The Squire of Gothos

William Campbell's performance in the title role of The Squire Of Gothos really makes this Star Trek story. Later on Campbell would play a Klingon captain in another classic Star Trek story The Trouble With Tribbles.

Some strange readings on a planet that should have no life on it make William Shatner want to lead an away team there. They land on a spot that shows earth like readings in the atmosphere and become the guests of Trelaine who styles himself The Squire Of Gothos.

He's living in a 18th century castle much like a home that William Pitt both senior and junior would feel at home in. But stuck out there in space he's lonely. He wants the Enterprise crew for company. Only Shatner and his crew have work to do.

Leonard Nimoy intrigues Campbell. He's studied earth, but he's only gotten as far as the 18th century. A Vulcan like Spock is something he can't account for. The very serious minded Spock has no time to deal with what Captain Kirk and the rest realize is an immature mind. But a very powerful one who can change matter to energy and back simply at will.

In the end of course the Enterprise crew escapes Campbell's clutches, but how they do it is something that puts the entire human and Vulcan races in its place in the universal scheme of things.