64) The Empath

Enterprise Incidents with Scott & Steve

During their attempt to rescue a research team from a soon-to-be-destroyed planet, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy are abducted by an alien race called the Vians, who mercilessly use them as laboratory experiments for unknown purposes. Those purposes may have to do with the presence of a beautiful young mute woman they refer to as "Gem," who possesses the power to absorb pain from others. But before the true motive of the Vians can be revealed, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are faced with the threat of extreme torture, the likes of which they may not survive. If there was ever a love-it or hate-it episode of "Star Trek," it's "The Empath." Those who hate it are presumably turned off by the sadistic nature of the Vians, while those who love it are taken by the underlying themes of empathy and selflessness, not to mention the great display of compassion shown between our heroes. Count us among the latter, for despite all the pain and suffering, "The Empath" ultimately succeeds as a touching, powerful and uplifting episode that's marked by a beautiful score and magnificent performances from the entire cast.

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