Modifica di Lo zoo di Talos (episodio)

{{stubtraduzione}}
{{realworld}}
{{sidebar episode|
<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Episode data project]] -->
|          aSelf = The Cage
|         sTitle = The Cage
|       TradIta = Lo Zoo di Talos
|       TradLett = La Gabbia
|        sSeries = TOS
|        nSeason = 1
|       nEpisode = 0
|sProductionSerialNumber = 6149-01
|   nAirdateYear = 1988
|  sAirdateMonth = ottobre
|    nAirdateDay = 4
|         sImage = Talosians 3.jpg
|     wsWrittenBy = [[Gene Roddenberry]]
|    wsTeleplayBy = 
|       wsStoryBy = 
|    wsDirectedBy = [[Robert Butler]]
|   nNthProducedInSeries = 1
|   nNthReleasedInSeries = 80
|      nNthReleasedInAll = 131
|         bFeatureLength = 0
|         nSerialAirdate = 19881004
|                 wsDate = ''Sconosciuto'' ([[2254]])
|     aNextReleasedInAll = Il bambino (episodio)
|     aPrevReleasedInAll = La zona neutrale (episodio)
|  aNextReleasedInSeries = 
|  aPrevReleasedInSeries = L'inversione di rotta (episodio)
|  aNextProducedInSeries = Oltre la galassia (episodio)
|  aPrevProducedInSeries = 
|aNextInUniverseTimeline = Oltre la galassia (episodio)
|aPrevInUniverseTimeline = Missione Terra (episodio)
|             wsArc0Desc = I [[Talosiani]]
|          aArc0PrevPart = 
|          aArc0NextPart = L'ammutinamento - prima parte (episodio)
|        nArc0PartNumber = 1
|         nArc0PartCount = 3
|  nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered = 80
|          nAirdateYear_Remastered = 2009
|         sAirdateMonth_Remastered = maggio
|           nAirdateDay_Remastered = 2
| aNextReleasedInSeries_Remastered = 
| aPrevReleasedInSeries_Remastered = L'inversione di rotta (episodio)
|        nSerialAirdate_Remastered = 20090502
}}

''Il Capitano Pike si reca su Talos IV per investigare sulla scomparsa della nave USS Columbia.''

==Riassunto==
===Teaser===
[[File:Christopher Pike, The Cage.jpg|thumb|left|Il Capitano Pike in plancia|link=Special:FilePath/Christopher_Pike,_The_Cage.jpg]]
L'anno è il [[2254]] - undici anni prima della missione quinquennale del [[James T. Kirk|Capitano Kirk]] al comando della [[USS Enterprise]].

Due settimane dopo uno scontro a [[Rigel VII]] che portò alla morte di tre membri dell'equipaggio, compreso l'[[attendente]] del Capitano [[Christopher Pike]], la nave entra in rotta di collisione con una distorsione spaziale. Si rivela essere un vecchio [[segnale radio di soccorso]], "corrisponde ad un tentativo di creare interferenze per attirare l'attenzione". L'equipaggio sostiene di averlo trasmesso diciotto anni prima dal [[Sistema stellare di Talos]]. Pike non ha intenzione di indagare senza la certezza che vi siano ancora dei sopravvissuti, quindi decide di procedere verso la [[colonia di Vega]] per occuparsi dei feriti del suo equipaggio.
===Prima parte===
Pike chiama il [[Dr. Boyce]] nel suo alloggio. Questo ultimo gli prepara un martini per indurre il Capitano a parlare della battaglia di Rigel VII. Pike gli confida che sta pensando di dimettersi, si sente in colpa per le decisioni letali prese e sente sempre di più il peso del comando, ma Boyce lo biasima dal farlo. L'[[ufficiale scientifico]] [[Spock]] li interrompe dall'[[interfono]] informandoli di un nuovo messaggio da [[Talos IV]] che conferma la presenza di undici sopravissuti. Pike torna quindi sulla [[plancia]] e decide di far rotta per Talos a "velocità [[warp]], fattore sette". Qui lavora anche una giovane avvenente, [[J.M. Colt]], che lui non conosceva. Il [[Comandante|Primo ufficiale]] della nave, una donna chiamata [[Numero Uno]], (in [[Star Trek: The Next Generation|The Next Generation]] il termine indica il Primo Ufficiale) lo informa che Colt è il nuovo attendente. Pike esprime perplessità riguardo la presenza di "una donna in plancia", assicurando Numero Uno che lei era un'eccezione.

Pike guida un [[squadra da sbarco]] per cercare i sopravissuti di Talos IV e trova un improvvisato accampamento di vecchi scienziati, i superstiti della [[nave di studio]] distrutta, la [[USS Columbia]]. Gli scienziati dichiarano essere ciò che resta di una spedizione dell'[[Istituto Continentale Americano]]. Mentre Pike spiega i progressi tecnologici avvenuti durante la loro assenza si avvicina una bellissima donna bionda, [[Vina]]. Questa, figlia di due scienziati, vive nell'accampamento fin da quando era molto piccola e si presenta al capitano con fare molto strano. Infatti, fissandolo intensamente negli occhi gli dice che lui è un "primo esemplare". Il capo scienziato chiede scusa per la strana affermazione della ragazza, giustificandola con il fatto che è cresciuta in mezzo a vecchi scienziati. Nel frattempo, si scopre che il gruppo di umani è osservato mediante degli schermi da tre alieni. La loro peculiarità è di avere delle teste esageratamente grandi con delle vene che sembrano pulsare ogni qualvolta che formulano un pensiero. I tre sembrano comunicare telepaticamente, infatti le loro bocche non si muovono.

Boyce riporta che i sopravissuti sono in ottimo stato di salute, "quasi troppo" per dei vecchi naufraghi. Il capo scienziato spiega al capitano che Vina gli rivelerà il loro "segreto", ciò che gli ha consentito di restare in così buona salute per tutti quegli anni. Cosi Pike e Vina si allontanano dagli altri. Improvvisamente Vina scompare assieme agli scienziati ed al loro campo. Appaiono quindi i tre alieni, i [[Talosiani]], che fanno perdere i sensi a Pike e lo trasportano attraverso un passaggio tra le rocce. La squadra da sbarco, guidata da Spock, inizia a sparare coi [[laser]] contro la porta nel tentativo di salvare il capitano, ma senza successo e Spock informa la nave col suo [[comunicatore]].
===Seconda parte===
Pike rinviene sprovvisto di divisa, comunicatore e laser, all'interno di una cella munita di un muro trasparente attraverso il quale vede diverse creature di diverse specie nelle celle vicine. Alcuni Talosiani arrivano e fanno sprezzanti osservazioni su di lui, che Pike percepisce [[Telepatia|telepaticamente]]. Si stanno preparando per eseguire "l'esperimento".                             
[[File:Mojave remastered.jpg|thumb|Pike e Vina fanno un pic-nic in campagna nel Mojave]]
L'intenzione dei Talosiani è quella di far vivere a Pike delle illusioni basate sulle sue memorie, per far si che si interessi a Vina. La prima illusione lo riporta a Rigel VII, con la nuova missione di salvare Vina. Pike non è interessato tanto all'illusione quanto a capirne il funzionamento per fuggire dalla sua prigionia. Non di meno, deve sopravvivere agli attacchi per uscire dall'illusione, ma si ritrova con Vina sempre in cella.

Apprende dalla donna che i Talosiani affidamento sui loro poteri telepatici hanno gravemente indebolito il loro mondo e se stessi, così vogliono che il Capitano Pike e Vina diano origine ad una nuova razza più forte per ripopolare la superfice sterile del loro pianeta. I Talosiani puniscono Vina per aver rivelato questa informazione a Pike.

I Talosiani gli offrono una fiala di liquido nutritivo e insistono perché la beva, proponendosi di fargliela apparire come qualsiasi pietanza lui desideri. Pike piuttosto preferisce morire di fame, così il suo guardiano lo punise con l'illusione di essere bruciato vivo e lo minaccia di punirlo ancor più severamente se avesse continuato a disobbedire. Pike sembra cedere mentre beve il liquido, ma mosso da uno scoppio di ira tenta nuovamente di rompere l'incantesimo e inaspettatamente sorprendente il guardiano.

Pike si rende conto che il guardiano non riesce a leggergli la mente quando è arrabbiato e cerca di capirne il motivo. Il guardiano, ancora in grado di sondare la mente di Pike, tenta di distrarlo prendendosela con Vina. Pike cede ancora una volta, e il guardiano rivela che Vina è l'unica sopravvissuta dal disastro della Columbia confermando quello che era stato inavvertitamente rivelato in precedenza; che Pike e Vina erano tenuti a diffondere l'umanità e ripopolare Talos IV. La conversazione si conclude con Pike che chiede che di essere punito al suo posto, visto che è lui ad ad essere poco collaborativo. Il guardiano considera questo un ottimo sviluppo nel loro rapporto.                             
[[File:Vina_as_an_Orion_slave_girl.jpg|thumb|left|Vina nelle sembianze di una Schiava di Orione]]
L'illusione successiva è un pic-nic nella città natale di Pike nel [[Mojave]], con Vina che cerca di sedurre Pike attraverso una atmosfera familiare, ma Pike resiste, sapendo che si tratta di una mera illusione. Vina si rende conto che gli scenari già noti a Pike non possono funzionare nel convincerlo a collaborare, e ipotizza che possa essere più facilmente influenzabile da una fantasia proibita. L'illusione sucessiva dei Talosiani consiste quindi nel tentare Pike facendo apparire Vina come una [[Schiava di Orione]].

L'Enterprise tenta senza successo di incanalare l'energia della nave sulla superficie per aprire una via di fuga a Pike. Spock individua il generatore d'energia dei Talosiani e prepara una squadra da sbarco. Tuttavia, solo le donne (Numero Uno e l'attendente Colt) vengono prese dai Talosiani per cercare di dare un'ampia scelta di compagne per Pike, le loro armi e i comunicatori non sembrano funzionare. Vina risente della concorrenza; Numero Uno in base ai dati scopre che Vina non può essere così giovane come appare.

Poiché i tentativi di salvataggio sono falliti, Spock ordina che l'Enterprise lasci                              
l'orbita, ma i talosiani la immobilizzano per eseguire la scansione dei suoi dati, Spock capisce che dopo di questo per la nave sarà la fine ed i talosiani schiacceranno la nave come fosse una mosca.
===Terza parte===
Pike capisce che le emozioni forti fanno perdere ai talosiani il controllo sulla sua mente e le utilizza a suo vantaggio. Mentre Pike finge di dormire, un [[magistrato]] Talosiano cerca di recuperare i laser degli ufficiali femminili dalla loro cella. Pike afferra il magistrato e ignora le sue illusioni. Capisce che anche il malfunzionamento dei laser era un'illusione e li utilizza per costringerlo a fermare l'inganno. Scopre così che avevano già aperto una parete nella cella già al primo tentativo.

Fugge con le donne in superfice e vede che era riuscito anche il precedente tentativo di aprire un vargo nelle rocce, nonostante l'illusione facesse pensare diversamente. Ma i comunicatori ancora non funzionano, e il talosiano rivela che l'obiettivo originale era di lasciar vivere il gruppo di umani in superfice. Pike si offre come prigioniero in cambio della libertà delle altre e dell'Enterprise, ma Numero Uno mette in sovraccarico la sua [[pistola laser]], con l'intenzione di distruggere se stessa e i suoi compagni pur di contrastare i piani dei Talosiani.

Arrivano gli aiutanti del magistrato, presentando il riepilogo dei dati della nave. I quali dimostrano che gli [[umano|esseri umani]]  hanno un certo odio verso la prigionia, anche se piacevole, che li rende troppo pericolosi per i propositi dei Talosiani. Il magistrato non si scusa per la prigionia, infatti il suo popolo è destinato all'estinzione. Pike chiede se il commercio e la cooperazione potessero salvare il pianeta, ma il magistrato risponde che gli esseri umani imparando il potere dell'illusione distruggerebbero se stessi, proprio come fecero i talosiani. I membri dell'equipaggio sono liberi di andare, ma Vina non può unirsi a loro. I Talosiani mostrano il vero aspetto di Vina: senza le loro illusioni appare deforme per via dell'incidente della Columbia. Sono stati in grado di tenerla in vita, ma                               
non a ripristinare il suo aspetto. Il Talosiani si impegnano a prendermi cura di lei e creano una copia del Capitano a tenerle compagnia.

Pike ritorna in plancia, assicurando al Dr. Boyce di essersi completamente ripreso per il lavoro, manda via l'attendente Colt per una domanda su chi avrebbe scelto come compagna, e accusa il medico di essere un "vecchio sporcaccione" per avergli chiesto il significato di quella domanda. L'Enterprise può ripartire.

==Galleria immagini==
<gallery type="slideshow" crop="true" position="center">
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</gallery>

==Citazioni memorabili==
"''Controllare il circuito.''"<br />
"''Tutti operativi, Signore.''"<br />
"''Non può essere lo schermo allora.''"
: - '''Spock''' e '''Tyler''', parlando sulle prime linee ''[[Star Trek]]''.


[[File:Pike and Boyce martini.jpg|thumb|Pike e Boyce]]
"''Solitamente un uomo confida le sue cose al suo barista, non al suo medico.''"
: - '''Boyce''', offrendo un Martini a Pike.


"''Chris, imponi a te stesso limiti che nessuno può raggiungere. Tratti ognuno a bordo come un essere umano, eccetto te.''"
: - '''Boyce''', spiegando a Pike i motivi del suo stress


"''Sono stanvo di decidere quale missione sia rischiosa e quale no. Chi deve far parte della squadra da sbarco e chi no. E chi vive. E chi muore.''"
: - '''Pike''' a Boyce, alludendo al suo ritiro


"''Un uomo affronta la vita a testa alta. Oppure gli volta le spalle e inizia a scomparire.''"
: - '''Boyce''' biasima Pike dal ritirarsi


"''Entrambi abbiamo lo stesso tipo di clienti. Quelli che vivono e quelli che muoiono.''"
: - '''Boyce''' a Pike, come dottore e barista


"''E' solo che non riesco ad abituarmi ad una donna in plancia''"<br />
(Numero Uno lo guarda sorpresa)<br />
"''Senza offesa Tenente. Per lei è diverso, ovviamente.''"
: - '''Pike''' a Numero Uno, a proposito di Colt


"''Sembri essere intelligente e in salute, Capitano. Un primo esemplare.''"
: - '''Vina'''' la sua prima osservazione sul Capitano Pike


"''C'è una via d'uscita per ogni cosa. E noi la troveremo!''"
: - '''Pike''' sui Talosiani, durante la prigionia


"''Ma hanno scoperto che è una trappola. Come un narcotico. Perché quando i sogni diventano più importanti della realtà, si rinuncia ai viaggi, alla costruzione, alla creazione.''"
: - '''Vina''', sul perché i Talosiani hanno sviluppato i loro poteri


"''Sono una donna reale e umana tanto quanto lo sei tu. Siamo come Adamo ed Eva.''"
: - '''Vina''', convincendo Pike che non è una illusione


"''No vi prego! Non punitemi!''"
: - '''Vina''', in procinto di essere punita per aver rivelato la verità a Pike, a proposito dello scopo dei Talosiani (dimostrando così di essere reale)


"''Proverai la sgradevole alternativa della punizione.''"
: - '''Il guardiano''', delinea le conseguenze della sua disobbedienza


"''O vivi la vita, livido, le ginocchia sbucciate e tutto il resto, oppure gli giri le spalle e cominci a morire.''"
: - '''Pike''', capisce le ammonizioni di Boyce


"''Ma noi non siamo qui. Nessuno di noi lo è. Siamo in uno zoo, una gabbia!''"
: - '''Pike''' a Vina, durante il finto picnic


"''Una curiosa specie. Hanno fantasie che nascondono persino a loro stessi.''"
: - '''Il guardiano''', osservando il finto picnic


"''I sogni più forti di una persona riguardano ciò che non può fare''"
: - '''Vina''', prima di trasformarsi in una schiava di Orione


"''Riesci a crederci? Effettivamente a loro ''piace'' essere usate per il nostro piacere!''"
: - Un '''ospite''' di Pike, spiega la natura delle schiave di Orione


"''Le donne!''"
: - '''Spock''', dopo che Numero Uno e Colt sono scomparse


"''Poiché resisti all'esemplare attuale, ora hai una scelta. Ciascuno di questi due nuovi esemplari possiede qualità in suo favore.''"
: - '''Il guardiano,''' a proposito di Numero Uno e Colt


"''Benché sembri priva di emozioni, questa è in gran parte una finzione. Lei ha spesso fantasie su di te.''"
: - '''Il guardiano''' a Pike, a proposito di Numero Uno


"''I fattori a suo favore sono la gioventù e la forza, unite a qualità femminili insolitamente forti.''"
: - '''Il guardiano''', a proposito di Colt


"''Pensare sbagliato è punibile. Pensare in modo giusto sarà ricompensato più rapidamente. La troverete una combinazione efficace.''"
: - '''Il guardiano''', dopo aver inflitto dolore a Pike


"''Con la femmina di tua scelta, potrai ora iniziare una vita guidata con cura.''"<br />
"''Iniziata seppellendo voi?''"<br />
"''Questà è una tua scelta''"
: - '''Il guardiano''' e '''Pike'''


"''E 'sbagliato creare una razza di esseri umani per tenerli come schiavi.''"
: - '''Numero UNo''', poco prima di prepararsi a uccidere gli umani ed il guardiano


"''Le usanze e la storia della vostra razza mostrano un'esclusiva reticenza verso la prigionia. Anche se presentata come benevole, gli preferite la morte. Questo vi rende troppo violenti e pericolosi come specie per le nostre esigenze.''"
: - '''Il Guardiano''', prima di liberare Pike, Numero Uno e Colt


"''Nessun altro primo esemplare mostrava la tua stessa adattabilità.  Tu eri la nostra ultima speranza.''"
: - '''Il Guardiano''', spiegando perché la riluttanza di Pike a collaborare avrebbe portato all'estinzione dei Talosiani


"''Lei ha un'illusione e tu la realtà. Che tu possa trovare la strada più piacevole.''"
: - '''Il Guardiano''', dopo aver restaurato la bellezza di Vina (al contempo viene creata una versione illusioria di Pike per farle compagnia)


"''Chi sarebbe stata Eva?''"<br />
"''Attendente!''"
: - '''Colt''' e '''Numero Uno''' a proposito di chi avrebbe scelto Pike tra loro


"''Eva? come quella di Adamo?''"<br />
"''Così come in tutte le navi i dottori sono dei vecchiacci.''"
: - '''Boyce''' e '''Pike''', prima che l'''Enterprise''abbandoni Talos IV


"''Cosa stiamo pilotando qui, una nave per cadetti, Numero Uno? Siamo pronti o no?''"<br />
"''Tutti i ponti pronti, Signore.''"<br />
"''Attivare!''"
: - '''Pike''' e '''Numero Uno''', quando l'''Enterprise'' si prepara a lasciare Talos IV
<!---
==Background Information==
===Introductory details===
* The title of this episode &ndash; the first installment of ''Star Trek'' ever produced &ndash; was changed in production from "The Cage" to "The Menagerie". However, when the two-part episode {{e|The Menagerie, Part I}} and {{e|The Menagerie, Part II}} (which reused almost all the footage from this episode) went into production, the title of this installment reverted to "The Cage". (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 10; [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42])

===Story and script===
* The genesis of this episode was the first of twenty-five proposed stories in [[Gene Roddenberry]]'s series outline ''[[Star Trek is...]]''. The description of the plot concept that became this episode (preliminarily entitled "The Next Cage") read, "''The desperation of our series lead, caged and on exhibition like an animal, then offered a mate.''"
* During an early {{m|May|1964}} meeting wherein Gene Roddenberry and [[Herbert F. Solow]] pitched the series to television network [[NBC]], Jerry Stanley &ndash; NBC Program Development Vice President &ndash; asked to hear more about the idea for the series' pilot episode. Solow later reflected, "''I asked Gene to explain. He did, very succinctly describing the premise of 'The Menagerie'.''" Neither Grant Tinker &ndash; who was also present at the meeting and was, at the time, NBC Vice President of Programs, West Coast &ndash; nor Jerry Stanley was convinced to agree to a series deal with Roddenberry and Solow. Just as Roddenberry was about to leave the room, Solow made a last-ditch attempt to persuade the NBC executives, stating, "''If you give us a commitment for a ninety-minute script instead of one hour, and we make the pilot, you can always run it as a TV special and recoup your investment if it doesn't sell as a series. Besides, I'm not leaving this room until you give us a script order.''" This was enough to sway NBC's stance and the executives agreed to make a deal. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 6, 19-20)
* This episode's premise was not the only concept that NBC considered for the series' pilot. Herb Solow explained, "''They wanted to hear more stories before one of them was chosen for the pilot script. We had more meetings, and Gene gave them more stories.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 20)
* This episode's narrative style was selected after [[Oscar Katz]], the president of [[Desilu]] Television at the time, personally pitched four different narrative approaches to the NBC executives. Whereas the first two story types primarily focused on events aboard the ''Enterprise'' and the third option featured a planet whose inhabitants were much like Humanity of either the past or the future, the fourth type involved a planet that was highly different from Earth and was inhabited by people who were likewise very different from Humans. NBC chose the fourth type, the hardest to produce, as they wanted to challenge Desilu by making it as hard as possible for that studio to prove the series was doable. Explained Katz, "''I tried to talk them out of it, because I knew it was going to be expensive and, even more, I felt that it might not be representative of the series. But they couldn't be talked out of it.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 11)
* The plot idea for this episode underwent further development in early May 1964, after NBC vice-president [[Mort Werner]] provided Gene Roddenberry with US$20,000 in development money to write three different story outlines based on the ''Star Trek'' format. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 41-42; ''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 10) With so much at stake over the trio of episode outlines, Roddenberry industriously grafted away at them, obsessing over each page and every word. He spent a month of writing the outlines as well as several weeks of revising them, after which he finally turned the pages over to NBC. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 33) The outlines had been forwarded to the network by the end of June 1964 and the particular outline for this episode was dated [[29 June]]. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 45 & 47) Following the submission of the outlines, NBC took several days before announcing their choice of "The Cage" as the pilot-to-be. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 33)
* The episode's story outline consisted of 26 pages. [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42] In those pages, the name of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s captain was [[Robert April]] (as it was in the series outline ''Star Trek is...''). He was the only one of his crew whose name was to be changed, as the episode continued to evolve. Also, the Talosians were crab-like aliens (their species remaining unnamed, though they were commonly referred to as "crab-creatures"), and their planet was "Sirius IV". The outline is fully transcribed in ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'' (pp. 47-65).
* Some of Gene Roddenberry's initial thoughts for the episode's illusory scenarios had to be altered or scaled back due to production and budgetary realities. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
* Hours after NBC greenlighted the pilot (a duration that Gene Roddenberry and Herb Solow spent ironing out some of the "twists, turns, and bends in the plot"), Gene Roddenberry set to work on writing the teleplay. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 36; ''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 20 & 21) As he wrote the first draft script, he spared no thought for the practicalities of producing what he was writing about, such as the episode's laser cannon, instead leaving such realistic considerations until later. Noted Herb Solow, "''The network draft wasn't for shooting, the network draft was for selling. When we got the order for the pilot film, then we'd face the budget problem head on.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 20 & 21)
* Gene Roddenberry did, however, care about the believability of the script. To this end, he initiated a period of intensive scientific research and began an acquaintance with [[Harvey P. Lynn]], a physicist from the [[RAND Corporation]] who served as Roddenberry's unofficial technical adviser on the pilot. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 74 & 76-77)
* During the remainder of the summer and into the early autumn of 1964, major effort was invested in the development of the shooting script, the intention being that it was to later be submitted to NBC for approval. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 78) The first script draft was dated {{d|8|September|1964}}. (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 11) In that version of the episode, the captain's name was still Robert April, though both the Talosians and their homeworld of Talos IV received their eventual names. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 91-95)
* It was also the initial draft of the episode's teleplay that changed the Talosians from resembling crabs to becoming small and slim humanoids with elongated heads. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 93) This alteration was made because the production staff realized the aliens might seem too much like the bug-eyed monsters of "1950s horror movies," the antithesis of what Gene Roddenberry wanted the more intellectually-minded ''Star Trek'' to be. Depicting the extraterrestrials as crab-like creatures would have not only run a good chance of making them look unconvincing but also would have been prohibitively expensive, two deciding factors in the adjustment of their form. (''[[Star Trek: The Original Series 365]]'', p. 008)
* According to [[Majel Barrett-Roddenberry|Majel Barrett]], the first character introduced in the script was Number One. "''That was the first character Gene wrote into the script,''" Barrett stated. "''Captain April was not an afterthought because he knew he had to have a captain, but the first character that was described was Number One.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', p. 43)
* The episode's first draft script had an opening scene in the hangar bay where Captain April, whose character at this stage was a tad older than Captain Pike was later written, is inspecting new crew members. He remarks disapprovingly to the doctor, at one point, about the young age of some of these officers. "''Something,''" Roddenberry later wrote in a memo, "''that [[James T. Kirk|Jim Kirk]], the boy wonder of the [[Starfleet Academy|Academy]], never would have done.''" In this same scene, April sees a number of badly-wounded crewmen off the ship, onto a space shuttle or taxi from the Human colony of [[Antares]]. Among these departing officers is an uninjured former navigator named Crowley who April is sending back in disgrace, because he fired on friendly aliens. The officer argues that they were monstrous in appearance and asks how he could have known that they were intelligent enough to have weapons. These protests are met by a stern but subdued dismissal from the captain, who quietly orders, "''Get off my ship, mister.''" (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]''; ''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., pp. 11-12)
* While scripting the episode, Gene Roddenberry developed a habit of being somewhat possessive about story ideas, to such a degree that Herb Solow considered this quality to be excessive. "''As Gene completed the first-draft pilot script,''" Solow remarked, "''he unfortunately became overly protective of his new baby.''" Furthermore, Roddenberry began to frequently lay claim to the input of others. "''A new side of Gene slowly appeared: ownership of ideas,''" commented Solow. "''If a good story or series point came from anyone, be it NBC, [Desilu's agent] Ashley-Famous, or Desilu, Gene Roddenberry appropriated it.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 21)
* A copy of the episode's first draft script was sent from Gene Roddenberry to Harvey P. Lynn, shortly prior to 14 September 1964. On that date, Lynn responded with correspondence of his own &ndash; a letter that included many comments on the script draft. Concerning the docking scene, Lynn proposed a theoretical docking method and a suggestion that the name Antares, since it refers to a sun unsuitable for the habitation of Humans, be substituted with "a more vague name" such as Tycho, Fabricus, or even Lynnicus (the latter name clearly being offered as an in-joke). Additionally, Lynn took the liberty of suggesting that the shuttle or taxi might be from a ship similar to the ''Enterprise'' and that that vessel had recently departed from Earth, which Lynn observed would correlate well with the introductions of both Tyler and Yeoman Colt. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 90-92) The docking scene was excised from the script in a revised draft and Roddenberry notified Lynn of the scene's exclusion in a letter sent on 24 September. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 96-97) The scene was never filmed, due to time and budget restrictions. {{incite}}
* Though the first script draft referred to Talos IV as being located at the "edge of the universe" and stated that Earth was "at the other end of this galaxy," Harvey P. Lynn rejected these notions, advising Gene Roddenberry that traveling from one end of the galaxy to the other would take an impossibly long time and encouraging him to switch the latter reference to "far away in this galaxy." (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 92 & 94) Evidently, Roddenberry ultimately minimized the references to the far distance between Earth and Talos IV; of the two such references, the first was deleted while the second remained.
* Harvey P. Lynn recommended that Talos IV be stated to be in either [[Sigma Draconis]], Eta Cassiopeiae, or HR 8832 (aka {{w|Gliese 892}}), owing to both their proximity to our solar system and the fact that it is unknown whether any of them have any Earth-type planets. Other astral names that Lynn requested be changed were Epsilon VII, Orion, and [[Rigel]] 113, which he suggested substituting with Draconis, HR 8832, and Vega 113, respectively. A similar idea that he presented was changing Orion traders to Centaurian traders. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 92 & 95) In his reply on 24 September, Roddenberry expressed an interest in having the names of the stars in this episode be ones that were familiar to the audience. "''This is why I've avoided such terms as 'HR8832,' etc,''" he explained. On the other hand, he conceded that the continued use of Rigel and Orion could still be substituted, in the final shooting script, with names such as Vega, admitting that such names &ndash; while being more appropriate from a scientific perspective &ndash; were also possibly just as familiar. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 97) Comparing the second revised final draft script (dated [[20 September]] 1964) to the episode's final draft indicates that Roddenberry ultimately replaced Rigel 113 with Rigel VII. Neither the same script draft nor the actual episode contain reference to Epsilon VII, though they also evidence that Roddenberry ultimately excluded not only HR 8832 but also Draconis and Vega 113.
* Due to Harvey P. Lynn's influence, the SS ''Columbia'' is said to have been lost in the same "region" as the Talos star group, rather than the same "quadrant" as that star system, and the gravity of Talos IV was altered from "1.3 of Earth" to less than Earth's gravity. Lynn submitted the latter suggestion on the basis of the Talosians' appearance and proposed that Talos IV have a gravity that was 85% as powerful as Earth's. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 92) In the episode's final version, it is said to be "0.9 of Earth."
* The character of Geologist was known as Astroscientist in the first draft script, but this was also changed on the recommendation of Harvey P. Lynn, who opted for "Geologist" because he believed it was a more specific title. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 93)
* In the first draft script, the illusory ''Columbia'' survivors had more dialogue than they do in the episode's final edit. For instance, it was established that the survivors' distress call had been a directional beam. Harvey P. Lynn, however, proposed that it would be more likely for the survivors' signal to have been a broadcast beam, owing to the increased probability that such a beam would be intercepted. Solar batteries were mentioned by at least one of the survivors too, but Lynn opposed this by suggesting that the illusory Human instead say, "''After we could no longer use the ship's power, we switched to automatic batteries and started praying.''" (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 93) This dialogue was evidently later cut or omitted entirely.
* Harvey P. Lynn also made some notes on the specifics of several elements that were intended to continue to be featured in the forthcoming series (such as [[laser]]s, for which he submitted four alternative names, though Gene Roddenberry maintained that he wanted the name to stay as it was, due to the high odds that it would be recognizable to viewers). (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 94 & 97)
* Executives at [[Desilu]] were also included in the revision process. Herb Solow explained, "''Finally, all the top executives received copies of our pilot [script] to read, review with others, and comment on. I personally walked the ''Star Trek'' pilot script into [Desilu president and actress] [[Lucille Ball|Lucy [Ball]]]'s dressing room and handed it to her. 'Lucy, this is the ''Star Trek'' pilot script. There'll be lots of changes, so if you have any comments, let me have them, because there'll be ample time to implement them.' Lucy never mentioned the script [....] I know Oscar [Katz] read his copy of the pilot script, but he never offered any comments [either].''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 22)
* The second revised final draft script of the "The Cage" indicates, as does the episode, that Spock, José Tyler, and others had been wounded in the fighting on Rigel VII &ndash; events which took place just prior to the action in "The Cage". The script includes stage directions for Spock to be limping and for Tyler to have a bandaged hand.
* As late as 20 November 1964 (in the second revised final script), the captain's name was James Winter.
* Even though Gene Roddenberry was open to some of Harvey P. Lynn's suggestions, his possessiveness over plot ideas affected his interactions with NBC. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 21) The script's final draft was ready to send to the network by the end of September 1964 and the proposed shooting script was submitted to NBC in the last week of September. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 90 & 99) Herb Solow offered, "''Gene and I met with NBC to get their script comments. He took offense at most of them, at times unnecessarily so. Some ideas were really good.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 21) However, Roddenberry was pleased with the network's general reaction to what he had written, the major stumbling block between them, at this point, being a specific dream sequence that Roddenberry had scripted. NBC warned against overly focusing on the sequence, wary that the message concerning what is reality might be lost on the audience. Numerous other, minor alterations were requested, but NBC more-or-less gave their approval for the episode to be filmed. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 99)
* By the time this episode's script was completed, Gene Roddenberry's initial concept for the installment had been greatly changed by suggestions from Desilu and NBC. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 22) The teleplay also reflected the input of the numerous scientific advisers who Roddenberry had consulted. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 90) Having finished writing the script, Roddenberry asked Robert Butler to read it. Butler later remembered his reactions to the teleplay; "''I remember thinking it was a terrific yarn, but that it was somewhat obscured because it was such a showcase script. 'The Cage' showcased such solid, good and fascinating science-fiction disciplines, examples and events, that it was, I thought, a little obscure. The story was somewhat remote.''" (''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'' issue 117, p. 55)
* By the time filming began, the name of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s commanding officer had finally been changed to Christopher Pike. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 115)

===Cast===
* Prior to the making of this episode, Gene Roddenberry already knew that he wanted to cast both Majel Barrett &ndash; who he had in mind when originally developing the character Number One &ndash; and [[Leonard Nimoy]] as Number One and Spock, respectively. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 23; ''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 2]]'', p. 82) All three had previously worked on ''The Lieutenant'', a series that had been produced by Roddenberry and had featured appearances from Barrett and Nimoy. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', pp. 43)
* Casting director [[Joseph D'Agosta]] had also worked on ''The Lieutenant''. At a point after ''Star Trek'' had been greenlighted but did not yet have a casting director, Gene Roddenberry called D'Agosta and eagerly invited him to fill that production capacity. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 213)
* The casting process began at a time when the script revisions were under way and the captain's name was still Robert April. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 41; ''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1]]'', p. 26) However, because Joseph D'Agosta was meanwhile at 20th Century Fox, his work on the episode was indirect. "''I cast it on the phone,''" he explained, "''by just suggesting films to look at and what actors to see, and I relayed all this through a young man named [[Morris Chapnick]], who was Gene's assistant.''" (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 213) Chapnick, yet another production staffer who had worked on ''The Lieutenant'', had first become aware of ''Star Trek'' when Roddenberry had told him about this pilot. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 100 & 101)
* Majel Barrett was cast as Number One before both Leonard Nimoy and Pike actor [[Jeffrey Hunter]] were cast in their roles. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 23) Alternative actors that were considered include Lloyd Bridges for the Captain Pike role, Martin Landau for the Spock character, and [[Yvonne Craig]] for the guest star role of Vina. (''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1]]'', p. 26; [http://www.youtube.com/watch?index=13&playnext=1&v=JY5Ls6F0Xik&list=PLB2246EE90736AB16]) [[DeForest Kelley]] was considered for the roles of both Dr. Boyce and Spock. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 98; ''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 44) Even though Leonard Nimoy was always Gene Roddenberry's first choice for the Spock role, he often said that he would have instead approached Martin Landau to play the role, if Nimoy had been unavailable. (''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1]]'', p. 26)
* Robert Butler was involved in many of the casting decisions for the episode, including the selection of [[Peter Duryea]] as José Tyler. Butler later recalled, "''I was very much in on the casting of the supporting people [....] I remember trying to get a freshness and colloquiality in those characters and not have them all be rigid and pasteboard leading men.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 6]]'', p. 53)
* Robert Butler was happy with the casting of Peter Duryea, Majel Barrett, and [[Susan Oliver]] as Vina but had some difficulty with Jeffrey Hunter playing Pike. "''I certainly knew of him and found him to be a real co-operative good guy,''" stated Butler. "''He was a little heroic and a little stiff, and I tried to modify that a little bit.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 6]]'', pp. 53-54)
* In his introduction for the 1986 VHS release of "The Cage" (which can now be seen on the DVD version in the third season set), Gene Roddenberry noted that he refused to cast his crew what the network dubbed "sensibly," which according to Roddenberry meant "all white." This was indirectly contested by [[Herb Solow]] in the book ''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', in which he states that Mort Werner deliberately encouraged NBC to show racial diversity and integration in its programs.
* In general, the pilot gave its cast a good impression of how good the potentially forthcoming series could be. [[Laurel Goodwin]], who was cast as Yeoman [[J.M. Colt]], remembered, "''The whole gang of us knew this show was going to go along wonderfully well. We were all so involved with our characters. There was no doubt in my mind that this would be a successful show if they could just get good stories.''" (''[[Star Trek: Communicator]]'' issue 119, p. 59)
* [[Leonard Mudie]], who has one line of dialog as one of the ''Columbia'' survivors, was a veteran of dozens of films dating back to the 1930s. He was 81 when this sequence was filmed, and he died the next year. He was the second-oldest actor ever to appear on the original ''Star Trek'' and the first to pass away. {{incite}}
* Although male voices were dubbed in for the Talosians, all the Talosian actors were actually women. Robert Butler and Gene Roddenberry struck upon using this casting method at about the same time as one another, Butler reckoning that it would lend the Talosian characterizations an alien-like androgynous quality. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 97) Roddenberry believed that the lighter builds of females might suggest that the Talosians had allowed their bodies to atrophy while instead choosing to concentrate on advanced brain development. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]) Upon searching for suitable performers to play the parts, Roddenberry scoured [[Hollywood]] for short actresses with faces that he deemed to be interesting. (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 15) [[Meg Wyllie]] was cast as the Talosian Keeper on Butler's recommendation, they having previously worked together. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 98)
* [[Clegg Hoyt]] played the transporter chief, Pitcairn, but his voice was dubbed in by Bob Johnson. Johnson was the voice on the tape (and disc) in the TV series ''[[Mission: Impossible]]''.
* Leonard Nimoy and Majel Barrett are the only actors to appear in both this episode and the final episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', {{e|Turnabout Intruder}}, in which Barrett played her most regular role, [[Nurse]] [[Christine Chapel|Chapel]].
* [[Malachi Throne]] ([[The Keeper|Voice of The Keeper]]) featured not only in this episode, Leonard Nimoy's first ''Star Trek'' appearance, but also appeared during Nimoy's final TV ''Star Trek'' appearance, the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode {{e|Unification II}}.
* This is the first of five ''Star Trek'' instances in which Leonard Nimoy appeared without William Shatner, the other four being {{TAS|The Slaver Weapon}}, {{TNG|Unification I}} and {{e|Unification II}}, and the film {{film|11}}.
* [[Michael Dugan]], who played the illusory [[Kalar]] warrior, was actually a stunt performer. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
* After the crew beams down to the planet surface of [[Talos IV]], Spock is seen limping as he walks toward the singing plants. It has been mistakenly stated that Nimoy had suffered an injury prior to filming. In fact, Nimoy's limp here was feigned, in accordance with the script. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'') José Tyler similarly appears with a bandage around his hand.
* Because Jeffrey Hunter (who played Pike) was playing a very controlled, internalized character, Nimoy felt the need to bring in some energy and animation onto the set. (''[[Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime]]''; et al.)

===Production===
[[File:Shooting The Cage.jpg|thumb|A moment from production on this episode]]
* The making of this episode despite the fact that best estimates for the pilot originally placed its production cost as more than US$500,000 represented a considerable gamble for Desilu, which was a small, ill-equipped studio at the time. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 41) Nervous about this situation, NBC set out to monitor the progress of the pilot, keeping a check on the project's schedule and cost. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 36)
* Oscar Katz announced NBC's go-ahead to produce the pilot at a Desilu board meeting, after which Herb Solow fielded questions from the board. He explained that, although the pilot was going to cost more than NBC gave the studio, Desilu had no way of knowing how much more until after the revised script had been budgeted. Solow later mused, "''The board was nervous. Production of a ninety-minute science-fiction pilot was an expensive business move, a risky business move.''" As the meeting went on, Solow gave assurances that it was possible for Desilu to produce the show and tried to maintain a positive demeanor as he answered more questions about the imminent pilot. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 23)
* At first, it was uncertain how a production crew could be assembled to handle such an ambitious and complex episode as this, though Gene Roddenberry and Herb Solow immediately ruled out the crew that regularly produced Desilu's ''The Lucy Show'', which starred Desilu President Lucille Ball. "''As professional as the crew was, most of them would be of little help when confronted with the overwhelming demands and technical requirements of the planned ''Star Trek'' pilot,''" explained Solow. "''Basically, Gene and I were faced with the job of building a production unit from scratch at a time when the availability lists from the unions were scant or empty.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 27)
* Besides Gene Roddenberry and Herb Solow, the first production staffer to be assigned to this episode was Robert Butler. He was chosen by Roddenberry and Solow, following extensive talks with both NBC Programming and Alden Schwimmer, the boss of Ashley-Famous. NBC was satisfied with the decision, Butler having established himself as a director on numerous television series in the [[1960s]] (including ''The Lieutenant''). (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 27 & 13) It was Gene Roddenberry who asked Robert Butler to helm the episode. (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 6]]'', p. 52) Both Roddenberry and Solow regarded Butler as highly dependable. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 27) However, Roddenberry's extreme protectiveness over the episode clashed with Butler's impression of the script as being somewhat obscure. Butler later reflected, "''I discussed whether or not people would get it. I could tell at that point that Gene was so consumed with it that he couldn't have heard any objections.''" (''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'' issue #117, p. 55) Butler also wanted Roddenberry to change the title of the show from ''Star Trek'' to ''Star Track'', feeling that the former was too pretentious, tedious, inert and boring. (''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'' issue #117, p. 55; [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lMXYr3SnJQ&feature=channel]) "''In that discussion, and others regarding the story's obscurity, Gene was not in the mood to receive any such input,''" remembered the director. (''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'' issue #117, p. 55)
[[File:Menagerie sketch.jpg|thumb|A set design for the Talosian cage, as sketched by Matt Jefferies]]
* After Robert Butler was drafted, some key members of the art department were also sought out. These were [[Pato Guzman]], the art director from ''The Lucy Show'', and [[Matt Jefferies]], who was hired as the episode's assistant art director. Jefferies was initially assigned to design the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s exterior, with Guzman deciding upon the look of the sets. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 27-28; ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 78-79) One of the environments that Guzman designed was Captain Pike's quarters. (''[[The Art of Star Trek]]'', p. 11) When he left amid the episode's pre-production phase (specifically, in October 1964), Guzman was replaced by [[Franz Bachelin]], a veteran art director. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 101; ''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 35) One set that was designed by both Guzman and Bachelin was the planet surface of Talos IV. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]]) However, Matt Jefferies also worked on designing the sets, such as the cage-like environment that serves as the episode's namesake. (''[[The Art of Star Trek]]'', p. 5) In fact, much to his frustration, designing the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s exterior initially delayed Jefferies from planning the episode's sets. (''[[Star Trek Memories]]'', p. 32) A great deal of effort went into scheming the sets, on paper, while the installment's shooting script was in development, spanning late summer and early autumn of 1964. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 78)
* Costume Designer [[William Ware Theiss]] was fortunately available and was hired on the pilot with the task of designing, on a very limited budget, costumes that had to be different from any seen before on television. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 28)
* In early October 1964, [[Robert Justman]] was interviewed for the post of associate producer on the pilot but turned it down, fearing that his post-production knowledge was not as extensive as it had to be for the episode, a response that lead to [[Byron Haskin]] instead being recruited as the pilot's associate producer. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 28-30; "The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]]) Justman meanwhile went back to working on ''The Outer Limits'', on which he had worked with Byron Haskin.
* The ''Star Trek'' pilot still required an associate director. "''The first ''Star Trek'' pilot needed a good one,''" clarified Herb Solow. "''I didn't want to use any first assistant [director] who'd worked with Bob Butler in the past, feeling that too much familiarity might be a disadvantage on this mind-boggling science-fiction pilot.''" After Solow consulted producer and director friends (including his college classmate [[James Goldstone]]) around [[Hollywood]] (irritatedly referring to the pilot as "a bitch"), he found that Robert Justman was the highest recommended candidate. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 31) Solow then convinced {{w|Leslie Stevens}}, Justman's boss on ''The Outer Limits'' and other projects, into permitting a temporary transfer of Justman to the ''Star Trek'' pilot, saying, "''With prep time, the shooting, and some wrap-up, figure I'd be borrowing him for no more than a month at the most.''" Stevens wanted Justman to serve as assistant director on his upcoming Esperanto language horror movie, ''Incubus'', which coincidentally starred [[William Shatner]]. However, pre-production of ''Incubus'' went overdue, so Stevens loaned Justman to Desilu. Justman likewise believed his assignment on ''Star Trek'' was not going to be longer than six weeks and, when he returned to Desilu, he was surprised to find that no final shooting script was yet available for him, the teleplay undergoing one of Gene Roddenberry's many rewrites of the script. Justman began his work after he read through the latest rewrite, initiating the schedule and budget "breakdown" process. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 32) His role as this episode's assistant director made Justman responsible for a virtually endless series of critical production details. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]])
* When Director of Photography [[William E. Snyder]] became available, he brought his own camera crew and "lighting" gaffer with him. Although some sources cite [[Jerry Finnerman]] as having been the camera operator on this episode, the actual cameraman was [[Richard A. Kelley]], according to both Robert Justman and the original crew sheet for the episode. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 36)
* Locating a makeup supervisor who was equipped to tackle the pilot involved a challenging search. "''It was apparent that we needed the best makeup man we could find,''" explained Robert Justman. "''There were numerous 'appliances' [latex or rubber prosthetics] that would have to be designed, built, and affixed, on a daily basis, to the actors who would portray non-human aliens [....] Most makeup artists didn't have the prosthetic expertise we needed.''" Also, Desilu had no makeup department of its own. Justman spoke about the project with [[Fred Phillips]], a busy makeup man who had worked with him on ''The Outer Limits'' and several previous series. "''I managed to spring him long enough to do our pilot,''" concluded Justman. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 36)
* Purchasing a laser cannon for this episode was of some difficulty. Herb Solow once commented that it was "''tough to go down to the local hardware store or gun shop and buy one.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 20) The laser cannon prop was ultimately a modified camera dolly. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
* The weirdness of Gene Roddenberry's requirements startled some of the advisors he attempted to consult. "''Well, it was all so new and strange to them,''" Roddenberry observed. "''Like you call some unsuspecting production man on the phone, and he says, 'Hello,' and you say, 'What does it cost to paint a girl green?' You get a long silence!''" (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 77)
* When doing makeup tests for Vina as an Orion slave girl, Majel Barrett was used as a willing test subject. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 40) "''I was cheap, I was there, and our guest star was not!''" Barrett laughed in retrospect. "''She would have had to be brought in and they would have had to test it [on her], and there just wasn't the money.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', p. 43) This took place early in the episode's preproduction phase and it was [[Fred Phillips]] who applied the makeup to Barrett. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]) However, the footage of these tests kept coming back without the green skin being visible. Puzzled by this, the makeup crew kept painting the actress again and again with other shades of green, hoping it would be visible on film. This went on for a period of three consecutive days. Afterward, the makeup artists discovered that the film processing lab was "de-coloring" her because they didn't know she was supposed to be green. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 40; ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', pp. 77-78)
* The first filmed scene from "The Cage" (and of ''Star Trek'') &ndash; the sequence with Dr. Boyce and Captain Pike sharing a martini &ndash; was filmed on Friday, {{d|27|November|1964}}. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]])
* Only a short stretch of corridor was built for this episode. This set can be seen, in its entirety, during the scene in which Pike heads through a passageway into his "cabin" (or quarters), passing a young couple. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]])
* Two of the specimens in the Talosian menagerie &ndash; the [[anthropoid ape]] and the [[humanoid bird]] &ndash; were provided by [[Janos Prohaska]]. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]) The ape creature originally appeared in ''The Outer Limits'' episode "Fun and Games", without its facial hair. The owl-like bird creature also appears in an episode of that series, "The Duplicate Man". {{incite}}
* One of the imprisoned species is seen only by its shadow; the last cage in the zoo contains a large crab-like creature with huge claws. This was a shadow puppet, rendered with several fingers silhouetted against a lit background. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
* The Talosian seen down the corridor as Pike looks at all the imprisoned creatures was a dwarf ([[Felix Silla]]). This gave the appearance of great length to what was actually a short, forced-perspective hallway. Bob Justman came up with this idea when they realized the budget wouldn't allow them to build a large hallway. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p 47)
* The Talosian headpieces &ndash; complete with their bulging veins and small, round ears &ndash; were created for this episode by craftsman [[Wah Chang]], who (like Robert Justman, Byron Haskin and Fred Phillips) had previously worked on ''The Outer Limits''. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]]) The head prosthetics were blended into the actresses' own facial features by Phillips and his makeup staff. (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 15)
* The Talosians' elevator landing was built on a platform, allowing room for the lift to descend without having to excavate below the soundstage's floor. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]])
* A matte painting created by noted matte artist [[Albert Whitlock]] was used to portray the Rigel VII fortress, though these exterior shots also involved the filming of live-action footage on the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] back lot. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
[[File:Phillips Orion makeup.jpg|thumb|right|Makeup artist [[Fred Phillips]] turning [[Susan Oliver]] into an Orion slave girl]]
* While Susan Oliver was wearing her green Orion slave girl makeup, she became very tired. A doctor was called to the studio to give her a vitamin B shot. He went to her dressing room where, not having been informed of her appearance, he was greatly surprised to see that her complexion was green. The doctor was so flustered, in fact, that it took him nearly five minutes to simply identify an area to administer the shot. (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 78)
* The spearhead Pike uses to kill the Kalar on Rigel VII was a recycled prop from {{w|RKO Pictures}}. It measured approximately thirty inches in length and was seven and a half inches wide. (''[[Star Trek: The Original Series 365]]'', p. 011)
* Robert Butler said in an interview with ''[[Star Trek Monthly]]'' that he wanted some dirt and rust on the sets, but Roddenberry vetoed this idea, claiming that everything must be clean and shiny. In another interview, Butler claimed that this was his basic reason for disliking ''Star Trek'' overall, calling it "too square-jawed, heroic" and "too worthy and clean" for his taste.
* The landing party jackets in this episode were fastened by long strips of black [[Velcro]] running down the entire length of the inside flap, visible in some of the scenes.
* The belts were grey-colored elastic-type bands that had metal hook/clip fasteners at the front which held the communicator and hand weapon. They were worn over the shirt but under the jacket, at the waist.
* When indicating the region of the Talos group on his viewscreen, Spock calls up a photograph of the [[Pleiades Cluster]].
* The scene inside the Rigel fortress was one of the last scenes to be shot for this episode. It was filmed on {{d|14|December|1964}}. Gene Roddenberry was present during the filming and model maker [[Richard C. Datin, Jr.]] also payed a visit to the set, eager on consulting Roddenberry. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]], [http://www.startrekhistory.com/acres.html])
* This was the single most expensive episode ever created for the original ''Star Trek'' series. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]]) According to several sources (including the ''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 17), NBC spent US$630,000 on this episode. According to Majel Barrett, however, there was only US$168,000 available for the pilot. (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', p. 43) The episode's preproduction costs were reduced thanks to the use of rear-screen projection for images on the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s main viewscreen. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]])

===Music===
* Upon first hearing the theme tune for this episode (which went on to serve as the theme music for the original ''Star Trek'' series), Robert Butler was impressed. He later reminisced, "''The music was good; I remember that theme song was quite wonderful [....] I remember liking it when I heard it.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 6]]'', p. 53) [[Alexander Courage]] provided not only this thematic composition as well as the episode's score but also created the sounds of the [[Talosian singing plant]]s. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]], [[TOS Season 1 DVD]]; et al.)
* The musical score of this episode has been released on CD, tied with the score of the episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before".

===Effects===
* Majel Barrett felt that the lack of "special effects" in this episode is an indication that the finances provided for the pilot "didn't go very far." (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', p. 43)
* The opening shot of this episode was filmed with the use of frame-by-frame stop-motion animation, in order to allow for the transition between the footage of the ''Enterprise'' model and the shot that was taken on the set for the starship's bridge. Due to the movement of the space vessel, the shot was necessarily very intricate and extraordinarily difficult to produce. It was created by the [[Howard Anderson Company]]. ("The Menagerie, Part I" [[text commentary]]) The shot used an 11-foot model of the ''Enterprise'', while the other ship shots of this episode involved a three-foot miniature of the spacecraft. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]) The text commentary for "The Menagerie, Part I" refers to the shot's creation as "''an outstanding achievement in television visual effects.''"
* The effect of the laser cannon firing was an animation produced by the Howard Anderson Company. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])

===Continuity===
* This episode is difficult to reconcile with [[canon]] in many instances. For example, Spock smiles and uses several Human expressions (for example, "buzzing about down there"), which he seldom does in subsequent episodes and films. In the series, he instead has the emotional control and genius level intellect present in the character of Number One here. This change was actually due to the fact that, in contrast to Jeffrey Hunter's portrayal of Captain Pike, Leonard Nimoy found William Shatner as Captain Kirk had his own energy, animation and exuberance, so Nimoy felt like he was able to be more reserved and internalized in the series than in this pilot. (''[[Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime]]'', et al.)
* Pike tells the Talosians that he's from a stellar group "at the other end of this galaxy," which, in modern ''Star Trek'' parlance, implies that Talos IV is deep in the Beta, Gamma, or Delta Quadrants. This does not seem likely, especially because the SS ''Columbia'' was lost for only eighteen years and, having traveled at less than light speed, must be relatively close to Earth. In fact, [[Harvey P. Lynn]], who served as Gene Roddenberry's unofficial technical adviser on the pilot, told him that traveling from one end of the galaxy to the other would take an impossibly long time. {{incite}}
[[File:USS Enterprise, The Cage (remastered).jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'']]
* Tyler implies that faster-than-light (FTL) travel is relatively new. He tells one of the scientists that they can get back to Earth quickly. "''The time barrier's been broken! Our new ships can...''" Earlier, with an expression used only once in the series, Pike orders FTL speed to Talos IV by saying, "''Our time warp, factor 7.''" Basically, this establishes that warp speed is not only FTL, but also "negates" the time dilation effect about which Einstein theorized in his Special Theory of Relativity. Of course, later ''Star Trek'' canon establishes that [[Zefram Cochrane]] "discovered" the space warp in the mid-21st century. "The Cage" takes place two centuries later, in 2254.
* Spock's cry of "''Switch to [[rocket]]s, we're blasting out!''" is very anachronistic &ndash; there are no direct references to rocket engines in the episodes to come.
* [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[John F. Kennedy]], and [[Lyndon Johnson]] make the only contemporary [[US President|presidential]] appearances in an original series episode here, as images in the Talosian download of the ship's [[computer]].
* The main viewscreen in this episode is very square, like 1960s television sets.
* As opposed to the [[PADD|electronic clipboard]]s used in the regular series, Pike uses a very [[20th century]] metal clipboard. A television also appears in his quarters.
* A "captain's hat" can be glimpsed, in passing, on top of that television, although Pike never wears it, and after this pilot, the hat was never seen again.
* [[Landing party]] jackets also vanished after "The Cage", but returned in {{film|1}}, also appearing in {{film|2}}, {{film|3}}, and {{film|5}}. ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' was the only other television ''Star Trek'' that depicted hats and a variety of environment-specific outerwear being regularly issued to crew members.
* Judging by the shape of the wall and the window, Pike's quarters seem to be directly below the bridge; there are no other curved windows on the saucer section of the model.
* The bed in Pike's quarters was far too short for Jeffrey Hunter. His feet are extending well beyond the end of the mattress, as he briefly reclines on it.
* The sign next to the door of the captain's quarters reads simply "Captain." When the series went into production, Captain Kirk's name was put on the nameplate outside his quarters.
* The pants that the crew wear have a very conspicuous pleat down the front and seem to be a shade of dark blue-grey.
* At the end of "The Menagerie, Part II", Kirk sees Pike and Vina &ndash; with their illusions of youth and beauty &ndash; running off, hand in hand. This is an example of the reused footage from this episode. Here, it is an illusion of Pike who the Talosians have provided for Vina to keep her company. In "The Menagerie, Part II", it is the "real" Pike (or rather the non-physical consciousness of the now-disabled Pike) rejoining Vina to start a new life.
* In one brief part of the first transportation sequence, the transporter chief's assistant is a man wearing [[glasses]], but the scene changes and he appears without them. This is one of only three occasions where Starfleet officers are shown wearing corrective eyeglasses.
* Although Pike cites the crew complement as 203 other lives besides his own, the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s total crew complement was changed to 428 in {{e|Charlie X}}, and 430 in later episodes.
* This episode's depiction of a parkland near Mojave is the only time that [[23rd century]] [[Earth]] is ever seen in the entirety of the original ''Star Trek'' series. Given that this is merely an illusion created by the Talosians, the first appearance of the real Earth of the 23rd century was in {{film|1}} in [[1979]].
* "The Menagerie, Part II" establishes that, following the events of this episode, the [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] imposed [[General Order 7]] on the Talos system, preventing anyone from ever approaching the planet again, under [[Death penalty|penalty of death]].

===Reception and aftermath===
* One of the first occasions on which word of this episode reached the press was following NBC's approval of the pilot script; while Gene Roddenberry and Herb Solow were celebrating the confirmation during lunch with their daily Cobb salad at the Hollywood Brown Derby on Vine Street, Dave Kaufman &ndash; a television reporter and columnist for ''Daily Variety'' &ndash; passed by their table on his way back to his office and Solow notified him of the news. However, the cheerful Kaufman replied, "''I knew it before you did.''" After leaning over to engage Roddenberry in a handshake, Kaufman repeatedly asked who would be producing the pilot, doubting that Desilu was up to the task. Roddenberry and Solow acknowledged Kaufman's remarks and he wished them good luck before exiting. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 26-27)
* The first view of the completed pilot was at a special screening for the episode's cast and crew. "''I remember the screening and the special effects and the makeup were just perfect,''" remarked J.M. Colt actress Laurel Goodwin, "''Everyone was applauding when we saw the transporter effect put together. When you shoot it, of course, they just stop the camera and you walk off. But on film, it was so great.''" (''[[Star Trek: Communicator]]'' issue 119, p. 59)
* [[NBC]] rejected the episode, following its production, and declared it was "too cerebral." Robert Butler found he could relate to this statement. "''Apparently, the network, at its level, was feeling exactly as I did,''" he remarked. (''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'' issue #117, p. 55) According to Gene Roddenberry, he had a similar response to the news. "''I sort of understood [NBC's verdict],''" he said. "''I wrote and produced what I thought was a highly imaginative idea, and I realized I had gone too far. I should actually have ended it with a fistfight between the hero and the villain if I wanted it on television [...] because that's the way shows were being made at the time. The great mass audience would say, 'Well, if you don't have a fistfight when it's ended, how do we know that's the finish?,' and things like that.''" (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 10) Besides finding the episode too intellectual, NBC also cited criticisms such as the presence of a female first officer on the bridge and the character of Spock being too alien for audiences of the time. (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 6]]'', pp. 14, 20, 52; et al.)
* However, the "myth" of the network wanting to eliminate the female first officer was debunked by [[Herb Solow]] and [[Robert Justman]] in ''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]''. In the book, they state that NBC supported the idea of a strong woman in a leading role, they only rejected Majel Barrett, feeling the actress is not talented enough to pull off such a role, and "carry" a show as co-star. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 60)
* NBC was also not satisfied with the majority of the actors. They wrote, "''We also think you can do better with the ship's doctor, the yeoman and other members of the crew''". Solow decided to hire a full-time casting director for the next pilot, and eventually the series. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 60-61)
* Another aspect of the pilot which NBC was very worried with, was it's "overall eroticism", most notably the "scantily clad green dancing girls with the humps and grinds". This was a major factor for not choosing {{e|Mudd's Women}}, which dealt with "an intergalactic pimp selling beautiful women hookers throughout the galaxy", to be the second pilot. (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', pp. 59-61, 65-66)
* Oscar Katz was pleased with this pilot episode. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 10) However, Lucille Ball was seemingly uninterested in it. Herb Solow offered, "''The day the completed pilot was screened for NBC on the West Coast, I walked into Lucy's dressing room to tell her NBC's reaction. The pilot script was still there, apparently untouched.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek: The Real Story]]'', p. 22)
* DeForest Kelley viewed this episode around the same time it was being shown to studio executives. He told Gene Roddenberry, "''Well, I don't know what the hell it's all about, but it's either gonna be the biggest hit or the biggest miss God ever made.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 18]]'', p. 18)
* Despite the numerous nitpicks they had with this episode, NBC made the extraordinary (and, at the time, rare) move to order a second pilot, {{e|Where No Man Has Gone Before}}. For that subsequent pilot, the [[briefing room]], [[transporter room]] and [[bridge]] were kept much the same as they are in this historic first attempt (although the bridge doors were painted red, and several smaller modifications were made). However, the only actor to be reused from this episode was Leonard Nimoy. In reference to Number One and Spock, Gene Roddenberry once joked about how he kept the alien character and later married the woman, noting, "''I couldn't have legally done it the other way around.''" (''[[Inside Star Trek]]'') Majel Barrett commented, "''To be fired from the job and then see it come back 30 years later made me feel kind of good, but at the time I wasn't happy.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', p. 43)
* After Jeffrey Hunter's wife convinced the actor that science fiction was "beneath him," Gene Roddenberry &ndash; planning to cast William Shatner for the second pilot &ndash; arranged for himself and Shatner to watch this episode in Los Angeles. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', pp. 10 & 16) "''When I walked out [of the viewing] I remember thinking it was a very imaginative and vital idea,''" Shatner recalled. "''I thought everybody took themselves a little too seriously.''" Shatner not only thought that the episode lacked humor but was also of the opinion that its cast had overacted their parts, to the point of being unrealistic. "''That was my impression,''" he admitted, "''and we spoke about that.''" (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 16)
* [[Fred Freiberger]] was highly impressed with the episode and, in {{y|1988}}, he expressed surprise that the outing had been rejected by NBC. "''I fell in love with [it] [....] To me, 'The Cage' was pure science fiction,''" he enthused. "''That's what the show should have been [....] 'The Cage' was what the series was all about. At that time people didn't accept it.''" (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', pp. 162 & 163)
* In her {{y|1994}} autobiography ''[[Beyond Uhura]]'' (pp. 139 & 140), [[Nichelle Nichols]] comments on this installment, stating, "''Viewing it today [...] the show stands as the purest earliest representation of what Gene hoped ''Star Trek'' would achieve.''" She also characterizes the episode as "''not only the basic pattern for countless future ''Star Trek'' episodes but a blueprint for the future of civilization''" and describes the episode's conclusion as "an intelligent, peaceful resolution."
* In {{y|1996}}, [[Grace Lee Whitney]] cited this as one of her favorite TOS episodes (along with {{e|Charlie X}}, {{e|The Devil in the Dark}} and {{e|The City on the Edge of Forever}}). (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 19]]'', p. 32)
* [[1997 productions|The following year]], Majel Barrett similarly named this as one of her two favorite episodes of TOS (the other being "The City on the Edge of Forever") and said that she thought both of them "are more ''Star Trek'' than anything else that has been conceived." Of this episode specifically, she enthused, "''I thought it was beautiful. People still ask me, 'What is your favorite episode? no question, it would have to be 'The Cage' [....] [It] was pure ''Star Trek''.''" (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 27]]'', pp. 43 & 44)
* A black-and-white 16mm print of this episode was owned by Gene Roddenberry and was shown by him at speaking engagements and conventions. One of these events was "Tricon" &ndash; 1966's World Science Fiction Convention in Cleveland, Ohio &ndash; whose attendees included [[Allan Asherman]], a future writer of ''Star Trek'' reference works. Due to popular demand, the black-and-white version of this episode was shown after "Where No Man Has Gone Before". (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., pp. 1 & 3) The event was the first convention that Roddenberry took the ''Star Trek'' pilots to. (''[[The Star Trek Interview Book]]'', p. 11) Asherman later wrote how he had been impressed by the "serious and imaginative detail" in this episode, a facet he believed it shared with the later pilot. He went on to comment, "''In addition there were the laser cannon opticals, the superb Talosian makeups, and another interesting musical score. Its most outstanding characteristics were the intelligence of its story, its polished production values, and the performances of its actors.''" (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., pp. 1 & 3)
* The master color 35 mm negative of "The Cage" was cut into the master negative of "The Menagerie" in 1966, and the trims not used were subsequently lost. No color or 35mm print of "The Cage" was known to exist, only the black-and-white print owned by Gene Roddenberry, who continued to exhibit the footage at various ''Star Trek'' conventions throughout the '70s and early '80s.
* "The Cage" was initially released on home video in late {{y|1986}}, in celebration of ''Star Trek''{{'}}s 20th anniversary. The release was a combination of the color footage used in "The Menagerie" and the additional scenes in Roddenberry's black-and-white print. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]; et al.)
* In 1987, film archivist Bob Furmanek discovered the missing trims from the color 35 mm negative of "The Cage" at a Hollywood film laboratory, and saw that they were returned to Paramount. However, the soundtrack trims were not found. When restoring "The Cage", Paramount used the soundtrack from "The Menagerie" for most scenes, and the soundtrack of Roddenberry's 16 mm print (which was of lower audio quality) for the restored trims. [http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/reply/275869] The mixing of sound and picture quality for the episode caused controversy in some fan circles, in that some viewers believed that the existing black-and-white footage had simply been colorized, even though this was not the case. {{incite}}
* A full-color version of this installment was aired on {{d|4|October|1988}}, with a two-hour special called ''[[The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation To The Next]]'' bookending it. The special was hosted by [[Patrick Stewart]] and traced the history of ''Star Trek'' from "The Cage" throughout the [[TNG Season 1|first season]] of [[TNG]] and the beginnings of production for {{film|5}}. The opportunity to broadcast "The Cage" in its original form came when production of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' was interrupted due to a Writers' Guild strike. The broadcast filled in for two of the four hours missing from TNG's truncated [[TNG Season 2|second season]]. In some markets, the special (and this episode) did not air until [[15 October]] 1988. {{incite}}
* The Keeper's voice ([[Malachi Throne]]) used in "The Cage" was modified for "The Menagerie", in which Throne guest-starred as Commodore Mendez. ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]]) When the color and black-and-white versions were spliced together in 1986, The Keeper's original voice was heard in the black-and-white footage and the altered voice in the color footage taken from "The Menagerie". This voice discrepancy persists in the "restored" all-color version of "The Cage" in the [[TOS Season 3 DVD]] set, even though it would have been entirely possible to substitute the original audio from the 16mm print for The Keeper's lines in footage taken from "The Menagerie".
* This episode's depiction of the Rigel VII fortress is one of the most-recognized and celebrated matte paintings in ''Star Trek'' history. The same painting was reused (unaltered) in the third season, as [[Flint]]'s home in {{e|Requiem for Methuselah}}. In addition, the large moon in the background of the painting was the inspiration for a song called "[[Moon over Rigel VII]]", which Captain Kirk recommends as a campfire song in {{film|5}}. {{incite}}
* Footage of the asteroids from the beginning of this episode was reused later, in {{e|Mudd's Women}} and {{e|The Doomsday Machine}}.
* The opening establishing shot of the ''Enterprise'' was reused in several early episodes: {{e|Where No Man Has Gone Before}}, {{e|The Corbomite Maneuver}}, {{e|Mudd's Women}}, {{e|The Man Trap}}, and {{e|Charlie X}}. The starship, traveling at warp speed, is depicted in a unique effect that was never re-created for the series; the camera "sidles up" to the ''Enterprise'' model and "swoops over" the top of the primary hull. Combined with this shot are two space effects: one of a stationary star field and the other of a star field moving rapidly, from right to left. The completed effect is meant to suggest that "local" stars are flying past the ''Enterprise'' while the great "backdrop" of the galaxy remains motionless. {{incite}}
* Throughout most of the first and second seasons, the "singing plant" sound heard on Talos IV became the standard background noise on various planets. Beginning with {{e|Spectre of the Gun}}, a different, warbly sound was used for a number of the remaining shows. The sound was used as the transporter [[beam]] sound effect in the series proper.
* In his introduction for the 1986 VHS release of "The Cage" (which can now be seen on the DVD version in the third season set), Gene Roddenberry noted that he wanted no one aboard the ''Enterprise'' to smoke. This was despite the fact that tobacco advertising was a major revenue source for the television networks in 1964. Even one of ''Star Trek''{{'}}s sponsors, during its first season, was Viceroy cigarettes. (All tobacco advertising was banned from television and radio on {{d|1|January|1971}}).
* When this episode was re-released on VHS in 1996, ''[[Star Trek Magazine|Star Trek Monthly]]'' rated the episode 3 out of 5 stars (defined as "Warp Speed") and regarded it as a "now classic story". (''[[Star Trek Monthly issue 16]]'', p. 57)
* Similarly, ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' scored the episode 3 out of 4 stars in 1996. (''Cinefantastique'', Vol. 27, No. 11/12, p. 26)
* In their {{y|1998}} book ''[[Trek Navigator: The Ultimate Guide to the Entire Trek Saga]]'' (p. 29), co-writers [[Mark A. Altman]] and [[Edward Gross]] both individually rate this episode 4 out of 5 stars (defined as "Classic!").

===Apocrypha===
* Several [[comics]] and [[novels]] have chronicled continuations of this story:
** [[Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (comic)|Star Trek: Starfleet Academy]] #9-10
** [[The Final Voyage|Star Trek Annual (DC volume 2)]]
** [[Pocket TOS]]: ''[[Legacy]]''
** [[Pocket TOS]]: ''[[Burning Dreams]]''
* Additionally, a few novels have theorized as to the cause for the vast differences between Spock's highly emotional behavior in this episode and his reservedness in the regular series of ''Star Trek''. Examples of this include Spock possibly not having complete control of his emotions at that point, as he was still quite young, and that he achieved full control of his emotions by observing Captain Pike. The novel ''[[The Fire and the Rose]]'' establishes that Spock was simply emulating Human behaviors such as smiles, and that there was truly no emotion behind his own smile.  He eventually stopped though when his crewmates came to distrust him, believing him not to be truthful about himself to them.

===Production timeline===
* Series proposal, "[[Star Trek is...]]": {{d|11|March|1964}} &ndash; Mentions story idea "The Next Cage"
* Rough draft outline: {{d|25|June|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* Pilot story outline: {{d|29|June|1964}} (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 47)
* Final draft outline: {{d|8|July|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* Final draft outline: {{d|22|July|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* Teleplay titled "The Cage": {{d|31|August|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* First draft script: {{d|8|September|1964}} (''[[The Star Trek Compendium]]'', 4th ed., p. 11)
* Revised draft script: on or shortly before {{d|24|September|1964}} (''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', p. 96)
* Revised teleplay: {{d|6|October|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* Second Revised Final Draft script, titled "The Menagerie": {{d|20|November|1964}} [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf5z09n9vr;query=Gene%20Roddenberry%20Star%20Trek%20Television%20Series%20Collection;style=oac4;view=dsc#c02-1.8.7.2.42]
* Filmed: {{d|27|November|1964}} &ndash; {{d|18|December|1964}} [http://www.startrekhistory.com/acres.html]
* Score recorded: {{d|22|January|1965}} {{incite}}
* Network rejection: {{m|February|1965}} ("The Menagerie, Part II" [[text commentary]])
* Color "trims" discovered: {{y|1987}} {{incite}}
* Premiere airdate: (complete color) {{d|4|October|1988}} {{incite}}
* First UK airdate: {{d|19|August|1992}} {{incite}}

===Remastered===
*Originally intended for airing in syndication on {{d|26|April|2008}}, the [[TOS#Remastered|remastered]] version of the episode was removed from the schedule the week before its intended airdate, but was rescheduled for  {{d|2|May|2009}}, partly as a tie-in with the release of {{film|11}}. [http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/02/tos-remastered-review-of-the-cage-w-video-screeenshots/] The remastered episode is also included in the [[TOS-R Season 3 DVD]] and [[TOS Season 3 Blu-ray]] sets, along with the original {{y|1986}} color-black/white release presented by Gene Roddenberry in its original ("unremastered") format.

===Video and DVD releases===
*Original US Betamax release: {{y|1986}}
:''This version of the episode mixed color and black-and-white footage, as a complete color print was not available at the time.''
*Original US VHS release: {{m|November|1986}}
:''This was the mixed color/black&white print.''
*Original [[Star Trek VHS releases in the UK|UK VHS release]] (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): [[TOS Season 1 UK VHS|Volume 1]], catalogue number VHR 2207, ''release date unknown''
:''This was the mixed color/black&white print.''
*UK VHS release as ''"The Cage" All Colour Collectors Edition'' (CIC Video): catalogue number VHR 2374, {{d|2|July|1990}}
*US VHS rerelease in color: {{d|15|April|1994}}
*As part of the UK ''[[Star Trek - 30th Anniversary Trial Pack]]'' VHS collection: {{d|2|January|1996}}
*UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.1, {{d|24|June|1996}}
*Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 40, {{d|11|December|2001}}
:''Released in the final volume, with both prints.''
*As part of the [[TOS Season 3 DVD]] collection
:''Included on the final disc of the collection, with both prints.  Oddly, the disc lists the airdate as {{d|15|October|1988}} rather than its original airdate of {{d|4|October|1988}}.''
*As part of the [[TOS-R Season 3 DVD]] collection
:''Included on the final disc of the collection, with both prints.''


==Collegamenti e riferimenti==
[[File:Spock, 2254.jpg|thumb|Leonard Nimoy nel ruolo del giovane tenente Spock]]
===Starring===
*[[Jeffrey Hunter]] as [[Christopher Pike]]

===Guest star===
*[[Susan Oliver]] as [[Vina]]

===Co-starring===
*[[Leonard Nimoy]] as [[Spock]]
*[[Majel Barrett]] as [[Number One]]
*[[John Hoyt]] as [[Philip Boyce]]
*[[Peter Duryea]] as [[José Tyler]]
*[[Laurel Goodwin]] as [[J.M. Colt]]

===Uncredited co-stars===
* [[Barker]] as the [[Unnamed Talosians#Fourth Talosian|Fourth Talosian]]
* [[Mike Dugan]] as the [[Kalar]]
* [[Clegg Hoyt]] as [[Pitcairn]]
* [[Anthony Jochim]] as [[SS Columbia personnel|''Columbia'' survivor #3]]
* [[Robert C. Johnson]] as 
** First Talosian's voice
** Pitcairn's voice
* [[Jon Lormer]] as [[Theodore Haskins]]
* [[Ed Madden]] as the [[USS Enterprise sciences geologist|''Enterprise'' geologist]]
* [[Adam Roarke]] as [[Garison]]
* [[Joseph Mell]] as [[Unnamed illusory people#Trader at Orion colony|Trader at Orion colony]]
* [[Leonard Mudie]] as [[SS Columbia personnel|''Columbia'' survivor #2]]
* [[Robert Phillips]] as [[Unnamed illusory people#Starfleet Officer at Orion colony|Space officer at Orion colony]]
* [[Janos Prohaska]] as:
** [[Anthropoid ape]]
** [[Humanoid bird]]
* [[Serena Sande]] as the [[Unnamed Talosians#Second Talosian|Second Talosian]]
* [[Georgia Schmidt]] as the [[Unnamed Talosians#First Talosian|First Talosian]]
* [[Felix Silla]] as the [[Unnamed Talosians#Third Talosian|Third Talosian]]
* [[Malachi Throne]] as The Keeper's voice
* [[Meg Wyllie]] as [[The Keeper]]
* [[Unknown performer]]s as:
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Bridge crewman 1|Bridge crewman #1]] 
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Bridge crewman 2|Bridge crewman #2]] 
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Bridge crewwoman|Bridge crewwoman]]
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Transporter assistant|Transporter assistant]]
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Exiting Crewman |Exiting Crewman]]
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel#Bridge Engineer |Bridge Engineer]]
** Bridge Technician
**Bridge Security Officer
**Female Bridge Officer #1
**Female Bridge Officer #2
**Young Male Crewman
**Young Female Crewman
**Sciences Division Officer in Room
**Operations Division Officer in Room
**Sciences Division Officer in Hallway

===Unseen characters===
*Pike's Yeoman
*Two crewman killed on Rigel Seven

===Production staff===
;''Star Trek'' Created by
:[[Gene Roddenberry]]
;Directed by
:[[Robert Butler]]
;Written and Produced by
:Gene Roddenberry
''No other production staff received on-screen credit for this episode.''
;Associate Producer
:[[Byron Haskin]]
;Production Designer
:[[Pato Guzman]]
;Art Director
:[[Franz Bachelin]]
;Assistant Art Director
:[[Matt Jefferies]]
;Music Composed and Conducted by
:[[Alexander Courage]]
;Director of Photography
:[[William E. Snyder]]
;Film Editor
:[[Leo Shreve]]
;Assistant to the Producer
:[[Morris Chapnick]]
;Assistant Director
:[[Robert H. Justman]]
;Set Decorator
:[[Edward M. Parker]]
;Costume Designer
:[[William Ware Theiss]]
;Sound Mixer
:[[Stanford G. Haughton]]
;Photographic Effects
:[[Howard Anderson Company]]
;Transporter Effects
:[[Darrell Anderson]]
;Matte Painter
:[[Albert Whitlock]]
;Special Effects
:[[Joe Lombardi]]
;Property Master
:[[Jack Briggs]]
;Prop Maker
:[[Jim Danforth]]
;Gaffer
:[[Bob Campbell]]
;Camera Operator
:[[Richard A. Kelley]]
;Production Supervisor
:[[James A. Paisley]]
;Script Supervisor
:[[George A. Rutter]]
;Makeup Artist
:[[Fred B. Phillips]]
;Special Makeup Creator (for Leonard Nimoy)
:[[John Chambers]]
;Hairstylist
:[[Gertrude Reade]]
;Stunt Double (Jeffrey Hunter)
:[[Robert Herron]]
;Stunts
:[[Frank da Vinci]]
;Choreographer (Susan Oliver's dance)
:[[Penny Romans]]
;Research
:[[Kellam de Forest]] ([[de Forest Research, Inc.]])
:[[Harvey P. Lynn]] ([[RAND Corporation]])
;Executive in Charge of Production
:[[Oscar Katz]]
;Assistant to Oscar Katz
:[[Herbert F. Solow]]

===References===
[[2236]]; [[Adam and Eve]]; [[American Continent Institute]]; [[armor]]; [[atmosphere]]; [[bartender]]; [[battery]]; [[brain]]; [[cadet ship]]; [[canyon]]; [[captain]]; [[chicken]]; [[chief petty officer]]; [[circuit]]; [[class M]]; [[clipboard]]; [[SS Columbia|''Columbia'', SS]]; [[communicator]]; [[distress signal]]; [[doctor]]; [[Earth]]; [[engine room]]; [[evasive maneuvers]]; [[fly]]; [[forced landing]]; [[geological lab report]]; [[geologist]]; [[glasses]]; [[gravity]]; [[hand laser]]; [[hat]]; [[hate]]; [[headache]]; [[Hell]]; [[helm]]; [[horse]]; [[hull]]; [[Human]]; [[hyperdrive]]; [[ice]]; [[landing party]]; [[laser weapon]]s; [[lieutenant]]; [[lunch]]; [[mace]]; [[magistrate]]; [[magnetic field]]; [[martini]]; [[metal]]; [[meteoroid]]; [[meteoroid beam]]; [[microrecord]]; [[mile]]; [[Mojave]]; [[neck]]; [[nitrogen]]; [[nuclear weapon]]s; [[orbit]]; [[Orion]]; [[Orion slave girl]]; [[Orion colony]]; [[oxygen]]; [[pen]]; [[picnic]]; [[power generator]]; [[radio]]; [[radio-interference distress call]]; [[radio wave]]; [[reflex hammer]]; [[Alpha Leonis system|Regulus]]; [[report]]; [[rest leave]]; [[Rigel VII]]; [[rocket]]; [[shield]]; [[Solar system]]; [[spectrography]]; [[speed of light]]; [[sugar]]; [[sword]]; [[Talos star group]]; [[Talos IV]]; [[Talosian]]s; [[Talosian singing plant]]; [[Talosian system]]; [[Tango]]; [[tape]]; [[television]]; [[time barrier]]; [[time warp factor]]; [[tuna]]; [[Vega colony]]; [[viewer]]; [[Vulcan]]; [[warp drive]]; [[warp factor]]; [[wristwatch]]; [[yeoman]]

===Library computer references===
'''[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) library computer]]''': [[Africa]]; [[Alaska]]; [[Aleutian Islands]]; [[altimeter]]; [[American Civil War]]; [[American Revolution]]; [[Anchorage]]; [[Antarctica]]; [[Arabian Sea]]; [[Arctic Circle]]; [[Asia]]; [[astronomical unit]]; [[Atlanta]]; [[Atlantic Ocean]]; ''[[Atlas-Agena]]''; [[Australia]]; [[Battle of Hampton Roads]]; [[Beijing]]; [[Bering Sea]]; [[Bering Strait]]; [[Bristol Bay]]; [[Canada]]; [[Central America]]; [[daisy]]; [[Delaware]]; [[diaphragm]]; [[Dwight Eisenhower|Eisenhower, Dwight]]; ''[[Explorer S-55]]''; [[Europe]]; [[eye]]; [[Fairbanks]]; [[flower]]; [[gall bladder]]; [[gamma-ray spectrometer]]; [[gnu]]; [[Gulf of Alaska]]; [[Hawaii]]; [[Himalayas]]; [[Hokkaido]]; [[Hong Kong]]; [[Honshu]]; [[Houston]]; [[intestine]]; [[International Date Line]]; [[Stonewall Jackson|Jackson, Stonewall]]; [[Japan]]; [[Juneau]]; [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy, John F.]]; [[Korea]]; [[kudu]]; [[Kyoto (city)|Kyoto]]; [[Kyushu]]; ''[[The Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson at Chancellorsville|Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson at Chancellorsville, The]]''; [[Robert E. Lee|Lee, Robert E. Lee]]; [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln, Abraham]]; [[liver]]; [[Los Angeles]]; [[Luna]]; [[lung]]; ''[[Mariner 2]]''; [[Mars]]; [[Maryland]]; [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]; [[Mexico]]; [[Midway Island]]; [[USS Monitor (ironclad)|''Monitor'', USS]]; [[New Orleans]]; ''[[Nimbus 1]]''; [[North America]]; [[North Pole]]; [[optic nerve]]; [[orbit]]; [[Orbiting Geophysical Observatory]]; [[Orbiting Solar Observatory]]; [[Osaka]]; [[Pacific Ocean]]; ''[[Pioneer 5]]''; [[Pleiades Cluster]]; [[Point Barrow]]; [[polar orbit]]; [[Portland]]; [[President of the United States]]; [[probe]]; ''[[Ranger]]''; ''[[Ranger 5]]''; ''[[Ranger 7]]''; [[rib]]; [[rocket]]; [[San Francisco]]; [[artificial satellite|satellite]]; [[Seattle]]; [[skull]]; [[star chart]]; [[stomach]]; [[Sol]]; [[Sol system]]; [[South America]]; [[South Pole]]; [[Soviet Union]]; [[Sun]]; [[Talos I]]; [[Talos II]]; [[Talos III]]; [[Talos V]]; [[Tokyo]]; [[Tropic of Cancer]]; [[United States of America]]; [[Venus]]; [[viola (plant)|viola]]; [[Virginia]]; [[CSS Virginia|''Virginia'', CSS]]; [[Wake Island]]; [[George Washington|Washington, George]]; [[Washington, DC]]; [[Whitehorse]]; [[wildebeest]]; [[Yukon River]]

'''Remastered''': [[Africa]]; [[Buzz Aldrin|Aldrin, Buzz]]; [[Andromeda Galaxy]]; [[Apollo spacecraft|Apollo CSM and LM]]; [[Apollo program|Apollo mission]]; [[atomic bomb]]; [[Battle of Fort Hindman]]; [[Bikini Atoll]]; [[Montgomery Blair|Blair, Montgomery]]; [[Canada]]; [[Salmon P. Chase|Chase, Salmon P.]]; [[Earth]]; [[Earthrise]]; [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower, Dwight D.]]; [[Emancipation Proclamation]]; [[eye]]; [[Fat Man]]; ''[[First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln]]''; [[fox squirrel]]; [[Fort Hindman]]; ''[[Gray's Anatomy]]''; [[Great Egret]]; [[heart]]; [[International Space Station]]; [[Jupiter]]; [[Jacqueline Kennedy|Kennedy, Jacqueline]]; [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy, John F.]]; [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Johson, Lyndon B.]]; [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln, Abraham]]; [[lionfish]]; [[Luna]]; [[lung]]s; [[maple]]; [[Moses]]; ''[[Moses Showing the Tables of the Law to the People]]''; [[muscle]]s; [[NGC 602]]; [[Sam Rayburn|Rayburn, Sam]]; [[rib]]s; [[rose]];  [[Saturn]]; ''[[Saturn V]]''; [[William H. Seward|Seward, William H.]]; [[Small Magellanic Cloud]]; [[Caleb B. Smith|Smith, Caleb B.]]; ''[[Soyuz]]''; [[space shuttle]]; [[Ten Commandments]]; [[The Blue Marble]]; [[V838 Monocerotis]]; ''[[Vostok 1]]''; [[George Washington|Washington, George]]; [[Gideon Welles|Welles, Gideon]]; ''[[Wright Flyer]]''; [[Yosemite Falls]]
--->

==Collegamenti esterni==
* {{NCwiki|The Cage}}
* {{wikipedia|Lo zoo di Talos|Lo zoo di Talos}}

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