Charlie X
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 15 September 1966
- ON
- NBC
- STARDATE
- 1533.6
- DIRECTED BY
- Lawrence Dobkin
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 08
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by D.C. Fontana; story by Gene Roddenberry
A 17-year-old survivor raised alone on a distant planet joins the Enterprise, but Charlie Evans has powers no one understands and a temper no one can control.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
The Enterprise takes aboard Charlie Evans from the cargo ship Antares. The only survivor of a crash on the planet Thasus, he grew up alone there from the age of three. Awkward and desperate to be liked, Charlie becomes infatuated with Yeoman Janice Rand. It soon emerges that he has extraordinary mental powers, given to him by the planet's mysterious Thasians. Every rejection makes him more dangerous: he destroys the Antares, makes crew members vanish or change, and seizes control of the ship. Kirk struggles to contain him until a Thasian appears, undoes the harm aboard the Enterprise and takes Charlie away, as he pleads to stay with the humans.
- 01Gene Roddenberry makes an uncredited voice cameo as the ship's cook. It is his only speaking role in the original series.
- 02The story grew from Roddenberry's 1964 idea “The Day Charlie Became God”. During production it was briefly titled “Charlie's Law”.
- 03In the recreation room, Uhura sings while Spock accompanies her on his Vulcan lyre, until Charlie silences her.