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Star Trek TAS - Season 1 - Episode 08

Star Trek TAS - 1x08 - The Magicks of Megas-Tu

Originally Aired: 1973-10-27

Synopsis:
While investigating the theory of creation, the Enterprise is caught inside an energy/matter tornado and pulled to the center of the galaxy. [Blu-ray] [DVD]

My Rating - 0

Fan Rating Average - 3.77

Rate episode?

Rating: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
# Votes: 17 6 2 3 3 4 2 4 3 5 4

Problems
- Impossible travel to the center of the galaxy.
- Reference to matter being created from nothing.
- Magical powers without rational explanation.

Factoids
- This episode is the winner of my "Worst Episode of TAS Award" and is therefore a candidate for my "Worst Episode Ever Award."

Remarkable Scenes
None

My Review
Oh boy. An impossible travel to the center of the galaxy, blatant disregard for the law of conservation of matter/energy, magical powers coming real without any kind of rational explanation. This episode features some of the worst science ever featured in Star Trek. Quite possibly the worst episode of Star Trek ever made. Only the idea that the aliens lived on Earth in ancient times and were persecuted for their magical powers at the Salem witch trials is interesting. An advanced race's natural abilities would indeed seem like magic. Though, unfortunately, this episode claims that it actually WAS magic. Furthermore, this episode contradicts its own already frail explanation for the magic. The episode claimed the magical powers can only exist in that alien dimension. So how did the aliens use their magical powers while on Earth? Also, I like the crack on religion in this episode; Lucifer = good guy. Though those nice little details aren't enough to save this most dreadful episode.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

  • From pjotrwolf on 2017-04-02 at 9:32pm:
    There is not so much difference between the magic of the megas and the "omnipotence" of Q or other beings of the Q continuum. The Squire of Gothos does similar sorcery. I wonder why their powers and conjuring tricks are not questioned for rational explanations.
  • From Hugo on 2020-09-02 at 4:53pm:
    Isn't it a bit similar to the TNG pilot? A omnipotent being holding humanity at trial... ?

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