The Enterprise hosts a number of quarrelling diplomats, including Spock's father, but someone on board has murder in mind.The Enterprise hosts a number of quarrelling diplomats, including Spock's father, but someone on board has murder in mind.The Enterprise hosts a number of quarrelling diplomats, including Spock's father, but someone on board has murder in mind.
- Amanda
- (as Miss Jane Wyatt)
- Lieutenant Hadley
- (uncredited)
- Babel Conference Attendee
- (uncredited)
- Montgomery
- (uncredited)
- Small Copper-Skinned Ambassador
- (uncredited)
- Vulcan Aide
- (uncredited)
- Purple-Skinned Delegate
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor two weeks after the airing of this episode, Mark Lenard received more fan mail than Leonard Nimoy.
- GoofsKirk is attacked and clearly stabbed in the lower back. McCoy later reports that the knife narrowly missed Kirk's heart and Kirk is bandaged across the upper chest, nowhere near where the knife wound occurred.
- Quotes
McCoy: Spock, I've always suspected you were a little more human than you let on. Mrs. Sarek, I know about the rigorous training of the Vulcan youth, but tell me, did he ever run and play like the human children, even in secret?
Amanda: Well, he, uh, he did have a pet Sehlat he was very fond of.
McCoy: Sehlat?
Amanda: It's sort of a... a fat teddy bear.
McCoy: [grinning] A teddy bear?
Sarek: Excuse me, Doctor. It has been a rather long day for my wife. Captain.
Captain James T. Kirk: Ambassador.
McCoy: [needlingly Spock after Sarek and Amada have gone] "A teddy bear."
Spock: Not precisely, Doctor. On Vulcan the "teddy bears" are alive, and they have 6-inch fangs
- Alternate versionsSpecial Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
- ConnectionsEdited from Star Trek: The Galileo Seven (1967)
This is a classic episode that combines a strong, multilayered plot with with some of the great character moments of the franchise.
We learn about the politics of the federation, which introduces us to a number of different species and the relationships that have developed since the advent of interplanetary space travel. This works as a nice allegory of the interaction between nation states in competition for resources and the kind of dirty tricks employed to gain strategic advantages.
A key part of the story is Spock and the role played by his family. This allows us an insight into their family dynamics in an interesting way, which is far better than doing it within the context of a normal soap opera type family setting.
All the main characters play significant parts in the story. Spock is at the heart of it all, torn between the duties of a son and that of a serviceman. Sarek and Amanda are equally important displaying an intimate union of logic and humanity. The dynamic between the three is born out of the sixties when many children were following different ideological paths to their parents. They have the added theme of an interracial union and mixed race child, which is so relevant in an era when people were fighting and dying both for and against integration.
Bones is as cool as ever flitting between his role as Spock's most quintessentially human friend and the determined, medical professional. In one scene he playfully makes fun of Spock using ammunition of a childhood story provided by Amanda, then a few scenes later he is performing pioneering medical surgery under the uttermost pressure. All done in his grouchy old country boy persona.
Kirk is awesome in one of his most heroic displays. He shows selfless devotion to his friend and duty towards the end in an epic display of fortitude.
Not only does this one lay some important foundations for the structure of the Trek universe, it also inspired many future series episodes and movie plots.
- snoozejonc
- Aug 17, 2020
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