Robots and Vamps

A new treatment for the criminally insane has deadly results.

Wikipedia notes:

“Dagger of the Mind” is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. It is episode #9, production #11 and was broadcast November 3, 1966. It was written by Shimon Wincelberg (under the pen name “S. Bar-David”), and directed by Vincent McEveety.

his episode marks the first occurrence in Star Trek of the Vulcan mind meld. According to the book The Making of Star Trek by Gene Roddenbery and Stephen Whitfield, the Vulcan mind meld was conceived as an alternative to using hypnosis to tap Van Gelder’s subconscious. The writers wanted to avoid improperly depicting hypnosis as a medical technique. Also, they did not want to shoehorn into the dialog an assurance that Spock is legitimately qualified and certified to use hypnosis given his non-medical credentials. Lastly, they did not want to risk accidentally hypnotizing viewers at home.

Yeoman Janice Rand was supposed to be the female protagonist in the episode before she was replaced by Dr. Helen Noel. According to Grace Lee Whitney, it was a creative decision because the script brought the underlying mutual attraction between Kirk and Rand too much out in the open.

In articles in the magazines Starlog and Entertainment Weekly, actor Morgan Woodward called the role of Dr. Simon Van Gelder the most physically and emotionally exhausting acting job of his career. Desperate to get out of Westerns and expand his range, he was cast against type for this episode and was so well regarded that he came on board next season to play the tragic Capt. Ronald Tracey in “The Omega Glory.” Playing Van Gelder did take its toll on his personal life, as he confesses that for three weeks afterwards he was anti-social towards friends and family. He is grateful that this episode opened up whole new opportunities for him.