History Recap / StarTrekS2E18TheImmunitySyndrome

* CosmicHorrorStory: This is likely the closest the Star Trek series comes to a cosmic horror story. The amoeba is mindless, (unlike the cosmic Pitcher Plant that the Captain Ahab expy insisted was intelligent in [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E14Bliss "Bliss"]]) and it's insanely powerful. It would have destroyed the entire galaxy, by doing nothing but following a blind instinct to feed and reproduce like one of the cells in your body.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Kirk's annoyance at Spock's refusal to speculate about what they're up against produces the seemingly redundant statement, "'Insufficient data' is not sufficient".

* FromBadToWorse: The idea that the giant, energy-sucking space amoeba can ''reproduce'', meaning that the galaxy could end up overrun with giant space amoebae.

* NoOSHACompliance: Why aren't there any seat belts on the ''Enterprise''? No less than 3 incidents on this episode alone proves that they are very needed.

* NoOSHACompliance: Why aren't there any seat belts on the ''Enterprise''? No less than 3 incidents on this episode alone (plus a near PantyShot from Uhura) proves that they are very needed.

The FanNickname for this episode, as immortalized in ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}''[[note]]Where it is the only episode that protagonist and ''Star Trek'' fanatic Mayberry Melonpool has never managed to see, though not for lack of trying[[/note]], is "The One With the Giant Space Amoeba".

* BottleEpisode: Almost all of the action is on board the star ship ''Enterprise'' with a few scenes of Spock in a shuttle craft.

The FanNickname for this episode, as immortalized in ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}''[[note]]Where it is the only episode that protagonist and ''Star Trek'' fanatic Mayberry Melonpool has never managed to see, though not for lack of trying[[/note]], is "TheOneWith the Giant Space Amoeba".

[[caption-width-right:350:What the hell is that?]]

* CosmicHorrorStory: This is likely the closest the Star Trek series comes to a cosmic horror story. The amoeba is mindless, (unlike the cosmic Pitcher Plant that the Captain Ahab expy insisted was intelligent in Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E14Bliss ) and it's insanely powerful. It would have destroyed the entire galaxy, by doing nothing but following a blind instinct to feed and reproduce like one of the cells in your body.

* HellIsThatNoise: Bad enough the amoeba has to steal your energy, it has to subject you to skull numbing noise while it's doing it!

!!Tropes for this episode include:

[[caption-width-right:350:What the hell is that.]]

* MegaMicrobes: The space amoeba

* MinimalistCast: This is one of the few episodes with no guest cast whatsoever. {{Recurrer}} Lt. Kyle[[note]]mispronounced as "Cowell" by Shatner right through the episode''[[/note]], usually the transporter chief, fills in for the absent Sulu[[note]]Creator/GeorgeTakei was still away filming ''Film/TheGreenBerets''[[/note]] at the Helm.

* MinimalistCast: This is one of the few episodes with no guest cast whatsoever. {{Recurrer}} Lt. Kyle, usually the transporter chief, fills in for the absent Sulu[[note]]Creator/GeorgeTakei was still away filming ''Film/TheGreenBerets''[[/note]] at the Helm.

* SnarkingThanks: Spock takes a shuttlecraft inside the giant space amoeba, but falls out of contact. When the Enterprise is leaving the amoeba after planting a bomb, it passes by the shuttlecraft and Captain Kirk decides to use a TractorBeam to save Spock. When Spock protests, Dr. [=McCoy=] says "Shut up, Spock! We're rescuing you!". Spock replies "Why thank you, [=Captain=] [=McCoy=]".

* SnarkingThanks: Spock takes a shuttlecraft inside the giant space amoeba, but falls out of contact. When the Enterprise is leaving the amoeba after planting a bomb, it passes by the shuttlecraft and Captain Kirk decides to use a TractorBeam to save Spock. When Spock protests, Dr. McCoy says "Shut up, Spock! We're rescuing you!". Spock replies "Why thank you, [=Captain=] McCoy".