Star Trek: Season 2, Episode 16

The Gamesters of Triskelion (5 Jan. 1968)

TV Episode  -   -  Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
6.8
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Ratings: 6.8/10 from 576 users  
Reviews: 7 user | 3 critic

Kirk, Uhura and Chekov are trapped on a planet where abducted aliens are enslaved and trained to perform as gladiators for the amusement of bored, faceless aliens.

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Title: The Gamesters of Triskelion (05 Jan 1968)

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Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
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Steve Sandor ...
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Jane Ross ...
Victoria George ...
Dick Crockett ...
Andorian Thrall
Mickey Morton ...
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Storyline

Kirk, Uhura and Chekov find themselves suddenly transported light years across the galaxy to the planet Triskelion. There, they are trained as thralls, slaves who engage in gladiatorial combat for the pleasure of the Providers, three faceless beings who amuse themselves by wagering on the outcomes. Outfitted with collars that inflict pain for disobedience, the thralls are submissive and pliant. Kirk eventually challenges the Providers to a wager that will either result in freedom for all or a lifetime of slavery. Written by garykmcd

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5 January 1968 (USA)  »

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1.33 : 1
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Trivia

In one of the final scenes when Captain Kirk is brought down 1000 meters below the surface of Triskelion to meet the gamesters, the backdrop for the scene is a reused matte painting previously utilized in Star Trek: The Devil in the Dark. See more »

Goofs

During the final battle, one rule is to stay in your designated color, with punishment being the removal of a weapon. Both Kirk and the thralls touch their opponent's colors quite frequently, yet the Providers do not call them on rule breaking. See more »

Quotes

Captain James T. Kirk: [closing the terms of a wager] If we lose? We will remain here, the entire crew of the Enterprise, the most stubborn, determined competitors in the universe. We'll become thralls, enter your games, obey your orders without rebellion. You'll be assured of generations of the most exciting wagering you've ever had.
Provider #1: Your stakes are indeed high, Captain.
Captain James T. Kirk: Not for true gamesters.
Provider #2: We will accept your stakes on one condition.
Captain James T. Kirk: Name it.
Provider #1: As leader of your people, your spirit seems most indomitable. We ...
[...]
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Connections

Spoofed in The Simpsons: Deep Space Homer (1994) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Nourishment and Tournaments
30 July 2006 | by (New York City) – See all my reviews

Among many other aspects of the show, I'm a big fan of the original Star Trek's cheese factor. I'm also a fan of the fighting shows, partially because they tend to be high on the cheese factor. The Gamesters of Triskelion is chock full of both of those elements, but my score is a couple points lower than it would otherwise be due mostly to the fact that the plot of this episode isn't particularly fresh.

To an extent, writers Margaret Armen and Gene Roddenberry, along with director Gene Nelson were cruising along on autopilot. It's certainly an enjoyable autopilot, but it's not enough to garner a 10/10. Very Similar ideas can be found in earlier episodes including Bread and Circuses, Arena, Amok Time, I, Mudd, and The Cage/The Menagerie. Another slight problem is that some of the mechanics of extending the episode are fairly transparent, such as Kirk not fighting so well in the early segments.

Kirk, Chekov and Uhura are abducted and diverted a few light years away while being beamed down to another planet. They become imprisoned in a "culture" that uses violent games for sport. Through this and developments further into the episode, Roddenberry and crew are able to explore issues such as slavery, totalitarianism, and ideas of evolutionary, cultural and intellectual superiority.

But The Gamesters of Triskelion is a lot of fun for other reasons, including the fight choreography and the often-ridiculous aliens, including a Grand Poobah who looks something like Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey. This episode also has one of Kirk's more questionable love interests.


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