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Star Trek - Bread and Circuses
episode 2.25
Raumschiff Enterprise - Brot und Spiele
USA 1968
produced by Gene L. Coon, Gene Roddenberry (executive) for Desilu, Norway Corporation/NBC
directed by Ralph Senensky
starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, William Smithers, Logan Ramsey, Ian Wolfe, William Bramley, Rhodes Reason, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, Bart La Rue, Jack Perkins, Max Kleven, Lois Jewell
written by Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, created by Gene Roddenberry
TV series Star Trek, Classic Star Trek, Star Trek (original crew)
review by Mike Haberfelner
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On the trail of a wrecked ship, the Enterprise encounters a so far
uncharted planet that has developed to 20th century standard,
industrially, but ideologically it's reminiscent of Ancient Rome: Slavery
still isn't abolished, gladiators still fight to death in the arena, and
even the uniforms of the authorities are more reminiscent of the Roman
Empire than anything else. What's worrying though is that the captain of
the wrecked ship Merik (William Smithers) is that civilisation's
"First Citizen", so has in all probability broken the
Federation's Prime Directive of non-interference. Thus, Kirk (William
Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to
the surface, to first run into some escaped slaves who believe in some new
Christian-like god and are in the process of forming a rebellion, and they
help our heroes enter the capital - where they are apprehended before long
and get to meet Merik ... who turns out to be nothing more than a puppet
for pro-consul Claudius Marcus (Logan Ramsey), who has pretty much forced
the position of First Citizen onto Merik. And now Claudius Marcus wants to
force Kirk to beam the whole crew down from the Enterprise just so his
planet remains uncharted a few more years. Of course, Kirk refuses, even
when Claudius Marcus lets Spock and McCoy fight in the arena - but they
win, also because gladiator Flavius (Rhodes Reason) is secretly on their
side. Claudius Marcus lets Kirk enjoy a night with his favourite slave
Drusilla (Lois Jewell) with the plans of executing him on live television
the very next day. But Flavius interferes with the execution, then Scotty
(James Doohan) creates a power blackout from aboard the Enterprise to help
Kirk escape, and when he and Spock and McCoy are finally cornered by
Claudius Marcus and company, Merik slips Kirk a communicator so he can
call the Enterprise to beam them up - even if Merik is killed in the
process ... Now on pure logical terms, this episode makes
little sense - after all, why would a planet have developed as earthlike
without outside inflluences, but that's a flaw in premise this episode
shares with many of the series. That aside, Bread and Circuses is a
lively romp with many fights and chases, and even if the ending, when our
heroes just escape and don't resolve anything, is a bit of an anticlimax,
it's high in entertainment value.
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