"Bem" is the second episode of the second season of the American animated
science fiction television series ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', the 18th episode overall. It first aired in the
NBC Saturday morning lineup on 14 September 1974, and was written by
David Gerrold,
[This story was expanded to become the first half of a full-length novel by science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster, ]
Star Trek Log Nine
' (1977) (). who wrote the earlier episode "
More Tribbles, More Troubles" and worked on several ''
Original Series'' episodes. This episode marks the first time that Captain James T. Kirk's full name is given, revealing that the middle initial stood for Tiberius, after the
Roman emperor.
In this episode, the ''
Enterprise'' crew must cope with a diplomatically sensitive issue involving a guest officer who meddles in a crucial mission.
Plot
On
stardate
''StarDate'' is a science radio program of The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory, broadcast on over 360 radio stations. It is a daily guide to the night sky and breaking astronomical news. Typically heard without formal introdu ...
7403.6, the
Federation starship
A starship, starcraft, or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for interstellar travel, traveling between planetary systems.
The term is mostly found in science fiction. Reference to a "star-ship" appears as early as 188 ...
''
Enterprise'' crew is conducting a series of exploratory missions with honorary Commander Ari bn Bem, a representative from the newly contacted planet Pandro, who is working for his government as an independent observer of the Federation.
Bem accompanies a landing party on a mission to a newly discovered planet. Instead of observing, however, he begins to interfere with the mission.
Before long, Captain
Kirk and his people are captured by primitive natives. They soon learn that these primitives are under the guardianship of a powerful noncorporeal entity who is upset that the ''Enterprise'' crew has come to her planet and interfered with her "children".
Production
The writer of the episode, David Gerrold won both
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...
and
Nebula
A nebula ('cloud' or 'fog' in Latin; pl. nebulae, nebulæ or nebulas) is a distinct luminescent part of interstellar medium, which can consist of ionized, neutral or molecular hydrogen and also cosmic dust. Nebulae are often star-forming regio ...
awards for science fiction, and also wrote the episode "
More Tribbles, More Troubles" for this series.
"Bem" began as a script for ''
Star Trek: The Original Series'' third season, it was condensed for ''The Animated Series'' first season, and was finally produced during the show's second season.
Reception
In 2017, ''
Tor.com'' rated this episode 8 out of 10, noting that the ''Enterprise'' takes on the passenger Bem and goes to the planet Delta Theta III.
See also
* "
Justice" - a ''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' episode in which the ''Enterprise'' encounters a primitive civilization watched over by an alien that the locals believe to be God.
References
External links
*
*
*
"Bem"a
"Bem"Full episode for viewing at
StarTrek.com
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into variou ...
{{Star Trek: The Animated Series
1974 American television episodes
Star Trek: The Animated Series episodes
Television episodes written by David Gerrold