The Apple

Production # 38

Original Air Date 10-13-67

Stardate 3715.0

Synopsis:

When a landing party beams down to the planet Gamma Trianguli VI, they find what appears to be an idyllic paradise. They quickly discover, however, that the planet is deadly, sporting plants that shoot thorns, rocks that explode, and incredibly accurate lightning bolts.

With a much reduced party, they encounter the planet's inhabitants. They are a peaceful, child-like people who call themselves the "Feeders of Vaal." They dress in flowers and bright paint, never reproducing because they don't age or die. Each day they "feed" Vaal offerings of food. Vaal seems to be a large, serpent's head carved of rock, but is actually the terminal for an advanced, underground computer. Seeing Kirk and his party as a threat, Vaal takes them prisoner and tries to pull the U.S.S. Enterprise from orbit.

Kirk realizes that by depriving Vaal of the native's daily offerings of food, the computer won't be able to convert the offerings into reaction mass. Thus weakened, Kirk uses the U.S.S. Enterprise's phasers to destroy Vaal. This leaves the natives on their own to discover birth, death, and the everyday ways of life.

Cast:
William Shatner as James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy as Spock
DeForest Kelley as Leonard H. McCoy
James Doohan as Montgomery Scott
Walter Koenig as Pavel Andreievich Chekov

Guest Cast:
Keith Andes as Akuta
Celeste Yarnall as Yeo. Martha Landon
Shari Nims as Sayana
David Soul as Makora

Creative staff:
Director: Joseph Pevney
Written By: Max Ehrlich
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Episode information from startrek.com.