How did Star Trek turn one William Shatner into two Kirks—and make a divided captain carry an entire episode? This behind-the-scenes look at The Enemy Within follows the production from NBC’s proposed changes and Richard Matheson’s original idea through the practical problems of split-screen staging, a frozen landing party, the unavailable shuttlecraft, and two matching dogs that were not especially interested in playing evil.
Explore how Shatner and his photo double created the two Kirks, how wardrobe and Jerry Finnerman’s lighting helped distinguish them and transform familiar sets, how Leonard Nimoy helped invent the Vulcan nerve pinch, and how Sol Kaplan’s score shaped the episode. The video also takes a clear-eyed look at Janice Rand’s assault scene and the episode’s troubling treatment of sexual violence—while showing why this early Star Trek story remains such an ambitious portrait of identity, responsibility, and human nature.
0:00 The Network's Demand to Tidy Up the Captain
2:08 Trusting Shatner with the Center
5:40 The Casting Challenge of the Horned Dog
9:49 The Origin of the Vulcan Nerve Pinch
11:24 Addressing the Difficult Scenes
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