, "Dagger of the Mind" as well. Just that idea showed how far Gene Roddenberry and his writers had developed the concept of a highly disciplined structure in which a United Earth Ship had to operate. On the flip side however, it looks almost comical for them to have goofed on a simple idea like the countdown clock flipping to 1:59 with a minute left to respond to Balok.

But this was Kirk at his best, making an impossible decision with a coolness of character matched only by Spock in this and future episodes. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first time Spock used his signature line - "Fascinating". And a first for Bones as well, uttering one of his many to come comparisons when asked to perform outside of his regular duties - "What am I, a doctor or a moon shuttle coordinator"?

Killer moves

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 20 May 2016]

'The Corbomite Maneuver' has the good stuff - drama, suspense - but it's mostly about attitude. When you're out there in deep space, dogged by (essentially) an intergalactic bully, do you fall to pieces like crewman Bailey (placeholder until a new navigator comes along) or do you hold steady in the captain's chair and outwit the pother guy with an epic bluff? In the end, it all turns out to be creepy Clint Howard behind all of this, and all he really wanted was a friend. But it's the poker-inspired standoff between himself and Kirk that really makes this one cool. You can see the seeds of the Kobayashi Maru being sown here with Kirk's creative solution to the problem, and it makes for some solid tension.

7/10

What a load of Baloks.

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 13 May 2022]

Unless I am mistaken, contrary to what The Firm's 1987 hit Star Trekkin' would have us believe, the crew of The Enterprise ARE capable of finding reverse: while trying to evade a mysterious spinning cube that blocks the ship's path, it appears that The Enterprise is going backwards, before Kirk decides to blast the object with the ship's phasers. This course of action attracts the Fesarius, the massive spheroid flagship of the "First Federation", whose alien commander Balok informs The Enterprise that the object was a space buoy, the destruction of which is seen as an act of hostility. In retaliation, Balok gives Kirk a ten minute countdown, after which he will destroy The Enterprise.

To prevent this from happening, Kirk plays a poker style bluff -- the Corbomite Maneuver -- the captain claiming that his ship has the ability to turn any attack against its aggressor with equal force. Will his deception successfully fool Balok?

Man, this one is hard going. Set almost entirely on the bridge of The Enterprise, it mostly comprises of The Enterprise standing still while Kirk talks to Balok, first trying to convince the alien of his good intentions and then trying to fool it into thinking that an attack would be a grave mistake. All of this is very dull. The supposed exciting highlight sees the Enterprise trying to shake itself loose while being towed by a space-tug piloted by Balok, Kirk's ploy eventually draining the alien's craft of power. The incredibly daft final act has Kirk, Bones, and crewman Bailey (Anthony D. Call) beam aboard Balok's ship to try and help its commander only to find that the alien (played by child actor Clint Howard) has merely been having fun testing them. At the end, Bailey agrees to remain with Balok so that they can learn about each other's culture, despite the man being on the verge of a nervous breakdown less than an hour earlier.

International Relations 101

[Blueghost · 29 May 2009]

Not so much a Cold War analogy as some Star Trek episodes tended to be, this particular installment of the classic 1960's Star Trek franchise dramatizes the push and pull, the ebb and flow, of two nations coming into conflict with one another, and how the game of denial, deception, and bluff (usually in the form of classic saber rattling) can remand relations to square one.

This is the genius of Star Trek. The ability to codify everyday experiences into a dramatized setting for comment. When I first viewed it I understood the underlying message, but not the entire theme and ramifications thereof. It would take another thirty years for me to go "Ah-HA! I get it now..." Oh sure, I understood the whole misunderstanding and suspicion thing, but I figured it was story filler. As it turns out, this episode, like nearly all Trek episodes, cleverly illustrates the extension of male oriented interpersonal relations manifested on a national level. A little counter to this high minded philosophizing is the introduction of a character on the bridge who represents the fear and loathing of the common man, and the innate reptile (or inner child) as he follows orders (or his inability thereof). And therein lies a whole other level of meaning above and beyond geo-politics.

Production Values; the SFX for 1960s television are what they are; i.e. not always convincing, but able to get their point across. Ditto with one artificial "alien", though this is countered by some optical effects and the overall thesping by the cast (including the voice actor for the off-screen dialog). I've not seen the remastered episodes, but, of all the classic Trek that have had their SFX and other production values tweaked for modern visual sensibilities, I'm very interested in seeing this one.

Enjoy.

Wonderful Trek Episode, As Usual For Season One

[verbusen · 10/10 · 22 May 2009]

They are showing remastered Star Trek on the armed forces network at the time I am in front of the TV, so this is jogging all my memories and giving me new insights and I'd like to share them here, thanks. Corbomite Maneuver is a childhood memory for me. Not when it was first shown as I was only 2 1/2 then, but later when I watched it in reruns after school when I was probably between 7 and 9 in the early 70's. It is a great episode to watch as a child because it is not in the typical sci fi mode of all sides having similar strength, here I witnessed a scene that blew my very youthful mind and expanded the way I thought odf possibilities that for many like myself we never would havce thought of unless something like this made us aware of them. I'm talking about the scene where the alien ship comes against the Enterprise and dwarfs it in size, this scene would be replayed to great effect in season two's The Immunity Syndrome but is very rarely seen in science fiction in general in regards to spacecraft, it shows some awesome creativity from those who wrote Star Trek, and it's what helped make it so great. I have not seen this in several years but I was hooked to see the "enhanced" new effects in the remastered edition and I noticed that in the beginning that this was obviously a very early episode, which was confirmed by the trivia at IMDb.com (the internet and this site are great!), as a matter of fact, this was the first filmed episode after the two pilots. Everyone is explained very nicely as an introduction for our cast of characters, still some refinement to come, I noticed Spock expresses his Father and Mother in the past tense as if they were deceased, McCoy is using the Captain word a lot instead of Jim, Sulu is the time keeper instead of Spock, etc etc.

In the 90's you could get a Star Trek video made at Universal Studios (as seen in many youtube posts), I made one myself and it always brings back great memories even though it was made with my ex wife, lol. In that video they pull a Corbomite type bluff against the Klingon's, its a great plot twist and I don't recall many if any other TV shows I've seen it on! I also keep seeing in some posts about Star Trek, "Why didn't they have seat-belts?" Well Star Trek is based on 20th century naval drama, that is why the Captain is a Captain and not a Colonel. I thought of my time on a ship and very few if any seats have seat belts, I wondered why and it must be so you can move about quickly to assist others that may need it. Now the scene where everyone of the crew is kind of line dancing in the corridors is stupid as they would be at their battle station's but we can acknowledge that when you are at sea on a smaller ship in heavy seas that you will move from bulkhead to bulkhead that way. But in case anyone was interested since this was the first regular filmed episode I think they were relying a lot on the naval element for the show, it would get refined for space as we went along, it still woks pretty good even early on.

I get the idea of the "remastered" treatment now. It gives people like me who have seen Trek TOS repeatedly over 365 tears a reason to revist it, but more importantly it gives the Gen X and Gen Y's a chance to watch without totally dismissing it because of the 1966 TV effect's which although were excellent compared to what else was out there (the best?), are easy to nitpick and will get nit picked by younger viewers. I understand all that and think overall now that its great that the effects were redone, god job! My overall rating was when I first saw this episode as young tot, 10 of 10 all time best, now as an adult after double digit viewings, still a 10 of 10 (not the best but still great), a great episode and a great introduction for anyone new to the series to watch. Makes a great pilot if you wish to show it to your kids as a first episode.

Bluff and counter-bluff

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 9 September 2015]

When the Enterprise comes across a strange cubical space-buoy it is forced to come to a full stop; each time it changes course the buoy moves too and blocks its path. Eventually it starts emitting radiation at levels that prove dangerous and Captain Kirk is forced to order its destruction. Shortly afterwards they meet a vast ship. A voice announces that the Enterprise and its crew have been judged to be dangerous and they will be destroyed in ten minutes. As the minutes pass navigator Lt Bailey starts to panic and is relieved of duty. Spock manages to open a video link and we see the alien; an imposing humanoid who identifies himself as Commander Balok. Spock compares the situation to a game of chess but Kirk disagree; he says it is a game of poker… and in a game of poker one may bluff. That is just what Kirk does when he announces that the Enterprise, and other Star Fleet vessels, are fitted with something called the 'Corbomite Device' which will automatically destroy any ship that attacks. Will Balok call his bluff or back down?

The special effects may seem a little dated now but this is still a classic episode with an enjoyable twist in the tail. It was interesting to see how the stress of the situation affected people; most obvious was Lt Bailey but it was also noticeable that Kirk was getting snappy; especially when McCoy points out that he had warned Kirk about Bailey's rapid promotion to a position he wasn't ready for. Balok proves to be one of the series most memorable antagonists; I loved how it turned out that he wasn't quite what he first appeared. Away from the main story it was fun to see Kirk forced to undergo a fitness test then being put on a salad diet! The cast all do a solid job in this early (in the production run) episode. Overall a good story with a nice mix of drama and humour.

A winning hand

[DAshton1918 · 9/10 · 11 October 2020]

One of the best early episodes...tense, exciting...and the crafty mind of James T. Kirk at work. His ability to outmaneuver foes is on display here...and will come in handy later on!

However...McCoy dressing down the captain on the bridge in front of the crew (the SECOND time so far in the series) wouldn't be tolerated. He'll be reprimanded for sure...then they'll share a glass of Romulan ale and all will be forgotten...he's too good to lose.

Nice byplay by the crew, including Scotty on the bridge (shouldn't he be down in engineering during a life-or-death crisis?)...add in a surprise appearance by Opie's brother and you've got a royal flush. Oh, and Yeoman Rand bringing coffee to the captain in the middle of all this? It's not a leisurely Sunday cruise around the galaxy here...and how did she not spill it with all of the shaking and rocking??? As Spock would say...it is NOT logical.

Aces up on this one...you'll love it!

Enough with Chess, Time for Poker !

[nicofreezer · 10/10 · 15 April 2021]

Simply perfect ! An Amazing piece of Télevision This episode keep you on the edge of your Seat from A to Z, the best so far ! The references to Chess and Poker are great, I feel like spock and Kirk are two Amazing characters with great references, way better than most characters on today TV.

Its Strange but I feel more like Spock and Kirk than from most of TV characters. Anyway that episode must be a Classic and i've only watch the first 10 as for now.

High stakes bluff

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 22 November 2014]

The Starship Enterprise is an old hand at meeting new cultures and William Shatner and the crew do not react hastily to challenges. Even though he's thoroughly provoked, Shatner does not react to the several provocations the Fesaurians give him.

Instead he runs a high stakes bluff with them when they with their large spaceship threatens to destroy the Enterprise. Shatner references poker in his dealings and DeForest Kelley offers to teach Leonard Nimoy the game. Imagine trying to run a bluff on that logical mind?

Of more concern to Captain Kirk is that Dr. McCoy thinks he may have promoted Anthony Call to the bridge too soon. Call does show signs of cracking under the strain.

In the end the Enterprise makes friends with the Fesaurians and what a surprise those humanoids turn out to be.

Love it !

[mhubbard-54657 · 9/10 · 23 December 2016]

This episode represents a change from many previous Season One episodes, where the Captain's mind was usually taken over in some bizarre manner, leading him to behave in a way he never otherwise would. In this episode we see why Captain James T Kirk was qualified in the first place to be the Captain. He held up under the pressure. Yes, he had help from the First Officer. He also had to deal with a junior officer, a younger version of himself who was too impulsive. But when things were really bad, and the ship and all the lives were at stake, Kirk assessed his options, played a poker bluff and acted accordingly.

The bluff worked out. He and the Doctor forgave each other for their disagreements. And the 5 year mission of seeking out new civilizations continued.

We're Off to See the Wizard!

[Samuel-Shovel · 7/10 · 9 March 2018]

"The Corbomite Maneuver" is an episode with a very odd tone to it. A combination of the score, strange camera angles, and the action on screen really makes this episode stand out from the sum of its parts. The presence of the strange cube, the large ship, the menacing voice, all add flavor to thus. All these bells and whistles are reminiscent of the plot of "The Wizard of Oz". But unlike that movie's message, this plot device is used to test the crew of the Enterprise, to ascertain their motives.

I have to say, the most disturbing thing to me was the episode's final reveal of Balok. His appearance and the ship's interior design, mixed with the incongruous voice really had an uncomforting effect on me as a viewer. The fact that Bailey decides to stay there and learn from him didn't help things.

I guess the messages of this episode is tolerance of others and don't judge a commanding officer by his puppet. Fine messages, but this episode isn't my favorite. I did like the tension building of the music and images though.

Despite being static and a tad disappointing at the end, this episode has some great scenes

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 5 December 2006]

Perhaps one reason to see this episode is so you can see just how ugly Clint Howard could be, as he plays a very memorable alien! Another would be to see some interesting plot elements and some exceptional dialog. So, despite this episode being pretty static at times and confined too much to the ship, it's still very good and worth seeing. It's also a chance to see the REAL first episode- -as it was filmed just after the second "Star Trek" pilot. Oddly, the network chose to show this one later...which is a shame since it's a very solid episode.

The Enterprise wanders into a part of space where they are warned to turn back and proceed no further. But considering their goal is exploration and finding babes for Kirk, they ignore the warning and assume everything will work out for the best (perhaps they read the script and knew everything would be fine). Unfortunately, a hugely powerful being that looks MEGA-creepy announces that he is going to destroy them for their insolence! Bummer. Well, Kirk being a very quick thinker bluffs the ugly dude so that they can escape. However, what happens next I'll leave for you to see for yourself, but the results are well worth seeing. The episode is smartly written and does a lot to explore the characters' motivations and foibles.

Clever premise, though a bit dragged out

[intp · 7/10 · 24 May 2014]

This episode had a clever premise that I still think stands up fairly well, on re-watch: Kirk gets out of a seemingly impossible situation by the simple tactic of bluffing. I love the 'chess' and 'poker' analogies and use them all the time in my own life. In general, I think situations in life are much more often like poker than chess; there is little or no certainty, and quite a bit of luck, chance, and blustering, which sometimes work (and sometimes don't). One sees the same sort of thing all the time in such matters as legal proceedings, interactions between sovereign nations, and business transactions, for example. Are these things like chess? No, not really, or seldom so; generally not precisely calculable, at all, and with much room for trickery and the taking of gambles.

My only complaint about the episode is that it drags on for too long. Ideally, this could have been tightly done in maybe 30 minutes, but they had to fill a 50 minute time slot, so the episode definitely feels 'padded'.

The minor subplot with Bailey did end up paying off nicely in the end, as Kirk deals with a potential problem (getting rid of an inexperienced officer that he promoted too quickly) while also gaining valuable information about a new alien species.

A Senior Trekker writes........................

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 29 March 2022]

Courtesy of the good folks at Memory Alpha, we can see that the Corbomite Maneuver was the only the third episode of Star Trek ever filmed, after the Cage and Where No Man has Gone Before. Consequently we notice some strange anomalies such as Uhura in a different uniform and Mr Spock's monotone delivery. The Captain/Doctor scene is very close to a re-run of the unaired one in the Cage and Kirk's discomfort at having a female yeoman is lifted almost word for word from its predecessor. It was also the first appearance by DeForest Kelley as Dr Leonard McCoy.

Shatner attends his physical and gets his shirt off to reveal a well-upholstered torso and immaculately-shaved chest. He obviously met the beefcake standards of the day though, because he gets a number of carefully lit close-ups which, by today's standards, might even be judged a touch homoerotic. No, really! Kirk is the only male that gets that coloured lighting, soft focus treatment. It's usually reserved for the ladies.

It's an extremely good story nonetheless, and one that bears re-watching again and again for an extremely tense countdown, the challenges faced by an inexperienced crewman and one of the best foes ever encountered in the whole of Star Trek. Anthony Call, who was so memorable as the young Dave Bailey, quit the acting business for more than twenty years, only to return in 2001 to pursue a very successful career in voice work but the Star Trek guest star for all times has to be Clint Howard.

He may have been only aged seven when he played the role of Balok but he was an experienced actor, having already appeared in numerous television parts by 1966. The strangeness of his appearance combined with the carefully dubbed adult voice and reduced-size sets gave the latter part of the episode a distinctly weird ambiance. It was easy to laugh at the sparkly curtain fabric and Wizard of Oz style fake monster when this first aired but no-one ever forgets it.

Mr Howard broke all Star Trek records when he appeared in Discovery fifty two years later as the "Creepy Orion". The man is Star Trek Royalty, people. Didn't he deserve a better part in 2018?

Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5.