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Star Trek
S3.E10
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IMDbPro

Plato's Stepchildren

  • Episode aired Nov 22, 1968
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 51m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
DeForest Kelley, Barbara Babcock, and Liam Sullivan in Star Trek (1966)
Star Trek: Plato's Stepchildren
Play trailer1:34
1 Video
33 Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Sci-Fi
After Dr. McCoy helps the leader of a planet populated by people with powerful psionic abilities, they decide to force him to stay by torturing his comrades until he submits.After Dr. McCoy helps the leader of a planet populated by people with powerful psionic abilities, they decide to force him to stay by torturing his comrades until he submits.After Dr. McCoy helps the leader of a planet populated by people with powerful psionic abilities, they decide to force him to stay by torturing his comrades until he submits.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • David Alexander
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Meyer Dolinsky
    • Arthur H. Singer(story consultant)
  • Stars
    • William Shatner
    • Leonard Nimoy
    • DeForest Kelley
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Alexander
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Meyer Dolinsky
    • Arthur H. Singer(story consultant)
  • Stars
    • William Shatner
    • Leonard Nimoy
    • DeForest Kelley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Star Trek: Plato's Stepchildren
    Trailer 1:34
    Star Trek: Plato's Stepchildren

    Photos33

    Michael Dunn in Star Trek (1966)
    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek (1966)
    William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, and Michael Dunn in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy and Majel Barrett in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Michael Dunn in Star Trek (1966)
    Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and DeForest Kelley in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek (1966)
    Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, and Michael Dunn in Star Trek (1966)
    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)
    William Shatner in Star Trek (1966)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Shatner
    William Shatner
    • Capt. Kirkas Capt. Kirk
    Leonard Nimoy
    Leonard Nimoy
    • Mr. Spockas Mr. Spock
    DeForest Kelley
    DeForest Kelley
    • Dr. McCoyas Dr. McCoy
    Michael Dunn
    Michael Dunn
    • Alexanderas Alexander
    Liam Sullivan
    Liam Sullivan
    • Parmenas Parmen
    Barbara Babcock
    Barbara Babcock
    • Philanaas Philana
    James Doohan
    James Doohan
    • Scottas Scott
    Nichelle Nichols
    Nichelle Nichols
    • Uhuraas Uhura
    Majel Barrett
    Majel Barrett
    • Nurse Chapelas Nurse Chapel
    Ted Scott
    • Eraclitusas Eraclitus
    Derek Partridge
    Derek Partridge
    • Dionydas Dionyd
    Bill Blackburn
    • Lt. Hadleyas Lt. Hadley
    • (uncredited)
    Jeannie Malone
    • Yeomanas Yeoman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • David Alexander
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Meyer Dolinsky
      • Arthur H. Singer(story consultant)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Network executives ordered director David Alexander to shoot a take where Kirk and Uhura did not kiss, just so it would be available. However William Shatner crossed his eyes at the camera making the take useless.
    • Goofs
      In his Captain's Log, Kirk states that the Platonians' "planet went nova." Planets don't go nova, only stars.
    • Quotes

      Captain James T. Kirk: Alexander, are there other Platonians like you?

      Alexander: [defensively] What do you mean "like me?"

      Captain James T. Kirk: Who don't have the psychokinetic ability.

      Alexander: [relieved] I thought you were talking about my size, because they make fun of me for my size. But, um, to answer your question, I'm the only one who doesn't have it. I was brought here as the court buffoon. That's why I'm everybody's slave, and I have to be at ten places at once, and I never do anything right.

      Spock: How does one obtain the power?

      Alexander: As far as I know, it just comes to you some time after you're born. They say I'm a throwback. And I am, and so are you... Sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

      Captain James T. Kirk: Don't worry about it. We're happy without it.

      Alexander: You know, I believe you are! Listen, where you come from, are there are lot of people without the power and my size?

      Captain James T. Kirk: Alexander, where I come from, size, shape or color makes no difference. And nobody has the power.

    • Alternate versions
      Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
    • Connections
      Featured in William Shatner's Star Trek Memories (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme
      Music credited to Alexander Courage

      Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

    User reviews30

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Psionic Abilities, McCoy, Torturing The Crew
    Season 3, episode 10. The Enterprise receives a call for a medical emergency on a planet where the alien people once flourished on Earth during the time of Plato, then they left after the time of Plato and kept the Platonian society. The Platonians have selective breeding and a type of eugenics that left their number paired down to 38. The planet is rich in "kironide" mineral deposits which gives them their psionic abilities, all except for a friendly dwarf named Alexander. Alexander is their court jester and a slave to the Platonians - he is forced by the psionic abilities to do their bidding. McCoy, Kirk and Spock all beam down. McCoy gives Parmen the medical treatment he needs and decides to keep McCoy. They have not needed the medical arts before the time that Parmen became ill. When Kirk refuses Parmen makes all of them do things for his entertainment - even bringing down Nurse Chapel and Uhura for more entertainment. Now Kirk & crew must find a way out of there with the help of Alexander.

    What an episode. I actually like this one - it's not the greatest of episodes but it does bring out emotions in me which has me really enjoying it... even though Mr. Spock might find that illogical. LOL. ;) The famous kiss - erroneously called the first scripted interracial kiss on television. Forcing Kirk to the ground, having Spock to dance and almost crush Kirk's face with his foot, forcing Spock to laugh and then to cry (McCoy saying it will destroy Spock - meaning killing Spock to me). Kirk being forced to be a horse for Alexander the forced rider. On and on.... humiliating the crew in order to keep McCoy as their doctor. And what they have done to Alexander - very emotional.

    9/10
    helpful•7
    4
    • Rainey-Dawn
    • Jan 13, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 22, 1968 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • handitv
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • Greek
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Television
      • Norway Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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