Wow! Could this episode really have been THAT awful? I watched this series in real time back in the 80's but that was during my heavy drinking days when shows were filtered by a lovely alcohol haze. Watching this now (sober) was shocking. Where did Rodenberry get all of those awful, over-the-top Black actors? I've seen better (believable) acting in commercials. Reading the trivia and goofs, I found that the cast of TNG and other series agree. The racist overtones were embarrassing and very inappropriate. The script was just terrible. The story line stupid and the direction was even worse. So bad that the director was fired before completing the filming. Rightly so. Many of the cast called this the "worst" Star Trek ever filmed. I agree. Gene, what the hell were you thinking?