Heimdal Engineering Salutes

“Captain” Kevin Thomas Riley (Bruce Hyde)

Millner SD: 202012.18 – Rainbow Connection Newsletter Jan 2021

ST:TOS S1 E4 The Naked Time, September 29, 1966 SD1705 Orbiting Psi 2000

(Spoilers) If you are like me, you recall the episode “The Naked Time” as McCoy meeting an old love interest that has become (as they say on ST : The Lower Decks) “A Salt Vampire!”. If Trek has showed us anything, it’s that mixed relationships can work, just not always as anticipated. From an Engineers perspective the episode stands out to me for TWO very important reasons and those are both thanks to the role played by actor Bruce Hyde. The name may not ring a bell, or his amazing Irish singing voice – but its hard to hear “I’ll take you home again Kathleen“ and not picture him dancing around the warp core. However 23 minutes into the episode “Captain Kevin Thomas Riley” gives us our very first * view of the Engineering Control Room. Yes, that’s the first time, and I was personally hooked! Secondly, due to Riley, and thanks to Scotty and Spock: this is the first time in TOS we get to experience time travel, or “Time Warp” as Mr. Spock labels it. He also states something that becomes very prolific to the canon of Star Trek. Detailing to Kirk he says “This does open up some intriguing prospects Captain. Since the formula worked we can go back in time, to any plant, any era”. Allow that to sink in for a moment.

Hyde may have passed away due to throat cancer in October of 2015, but his contribution to Engineering and Star Trek is timeless. On an additional note, the photographs of me in Engineering, guess who the photographer was? Christopher Doohan – Star Trek Engineer and J. “Scotty” Doohan’s son. But that my friend is another story….

* not counting the closing credit collage.