"Way Station" offers an even meatier part for STAR TREK's James Doohan than in the previous episode "Scapegoat," here switching from white merchant to treacherous Mingo warrior Tonkawa, who wants to marry beautiful Willow Whist (Joan Blackman, last of two), daughter of Chief Nocona (Rex Devlin, second of four), ensuring that he would become tribal leader to wage war on the white man. Standing in his path is Quannah (Frank Perry, last of two), whose hunting skills will enable him to earn the right to marry Willow Whist. Hidden from view with a white man's long rifle, the evil Tonkawa shoots the unsuspecting Quannah in the back, then foolishly gloats over his fallen rival, not dead as he had intended, reporting to Nocona that they should avenge the murder done by Hawkeye's cold blooded hands. Fortunately for the still living Quannah, Hawkeye and Chingachgook bring him to the way station of Zac Mallory (Paul Endersby) and his wife Liza (Marjorie Purvey, last of two), where a speedy recovery proves Tonkawa's deception, ending with his exciting climactic knife fight with Hawkeye. Teenage actress Joan Blackman was just beginning a career mostly in television, with some notable film roles sprinkled throughout, such as "Blue Hawaii," "Kid Galahad" (both opposite Elvis Presley), "Twilight of Honor," "Macon County Line," and David Cronenberg's "Shivers." Trekkies may be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the villainous early work from not only James Doohan (sadly, his second and final appearance), but also DeForest Kelley, who later co-starred opposite Lon Chaney in "Black Spurs," "Town Tamer," and "Apache Uprising." Frank Perry was, of course, better known as a director, with such cult films under his belt as "Last Summer," "Mommie Dearest," and "Monsignor." Chingachgook wonders if he may take squaw when he becomes old, to which Nocona answers: "Hawkeye and the Mohican are men of the wilderness, she is your squaw!"
Review of Way Station
