The Conscience of the King
| "The Conscience of the King" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Original Series episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 13 |
| Directed by | Gerd Oswald |
| Written by | Barry Trivers |
| Featured music | Joseph Mullendore |
| Cinematography by | Jerry Finnerman |
| Production code | 013 |
| Original air date | December 8, 1966 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it first aired on December 8, 1966.
The series follows the space adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew led by Captain James T. Kirk (portrayed by William Shatner). The episode is a murder mystery wherein Kirk is alerted that a theater actor (Arnold Moss) might be a mass-murdering former dictator, and he investigates as disturbing events unfold.
The episode takes its title from the concluding lines of Act II of Hamlet: "The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." The play is performed in-universe in the episode.