10 Most Inappropriate Moments In Star Trek: The Original Series
4. Sleazy Chat-up Lines On The Bridge - Where No Man Has Gone Before
Gary Mitchell was, at one time, the Lieutenant of the Enterprise, and one of Kirk's best friends. After gaining phenomenal Extrasensory Preception powers, he goes mad with power and becomes the villain of the week.
Honestly, even before he transformed into a tyrannical God, he wasn't exactly the coolest guy.
On the bridge, he is introduced to Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, one of Starfleet's top scientists and a leading expert in ESP. He wastes no time in diminishing her accomplishments to flirt with her, saying "Improving the breed, Doctor, is that your line?" When she rejects his sleazy advances, he loudly calls her a "walking freezer unit."
Later on, when Kirk assigns Dr. Dehner to take care of an injured Mitchell, he responds by sulking and saying: "With almost a hundred women on board, you can do better than that."
The worst part is, Dehner actually ends up agreeing with and apologising for Mitchell's perception of her, stating: "Women professionals do tend to overcompensate." Come on Dr. Dehner, don't put yourself down like that! Believe in yourself!
This is not the first instance of blatant sexism on the bridge. In Gene Roddenberry's original rejected pilot (which, for some reason, is canon), the Enterprise is run by Captain Christopher Pike, a man who repeatedly states that women shouldn't be allowed on the bridge. Despite this, his second-in-command is female - but Pike makes it clear to her that he does not consider her a real woman because of her cold and emotionless nature. What a cool boss!