The Return of the Archons
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 9 February 1967
- ON
- NBC
- STARDATE
- 3156.2
- DIRECTED BY
- Joseph Pevney
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 22
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Boris Sobelman; story by Gene Roddenberry
Searching for a starship lost a century ago, Kirk finds a placid society with an old-fashioned way of life, a strange festival and a ruler called Landru whom no one questions.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
The Enterprise visits Beta III to learn what became of the USS Archon, lost a century earlier. Sulu returns from the surface in a dazed, blissful state. Kirk's landing party finds a town resembling 19th-century Earth whose people are calm and obedient, except during the violent Festival. Hooded Lawgivers enforce the will of Landru, and anyone who resists is absorbed into the Body, losing all individuality. With the help of an underground resistance, Kirk and Spock discover that Landru is a computer built by a long-dead leader of that name to keep the peace, and it has been running the society for 6,000 years. Kirk argues that by denying people free will and creativity it has failed its own purpose, and the machine destroys itself. A team is left behind to help the people learn to live freely.
- 01The first episode to mention the Prime Directive, the rule against interfering with other cultures.
- 02Roddenberry's story was one of his candidate outlines for the first pilot, alongside “The Cage”.
- 03The town scenes were filmed on the 40 Acres backlot in Culver City, using a set originally built for Gone with the Wind.