Story: Jerome Bixby
Screenplay: D.C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby
Director: Marc Daniels
Producer: John Meredyth Lucas
Maybe it's just the presence of Forbidden Planet alum Warren Stevens as the lead alien, but there's something very "old school sci-fi" about this episode. It's about suuper powerful giant unemotional tentacle monster aliens from another galaxy who have come to our galaxy with the intention of conquering it, and have assumed convenient human form so they can hijack the Enterprise to achieve their mission.
What makes the episode work beyond it's fairly predictable story beats is the attention to detail, intelligent execution of the plot, use of Star Trek continuity, and character details. The episode makes multiple references to past episodes (the barrier at the edge of the galaxy from the second pilot reappears, for instance), and answers questions like "how does a small number of aliens take over a crew of 430?" (by turning them into concentrated white dodecahedrons).
Of course, how do you defeat Great Old Ones from the Intergalactic Cosmos who have taken human form? By overwhelming them with human sensations for which they are unfamiliar of course! So Scotty sets about getting one of them drunk, of course, and they go through his whole liquor cabinet but he manages to drink him under the table. McCoy gives one shots for conditions he doesnt' have to make him irritable. Spock spurs the leader into being jealous of Kirk, and Kirk of course seduces the hot blonde one by teaching her the ways of that strange human emotion called love.
It's all a bit predictable, but the intelligence and care by which the story is written grants it enjoyability. It's fun to see our people outsmart these aliens -- the Scotty plotline is particularly memorable -- and apparently most of this sense of fun and character was added by Dorothy Fontana in her rewrite. Jerome Bixby's original script was much more serious in its take on aliens taking over our galaxy. Fontana rightly recognized that such a plot was a bit too much to take, and turns it into a good character study.
And trust me, you'll never forget those weird white dodecahedrons.
Rating: 2.5 out of 4
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