The Corbomite Maneuver by: Jerry Sohl and directed by: Joseph Sargent

“The Corbomite Maneuver” is written by Jerry Sohl and directed by Joseph Sargent.  It was filmed under production code 3, was the 10^th episode of Star Trek Season 1, and was broadcast on November 10, 1966.

 

Sometimes it’s the most unassuming and budget saving episodes of a television show that leaves a harder impact.  “The Corbomite Maneuver” is one such example, being contained for the majority of the episode to the bridge of the Enterprise it is an episode that feels the most like a stage play in all of the best ways.  Sure, there are peeks into the corridors occasionally and one scene in the sickbay, meeting room, and on the alien ship, all incredibly short and there to move the plot along or wrap everything up means that this episode has to be sold almost entirely on the performances and direction in this one location.  The plot of the episode is simple, the Enterprise comes upon an enormous cube in space which does not allow it to leave and the next fifty minutes of the episode builds tension as the crew does not entirely know how to react.  Eventually the cube is destroyed, and an alien federation led by Balok communicate and sentence the Enterprise to destruction.  This looming threat is a clear reflection of global politics of the time emboldened with themes of mutually assured destruction once Kirk bluffs Balok with a gambit that the Enterprise was constructed with corbomite as a defense.  The corbomite will ensure that Balok’s ship will be destroyed with the Enterprise by reflecting the weapons back to it.

 

The actual maneuver happens about halfway through the episode and the buildup to that point is brilliant.  While the episode is only fifty minutes, as are all installments of Star Trek, it still takes time to allow every character to have at least one reaction to events.  There are the big ones from Kirk, Spock, and McCoy as well as Lt. Bailey, played by Anthony Call, the small ones from Sulu and Uhura are equally as interesting.  Sulu manages to keep a good humor while Uhura stays composed and stern as the main communications officer relaying the messages to Balok, both characters allowing George Takei and Nichelle Nichols little moments to shine.  Bailey is an interesting character, he hadn’t been established prior to this episode but serves a very important purpose of exploring both how someone may break down under stress as well as Kirk’s leadership style.  There is a moment from McCoy mentioning that Kirk had been exerting pressure on the younger officer, implying higher expectations which are interesting to explore and eventually conclude with the way that the episode ends.  William Shatner’s performance as Kirk is also perfect as the leader guiding his people through the genuinely harrowing crisis, perfectly reflecting the political tensions of the time where the belief was that any day mutually assured destruction could occur.  While Kirk as a character shows moments of uncertainty, it is all behind an important façade to keep.  There is a trust between Kirk and Spock on display, Kirk ensuring that he is the one put in danger with Spock left behind to pick up the mantle and pieces should the final meeting with Balok go south.  Finally, the direction from Joseph Sargent also helps make the episode, being far more ambitious than other episodes with several close ups at integral moments and the occasional tracking shot just to make the settings interesting.

 

Overall, “The Corbomite Maneuver” may have been an episode made with a reduced budget in mind, but its limitations are what allow it to work as a brilliant piece of television.  The script from Jerry Sohl is perfect in understating what the episode needs to do to establish what Star Trek is (this was the second episode filmed) and the direction from Joseph Sargent is perfect at bringing out the pathos of the cast making this the first perfect episode I have come across.  10/10.