Review of "The Lorelei Signal," episode 4 of the Star Trek animated series

Review of

The Lorelei Signal, episode 4 of the Star Trek animated series


Five out of five stars

Uhura takes charge

 This episode is memorable for in it Lieutenant Uhura takes command of the Enterprise in a very forceful way. This was the first time that a female had a command position on the Enterprise. A certain area of space is known for somehow absorbing starships on a periodic basis and the Enterprise is sent to investigate.

 There is a colony of females on a planet and they are able to send out a signal similar to that of the Sirens of Greek mythology. Males find the sounds irresistible, while females simply find them annoying. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and another crewman beam down and have bands placed on their heads that drain their life energy and age them rapidly. The women on the planet can remain immortal if they drain male life energy on a regular basis.

 Once it is clear that the males on the Enterprise are being rendered useless, Uhura takes command and then leads a rescue team down to the planet. When confronted, her “Phasers on stun, fire!” command is worthy of anything Kirk could muster. Once the opposing women are subdued, they manage to find the missing members of the Enterprise crew and restore them to health.

 This is my favorite episode of the animated series, aired for the first time in 1973, it featured one of several cinematic firsts, a black woman in command, that are the proud property of the Star Trek legacy.