"Star Trek" The Cage (1966)

Director:

Robert Butler

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (written by)
Gene Roddenberry (creator)

TV Series:

"Star Trek" (1966)

Original Air Date:

September 1966 (Season 1, Episode 0)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Capt. Pike is held prisoner and tested by aliens who have the power to project incredibly lifelike illusions.

Plot Keywords:

Illusion | Spacecraft | Pilot Episode Has Different Cast | Hell | Teleportation

Cast

Jeffrey Hunter	...	Captain Christopher Pike
Susan Oliver	...	Vina
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
Majel Barrett	...	Number One
John Hoyt	...	Dr. Phillip Boyce
Peter Duryea	...	Lieutenant Jose Tyler
Laurel Goodwin	...	Yeoman J.M. Colt

Runtime:

64 min | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

The original script called for the aliens to be crab-like arthropods.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Captain Pike is abducted, remaining crew members fire a barrage of phaser weaponry at the portal; in each of the three attempts, the exact same effect results. Parts of the entryway get blasted out, and then with each succeeding blast, the exact same thing happens to the "door." In addition, though one of the crew fires his phaser from a different location than Tyler and Spock, his shot appears to be coming from the same location as Tyler's.

Quotes:

The Keeper: With the female of your choice, you will now begin carefully guided lives.
Capt. Pike: Can we start by burying you?
The Keeper: That is your choice.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Hey Arnold!: Arnold's Halloween (#2.11)" (1997)

A Great Start For The Series

This show should not be compared to the later Star Trek series, except for the title. This sci-fi ouclassed other shows of the time 2 to 1. There had never been anything like this on television up to this point.

Jeffery Hunter portrays a good starship captain. The supporting cast do an admirable job, too.

Sure, the effects look cheap, but, hey... this was a PILOT for the series. This story was good enough to be decked out into a 2-parter episode in the Star Trek series that began the next year in 1966.

I am glad that Paramount released this show to the home market. It stands alone in its simple story of space travel. And it works!