The funny thing about TOS is that even in an affectionate way it's very easy to be condescending towards it.   The racism allegories of the "Let That be Your Last Battlefield" or commentaries on Vietnam seen in the show.  While keen stories it's easy to dismiss them as products of their time.     Â
In my other blog I took a random episode of Trek, guessed the plot and shared, my thoughts on the episode based on memory, my blog entry would then be a reappraisal of that opinion.   I have to admit, I dismissed this story as being a variation on evil computer does evil things, and while there is an element of truth to that, there are some implications for today's society.    Â
The episode doesn't beat around the bush, quickly establishing the concept.  Kirk and Co discover the apparent whereabouts of Doctor Roger Corby, a respected name in Federation circles and the fiancee of Nurse Chapel.   Believed to be dead, Corby communicates with the Enterprise however all is not as it seems   Kirk and Chapel beam down, and are joined by a security detail.  Red Shirted no less, and yes they are promplty dispatched by Ruk played by Ted Cassidy.   Unaware of this Kirk and Chapel are introduced to Ruk, alongside Corby, his aide and the android Andrea, who is clad in typical garb (or lack thereof) for a TOS guest female.     Â
Kirk is duplicated, yep errant AI, exotic alien women, Kirk Doppelgangers and dying Red shirts this episode is on course to collect all the Trek bingo points   But, scratch the surface the concept of Kirk's android double has some relevance today.    Â
While we aren't able to produce effective android replicas, Deep Fake technology has the same implications.   Computers can be used to simulate real people with increasing accuracy.  Just like the Kirk android attempting to infiltrate the Enterprise, copies of us all could soon be sent to infiltrate our digital spaces.     Â
Overall this is a fun episode, if a tad melodramatic, it nevertheless manages to reflect the dangers of today's society.     Â