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The Mark of Gideon

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EPISODE DATA

Title -------------------- The Mark of Gideon
  Writers ---- George F. Slavin & Stanley Adams*
Director ------------------------- Jud Taylor
Original Air Date ----------- January 17, 1969
Order of Filming ----------------------- 72nd
Order of Broadcasting ------------------ 71st
Filmed ------------------- Late October 1968
*Yes, this is the same Stanley Adams that played
   Cyrano Jones in 'The Trouble With Tribbles.'
REGULAR CAST

Captain James T. Kirk -------- William Shatner
Lieutenant Cmdr. Spock ------ Leonard Nimoy
Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy -- DeForest Kelley
Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery Scott -- James Doohan
Lieutenant Sulu --------------- George Takei
Lieutenant Uhura ------------ Nichelle Nichols
Ensign Pavel Chekov ---------- Walter Koenig
GUEST CAST

Odona ------------------------ Sharon Acker
Ambassador Hodin --------------- David Hurst
Krodak ----------------------- Gene Dynarski
Admiral Fitzgerald -------------- Richard Deer
TITLE REFERENCE

"The Mark of Gideon"
Gideon led only 300 Israelites against 135,000 Midianites, but God told Gideon his army was too large (Judges 7:2), just as the planet Gideon has too many people.  Kirk is the "mark", the victim of a deception or hoax perpetrated by the Gideon government.


ORIGINAL TITLES

None
UNUSUAL FOREIGN TITLES

Germany -------------------- Almost Immortal
Italy ---------------------- A Vampire Aboard
Japan --------------------- Anguish of Gideon,
                              The Planet of Longevity
STORY SYNOPSIS

The planet Gideon appears to be a haven - the inhabitants are healthy and no one seems to ever die in the totally germ-free environment.

The United Federation of Planets sends the U.S.S. Enterprise to Gideon, in the hope that the Gideons will accede and become a member. Reluctantly, the Gideon council allows Captain Kirk alone to beam to their council chamber, and he transports off the ship. When Kirk apparently fails to arrive on the planet, the Gideon council refuses to allow more people on the surface, even for a search party.

Kirk finds himself on his own ship, where all of his crew have seemingly vanished. After searching the ship, he finds one lone, beautiful woman, Odona. Kirk determines that Odona is from Gideon, and that they are on a false ship, built on the planet's surface. When Odona becomes ill, the Gideon's plan is revealed: using Kirk's blood, Odona was infected with a disease which Kirk had recovered from - Vegan choriomeningitis. The infection is fatal, and the Gideons hoped to spread it across their world to reduce the population.

Spock beams down, discovers the false Enterprise, and returns to the real starship with Kirk and Odona, who - while cured - is still able to infect her people. Odona, the daughter of Gideon Council leader Hodin, is returned to her people delighted that she will cause a lethal plague to reduce the overpopulation.



THE MARK OF GIDEON

Click the name of the WAVs to listen

Total WAVs: 30
(1) Coordinates -------------- 50.3 KB
Mr. Spock - Lt. Uhura

This is the first and only time we actually get
to find out what the coordinates are for something.

(2) Crew -------------------- 8.19 KB
Captain Kirk
(3) Alone -------------------- 24.1 KB
Captain Kirk

I think the echo that was added to Kirk's
narration is very effective.  It enhances the
feeling that Kirk is alone on the ship.
(4) Arrived ------------------- 20.6 KB
Mr. Spock - Ambassador Hodin
(5) Diplomacy ---------------- 18.6 KB
Mr. Spock

Spock showing a rare moment of frustration.

(6) Endless ------------------ 15.0 KB
Mr. Chekov - Mr. Spock
(7) Years -------------------- 32.3 KB
Mr. Spock - Dr. McCoy - Mr. Sulu
(8) Ship --------------------- 25.4 KB
Captain Kirk - Odona
(9) Only --------------------- 27.7 KB
Captain Kirk
(10) Results ----------------- 16.5 KB
Mr. Spock
(11) Clarity ------------------ 37.1 KB
Mr. Spock - Ambassador Hodin

This Hodin guy is VERY annoying!

(12) Perfect ----------------- 42.9 KB
Scotty - Mr. Spock

Poor Scotty.
He's frustrated with Hodin too!

(13) Demand ----------------- 18.6 KB
Mr. Spock

Spock is getting upset, but he
does it in such an emotionless way.
Leonard Nimoy was born to play Spock.

(14) Diplomat ---------------- 16.8 KB
Dr. McCoy - Mr. Spock
(15) Die --------------------- 53.3 KB
Odona

Sometimes I feel that way in Wal Mart on a Saturday.
Sorry, just kidding.

(16) Sound ------------------ 33.8 KB
Captain Kirk - Odona
(17) Need ------------------- 10.7 KB
Ambassador Hodin
(18) Pain -------------------- 82.5 KB
Ambassador Hodin - Odona

I find it hard to believe these people can't even feel pain.

(19) Fatal ------------------- 20.6 KB
Ambassador Hodin - Captain Kirk

I wonder how Kirk got infected with
Vegan Choriomeningitis?

I'm surpirsed no one has ever written the story.

(20) Violate ------------------ 18.8 KB
Mr. Spock - Dr. McCoy
(21) Long -------------------- 34.3 KB
Mr. Spock - Scotty
(22) Lies -------------------- 21.9 KB
Captain Kirk
(23) Love -------------------- 47.8 KB
Ambassador Hodin

Touching speech . . . but I still don't like him.
I'm referring to the character, not the actor.

(24) Fever ------------------- 13.2 KB
Krodak

This is the same actor who played Ben Childress
in "Mudd's Women" from season #1.

(25) Duplicate --------------- 59.9 KB
Mr. Spock - Scotty

If this planet is SO crowded then where did they
find the room to build a full scale duplicate of
the Enterprise?  And where did they get the plans?

(26) Confuse ---------------- 69.1 KB
Mr. Spock
(27) Interfere ---------------- 19.8 KB
Mr. Spock

Do you think Spock would get into trouble
for doing what he did to rescue Kirk?

(28) Gentleman -------------- 6.66 KB
Odona

The actress that played Odona, Sharon Acker,
was born on April 2, 1935 in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Just thought you might be interested.

(29) Crowded ---------------- 43.7 KB
Odona - Captain Kirk
(30) Miss -------------------- 8.44 KB
Odona

In my opinion, one of the best episodes of season #3.
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