Star Trek

Charlie X

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired 9/15/66

Episode Summary

The Enterprise's newest passenger is a young man - what they don't know is that he has the power to make anything he thinks of happen.

7.6

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Cast & Crew

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Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock
William Shatner

Captain James Tiberius Kirk
Frank da Vinci

Security Guard (uncredited)

Fan Episode Reviews (12)

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A young man copes with his special mental powers on board the Enterprise.

7.5

"Good"

By Celedorian, Nov 23, 2011 Report Abuse

This is the first of many episodes of Star Trek with the theme that absolute power corrupts absolutely. It's not a bad hour of television, although it is an early episode in the series before Star Trek found its rhythm.

The title character is well played and interesting to watch. The writing is fine, and the episode moves along at a good clip with all the acts well defined. I think the episode just misses the joy and drama that would be present in later episodes. The truth is Charlie X is a very mundane Star Trek episode - a basic episode that wouldn't make a top ten or bottom ten list for the series.moreless

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1 0
A young man tries to find love in a cold, unforgiving world.

8.5

"Great"

By belial_77, Nov 13, 2011 Report Abuse

this is one of the early God-like-beings stories... A young man who had been left for dead after a transport ship crashes on a mysterious world... is found 17 years later... never knowing another human, he longs for attention, love and sex... but these are three things Kirk would rather have himself... a power struggle ensues... Kirk being a measly ships Captain vs a deranged teen with god-like powers and insane amounts of hormones... Wackiness Ensues!!! i just rewatched the episode and I forgot how much the faceless crewman crawling down the hall freaked me out when I was a kid... And the Lizard sound effects were AWESOME!!!!moreless

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A terrific Trek outing....

8.5

"Great"

By uk6strings, Jan 06, 2010 Report Abuse

The Enterprise has picked up a strange passenger: Charlie Evans, the sole survivor of a crash at three years old who continued to survive on his own until he was fourteen. Now seventeen years old, Charlie has little tact and knowledge of how to behave as a young man - the small amount of human contact for the majority of his life seems to account for this. Charlie likes The Enterprise, likes Captain Kirk, and is particularly enamored by Yeoman Rand, of whom he finds incredibly beautiful. But Charlie's interest in Rand quickly turns into obsession and the crew also finds out how quickly Charlie can lose his temper - and what dangerous things happen when he does.

What is especially great about "Charlie X" is how the episode is put together - being perfectly paced, having enjoyable atmosphere, and every scene is full of Trekisms and great character moments. Plus, the episode also has a very good performance from guest star Robert Walker Jr., who brings depth, mystery, creepiness, but also sympathy in his portrayal of Charlie.moreless

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A young teenager comes aboard the Enterprise, who, it transpires, has dangerous metal powers to make anything that he thinks of happen. Although I don't always like totally ship-bound episodes, I liked this one...moreless

9.5

"Superb"

By Jay-Spacedust, Oct 19, 2008 Report Abuse

Generally (but not always), I'm not as keen on completely Enterprise-bound stories. But I really like this story.
As with many stories from the Original Series, it very much serves as a moral fable, and in its own way is quite poetic.

Being an early episode, there are a couple of slightly out-of-character moments with Spock, especially during Uhura's song in the rec room when he can be seen to break a smile. Personally, I like to explain this away rather on the same level as Data experiment with different moods in 'The Next Generation' Spock was just "trying it out" (!).

Charlie is well played by Robert Walker, Jr., giving a disturbing and sad performance in equal measure.

There are some good moments as Kirk tries to teach young Charlie how to behave properly, and later when Charlie starts to use his mental powers to take out his anger on people. One particularly notable moment comes as he wipes away the face of a poor young woman.

The resolution of the story is quite eerie and haunting, although I did feel that it played out a bit too long and the pacing could have been tightened up.

All-in-all, although it probably wouldn't make my Top 10 favourite episodes, I like this episode.moreless

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A boy with the ability to do anything he wants can be quite dangerous.

7.0

"Good"

By Deo13, Sep 04, 2007 Report Abuse

This episode involves a boy named Charlie Evans who was stranded on a planet by himself for most all of his life. When Captain Kirk and the Enterprise have Charlie come aboard from another vessel all seems fine on their way to Earth Colony 5. But then something strange about Charlie crops up. Turns out he has the power to do anything he wants. He can make people disappear if they stand in his way, and he can change meatloaf into turkey if need be. By the end when the Thasians come to take Charlie you half feel bad for him, but then you think of the people he made disappear and its all good.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- When Charlie arrives on the Enterprise, Kirk instructs Yeoman Rand to show him to his quarters. Then later, he is in Sickbay and McCoy says that he will show Charlie to his quarters, which Rand should have already done. Edit
- Trivia: We learn that Thanksgiving is still practiced in the 2260s. Edit
- Spock blinks when he is frozen by Charlie. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- At the beginning of the show, Kirk states in his log that they are pulling alongside the Antares, but the 1960s version reuses the opening flying shot of the Enterprise from "The Cage" which doesn't include the Antares. In 2007, when the episode was remastered, the Antares was included, and was based on cargo vessel designs from the Animated Star Trek. Edit
- During the shooting of this episode, actor Robert Walker (Charlie Evans) never came out of his dressing room to interact with the rest of the cast or crew except to film his scenes, because he felt his character was supposed to appear to act strangely, and be alienated from other people. Edit
- This episode was based on the very first script accepted from D.C. Fontana, who would go on to become the original series Story Editor, and later pen several episodes in this and other Star Trek series. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Charlie: Growing up isn't so much. I'm not a man, and I can do anything! Edit
- Charlie: (to Rand) She's not the same... not like you. She's... she's just a girl. You're... you smell like a girl. Edit
- Spock: Check. Kirk: Checkmate. Spock: Your illogical approach to chess does have its advantages on occasion, Captain. Kirk: I'd prefer to call it inspired. Spock: As you wish. Edit
Allusions
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