One of the biggest problems facing Star Trek has always been the effects. While more recent shows and movies have had the luxury of computer animation, the original series had no such help. For them it was practical effects, some flashing lights and a handful of models. This may not sound like much, but it was still incredibly costly and very time consuming. While some props such as salt and pepper shakers got recycled into medical equipment, shots of the Enterprise held up editing and the show quickly fell behind schedule.
In order to catch up, Roddenberry decided to use footage from the unaired pilot to fill two episodes and came up with The Menagerie. With a small amount of filming required from the new cast and crew, they managed to tell a two-part story that granted them some extra time for other episodes. If they hadn’t done this, it’s likely that the show would have been cancelled entirely and killed Star Trek right there. The other option is what became known as “bottle” shows, where the stories took place mostly on board the Enterprise itself and there were few effects required. Like Scotty in engineering, Roddenberry and his team of writers were slowly becoming miracle workers…
The Menagerie parts 1 & 2 – Summary: The USS Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11 after Spock claims to have received an emergency call from his former captain Christopher Pike. Commodore Mendez states that it’s impossible, and shows Kirk, Bones and Spock why: Pike was paralyzed by delta rays and is confined to a wheelchair, where his only means of communication is by beeping “yes” or “no” when asked direct questions. Spock speaks to Pike privately, and despite Pike’s objections he commits mutiny and takes control of the Enterprise, leaving Kirk at Starbase 11. Spock sets course for the forbidden planet Talos IV taking Pike with him.
Kirk and Mendez, realizing that the emergency call was a ruse by Spock, give chase in a shuttlecraft and board the Enterprise, while Spock freely gives himself up for court martial. Spock has set the ship’s computers to continue on course, and locked the program to ensure they continue while he stands trial. Kirk tries to delay the court martial, knowing that Spock will be found guilty and fearing for the fate of his friend. Spock insists that it continue though, stating that Kirk, Mendez and Pike fill the necessary requirements for the trial to occur. Spock’s offers little defense but insists that his explanation be heard.
Spock’s explanation takes the form of video records of how 13 years previously Pike and the Enterprise visited Talos IV. While there they investigated a distress signal from a crashed vessel, sending down a landing party to meet the survivors including the lovely Vina. It turns out that the distress signal is designed to lure them into a trap and Pike becomes an unwilling participant in the Talosian’s mental experiments where the aliens have the ability to create artificial realities.
While Kirk learns that the videos are being broadcast from Talos IV itself and Starfleet order them to ignore the broadcasts, the trial continues and the video records continue. Kirk and Mendez learn of how Pike resisted the Talosians’ influence and finally escaped, leaving a horribly disfigured Vina behind so that she could live out her life in a blissful illusion. After the video ends, Mendez disappears having been nothing more than an illusion itself. The trial simply allowed Spock enough time to return Pike to Talos IV where he could live out his remaining years in peace. Starfleet agrees that Pike deserves this mercy, and Spock is cleared of the charges.
The Conscience of the King – Summary: The Enterprise is summoned to Planet Q by Dr Leighton, an old friend of Kirk who claims to have discovered a new synthetic food source. However, the synthetic food was a ruse so that Leighton could seek Kirk’s help in determining if the lead actor of a travelling Shakespearean acting company is an old enemy. Leighton suspects Anton Karidian of being Kodos the Executioner, a former colony governor who massacred over 4000 people. Kirk initially refutes this idea, since historical records claim that Kodos died. However, when Leighton is murdered Kirk begins to suspect that Leighton may have been correct.
Kirk organises for Karidian’s troupe to be brought aboard the Enterprise, striking a deal to give them free passage as long as they perform for his crew. While Kirk strikes up an unexpected romance with Karidian’s daughter Lenore, Spock is suspicious of Kirk’s motives since transporting civilian passengers is against regulations. Researching the matter, Spock learns of how Kodos the Executioner killed his people swiftly to avoid them potentially starving to death. However, supply ships would have reached the colony and saved the people, but when they arrived it was too late.
Spock also discovers that the only records of Karidian are from after Kodos died, and that of the 9 surviving witnesses that could identify Kodos, only 2 remain alive: Captain Kirk and Lt. Kevin Riley. The other 7 have died under mysterious circumstances whenever Karidian and his actors have been near. Spock and Bones confront Kirk, but Kirk confesses that he’s unsure of Karidian’s identity and that he’s falling in love with Lenore. When Riley is poisoned and Kirk nearly assassinated, Karidian’s voice is compared with the voice of Kodos. The computer determines it to be a near match… but Kirk can’t accept that as complete proof.
Riley recovers and sets out to kill Karidian while the actors are performing Hamlet, but is persuaded out of it by Kirk Karidian admits to being Kodos, having tried to forget his past for 20 years due to the burden of guilt he feels. However, he didn’t kill the witnesses. Lenore, who has succumbed to madness, is the killer and has been doing so in order to protect her father. He despises what she’s become, and feels regret at the deaths of more innocent victims. When she tries to shoot Kirk with a phaser, her father gets in the way and sacrifices himself to save Kirk. Lenore’s mental breakdown is overwhelming, and she is taken to a mental institution. Afterwards Bones tries to ask Kirk if he’d like to talk about Lenore, but Kirk simply orders his crew on to the next mission…
If you’ve already seen The Cage then to see it revisited in the two-parter The Menagerie may be too much of the same. The bookend stories of Spock’s court martial and the fate of Christopher Pike are okay, but this is still a clip-job. However, since many haven’t it can be quite an education, especially in seeing the original pilot episode presented in such a way. Given Pike’s involvement in the most recent films it may be of quite a bit of interest. It feels a bit weak as a double episode, but still has a good story at its core.
Conscience of the King is a surprisingly good episode. On the surface it appears rather bland and is a simple “bottle” show, with the somewhat heavy Shakespearean references. However, it’s a great opportunity to see Kirk express genuine feelings for a woman, and Shatner plays it incredibly well. There’s a lot of wonderful interplay between Spock and Bones too, and it’s great seeing the return of Riley. The acting is superb, and the simple story belies what a wonderful episode it is.
Both episodes are great examples of how to do Star Trek without it resorting to Treknobabble, and without the special effects getting in the way of solid storytelling. The Menagerie is a little long-winded and cerebral due to its length, while Conscience of the King may seem a little slow-burn, but if you want to see a more grounded Star Trek then these are great episodes to watch.
April 28, 2013
I loved both of these episodes, and your synopses are concise and enjoyable reading!