Episode of the Week : Bread and Circuses
- Thread starter Botany Bay
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I gave it a 7. I would have gone higher were it not for that Jesus being the son of god nonsense at the end.
I liked the several "Let's take this opportunity to insert some sense into Star Trek" moments there. We finally learn something substantial about the ever-so-clever Prime Directive here, establishing why the heroes with their advanced gadgetry don't always automatically triumph. We get treated to Hodgkins' Law, we get a sample of Starfleet's arsenal of soft weaponry, and we learn the difference between generic spacecraft commanders and starship captains. The latter for example have clever means of communicating the fact that they are being coerced...
It's also another fine example of our heroes being constantly on top of the absurd situation, without actually detracting from the jeopardy. Sure, there's gory death around the corner, but there's also a plan coming together, and another at the ready if the first one fails - professional backups to backups.
The Son/Sun stuff does weaken the ending for me personally, too. But I won't say it would be a weak ending per se; it's actually reasonably clever.
Timo Saloniemi
It's also another fine example of our heroes being constantly on top of the absurd situation, without actually detracting from the jeopardy. Sure, there's gory death around the corner, but there's also a plan coming together, and another at the ready if the first one fails - professional backups to backups.
The Son/Sun stuff does weaken the ending for me personally, too. But I won't say it would be a weak ending per se; it's actually reasonably clever.
Timo Saloniemi
I gave it a 6. I have always wondered why a "Roman" planet would be English-speaking. 
I think it was a very good episode; I ranked it at a 9 (but should be an 8.5 but I rounded up). Very rarely do we ever get to see such moments between Spock and McCoy; the scene when they were waiting and wondering what happened to the captain may be the most poignant moment in that relationship from the entire series. Also, Kirk is just so totally a great captain here and then we have one of the best Scotty moments as well when he kills the power on the entire planet. This is a strong episode and the fact that the Romans spoke English is expected since this was an American TV show from the 1960's. For what it's worth, they speak perfect Italian if you watch the show on Italian TV.
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Same reason all the other planets are.I gave it a 6. I have always wondered why a "Roman" planet would be English-speaking.
But Spock specifically says the inhabitants speak English. That line should have been left out at least.
This episode contains what is probably the single (imho) most reprehensible thing Kirk ever does, he was offered the "use" of a female slave for the night and (apparently) does have sex with her.
I sometimes watch Star Trek that has been translated into Spanish, the son/sun thing obviously doesn't have the same ability to be confused (hijo/sol) in Spanish and is one of the clear indications that what the Enterprise's crew is speaking in the future is English.
I liked the episode's last scene, it showed that religion was alive and well among (at least some) of our heroes, I especially liked the joy on Uhura's face and in her voice as she made her explanation.
I sometimes watch Star Trek that has been translated into Spanish, the son/sun thing obviously doesn't have the same ability to be confused (hijo/sol) in Spanish and is one of the clear indications that what the Enterprise's crew is speaking in the future is English.
I liked the episode's last scene, it showed that religion was alive and well among (at least some) of our heroes, I especially liked the joy on Uhura's face and in her voice as she made her explanation.
I've always loved this episode myself. I gave it a ten! Trek at it's best! Look out for the hot coffee pot, Bill!
JB
JB
Not one of my favorites. Learning about starships and the prime directive is both redundant to the series and peripheral to the episode's story. This is total silliness. Three.
I've often wondered how they dealt with the "sun/son" pun when the show was dubbed into other languages.
Well, when in Rome, as they say . . .
Seriously, that never bothered me in the slightest. What did put me off a bit, though, was Spock's description of sun worship as "usually a primitive superstition religion." A surprisingly judgmental and ethnocentric comment coming from Spock, of all people, even considering the times.
This has been one of my favorites and I gave it a "9."
Rhodes Reason who played Flavius was the brother of Rex Reason. Back in the 70's when I first saw the classic movie, "This Island Earth," I thought Rhodes and Rex were the same person. Looked and sounded a lot alike - go figure, they are brothers.
Rhodes Reason who played Flavius was the brother of Rex Reason. Back in the 70's when I first saw the classic movie, "This Island Earth," I thought Rhodes and Rex were the same person. Looked and sounded a lot alike - go figure, they are brothers.
Actually, it would be quite out of character and contrary to the plot structure of the episode for him to have that sex.
Remember that this was a bribe of sorts, or at least a reward for Kirk living up to the standards of Claudius. But Kirk despises Claudius. He smiles derisively and irritatingly at the ideals upheld by Claudius, knowing he is the better man and has the upper hand. Surely the natural thing for him to do in the circumstances would be to talk politics and play checkers with the woman all night, confident that Claudius is watching and grinding his teeth.
That said, "Using a sex worker's services is evil" is a problematic stance for many reasons. It implies among other things that
1) the profession is beneath contempt
2) the worker therefore is beneath contempt, too
3) sex is bad
None of those sounds like a good approach to life. If Claudius had sent in a cleaning slave, should Kirk have told her to get her dirty mop out of there? Well, he probably should, considering this was all about ridiculing Claudius, but Kirk is a gentleman. He would have found a way to insult Claudius without insulting the slave. And he probably did so in the situation at hand, too.
Timo Saloniemi
-Nice locations
-Great music
-Shatner is in the zone
-Excellent jail cell scene between Spock &
McCoy
-Nice pan up to the chandelier before Kirk gets it on
-Strong guest actors
10/10 Entertaining!
-Great music
-Shatner is in the zone
-Excellent jail cell scene between Spock &
McCoy
-Nice pan up to the chandelier before Kirk gets it on
-Strong guest actors
10/10 Entertaining!
Well, Claudius does say "Because you are a man, I gave you some last hours as a man." So Claudius at least thinks Kirk got it on with the slave girl. But unless he was watching the action in Kirk's cell on closed-circuit TV, how would he know? Kirk could have spent the night teaching Drusilla the rules of fizzbin.
This is my favorite of the parallel Earth stories. It's got a strong message, great performances, a fast pace and is funny in all the right places.
What keeps it from being a 10 is the fact that Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down in their normal uniforms with their huge Phaser 2 pistols slung at their hips. They're yammering about obeying the prime directive, but they never took the time to wear the clothing they saw people wearing on the view screen in the teaser. Just seems a little wacky.
What keeps it from being a 10 is the fact that Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down in their normal uniforms with their huge Phaser 2 pistols slung at their hips. They're yammering about obeying the prime directive, but they never took the time to wear the clothing they saw people wearing on the view screen in the teaser. Just seems a little wacky.
Nominally a slightly above average episode of TOS, but it gains an extra point for that brilliant and illuminating scene between Spock and McCoy in jail. If you watch the series in production order, Spock's sniping at McCoy had been getting more and more childish or just downright insulting recently. Their conversation in this episode brings matter to a head somewhat. In subsequent episodes their relationship and banter returns to their Season One "friendly banter/mutual respect".
I know that TOS was supposed be viewed in any particular order, but it is nice to see that even this far into the series, the relationships between our leads are still in a state of growth.
I know that TOS was supposed be viewed in any particular order, but it is nice to see that even this far into the series, the relationships between our leads are still in a state of growth.
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