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The original three seasons of Star Trek left such an enduring legacy behind them, it's easy to forget that the third season featuring Kirk, Spock, and McCoy was patchier than the Enterprise crew's record at upholding the Prime Directive. While Star Trek's first 'final season' certainly contained a smattering of sci-fi gems, it also marked the franchise's first noticeable and sustained dip in quality.
For proof, look no further than "And the Children Shall Lead," one of the most remarkably dull chapters in James T. Kirk's stint as captain. The premise involves Kirk's Enterprise saving the young survivors of a decimated colony, turning the ship into a temporary day care with ice cream, singing, and a nightly puppet show featuring all voices performed by Spock (probably). Naturally, it turns out that the kids are being controlled by the nefarious entity responsible for murdering their parents.
Even at a glance, it's a thin premise stretched over a 50-minute runtime, made worse by uninspired dialogue and Kirk's unintentionally comedic parenting. Star Trek's main actors never really appear convinced by the story, and while no blame can be placed on the young guest stars, the decision to cast celebrity lawyer and non-actor Melvin Belli as the episode's villain proves a colossal misstep. Not that Emmy-winning performances could have saved "And the Children Shall Lead." It's hard to think of any other Star Trek episode where so little of note happens.
And yet, even the least thrilling points in Star Trek history still manage to throw up a handful of highlights. "And the Children Shall Lead" is no different, and while you'd be hard-pressed to find any outstanding acting performances, special effects, or character moments, the script does contain two choice quotes that are among the most poignant and powerful Star Trek has produced. These verbal treasures often get overlooked by virtue of being buried inside a stinker, but scratch beneath the surface, and your attention will be rewarded.
Spock Delivered A Classic Star Trek Line In Season 3's Worst Episode
Before viewer interest properly starts to wane, Kirk's landing party is seen speculating as to why the colony's survivor children appear emotionally unaffected by their parents being killed. As a potential explanation, Spock offers, "Humans do have an amazing capacity for believing what they choose and excluding that which is painful."
As a commentary on a universal human failing, the quote relates to so many fundamentals of life: grief, memory, belief, truth. It also digs right to the thematic heart of Star Trek, recalling all the times Kirk's crew found some civilization worshiping a false idol, or a villain perceiving themselves as a savior.
Coming so early in the story, Spock's line gives the impression that "And the Children Shall Lead" will be more intellectual than it ultimately dares to be. The cause of the children's emotional state is revealed to be alien interference, and the prescribed solution is the blunt hammer of forcing them to watch videos of their dead parents. Not quite as delicately subtle as Spock's line implied.
Spock Drops Another Great Quote Before The Episode Ends
As the mini-conspiracy is gradually unmasked in the third act, Spock returns to his philosophical musings, this time with, "Evil does seek to maintain power by suppressing the truth."
Again, this is another pearl of wisdom that provides a depth that's deceptively out of sync with the story it's attached to. Moving away from social psychology, this line strikes a more political tone, taking aim at real-world dictators and tyrants who distort the truth for their own ends. The quote loses all power thanks to the lackluster villain it's describing, but in isolation, is still a cutting remark from the Enterprise's resident wordsmith.
It feels like Spock's job in "And the Children Shall Lead" is to stand back and sound clever, while his fellow crew members play house. Were it not for his unique awareness of human nature, however, there really would be very little to enjoy in this unloved tale from the canon of Star Trek.
