Kirk encounters a Shakespearian actor who may or my not be mass murderer.
I enjoyed this episode for the character moments, themes and performances.
The plot is not a particularly compelling mystery, as it's made pretty clear from early on whether or not Anton Karidian is Kodos the Executioner and the identity of the killer is all but obvious. For me though the focus on the characters during the situation is, to coin a phrase, fascinating.
It might feel frustrating to some watching Kirk take so much time processing the evidence, but it is the story of a commander who deep down knows the truth but has a difficult time dealing with it. This for me is a great take on Kirk's backstory and character development. I liked seeing him being extremely careful not to let a lust for vengeance cloud any judgement and also being single-minded pursuit of a personal mission.
I loved the scenes with Spock and Bones who, as always, represent the simple logic and emotional conscience that Kirk looks to balance. Along side the important contributions they make to the plot, they contribute with some excellent dialogue, particular in their scenes together.
The dialogue generally is good and as the plot and character of Karidian takes a lot from Hamlet, there are numerous quotes from Shakespeare plays in certain scenes. Lenore's dialogue with Kirk is for me one of the high points, particularly in their early more flirtatious scenes when they engage in a seduction for the benefit both of their personal agendas.
All the themes of the episode, although entwined with the Shakespeare homage, are interesting. Sci-fi concepts are pretty much non-existent but the focus on brutal topics like genocide is relevant, particularly during the sixties when the WWII was so fresh in people's memory.
All performances are strong with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Bruce Hyde all making great contributions. Grace Lee Whitney has a non-speaking part but her look of distain towards one character as she exits a lift is a small but cinematic moment. The guest stars Arnold Moss and Barbara Anderson both do excellent work.