“Star Trek: The Unique Collection” boldly took viewers to house, the ultimate frontier, with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) on the helm of the USS Enterprise. Nevertheless, earlier than that iteration of the story arrived in dwelling rooms the world over, Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) was the ship’s commanding officer, and the unique pilot episode, “The Cage,” gave followers a style of what his crew’s adventures would have entailed. Sadly, NBC did not need that present, because the community’s bosses felt it was too bizarre, forcing Gene Roddenberry and his staff to return to the drafting board.
The ebook “Inside Star Trek: The Actual Story” — which was penned by collection alums Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman — particulars NBC’s early conferences with the present’s creators. Apparently, the community’s executives have been reluctant to green-light the collection as a consequence of its funds calls for and philosophical ideas. Because of this, they ordered Roddenberry and co. to shoot a brand new pilot with extra motion, largely new actors (Leonard Nimoy did return as Spock), and “The place No Man Has Gone Earlier than” was born. The remainder is historical past.
That mentioned, “The Cage” was later repurposed as one other two-part episode, and its affect on the franchise has confirmed to be lengthy lasting. With that in thoughts, let’s take a look at how the pilot ultimately made it to tv screens after its preliminary cancelation.
Star Trek reused footage from The Cage afterward
“The Cage” was made for a reported $630,000, and Gene Roddenberry made positive that cash did not go to waste. “Star Trek: The Unique Collection” Season 1’s “The Menagerie” two-part episode repurposes footage from the pilot by means of flashback sequences, utilizing it to inform a narrative about Spock (Leonard Limoy) kidnapping Captain Christopher Pike and taking up the USS Enterprise earlier than being summoned to court docket to clarify his actions. The script gained a prestigious Hugo Award for Greatest Dramatic Presentation in 1967, and to this present day, some followers regard “The Menagerie” as among the best episodes of “Star Trek: The Unique Collection.”
Whereas repurposing the footage undoubtedly lower down the episode’s manufacturing prices, it additionally introduced Pike into the canon lore, and that is gone a great distance for the franchise. “The Cage” has continued to tell the sci-fi saga, significantly in “Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds,” the place a deep lower reference paid tribute to among the tiniest elements of the unique pilot. Moreover, “Unusual New Worlds” revolves across the Pike (Anson Mount) character’s adventures earlier than the occasions of “The Unique Collection,” finally giving him the substantial story that was teased all these years in the past.
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