Star Trek's Original Pilot: The Cage Recap & Review

Captain Christopher Pike defends himself and the crew of the USS Enterprise from powerful alien masters of illusion. Here's my recap and review for Star Trek's very first pilot episode, "The Cage".

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[treklad]

What did you think of this episode? Let me know below! ⬇⬇⬇

[MegaAce]

great dialogue between Capitan Pike and Dr. Boyce! words to live by!

[MrStonelion]

Every time I see this episode, I think of Family Guy's Stewie's quote "I am playing the role of Jesus, A man once portrayed on the big screen by Jeffrey Hunter. You may remember him as the actor who was replaced by William Shatner on Star Trek. Apparently Mr. Hunter was good enough to die for our sins, but not quite up to the task of seducing green women".

[Knightfall]

Pike had *so* much potential as a leading character. We've never had such a dark, tortured and introspective Series Lead for Trek before. Even Nimoy said he had to play Spock as jovial, to counter Jeff Hunter's more 'closed off' Pike. 👌 Shatner played it the compete opposite.

[majkus]

With the Talosians giving Pike those illusions of one world after another in a completely plausible way, this pilot film cleverly, even brilliantly, gave the viewers (i.e., prospective purchasers) the promise of the Trek universe. Look! See all the places that we can take the Enterprise and have stories unfold! One of the advantages of the format that GR originally described in his pitch was "all the advantages of an anthology show" like The Twilight Zone. Each week, the Enterprise might visit a completely different world, with new guest stars, yet maintain the continuity of the Enterprise herself and this crew that was so well introduced. This pilot demonstrates the fertility of the format for an episodic series — far better than the second pilot did.

[dsh]

I would give it a higher rating than 3 1/2 I would give it at least four stars

[mainstreetsaint]

They called it cerebral back in the day and it's doubly true today in the midst of much of our modern pop-culture. Too much of our entertainment is dumbed down and would never even attempt such topics. For me an easy 4 out of 5.

[hezekiahramirez]

I have a particular love for The Cage and I honestly wish this was the Star Trek we got. I think this is by far the best episode of this era and it's one of my favorite pieces of Star Trek ever made. It's a more mysterious show, it's a more experimental show, and it's a smarter show. It's more somber and introspective. It's sexier and it's bold and assured in its dramatic choices. This would have been the most groundbreaking science fiction show ever made by a mile and some of the most daring and thought provoking science fiction at the time, period. I really would love to see the parallel universe where The Cage was picked up

I do take some solace in the fact that Roddenberry did get a chance to explore much of the type of storytelling he intended here in the first couple of seasons of NextGen. I like those seasons a lot more than most and I think a more mysterious and intellectual approach suits Star Trek quite well. It's bad TV but I like the concepts it embraces. The Thought Maker, Lwaxana Troi's speech about all life being somehow connected, the sexy death penalty planet, and the Traveler are all things that would have fit with this version of Star Trek. I still want to see that but well made and well written

[powerbad]

I love the cage, well written pilot.I thought the Cage was GREAT, especially for the times the pilot was produced.The illussion where Pike was in the lava pit scared the begees out of me.Well done by the actor.This episode had a lot in common with slavery.I would've loved to see a Captain Pike series, but Jeffery Hunter's wife took Gene he was a movie star, not a tv star.Never get tired of watching this pilot, Star Trek predates Star Wars by a decade.The optical effects and models look dated by todays standards, but were cutting edge effects in the 60s.

[oobrocks]

He forgot to tell us there's a fight w a huge giant dude including a spear. He says" no fists, " but leaves this out. Imo: it wasn't the story Desi lu hated: it was the budget

[rotorr]

I would give it 4 stars out of 5. Way ahead of its time. Hunter's portrayal of Pike was a bit stiff, as Mount's is too relaxed. I long for something between the two.

[gordon]

I really enjoyed the cage.

Ever since finding the VHS in the video Store was hooked having this as one of my favourite episodes of all the Trek at the time which was literally TOS, TAS, & the first 2 or 3 seasons of TNG.

As a child I found the concept a little creepy & slightly scary! The way realty was being messed about with!

4 out of 5 for me!

Also Jeffrey Hunters Captain Pike was my first attempt at Cosplay in high school for Red nose Day.

[HE]

"Too cerebral" is exactly what i like most about certain episodes throughout the franchise.
What loses me quickly are Kirk's fist fights and romances, but back then that was just more successfull.

Oh, and as many have said before, i really liked seeing the old cast. It would have been nice to have a few extra episodes like the cage just for a contrast to the regular crew.

[fierytrini]

I loved the Pilot. this was amazing. Impressive for its time and I loved it

[MrChrispy]

I was amazed at this episodes' prescience. WE are becoming Talosians by circumventing reality, to indulge in fantasy, via virtual reality. The only difference being technological assistance, instead of pure mental capability. We will destroy ourselves by creating an environment of non-productivity, with an absence of creativity, and innovation. The creativity will occur within a fantasy, and nothing will get done.

[dexterfurman]

Probably the most original and imaginative storyline in sci fi history. For its time in the mid 1960's it was so far ahead of its time.

[greggweber]

Think of spreading Killer Bees. Eventually they come to a hive that has enough power and the right technique to defend themselves. Did the Borg find this place in Starfleet records and wonder what possible weapon could be found that it was so powerful that Starfleet didn't want anyone to go there?

[davidcottone]

Laurel Goodwin yeoman colt was the last surviving member of the cage she recently died in February age 79

[charlesstein]

I think the "reviewer, critic" of this story, must be a younger person with brain rot from watching too many "modern" TV shows and movies. Today one could go into a seizer from the fast paced cgi scenes flickering into their brains that take up 70 to 90% of a show that has only 10 minutes of actual story. Imagination and story telling has all been replaced by "The Message" The only real Star Trek had a hint of messages in it's stories too sometimes, but they were cleverly written.

[jenniferthomas]

Is it just me, or does everybody think the aliens should be called the butt-heads because THAT is what they look like?