"Star Trek" Bread and Circuses (1968)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Ralph Senensky

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (written by) and
Gene L. Coon (written by) ...

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

15 March 1968 (Season 2, Episode 25)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

While searching for the crew of a destroyed spaceship, the Enterprise discovers a planet whose oppressive...

Plot Keywords:

Federation | Space | Starship | Computer | Vulcan

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
William Smithers	...	Merik
Logan Ramsey	...	Claudius
Ian Wolfe	...	Septimus
William Bramley	...	Policeman
Rhodes Reason	...	Flavius
James Doohan	...	Scott
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
Bart La Rue	...	Announcer (as Bart Larue)
Jack Perkins	...	Master of Games
Max Kleven	...	Maximus / Achilles
Lois Jewell	...	Drusilla

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

The coat of arms on the clothes of the Proconsul Claudius Marcus is the coat of arms of William Shakespeare.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: During the first fight in the arena, Flavius is struck twice, vigorously, by a bull whip, and yet on subsequent shots from Flavius' rear, there's no evidence of any kind of wound whatsoever on his back, which there surely would have been.

Quotes:

Bones: You know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip and let your human half peek out. That's it, isn't it? Insecurity. Why you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine warm decent feeling.
Spock: Really, doctor?
Bones: I know. I'm worried about Jim too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Star Trek (2009)

"It's not the sun up in the sky. It's the ..."

Communication's officer Lieutenant Uhura sums up the decline and fall of the Roman Empire as the world knows it. The plot is really secondary. It's there to drive the story forward, but the underlying theme tells of the human condition via a reign of pure strength, and its ultimate failure.

This theme is reinforced by one of the supporting characters, an escaped 20th century Roman gladiator, Flavius, and his ultimate sacrifice. He represents the old way, once reformed, but gone back to the rule of Rome by fighting the Romans the only way he knows how.

The basic story is a rescue mission, but the real story is the heartfelt examination of the futility of a society that relies on a slave class to sustain itself on all levels, even down to bloody gladiatorial games as entertainment. Kirk is put through the rigors of experiencing both the pains and pleasures of such a society, and although he understands that he cannot change this world, he does help reinforce the message that will ultimately alter it and its Roman Empire on the most fundamental level.

Note Kirk's line as he talks to Flavius in the cave and pats him on the shoulder. Attach that to Uhura's summation at the end, and you got yourself the entire story.

Positives; Kirk scores with a hot blonde. Druscilla is a HOTTIE! At least she was in 1967 :-) If I were the captain of the Enterprise I think I would bend the rules a little and beam her up to the ship before breaking orbit. Heck... I'd deserve it! The production values in this episode are also top notch. Largely because we're not dealing with aliens and spaceships here, but a historical retrofit to then modern times.

Excellent social commentary on not only a personal spiritual level, but also on the imperial nature of unbridled profit.

Enjoy.