Technical Specs

Director: Joseph Pevney

Writer: D.C. Fontana

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Julie Newmar, Tige Andrews, Michael Dante, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Cal Bolder, Ben Gage, Walter Koenig, Kirk Raymone, and Robert Bralver

Composer: Gerald Fried

Air Date: 12/1/1967

Stardate: 3497.2

Production #: 60332

Overview

On Capella IV, Kirk and his crew compete with the Klingons for mining rights. Familiar with the Capellan warrior culture, Dr. McCoy must care for the pregnant Eleen (Julie Newmar) after her husband is assassinated in a coup d’état. Back on the Enterprise, Scotty finds himself in a cat-and-mouse chase with a sneaky Klingon cruiser.

“Friday’s Child” benefits from a number of rousing action sequences and humorous character exchanges. Though D.C. Fontana’s narrative is stretched rather thin at times, this episode will certainly appeal to fans of classic Star Trek.

Pros

Scotty’s inherent leeriness of Klingons makes him the perfect officer to command the Enterprise in Kirk’s absence. While Spock, McCoy, and the captain handle negotiations on Capella IV, Scotty continuously outmaneuvers the Klingon vessel by ignoring any shenanigans that the enemy throws at him. In addition to providing viewers with an entertaining subplot, James Doohan’s character once again proves his competency as a starship captain.

Cons

An insufferable woman, Eleen fails to generate sympathy with her spoiled and downright ungrateful attitude. While this character is undeniably the victim of a cruel, barbaric society, her repeated abuse and betrayal of those who attempt to help her can only be described as inexcusable. Julie Newmar’s acting eventually allows the audience to warm up to Eleen’s personality, though perhaps a gentler approach would have given viewers incentive to root against her struggle from the onset. Despite her obvious flaws, Eleen does develop a strong chemistry with McCoy, which results in several cute and amusing interactions between the two.

Analysis

Never trust a Klingon.

Concluding Comments

Though slowly paced and occasionally underwhelming, “Friday’s Child” contains all the elements of a traditional Star Trek episode: a conflict involving Klingons, loads of action, and plenty of cheesy banter among the three primary officers. Likewise, those who prefer a competent Scotty over Simon Pegg’s buffoonish portrayal of the chief engineer are advised to view this entry for reasons outlined earlier.

Overall Quality: 7/10

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