Original air date: January 26, 1967
Captain’s Log, Stardate 3113.2
SYNOPSIS
The Enterprise is thrown back in time to 1960s Earth.
CANON CONTEXT
This is the first Star Trek episode to be written solely by a woman, Dorothy Fontana, though Gene is credited.
RECAP
We start right where the action is. It’s the 1960’s and the US Air Force detects a possible UFO on their radar so they send out a fighter jet to get a closer look.
The Enterprise accidentally gets slingshot through space and back in time to the 1960’s and they just happen to be hovering near earth. What are the odds. As they try to get back into space they end up having to transport the fighter jet pilot onto the ship or risk killing him.
I enjoyed the comedy moments in this episode a lot as it was a change of pace from the previous episodes.
It started with a guard with the air force getting accidentally transported onto the Enterprise. He’s so terrified with what just happened to him that he remains frozen in place:
Then, Captain Kirk gets caught by the air force base where he’s attempting to remove any evidence of the Enterprise having existed. The interrogation is classic 60’s comedy.
In the end, the Enterprise is able to set things right by using the sun as a slingshot to put the two people they accidentally bring on board back where they came from (their memory also conveniently wiped of anything that happened to them) and sending the crew back to the future where they belong.
Turns out this process of jumping back and forward in time has been used in other Star Trek franchises. I do wonder why it’s never used in Voyager? Then again, not sure if maybe it is attempted but it can only propel them so far? Meh, I’ll figure out the answers to those questions when I get to it…
One more thing I want to mention here before I forget: Pretty random to have the computer speak with such personality to the captain and his frustration with it. I almost feel like it was just another part of making this episode comedic? It fell a bit flat to me though, because in any other episode it doesn’t talk that way? Strange.
DID THEY REALLY SAY THAT?
Capt. Kirk: All right, Colonel. The truth is, I'm a little green man from Alpha Centauri, a beautiful place. You ought to see it.
Lieutenant Colonel Fellini: I am going to lock you up for 200 years.
Capt. Kirk: That ought to be just about right.