Star Trek: The Animated Series

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Star Trek: The Animated Series

#6 The Survivor

Written by: James Schmerer

Directed by: Hal Sutherland

Airdate: Oct. 13, 1973

Stardate: 5143.3

Synopsis

Patrolling near the Neutral Zone, the U.S.S. Enterprise finds a ship manned by Carter Winston, a Federation citizen who has been missing for 5 years. Winston turns out to really be a Vendorian, an alien species that can transform its shape at will.

Guest Characters:

Lieutenent Ann Nored Nichelle Nichols

Carter Winston Ted Knight

Romulan Commander James Doohan

Gabler James Doohan

Computer Voice Majel Barrett

This episode featured the first appearance of Lieutenant M'Ress.

The late Ted Knight did the voice of Carter Winston. He later gained fame as Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1977.

The Vendorian alien seen in this episode would have been impossible to do convincingly in a live-action show. Another example of the animated STAR TREK series being able to show us interesting non-humanoid aliens.

This episode featured the first appearance of Romulans on the Animated STAR TREK series. Romulans appeared again in "The Time Trap" and "The Practical Joker".

The author of this episode, James Schmerer, has written quite a number of other television series episodes, including those for Mannix, Hawaii Five-O, The Fall Guy and Starsky & Hutch. Interestingly, Schmerer colaborated on the script of the 8th episode of MacGyver with Douglas Brooks West and fellow STAR TREK writer Stephen Kandel. Coincidentally, that episode also featured guest actress Nana Visitor who would go on to become the regular cast member Major Kira Nerys on STAR TREK: Deep Space Nine.

Majel Barrett did three voices in this episode.

Transporter Chief Kyle was seen in this episode, again sporting a moustache, but he had no dialogue.

There was a visual error in this episode, in one scene Lieutenant Nored's insignia was on the wrong side of her uniform.

Dr. McCoy's daughter, Joanna, was mentioned in this episode. The original draft of the original STAR TREK series episode "The Way to Eden" was called "Joanna" and had McCoy's daughter as one of the space hippies. The script was extensively rewritten and her character became Irina Galliulan.