AIRED: Autumn, late 1980s (though written in 1965) HACK-MAN rating: .325 USENET rating: .325 QUOTES
"We're passing through an old-style distress signal."
--Extra
"Oh, I should have smelled trouble when I saw the swords and the armor.
Instead of that I let myself get trapped in that deserted fortress and
attacked by one of their warriors."
--Chris Pike
"Engage."
--Pike
"Time warp... factor seven."
--Pike
"Have I permission to send out scouting and scientific parties now?"
--Number One
"Affirmative on the..."
--Pike
"You appear to be healthy and intelligent, Captain; a prime speciman."
--Vina
"I didn't get that last message, Captain."
--Number One
"She was born almost as we crashed."
--Scientist
"I have to wear soiething, don't I?"
--Vina
Switch to rockets -- we're blasting out."
--Spock (after engines wouldn't pull them out of orbit)
"Their brains are three times the size of ours." (and are therefore much
more intelligent)
--Spock
"The Women!"
--Spock
"I'm willing to bet you created an illusion this laser is empty. I think
it just blasted a hole in that window and you're keeping us from seeing
it. You want me to test my theory out on your head?"
--Pike
"She has illusion and you have reality. May you find your way as
pleasant."
--Keeper
"All ship's doctors are dirty old men."
--Pike
PLOT
Captain Christopher Pike, his first officer Number One, and science officer
Spock, are shown on board the Starship Enterprise on a mission to Vega
where they were going to heal some Earth-folks. They respond to a distress
call on Talos IV, where they find the remaining crew of an earlier Earth
exploration (on the USS Columbia) which crashed on the planet. The
colonists are all aging (male) scientists except for Vina, who is a cute,
blonde who was born around the time they crashed (about 18 years back).
The Enterprise crew soon realize that the whole colony is a fake as the
Talosians take Pike and Vina down an elevator to their zoo, where they have
various races that they are studying. Pike refuses to live out any
fantasies that the Talosian Buttheads want him to (especially mating
fantasies), so the Buttheads bring down Number One and another woman from
the Enterprise (which prompts Spock to exclaim "The Women!!!") Pike
doesn't want to mate with them either, so the Buttheads are wondering if
they'll ever find a race to succeed them (the Buttheads are dying out
because they're so smart that they are bored silly). Pike finally gets out
of his cage, sees that Vina is horribly disfigured and wants to stay on the
planet, and allows her to stay (along with her fake beauty and a hologram
of Pike).
FACTS
Pilot Episode.
Spock limps through the entire episode. They might have explained this
as a casualty from their last mission.
Gravity of Talos IV is 0.9 of Earth
They just came from Rigel Seven.
Pike is responsible for 203 crewmembers (which may or may not imply that
there are only 203 people on board).
Doc Phil has insignia with a globe of the western hemisphere; Pike has
normal Enterprise logo (like Kirk/Spock have).
The Talosians search the Big E's computer banks and see pictures of
Washington, Lincoln, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, flowers, animals,
body parts, solar system, ships, etc.
Spock smiles upon seeing flowers that sing when near living flesh.
2 to 9 dead.
The Enterprise is the only earthship to go to Talos IV.
"The Menagerie" takes place 31 years after the USS Columbia crashed,
which is 13 years after the crew visits the planet in "The Cage".
OPINIONS
Good premise. Decent execution considering the time period it was made in.
I'm glad they got rid of Pike and the old fart doctor. Kinda humorous to
hear Spock shouting. You almost have to wonder what the series would have
been like with Pike at the helm.
