Star Trek (1966) 2.11

Friday's Child

Captain Kirk, Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy and one security officer beam down to the surface of Capella IV to negotiate on behalf of the Federation which needs the mineral topaline which can be found in abundance on the planet. They are surprised to find Kras, a Klingon, in the Capellan camp. The security officer pulls his phaser and is killed by one of the Capellan's before he can fire it.

Maab, one of the leaders of the Capellans, orders Kirk and the others to hand over their weapons and their communicators. Kirk and the other s reluctantly comply with the order. Kirk and the others get a chance to meet with Akaar, the leader of the ten tribes. Akaar says he will consider the Federation's proposed treaty. Akaar is killed not long after that when a group led by Maab takes over the leadership of the ten tribes.

The Enterprise, under the command of Mister Scott, is led on a wild goose chase for a distressed freighter that does not exist. It takes a while for them to come to the conclusion that the freighter is non-existent. Once they do they return to Cappella IV.

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Eleen (Akaar's widow who is pregnant), into the hills above the camp. They take refuge in a cave. McCoy can tell that Eleen is very close to giving birth. Kirk and Spock find the means to make themselves bows and arrows. Eleen gives birth. Maab, Kras, and group of other Capellans come looking for Kirk and the others.

Eleen abandons the child, leaving it with McCoy after she has given birth. She runs into the posse that is looking for her. Kras decides that he's had enough. He uses a phaser that he pulled off of a dead Capellan, who was killed by a landslide created by Spock and Kirk, to kill one Capellan. Maab sacrifices himself and is also killed by Kras who is in turn killed by a Capellan.

It doesn't look good for Kirk and the others but then Scotty shows up with a squad of security officers armed with phasers.

Thoughts

I'm not sure why they called this episode Friday's Child but I think it has something to do with an old nursery thyme.

I have no recollection of watching this episode before. I may have seen all of part of it before but I'm not crazy about it and it isn't terribly memorable. It is a bit all over the place. 

Notes

The outdoor scenes in this episode were filmed at Vasquez Rocks. This is the fourth of four episodes of this show to have scenes filmed at that location.

The part of Eleen was played by Julie Newmar. This is the only episode of this show in which she appeared. She is best known to me for being one of the three actresses who played the part of Catwoman in the 1960s. She also appeared in episodes of The Twilight Zone (1959) and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. I have also seen her in an episode of The Phil Silvers Show, 2.32 The Big Scandal. She is still alive and turned 93 years old last month.

The part of Kras was played by Tige Andrews. This is the only episode of this show in which he appeared. He appeared in 23 episodes of The Phil Silvers Show, the last of those episodes was 1.34 Bilko on Wall Street, the final episode of the first season.

The part of Maab was played by Michael Dante. This is the only episode of this show in which he appeared. He is still alive and turned 95 years old earlier this month.

This is the third of three episodes for which  D.C. Fontana was the sole writer. The second episode that she wrote by herself was 2.10 Journey to Babel. 

This is the 10th of 14 episodes that Joseph Pevney directed. The sixth episode he directed was 2.01 Amok Time.