Television Review: The Enterprise Incident (Star Trek, S3X04, 1968)

The Enterprise Incident (S03E04)

Airdate: September 27th 1968

Written by: D.C. Fontana
Directed by: John Meredyth Lucas

Running Time: 50 minutes

The third season of Star Trek: The Original Series is widely regarded as the most uneven and least appreciated of the show’s run, a decline often attributed to dwindling budgets, creative fatigue, and the network’s increasingly intrusive demands. Yet, even amid its mediocrity, this season occasionally produced episodes that rivalled the brilliance of its predecessors. One such standout is The Enterprise Incident, which aired just a week after the season’s disastrous opener, Spock’s Brain. This episode serves as a masterful reminder of the series’ potential, demonstrating how Star Trek could still deliver compelling storytelling, even under constraints. By blending political intrigue, character-driven tension, and a clever narrative twist, The Enterprise Incident transcends its modest resources to stand among the show’s finest hours.

The plot opens with Captain Kirk making an inexplicable decision: ordering the Enterprise to drift into the Romulan Neutral Zone, a move that violates longstanding peace accords. The crew’s confusion is palpable, as Spock notes the irrationality of Kirk’s command. Almost immediately, Romulan battlecruisers surround the starship, threatening destruction unless it surrenders. In a bid to buy time, Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Romulan vessel to negotiate. Kirk claims the Enterprise strayed due to a navigational malfunction, but Spock’s stoic insistence that “the ship was under orders” piques the interest of the Romulan commander (played by Joanne Linville). She is intrigued by Spock’s Vulcan heritage, exploiting their shared ancestry to manipulate him. Her goal is twofold: to lure Vulcan away from the Federation and to seduce Spock, appealing to the emotions he suppresses. Meanwhile, the entire scenario is revealed as a ruse orchestrated by Starfleet: the Enterprise deliberately provoked the Romulans to infiltrate their ship and steal their cloaking device, a technology acquired from Klingons, whose D7 battlecruisers now form part of the Romulan fleet. This audacious plan underscores the Federation’s desperation to counter technological threats, even at the risk of interstellar incident.

The episode’s success is largely due to its writer, D.C. Fontana, a titan of Star Trek writing who contributed to both The Original Series and The Next Generation. Fontana’s work is marked by sharp dialogue, nuanced characterisation, and a knack for weaving real-world politics into sci-fi allegory. Here, she drew inspiration from the Pueblo Incident of January 1968, in which the USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea, an event that dominated headlines shortly before the episode’s November 1968 broadcast. The parallels are striking: an American vessel lured into hostile territory, a tense diplomatic standoff, and the moral ambiguity of espionage. Fontana transposed this real-life crisis into the Star Trek universe, creating a narrative that feels both timely and timeless.

The Enterprise Incident is also notable for being the second and final direct appearance of the Romulans in The Original Series, solidifying their role as a key Federation adversary. Fontana’s decision to cast the Romulan commander as a woman was radical for 1968. Played with icy charisma by Joanne Linville—a veteran of 1950s and ’60s television who had previously worked with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy—the character defies the era’s gender norms. By placing a woman in a position of military authority on the “wrong” side of the Cold War-inspired Federation/Romulan divide, Fontana subtly challenged the era’s gendered power structures. This subversion was all the more daring given that fans, unaware of her gender due to her initials, often assumed Fontana herself was male.

The episode’s exploration of Vulcan-Romulan relations adds depth to both species. The commander, later named Liviana Chervanek in non-canon materials, exploits Spock’s latent emotions by appealing to his Vulcan heritage. Her seductive overtures—subtly conveyed through lingering hand gestures and intimate dialogue—echo the emotional suppression themes of Journey to Babel, where Spock encountered his people’s repressed passions. This interplay is handled with restraint, avoiding overt sensuality but leaving no doubt about the mutual attraction. Fontana’s script allows Spock’s human half to emerge without undermining his character’s dignity, a balance that Nimoy executes with his usual precision.

Despite its acclaim, Fontana later expressed reservations about the seduction subplot, arguing that Spock’s stoicism would logically preclude such vulnerability. Yet this critique does not diminish the episode’s overall quality. Director John Meredyth Lucas maintains a taut, suspenseful pace, balancing dialogue-driven scenes with the looming threat of Romulan annihilation. Nimoy’s performance is particularly nuanced, contrasting Shatner’s occasional overacting. The script’s focus on Spock’s internal conflict—between duty and desire—gives the character rare emotional complexity, making his eventual return to the Enterprise a cathartic resolution.

Alexander Courage’s musical score, evoking a noirish atmosphere, amplifies the Romulan ship’s alien ambiance. The score’s haunting tones contrast with the Romulans’ rigid hierarchy, which mirrors Starfleet’s protocols—a clever narrative choice that blurs the lines between adversaries. Meanwhile, costume designer William Ware Theiss elevates Linville’s portrayal through her commander’s attire. Her formal uniform exudes authority, while her casual quarters ensemble—soft, unstructured fabrics—underscores her seductive intent. This duality creates one of Star Trek’s most memorable romantic moments, blending tension and tenderness without descending into melodrama.

The Enterprise Incident is a triumph of creativity over limitation. Fontana’s sharp writing, bolstered by strong performances and atmospheric direction, transforms a potentially routine spy thriller into a layered exploration of trust, deception, and identity. It stands as a testament to Star Trek’s enduring capacity to elevate its stories beyond budgetary or network constraints—a quality that even the weakest seasons could occasionally muster.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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