Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 8, Episode 16: The Menagerie, Parts I and II

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"The Menagerie" has consistently scored as one of the top ten most popular episodes of the original series. Both the flashback and wraparound plotlines are among the best Star Trek had to offer. Spock is willing to sacrifice his career--and perhaps his life--to ensure that Christopher Pike, his former Captain--horribly disfigured by a recent space disaster--can spend his remaining years in comfort and happiness. If that is not an act of love, I don't know what is.

Paramount has simply outdone itself in the remastering of this episode. The flashback elements date back to 1964, yet they look so fresh they could have been filmed yesterday. It is also interesting to see the great care the original cinematographer took with lighting--most of the compositions are simply beautiful--and far superior to today's more flatly lit approach. The sound has been remarkably enhanced, with both the sound effects and score in stereo.

It is interesting to compare "The Cage" with the original series. Although it is very impressive as science fiction, there is very little chemistry between the characters (similar to "The Next Generation"). Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and the consistently underrated William Shater made a far more effective team in that respect.

This is a must for all Star Trek fans.

I'm among those who find it a joy to watch enhanced cleaned up episodes of Trek on DVD. The question is: does anthing ever get overlooked in a 'restoration'? "The Menagerie Part I" proves that it does - though it might take a trekker to spot it.

Recall the scene on Talos IV when Spock finds those blue musical wind leaves and tests them out by holding them? In the original version, you hear the sharp contrast as the loudest of the eerie vibrations disappear abruptly, and then come back (in synch with Spock clasping and releasing the leaves).

All that is lost in the transfer to DVD. The "musical leaf" sound track has been beautifully dubbed on in full Dolby Surround - but with no break! Spock plays with the leaves to no effect; and the whole point of that little scene has been remastered out of existence!

Did anyone else notice?

I know I'm in the minority on this one, but I truly believe that the original 'Star Trek' ran for 80 episodes, and not 79, like most believe. Yep- I'm one of those Trekkies that believes that 'The Menagerie' counts as two eppies, rather than one. After all, every two-part cliffhanger that was broadcast on 'NextGen', 'DS9', and 'Voyager' count as two separate segments... why NOT 'The Menagerie'?

But, aside from this quandary, 'The Menagerie' is a wonderful showcase of the classic Trek producers' efforts to make the most of their budgetary limits. By framing the first (then-unseen) pilot 'The Cage' around a story involving the present Enterprise crew, Desilu managed to shave a couple bucks off of production expenses. It's also interesting to see who might've composed the original 'Trek crew had the first pilot been greenlighted into a TV series. Ah, what might've been...

'Late

I can still remember the first time I saw this-I was eleven years old. I was sure that Jeffery Hunter was the bravest and most dashing star fleet captain ever (next to Kirk of course). And that green woman-wow! Seriously, I think they did a fantastic job of reusing the old "cage" footage and this is certainly one of my favorite TOS episodes. It's wonderful to look back on something from your childhood and find you still enjoy it so much.

If you're wondering which of the Original Series dvds to get first I'd advise you to get this one. Simply brilliant from beginning to end. The use of the pilot episode within the framework of the then current cast was excellently executed. A classic of the series.

In addition to being a great double episode, this one thus becomes an early "Star Trek Movie," and a darned good one too! I gleaned some of the following information (edited and mixed with my own comments) from Wikipedia for the benefit of consumers here.

Here we get to see the ORIGINAL Captain of the Starship Enterprise, Jeffrey Hunter, who played the role of Captain Pike. Hunter wasn't nearly as theatrical and overdramatic as William Shatner, who ended up in the role of Captain James T. Kirk, but would have, in my opinion, been equally great for the entire series had he stayed on board.

Part one of the two-part episode was broadcast on November 17, 1966 with the second part broadcast a week later on November 24, 1966.

Here, Spock has to trick Captain Kirk and essentially commit treason in taking the Enterprise to the forbidden Planet, Talos IV. At his trial for that infraction, Captain Pike, a man unable to move or speak except through an electronic device, ultimately reveals the story behind Spock's bizarre deception.

New filming took place for the framing story for "The Cage," the Star Trek pilot film which Gene Roddenberry shrewdly utilized in the production of this episode. Since actor Jeffrey Hunter was unavailable to reprise his role as Captain Pike, a look-alike actor, Sean Kenney, played the injured captain in the new scenes of "The Menagerie".

Sadly, in 1969, while flying back to the U.S. from Spain after filming "Viva America!," Jeffrey Hunter suffered the signs of a stroke. After recovering at a hospital in Los Angeles, he suffered another stroke while at home, causing a fall and a skull fracture. He died the following day from his injuries and was ultimately interred in the Glen Haven Memorial Park cemetery in Sylmar, California.

In summary, while this double episode is NOT representative of the typical Star Trek program, it's still a superb entry and any fan of science fiction television would much enjoy this intriguing and coherent story. You don't have to be a Trekkie to "get it".

"The Menagerie Part I & II" is like three great episodes in one. It has both parts of "The Menagerie" and it uses "The Cage" (the first ever Star Trek episode which never aired on broadcast television) to develop the plot of "The Menagerie" episodes. Spock encounters Captain Pike, his first captain, and abducts him. Spock then sets the Enterprise on a direct course to Talos IV, which is where the events took place in the video of "The Cage." Spock turns himself in to the court guilty as charged. He demands that Captain Kirk, the judge, and Captain Pike watch the video as his only evidence of what he did.

"The Menagerie Part I & II" is one episode I recommend every Star Trek fan to get. I don't recommend getting it just so you can see what happens to Spock, but because it is one of the best episodes that you could get. Even though it lasts two hours, it will keep you interested every minute of it. It's a classic Star Trek episode in my book.

The only two part episode of the original series. Takes place on Talos IV, recounts the mission of Captain Christopher Pike . 13 years later, Spock kidnaps the now crippled Pike and returns him to Talos IV. Spock is court martialed for his actions and faces the death penalty. (This episode is a remake of the original pilot "The Cage")

Illusions and Perceptions - two words that summarize this episdoe. When is a cage a cage? When is prision no longer prision?

These questions not only won the episdoe a Hugo Award, but put the show ahead of schedule and budget by reusing used footage. A great episdoe showing how creative Roddenberry was and how well the current TOS crew interacted vs. Pike.

This episode simply came out of the question of "WHAT WAS GENE RODDENBERRY GOING TO DO WITH HIS REJECTED FIRST PILOT?".Well,it was used in a very clever way with the problem that comes up at the start of the episode.This episode was as Leonard Nimoy put it "For me,The Menagerie is STAR TREK at its best".There are great ways to see how the show evolved by seeing how things changed from one "era" to the next in the way of uniforms,set and other devices.This is the best way to view the changes.Wonderful episode,well acted,and worth every minute of time.A must see. END

Everyone thinks the 'big' scene is Mr. Spock smiling and grinning stupidly at some vibrating cardboard flowers, but they are wrong.

Susan Oliver as Vina, oh how beatiful she is. I have always been infatuated with green skinned slave girls anyway. I've made several bids for them, but always fall short cash wise (maybe a dylithium mine would help). Wathing Susan dance half-naked in her green body paint is much too seductive for 1960s and is possibly why the series was not picked up. I can see the producers now thinking "What the hell bloody show are you perverts trying to make? This is 1964 for crying out loud! Slave women who dance for their owners? Barbarians!"

Well I sit and watch Sweet Vina dance and dance and dance. I never get tired of her. If I was Pike I would have told Spock to fly off without me. I would have made sure the aliens kept her as the 'Green Illusion' and supplied them with a whole herd of slaves to do their manual labor. Sure when you saw her in her real state she was pretty messed up, but no worse than my ex-wife when she woke up with a hangover Sunday morning. I'm glad Pike finally got to be with her. Too bad it took for him to be as messed up as Vina for them to finally be together. Rock on Captain Pike! Even with lights to say 'yes' or 'no', you could still kick Pricard's butt.