WARNING: This thread WILL contain unhidden spoilers for this entry. Because this re-watch is in a slightly-subjective chronological order and not in production order, please refrain from talking about the content of other episodes or movies in this thread. If you do, please put that content inside spoiler tags. Some people here may be watching Star Trek for the first time.
#1: Star Trek: The Original Series pilot 1 “The Cage”
Written by Gene Roddenberry, directed by Robert Butler.
Stardate unknown (Sometime in 2254)
“It’s wrong to create a whole race of humans to live as slaves.” - Number One
As Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) muses to the ship’s doctor about how tired he is of the responsibilities of captaining a starship, the USS Enterprise receives a distress call from from the SS Columbia on a distant world known as Talos IV. The message confirms the ship crashed and that there are survivors, so the Enterprise alters course to mount a rescue. But once they arrive, and meet a curious young survivor among the crew, Pike is suddenly taken hostage and the Enterprise is held in orbit by strange beings with enormous telepathic power.
Originally released: February 1965 (originally released to the public: 14 October 1986)
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What did you think?
The Cage takes itself so much more seriously than the series that followed. Muted colour palette, no miniskirts, less bombastic performances, a few mostly imaginary action moments but mostly a methodical conflict between the Talosian manipulation and Pike’s resolve to escape. I really like it, but I wonder if a show that stuck to this tone would have had the success TOS did. Regardless, solid episode that gives us a strong sense of the captain’s character as he goes through a rough time.