| Series: | TOS |
| Season: | 2 |
| Original Airdate: | 1968-03-15 |
| Production Number: | PRODUCTION NUMBER |
| Year: | 2268 |
| Stardate: | 4040.7 |
| Story by: | Gene Roddenberry & Gene L. Coon |
| Directed by: | Ralph Senensky |
Kirk, Spock and McCoy are captured on an Earth-like planet where the Roman Empire never fell.
Summary
SUMMARY
Background Information
- There is a lot of subtle humor in this show. Fake applause and catcalls are used to simulate a studio audience, the race for high television ratings is lampooned several times ("You bring this station's ratings down, Flavius, and we'll do a special on you!"), and after Kirk spends some time with Drusilla, he wryly tells McCoy and Spock, "they threw me a few curves." There are also sardonic digs at 20th-century air pollution ("The word was smog!") There has been speculation that Gene Roddenberry was commenting on his own frustrations in dealing with network officials as he tried to keep his series on the air.
- This episode has one of the most powerful McCoy-Spock controntations-- McCoy figures out that Spock has great insecurity that he might let his emotionless facade crack and that a human face might reveal itself. Both men then acknowledge that they are united in their worry about the captain.
- Voice-over artist Bartell LaRue makes one of two on-camera appearances in the series in this episode. The other is in Patterns of Force.
- Before Flavius, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are captured by the imperial police, you can see the explosive charges in the trees above their heads that would be used to show the coming machine gun fire.
- The caves where the Children of the Son hide out are one of the most-used locations in television and movies. In addition to being the entrance to the Batcave, they are also seen in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Kung Fu" and hundreds of police and western shows. They are located right below the famous Hollywood sign.
- A nice detail in this episode was the prop department taking the time to produce the magazine ad for the Jupiter 8 automobile. One of the cars can also be seen briefly in the news footage the crew watches on the viewing screen.
The ad for the car reads: "Royal comfort. Jupiter 8. Each Jupiter 8, unexcelled in its field, comes equipped with: super-flow automatic transmission, super-glide suspension, super-grip white sidewall tires and 456 roaring..." The last few words are off-camera.
- McCoy fantasizes about beaming down to a planet and making its people believe he is a supernatural being, in a wonderful witicism from the good doctor.
- Captain Merrick redeems himself at the end of the episode. By stealing one of the communicators and signalling the ship, he saves the landing party from certain death.
- Many hilarious sequences from this episode made the blooper reel:
- Jack Perkins had a line which was supposed to read, "If they refuse to move out on cue, skewer them." but instead said' "Screw them!", breaking everyone up.
- Ted Cassidy appeared out of nowhere dressed as Injun Joe from his work on the "Banana Splits" show and carried Shatner off just before he is going to machine-gun the lock of Spock and McCoys' cell.
- As the police closed in on the landing party after they escape their cell, one of the extras slipped and fell. This is the reason there is a quick cut before the policemen reach the main corridor.
Links and References
Memorable Quotes
"Once, just once, I'd like to be able to land someplace and say, 'Behold! I am the archangel Gabriel!'"
"I fail to see the humor in that situation, Doctor."
"Naturally, you could hardly claim to be an angel with those pointed ears, Mr. Spock; but say you landed someplace with a pitchfork?"
- - McCoy, Spock
"I'm trying to thank you, you pointed-eared hobgoblin!"
- - McCoy
"Do you know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip, and let your human half peek out. That's it, isn't it? Insecurity. Why, you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine, warm, decent feeling."
"Really, doctor?"
"I know. I'm worried about Jim, too."
- - McCoy and Spock
"Where do you come from? What do you call those?"
"I call them 'ears'."
"You trying to be funny?"
"Never."
- - Flavius, Spock
Main Cast
- William Shatner as Kirk
- Leonard Nimoy as Spock
- DeForest Kelley as McCoy
- James Doohan as Scott
- Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
- Walter Koenig as Chekov
Guest Stars
- William Smithers as R.M. Merik/Merikus
- Logan Ramsey as Claudius Marcus
- Ian Wolfe as Septimus
- Rhodes Reason as Flavius Maximus
- Lois Jewell as Drusilla
- Bart LaRue as Announcer
- Jack Perkins as Master of the Games
- Max Kleven as Maximus
- Paul Baxley as Policeman # 1
- Bob Orrison as Policemen # 2
- William Bramley as Lead Policeman
- Paul Stader as Slave # 1
- Tom Steele as Slave # 2
- Gil Perkins as Slave # 3
- Eddie Paskey as Leslie (uncredited)
- William Blackburn as Hadley (uncredited)
- Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli (uncredited)
- Frank da Vinci as Brent (uncredited)
References
892 system; 892-IV; Achilles; Beagle, SS; Children of the Sun; class M; Condition Green; First Citizen; Garum; Gladiator; Harrison, William B.; Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planet Development; iridium; Jupiter 8; landing party; Mars Toothpaste; Name the Winner!; Neptune Bath Salts; nitrogen; oxygen; parsec; Planet 892-IV; Praetorian Guard; Prime Directive; Proconsul; Procedure Q; television; World War III.
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Episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series TOS Season 2 |
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