The remastered version of the fan-favorite Star Trek episode, “The Doomsday Machine” premieres in syndication nationwide during the weekend of February 10, 2007. The remastered “The Doomsday Machine” features over 100 all-new digital visual effects shots, the most of any episode of the original Star Trek series.
William Windom guest stars as Commodore Matt Decker, commander of the wrecked Starship Constellation. Decker tried desperately to save his crew from the doomsday machine, only to be forced to watch in horror as they were all killed by the alien robot.
The centerpiece of the new visual effects for “The Doomsday Machine” is a digital rendering of the alien “planet killer,” a miles-long robot spaceship that destroys worlds, then eats the rubble for fuel. CBS Digital created the new version of the massive weapon, based closely on the original, but gave it a battered, more realistic appearance. Another highlight of the episode is the Constellation, a sister ship to the U.S.S. Enterprise. When discovered by Captain James Kirk (William Shatner), the Constellation is a shattered hulk, nearly destroyed by the doomsday machine. The hull of the digitally-damaged Constellation has been torn open, revealing details of a mangled and charred interior, underscoring the awesome power of the planet killer.
“The Doomsday Machine” is regarded by many fans as a classic of television science fiction, and was penned by noted SF writer Norman Spinrad. The episode was honored with a Hugo Award nomination in the “Best Dramatic Presentation” category by the 1968 World Science Fiction Convention. (Ironically, “The Doomsday Machine” lost to another Star Trek classic, “The City on the Edge of Forever.”)
The highly-anticipated remastered version of “The Doomsday Machine” premieres nationwide during the weekend of February 10, 2007, starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock, with DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy. The original episode was first aired in October, 1967 and was written by Norman Spinrad and directed by Marc Daniels.
Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry. Star Trek remastered is distributed in nationwide syndication by CBS Paramount Television.
I notice the stills from Doomsday Machine appear to be rendered for wide screen. It that the way we are supposed to see them? The HD feed from Ch. 4 in Los Angeles has shown all scenes I have watched in 4:3.
Or will 16:9 only happen in DVDs?
I don’t read many Star Trek books, but there was one set in the TNG timeframe that was based on this episode. I believe the title was “Vendetta”. I thought it was a great story that went along great with one of my favorite TOS episodes.
Mark- It is Vendetta, by Peter David.