5. 'The Enemy Within'
One of the earliest experiments in psychological science fiction, “The Enemy Within,” which was broadcast on October 6, 1966, splits Kirk into “good” and “evil” halves after a transporter accident.
In this episode, we ask how much compassion and empathy can be divorced from courage, decisiveness, and enthusiasm. Some things, especially the way an attempted attack is handled, show the limitations of television in the 1960s, but the basic argument about what makes a complete person holds true.
It's a 60-year-old drama that shows off Shatner's theatricality and gives a surprisingly complex look at internal conflict. It’s a tale that tells us that our most vile tendencies are related to our ability to act, to lead, to survive, and not just defects to be discarded.
Some of the sequences are harsh by modern standards, but there is real value in the way the episode makes you think about the chaotic unity of human nature. With that in mind, “The Enemy Within” is still a major and often compelling piece of early Trek.
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