Television Review: That Which Survives (Star Trek, S3X14, 1969)

That Which Survives (S03E14)

Airdate: January 24th 1969

Written by: John Meredyth Lucas
Directed by: Herb Wallerstein

Running Time: 50 minutes

The Original Series of Star Trek, in its prime, was a testament to the show’s ability to transcend the creative and financial constraints that often bound 1960s science fiction television. Even within the frequently criticized third season—widely regarded as the series’ weakest—there were glimmers of the philosophical depth and speculative ambition that had made the franchise a cultural touchstone. +That Which Survives* initially appears poised to join these rare successes, blending existential mystery with a gripping survival narrative. However, despite its promising foundation and occasional brilliance, the episode ultimately falters, revealing the cracks in a production struggling to maintain relevance amid impending cancellation.

The episode opens with the USS Enterprise investigating a planet whose physical contradictions defy logic: it is the size of Earth’s moon but possesses Earth-like mass, atmosphere, and lush vegetation. This anomaly alone sets a tone of scientific curiosity, a hallmark of Star Trek’s best work. However, the crew’s exploration is abruptly disrupted by the arrival of a strikingly beautiful woman, Losira (Lee Meriwether), whose ethereal presence masks a lethal capability—she can kill individuals by touching them. The initial encounter, while tense, leans into the campy aesthetic that Season 3 sometimes embraced, particularly with Meriwether’s casting. Known for her role as Catwoman in the 1960s Batman series and her Miss America title, Meriwether’s casting might have primed viewers for a shallow, titillating performance. Instead, the script by John Meredyth Lucas subverts expectations, grounding the narrative in a sombre, even nihilistic atmosphere. Three crew members perish violently, their deaths framed not as dramatic flourishes but as stark reminders of the Enterprise team’s vulnerability. When an earthquake strands Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Sulu on the planet and hurls the Enterprise 1,000 light-years away, the stakes escalate. Onboard, Scotty races against time to prevent the ship’s warp engines from detonating—a subplot that could have been disjointed but instead mirrors the desperation of the landing party.

What elevates “That Which Survives” above the typical Season 3 fare is its refusal to indulge in the romantic or comedic tropes that had become a crutch for the series. Losira, though visually captivating, is not a seductress; her interactions with Kirk lack the flirtatious tension common in episodes featuring female guest stars. Similarly, Kirk’s usual charm offensive is absent, replaced by a grim determination to uncover the truth behind the planet’s artificial ecosystem and its deadly guardian. This restraint lends the episode a rare authenticity, aligning it with the “thinking man’s science fiction” ethos that defined earlier seasons. The climax, in which Losira is revealed not as a living being but as a holographic projection of a long-dead civilization’s defense system, is particularly effective. The revelation that the planet’s creators were destroyed by their own hubris—a theme echoing the dangers of unchecked technological arrogance—closes the narrative with a tragic irony. Yet, this conclusion, while thematically resonant, feels rushed, undermining its emotional weight. The episode’s tone, oscillating between existential dread and procedural urgency, never fully coalesces, leaving the viewer with a sense of fragmentation rather than cohesion.

Herb Wallerstein’s direction deserves credit for maintaining a brisk tempo across the two parallel storylines—the stranded crew’s struggle on the planet and Scotty’s technical crisis in orbit. The decision to intercut these plots effectively sustains tension, though the planet’s artificial sets, while passable for the era, betray the production’s budgetary limitations. The studio-bound landscapes, reused from earlier episodes, strain credibility but are offset by atmospheric lighting and tight pacing. The special effects remain rudimentary yet serviceable. For late-1960s television, the episode’s visuals achieve a workmanlike adequacy, prioritizing narrative momentum over aesthetic polish.

D.C. Fontana, the episode’s original story creator and a writer celebrated for episodes like Journey to Babel, distanced herself from the finished product by using the pseudonym “Michael Richards.” Her dissatisfaction stemmed from deviations in the script, particularly Spock’s uncharacteristic harshness as acting captain. In one jarring scene, Spock coldly dismisses Scotty’s concerns about the ship’s safety, a stark contrast to his usual logical but respectful demeanor. This tonal misstep feels less like a deliberate exploration of Spock’s leadership under stress and more like a narrative shortcut to heighten drama. Fontana’s critique is valid; Spock’s behavior undermines the character’s integrity and introduces a dissonance that weakens the episode’s otherwise serious tone. However, this flaw does not wholly negate the episode’s merits. The subplot involving Sulu referencing the events of The Devil in the Dark is a rare nod to continuity in a series often criticized for its episodic isolation, suggesting a growing maturity in storytelling. Similarly, the core premise—a robotic guardian preserving an extinct civilization’s legacy—while not revolutionary, is executed with enough nuance to avoid feeling derivative.

Yet, for all its strengths, That Which Survives remains a cautionary example of what the third season could not consistently achieve. The script’s philosophical aspirations are undercut by its structural inconsistencies, particularly the abrupt resolution of the Enterprise’s displacement and the underdeveloped exploration of Losira’s role as a spectral custodian. The episode’s failure to fully commit to its darker themes, coupled with its reliance on recycled sets and effects, highlights the show’s declining resources. By this point in the series, the cast and crew were aware of the show’s precarious future, and this anxiety seeps into the production’s uneven execution. While the episode hints at the potential for a more cerebral and emotionally grounded Star Trek, it ultimately lacks the narrative discipline and thematic depth required to elevate it to classic status.

In the broader context of Star Trek’s legacy, That Which Survives serves as a bittersweet reminder of what the Original Series might have achieved had it survived longer. Its willingness to confront mortality, explore alien psychology, and reject superficiality resonates with the franchise’s foundational ideals. However, the compromises of its era—both creative and financial—ensure that it remains a near-miss rather than a triumph. The episode’s dark tone and tragic ending may have been a deliberate attempt to signal the series’ capacity for evolution, but they arrived too late to reverse the network’s decision. That Which Survives is, in many ways, a microcosm of Season 3 itself: ambitious, flawed, and ultimately insufficient to save a show that had already begun to lose its battle against the void.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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