"Star Trek" The Return of the Archons (1967)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Joseph Pevney

Writers:

Boris Sobelman (teleplay)
Gene Roddenberry (story)

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

9 February 1967 (Season 1, Episode 21)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Enterprise travels to Beta 2 to learn the fate of the U.S.S. Archon, gone missing a century earlier...

Plot Keywords:

Federation | Space | Starship | Computer | Vulcan

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
Harry Townes	...	Reger
Torin Thatcher	...	Marplon
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Brioni Farrell	...	Tula
Sid Haig	...	First Lawgiver
Charles Macaulay	...	Landru
Jon Lormer	...	Tamar
Morgan Farley	...	Hacom
Karl Held	...	Lindstrom (as Christopher Held)
George Takei	...	Sulu
James Doohan	...	Scott
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Sean Morgan	...	O'Neil

Runtime:

50 min | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

Ben Stiller named his production company "Red Hour" after this episode.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kirk and the crew run for shelter at Reger's house, they enter a door which has windows and curtains. But in the very next scene of them inside, the doors are completely different with no windows.

Quotes:

Captain James T. Kirk: You said you wanted freedom; it's time you learned that freedom is never a gift, it has to be earned.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cosmic Thoughts (2003) (V)

Self-defense, conflicting Prime Directives and how to outsmart an omnipotent power

Return of the Archons is one of those episodes of TOS which, whether you like it or not, sticks with you. It is one of the franchises first attempts to deal with dystopian subjects and takes place almost entirely on a planet inhabited by people whose lives are regulated in all respects by the mysterious force known as Landru. Sulu sets this up by becoming the first member of the crew to become absorbed by 'the body'. He is transported back to the ship in the same state of idiotic bliss as the inhabitants of the planet, and begins babbling the praises of Landru. Takei's acting makes this opening scene very memorable and sets a disturbing tone.

The Archons were crew members of the USS Archon, a federation ship which arrived at this planet long ago. Today, the Archons live only as a legend of resistance to Landru and 'The Body' - his regulated, brain-washed society. The story is well written and smartly conceived. Within the first 20 minutes, the episode gives us a taste of the body's folk-lore, language, and regulatory systems.

This episode incorporates some comic elements early on - mostly the typical human vs vulcan theme - but the humor dies down as the bridge crew begins to understand the threat they are facing. Landru sees all, is beginning to absorb all, and is pulling the ship out of its orbit. Kirk, Spock and a small landing party must violate the prime directive to save their ship and the catatonic society they have encountered. But they frankly don't even know where to start.