Plato's Stepchildren (Episode)

Plato's Stepchildren

"Plato's Stepchildren" (TOS 67)

Series	Star Trek
Season	3
Episode	10
Production Number	67
Previous	Day of the Dove (TOS 66)
Next	Wink of an Eye (TOS 68)
Released	22 Nov 1968
Advertising	Amazon

Prime Timeline
(The root of all realities)

Stardate 5784.0: Platonians use psychokinetic power to toy with the crew.

Answering a distress call from the planet Platonius, Dr. McCoy beams down with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock to aid the stricken Platonian leader, Parmen. Although Parmen and his people have no resistance to physical disease, they are powerful telekinetics. After McCoy cures their leader, the Platonians attempt to persuade him to stay — and when he refuses, they enslave the landing party. The Platonians' diminutive jester, Alexander, befriends Kirk and attempts to help, but is powerless to interfere because of his lack of telekinetic powers. Parmen forces Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to undergo humiliating experiences, some of which drive the Vulcan to his psychological breaking point. Uhura and Chapel are also beamed down and forced to enact bizarre charades with Kirk and Spock to amuse the Platonians.

McCoy determines that the chemical substance kironide is responsible for the Platonians' powers. He mixes a concentrated batch of the substance, but Alexander refuses the injection, not wishing to possess the same type of powers as the other Platonians. Kirk and Spock take the dosage and develop the power, canceling out the effectiveness of Parmen's deadly pranks. The landing party leaves Platonius, taking Alexander, who will depart at a nearby Federation outpost to begin a new life.

Image Gallery

Platonius
lyre
Alexander
Dionyd
Eraclitus
Parmen
Philana
brass knuckles
mace
medkit
shield
tricorder
whip

Related Data

Astrometrics	Earth; Platonius; Sahndara
Chronology	Prime Timeline; c.350 BCE; c.231 BCE; 31 BCE; 20 BCE; 2269; Stardate 5784.2-5784.3
Culture	chess; dancing; drums; "The Frogs;" Greek language; Greeks; kithara; laurels; lyre; music; saint
Education	doctor; doctorate; physician
Food
People	Alexander; Aristophanes; Christine Chapel; Cupid (Mythological); Dionyid; Eraclitus; Hadley; Hippocrates; James T. Kirk; Leonard McCoy; Pan (Mythological); Parmen; Pericles; Philana; Plato; Montgomery Scott; Socrates; Spock; Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Fictional); Nyota Uhura
Politics	democracy; republic; Starfleet; Starfleet Ranks (Crewman, Ensign, Lieutenant, Starfleet Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain); United Federation of Planets; utopia
Science & Technology	archery; audio receiver; blood; brain; brass knuckles; communications; communicator; computer; distress call; eugenics; eye; fever; hormones; hypospray; impulse drive; infection; kironide; knife; mace; medicine; medkit; microtapes; nacelle; nova; orbit; PADD; phasers (Type 2); psychokinesis; sensors; shield; subspace; subspace communications; time (hour, day, week, month, century; millennium); transporter; tricorder; turbolift; warp drive; whip
Ships & Vehicles	Constitution class; U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701
Xenology	Humans; hybrids; Platonians; Vulcans
Miscellaneous	bridge; logs; murder; puppet; slavery; Starfleet Uniforms (2266); torture

Credits

Created by
Gene Roddenberry

Starring
William Shatner

Also Starring
Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
and
DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

Written by
Meyer Dolinsky

Directed by
David Alexander

Produced by
Fred Freiberger

Co-Producer
Robert H. Justman

Executive Producer
Gene Roddenberry

Associate Producers
Edward K. Milkis
Gregg Peters

Guest Star
Michael Dunn as Alexander
Liam Sullivan as Parmen
Barbara Babcock as Philana

James Doohan … Scott
Nichelle Nichols … Uhura
Majel Barrett … Nurse Chapel
Ted Scott … Eraclitus
Derek Partridge … Dionyd

Story Consultant
Arthur H. Singer

Music Composed and Conducted by
Alexander Courage

Art Director
Walter M. Jefferies

Director of Photography
Al Francis

Film Editor … Bruce Schoengarth
Unit Production Manager … Gregg Peters
Assistant Director … Gil Kissel
Set Decorator … John M. Dwyer
Costumes Created by … William Ware Theiss
Photographic Effects … Vanderveer Photo Effects
Sound Effects Editor … Douglas H. Grindstaff
Music Editor … Richard Lapham
Re-Recording Mixer … Gordon L. Day, C.A.S.
Production Mixer … Carl W. Daniels
Script Supervisor … George A. Rutter
Recorded by … Glen Glenn Sound Co.
Casting … Joseph D'Agosta
Makeup Artist … Fred B. Phillips, S.M.A.
Hair Styles … Pat Westmore
Gaffer … George H. Merhoff
Head Grip … George Rader
Property Master … Irving A. Feinberg
Special Effects … Jim Rugg

A Paramount Production
In Association With
Norway Corporation

Executive Vice President in Charge of Production
Douglas S. Cramer