Star Trek: The Animated Series S1E15 – The Eye Of The Beholder

The Eye of the Beholder offers the usual Star Trek mix of high-concept science fiction and colourful alien design, while exploring familiar themes of communication, morality, and the clash of cultures but ultimately its humans-in-an-alien-zoo is too much of a sci-fi cliché and there’s little here that adds anything new to the well-worn trope.

The story begins as the Enterprise investigates the disappearance of a Federation science vessel on the planet Lactra VII. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to the surface and are quickly captured by the Lactrans, a species of hyper-intelligent, telepathic slugs. The Lactrans place the away team in a zoo-like enclosure alongside other alien species they’ve “collected.” As the Enterprise crew attempts to communicate with their captors and escape, they must contend with the Lactrans’ advanced intellect and alien moral framework, which views them as little more than curiosities.

The Lactrans are one of The Animated Series’ more unique creations. Their slug-like bodies and telepathic abilities convey a sense of otherworldliness, though the animation struggles to fully realise the scale and grandeur of their intelligence. The zoo setting, while conceptually interesting, feels underdeveloped, with most of the enclosure designs failing to evoke the kind of awe or terror that such a scenario demands. Instead, much of the episode leans on the novelty of its premise rather than building tension or exploring the psychological impact of captivity and, unfortunately, there’s no novelty in a premise that’s been done so often Rick & Morty were able to comprehensively cover it in one brief vingette of Morty’s Mind Blowers.

Thematically, the episode touches on several classic Star Trek ideas. The clash of cultures—and the inherent misunderstandings that arise from vastly different perspectives—is central to the story. The Lactrans’ actions aren’t malicious; they simply don’t view the Enterprise crew as sentient equals. This misunderstanding creates an opportunity for Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to demonstrate Trek’s core values of communication and empathy, as they attempt to bridge the intellectual and cultural gap with their captors.

Perhaps, once again, the animated series’ short run times acts against the storytelling here, and it feels like very little happens in between getting captured and getting released. The Lactrans’ intelligence is conveyed largely through exposition, and their eventual willingness to let the Enterprise crew go feels rushed and unearned. Similarly, the other alien species trapped in the zoo are barely given any attention, robbing the scenario of its full potential to explore the dynamics of captivity and survival.