Editing Plato's Stepchildren (section)

==Reception==
{{quote box|quote="Where I come from, size, shape or color makes no difference." |source=Kirk's line, as quoted by ''Newsweek'' (2009)<ref name=":1"/>|align=right|width=30em|bgcolor=#FFFFF0}}
It was one of several episodes not screened by the BBC because of their "unpleasant" content, including [[torture]] and [[Sadomasochism|sadism]]. (The other episodes that were censored in this way were "[[The Empath]]", "[[Whom Gods Destroy (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Whom Gods Destroy]]" and "[[Miri (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Miri]]".)<ref name="denofgeek.com"/> The U.K. reviewed ''Star Trek'' in part as a children's show and restricted episodes that included several with overt depictions of torture and sexuality they felt were not appropriate for children.<ref name=":0x">{{Cite web|url=https://www.metv.com/lists/5-original-star-trek-episodes-that-were-banned-overseas|title=5 original Star Trek episodes that were banned overseas|website=Me-TV Network|access-date=2019-07-04|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043953/https://www.metv.com/lists/5-original-star-trek-episodes-that-were-banned-overseas|url-status=live}}</ref> For example, Marta's dance in "Whom Gods Destroy" was deemed too sexual for it to be recommended as children's viewing material.<ref name=":0x"/>

In 2009, ''[[Newsweek]]'' pointed out the moral lessons of this episode, in particular Kirk's lines to the oppressed alien.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/has-star-trek-lost-its-moral-relevance-79995|title=Has Star Trek Lost Its Moral Relevance?|last=EDT|first=Marc Bain On 5/5/09 at 8:00 PM|date=2009-05-05|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2019-07-24|archive-date=July 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724143858/https://www.newsweek.com/has-star-trek-lost-its-moral-relevance-79995|url-status=live}}</ref> The alien is being mistreated on the planet, and is surprised when Kirk informs him about [[Starfleet]] standards.<ref name=":1" />

In 2016, ''[[TVLine]]'' ranked this as having one of the top twenty moments of ''Star Trek'', noting the scene during which Spock and Kirk are forced to dance by the powerful but cruel aliens.<ref name="Mason">{{Cite web|url=https://tvline.com/gallery/star-trek-original-series-best-scenes-photos/|title=Star Trek's 20 Most Memorable Moments|last=Mason|first=Charlie|date=2016-07-19|website=TVLine|language=en|access-date=2019-07-04|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327032334/https://tvline.com/gallery/star-trek-original-series-best-scenes-photos/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the fiftieth anniversary of the first broadcast of ''Star Trek'', ''[[National Geographic]]'' noted the Kirk-Uhura kiss as "iconic", which they describe as connecting to the period's civil rights issues.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/star-trek-science-space-astronomy-technology-fazekas/|title='Star Trek' Is Right About Almost Everything|date=2016-06-16|website=National Geographic News|access-date=2019-07-04|archive-date=July 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704145348/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/star-trek-science-space-astronomy-technology-fazekas/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2016, ''[[Radio Times]]'' ranked the kiss between Uhura and Kirk as the 25th best moment in all ''Star Trek''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-09-08/the-50-greatest-star-trek-moments-of-all-time/6/|title=The 50 Greatest Star Trek moments of all time - 6|website=Radio Times|language=en|access-date=2019-07-06|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327170129/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-09-08/the-50-greatest-star-trek-moments-of-all-time/6/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Syfy|SyFy]] noted this episode for actress Nichelle Nichols presentation of Uhura, as having her best scene in ''Star Trek''.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/celebrate-nichelle-nichols-84th-birthday-our-top-10-uhura-moments|title=The Top 10 Uhura Moments from Star Trek|last=Roth|first=Dany|date=2016-12-28|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en|access-date=2019-07-24|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118041324/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/celebrate-nichelle-nichols-84th-birthday-our-top-10-uhura-moments|url-status=live}}</ref>

William Shatner, in his 1993 memoir ''Star Trek Memories'', says that aside from the kiss, this was otherwise "a rather forgettable, rather dull episode."<ref>{{cite book|last=Shatner|first=William|title=Star Trek Memories: The Inside Story of the Classic TV Series|year=1993|publisher=HarperCollins|location=London|page=282}}</ref>

In 2017, ''[[Den of Geek]]'' ranked "Plato's Stepchildren" the fourth worst episode of the original ''Star Trek'' television series.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-15-best-worst-episodes-of-star-trek-the-original-series/|title=The 15 Best Worst Episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series|website=Den of Geek|date=September 16, 2017 |language=en|access-date=2022-11-04}}</ref>