Wolf in the Fold 

Kirk and the Enterprise Computer become detectives after Scotty is accused of murdering women on a pleasure planet.

Director:

Joseph Pevney

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Robert Bloch

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
John Fiedler	...	Hengist
Charles Macaulay	...	Jaris (as Charles Macauley)
Pilar Seurat	...	Sybo
James Doohan	...	Scott
George Takei	...	Sulu
Charles Dierkop	...	Morla
Joseph Bernard	...	Tark
Tanya Lemani	...	Kara (as Tania Lemani)
John Winston	...	Transporter Chief
Virginia Aldridge	...	Lt. Karen Tracy
Judith McConnell	...	Yeoman Tankris (as Judy McConnell)
Judi Sherven	...	Nurse

Storyline

While on shore leave on the planet Argelius II with Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk, Chief Engineer Scott finds himself accused of murdering an exotic dancer he met in a nightclub. He has no recollection of the incident but is found standing over the girl with a bloody knife in his hand. For Mr. Hengist, the chief administrator, the case is cut and dried, but Jaris, the planet's leader, suggests that his wife chair a séance to identify the killer. Tragedy strikes again, still pointing to Mr. Scott as the culprit. Kirk suggests they retire to the Enterprise where they can use its computers to determine if Scott is lying and who the real culprit may be.

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Plot Keywords:

london times | based on real events | jack the ripper | husband wife relationship | serial murder | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 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:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

This takes place in 2267.

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Goofs

Onboard the Enterprise and using the "Truth Computer" before Scott and the other man sit in the chair, they put a tape cassette in the computer. Close ups of the computer working during questioning shows no tape or even a slot for one.

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Quotes

Dr. McCoy: She's dead, Jim.

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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

Featured in William Shatner's Star Trek Memories (1995)

User Reviews

Before CSI, there was Trek.

This episode gave me the creeps because I always liked Scotty. He wasn't Kirk, Spock nor McCoy. He made sure the Enterprise ran, and made miracles happen when the ship was in peril. He brought engines back from the grave, fixed transporters, weapons, and always warned the captain about the stress and strain the ship could take. But Kirk knew his engineer, and trusted him to push the Enterprise to the absolute limit without breaking her.

But then this episode happens, and Scotty's integrity is put on the line. The one you least suspect is the primary suspect in a series of brutal criminal events. Is Scotty the culprit? Is our beloved Scottsman in fact the criminal which the Argelians seek? We're given some pretty fast moving elements, and given the planetary society we're introduced to, it's a good thing, because otherwise Mister Scott might've been locked up and executed before the episode was over.

The story deals with objectifying the serial killer. Who and what is he? Where does he come from? How can he be? Is he truly one of us? A proverbial, as Spock puts it, "wolf in the fold" (the episode's title).

None of those questions is answered, but a science fiction hypothesis is proposed as well as a real world hypothesis for why some killers act the way they do. And, in the end, we're treated to Star Fleet know how via Kirk and Spock who have a solution.

The real magic of this episode is that with all of the weapons and personnel and technology at the disposal of Starfleet's finest, it's the captain and his officers who have to puzzle out what went on. And Kirk doesn't pull any punches in trying to get to the truth, including grilling his friend and chief engineer. They use the computer, but it can only serve as a tool. Kirk and crew have to puzzle out the real culprit.

The episode gives a real heir of mystery and suspense in act two. No amount of scanning equipment or phasers set to either stun or kill is going to solve the mystery for them. And even when the mystery of who and how it solved, the question of why can only be postulated in a science fiction like venue. There are some theories as to why some serial killers do the things they do, and this episode really doesn't even begin to touch on them. It only states that such things have happened, and the best at the time is to try to puzzle out who did these horrendous acts of evil.

The thing that got me about this episode, as I stated before, is that Kirk couldn't just rely on his department heads to whip up an answer based on his own theory. He does for a solution, but the problem was a real mystery. It was CSI in space, specifically on board the U.S.S. Enterprise, and Kirk plays a detective as well as a starship captain. It was scary in that we have a malevolent malefactor that exercises power of the most horrific kind. But again, it is Star Trek, and the solution actually does come in the form of scientific and engineering know how.

A definite plus for Trek for venturing into yet another genre without having to rely on staples like phasers and Klingons. An exploration of an unknown and very frightening quantity in a specific segment of the criminal population; the most vile, the most hated, and the most feared. Again, fortunately it is Trek with Kirk and crew at the helm to solve another life threatening dilemma.

If you're into the whole criminal fiction thing, then give this episode a whirl on your DVD player and see what you think. It may be a little incredulous, but hopefully you'll be somewhat impressed with the boundaries that Trek was willing to push and explore in terms of story and characters.

Enjoy!