Why Wasn’t Nichelle Nichols in The Doomsday Machine Episode of Star Trek?

The absence of Nichelle Nichols, the iconic Star Trek actress who played Uhura, in the The Doomsday Machine episode is often a point of curiosity for fans. As part of creating an inclusive and engaging viewing experience, it's essential to understand the reasons behind an actor's absence from a particular episode.

Understanding the Absence

Nichelle Nichols, despite being a regular cast member of Star Trek, was not in the The Doomsday Machine episode. This puzzling detail has sparked numerous discussions. Here we explore the reasons behind her absence.

Explanations for the Absence

There are several plausible reasons for Nichelle Nichols' absence in this episode:

Explanation 1: Day Player Status

At this point in her career, Nichols was considered a day player, a few steps up from an extra but still not a regular cast member. This status was constrained by union rules, which strictly limited the amount of time a day player could be on screen. The production team had to respect these rules, thus her limited appearance in the episode.

Explanation 2: Availability and Absence

Alternatively, Nichelle Nichols may have been on leave or not on shift for the few hours during which filming was happening. The episode's detailed account of the Enterprise's activities prior to the distress call does not sheds light on what the ship was doing, making it plausible that Nichelle was out visiting family, relaxing on the beach, or handling other commitments.

Scarcity of Full Cast Participation

It's important to note that not all original series cast members appeared in every episode. For instance, Nichelle Nichols is in 69 episodes of the original Star Trek, but Walter Koenig was not in The Doomsday Machine, and neither was she in several other episodes, such as Miri, The Devil in the Dark, Wolf in the Fold, The Apple, The Empath, The Way to Eden, All Our Yesterdays, and Turnabout Intruder .

This pattern of occasional absences was not unique to Nichelle Nichols; it was common for the original cast members to have varying levels of participation in different episodes, reflecting the production's flexibility and the actors' schedules.

Personal Commitments

Nichelle Nichols, recognizing her ability to balance acting with other pursuits, used her status as a day player to her advantage. She was a working singer and had a concert performance in New York at the time of filming the episode. Given that she had no standard contract with Star Trek at the time, she was permitted to participate in other commitments.

Conclusion

The absence of Nichelle Nichols in the The Doomsday Machine episode of Star Trek can be understood as a combination of union rules, personal commitments, and production constraints. It's a reminder of the complexities involved in the production of any television series and the varied roles of the cast.