The Enterprise AND the Klingon Empire both arrive on a somewhat primitive tribal planet in order to negotiate trade rights. At first, things look just fine for the Federation, as the leader of the tribe is inclined towards the humans. However, a battle over leadership erupts among these incredibly pugnacious people and soon this leader is sleeping with the worms. And, the new leader is inclined to deal with the Klingons, though he might just agree to work with the Federation until the landing party make a big mistake. They intervene when they see guards about to execute the old leader's pregnant wife AND they touch her in the process--it seems that it expected that she be killed in order to signify the change in leadership and touching ANY leader's woman was a major taboo. For these "offenses", the tribe sentence the landing party to death!! But, our heroes (Spock, Kirk and McCoy) escape and take the doomed woman with them. Oddly, the woman wants to die and fights with them repeatedly during their exodus! But, in the end, the Klingons are discredited and the Federation is victorious--yay! The episode is unusual and had a lot of creativity. But, at times, the acting just seemed overdone--with some cheesy performances and over-acting (and for once, it was not Kirk doing this). An interesting and particularly average episode.
Review of Friday's Child
