Bread and Circuses (15 Mar. 1968)

The Enterprise crew investigates the disappearance of a ship's crew on a planet that is a modern version of the Roman Empire.

Director:

Ralph Senensky

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Gene Roddenberry,

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
William Smithers	...	R.M. Merrick / Merikus
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
Lois Jewell	...	Drusilla

Storyline

While searching for the crew of a destroyed spaceship, the Enterprise discovers a planet whose oppressive government is a 20th-century version of Earth's Roman Empire. Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet the rebels, seemingly sun worshipers, but are soon thereafter apprehended by the regime. The missing Captain Merik is revealed as the "First Citizen" and a pawn of the regime, but he and the rebels ultimately help Kirk and company to escape. Back on the Enterprise, Uhura observes that the crew's understanding of the rebels as sun worshipers was not completely accurate.

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Plot Keywords:

roman empire | prime directive | cave | shield | classmate | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 March 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Goofs

When Spock is straining at the jail cell door his face flushes red. As Spock is Vulcan and has a copper based hemoglobin his face would flush green rather than red.

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Quotes

Merik: The Romans have always been the strongest; and they've had practice for over two thousand years in enslaving men, using them, killing them.
Claudius Marcus: Quite true, Captain Kirk. The games have always strengthened us. Death becomes a familiar pattern. We don't fear it as you do.

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Connections

Featured in Star Trek Logs: An MTV Big Picture Special Edition (1991)

User Reviews

Trek guys roman all over history

This was a pretty cool episode. It followed the tried and true formula of going back into what essentially is an exploration of earth's history. The Romans are more like Nazis but it works pretty well. I was surprised while watching this one last night that I didn't recall ever having seen it before, at least not all of it. This doesn't rate as a classic offering of the first Trek series but it was interesting and fun. The guys encounter an alien society that has patterned itself after ancient Rome, complete with televised gladiator battles to the death. Spock gets a chance to display his nifty swordsmanship while McCoy shows why hes a doctor, not a gladiator(although he does whack one dude with a mean karate chop during a jail escape). Spock has to endure a chopping lecture about being human from McCoy as well. Lots of McCoy in this one kids. Overall, this is not one of the very best episodes but still a ton of fun. Hey, you actually get to see the crew dice up some bad guys with swords at the end. This is absolutely one of the most violent Treks. By far!!!!! Also, Kirk gets to bed down with a sizzling hot slave girl due to the Romans respect for the Captain's "manliness". You go Kirk....little wonder the Captain was smiling on the bridge at the end of this one!!!! Whoa