"Operation-Annihilate!" Ep. 29 - Kirk finds his brother Sam dead, and the people of the planet Devena are victims of an epidemic of mass insanity. "Catspaw," Ep. 30 - On Pyrus VII, Sulu and Scotty are rendered zombies by ... more »the evil magic of Korob and Sylvia, who then turn their trickery on the U.S.S. Enterprise.« less
Genres:Science Fiction & Fantasy, Television Sub-Genres:Classics, Science Fiction, Classic TV Studio:Paramount Format:DVD - Color - Closed-captioned DVD Release Date: 09/19/2000 Original Release Date: 01/01/1967 Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/1967 Release Year: 2000 Run Time: 1hr 40min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 1 SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 1 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English Subtitles:English
OPERATION-ANNIHILATE!
This episode is actually quite good. Again, by this point Star Trek was exploring more emotional themes and a darker plot-line. In this one Kirk's brother is killed, and Spock is injured... worse he goes blind.
Of course the ending isn't all doom and gloom, but the episode certainly wasn't to be all fun and games.
Good plot and acting on the part of the side-characters. Worth watching.
CATSPAW
Essentially the Halloween Special for Star Trek. Didn't even TRY to hide the fact. Witches, black cats, magic, ghosts, skeletons, castles, dungeons, you name it, and it is in here... actually I lied... there are no pumpkins that I recall.
Not a great episode by any stretch of the imagination unless you like the above mentioned things. The ending is the only part of the plot that seems remotely like a Star Trek.
But hey, doesn't hurt to watch ANY episode at least once.
Movie Reviews
Two VERY different episodes of Classic Trek
Hank Drake | Cleveland, OH United States | 09/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Operation Annihitate!" was the last episode of Star Trek's first season to be filmed. They ended their first season on a high note--the story is exceptionally well written and acted. In addition to his role as Captain Kirk, William Shatner has a brief cameo as Kirk's older brother, Sam's corpse (wearing a mustache and greyed hair). One of the many ways in which the original Trek succedeed where The Next Generation failed is that the characters, like real human beings, get angry with each other. When McCoy (temporarily) blinds Spock, Kirk looks like he's is ready to slug the Doctor. But, like real human being, the characters also forgive each other, and a few minutes later, Kirk tells McCoy "It wasn't your fault." "Catspaw" was the first episode of the second season to be filmed, but the seventh to be aired since it had a Halloween theme. Unfortunately, this episode was neither scary, nor otherwise compelling. One of the few ways that The Next Generation was superior to Classic Trek is TNG's Halloween episodes (i.e. Schisms) were truly disturbing. "Catspaw" is more amusing than frightening, and I wonder if the time slot they were in, 8:30-9:30 Friday evenings, compelled them to film a very tame script.As usual with these DVD's, the image and sound have been carefully restored the episodes look and sound great. Unfortunately, this sometimes points out faulty special effects, such as the strings holding the alien marrionettes in "Catspaw," perceptible in earlier transfers, they are now glaringly visible."
THE ULTIMATE KIRK'S EPISODE
Fernando Macedo Soares | SAO PAULO, SAO PAULO Brazil | 09/15/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"OPERATION - ANNIHILATE ! Original Airdate April, 13, 1967.Ep. 29. The final episode of the first season, Directed by Herschel Daugherty and Written by Steven Carabatsos. The Enterprise receives an Emergency call from the planet Deneva where Kirk's family (Brother and relatives) live but, it's too late, after his brother dies Kirk discovers amoeba-like creatures that infiltrate a victim's nervous system. Doc McCoy endeavors to find a cure to this critical disease to saves Kirk's nephew life and Mr. Spock as well, while Kirk faces the knowledge that he must destroy the entire planet if a cure can't be found. CATSPAW. Original Airdate: October, 27, 1967. Ep. 30. Directed by Joseph Pevney and Written by Robert Bloch and D.C. Fontana. Intended as a Halloween episode, Kirk, Spock and Scotty beam down to a strange planet, Pyris VII, overrun with zombies, witches and goblins."
Operation: Fun!
Michael Colvin | Berkeley, CA USA | 09/24/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"These are two good, mind bending, whoa what was that kind of episodes. The special effects were bold for the time., and quite fun to watch.On the DVD, the sound quality is excellent and the picture quality is equally good. Now for the fun stuff: In Operation: Annihilate! Mass insanity has hit planet after planet and no one knows why - and its up to the Enterprise crew to save the galaxy. My only quibble is that if these "one celled organisims" were so obvious here on Deneva, how come no one else could have "picked them up"? It's a little like "No, we don't have any water but we have starships" kind of things...And in Catspaw, Ghosts, Voodoo, and witches haunt an away team. My favorite part was when our trio (Kirk, Spock and McCoy) are in chains, Kirk says to McCoy "Bones", and we see next to McCoy a skelleton. Someone has a big sense of irony!!!Overall, the great episodes with the superb DVDs, not to mention seeing Checkov for the first time on DVD, makes for a great buy!"
A BIZARRE COLLECTION OF TREK EPISODES!
Jared Insell | Canada | 07/19/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Volume 15 of The Star Trek TOS DVD series should be noted to have the last episode filmed in season 1 and the first episode filmed in the second season. However these episodes are some of the most bizarre episodes to ever grace the series.OPERATION-ANNILATE! was the last episode in season 1. It closed the 1966-67 season with a bang. Making sure that fans would tune in for the second season for another collection of Star Trek Adventures. OPERATION - ANNILATE'S plot was a very good one as a notorious space bacteria that travels from system to system killing everything in it's path has crossed path with the USS Enterprise. The bacteria has travelled to a planet by the name of Deneva killing Kirk's brother Sam and his wife. As the bacteria begins to consume yet another system it is up to Kirk and the crew to stop it. The episode is very well written and despite the fact the the bacteria organisms look like novelty store vomit this episode is one of Trek's less cheesier outings.CATSPAW was the first episode filmed in season 2 but the seventh the air (partly because it had a Halloween like concept). Anyway this was not a good start to the second season. The setting is great, the warlock characters are interesting but the plot was really stupid! If this episode was supposed to be some sort of spooky thriller it failed miserably it came out more like a campy episode of Batman or The Monkees! However it should be noted that this episode marks the debut of Lt. Pavel Chekov in his ridiculous Monkee-esque wig. The very idea that network executives tried to make Chekov a Davy Jones clone is insulting to both Star Trek Series and the viewers. Thankfully the wig would be ditched after a few episodes.
CATSPAW is one of the lesser Trek episodes of Season 2.I still recommend this DVD cause it is still classic Trek. It contains one great episode and one bad one. Keep in mind that CATSPAW is bad but it is still watchable but I find it very bizarre but of course Trek has bizarre moments. Mildly recommended."
My copy skipped
Ken Morenz | San Diego, Ca. U.S.A. | 08/24/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I am getting the whole Star Trek original series on DVD. even though they are overpriced for what you get. Overall, I have been satisfied with them, but this particular copy started to skip at the end of episode 29. I returned it, and received another copy, which also skipped in the same place. I was satisfied with the content, obviously, and Amazon's service, but for now, I had to skip this episode and move on. I will try to repurchase this disc at a later date, hoping to get a new master. This idea worked for me with Disney's Tarzan which had a similar problem years ago."