The Cage & Captain Pike

Is it wrong that the more I think about it the more I like the Cage bridge, uniform and ship designs more than the TOS ones?

 

No. I, too, like "The Cage" bridge although I think it could use a dash more colour even if not as colourful as the TOS version.

In a way the original version was revisited in an overall sense in TMP.

 

I do not recall which book I read it in, if it was "I Am Spock" or "Star Trek Memories," but I believe that Hunter, after a suggestion by his wife, asked for more money to continue with the show, regardless of the form. Now, I might be misremembering this information, so please take it with some salt.

 

I love "The Cage". Makes me wish the studio had taken a chance on Trek in that format.

I have always preferred Pike to Kirk, his more subtle manner and moments of reflection and doubt made him a far more likeable character.

I love Number One. A strong and profession woman, though with a hint of femininity and vulnerability she keeps concealed.

Boyce always struck me as an adventurer, someone who wasn't caring for rank or accolades, but just wanted to go out into space and see what was there.

Spock (seeing how his character evolved in the series and movies) always just seems a little weird, with his smiling and outbursts.

Tyler was a little under-defined so could've gone on to do all manner of things. He did seem eager and adventurous though, obviously a little in awe of Pike.

At first appearance Colt seems to be the sweet-hearted girl, a rookie who doesn't know what she's doing, but she has a moment or two of feistiness.

When I learned of the Early Voyages comics, I had to track them down so I could enjoy more of their adventures.

 

Spock's look of panic in the cage is unique.

 

There are mere hints of possibilities in all of the characters, but nothing really defined. But that can be part of the appeal because they're all open to all kinds of interpretations. They're not weighted by what we're already familiar with. As such there is still a freshness and novelty to Pike, his crew and that era.

I would hardly call Pike more likeable than Kirk because we don't really know Pike or how he would have evolved while we definitely know Kirk. And I definitely find Kirk a likeable fellow.

 

Majel was in competition with the other one to become Pike's mate. I think the alien said something to that effect.

 

I don't speak to the accuracy of this, but I'd take Solow's word over any of the actors, since they had no reason to know the details.

 

It was hardly a competition. The Talosian Keeper was trying to create a situation and no one was biting. It doesn't matter that Number One or Colt might have had any feelings towards Pike in any measure because they were feelings they were highly unlikely to act on.

 

Even if you limit the comparison to the pilots, Kirk still wins the appeal contest over Pike. Some might defend Pike by noting he was dealing with a recent loss, only to be kidnapped / threatened, but Kirk struggled throughout his pilot with unenviable task of watching his best friend transform into a threat he's being coaxed into killing. Even after the tragedy, he manages to exhibit the kind of character that made audiences want to know more about him, & share his journey.

 

I suppose his starring in the Temple Houston series that had aired on NBC just the previous year didn't count.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Houston_(TV_series)

 

Looks like more raw material for the "Trek Guest Actors" thread. I spotted three off the top of my head from the Wikipedia page.

 

Temple Houston was not fantasy. Few "serious actors" respected anything under that umbrella at the time (much like today--even when it earns bank loads of money). Funny thing is, if Hunter's wife had a problem with his being associated with fantasy, it did not prevent him from guest starring on an episode of The Green Hornet ("Freeway to Death") in December of 1966.

 

Both Nimoy and Shatner recall that Hunter was "let go" (Nimoy) or "fired" (Shatner) in their memoirs. According to Herb Solow (Maurice quotes the appropriate passage), Hunter actually declined to participate in the second pilot, which is supported by a letter Roddenberry sent the actor on April 5, 1965. I wrote a little more about Hunter's departure in this blog post.

 

Remembering Jeffrey Hunter: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h2VWQCxqkH0

 

From the performances in 'The Cage' I don't think that Star Trek would have been a success. And there would have been no TNG, DS9, VOY or ENT.

 

Thank you, and to Maurice as well, for the information. I did remember that his wife had something to say about it, but obviously the circumstances were lost a little bit to time.

I appreciate the link as well, and look forward to reading it

As for the Cage, I think Pike could have been a charismatic leader, much like Kirk, if given the opportunity to explore different facets of the character.

 

I've always found Kirk to be a bit of a douche personally. Pike, even in just a single appearance, just struck me as a more interesting character.

To each their own.

 

To Kirk, as long as you're wearing a red shirt, it's like you don't exist.

 

Too bad the thread fell apart into a Kirk vs. Pike thing.

Again, I think it would've been cool to have a few more adventures with Pike and his crew, but I definitely think Kirk, Spock, Bones and co made for an infinitely better cast.

Still, I'd love to see more Pike despite Kirk being one my all time, if not my all time, favorite character.