Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 43: Bread and Circuses [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The U.S.S. Enterprise finds the wreckage of the S.S. Beagle, with no survivors, orbiting near the Planet 892-IV. When Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam to the planet's surface, they find a dishelveled group of "sun worshipers" trying to escape being caught by the local authorities. They are captured, along with the landing party, and taken to the city which looks very much like Earth's ancient Rome. They find that Captain Merik of the Beagle has betrayed his crew, beaming them down to fight in the Roman-like gladiatorial games. Merik is First Citizen of the Empire and supposed close friend to the Proconsul, Claudius Marcus. Kirk realizes, however, that Merik is being used as a lure to get more starship crews to 892-IV for the entertainment of its inhabitants. When Kirk refuses to beam his crew down to die in the arena, Spock and McCoy are condemned to fight gladiators in the ring. The bout is being televised for the planet's enjoyment, but Scotty cuts off the planet's energy supply, spoiling their pleasure. When Kirk uses the confusion to free Spock and McCoy, Merik sees how a true starship captain acts in the face of danger and uses his communicator to have the Kirk, Spock and McCoy beamed aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. For his treachery, Merik is killed by the Proconsul. Uhura, who has been monitoring the radio waves of the planet, realizes that the "sun worshipers" aren't talking about the sun in the sky, but of the "Son of God."

TOS was a great series, granted. It gave us an optimistic prophesy of the future not always present in SciFi. This episode is engaging, if a bit far-fetched scientifically. What would the world be like if the Romans had never been conquered? Alternative history is always fun, but this would have been far more plausible if they had traveled to another dimension rather than another planet within our universe. However, it is sad to watch episode after episode of Trek and discover that one's people simply ceased to exist, or so it seems. Even Worf in TNG can be Jewish, but God forbid that Christians be present. The brief glimpses therefore are all the more dear, as one finds in this episode. It's worth it for the last few lines.

First off, make no mistake that this is a show about ancient Rome, 60s TV, and (what is unique for Trek) a mildly pro-Christian message.

In short, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy visit a planet that is essentially 1960's Earth (there's that implausible parallel-evolution premise again) except that Rome never fell. The reason Rome never fell, as it turned out, is that Jesus was born 2,000 years later or for some reason the message of the "Son worshippers" (believed at first to be "sun worshippers") never got out until recently. And Rome not falling turns out to be a bad, bad thing.

Probably the best thing about this episode is the use of televised gladitorial games to satirize 1960's TV and Nielsen ratings, which if you'll recall, classic Trek struggled so much with. This episode has one of the best lines of the entire series: "If you lower our ratings, Flavius, we'll do a special on you!"

Another thing notable about the show is that the evil Proconsul admires Kirk and so wants to give him a gift before killing him... a night with the Proconsul's lovely blonde slave girl. The scene is one of Kirk's better love scenes. However, the sexism in the writing becomes clear in a line of dialogue in a subsequent scene. Kirk says (about the previous night): "They threw me a few curves." This is the sort of non-PC writing that, for better or worse, we were never to see in TNG etc.

In "Bread and Circuses," Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy are held captive on a planet where the people from the Roman empire use up-to-date technology such as sword fighting and guns to provide combat for entertainment. Kirk and the crew must do some of their best combat if they expect to escape this planet alive.

"Bread and Circuses" has some of the best fighting scenes from the original Star Trek series, and it also features a lot of arguing and conflict between Spock and Dr. McCoy. If you like the original series, I recommend getting "Bread and Circuses."

With the entire galaxy to choose from and all the possible scenarios of planet structure and cultural development, it was unfortunate that the producers of Star Trek had to use Earth as a model. In several episodes, and this is one of them, Earth history was used as the model for the development of a culture.
In this case the Enterprise is investigating the disappearance six years ago of the SS Beagle. Approaching the planet of the disappearance, the Enterprise picks up the television broadcast of a gladiatorial contest where one of the members of the Beagle crew is killed. Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down and make contact with some runaway slaves who, oddly enough worship the sun. They learn that Captain Merrick of the Beagle is now Merrickus, the lord of the gladiatorial games.
The landing party and a slave Maximus are captured outside the city and taken in front of Merrick and Proconsul Claudius. Kirk quickly realizes that this is a parallel Earth where Rome never fell. Although mid-twentieth century technology has been developed, the Roman gladiatorial contests and the social structure of slavery remain intact. Claudius convinced Merrick to beam his men down to be killed in order to keep their civilization from being altered. Kirk is then told to order the members of his crew to beam down. When he refuses, he is given a ringside seat for Spock and McCoy fighting to the death in the arena. Spock easily defeats his opponent, but when he aids McCoy, a foul is declared.
Claudius shows his respect for Kirk as a commander and on the night before his execution, he sends one of his loveliest female slaves to spend the night with him. Fortunately, at the time when Kirk is to be executed, Scotty disrupts the power system and he is able to get away and free Spock and McCoy. Merrick has taken one of the communicators and in his last act before saving the Enterprise landing party, he contacts the Enterprise to beam them up.
While there are some good moments in this episode, overall the reliance on a twin Earth with an alternate history makes for a poor plot and episode. The best moment is the meeting between Kirk and Claudius when Kirk asks him why he was given the slave for the evening. Claudius, Kirk's enemy, orders his death, yet still respects him as an opponent and fellow leader.

I am a very big Star Trek fan, especially the original series. I haven't seen too many of them that I didn't care for. Bread and Circuses wasn't one of the scientific episodes, but deals more with barbarians from a different world.
kirk, Spock, and Mcoy beams down to a planet in search of a crew who had disappeared years earlier. Getting, there, they find the captain of the missing crew has joined with the barbarians of this planet who love to have arena fights til the death.
Kirk is faced with the decision of watching Mcoy and Spock die in the arena, or call the rest of his crew down to face the arena.
The best part of this movie, is Spock and Mcoy's conversation while they are in their cell. It shows how Spock and Mcoy feels about each other and it's an excellent dialogue and makes the show definetly worth seeing.

I have never liked the Star Trek episodes that deal with Earth parallels. Am I to assume that the whole galaxy is made up of Romans, Gangsters from the 1920s, Nazis, and Yankees and Communists? Give me a break!

Another episode on my Top 25 list. There's plenty of action

'Bread and Circuses',hmmm? When I saw this episode I thought the worshippers of the 'sun' were christians,but when I became older,I later interpreted the worshippers of the 'sun' as worshippers of Japan. the 'fish'(Peter the fisherman) has been the sign of christians and never the 'sun',but for Japan the standard of the 'sun'(Land of the rising sun) has been the national standard and flag of Japan. A lot of are architecture,religion,and ideals are rooted from ancient Rome. For instance like 'football'(resemble Gladitorial games),months of the year 'July' (Julius Caesar),'August' (Augustus Caesar),the United States 'Senate'(Roman Senate),and the architecture resembles that of ancient Rome. I would also like to state that Julius Caesar conquered the island of Britain,and later Britain conquered America which makes America also Roman,not to mention you have a 'Pontiff' in Rome like the ancient days. Is the Roman Empire really dead? Do the answers of the future come from Japan,the 'land of the rising sun'. Lots of people called Marcellus,Marcus,Antonius(Anthony),Augustus(Gus),and Octavia(female). Like a Richard Wagner opera,'Star Trek' opens up the imagination and intellect. Have fun,that's the idea.

'Bread and Circuses',hmmm? When I saw this episode I thought the worshippers of the 'sun' were christians,but when I became older,I later interpreted the worshippers of the 'sun' as worshippers of Japan. the 'fish'(Peter the fisherman) has been the sign of christians and never the 'sun',but for Japan the standard of the 'sun'(Land of the rising sun) has been the national standard and flag of Japan. A lot of are architecture,religion,and ideals are rooted from ancient Rome. For instance like 'football'(resemble Gladitorial games),months of the year 'July' (Julius Caesar),'August' (Augustus Caesar),the United States 'Senate'(Roman Senate),and the architecture resembles that of ancient Rome. I would also like to state that Julius Caesar conquered the island of Britain,and later Britain conquered America which makes America also Roman,not to mention you have a 'Pontiff' in Rome like the ancient days. Is the Roman Empire really dead? Do the answers of the future come from Japan,the 'land of the rising sun'. Lots of people called Marcellus,Marcus,Antonius(Anthony),Augustus(Gus),and Octavia(female). Like a Richard Wagner opera,'Star Trek' opens up the imagination and intellect. Have fun,that's the idea.