History Recap / StarTrekS3E24TurnaboutIntruder

* The offical {{Retcon}} from Paramount seems to be that Lester is just insane and Kirk is not interested in arguing, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode.

* The offical {{Retcon}} from Paramount seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode.

** This does raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her. Given that she's an old flame who went crazy when ''she'' didn't become a captain, the answer might be subtextual: He's not agreeing with her, but rather saying her mental illness and delusions are "not fair"; she did not deserve this fate. He's ambiguous to tactfully avoid arguing with her.

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'''Tropes:'''

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]], a female starship captain was seen in Star Trek IV that was on the bridge of a ship briefly disabled by the Probe, there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]], and [[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]] featured a female captain ''predating'' this episode.

* SomethingHeWouldNeverDo: The officers gets suspicious when Kirk begins acting out of character.

* WeInterruptThisProgram: Was a RealLife victim of this trope. DwightDEisenhower died the day "Turnabout Intruder" was originally supposed to air. It didn't air until two months later and, as you can imagine, died in the ratings (of course, the show was already canceled anyway).

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]], a female starship captain was seen in Star Trek IV that was on the bridge of a ship briefly disabled by the Probe, and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]], a female starship captain was seen in Star Trek IV that was on the bridge of a ship briefly disabled by teh Probe, and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

* PsychoExGirlfriend: You'd think Kirk would have more of them.

Tropes:
* PlotHole: Not counting the ones listed in the summary, there's one that became famous due to being cited in the book ''Star Trek Lives'' - at one point, Kirk leaves the bridge ''going the wrong way''. (The door is in the opposite direction.) When the episode was filmed, Shatner joked with the director about how, even if it's the last episode, there was no need to throw Kirk into the vacuum of space, and then tried to have the blocking changed (unsuccessfully, though he did accurately predict that the fans would notice).

Series:Main/{{Star Trek The Original Series}}\\

Next: ''StarTrekTheMotionPicture''\\

This episode's title is a play on the title of ''Turnabout'', a body swap comedy about a husband and wife. For many years, it was a popular bit of ''Star Trek'' trivia that Sandra Smith (Dr. Lester) was the only person other than WilliamShatner to officially portray Captain Kirk. This remained true [[Film/StarTrek until 2009]]. In the world of fanfiction, Dr. Lester wound find a niche in SlashFic, her story providing a canon setup for JumpingTheGenderBarrier. Slashers have also had a lot of fun imagining what Spock saw in his mind meld to convince him Kirk was in Lester's body.

After an escape attempt, Kirk-in-Lester is placed in solitary confinement. Spock visits and Kirk-in-Lester explains what happened. Spock performs a Vulcan mind meld, which convinces him, but he notes that it won't count for anything in the way of evidence. Really? Freakin' telepathy isn't considered evidence of a body swap? ''Really?'' Spock tries to help Kirk-in-Lester escape, but they're caught and Lester-in-Kirk has Spock charged with mutiny. At a court martial, Spock states his case. Kirk-in-Lester is then questioned in a very condescending, chauvinistic manner by Lester-in-Kirk. Kirk-in-Lester characterizes Lester as a StrawFeminist defined by "her intense hatred of her own womanhood". When Spock refuses to drop his charges, Lester-in-Kirk has a VillainousBreakdown and goes into a yelling tirade. Her new favorite word is "mutiny".

This episode's title is a play on the title of ''Turnabout'', a body swap comedy about a husband and wife. For many years, it was a popular bit of ''Star Trek'' trivia that Sandra Smith (Dr. Lester) was the only person other than WilliamShatner to officially portray Captain Kirk. This remained true [[Film/StarTrek until 2009]]. In the world of fanfiction, Dr. Lester wound find a niche in SlashFic, her story providing a canon setup for JumpingTheGenderBarrier.

Janice Lester plugs Kirk into an ancient machine which causes a FreakyFridayFlip. Now in Kirk's body, Lester quickly reveals herself to be AxCrazy, supplying us with some of [[EvilIsHammy Shatner's trademark evil acting]]. Meanwhile, Lester's body is unconscious once more. Lester-in-Kirk prepares to kill Kirk-in-Lester, but the rest of the landing party walks in at the wrong moment. In Sickbay, Lester-in-Kirk meets with Dr. Coleman, with whom she is in cahoots. It's revealed that Lester murdered her expedition and Coleman was a willing accomplice. Man, does Kirk know how to pick 'em or what? After [=McCoy=] and a suddenly brunette Nurse Chapel arrive, Lester-in-Kirk announces that Kirk-in-Lester is being placed under the care of Dr. Coleman. [=McCoy=] protests that this violates Starfleet protocol since he is Chief Medical Officer, but Lester-in-Kirk ignores this. By the way, Lester-in-Kirk frankly talks about her scheme in {{Captains Log}}s. Does no one ever actually read those things?

The ''Enterprise'' goes to some planet to rescue the two survivors of a doomed archaeological expedition. Dr. Arthur Coleman seems to be fine, but Dr. Janice Lester is unconscious. (One wonders if they remember there used to be [[OneSteveLimit another "Janice" on this show]].) Shock of shocks, Dr. Lester turns out to be an ex-girlfriend of Kirk. After Kirk is left alone with her, she comes to and they chat about olden times. It becomes apparent that they had some serious BelligerentSexualTension going on back in the day.

For many years, it was a popular bit of ''Star Trek'' trivia that Sandra Smith (Dr. Lester) was the only person other than WilliamShatner to officially portray Captain Kirk. This remained true [[Film/StarTrek until 2009]]. In the world of fanfiction, Dr. Lester wound find a niche in SlashFic, her story providing a canon setup for JumpingTheGenderBarrier.

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does the raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does the raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk [[OneDialogueTwoConversations incorrectly interpreted it as the aforementioned alternative reading]]. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does the raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. Or maybe Kirk incorrectly interpreted it as the alternative reading. Whatever. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. This does the raise the question of why Kirk agreed with her, but perhaps he's just tired of having that argument. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. The offical {{Retcon}} seems to be that Lester is just insane, which is very much supported by the rest of the episode. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

And then Lester says a line. Among Trekkies, the meaning of this line is as hotly contested as the meaning of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics Second Amendment]]. The line is, "Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women." So does the utopian [[TheFederation Federation]] have a glass ceiling on starship captaincy? A popular alternative reading is that it refers to Kirk being unable to carry on his relationship with her after he became captain of the ''Enterprise''. This does make sense within the context of just this scene, but makes the rest of the episode somewhat nonsensical. In any case, the idea that women can't be starship captains is [[CanonDiscontinuity never mentioned again]] and there was later [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire series about one]].

Janice Lester plugs Kirk into an ancient machine which causes a FreakyFridayFlip. Now in Kirk's body, Lester quickly reveals herself to be AxCrazy, supplying us with some of [[EvilIsHammy Shatner's trademark evil acting]]. Meanwhile, Lester's body is unconscious once more. Lester-in-Kirk prepares to kill Kirk-in-Lester, but the rest of the landing party walks in at the wrong moment. In Sickbay, Lester-in-Kirk meets with Dr. Coleman, with whom she is in cahoots. It's revealed that Lester murdered her expedition and Coleman was a willing accomplice. Man, does Kirk know how to pick 'em or what? After [=McCoy=] and a suddenly brunette Nurse Chapel arrive, Lester-in-Kirk announces that Kirk-in-Lester is being placed under the care of Dr. Coleman. [=McCoy=] protests that this Violates Starfleet protocol since he is Chief Medical Officer, but Lester-in-Kirk ignores this. By the way, Lester-in-Kirk frankly talks about her scheme in {{Captains Log}}s. Does no one ever actually read those things?

Janice Lester plugs Kirk into an ancient machine which causes a FreakyFridayFlip. Now in Kirk's body, Lester quickly reveals herself to be AxCrazy, supplying us with more of[[EvilIsHammy Shatner's trademark evil acting]]. Meanwhile, Lester's body is unconscious once more. Lester-in-Kirk prepares to kill Kirk-in-Lester, but the rest of the landing party walks in at the wrong moment. In Sickbay, Lester-in-Kirk meets with Dr. Coleman, with whom she is in cahoots. It's revealed that Lester murdered her expedition and Coleman was a willing accomplice. Man, does Kirk know how to pick 'em or what? After [=McCoy=] and a suddenly brunette Nurse Chapel arrive, Lester-in-Kirk announces that Kirk-in-Lester is being placed under the care of Dr. Coleman. [=McCoy=] protests that this Violates Starfleet protocol since he is Chief Medical Officer, but Lester-in-Kirk ignores this. By the way, Lester-in-Kirk frankly talks about her scheme in {{Captains Log}}s. Does no one ever actually read those things?

For many years, it was a popular bit of ''Star Trek'' trivia that Sandra Smith (Dr. Lester) was the only person other than WilliamShatner to officially portray Captain Kirk. This remained true [[Film/StarTrek until 2009]]. In the world of fanfiction, Dr. Lester wound find a niche in SlashFic, her story providing a canon setup for JumpingTheGenderBarrier.