Stardate not given: The Enterprise beams four passengers of a freighter aboard just before their vessel explodes in a planet’s atmosphere, but the two pairs of survivors can’t agree on who gets a barrel of felicium, an “elixir” which Dr. Crusher soon recognizes to be a narcotic – but the manufacturers of the drug soon see an opportunity to exploit their dependents by entangling Picard and Dr. Crusher in the prime directive.
teleplay by Robert Lewin, Richard Manning and Hans Beimler
story by Robert Lewin
directed by Win Phelps
music by Dennis McCarthyGuest Cast: Judson Scott (Sobi), Merritt Butrick (T’Jon), Richard Lineback (Romas), Kimberly Farr (Langor), Kenneth Tigar (Margan)
Notes: Judson Scott and Merritt Butrick were on opposite sides in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan as well, with Butrick playing Kirk’s son David and Scott as one of Khan’s henchmen; this was one of Butrick’s last acting roles before dying of AIDS. Though it airs before Skin Of Evil, Symbiosis was produced after it, and you can see Denise Crosby’s true swan song here – look for her waving to the camera as the cargo bay doors close.
LogBook entry by Earl Green
