The Ultimate Computer (Episode)
| Series | Star Trek |
| Season | 2 |
| Episode | 24 |
| Production Number | 53 |
| Release Date | 8 Mar 1968 |
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Stardate 4729.4: The Enterprise is used to test the new M-5 computer.
Doctor Richard Daystrom, who developed the breakthrough duotronic computer technology 25 years ago, fears he is now regarded as a prodigy who has lost his touch. Obsessed with proving himself, Daystrom uses his own mental patterns to program his new M-5 computer and convinces Starfleet Command that it should test the machine by installing it on the Enterprise. Although Captain Kirk expresses reservations about the machine's presence, the first tests appear successful. When Commodore Robert Wesley leads a squad of starships in practice maneuvers against the M-5-run Enterprise, the computer takes complete control of the starship and responds as though the attack is real, resulting in the death of the entire Excalibur crew. Kirk, treating the M-5 like an errant child, forces the machine to realize it has committed murder. The machine sentences itself to death by lowering the Enterprise's shields — just as the rest of the wargames fleet moves in to attack. Scotty and Spock "pull the plug" on M-5, restoring the Enterprise to Captain Kirk's control. Kirk then plays dead — and Wesley calls off the fleet.
Image Gallery
Starbase
- planet-tos53.jpg
Unnamed planet
Finagle's Folly
Dr. Richard Daystrom
Ens. Harper
Lexington Science Officer
Cdre. Robert Wesley
M-5 computer
M-5 controls
U.S.S. Excalibur NCC-1664
U.S.S. Lexington NCC-1709
U.S.S. Lexington NCC-1709
S.S. Woden
Related Data
Credits
Created by
Gene Roddenberry
Starring
William Shatner
Also Starring
Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
and
DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy
Teleplay by
D.C. Fontana
Story by
Laurence N. Wolfe
Produced and Directed by
John Meredyth Lucas
Executive Producer
Gene Roddenberry
Associate Producer
Robert H. Justman
Guest Star
William Marshall as Daystrom
James Doohan … Scott
George Takei … Sulu
Nichelle Nichols … Uhura
Featuring
Walter Koenig … Chekov
Sean Morgan … Ensign Harper
and
Barry Russo … Wesley
Script Consultant
D.C. Fontana
Assistant to the Producer
Edward K. Milkis
Theme Music by
Alexander Courage
Additional Music by
Sol Kaplan
and
Fred Steiner
Director of Photography
Jerry Finnerman
Art Director
Walter M. Jefferies
Film Editor … John W. Hanley
Unit Production Manager … Gregg Peters
Assistant Director … Phil Rawlins
Set Decorator … John M. Dwyer
Costumes Created by … William Ware Theiss
Photographic Effects … Howard A. Anderson Co.
Sound Effects Editor … Douglas H. Grindstaff
Music Editor … Jim Henrikson
Re-Recording Mixer … Gordon L. Day, C.A.S.
Production Mixer … Carl W. Daniels
Script Supervisor … George A. Rutter
Casting … Joseph D'Agosta
Sound … Glen Glenn Sound Co.
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
Key Costumer … Ken Harvey
A Paramount Production
In Association With
Norway Corporation
Executive in Charge of Production
Herbert F. Solow
