Please no spoilers! So that I can provide my best and most honest reaction, please do not mention the names of any future characters, events, or episode titles (this goes for future series as well). Please do not say which upcoming episodes are good or bad, otherwise I will have trouble forming my own opinion! Thank you, and enjoy!
A brief moment of silence: Robert Butler, the director of "The Cage" and through majority-screen time use of archive footage here, the director of "The Menagerie, Part II," has passed away earlier this month. The man was an accomplished film and television director, but his grand specialty was in pilots and early-stage episodes. While "The Cage" is probably the most well-known pilot he ever handled, he had also taken the helm for the premier episodes to shows like "Hogan's Heroes," the Adam West "Batman" show, and "Hill Street Blues," which earned him the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 1981. Butler was honored by his peers with the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in 2015, alongside his equivalent in the realm of sitcom pilots, James Burrows. For the man who was tasked with directing the first ever "Star Trek" production in existence, the best thing to say here is...now he truly belongs to the stars.
You're right; you can watch an episode dozens of times and still pick up nuances that you missed from previous viewings. a truly remarkable series. RIP to all those responsible who've passed, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. May the show forever live long and prosper.
To be fair, there are a fair number of "simps" who post to any even moderately attractive woman's videos on here. B. T. has her share of "simps" here, too. "Simp" is a term which refers to... exactly what he describes. Guys who fantasize that if they just flatter a "celebrity" or other out-of-reach person enough, she'll fall for them. I didn't see your post as "simping." I actually agree. But you see plenty of simping here. Worst, though, was the simping in response to her posting of her halloween costume. If you wanna see an example of what I describe, go find that photo and the resultant comments. 🙄
@@carybrown851 "To be fair", writing such comments even though you admit my comment was nothing that would qualify for such a description and pushing people - in this case me - in a corner when it's completely uncalled for, could be seen pretty cringe and "simpy" by itself. Playing the self proclaimed white knight who comes to the "rescue". Maybe think about it next time.
A beautiful gesture of mercy from Spock to his former captain. I love this character insight into spock. His loyalty is so strong that it transcends duty.
His behavior makes no sense. He disregards his duty to Starfleet and endangers everyone aboard the ship in hijacking it and taking it straight to a planet which is forbidden by the death penalty. Pike doesn't even want to go there. The writers weren't thinking here.
Susan Oliver (Vina) was indeed in a near airplane crash, but the plane avoided that fate. Traumatized, she got over that fear by earning a pilot's license. Later she turned to directing and did that for some time. She very much wanted to direct a Star Trek The Next Generation episode, but that dream was curtailed by failing health. She passed away in 1990.
She not only got her pilot’s license but when on to re-trace the final flight of Amelia Earhart, one of her heroes. She won accolades for an episode of MASH that she directed, but was fired from “Trapper John M.D.” at the behest of its Star Pernell Roberts, by all accounts not a nice man, and she passed shortly thereafter.
Saw her on an episode of "The Love Boat" which would have been 25 or so years after this episode of Star Trek and was still just as gorgeous as she was in this
@@michaelhall2709 Susan Oliver and Pernell Roberts were the entire cast of an episode of The Night Gallery. He played a detestable man so he didn't have to act. I didn't know he had her fired, but it's consistent. My friend took a tour of the Ponderosa, and when a guest asked about him, the tour guide soured and indicated that he is not popular around there.
The way they repurposed The Cage was very creative and, more importantly, economic. Considering how much it probably cost to produce, why let it go to waste?
I believe they were also under a time crunch for developing scripts for the series. Having only to write the framing device around "The Cage" footage for these two episodes was a big help.
I meant to say;I like how the Enterprise crew is trying to solve the problem’s on the planet and with the Enterprise crew!I think,that Captain Kirk and Captain Pike are(and will)solve the problem’s of his….his handicap.Yes,that’s right!Captain Kirk understands how Commander Pike want’s a life without confinement.A very understanding Captain 👩✈️,indeed!
YOU GUESSED IT! It’s bizarre how proud I am of a complete stranger, but I’ve never seen anyone guess how an hour-long episode would end before it technically even started… 😮😂 It’s really amazing how rewarding it is to see you go through this watch-through of the series… 😊
To be fair, she has already seen The Cage, so it's not really that hard to put it together with all the puzzle pieces there. 😉 But I admit it made me smile seeing the look on her face when she suddenly remembered how The Cage ended and realized that they could use that as a way to give Pike his life back.
I am seeing with each reaction how she is rediscovering and reliving WHY this show was cherished by her dad. And how it is now slowly becoming cherished by her.
@bunnytailsREACTS It may interest you to know a woman, D.C. Fontana was a notable writer for this show. She wrote this trinity of Bones, Spock and Kirk, well during her tenure. Star Trek and Star Wars are two big franchises, and when someone asks me what the difference between them is, this is always my answer. Star Wars is science fantasy. A fable of space wizards light and dark and princesses and rogues and the droids that serve them. Star Trek is space opera...about us centuries from now in the 23rd century and forward from that putting aside sexism, racism, corporate greed and money, famine ,war and pollution. And because we did that and worked together, we reached the stars...developed warp drive and began exploring and met other races along the way. And those who were like-minded joined us, and thus, the United Federation of Planets was born. And their fleets of ships were unified in the naval tradition as Starfleet to go boldly where no man has gone before to explore the frontier.
I wonder how deeply her dad had actually been with the original series since it seems since "his" era seems to have been The Next Generation. Those seem to be the episodes that "Miss Bunnytail" most remembers her father watching.
@griffruby8756 I am Gen X presumbaly the generation after the boomers the kids you saw on Stranger Things..the kids of the 80s the end of disco and the birth of Michael Jackson's solo career leading to Thriller the birth of MTV etc..that means the generation in their 40s and early 50s today. I saw TOS in syndication as a child of 8 and 9 in 1979 and 1980. I saw the Next Generation debut on TV in 1987 at the age of 16. It is quite logical no shade on Spock to surmise her dad had seen both series. And since TNG finished its run in 1992. A person born in 1992 would be 31 years old now. And it was put in syndication after that point on TV it is reasonable she could have caught a few episodes in the late 90s to the early double aughts as a child growing up where he might have sat down and rewatched these with her.
FINALLY an EMOTIONAL REACTION to an incredibly EMOTIONAL STORY. Thank you BunnytailsREACTS for validating what I thought was an intense response that only I had (for ~50 years now). The part that really triggers the waterworks for me is at the end of the Talosian transmission when the camera slowly zooms into Pike’s face, as he blinks kinda fast… which I interpret as hope and a longing to take on the unfettered illusion (the emotion in his face despite being “caged” in his shell of a body). Great direction there by Robert Butler and acting by Sean Kenney. And yes, “THE WOMEN!” always draws a good chuckle from me too! 😂
For me, this is the episode that really defines Spock as a character. Yes, he's devoted to logic, and seeks to purge himself of all emotion. Yes, he's a calculating alien who's often at odds with his crew. But underneath all that is a deep compassion, so strong that he's willing to risk a death sentence to bring peace to a friend. Btw, the currently-running Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, is about Captain Pike's tenure on the Enterprise. A lot of fans of the old series love it.
@scottwells8064 , Well, as I see it, it bears as much resemblance to ST as it existed up to 2005, as is the case for the rest of Kurtzman Trek save Picard's 3rd season. It shares the brand's name, but precious little else. Perhaps, you've seen the recently released preview of the upcoming season's episode in which Pike et al. are turned into Vulcans with some 'serum'. Very perceptive and insightful, indeed. Or, should I say, absolutely laughable rubbish. Yet, I don't dispute it being canon (for now). However, like the overwhelming majority of the fanbase, I simply ignore it.
I love how they set up the twist that the Commodore was never really on board. When Spock turned himself over to McCoy he told the transporter room to beam over Captain Kirk specifically, even though we saw Kirk and the Commodore both on the doomed shuttle. I know I didn't catch that subtle detail the first time I saw this episode. This was one of the greats of Star Trek and I enjoyed seeing your reaction to it. :)
The unsaid implication is that the Talosians can transmit illusions far beyond their system. They really have been behaving otherwise they could cause a lot of havoc in the galaxy.
making such a remarkable pilot, and using it to create a later episode of this caliber was astonishing...i don't think this has ever happened in television history...
Hi Bunny, my husband has showed me your reactions to watching Star Trek and I just love it. We are watching you watch The Menagerie right now. When you realized why Spock was bringing Captain Pike back to Talos IV and got emotional even though we have seen this many times we were right there with you. It is just such a beautiful and compassionate thing that's he is doing for Captain Pike against all odds and knowing he will get the death penalty for this.
That was a thoroughly enjoyable reaction. Not that I want you to cry during every episode you watch, but that genuine "aha" moment was really very beautiful, and then I started getting choked up, after promising myself I wouldn't cry. You're right too about the "The women!" moment, the pose Leonard Nimoy strikes in the transporter room always struck me as funny.
You always make me feel as if I was watching for the first time something I have seen dozens of other times. You have a gift of empathy that hits me most deeply. As always, thank you BT.
Bunny caught me off-guard TWICE! first, with the "...as they walk away you see two butts" and second with the "...they had never seen a human, so they'd imagine she'd be similar to Talosian anatomy...and put a butt on the back of her head!". You slayed me with those! And I needed the laugh! Can't wait till you see "The Doomsday Machine".
What the Talosians meant about their eventual extinction was something talked about in the original episode, but I think was cut here. The Talosians had become so wrapped up in their illusions that they forgot how to maintain the equipment that their ancestors built, and are no longer physically capable of handling the work to rebuild the surface of their world - which had been devastated in an ancient war. That was why they needed the humans - they needed someone who could replant and regrow the surface before the underground equipment finally failed. Now they have only a matter of years or decades before their ability to synthesize food fails and they starve. It is unfortunate, and it was a warning that we really need to heed ourselves. If we forget how to grow food and repair equipment, we are either dependent on those that do... or just doomed outright. I spend too much time playing games, but I do grow a garden... it's something. XD
Right. So how can they be trusted to care for the completely, or very-near-completely, disabled Christopher Pike if, and when, he is returned to them? Given their known history, how can anything they say be trusted?
Jeffrey Hunter, who played Pike in the first pilot, was making films at this point. Also, his wife convinced him not to do the second Trek pilot. If they asked him to return, maybe she talked him out of it. He died in 1969. He suffered a brain hemorrhage that, it's believed, was the result of a concussion he received on a film set in 1968. If he'd stayed with Star Trek, he probably wouldn't have been making that film in 1968.
Bunny, watching your honest emotional reaction brought tears to my eyes. It reminds me of why I enjoyed the original series. I'm glad you wete able to see some season 1 episodes first to understand the character dynamics. If you keep with it I think you'll find Ansell Mount's portrayal of Captain Pike in Strange New Worlds true to why Spock risked everything for him.
Ironically, this episode is the ULTIMATE reaction video! Me watching you, watching Kirk watching the Telosions watching Captain Pike! I guess we can all relate to telosians now… I enjoyed your emotional response too! Thanks
"The Menagerie" 2-parter came about because the production of episodes in season 1 were running behind schedule (and over budget), to the point that they were at risk of missing delivery of their latest episodes on time. Gene Roddenberry wrote the framing story in part to give them enough material to spread the whole story over two parts. Note also that the framing story is a classic Star Trek "bottle show" - using standing sets almost exclusively to save $$: Captain Pike's room is a redress of the Sickbay set; the Starbase computer center is set up on the Engineering set, and of course, the hearing room is the standard briefing room set.
Really love your emotional reaction to this. As a kid who grew up on the original series, it's just a real treat to watch a younger person experience this wonderful show for the first time. Thanks for your reactions!
When you started crying I did too. It's been a long time since I could feel that way about that episode. But I think the greatest thing about Star Trek is watching it with someone who can appreciate it. I love what you're doing here and I feel like it gives me the chance to do this all over again. And you're very smart you caught things in here at times that I did not. And that's the great thing about watching something with someone. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
18:58: "Ahhh!" --that was the minute you got it, the minute it dawned on you and you were suddenly overcome by emotion, and it was something beautiful to behold. You weren't the only one with tears in your eyes at the end.
Another fun little twist is that the actor who played Commodore Mendez was also supposed to be the original voice actor for the Keeper in the original version of the pilot.
Malachi Throne did, in fact, provide the voice for The Keeper. That's possibly why he was cast as the Commodore here, so that he'd also be available to provide additional dialogue.
9:39 Love how Kirk looks up at Scotty, not so much to order him to go check on the helm control, but more like, "You go do you." 22:00 "Would their hands feel it?" This would be a perfect application for the "Somebody Else's Problem" (SEP) field generator from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Way easier to engineer and operate than an invisibility cloak, it achieves the same effect by amplifying people's normal propensity to ignore anything that doesn't directly concern them, which is itself so powerful that an SEP field generator can run for over a century on a single flashlight battery....
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! I enjoy your empathy, intelligence and perspective. Your husband should count his blessings for a lovely bride, like you.
Who knew a Sci-Fi show from the '60s could be so emotionally impactful. It wasn't just a matter of re-purposing previously shot but unreleased footage, rather it was the recontextualization of that footage with the added twist of Capt. Pike's current condition, and how Talos IV might serve to improve it, that really takes this episode to the next level for me. I had never seen the first pilot when I saw this episode as a kid, but also, I wasn't emotionally mature enough to comprehend the episode on that level either. Re-watching it now, even so recently after the first pilot, I understand why you were so choked up at the end.
You can see these episodes in a completely new way when someone gets involved as intensively as you. Fresh experience. So great - thank you for that. They created a great two-parter, the only one in the series as far as I remember.
Thank you for reacting to this. I saw this in 1968 on a black and white television set. Have seen it repeatedly before I saw the original pilot episode much much later. You having reacted to ‘The Cage’ and ‘The Menagerie’ so close together … I was balling my eyes out at the moment of you realizing where the episode was going! I was a teary-eyed mess at the end. Thank you for this.
This is my favorite story in all of the Star Trek series. If the two parts were released as a movie it would be my third favorite Star Trek movie. It is SF storytelling of the highest order.
It's not really canon, but in one of the ST novels, Pike's Number One sought out Spock when after she tried to see Pike, no one knew where he was. Spock told her there was nothing for him to say. She then queried him with a number of theories, getting no response. Finally she asked him was he with Vina. She noticed something in his face and knew that was what happened. She then broke down with tears of joy, and then thanked Spock for helping Pike and giving her a sense of peace.
They really were masterful storytellers, to craft a story around this footage * and * use footage so dramatically and effectively within the Menagerie story.
Wow Bunny you did such an amazing job of emulating and showing the emotions that we all were probably feeling while watching this episode of Star Trek with you thank you🤩
I agree, "The women!" -- shouted by Spock, no less -- is an immortal line. Yes, Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr) was a solid actor, he looked the part of a heroic captain, but Shatner brought something extra. I would call it "swagger," even though he never literally swaggered. You felt assured that he was as handy with camaraderie, gamesmanship, even humor, as he was with regulations and a moral code. I continue to be in awe of the ideal casting of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- and many of the others aren't bad either. Thank you for permitting me to relive not simply the experience but the raw emotion of when I watched this extraordinary episode for the first time. Oh, and not to spoil anything, but I guarantee that you will absolutely freak out over the very next episode. Thanks, Bun.
This episode showed some sophisticated computer hacking for the 60's. The sound board phone phreaking by Spock to convince the crew to give him control of the Enterprise computer (4:09). Then Spock locking out the crew and forcing the ship to go to Talos IV (9:31). I love it!
The creation of the 2-part episode was meant to solve a few issues early in the production of the series. Some episodes weren't finished as they were waiting for the time-consuming special effects shots to be completed so they were running out of completed episodes to air. Another was that some of the scripts going into production weren't finished yet either. Framing the episode around footage from The Cage also saved money. If I remember correctly, after broadcasting these 2 episodes, the airing of the show went on break for Thanksgiving and then a few reruns were broadcast so they had 3-4 weeks to finish the special effects on the already filmed episodes, polish the scripts and prepare for their production.
I love you so much thank you for doing the Star Trek episodes. My father as well was the one that introduced me to science fiction books and Star Trek. Thank you
This was your BEST reaction yet!! The emotions 🖖 you experienced, shows the power and quality of Star Trek even now, almost 6 decades later!! The comment about seeing the 2 butts was hilarious!
What we see of Pike in The Cage, is a very tired captain that has barely escaped with his life from an incident we don't see. The rest of the crew are also tired and injured. This gives the impression of a stern leader, who is thinking about giving up Star Fleet. Kirk seems to have a sense of humour, and enjoys teasing Spock at nearly any opportunity. He loves the Enterprise, and being a captain is what he is meant to do. And of course Shatner is very charismatic. The re-use of the 'old' footage gives the series a sense of history and depth, which is a huge plus, and helps develop the lore.
I agree with you! I've said this before on other posts that Hunter portrayed Pike as battle fatigued and was similar to sub commanders of that era. Shatner was pure energy and a symbol of the 60's.
There is a Marvel comic from 1997, Star Trek the Early Voyages, that does a great job of capturing the vibe of Pike and his crew around the time of the Talos IV incident.
Not to spoil anything for you, but whenever you get around to watching "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," you must watch the episode "A Quality of Mercy." It will bring the Menagerie and Spock's dedication to Pike full circle. And show the difference in Pike and Kirk's command style. That's all I will say, I don't want to spoil it for you.
I lost count how many times I have seen this episode but this was the first time I got emotional. Your comments made me appreciate it in a new light. Thank you.
Interesting tidbit: Did you happen to notice that Pike's first officer "Number One" is played by the same actor as the one who plays Nurse Christine Chapel? That was something that escaped my attention for some time initially! She is also the voice of the Enterprise Computer. She is Majel Barrett Roddenberry (Gene Roddenberry's wife). Gene is the guy that created Star Trek. Majel also played a recurring role in Star Trek The Next Generation and was the voice of the Enterprise Computer for that series also. Sadly she passed away in December of 2008. I keep wondering if they will bring her voice back in the franchise now that they have perfected deep learning AI based text to speech. Perhaps one day. :). Thanks as always for the great and thoughtful reactions!
The studio didn't like Barrett; they considered her a poor actress. Roddenberry later snuck her onto the show as Nurse Chapel. At the time he was having an affair with Barrett, while still married to his first wife.
@@Caseytify I didn't know they thought she wasn't a decent actress. Too bad they couldn't jump ahead 20 years and see her work in TNG. Looking behind the scenes Gene seemed to have many problems (putting it nicely). I still recall the interview with Majel from Rod Roddenberry's documentary I think it was, where he was asking her about Gene's affairs and she had this totally removed blank body language and said something along the lines of "Oh we don't talk about that dear." So gross.
Laurel Goodwin, the redhead, has unusually strong female drives lol. Goodwin died a few years ago. She appeared with Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls!.
It's good to see that you're beginning to see and understand the attraction of "Star Trek." The first time I saw the entire "The Cage" pilot, it was Gene Roddenberry's private copy at the first "Star Trek" convention in New York City in the early 70s. Pike will pop up here and there in the "Star Trek" franchise.
Thank you so much Bunny for making this classic episode such a joy to revisit. Your reactions and emotions are so in touch with the characters of the series that gives us long time viewers a whole new perspective of what it's like seeing it do the first time. We didn't have access to the original pilot back in 1970's like everyone has now and since you saw it before the Menagerie I was wondering how soon in the story you would figure out what Spock was up to and why he was risking everything for his former captain. Keep em coming Bunny and as probe ahead be on the lookout for other bunnies.
Yes, Jose of the peppers Jose. There was no over all continuity manager, but they had a relatively small stable of scriptwriters who each did. And when Spock lets out the human side, he is very, very human.
It's been great to be on this journey with you and to see your reactions to this series. It's especially nice to see that it can still tug at the heartstrings still for an almost 60 year old show. Looking forward to more of your reactions here
Why not? There are lots of movies that are decades older than Star Trek but still play as well as they ever did. It's really a shame more younger people don't know this.
Color television was still fairly new and a lot of shows weren't even in color at the time so it was really a big selling point. Our family didn't get a color TV until the 2nd season of Star Trek. Shows that did have color tended to make it really vibrant. As you can imagine, if you just got your first color TV and one network was showing something in color while the other two weren't it would definitely factor into your decision.
Star Trek broke the mold as far as being shot in color. Color was expensive, and studios would shoot the first season of a show in B&W, and then only if renewed, switch to color. You'll see a lot of shows from that time that did that. Gene insisted that Star Trek be shot in color from the get go, as he felt it was important for the feel of the show.
The new show - "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is basically The Captain Pike version on of "Star Trek" with new actors. Thats a record - 57 years between pilot episode and an actual series happening. - The Music Loving Klingon
Great job figuring it out. It's a unique episode. Mostly done this way to just save money. But rhe results make a special show with an almost unexpected happy ending. You have ro remember, when this was resleased almost no one had seen The Cage.
GREAT REACTION, BUNNY!!!! 🐇👏👏👏👏 You have such a good heart, sweetie, as shown by your tears in reaction to the story of Captain Pike. You are absolutely amazing, dear!!! Lots of love from your biggest fan!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🌹
Your reaction to the ending hit me hard in the feels. Absolutely lovely! Well done spotting the direction the show was headed during the Part 2 recap! The writers did a really nice job of integrating the first pilot into this storyline. Some interesting twists and turns leading to the big final act. THE WOMEN!!
I cannot thank you enough for watching these videos and sharing the reactions. Seeing the glee with the anticipation of where the episode might go and the bliss when it was achieved was very cathartic!
When you watch the episode, you have to remember that the Cage hasn't been shown on TV before 1989 and was first published on VHS in 1988. So this was a way to show the Pilot to the audience.
27:46 Yup. That's why the show had a chance to come back long after it had been canceled from TV, because people just kept watching the re-runs over and over, and grew to love it more and more, and by the time Star Wars came out, studio execs realized the show was more popular at that time than it had ever been during its original run.
Trek greatness! Your face when you figured it out at the start of Pt. 2, priceless! And they do indeed get better each time you rewatch them. Thank you and R.I.P. to your Dad!
IMO, Shatner is an underrated actor. His style isn't appropriate for everything, not by a long shot. But he's perfect casting for this role. The casting of all the familiar characters carries this show more than the writing, and that's why we have more warm memories of the crew over the specific adventures. Excellent reactions, BTW. I think you're seeing the show clearly, despite the vast difference in eras.
Durring the the cold war, it was therapeutic to watch the only program on T.V. that gave hope (in many episodes) that humanity would survive the insanity of Mutually assured destruction (MAD). It was commonly believed that it was only a matter of time before the world would end in a nuclear holocaust (and it almost did a few times). And the hope that we humans could evolve to something honorable and ethical. Star Trek is one of the most re-watchable shows; many of its predictions came true; both technologically and historically. Let's hope we don't blow it.
Another great reaction bunny. When the remastered The Menagerie episode were released, they had a limited theatrical release. I was fortunate to see this on the big screen in my local movie theatre. It looked great, except for the remastered shuttle craft.
Loved it. And yeah, I still get emotional, too, whenever I see this episode. Even in the earlier parts when we see Spock risking it all for his former captain. It's one of the reasons I was thrilled that they decided to do a modern day series with the adventures of Pike and Spock.
The beauty of this episode to me is that it is about the horror of disability, of being unable to move or express oneself or fulfill your dreams or live a life like others can and do. Anyone who is or who knows someone who is paralyzed, like I have, or disabled sees this as Star Trek's greatest episode. It's a story about the most emotionless of beings, Spock, risking his life and career out of love for his former captain to bring him to a place where the captain's disability makes no difference at all. To posit that someplace in the future or the universe there is such a place is to me the most hopeful and beautiful statement that ST can make. And to think that it came out on network television in 1966? Breathtaking.
Before Star Trek aired on television, Gene Roddenberry was at a science fiction convention to promote the show and showed the 2nd pilot. The audience loved it and asked if he had more episodes with him. He did have a copy of The Cage and showed that also. So technically some did see the first pilot before this episode or it's VHS release or its first airing long into the next generation years.
I love the fact this episode impacted you so emotionally. I think City on the Edge of Forever may impact you as well. There are some great episodes ahead in this season. Watching these through your eyes helps me see this classic show with a new perspective. Thank you.
Hiya Bunny. Great job. In case nobody said it yet, THE CAGE was never broadcast. It first became available somewhere in the 80s. What's tragic is we never got to see Pike, Spock, and #1 become the first Trek triad. If you don't know, the brand new show STRANGE NEW WORLDS is exactly about that. OH YEAH. BREAKING NEWS: If Talosians can read minds, they'd know EXACTLY what Vena looked like. (The episode is very well written but sometimes stuff like this reveals when it was written.)
For the longest time this two part episode was all we ever saw of the original pilot. It wasnt until around 1990, I think, that a version was released on VHS that used the footage in this episode and filling in the missing pieces with footage from the only surviving print of the original version but was in black and white. So, all the scenes that are cut in this two-parter were in black and white, and from a very grainy print that belonged to Roddenberry. I dont know if the studio ever coughed up the original 35mm print or if the black and white version was colorized and cleaned up but that's all there was back then
Bob Justman (Associate Producer, Co-Producer) wrote in his book with Herb Solow (Executive in Charge of Production) titled "Star Trek: The Real Story”, that Shatner brought an energy to the role that Hunter didn’t have and that the show needed. Even though Hunter had chemistry for the role his style was more subdued and he really wasn’t feeling it. He was offered the series again after NBC picked the show up and sent his wife to decline for him.
Jeffrey Hunter playing Pike, was a very good actor, who was in some of the greatest films of the classic Hollywood era. Most notably, The Searchers, considered by many film critics and "best lists", as a top 10 film of all time. When Hunter did the pilot for Star Trek, the studio couldn't give him assurances about how the series would develop. He dropped out of consideration for the series. William Shatner, on the other hand, was given scripts and a commitment as to the central place Kirk would have in the series. So Jeffrey Hunter was doing a one off performance. Shatner was much more invested.
Please no spoilers! So that I can provide my best and most honest reaction, please do not mention the names of any future characters, events, or episode titles (this goes for future series as well). Please do not say which upcoming episodes are good or bad, otherwise I will have trouble forming my own opinion!
Thank you, and enjoy!
You should have done your face and arms in green for this episode. It might have been mouth watering. 🤩
@johnnygood4831 Bwahahaha!!.. Mouthwatering??Seriously 😂
@@Gary-oy1ji Sarcasm!
A brief moment of silence: Robert Butler, the director of "The Cage" and through majority-screen time use of archive footage here, the director of "The Menagerie, Part II," has passed away earlier this month.
The man was an accomplished film and television director, but his grand specialty was in pilots and early-stage episodes. While "The Cage" is probably the most well-known pilot he ever handled, he had also taken the helm for the premier episodes to shows like "Hogan's Heroes," the Adam West "Batman" show, and "Hill Street Blues," which earned him the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 1981.
Butler was honored by his peers with the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in 2015, alongside his equivalent in the realm of sitcom pilots, James Burrows.
For the man who was tasked with directing the first ever "Star Trek" production in existence, the best thing to say here is...now he truly belongs to the stars.
You're right; you can watch an episode dozens of times and still pick up nuances that you missed from previous viewings. a truly remarkable series. RIP to all those responsible who've passed, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. May the show forever live long and prosper.
I never thought I would witness such a lovely and emotional reaction to a Start Trek TOS episode.
She's still not gonna date you, bro
@@docsavage8640 To quote Firefly: "You got a smutty mind!" Maybe don't project your own secret wishes to others, Bro.
@@mrtveye6682she’s got some hot pics online
To be fair, there are a fair number of "simps" who post to any even moderately attractive woman's videos on here. B. T. has her share of "simps" here, too.
"Simp" is a term which refers to... exactly what he describes. Guys who fantasize that if they just flatter a "celebrity" or other out-of-reach person enough, she'll fall for them.
I didn't see your post as "simping." I actually agree. But you see plenty of simping here. Worst, though, was the simping in response to her posting of her halloween costume. If you wanna see an example of what I describe, go find that photo and the resultant comments. 🙄
@@carybrown851 "To be fair", writing such comments even though you admit my comment was nothing that would qualify for such a description and pushing people - in this case me - in a corner when it's completely uncalled for, could be seen pretty cringe and "simpy" by itself. Playing the self proclaimed white knight who comes to the "rescue". Maybe think about it next time.
A beautiful gesture of mercy from Spock to his former captain. I love this character insight into spock. His loyalty is so strong that it transcends duty.
Not just mercy but loyalty.
His behavior makes no sense. He disregards his duty to Starfleet and endangers everyone aboard the ship in hijacking it and taking it straight to a planet which is forbidden by the death penalty. Pike doesn't even want to go there. The writers weren't thinking here.
@Tessmage_Tessera Pike obviously changed his mind completely regarding going back to Talos IV, presumably because of his terrible accident.
Something she also saw in Wrath of Khan
@@steelers6titles Pike wanted to go there, he just didn't want Spock to risk himself for it.
Susan Oliver (Vina) was indeed in a near airplane crash, but the plane avoided that fate. Traumatized, she got over that fear by earning a pilot's license. Later she turned to directing and did that for some time. She very much wanted to direct a Star Trek The Next Generation episode, but that dream was curtailed by failing health. She passed away in 1990.
She not only got her pilot’s license but when on to re-trace the final flight of Amelia Earhart, one of her heroes. She won accolades for an episode of MASH that she directed, but was fired from “Trapper John M.D.” at the behest of its Star Pernell Roberts, by all accounts not a nice man, and she passed shortly thereafter.
Saw her on an episode of "The Love Boat" which would have been 25 or so years after this episode of Star Trek and was still just as gorgeous as she was in this
@@michaelhall2709 there's a really good voyager episode called the 37's which has Amelia Earhart in it.
Wow, I didn't know any of that. I now have even more respect and admiration for her. Thank you.
@@michaelhall2709 Susan Oliver and Pernell Roberts were the entire cast of an episode of The Night Gallery. He played a detestable man so he didn't have to act. I didn't know he had her fired, but it's consistent. My friend took a tour of the Ponderosa, and when a guest asked about him, the tour guide soured and indicated that he is not popular around there.
Thank you for watching and appreciating these episodes. Lovely reaction.
The way they repurposed The Cage was very creative and, more importantly, economic. Considering how much it probably cost to produce, why let it go to waste?
I believe they were also under a time crunch for developing scripts for the series. Having only to write the framing device around "The Cage" footage for these two episodes was a big help.
I meant to say;I like how the Enterprise crew is trying to solve the problem’s on the planet and with the Enterprise crew!I think,that Captain Kirk and Captain Pike are(and will)solve the problem’s of his….his handicap.Yes,that’s right!Captain Kirk understands how Commander Pike want’s a life without confinement.A very understanding Captain 👩✈️,indeed!
YOU GUESSED IT! It’s bizarre how proud I am of a complete stranger, but I’ve never seen anyone guess how an hour-long episode would end before it technically even started… 😮😂
It’s really amazing how rewarding it is to see you go through this watch-through of the series… 😊
To be fair, she has already seen The Cage, so it's not really that hard to put it together with all the puzzle pieces there. 😉 But I admit it made me smile seeing the look on her face when she suddenly remembered how The Cage ended and realized that they could use that as a way to give Pike his life back.
I am seeing with each reaction how she is rediscovering and reliving WHY this show was cherished by her dad. And how it is now slowly becoming cherished by her.
Yes ♥
@bunnytailsREACTS It may interest you to know a woman, D.C. Fontana was a notable writer for this show. She wrote this trinity of Bones, Spock and Kirk, well during her tenure. Star Trek and Star Wars are two big franchises, and when someone asks me what the difference between them is, this is always my answer.
Star Wars is science fantasy.
A fable of space wizards light and dark and princesses and rogues and the droids that serve them.
Star Trek is space opera...about us centuries from now in the 23rd century and forward from that putting aside sexism, racism, corporate greed and money, famine
,war and pollution. And because we did that and worked together, we reached the stars...developed warp drive and began exploring and met other races along the way. And those who were like-minded joined us, and thus, the United Federation of Planets was born. And their fleets of ships were unified in the naval tradition as Starfleet to go boldly where no man has gone before to explore the frontier.
I wonder how deeply her dad had actually been with the original series since it seems since "his" era seems to have been The Next Generation. Those seem to be the episodes that "Miss Bunnytail" most remembers her father watching.
@griffruby8756 I am Gen X presumbaly the generation after the boomers the kids you saw on Stranger Things..the kids of the 80s the end of disco and the birth of Michael Jackson's solo career leading to Thriller the birth of MTV etc..that means the generation in their 40s and early 50s today. I saw TOS in syndication as a child of 8 and 9 in 1979 and 1980. I saw the Next Generation debut on TV in 1987 at the age of 16. It is quite logical no shade on Spock to surmise her dad had seen both series. And since TNG finished its run in 1992. A person born in 1992 would be 31 years old now. And it was put in syndication after that point on TV it is reasonable she could have caught a few episodes in the late 90s to the early double aughts as a child growing up where he might have sat down and rewatched these with her.
FINALLY an EMOTIONAL REACTION to an incredibly EMOTIONAL STORY. Thank you BunnytailsREACTS for validating what I thought was an intense response that only I had (for ~50 years now). The part that really triggers the waterworks for me is at the end of the Talosian transmission when the camera slowly zooms into Pike’s face, as he blinks kinda fast… which I interpret as hope and a longing to take on the unfettered illusion (the emotion in his face despite being “caged” in his shell of a body). Great direction there by Robert Butler and acting by Sean Kenney. And yes, “THE WOMEN!” always draws a good chuckle from me too! 😂
I get that too.
For me, this is the episode that really defines Spock as a character. Yes, he's devoted to logic, and seeks to purge himself of all emotion. Yes, he's a calculating alien who's often at odds with his crew. But underneath all that is a deep compassion, so strong that he's willing to risk a death sentence to bring peace to a friend.
Btw, the currently-running Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, is about Captain Pike's tenure on the Enterprise. A lot of fans of the old series love it.
It adds even more to the Spock character, and deepens his relationship with Captain Pike. SNW is really, really good.
@scottwells8064 , Well, as I see it, it bears as much resemblance to ST as it existed up to 2005, as is the case for the rest of Kurtzman Trek save Picard's 3rd season. It shares the brand's name, but precious little else.
Perhaps, you've seen the recently released preview of the upcoming season's episode in which Pike et al. are turned into Vulcans with some 'serum'. Very perceptive and insightful, indeed. Or, should I say, absolutely laughable rubbish. Yet, I don't dispute it being canon (for now). However, like the overwhelming majority of the fanbase, I simply ignore it.
I love how they set up the twist that the Commodore was never really on board. When Spock turned himself over to McCoy he told the transporter room to beam over Captain Kirk specifically, even though we saw Kirk and the Commodore both on the doomed shuttle. I know I didn't catch that subtle detail the first time I saw this episode. This was one of the greats of Star Trek and I enjoyed seeing your reaction to it. :)
The unsaid implication is that the Talosians can transmit illusions far beyond their system. They really have been behaving otherwise they could cause a lot of havoc in the galaxy.
making such a remarkable pilot, and using it to create a later episode of this caliber was astonishing...i don't think this has ever happened in television history...
Hi Bunny, my husband has showed me your reactions to watching Star Trek and I just love it. We are watching you watch The Menagerie right now. When you realized why Spock was bringing Captain Pike back to Talos IV and got emotional even though we have seen this many times we were right there with you. It is just such a beautiful and compassionate thing that's he is doing for Captain Pike against all odds and knowing he will get the death penalty for this.
^ Dat's my wifey ^ 😍🥰😍
bunny, your response when you figured out Spock's motive for doing what he did is beautiful and priceless (18:56).
My cat of 17 years died...i cant tell you how sad i am ....bless you Ashley...my friend.
@michaelparks6120, I've just begun watching this channel. Do I take it correctly that's our host's actual name?
That was a thoroughly enjoyable reaction. Not that I want you to cry during every episode you watch, but that genuine "aha" moment was really very beautiful, and then I started getting choked up, after promising myself I wouldn't cry. You're right too about the "The women!" moment, the pose Leonard Nimoy strikes in the transporter room always struck me as funny.
Roddenberry and his team felt vindicated from THE CAGE being rejected when this episode won a Peabody Award.
You always make me feel as if I was watching for the first time something I have seen dozens of other times. You have a gift of empathy that hits me most deeply. As always, thank you BT.
This is what's great about great reactions. I too have watched this episode a dozen times. But I never cried until watching this reaction.
Bunny caught me off-guard TWICE! first, with the "...as they walk away you see two butts" and second with the "...they had never seen a human, so they'd imagine she'd be similar to Talosian anatomy...and put a butt on the back of her head!". You slayed me with those! And I needed the laugh! Can't wait till you see "The Doomsday Machine".
You've officially become one of my top tier reactors!
Woo! We’re official!
What the Talosians meant about their eventual extinction was something talked about in the original episode, but I think was cut here. The Talosians had become so wrapped up in their illusions that they forgot how to maintain the equipment that their ancestors built, and are no longer physically capable of handling the work to rebuild the surface of their world - which had been devastated in an ancient war. That was why they needed the humans - they needed someone who could replant and regrow the surface before the underground equipment finally failed. Now they have only a matter of years or decades before their ability to synthesize food fails and they starve. It is unfortunate, and it was a warning that we really need to heed ourselves. If we forget how to grow food and repair equipment, we are either dependent on those that do... or just doomed outright. I spend too much time playing games, but I do grow a garden... it's something. XD
Right. So how can they be trusted to care for the completely, or very-near-completely, disabled Christopher Pike if, and when, he is returned to them? Given their known history, how can anything they say be trusted?
Wonderful reactions from Bunny, to this incredible two part episode of classic Star Trek.
Jeffrey Hunter, who played Pike in the first pilot, was making films at this point. Also, his wife convinced him not to do the second Trek pilot. If they asked him to return, maybe she talked him out of it. He died in 1969. He suffered a brain hemorrhage that, it's believed, was the result of a concussion he received on a film set in 1968. If he'd stayed with Star Trek, he probably wouldn't have been making that film in 1968.
How ironic.
Bunny, watching your honest emotional reaction brought tears to my eyes. It reminds me of why I enjoyed the original series. I'm glad you wete able to see some season 1 episodes first to understand the character dynamics. If you keep with it I think you'll find Ansell Mount's portrayal of Captain Pike in Strange New Worlds true to why Spock risked everything for him.
Anson Mount.
Ironically, this episode is the ULTIMATE reaction video! Me watching you, watching Kirk watching the Telosions watching Captain Pike! I guess we can all relate to telosians now… I enjoyed your emotional response too! Thanks
"The Menagerie" 2-parter came about because the production of episodes in season 1 were running behind schedule (and over budget), to the point that they were at risk of missing delivery of their latest episodes on time. Gene Roddenberry wrote the framing story in part to give them enough material to spread the whole story over two parts. Note also that the framing story is a classic Star Trek "bottle show" - using standing sets almost exclusively to save $$: Captain Pike's room is a redress of the Sickbay set; the Starbase computer center is set up on the Engineering set, and of course, the hearing room is the standard briefing room set.
Really love your emotional reaction to this. As a kid who grew up on the original series, it's just a real treat to watch a younger person experience this wonderful show for the first time. Thanks for your reactions!
When you started crying I did too. It's been a long time since I could feel that way about that episode. But I think the greatest thing about Star Trek is watching it with someone who can appreciate it. I love what you're doing here and I feel like it gives me the chance to do this all over again. And you're very smart you caught things in here at times that I did not. And that's the great thing about watching something with someone. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
18:58: "Ahhh!" --that was the minute you got it, the minute it dawned on you and you were suddenly overcome by emotion, and it was something beautiful to behold. You weren't the only one with tears in your eyes at the end.
the thought of seeing a taloshan with no clothes on would've never crossed my mind, until you 😂
You're welcome 😉
Two buts waddling has got to be my favorite line of yours 😊
😄
Mrs Bunny; u was so compelling when u cried at the end ❤
Another fun little twist is that the actor who played Commodore Mendez was also supposed to be the original voice actor for the Keeper in the original version of the pilot.
Malachi Throne did, in fact, provide the voice for The Keeper. That's possibly why he was cast as the Commodore here, so that he'd also be available to provide additional dialogue.
What a sweet reaction to a great story. This just made my day. Trek on Bunny.
Thanks! 😊
"No ship makes record tapes that detailed! Except at my court martial, last week!"
The actor who played invalid Pike was named Sean Kenney was an extra in a few eps. He does resemble Jeffrey Hunter quite a bit without all the makeup.
You “get” Star Trek like few others do. It’s great being on this journey with you.
9:39 Love how Kirk looks up at Scotty, not so much to order him to go check on the helm control, but more like, "You go do you."
22:00 "Would their hands feel it?" This would be a perfect application for the "Somebody Else's Problem" (SEP) field generator from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Way easier to engineer and operate than an invisibility cloak, it achieves the same effect by amplifying people's normal propensity to ignore anything that doesn't directly concern them, which is itself so powerful that an SEP field generator can run for over a century on a single flashlight battery....
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! I enjoy your empathy, intelligence and perspective. Your husband should count his blessings for a lovely bride, like you.
A great reaction to a great show. Amazing that this series only lasted 3 years.
Who knew a Sci-Fi show from the '60s could be so emotionally impactful. It wasn't just a matter of re-purposing previously shot but unreleased footage, rather it was the recontextualization of that footage with the added twist of Capt. Pike's current condition, and how Talos IV might serve to improve it, that really takes this episode to the next level for me. I had never seen the first pilot when I saw this episode as a kid, but also, I wasn't emotionally mature enough to comprehend the episode on that level either. Re-watching it now, even so recently after the first pilot, I understand why you were so choked up at the end.
You can see these episodes in a completely new way when someone gets involved as intensively as you. Fresh experience. So great - thank you for that. They created a great two-parter, the only one in the series as far as I remember.
It is cool that they included scenes from The Cage. Even if the reason was to save money.
Thank you for reacting to this. I saw this in 1968 on a black and white television set. Have seen it repeatedly before I saw the original pilot episode much much later. You having reacted to ‘The Cage’ and ‘The Menagerie’ so close together … I was balling my eyes out at the moment of you realizing where the episode was going! I was a teary-eyed mess at the end. Thank you for this.
This is my favorite story in all of the Star Trek series. If the two parts were released as a movie it would be my third favorite Star Trek movie. It is SF storytelling of the highest order.
It's not really canon, but in one of the ST novels, Pike's Number One sought out Spock when after she tried to see Pike, no one knew where he was. Spock told her there was nothing for him to say. She then queried him with a number of theories, getting no response. Finally she asked him was he with Vina. She noticed something in his face and knew that was what happened. She then broke down with tears of joy, and then thanked Spock for helping Pike and giving her a sense of peace.
The genius of Gene Roddenberry and the expertise of the editors on full display here. Perfectly done with the technology available at the time.
They really were masterful storytellers, to craft a story around this footage * and * use footage so dramatically and effectively within the Menagerie story.
your perceptive skills are really impressive and only surpassed by your emotive responses. Thanks Bunny
She's really going to love "This Side of Paradise" and "The City on the Edge of Forever"
Wow Bunny you did such an amazing job of emulating and showing the emotions that we all were probably feeling while watching this episode of Star Trek with you thank you🤩
I agree, "The women!" -- shouted by Spock, no less -- is an immortal line. Yes, Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr) was a solid actor, he looked the part of a heroic captain, but Shatner brought something extra. I would call it "swagger," even though he never literally swaggered. You felt assured that he was as handy with camaraderie, gamesmanship, even humor, as he was with regulations and a moral code. I continue to be in awe of the ideal casting of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- and many of the others aren't bad either. Thank you for permitting me to relive not simply the experience but the raw emotion of when I watched this extraordinary episode for the first time. Oh, and not to spoil anything, but I guarantee that you will absolutely freak out over the very next episode. Thanks, Bun.
That's the one thing TOS has over all other iterations of Star Trek: swagger. I can't pinpoint it, but ya know it when ya see it.
This episode showed some sophisticated computer hacking for the 60's. The sound board phone phreaking by Spock to convince the crew to give him control of the Enterprise computer (4:09). Then Spock locking out the crew and forcing the ship to go to Talos IV (9:31). I love it!
The creation of the 2-part episode was meant to solve a few issues early in the production of the series. Some episodes weren't finished as they were waiting for the time-consuming special effects shots to be completed so they were running out of completed episodes to air. Another was that some of the scripts going into production weren't finished yet either. Framing the episode around footage from The Cage also saved money. If I remember correctly, after broadcasting these 2 episodes, the airing of the show went on break for Thanksgiving and then a few reruns were broadcast so they had 3-4 weeks to finish the special effects on the already filmed episodes, polish the scripts and prepare for their production.
Had a couple of beers after a long day and turned this on. I love your wit and lucid, engaged reactions. Made my day.
I agree. This episode really hits you in the feels. 😢
😭
I love you so much thank you for doing the Star Trek episodes. My father as well was the one that introduced me to science fiction books and Star Trek. Thank you
My favorite ending of the whole series, especially that closing line and the awestruck smile on Kirk's face. Never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
This was your BEST reaction yet!! The emotions 🖖 you experienced, shows the power and quality of Star Trek even now, almost 6 decades later!!
The comment about seeing the 2 butts was hilarious!
Thanks! :D
What we see of Pike in The Cage, is a very tired captain that has barely escaped with his life from an incident we don't see. The rest of the crew are also tired and injured. This gives the impression of a stern leader, who is thinking about giving up Star Fleet. Kirk seems to have a sense of humour, and enjoys teasing Spock at nearly any opportunity. He loves the Enterprise, and being a captain is what he is meant to do. And of course Shatner is very charismatic. The re-use of the 'old' footage gives the series a sense of history and depth, which is a huge plus, and helps develop the lore.
I agree with you! I've said this before on other posts that Hunter portrayed Pike as battle fatigued and was similar to sub commanders of that era. Shatner was pure energy and a symbol of the 60's.
There is a Marvel comic from 1997, Star Trek the Early Voyages, that does a great job of capturing the vibe of Pike and his crew around the time of the Talos IV incident.
Not to spoil anything for you, but whenever you get around to watching "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," you must watch the episode "A Quality of Mercy." It will bring the Menagerie and Spock's dedication to Pike full circle. And show the difference in Pike and Kirk's command style. That's all I will say, I don't want to spoil it for you.
Love that comic run - shame it stopped mid story though@@trentrock3210
I lost count how many times I have seen this episode but this was the first time I got emotional. Your comments made me appreciate it in a new light. Thank you.
Interesting tidbit: Did you happen to notice that Pike's first officer "Number One" is played by the same actor as the one who plays Nurse Christine Chapel? That was something that escaped my attention for some time initially! She is also the voice of the Enterprise Computer. She is Majel Barrett Roddenberry (Gene Roddenberry's wife). Gene is the guy that created Star Trek. Majel also played a recurring role in Star Trek The Next Generation and was the voice of the Enterprise Computer for that series also. Sadly she passed away in December of 2008. I keep wondering if they will bring her voice back in the franchise now that they have perfected deep learning AI based text to speech. Perhaps one day. :). Thanks as always for the great and thoughtful reactions!
The studio didn't like Barrett; they considered her a poor actress. Roddenberry later snuck her onto the show as Nurse Chapel. At the time he was having an affair with Barrett, while still married to his first wife.
@@Caseytify I didn't know they thought she wasn't a decent actress. Too bad they couldn't jump ahead 20 years and see her work in TNG. Looking behind the scenes Gene seemed to have many problems (putting it nicely). I still recall the interview with Majel from Rod Roddenberry's documentary I think it was, where he was asking her about Gene's affairs and she had this totally removed blank body language and said something along the lines of "Oh we don't talk about that dear." So gross.
23:35 Pike now has a blond, brunette and a redhead! Trifecta!! 😆
Laurel Goodwin, the redhead, has unusually strong female drives lol. Goodwin died a few years ago. She appeared with Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls!.
Thank you so much for your honest emotional reaction to this episode. You are a true Star Trek fan!
When you said "rwo beeps!", I literally yelled out nooooooooo! The you corrected it to one beep and I pumped my fist. 😅
It's good to see that you're beginning to see and understand the attraction of "Star Trek." The first time I saw the entire "The Cage" pilot, it was Gene Roddenberry's private copy at the first "Star Trek" convention in New York City in the early 70s.
Pike will pop up here and there in the "Star Trek" franchise.
Thank you so much Bunny for making this classic episode such a joy to revisit. Your reactions and emotions are so in touch with the characters of the series that gives us long time viewers a whole new perspective of what it's like seeing it do the first time. We didn't have access to the original pilot back in 1970's like everyone has now and since you saw it before the Menagerie I was wondering how soon in the story you would figure out what Spock was up to and why he was risking everything for his former captain. Keep em coming Bunny and as probe ahead be on the lookout for other bunnies.
Yes, Jose of the peppers Jose. There was no over all continuity manager, but they had a relatively small stable of scriptwriters who each did.
And when Spock lets out the human side, he is very, very human.
Malchi Throne (Commodore Mendez) voiced the Talosian Keeper in the pilot. So, they changed the pitch of his voice for the footage here.
It's been great to be on this journey with you and to see your reactions to this series. It's especially nice to see that it can still tug at the heartstrings still for an almost 60 year old show. Looking forward to more of your reactions here
Why not? There are lots of movies that are decades older than Star Trek but still play as well as they ever did. It's really a shame more younger people don't know this.
That's why Shakespeare is still valid today. Good writing, a good plot and a good story never gets old. Whether it was made 60 or 500 years ago.
I bet that Bunny got a shock to her system to see Pike in the condition that he is in. Being wheeled around in a futuristic wheel chair.
Color television was still fairly new and a lot of shows weren't even in color at the time so it was really a big selling point. Our family didn't get a color TV until the 2nd season of Star Trek. Shows that did have color tended to make it really vibrant.
As you can imagine, if you just got your first color TV and one network was showing something in color while the other two weren't it would definitely factor into your decision.
"The following program is brought to you IN LIVING COLOR, on NBC." 🦚
That was one of the reasons for the uniform colors in the production show. Blue/Green/Red being the colors of a color television's pixels.
Star Trek broke the mold as far as being shot in color. Color was expensive, and studios would shoot the first season of a show in B&W, and then only if renewed, switch to color. You'll see a lot of shows from that time that did that. Gene insisted that Star Trek be shot in color from the get go, as he felt it was important for the feel of the show.
All three U.S. networks switched to full color for prime time programming with the 1966-67 season.
Yeah.... I just KNEW this episode was going to kick you in the feels. Well done, Bunnytails! Well done!
Two butts walking away, my favorite Star Trek comment so far!
The new show - "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is basically The Captain Pike version on of "Star Trek" with new actors. Thats a record - 57 years between pilot episode and an actual series happening. - The Music Loving Klingon
Great job figuring it out. It's a unique episode. Mostly done this way to just save money. But rhe results make a special show with an almost unexpected happy ending.
You have ro remember, when this was resleased almost no one had seen The Cage.
GREAT REACTION, BUNNY!!!! 🐇👏👏👏👏 You have such a good heart, sweetie, as shown by your tears in reaction to the story of Captain Pike. You are absolutely amazing, dear!!! Lots of love from your biggest fan!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🌹
Thank you ♥
@@bunnytailsREACTS You're quite welcome, my dear!!! 😊😊😊😊
I totally agree!
Your reaction to the ending hit me hard in the feels. Absolutely lovely!
Well done spotting the direction the show was headed during the Part 2 recap!
The writers did a really nice job of integrating the first pilot into this storyline. Some interesting twists and turns leading to the big final act.
THE WOMEN!!
I cannot thank you enough for watching these videos and sharing the reactions. Seeing the glee with the anticipation of where the episode might go and the bliss when it was achieved was very cathartic!
When you watch the episode, you have to remember that the Cage hasn't been shown on TV before 1989 and was first published on VHS in 1988. So this was a way to show the Pilot to the audience.
Yes, I stated as much :)
27:46 Yup. That's why the show had a chance to come back long after it had been canceled from TV, because people just kept watching the re-runs over and over, and grew to love it more and more, and by the time Star Wars came out, studio execs realized the show was more popular at that time than it had ever been during its original run.
Love this reaction, it May have been mentioned but this was aired on TV first, and I think the original pilot was lost until 1988 and was aired
Trek greatness! Your face when you figured it out at the start of Pt. 2, priceless! And they do indeed get better each time you rewatch them. Thank you and R.I.P. to your Dad!
Thank you ❤️
I was literally rooting you on to get it. Your eureka moment (which I watched several times) was priceless. Love your reactions to TOS.
IMO, Shatner is an underrated actor. His style isn't appropriate for everything, not by a long shot. But he's perfect casting for this role. The casting of all the familiar characters carries this show more than the writing, and that's why we have more warm memories of the crew over the specific adventures.
Excellent reactions, BTW. I think you're seeing the show clearly, despite the vast difference in eras.
Durring the the cold war, it was therapeutic to watch the only program on T.V. that gave hope (in many episodes) that humanity would survive the insanity of Mutually assured destruction (MAD). It was commonly believed that it was only a matter of time before the world would end in a nuclear holocaust (and it almost did a few times). And the hope that we humans could evolve to something honorable and ethical. Star Trek is one of the most re-watchable shows; many of its predictions came true; both technologically and historically. Let's hope we don't blow it.
Another great reaction bunny. When the remastered The Menagerie episode were released, they had a limited theatrical release. I was fortunate to see this on the big screen in my local movie theatre. It looked great, except for the remastered shuttle craft.
Loved it. And yeah, I still get emotional, too, whenever I see this episode. Even in the earlier parts when we see Spock risking it all for his former captain.
It's one of the reasons I was thrilled that they decided to do a modern day series with the adventures of Pike and Spock.
You don't see it overtly due to the Vulcan stoicism, but Spock has no shortage of compassion.
No human man can resist Bunnytails. And speaking of making more humans… sign me up!
The beauty of this episode to me is that it is about the horror of disability, of being unable to move or express oneself or fulfill your dreams or live a life like others can and do. Anyone who is or who knows someone who is paralyzed, like I have, or disabled sees this as Star Trek's greatest episode. It's a story about the most emotionless of beings, Spock, risking his life and career out of love for his former captain to bring him to a place where the captain's disability makes no difference at all. To posit that someplace in the future or the universe there is such a place is to me the most hopeful and beautiful statement that ST can make. And to think that it came out on network television in 1966? Breathtaking.
Remember when the shuttlecraft caught up, Spock only told them to transport Kirk to the Enterprise. He knew there was no Commodore aboard.
That also means that Kirk had 8 hours of air remaining on the shuttle. He just didn't know it.
Before Star Trek aired on television, Gene Roddenberry was at a science fiction convention to promote the show and showed the 2nd pilot. The audience loved it and asked if he had more episodes with him. He did have a copy of The Cage and showed that also. So technically some did see the first pilot before this episode or it's VHS release or its first airing long into the next generation years.
I love the fact this episode impacted you so emotionally. I think City on the Edge of Forever may impact you as well. There are some great episodes ahead in this season. Watching these through your eyes helps me see this classic show with a new perspective. Thank you.
That's how to foreshadow without spoiling, by the way. Good job! 👍
Hiya Bunny. Great job. In case nobody said it yet, THE CAGE was never broadcast. It first became available somewhere in the 80s. What's tragic is we never got to see Pike, Spock, and #1 become the first Trek triad. If you don't know, the brand new show STRANGE NEW WORLDS is exactly about that.
OH YEAH. BREAKING NEWS: If Talosians can read minds, they'd know EXACTLY what Vena looked like. (The episode is very well written but sometimes stuff like this reveals when it was written.)
They may not be able to read minds when the person is unconscious...
I submit to you: perhaps you should attempt to make your patient conscious again before reconstructing them? @@dupersuper1938
They at least could’ve made things symmetrical...
@@kunserndsittizen2655 Given their big lumpy heads, maybe they consider lumpiness beautiful...
What a lovely reaction to this two parter.
For the longest time this two part episode was all we ever saw of the original pilot. It wasnt until around 1990, I think, that a version was released on VHS that used the footage in this episode and filling in the missing pieces with footage from the only surviving print of the original version but was in black and white. So, all the scenes that are cut in this two-parter were in black and white, and from a very grainy print that belonged to Roddenberry.
I dont know if the studio ever coughed up the original 35mm print or if the black and white version was colorized and cleaned up but that's all there was back then
No, what happened was that a full-color version was discovered in the Paramount vault. No colorizing needed.
I wondered. I never knew where the new restored version came from@@michaelhall2709
I loved how Pike conveyed SO much feeling with just a simple, electronic beep. Especially when he emphatically EXTENDED them. ✨😁✨
Bob Justman (Associate Producer, Co-Producer) wrote in his book with Herb Solow (Executive in Charge of Production) titled "Star Trek: The Real Story”, that Shatner brought an energy to the role that Hunter didn’t have and that the show needed.
Even though Hunter had chemistry for the role his style was more subdued and he really wasn’t feeling it. He was offered the series again after NBC picked the show up and sent his wife to decline for him.
Jeffrey Hunter playing Pike, was a very good actor, who was in some of the greatest films of the classic Hollywood era. Most notably, The Searchers, considered by many film critics and "best lists", as a top 10 film of all time. When Hunter did the pilot for Star Trek, the studio couldn't give him assurances about how the series would develop. He dropped out of consideration for the series. William Shatner, on the other hand, was given scripts and a commitment as to the central place Kirk would have in the series. So Jeffrey Hunter was doing a one off performance. Shatner was much more invested.
Hunter played Jesus in "King of Kings". You might say he had top billing in that one.