TV Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. It acquired the retronym of Star Trek: The Original Series to distinguish the show within the media franchise that it began.
↗ Wikipedia79 episodes · 3 seasons · Ended
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Longform community posts about this title
Shore Leave (S01E17) Airdate: December 29th 1966 Written by: Theodore Sturgeon Directed by: Robert Sparr Running Time: 50 minutes The episodic nature of *Star Trek: The Original Series* (TOS) ensured that its episodes would inevitably vary in tone, ranging from cerebral explorations of existential themes to more lighthearted, whimsical entries. This inconsistency was evident even in the series’ infancy, with the fir…More
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Balance of Terror (S01E08) Airdate: December 15th 1966 Written by: Paul Schneider Directed by: Vince McEveety Running Time: 50 minutes While approaching the midpoint of Season 1, *Star Trek* faced a notable absence of a formidable and enduring antagonist, a crucial component for successful television drama. The series had yet to introduce a villain capable of matching the intellect and resolve of Captain James T. Ki…More
The Conscience of the King (S01E12) Airdate: December 8th 1966 Written by: Barry Trivers Directed by: Gary Oswald Running Time: 50 minutes Every television show is a product of its time, and this notion holds true even for series like *Star Trek: The Original Series*, which is set in a futuristic universe. However, the temporal influences are more pronounced in certain episodes than in others. One such episode is *T…More
The Menagerie, Part II (S01E16) Airdate: November 24th 1966 Written by: Gene Roddenberry Directed by: Marc Daniels Running Time: 50 minutes The second part of *The Menagerie* stands as a testament to the intelligence embedded within *Star Trek: The Original Series*. Despite its derivative nature, this episode exemplifies how Gene Roddenberry masterfully balanced profound themes typical of thoughtful science fiction…More
The Menagerie, Part I (S01E15) Airdate: November 17th 1966 Written by: Gene Roddenberry Directed by: Marc Daniels Running Time: 50 minutes *Star Trek: The Original Series* faced a tumultuous inception, marked by challenges that ultimately contributed to its legendary status. Its journey began with *The Cage*, the original pilot episode from 1964, which was initially rejected by NBC. Despite this setback, the pilot s…More
The Corbomite Manuever (S01E02) Airdate: November 10th 1966 Written by: Jerry Sohl Directed by: Josephn Sargent Running Time: 50 minutes Gene Roddenberry's vision for the Star Trek universe was profoundly optimistic, positing that any intelligent life capable of interstellar travel would likely have discovered ways to coexist peacefully with other sentient beings. This hopeful premise underpins "The Corbomite Maneuv…More
Dagger of the Mind (S01E10) Airdate: November 3rd 1966 Written by: S. Bar-David Directed by: Vincent McEveety Running Time: 50 minutes The Original Series of *Star Trek*, while primarily focused on deep space adventures, has often devoted limited attention to the intricate world-building of Earth and the United Federation of Planets. When it did explore these themes, creator Gene Roddenberry made a conscious effort…More
Miri (S01E11) Airdate: October 27th 1966 Written by: Adrian Spies Directed by: Vincent McEveety Running Time: 50 minutes The Baby Boomer generation, emerging in the aftermath of World War II, grew up in a world that was markedly different from anything that had come before. This transformation fostered new attitudes and mores that often appeared alien and, at times, threatening to the older generations. This generat…More
What Are Little Girls Made Of? (S01E09) Airdate: October 20th 1966 Written by: Robert Bloch Directed by: Harvey Hart Running Time: 50 minutes *Star Trek* has long been celebrated as the epitome of "thinking man's science fiction," a reputation built on its ability to tackle profound themes such as the essence of humanity and the perennial conflict between emotion and logic. However, the ambitious nature of these exp…More
Mudd’s Women (S01E03) Airdate: October 13th 1966 Written by: Stephen Kandell Directed by: Harvey Hart Running Time: 50 minutes When a television show is in its early days, the creators often find themselves in a period of experimentation, attempting to strike the perfect tone and formula. This trial-and-error approach can lead to some fascinating and entertaining episodes, but it can also result in moments that leav…More
The Enemy Within (S01E04) Airdate: October 6th 1966 Written by: Richard Matheson Directed by: Leo Penn Running Time: 43 minutes One of the least appreciated ingredients contributing to the initial success of *Star Trek* is the quality of acting displayed by its cast. Today’s “trekkies” often take for granted the stardom of actors like William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, but during the early days of the franchise, aud…More
The Naked Time (S01E06) Airdate: September 29th 1966 Written by: John D.F. Black Directed by: Marc Daniels Running Time: 43 minutes If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, then Gene Roddenberry must have had a remarkably high opinion of himself, at least judging by *The Naked Time*, the fourth episode of the original *Star Trek* series. This notion is reinforced by the fact that decades later, Roddenb…More
Where No Man Has Gone Before (S01E01) Airdate: September 22nd 1966 Written by: Samuel L. Peeples Directed by: James Goldstone Running Time: 43 minutes The enduring legacy of *Star Trek* is often attributed to its groundbreaking themes and innovative storytelling, but it is equally rooted in the show's legendary and tumultuous beginnings. The original pilot episode, titled *The Cage*, was produced in 1964 but ultimat…More
Charlie X (S01E07) Airdate: September 15th 1966 Written by: D.C. Fontana Directed by: Lawrence Dobkin Running Time: 43 minutes *The Man Trap*, the very first episode of *Star Trek*, was what the fans of *The X-Files* would later call “Monster of the Week” or MOTW episode. Many episodes of *The Original Series* were MOTW, including the second episode. *Charlie X*, however, was very different MOTW episode that feature…More
The Man Trap (S01E05) Airdate: 8 September 1966 Written by: George Clayton Johnson Directed by: Marc Daniels Running Time: 43 minutes *(SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY NOTE: This is the first review in the series in which I intend to cover Star Trek television shows starting with The Original Series in 1966 and ending with Enterprise in 2005. )* Like many great media franchises of our time, *Star Trek* had quite a modest begin…More
