The Gamesters of Triskelion 

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.

Director:

Gene Nelson

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Margaret Armen

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Joseph Ruskin	...	Galt
Angelique Pettyjohn	...	Shahna
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
James Doohan	...	Scott
Steve Sandor	...	Lars
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
Jane Ross	...	Tamoon
Victoria George	...	Ensign Jana Haines
Dick Crockett	...	Andorian Thrall
Mickey Morton	...	Kloog

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.

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Plot Keywords:

man wears a harness | bare chested male | crying woman | woman wears a harness | year 2268 | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joseph Ruskin (Galt) also played Tumek in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The House Of Quark (1994) & Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Looking For Par'Mach In All The Wrong Places (1996), Cardassian Informant in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Improbable Cause (1995), a Son'a officer in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), a Vulcan master in Star Trek: Voyager: Gravity (1999) and a Suliban doctor in Star Trek: Enterprise: Broken Bow (2001). He has thus appeared in every Star Trek television series except Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), although Insurrection features the TNG crew. With the exception of Majel Barrett, who has appeared in every Star Trek series, he was the only actor to appear in all four of the series in question. Furthermore, given that Barrett only provided the computer voice in Voyager and Enterprise, Ruskin was the only actor to appear on screen in all four series mentioned above. Along with Barrett, Clint Howard, Jack Donner, and Vince Deadrick, Ruskin was one of only five actors to appear in both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Enterprise. He, Barrett and Howard also appeared in Deep Space Nine. Ruskin also worked on two Star Trek video games, lending his voice to Master Si'tann in Star Trek: Hidden Evil (1999) and to Admiral Nolotai and Vulcan Master N'Kal in Star Trek: Away Team (2001).

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Goofs

Despite the instructions for Captain Kirk to stay in the yellow/gold areas in the final fight, he steps in the blue areas with no consequence.

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Quotes

Captain James T. Kirk: Scotty!
Scott: Aye, sir.
Captain James T. Kirk: Beam us up.

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Alternate Versions

Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song

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Connections

Spoofed in Futurama: War Is the H-Word (2000)

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Soundtracks

Theme
Music credited to Alexander Courage
Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User Reviews

Gladiators

This is a fairly straight forward episode. We have here some people who like to use other people for sport. Note the masters and those they enslave. Note their "bodies" and how our much beloved Captain Kirk describes them.

We have intellect obsessed with competition. So much to the point of using other living creatures to gratify their blood lust for sport. Remind you of anyone or any society current or historical?

Beyond that, there's not much more to talk about. We have enslavement, gladiatorial games, a sexy alien babe, a dark ominous master "chief thrall", and some action.

It's an entertaining episode. Try not to over analyze this one because you'll just give yourself a headache. In the end Kirk pulls another rabbit out of his hat by using the gamesters of Triskelion's own psychology against them. And for all of their higher "intellect" (which proved not to be so high after all), they still succumb to basic instincts in the end.

I guess you might say that the one regret is that Kirk never came back to visit Shauna again, but hey, it's Trek.

A good hours entertainment. Give it a spin on the DVD player.

Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

USA

Language:

Greek English

Release Date:

5 January 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Digital (re-mastered version) DTS (re-mastered version)

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3