Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2, Episode 25
Original Air Date: March 15, 1968
 |
| via Pop Classics |
And yet, this episode offers a little something extra. The Rome on planet 892-IV has some important 20th century updates, namely television. The gladiators fight not in an arena but on a sound stage with all applause and other audience reactions piped in. The episode's title refers to a poem by the Roman satirist Juvenal in which he asserts that the public is easily placated by food and entertainment. Star Trek always struggled with low ratings during its initial run and many fans see this story as Gene Roddenberry venting his frustrations with the industry. A telling line from the Master of Games to a reluctant gladiator: "You bring this network's ratings down, Flavius, and we'll do a special on you!"
*****
 |
| via Memory Alpha |
I remember this episode!
ReplyDeleteAs I look back on some of these, the staging and background was pretty lame. What's interesting about that is I always remembered them as spectacular! That may be due, in part, to the fact that I didn't hit my teens until 1972.
Just the other day, I was having this conversation with my son about how we remember things with the brain of a child; everything is bigger, better and more awesome.
In spite of that...Star Trek will always be pretty awesome. Darm CGI has ruined us, lol.
Thanks, Star Commander Squid.
What's great, though, is that this particular episode pokes fun at all of that. Have you ever watched the earliest Dr. Who episodes? Far, far, FAR hokier.
DeleteCGI has definitely spoiled us and I think that's all the more reason to appreciate the shows and films that did so much without it. The Wizard of Oz, for instance, is a low-tech treasure.
That's funny, this episode actually being about the show's woes.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it? Viewed from that perspective, it's a bold statement.
DeleteOh! And then Ridley Scott made it into a movie!
ReplyDeleteI assume you mean Gladiator. I somehow doubt Trek was the inspiration...
DeleteOh, are you not entertained?
DeleteThe movie's entertaining if that's what you mean.
DeleteI wasn't, actually, very entertained.
DeleteBy the movie.
It's been a long time and I wouldn't say the movie is one of my favorites but...
DeleteThe opening scene, in which Maximus seems to be in intimate conversation with his officers, then the camera pulls back to reveal the huge army amassed for battle: beautiful.
I think it probably started out okay but just went downhill. And then fell off a cliff. The ending was so... dumb, I can't remember anything else about the movie.
DeleteIt would not have been my choice for the Best Picture Oscar. I would have picked Almost Famous that year. Not even nominated. Among the films that were nominated, I'd pick Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
DeleteOh, yeah, Crouching Tiger, definitely. That was a beautiful movie. It's what Ang Lee should have won for.
DeleteInterestingly, he's won Best Director twice but never Best Picture.
DeleteThat is pretty ironic
ReplyDeleteInteresting, isn't it?
DeleteI believe this episode was choreographed by the same school of stagecraft that later gave us Jerry Springer. I consider it quite prescient.
ReplyDeleteVery good, sir! Prescient indeed. Bread and Circuses have become Big Macs and YouTube.
DeleteSpock always creeped me out, but I thought William Shatner was kind of cute when I was a kid. Not so cute now!
ReplyDeleteNo love for Dr. McCoy?
DeleteWow, That was a interesting fact. The episode makes more sense now.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Smithers always plays the villain/conflicted person (?) so nicely. You can almost see his jaw clench.
cheers, parsnip
Yes, a wonderfully expressive face.
DeleteWilliam Smithers was always the bad guy, and he did it so well.
ReplyDeleteI remember this episode, and even then I knew this was a repeat of previous themes. even then, I was disappointed.
Yup, the well was definitely starting to run dry by the end of season 2.
Delete