Trekking Through Compliance

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode This Side of Paradise, which aired on March 2, 1967, with a Star Date of 3417.3. The Enterprise is ordered to a Federation colony on Omicron Ceti III to evacuate them from some deadly rays. Kalomi offers to show Spock how the colonists have survived and expose him to spores that protect humans from the rays. Kirk returns to th...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode A Taste of Armageddon, which aired on February 23, 1967, with a Star Date of 3192.1. The Enterprise arrives at Eminiar VII to open diplomatic relations. Unfortunately, a tri-cobalt satellite explosion from Vendikar declared it destroyed, and all persons aboard were ordered to report for disintegration within 24 hours. Kirk man...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Space Seed, which aired on February 16, 1967, Star Date 3141.9. The Enterprise discovers the derelict DY100 class spaceship S.S. Botany Bay, built in the 1990s. The Enterprise has no record of the ship, but this is not surprising as many records were lost in the great World War of Eugenics fought during that period. The leader...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Return of the Archons, which aired on February 9, 1967, with a Star Date of 3156.2. The Enterprise arrives at the planet Beta III in the C-111 system, where the USS Archon was reported lost nearly 100 years earlier. They find the inhabitants living in a 19th-century Earth-style culture, ruled by cloaked and cowled “Lawgivers”...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Court Martial, which aired on February 2, 1967, with a Star Date of 2947.3. Story Synopsis After sustaining severe damage in an ion storm, the Enterprise is forced to seek repairs at Starbase 11, where Commodore Stone investigates the death of records officer Ben Finney, who died in the storm. Stone finds it was Kirk's neglige...

In this Trekking Through Compliance episode, we consider Tomorrow is Yesterday, aired on January 26, 1967, Star Date 3113.2. The USS Enterprise is thrown back in time to Earth during the 1960s by the effects of a high-gravity “black star.” Enterprise ends up in Earth’s upper atmosphere, is picked up as a UFO on military radar, and photographed by a USAF jet. Fearing the pilot could disrupt the tim...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Arena, which aired on January 19, 1967, with a Star Date of 3045.6. The Enterprise arrives at the Cestus III Outpost by invitation of its commanding officer, but the crew finds the outpost obliterated and then under attack from an unknown vessel. Both ships enter a new space sector and lose all propulsion power shortly after....

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Squire of Gothos, aired on January 12, 1967, Star Date 2124.5. Story Synopsis The Enterprise encounters a rogue planet previously hidden from their sensors. As Sulu attempts to enter a course around the planet, he suddenly vanishes from the bridge, and Kirk vanishes a moment later. The Enterprise then receives a strange me...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Galileo Seven, which aired on January 5, 1967, Star Date 2821.5 The Enterprise passes close to a quasar-like formation identified as Murasaki 312. Kirk sends a science team to investigate the formation. Soon after launch, the shuttle is pulled off course. Spock makes an emergency landing on Taurus II, a rocky, fog-shrouded...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Shore Leave, which aired on December 29, 1966, with a Star Date of 3025.3. This is one of the most fun and beloved TOS episodes. It begins with the Enterprise discovering  Omicron Delta, which appears to be the ideal location for rest for the Enterprise crew. However, strange things soon start to happen to the landing party. M...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Balance of Terror, which aired on December 15, 1966, Star Date 1709.1 Enterprise investigates the lack of response from Earth outposts 2 and 3, monitoring the Neutral Zone between planets Romulus and Remus and the rest of the galaxy. The Earth outposts were constructed on asteroids and were authorized by a treaty following the...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Conscience of the King, which aired on December 8, 1966, with a Star Date of 2817.6. Dr. Thomas Leighton calls the Enterprise Planet Q. Leighton suspects Anton Karidian, the leader of a Shakespearean acting troupe currently on the planet, is Kodos the Executioner, the former governor of the Earth colony of Tarsus IV. Kodos...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Menagerie, Part 2, which aired on November 24, 1966, Star Date 3012.4. Story Synopsis This was the original pilot episode presented to NBC. Spock's trial continues, and the transmitted scene resumes with Pike in 2254 in a cell with a transparent wall. The Talosians begin their "experiment," which consists of several illuso...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Menagerie (Part One), which aired on November 17, 1966, Star Date 3012.4. Story Synopsis This was the original pilot episode presented to NBC. Set in 2267, the Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11 in response to a subspace call Spock reported receiving from the former captain of the Enterprise, Christopher Pike, under whom Sp...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Corbomite Maneuver, which aired on November 10, 1966, with a Star Date of 1512.2. Novice navigator Lt. Dave Bailey spots a giant spinning multi-colored cube floating in space. He advocates attacking it with phasers. Kirk instead orders the ship to back away from the object. The cube pursues them, emitting harmful radiation...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Dagger of the Mind, which aired on November 3, 1966, with a Star Date of 2715.1. The Enterprise makes a supply run to planet Tantalus V, a colony where the criminally insane are confined for treatment. The facility’s director is Dr. Tristan Adams, a psychiatrist famous for advocating more humane treatment of such patients. Aft...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Miri, which aired on October 27, 1966, with a Star Date of 2713.5. Episode Summary A disfigured man attacks a landing party who dies after Kirk strikes him. They discover a preadolescent, Miri, who ran away from them because “grups” kill and maim children before dying. She and her friends are “onlies,” the only ones left. The...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode What Are Little Girls Made of?, which aired on October 20, 1966, Star Date 2712.4. Episode Summary After the Enterprise travels to the planet Exo III to investigate Roger Corby’s fate, two security guards, Matthews and Rayburn, are killed after beaming down. It turns out that Corby, known as the Pasteur of archeological medici...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Mudd’s Women, which aired on October 13, 1966, with a Star Date of 1329.1. Story Harry Mudd attempts to evade the Enterprise with his small class J cargo ship and leads it into an asteroid field. The Enterprise extends its shields over Harvey’s ship, burning out three of its four lithium crystals. The crew of the Enterprise be...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider The Enemy Within, which aired on October 6, 1966, Star Date 1672.1. While gathering specimens on planet Alpha 177 (whose night temperature reaches -120 degrees), the transporter malfunctions, stranding the remaining 4-man landing party (including Sulu) on the planet; Kirk beams up. Kirk is split into two alter-egos, the evil one (hostilit...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider The Naked Time, which aired on September 29, 1966, Star Date 1704.2. Story A landing party from the Enterprise beams aboard Psi 2000, an ancient planet about to break up. They find all six of the station's crew dead. However, the circumstances are bizarre since the life support systems have been switched off, and everything in the station...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider Where No Man Had Gone Before, which aired on September 22, 1966, Star Date 1312.4 Story This is the first Star Trek episode made (not counting the pilot episode, The Cage), although it was not the first to air. It differs from subsequent episodes in that there is no "Space, the final frontier" voice-over during the theme song at the begin...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider Charlie X, which aired on September 15, 1966, Star Date 1533.6. Story After receiving a distress call from a science party on Camus II exploring the ruins of a dead civilization, the Enterprise rushes to assistance. All members of the party appear to be dead except the leader, Dr. Janice Lester, and the medical officer, Dr. Arthur Coleman...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider The Man Trap, which aired on September 8, 1966, Star Date 1515.1. In this episode, a landing party from the Enterprise beams down to perform an annual checkup of scientist Bob Crater and his wife Nancy, who have lived on the planet M113 for 5 years. Dr. Crater and Nancy appear to be in good health, but Dr. Crater goes out of his way to re...

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Conscience of the King, which aired on December 8, 1966, Star Date 2817.6. The Enterprise is called Planet Q by Dr. Thomas Leighton. Leighton suspects Anton Karidian, the leader of a Shakespearean acting troupe currently on the planet, is Kodos the Executioner, former governor of the Earth colony of Tarsus IV. Kodos had or...