Intense episode in which a shuttle craft mission lead by Spock crash lands on a most unpleasant world. Indeed, the dangers posed by it's hostile environment leads to a hostile crew as Spock finds his leadership abilities called into question. Hal and Bog in their reviews have already done a fine job of exploring how the Vulcan's logical approach to the crisis proves ineffective in dealing with the stressed-out humans under his command. The only thing to add might be that Spock, at times, displays an almost human surliness that seems very un-Vulcan. But, since this was a first season episode, it may have been filmed before Leonard Nimoy had fully come to understand his character and the proper way to play him, (for example, he was still speaking with that put-on British accent like when he pronounces the word command as "commond"). Clearly, this is not the more controlled Mr. Spock we would see in later episodes like "The Doomsday Machine", but it's still a good performance and the script provides an interesting set of problems to watch the usually unflappable character try and overcome.<br /><br />As if crash landing wasn't bad enough, the primates that live on the planet were a neat addition to further complicate Spock's bad day. Glimpsed more than they are seen (and a wise move, too as the only creature shown up close looks like it's wearing a fur dress), these hairy monsters prowl about in the fog making hissing noises and echoing roars. They attack with huge spears, and in one scene maul a comparatively puny human to death. Thoroughly nasty, their presence in the story leads to a neat scene on the Enterprise bridge as Kirk hears the report of returning search party leader. Appearing on a viewer screen bruised and bedraggled in a torn-up uniform, Lt. Commander Kelowitz relates how his team was attacked by "creatures similar to ones discovered on Hanson's Planet, only much, much bigger. Ten- maybe twelve feet in height." Clearly exhausted and maybe a touch traumatized, Kelowitz cautions Kirk that if the missing shuttle craft crew are on that planet...well, he doesn't have to finish the sentence for Kirk to get his meaning. It's an effective little touch that casts a shadow of dread on the possible fate of Kirk's missing crew members. In fact they should have used this seldom seen character of Kelowitz more often as he would have made a great running feature. Like Scotty's dire warnings about the condition of the ship's engines, or those red shirted security men who were always first to bite the dust, you'd know the situation was dire if Kelowitz showed up with a new batch of bruises and another alarming report for Kirk.