‘Star Trek’ Retro Recap: ‘Wink of an Eye’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It’s always fascinating to learn what exactly allowed for a particular fan to fall in love with Star Trek. For some, it’s all about that hopeful vision of the future, because the thought of mankind overcoming its issues and traveling the stars is quite the draw. For others, it’s the wonderful sense of adventure that this series exhibits, since this intrepid crew uncovered wonders during their voyage through the galaxy and there are some that simply love the intelligence of the series, since its quality writing allowed for some beautiful stories to come to fruition. But one element that people don’t talk about enough when it comes to the magic of this series, is the sheer fact that it offers up some supremely diverse storytelling.
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Because this series really did find a way to do it all. Since it offered up horror stories, dramatic and comedic moments and just about everything in between. Case and point, the next episode of this storied series. Because ‘Wink of an Eye’ is a tale that takes a big risk storytelling wise. For there is no deeper meaning present within the framework of this tale, nor is there anything complex to it. It is simply a story grounded in fear. For it features a species on the brink of extinction and while that sounds like something that could go sideways real quick, this story actually works on screen due to the fact that it offers up some compelling and curious moments, all courtesy of a grand mystery that unfolds in real time, all thanks to a distress call from a planet known as Scalos.

For when the away team from the Enterprise beams down to this world, they outright find nothing. Not a trace of plant life, or insect life or humanoid life, leaving Kirk and company to wonder how on earth a distress call was even broadcast in the first place. But it doesn’t take long for this story to take a dangerous turn when a red shirt disappears on the planet below, prompting Kirk to order everyone back up to the ship and that’s when the mystery gets underway. For the away team brought the Scalosians back with them and didn’t have a clue about these stowaways. Simply because this species, one that destroyed their world through careless science, are able to move faster than anyone else on the ship. Prompting them to begin a grand and mysterious takeover of the NCC-1701, one that forces the crew to work overtime to figure out what is happening to the ship and well, when they discover what these beings are up to, the story does delve into some dark territory.

Because as it turns out, the Scalosians ultimate goal, is to put the crew in suspended animation and use them for breeding vessels to propagate their species. Something that just goes to show how desperate the Scalosians are and how far they’ve lost their way. In fact, having Kirk become part of their hyper fast world and spend time with them is really what makes this story so worth your while. Because these beings personify panic in the raw, for they are so near the end that all logic and understanding of science has left their minds. All that remains is a narrow-minded quest to keep the species going and that leads to some tense drama and a lovely game of deception that Kirk has to play in order to re-take the ship and save his crew.

If anything, this really was quite the compelling episode. Because it focused squarely on the power of fear, and what it can do to people when it controls them completely and that just sucks you into the story. Yet while this episode was unique and compelling for certain, what also makes it work so well, is the sheer fact that it still found a way to stay true to the franchise while diving into some bleak elements. Because the crew work together to find the solution to their problems, and they support one another every step of the way, and it doesn’t get more Trek than that, and one has to wonder if there will be more episodes that just let loose in this manner as season three continues along. Because stories in this vein help to clear your mental palate, so that you’re ready to consume something supremely cerebral when it comes along. Until next time.

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