"Star Trek" The Way to Eden (TV Episode 1969)

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William Shatner

Captain James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock

DeForest Kelley

Dr. McCoy

Skip Homeier

Sevrin

Charles Napier

Adam

Mary Linda Rapelye

Irina
(as Mary-Linda Rapelye)

James Doohan

Scott

Walter Koenig

Chekov

George Takei

Sulu

Majel Barrett

Nurse Chapel

Victor Brandt

Tongo Rad

Elizabeth Rogers

Lt. Palmer

Deborah Downey

Girl #1

Phyllis Douglas

Girl #2

Bill Blackburn

Lieutenant Hadley
(uncredited)

Frank da Vinci

Lt. Brent
(uncredited)

James Drake

Sick-Bay Intern
(uncredited)

Roger Holloway

Lt. Lemli
(uncredited)

Did you know

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Trivia
For the scene in which Spock plays his Vulcan harp for Adam (the last time he plays the instrument on the series), the background music for Uhura's song from Charlie X (1966) is recycled.

Goofs
Two times, a shot of Kirk is reversed (presumably to make him face the right side of the screen) The first time he is facing Sulu in a corridor of the Enterprise, the second he is looking where Dr. Sevrin had just run on the planet Eden. Note the appearance of the Star Fleet emblem on the right side of his shirt, rather than the usual left side.

Quotes
Adam: [impromptly singing] Gonna crack my knuckles and jump for joy - I got a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy.

Alternate versions
Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song

Connections
Edited from Star Trek: Spock's Brain (1968)

Soundtracks
Hey, Out There!
Written by Charles Napier and Craig Robertson
Lyrics by Arthur Heinemann
Performed by Charles Napier and Deborah Downey

I've been struggling to make up my mind: is The Way To Eden the worst Star Trek episode of them all or the greatest piece of camp sci-fi TV ever? Actually, it's both!

Six occupants of a stolen spacecruiser are beamed aboard the Enterprise, and Kirk and his crew are in for a surprise: the new arrivals are members of Dr. Sevrin's hippie cult, who are in search of the legendary planet Eden. During their stay on the ship, they attempt to recruit new followers, stage a sit-down protest at their treatment by 'Herbert' Captain Kirk, and put on impromptu musical performances. Spock, who is intrigued by their counter culture, partakes in a jam session with his harp.

However, when Kirk refuses to go in search of Eden, Sevrin (Skip Homeier) and his hippies stage a coup and take the Enterprise into Romulan territory...

Ridiculous space-hippie lingo, awful flower power pop songs (written and performed by Charles Napier), and silly costumes make The Way To Eden very difficult to forget, try as you might. Those in the mood for something incredibly silly will find much to enjoy here, but anyone expecting a thought provoking piece of intelligent sci-fi will be sorely disappointed.

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for lovely Mary Linda Rapelye as Chekov's old flame Irina, once a member of Starfleet Academy, now a hippie babe.