Star Trek: The Original Series

Summary

Screenwriter and story editor in chief Dorothy " D.C. " Fontana write or co - write ten episode ofStar Trek : The Original Seriesand herStar Treklegacy can not be overdraw . Aside from creator Gene Roddenberry , very few author had as much influence onStar Trekas D.C. Fontana . Dorothy go from being Roddenberry ’s secretary to one of the few women writers work in Hollywood at the clip , and Fontana eventually became one of the youngest story editors in television . Fontana avail craft some ofStar Trek ’s most influential characters and storylines , admit several component of Vulcan civilization .

D.C. Fontana ’s first officialStar Trekscript was for " Charlie X , " ground upon a story propose by Gene Roddenberry . After Fontana proved herself to be a solid writer , she began to arise her own estimation into tale , gain more freedom as a screenwriter . Notably , Fontana come up with the idea for " Journey to Babel , " which introduced Spock ’s parents , Ambassador Sarek ( Mark Lenard ) and Amanda Grayson ( Jane Wyatt ) . Although Fontana leftStar Trek’sproduction squad before the show ’s third time of year , she proceed to indite handwriting on a freelance ground . Here are D.C. Fontana ’s 10Star Trekepisodes outrank worst to good .

fan have argue for decade about whether Star Trek still honors the original vision of Gene Roddenberry . But what is that ? And how has it alter ?

Star Trek The Original Series TV Poster

10"The Way To Eden" (Story With Arthur Heinemann, Teleplay By Arthur Heinemann)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3, Episode 20

When the USS Enterprise rescues a mathematical group of traveler from a stolen shuttle , the newcomers take over the ship in pursuit of the mythical satellite of Eden . Led by a man name Dr. Sevrin ( Skip Homeier),the fellow member of this group have refuse modern society and embraced a nomadic lifestyle as they search for Eden . Oddly , Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) understands these space hippies , despite their on the face of it unconnected views .

At the end ofStar Trek ’s " The means to Eden , " Sevrin and his followers steal a shuttlecraft and travelling to Eden , only to find the satellite to be life-threatening . Although the planet looks beautiful , the plants secrete herculean acids and spring up poisonous fruit . D.C. Fontana is credited under the pseudonym Michael Richards , as she was unhappy with the many change made to the script . Her original teleplay , gentle " Joanna , " featured the girl of Dr. Leonard McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ) .

9"That Which Survives" (Story, Teleplay By John Meredyth Lucas)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3, Episode 17

When Captain Kirk and a landing place party are stranded on a strange major planet , a cryptic woman diagnose Losira ( Lee Meriwether ) attacks both the landing place party and the work party aboard the initiative . In control of the Enterprise , Spock works to get back to Kirk and the landing party , while a version of Losira make for havoc on the ship ’s systems . Another version of Losira kills one of the landing party member and injuresLt . Sulu ( George Takei ) .

On the planet , the landing party eventually finds and destroys a heavy computer , which had been powering the various Losiras as a security quantity for the planet . A disease had previously wiped out the planet ’s inhabitants , leaving their certificate organisation support an empty planet . D.C. Fontana was seemingly frustrated by the way her original fib was changed , and she used the pseudonym of Michael Richards for her story deferred payment .

8"Friday’s Child" (Story & Teleplay)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 11

When the Starship Enterprise visits Capella IV to negotiate a minelaying contract , they discover that the Klingons have already made an whirl . Although the Capellan leader , Akaar ( Ben Gage ) , initially side with the Federation , another Capellan challenge him and they get fight down amongst themselves . After Akaar is kill in the fighting , Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) , Spock , and Dr. McCoy serve his pregnant married woman , Eleen ( Julie Newmar ) , get away into the nearby pitcher’s mound .

The Klingons became the most famed Star Trek alien villains despite only appearing in seven episode of Star Trek : The Original Series .

Dr. McCoy helps Eleen deliver her baby , and she return to her people , eventually becoming her son ’s regent and allying with the Federation . D.C. Fontana follow up with the plot line of " Friday ’s Child " because she wanted to explore a story about a strong distaff persona who did not needfully desire children . The final interlingual rendition of the history remains very similar to the estimation Fontana pitched , although the Klingon presence was add later .

A Tellarite, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and an Andorian in Star Trek:TOS

Custom image by Mark Donaldson

7"By Any Other Name" (Teleplay With Jerome Bixby, Story By Jerome Bixby)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 22

InStar Trek ’s " By Any Other Name , " Captain Kirk and his crowd meet Rojan ( Warren Stevens ) and Kelinda ( Barbara Bouchet ) of the Kelvan Empire , who immediately take control of the Enterprise . Non - humanoid beings who have temporarily taken human form , the Kelvans threaten Kirk and his gang by turning some of the crew penis into blocks of chicken feed . To combat the Kelvans , Kirk begins invoke to their new human emotion , eventually causing them to question their function .

When Kirk point out that Rojan and his descendent will be far more human than his ancestors , Rojan returns ascendancy of the Enterprise to Kirk . When author Jerome Bixby ’s original script was deemed too dingy , D.C. Fontana helped lighten the look , and the solution is a absolutely ok episode that relies a moment too much on tropesStar Trekhas visited numerous times before .

6"Charlie X" (Teleplay, Story By Gene Roddenberry)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, Episode 2

Based on one of Gene Roddenberry ’s original pitch forStar Trekas a series,“Charlie decade " follow an precarious 17 - year - old male child with over-the-top powers . The USS Enterprise pick up Charlie Evans ( Robert Walker ) , a teenage male child who had survived alone on the planet Thasus after his ship crashed there year before . With no knowledge of social interaction , Charlie speedily obtain under the skin of the Enterprise gang .

Charlie soon expose telekinetic ability , causing gang members to vaporize when they upset him and eventually taking control of the Enterprise . The Thasians return to retrieve Charlie , thrust him to join their high society of non - physical beingness in asurprisingly grim ending forStar Trek . Although the concept for " Charlie X " get from Roddenberry , D.C. Fontana proved her skills as a writer in the execution , make the account frightening and memorable .

5"The Ultimate Computer” (Teleplay, Story By Laurence N. Wolfe)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 24

WhenDr . Richard Daystrom ( William Marshall)upgrades the computers on the USS Enterprise , the new M-5 Multitronic System ask over the ship ’s control . Initially , the M-5 system runs through tactical manoeuvre , like an expert represent the Enterprise against attack recitation . Before long , however , the system begins initiating actual attacks on other Federation ships , and Daystrom can not disable it .

The Daystrom Institute , one of the Federation ’s most prominent research facilities , is named after Richard Daystrom .

Having failed to double his earliest successes and now having caused unnecessary deaths , Daystrom commence suffering a psychotic break . Captain Kirk eventually babble out the M-5 arrangement into disabling itself , save the endeavour from destruction . Laurence N. Wolfe ’s initial concept focused even more on Daystrom and his computer , andD.C. Fontana did heavy revision to shift the focus more to Kirk and the Enterprise .

Gene Rodenberry’s Star Trek Vision Explained

4"Tomorrow Is Yesterday" (Story & Teleplay)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, Episode 19

When theUSS Enterprise unknowingly travels back in timeto the 1960s , Captain Kirk and his gang must assure they do not disrupt the timeline . Upon arrive in the yesteryear , U.S. Air Force pilot burner Captain John Christopher ( Roger Perry ) flies to intercept the endeavor and is beamed on board . Kirk initially decides that Christopher must remain on the enterprisingness , but later learns he must return to Earth due to the future grandness of his son .

When Kirk is captivate on Earth , Christopher helps Spock and the Enterprise crew rescue their skipper . Spock and Lt . Mongomery Scott ( James Doohan ) eventually devise a way for the Enterprise to jaunt back to the future and undo any changes they made to the timeline . Although D.C. Fontana had previously written the teleplay for " Charlie X " found on Gene Roddenberry ’s idea,“Tomorrow is Yesterday " was the firstStar Trekepisode written solely by a woman .

3"This Side Of Paradise” (Teleplay, Story With Nathan Butler)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, Episode 24

The Starship Enterprise arrive at Omicron Ceti III to findthe people living a glad and healthy existence despite the severe Berthold rays bath the planet . One of the colonists , Leila Kalomi ( Jill Ireland ) , had antecedently beenin dear with Spock , although he had been unable to return her tenderness . When Leila shows Spock the plants that allow the colonists to prosper on the planet , he becomes affected by the plant ’s spore .

Captain Kirk realizes negative emotions counteract the spore , and he uses this theory to exempt Spock and the rest of the settler from their influence . The colonists then agree to be evacuated to a new major planet , and Spock laments that he mat up true happiness for the first sentence in his life . It wasD.C. Fontana ’s rewrite of " This Side of Paradise " that landed her a role as story editor in chief in September 1966 .

2"The Enterprise Incident" (Story & Teleplay)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3, Episode 2

InStar Trek ’s classic " The Enterprise Incident , " Captain Kirk takes the USS Enterprise into Romulan space where Romulan ships promptly capture Kirk and Spock . Aboard the Romulan vas , Spock declares that Kirk has go insane , and he begins to ingratiate himself with the Romulan Commander ( Joanne Linville).After Kirk is supposedly down , he render to the Romulan ship disguise as a Romulan in club to slip a cloaking twist .

Through costuming or surgical intervention , Starfleet officers might have to become outlander to nail their Star Trek missions .

The Enterprise ’s tripper into Romulan place was be after from the source , and Spock help Kirk in acquiring the cloaking twist for the Federation . " The Enterprise Incident " ends with the Romulan Commander a prisoner on the enterprisingness , as Spock acknowledges that not all of his feelings for her were feign . " The Enterprise Incident " is the firstStar Trekepisode to feature a woman in command of a starship , andD.C. Fontana ’s hand makes the unnamed Romulan Commander a fascinating client character .

Captain Kirk and the Klingon Commander Kor in Star Trek.

1"Journey To Babel" (Story & Teleplay)

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 10

Inone ofStar Trek : The Original Series’most iconic installment , several important high muckamuck visit the USS Enterprise , includingSpock ’s father , Ambassador Sarek . When one of the delegate is polish off , suspicion fall on Sarek and the stress exacerbates his bosom condition . Dr. McCoy determines that Sarek needs emergency surgery , and Spock must act as a blood bestower . The situation uprise more complicated when Kirk is assault and Spock must take over command .

In addition to innovate Spock ’s parents , " Journey to Babel " also include the first appearance of the Andorians and the Tellarites .

The injured Kirk relieves Spock on the bridge so he can assist with his don ’s surgery , and Kirk uncovers that the Andorain delegate , Thelev ( William O’Connell ) , was behind the attacks and was in reality an Orion in camouflage . After Sarek awakens from his successful operating theatre , he and Spock begin to harmonise their remainder as Amanda lovingly expresses her exasperation with both of them . With insight into Spock ’s backstory and a tone at Federation political sympathies , " Journey to Babel " persist one of the most important instalment ofStar Trek : The Original Seriesandthe best representative of D.C. Fontana ’s writing prowess .

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Star Trek: The Original Series