• Home
  • The Books
    • Season One >
      • Season 1 - Audio Book
      • Excerpts-Season One
      • SEASON ONE Reviews
    • Season Two >
      • Excerpts-Season Two
      • SEASON TWO Reviews
    • Season Three >
      • Excerpts-Season Three
      • SEASON THREE Reviews
    • Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek in the 1970s >
      • Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek in the 1970's Vol 1
      • Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek in the 1970's Vol 2
    • The Author >
      • Why He Wrote The Books
      • SATURN AWARD WINNER
      • Author Interviews
    • The Publisher
    • Media >
      • Articles
      • Press Releases >
        • Saturn Award 2014
  • Connections
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Past Event Photos >
      • 2016 Star Trek Convention - Las Vegas
      • 2015 Star Trek Convention - Las Vegas
  • Store
  • Contact
  • What's New?
    • Audio Book
    • Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek in the 1970's Vol 1
    • Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek in the 1970's Vol 2
These are the voyages: tos


December 1, 2014

"
Friday's Child"

PictureWilliam Shatner and Julie Newmar in NBC publicity photo (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)
    47 years ago on this day, December 1 (which was a Friday in 1967), “Friday’s Child” had its first and only showing on NBC. As it almost always did during its sophomore season, Star Trek placed second in its time period during the three-way ratings race. And, as it almost always was, it was NBC’s most critically acclaimed and highest rated show of the night. Do you doubt this? Check out the reviews and the Nielsen numbers by clicking here, and doubt no more. Then, watch the delightful “Friday’s Child” tonight and imagine it's 1967 all over again ... but without the breaking news reports from Vietnam.

Here is what happened 47 years ago on this date (December 1):
Steven H. Scheuer reviewed “Friday’s Child” for his syndicated column, TV Key Previews. He wrote:
A good adventure tale tonight. Trying to obtain mining rights from a planet inhabited by primitive tribes, our heroes find themselves in direct competition with the Klingons -- an unscrupulous rival of the Earth federation to which the Enterprise belongs. The fighting here is with boomerangs and bows and arrows, but the day is saved by Dr. McCoy’s skill in psychiatry and obstetrics.
 
Judy Crosby reviewed the episode for her syndicated column, TV SCOUT. She said:
Julie Newmar stars in this exciting episode which might have been stretched into a two-parter. Captain Kirk and a landing party arrive on a strange planet to negotiate a mining contract. They find the inhabitants to be a giant race who put little value on human life and instead put a greater stress on violence and the success of politicians and of the powerful. The landing party is shocked to witness the preparation for an execution. The victim is the widow of an assassinated ruler and she must die because she is pregnant and her child could be legal heir to the throne. Of course, Captain Kirk and company rescue her but they are soon captured themselves by the giant people.
    Michael Dante, who played the villainous Maag in “Friday’s Child,” was watching that night, and said, “I thought the comedy between the doctor and Julie was well played. It is surprising that they found the time to show it and develop it within the confines of an hour show, minus the commercials. So you have maybe 50 minutes to get all of that in. It was a lot of story for 50 minutes. That’s what I thought when I saw it for the first time, how surprising it was that they were able to squeeze in everything that they wrote and that we filmed without chopping and editing it to death, and that they could make their point and, at the same time, give it the three dimensions of action, drama, and comedy, rather than a one dimensional piece like most TV. And to do it so well that all three elements could be appreciated!”
Picture
Day 4: Michael Dante being outfitted under heavy robes in the sweltering heat at Vasquez Rocks (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)
    Dante wasn’t alone in watching Star Trek. According to A.C. Nielsen Media, nearly 11,000,000 households across America were tuned in, and Nielsen estimated as being roughly 20 million people.  Here are the numbers:
RATINGS / Nielsen National report for Friday, December 1, 1967:
8:30 to 9 p.m., 57.5% of U.S. TVs in use.    Share:        Households:

NBC: Star Trek (first half)                             26.6%         10,860,000
ABC: Hondo (first half)                                 22.5%         10,020,000
CBS: Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.                        43.4%         15,680,000
Local independent stations:                           7.5%         No data

    Read all about the writing and making and first airing of “Friday’s Child” in Marc Cushman’s Saturn-award winning book, These Are the Voyages: TOS, Season Two, or pick up an autographed copy by clicking below, and get it at the lowest price anywhere!  And  then treat yourself to watching this delightful episode of Star Trek tonight on the anniversary of its first broadcast.
Buy 'SEASON ONE'
"SEASON ONE" Excerpts
BUNDLE and SAVE!
Buy "SEASON TWO'
"SEASON TWO" Excerpts
Picture
Jacobs Brown Press
"Where truth is better than fiction"

P. O. Box 6141
Los Angeles, CA  91603

Contact us


© 2007 - 2019 Jacobs Brown Media Group | Jacobs Brown Press | These Are The Voyages: TOS.   All Rights Reserved
Webmaster:  Andrew Johnson