"Star Trek. Crazy Things that nobody Remembers about" Topic

.. THE FIRST EPISODE EVER.

"Five decades and two years ago, the very first Star Trek episode ever, "The Man Trap" aired on NBC on September 8, 1966. Though the influential sci-fi franchise would later be known for its progressive politics, the first glimpse of Trek was an almost by-the-numbers alien monster story, with just a hint of contemplation toward the end.

Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, and Sulu tango with a shape-shifting alien that sucks salt out of its victims' bodies and is briefly disguised as Bones's old girlfriend. In the end, Spock ends up having to punch the extra-powerful alien (the Vulcan neck pinch hadn't been invented yet!) and then, later, Bones shoots the monster dead. Despite charming performances from George Takei and Nichelle Nichols in this episode, clearly, Trek didn't put its best space boot forward.

Savvy fans are of course, already aware that "The Man Trap" was never intended to be the first episode of Star Trek and was in, in fact, the fifth episode of the original series filmed. It was aired first only because the studio considered it to the most straight-up conventional sci-fi story of the episodes that had been completed thus far. This is shocking when you consider that Star Trek had not one, but two proper pilot episodes, "The Cage," and "Where No Man Has Gone Before."…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Imagine me – not quite 3 years old – watching that episode when it first aired 52 years ago…

True story – and it spooked me but, I kept coming back for more and more.

Two things the article missed…

First, the episode hints rather strongly that Professor Crater has been 'using' the creature for, ahem, kinky purposes. Pretty strong stuff for that era!

Second, from the way Crewman Darnell visualizes the alien, it's pretty clear that you could find 'party girls' at starports.

Alfred Ryder was always a good actor, but he is especially good in this episode. But the big surprise is Jeanne Bal, who apparently has no prior experience in sci-fi, and rocks in her role.

Never thought that was the first episode, though I did like it.

I begged my mom to let me stay up and watch the new tv show. I was 8. She agreed. My father was away at sea. Mom and I watched on her bed. It was very scary -- a monster that killed you by sucking out all of your salt! through your skin! -- but I loved it. So did she. No begging next Thursday: we ate tv dinners in front of the tv.

At school, all of the boys were answering questions "affirmative" or "negative", and our teachers weren't sure if they were glad that our vocabularies had gotten bigger.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Gas mask costumery.