Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 3: Man Trap/Naked Time
Volume 3 in this terrific DVD library of originalStar Trekprograms includes "The Man Trap," the first broadcast episode of the Gene Roddenberry  series. Though it was not the first story produced for the show, the process was  still new enough that contracted writers were obliged to fill in various  blanks, develop some of the key characters, and smoothly introduce some of  theTrektechnology we've come to take for granted. Writer George  Clayton Johnson conceived a story in which an old flame of Dr. McCoy's  (DeForest Kelley), a woman named Dr. Nancy  Carter (Jeanny Bealy), is in need  of medical supplies on a planet where she and her husband (Alfred Ryder) are  the only humans. "Nancy," however, turns out to be a shape-shifting creature  that sucks the salt from the bodies of humanoids. Once it's loose aboard theEnterprise, the "salt vampire" can look like anyone in its pursuit of nourishment.With McCoy having such a pivotal part in the narrative, Johnson worked with the series' story editor and episode director (Marc Daniels) on fleshing out  his underdeveloped character. There were other issues to think about: this  premiere show introduced theEnterprise's transporter technology as well  asStar Trek's realistic take on scary extraterrestrials. Everyone  involved survived the episode, and while it played only to a meager television  audience,Trekwas off and running for three-plus decades.Also on this DVD is episode 4, "The Naked Time," in which an alien disease  that strips inhibitions from individuals affects theEnterprisecrew.  Sulu (George Takei) frees the swashbuckler in his soul, Kirk (William Shatner)  battles his demons, and a young lieutenant, Riley (Bruce Hyde), serenades the  entire starship and steers her toward certain doom. Still early in the  proceedings, this episode introduced a psychological aspect that would  become a cornerstone for the storytelling on all fourTrekseries.--Tom Keogh