What is the first episode of the original Star TrekTV series? 59 years ago, on September 8, 1966, (and two days earlier in Canada on September 6), the first episode ever broadcast on NBC of Star Trek was called “The Man Trap,” a story about a shapeshifting salt-sucking alien, who gets phasered to death in the end. However, as any hardcore Trekkie will tell you, “The Man Trap” was not the first episode filmed, but rather the fifth made. Nor was “The Man Trap” even the show’s second pilot episode. Fans everywhere celebrate “Star Trek Day” on September 8 every year to commemorate this moment, but what was the first real, normal episode of Star Trek?
To this slightly more nuanced question, longtime fans will likely give you two answers: “The Cage,” which was the 1964 pilot episode that didn’t actually air in its entirety in the 1960s, or “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” the second pilot, filmed in 1965, and the first episode starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. But both of these answers, while technically correct, are also, from a certain point of view, wrong. And that’s because the first regular episode of Star Trek ever filmed, and the one that truly and best represents the show, was the 10th episode ever aired, “The Corbomite Maneuver.” Here’s why you should always start your retro Star Trek binge with this underrated gem and why, technically, it’s the first real episode.
Why Star Trek had two pilot episodes
The production history leading up to the debut of Star Trek in 1966 was a long and winding road, and a story that has filled several books. (Including one written by your humble reporter.) But the short version of the story is this: Series creator Gene Roddenberry was bankrolled by Desilu Studios (headed by Lucille Ball) and was trying to sell the series to one of the three major networks: NBC, CBS, or ABC. Eventually, NBC took the bait, but made Roddenberry retool the concept, because they didn’t like “The Cage,” the first pilot, which starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike. (These days, Captain Pike is played by Anson Mount in the prequel series Strange New Worlds, but that’s a different story.)
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Anyway, Roddenberry was allowed a second pilot episode, which became, in 1965, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” and that’s where we get William Shatner as Captain Kirk, alongside Leonard Nimoy as Spock, as well as the first appearances of Scotty (James Doohan) and Sulu (George Takei). But, “Where No Man Has Gone Before” is still very much a rough draft; the uniforms aren’t as colorful, Spock is wearing gold, nobody’s rocking a miniskirt yet, and beloved characters of Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Dr. “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley) are nowhere in sight.
So, what’s the real first episode?
Star Trek’s secret first episode
In terms of production order, nothing about Star Trek became recognizable as what we think of as true, classic Trek, until May 24, 1966, when “The Corbomite Maneuver” began filming. To be clear, this isn’t an arbitrary selection; “The Corbomite Maneuver” is the first episode filmed of Star Trek, after it became an actual series that was due to air on NBC that fall.
Yes, Uhura’s wearing gold and not red in this one, and some of the other uniform collars are a little funky, but this is the moment the show truly springs to life. Spock says “fascinating” for the first time, Kirk’s walking around without his shirt on, and Bones gets to complain about his profession, saying, hilariously, “What am I? A doctor, or a moon shuttle conductor?”
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The story takes place almost entirely on the Starship Enterprise and begins as a strange, glowing alien ship blocks the path of the crew and threatens everyone with total destruction. But, is this alien even real? And can Kirk save the day by bluffing his way out of a tricky situation? Featuring a last-minute guest appearance by a very young Clint Howard, “The Corbomite Maneuver” is a fantastic, hilarious, and thrilling example of why Star Trek is super entertaining and so incredibly original. Bet on it, this episode will make you smile.
Paramount+ tells you Star Trek: The OriginalSeries starts with “The Cage.” But now, you know better.
“The Corbomite Maneuver” streams on Paramount+.
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