Title: The Real Story Behind Star Trek’s First Redshirt and How They Met Their Fate
The First Redshirt in “Star Trek” History: Unraveling the Mystery
Paul Carr’s Lee Kelso: The First Redshirt?
While most accounts point to Paul Carr’s Lee Kelso being the very first redshirt to ever appear in “Star Trek,” a number of caveats have allowed others to make valid arguments for other characters being more deserving of the distinction. For one thing, Kelso doesn’t even wear a red shirt at any point during his singular appearance, instead donning a tannish-brown Starfleet uniform.
Vince Deadrick’s Mathews: The True Pioneer Redshirt
The first character to actually die in a red shirt is Vince Deadrick’s Mathews from Season 1, Episode 9, titled “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” Mere minutes into the episode, Mathews is pushed down a pit to his death by a rogue android named Ruk (Ted Cassidy).
The Impact of Production Order on Redshirt History
Then, there’s the matter of production order compared to release order. While “Where No Man Has Gone Before” is the official pilot of “The Original Series” and was intended to be viewed as the first episode of the series, it was not the first episode to actually air on television. That distinction instead goes to Season 1, Episode 5, titled “The Man Trap.” By this metric, Michael Zaslow’s Darnell is the first on-screen crew member to fit the redshirt mold, getting killed early in the episode by an iconic “Star Trek” alien: the salt vampire. Of course, he’s not technically wearing a red shirt at the time of his death either.
Conclusions on the First Redshirt in “Star Trek”
Suffice it to say, opinions on the identity of the actual first redshirt in “Star Trek” history vary slightly among fans. Nonetheless, it’s easy to see that redshirts have been around for essentially as long as the franchise itself.