When a bunch of Children of the Corn on a scientific outpost cause their parents to Jim Jones themselves, they call to the guardians of the watchtowers of the East and release “he who walks behind the rows” back into the galaxy.

Star Trek continues to be relevant as ever as we question whether innocent followers who don’t know any better are just as liable as the evil people pulling the strings? People who aren’t taught critical thinking and scientific skepticism are very susceptible to “fake news” and “stolen elections” and “vaccine disinformation”? SAY IT AIN’T SO!

When the Enterprise crosses into the Romulan DMZ, Spock fingers a Romulan Commander while Kirk steals a cloaking device (treaty be damned). Is it “OK” to do things during war that would otherwise violate your values? Why does this episode seem to say “yes”? Just what does a Vulcan penis look like, anyway?

What’s Allie’s great idea? Is Data’s cat Spot canonically also a hot chick? Why do time travelers always act powerless? Will Kirk allow Marty to make sure his parents bang at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance? What are the rules of time travel anyway? How short can a miniskirt get? This episode asks more questions than it answers.

The TOS writers once again explore the idea “What would have happened if ‘x’ hadn’t fallen?” Not 1920’s Chicago. Not Nazi Germany. No, this episode of Star Trek: The Original Series begs the question, “Men: How often do you think about the Roman Empire?”

People’s fear of automation operates on “Sarah’s Pendulum Theory of Everything”. In the 60’s? Vehicle Manufacturing. Today? AI. Can AI and the like coexist with capitalism or will ChatGPT take over the starship and start torpedoing the shit out of everything?