STAR TREK: The Cage
Click here for Jeffrey Hunter Star Trek trivia!
(Captain Christopher Pike) In one of the most enduring roles of his career, Jeffrey Hunter stars as the iconic first captain of the Federation starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise. The Cage was the first pilot for what became the Star Trek TV series. Although NBC did not pick up the first pilot, the network did pick up a second pilot starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. In Star Trek canon, Kirk succeeded Pike as captain of the Enterprise.
In an interview during production of “The Cage”, Jeffrey Hunter’s enthusiasm shone through when he said:
“We run into pre-historic worlds, contemporary societies and civilizations far more developed than our own. It’s a great format because writers have a free hand – they can have us land on a monster infested planet, or deal in human relations involving the large number of people who live in this gigantic ship.”
Plot of “The Cage”
In “The Cage,” aliens capture Captain Pike when he responds to a distress call from the planet Talos IV. Although the call appears to be from a research vessel that had crashed there in the past, the aliens had actually sent the call. Then, the aliens force more illusory experiences on Pike, including the tempting woman Vina. To escape, Pike must figure out how to resist the illusions. Co-stars Susan Oliver as Vina, Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock (who smiles briefly!), and Majel Barrett as Number One.
“The Menagerie”
“The Menagerie”, the only two-part episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, includes most of “The Cage” into the story. From Star Trek‘s first season, this episode won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
“The Menagerie” takes place a few years after “The Cage,” At this point, a radioactive explosion has severely disabled Christopher Pike. Now, he is confined to a wheelchair and can only communicate through “Yes” or “No” electronic signals. The Federation has court-martialed Mr. Spock (Nimoy) for trying to take Pike back to Talos IV. After Pike’s visit to Talos IV in “The Cage”, the planet had been declared off-limits to Federation vessels. During Spock’s court-martial defense, “The Menagerie” shares a lot of video from “The Cage”. Sean Kenney plays the disabled Pike. Regular cast members of Star Trek: The Original Series co-star, including William Shatner as Kirk and DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy.
