Star Trek TOS S1E9: Dagger of the Mind

Star Trek critiques prison reform.

See the Star Trek TOS Rewatch Index page for links to all the episodes covered so far.

“DAGGER OF THE MIND” RATING: 7.5/10

Star Trek just did the “widely admired Federation scientist goes rogue” plot in episode 7 “What Are Little Girls Made Of.” The creators liked it so much they decided to repeat it in for “Dagger of the Mind.”  This time, though, the scientist in question isn’t a cyberneticist but a penologist. And the story, by Shimon Wincelberg under the name S. Bar-David, isn’t a confused metaphor for colonialism. It’s a startlingly nuanced critique of prison reform.