Star Trek TOS S1E26: Errand of Mercy

Why won't you fight in our Cold War, you stupid occupied peoples.

See the Star Trek TOS Rewatch Index page for links to all the episodes covered so far.

“ERRAND OF MERCY” RATING: 9.5/10

Last week I argued that “Devil in the Dark” was the most anti-colonial episode of the original Star Trek. I stand by that!

“Errand of Mercy,” the first episode featuring Klingon antagonists, is close though. And it’s arguably a more pointed repudiation of the United States’ role in Vietnam.

Written by Star Trek stalwart Gene L. Coons and directed by John Newland, this episode just about argues that both sides in the Cold War were morally equivalent. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) was presented as a parallel to the evil Khan in “Space Seed.” But he’s even more akin to bloodthirsty Klingon leader Kor (John Colicos), as both are driven to paroxysms of rage by the fact that people whose territory they’ve invaded don’t want to fight in their wars.