Mudd’s Women

Episode Summary & Review

Summary

The Enterprise recovers Harcourt Fenton Mudd from within an asteroid belt. His crew is also his cargo – wives for settlers on Ophiuchus III. These women are very beautiful, and have oddly compulsive effects on the male crewmembers. Having burned out most of her dilithium crystals protecting Mudd’s ship, Kirk detours to a Rigel mining colony to secure more. But Mudd’s women secure a communicator for him, enabling him to strike his own deal with chief miner Ben Childress and his associates. To obtain the crystals, Kirk must bring down Mudd’s women, and must agree to dismiss charges against Mudd. Added to the mix is that the women may not be all they appear to be…

Our Take

A mixed bag that leans on a premise aged past comfortable viewing, with the women mostly reduced to objects driving the men’s behavior. Harry Mudd himself is the saving grace, and Roger Carmel plays him with enough sleazy charm to carry the scenes he’s in. The mining colony stretch drags badly. Worth it for Mudd’s debut, but expect to wince a few times along the way.