The first episode of the classic sci-fi series to be broadcast, "The Man Trap" is an almost ideal piece of television science fiction for the 1960s. It is straightforward in its plotting, which pleased the network, and is structured as a manhunt (or monster hunt) aboard ship, which gave viewers an ample look at the interior workings of the starship Enterprise and some of the relationships between its characters. It also expressed the beginnings of an environmentalist sensibility and a sensitivity to the extinction of species that was relatively new to television and popular culture in those days. Furthermore, it was filled with little touches that helped move television forward on a sociological level, most notably the prominence given the non-white crewmembers (a first in a non-anthology sci-fi series) and the non-human Mr. Spock, and also, particularly, Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), in the story. Along with Diana Sands in one installment of The Outer Limits ("The Mice"), Nichols became the first black actress to figure prominently in a televised sci-fi story and the first in a continuing series format. The script, by veteran author George Clayton Johnson (best known as co-author of the original book Logan's Run), is a first-rate horror vehicle, anticipating Jimmy Sangster's renowned episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, "Horror in the Heights," with a similar (and notably creepy) monster and a grisly method of death that involves a move akin to an embrace. It also offers the viewer a chance to explore the Enterprise and its crew and gives a lot of character development, as well as several opportunities for the actors to get inside of their roles, particularly DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy. Director Marc Daniels, who spent most of his earlier career associated with situation comedies like I Love Lucy, avails himself of every opportunity, keeping the pace gradual and letting the actors stretch out, except in the action and suspense scenes, which are presented very briskly and economically. He also uses some of the touches of the script to eerie and subtly nasty effect. We've already caught glimpses of the creature, masquerading as Nancy Crater, doing something with her hands on the faces of the victims. We don't know what it is until the denouement, but midway through the story, when "she" is persuading McCoy to sleep, she uses those same hands on his face to caress him; that shot creates a nicely, quietly chilling effect for the viewer.