Amok Time (15 Sep. 1967)

In the throes of his Pon Farr mating period, Spock must return to Vulcan to meet his intended future wife, betrothed from childhood.

Director:

Joseph Pevney

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Theodore Sturgeon

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Celia Lovsky	...	T'Pau
Arlene Martel	...	T'Pring
Lawrence Montaigne	...	Stonn
Majel Barrett	...	Nurse Christine Chapel
George Takei	...	Sulu
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
Byron Morrow	...	Admiral Komack

Storyline

Lately, Spock's behavior has been increasingly and unprecedentedly erratic. When McCoy finds it to be a growing medical risk, Kirk drags the truth out of him: it is the 'blood fever', the one time in a Vulcan's life he regresses to a primitive, hormonal state of mind, setting out to mate for life. He is granted the first request for shore-leave in his entire career to go to Vulcan, asking Kirk and McCoy to join him in his equivalent of a marriage ceremony with his since-age-seven arranged fiancée, T'Pring. But, once on Vulcan, T'Pring halts the matrimony by calling the ancient challenge, whereby a champion of her choice will fight Spock for her. Surprising all, she selects Jim Kirk. He accepts after due consideration only to find, when the first of two dueling weapons are handed out, that the fight is to the death - too late to decline in front of T'Pau, the presiding top official for Spock's family and the most powerful of all Vulcan dignitaries.

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Plot Keywords:

challenge | returning to homeland | alien planet | friends compete for woman | friends fighting | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 1967 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Desilu Productions, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The British pop group T'Pau took their name from the Vulcan priestess played by Celia Lovsky.

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Goofs

Spock drops his pen onto the table in his quarters. The next shot shows Kirk holding his wrist and holding the pen.

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Quotes

T'Pau: What thee are about to see comes down from the time of the beginning, without change. This is the Vulcan heart. This is the Vulcan soul. This is our way.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Paris Hilton/Keane (2005)

User Reviews

wonderful show

Season 2 of Star Trek started off with a bang. This is one of the most memorable shows concerning Spock and his home planet of Vulcan. Plus the Vulcan's 7 year biological urge to mate. Only Harlan Ellison's "City on the Edge of Forever" exceeds the quality of Theodore Sturgeon's script here. It must surely rank among the Top 10 Star Trek shows that were ever produced.

We see Spock and Kirk fighting at the end and Spock is almost out of his mind since he is in the throws of Ponn Far--the Vulcan mating ritual. Who can forget Spock's poignant speech to Tpau that he shall not live long and prosper since he has killed his captain and his friend, Kirk.