TOS · SEASON 33×24

Turnabout Intruder

NOMADIC PICK · HISTORIC PICKThe final voyage, flaws and all.

FIRST SHOWN (US): 3 June 1969
ON: NBC
STARDATE: 5928.5
DIRECTED BY: Herb Wallerstein
PRODUCTION NO.: 79

WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Arthur H. Singer; story by Gene Roddenberry

IN BRIEF

SPOILER-FREE

Answering a distress call, Kirk meets a former lover who has never forgiven him, and soon the man in the captain's chair is not quite the captain the crew knows.

SYNOPSIS

SPOILERS

Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS

The Enterprise answers a distress call from an expedition on Camus II, where Kirk finds Dr Janice Lester, a woman he knew at Starfleet Academy. Bitter that she was never allowed to command a starship, Lester uses an alien device to swap bodies with Kirk. Lester, now in Kirk's body, tries to kill the real captain, now trapped in hers, but is interrupted. Aboard the ship, the false Kirk plots with the loyal Dr Coleman to dispose of the real one, while her erratic behaviour alarms the crew. Spock mind-melds with the prisoner and confirms the truth. The impostor puts Spock on trial for mutiny and orders the execution of Spock, McCoy and Scotty. When Sulu and Chekov refuse to obey, the exchange begins to fail and Kirk and Lester return to their own bodies. Lester breaks down and Coleman leads her away.

DID YOU KNOW?

01The final episode produced and broadcast. It was due on 28 March 1969 but was pre-empted by coverage of President Eisenhower's death, finally airing on 3 June.
02William Shatner had flu during filming. He learned of the series' cancellation while the episode was being made.
03Nichelle Nichols was away on a singing engagement, so Barbara Baldavin's Lisa takes the communications post.

SOURCES WE CHECKED