Albatross (Star Trek: The Animated Series)
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox television episode
| image =
| caption =
| series = Star Trek: The Animated Series
| season = 2
| episode = 4
| production = 22019
| airdate = {{Start date|1974|09|28}}
| writer = Dario Finelli
| director = Bill Reed
| guests =
- Lou Scheimer as Demos
| prev = The Practical Joker
| next = How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth
| episode_list = List of Star Trek: The Animated Series episodes
}}
"Albatross" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American animated science fiction television series Star Trek: The Animated Series, the 20th episode overall. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on September 28, 1974, and was written by Dario Finelli.This story was expanded into a novelette by science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster as part of the collection, [http://www.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_6 Star Trek Log Six] (1976) ({{ISBN|0-345-24655-1}}).
In this episode, Dr. McCoy is arrested and charged with mass murder committed 19 years earlier.{{cite web |title=Albatross |url=https://imdb.com/title/tt0832412/ |website=IMDb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=26 June 2020}} This is the last appearance of Nurse Christine Chapel in the animated series. She did not return until Star Trek: The Motion Picture, released five years later.
Plot
On stardate 5275.6, when the Federation starship Enterprise visits the planet Dramia to deliver medical supplies, the authorities immediately arrest Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy for mass murder. The Dramians allege that 19 years earlier Dr. McCoy had supervised an inoculation program on Dramia II, and that once he had left most of the inhabitants died from a plague. The Dramian government believes the plague must have been a result of McCoy's activities there.
Captain Kirk takes the Enterprise to Dramia II to investigate. There they find a survivor named Kol-Tai who was off-world at the time of the plague but remembers being healed by McCoy and is willing to testify that the doctor is not a mass murderer. En route back to Dramia their prime witness begins to develop symptoms of the plague, marked by a change in the coloring of skin pigmentation. In the process the crew is infected with the same plague, except for First Officer Spock who appears to be immune due to his Vulcan heritage.{{cite web |title=Albatross {{!}} Star Trek |url=https://intl.startrek.com/watch_episode/IjxZCLo8Z2R31rc1SUaIwSlTN_UTjwtr |website=StarTrek.com |publisher=CBS Television Distribution and CBS Interactive Inc. |access-date=2 July 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
With the entire ship's crew infected, Spock is forced to break McCoy out of jail on Dramia, first using the Vulcan nerve pinch to knock out a guard, so that they can beam back and work out a cure. Near death, Kirk realizes that the pigment color change was actually caused by a spatial aurora. McCoy is now able to develop a cure and the Dramians drop all charges against him.
Casting
Filmation co-founder Lou Scheimer supplied the voice of Draman guard, while regular cast member James Doohan voiced the Draman Supreme Prefect as well as plague survivor Kol-Tai.{{cite web|first=Kurt|last=Danhauser|title=Albatross |url=http://www.danhausertrek.com/AnimatedSeries/Al.html|access-date=January 17, 2013}}
Reception
In a 2017 review of this episode by Tor.com, they note that starship Enterprise must deliver medical supplies and gave it an overall rating of 5 out of 10.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tor.com/2017/04/18/star-trek-the-original-series-rewatch-albatross/ |title=Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch: "Albatross" |last=DeCandido |first=Keith R. A. |date=2017-04-18 |website=Tor.com |access-date=2020-01-20}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.tor.com/2011/10/31/star-trek-the-next-generation-second-season-overview/ |title=Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch: Second Season Overview |last=DeCandido |first=Keith R. A. |date=2011-10-31 |website=Tor.com |access-date=2020-01-20}}
Notes
{{Reflist|group="note"}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb episode|0832412|Albatross}}{{Memoryalpha|Albatross|"Albatross"}}
- {{StarTrek.com episode|albatross|"Albatross"}}
- [http://www.danhausertrek.com/AnimatedSeries/Al.html "Albatross"] at [http://www.danhausertrek.com/AnimatedSeries/Main.html Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Animated Star Trek]
- [http://www.danhausertrek.com/AnimatedSeries/Draman.html Draman Patrol Ship] at [http://www.danhausertrek.com/AnimatedSeries/Main.html Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Animated Star Trek]
{{Star Trek: The Animated Series}}