The Changeling 

A powerful artificially intelligent Earth probe, with a murderously twisted imperative, comes aboard the Enterprise and mistakes Capt. Kirk for its creator.

Director:

Marc Daniels

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), John Meredyth Lucas

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
James Doohan	...	Scott
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
George Takei	...	Sulu
Majel Barrett	...	Christine Chapel
Makee K. Blaisdell	...	Singh (as Blaisdel Makee)
Barbara Gates	...	Crewwoman
Meade Martin	...	Crewman
Arnold Lessing	...	Security Guard
Vic Perrin	...	Nomad (voice)

Storyline

The Enterprise encounters a powerful energy force that has apparently killed all human life in a solar system with over one billion inhabitants. They identify the culprit as a small space probe that had its origins on Earth. Called Nomad, it merged with another and, as a result, took on a new mission to destroy all biological beings as being imperfect. It believes Captain Kirk to be its creator and, as such, has spared the Enterprise and its crew, at least temporarily.

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Plot Keywords:

starship's brig | speaking swahili | seeking perfection | anti grav | man vaporized | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

First appearance of the new redesigned engineering section.

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Goofs

After Nomad has scanned Scott's medical data on the bridge at Spock's station, McCoy leads the probe to the turbolift, passing Uhura's station, where the chair is missing. A few seconds later, the chair is back at the communications station.

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Quotes

Nomad: You are the Kirk, the creator. You programmed my function.
Dr. McCoy: [outraged] Well, I'M not the Kirk. Tell ME what your function is.
Nomad: This is one of your units, creator?
Capt. Kirk: Yes, he is.
Nomad: It functions irrationally.
Capt. Kirk: Sometimes, but tell him your function, nevertheless.
Nomad: My function is to probe for biological infestations, to destroy that which is not perfect.

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Alternate Versions

Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song

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Connections

Referenced in Nikita: Power (2012)

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Soundtracks

Beyond Antares
Written by Wilbur Hatch with lyrics by Gene L. Coon
Performed by Nichelle Nichols

User Reviews

Inspired... more like totally copied.

"This episode obviously inspired the plot of the first Star Trek Movie where the mysterious and immensely powerful and dangerously destructive evil force is referred to as "V-ger" by the kidnapped and subsequently returned (and reprogrammed) female crewperson of the new and improved Enterprise."

Start Trek: The Motion Picture wasn't simply "inspired"by the Changeling. Roddenberry pretty much took the plot and characters of "The Changeling" tried to file the serial numbers off, and expand it into a feature film without any payment to the author of this script. Said author however wasn't sleeping, nor dead, and sued him over the attempted theft. You can pretty much do a direct mapping of the plot and characters from this episode to that film with Lt. Ilia taking the place of Uhura, but pretty much everything else lifted intact.

Details

Official Sites:

handitv Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

Greek English Swahili

Release Date:

29 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 DTS (re-mastered version) Dolby Digital (re-mastered version)

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3