Star Trek: 15 Most Culturally Significant Episodes
3. Plato's Stepchildren
Plato's Stepchildren is now regarded as one of the most historic episodes of Star Trek. Because of the storm around the content, there has been quite a bit of apocryphal stories surrounding the airing and reaction to the episode.
It was not the first episode of Star Trek filmed to feature an interracial kiss, though Elaan of Troyius would not air until after this one. Nichelle Nichols went on record to confirm that she and Kirk definitely do kiss, even though a story persists that their lips never made contact.
The studio was concerned that the episode wouldn't air in some of the southern states, so they devised a compromise. Two versions of the scene would be shot - one where they do kiss and one where they don't. However, Nichols and Shatner deliberately flubbed every take of the non-kissing scene, so in the end there was only one version to air.
The actual reaction to the episode was mostly positive, with very little negative feedback. There were several less than complimentary letters, though the episode sparked less outrage than others had done.
Star Trek is at its best when it is pushing boundaries, even though there is a seemingly constant stream of voices ready to spout angry objections. Is that not the point of the franchise though? To boldly go to strange new worlds?
Thankfully, the world where a white man and a black woman can share a kiss is no longer strange.