The Cage - Remastered

[Phillip Culley]

Back when the second season of remastered TOS episodes was announced, we were told as a 'special event' The Cage would be shown as an uncut 90-minute special.

However, I've just checked the website of the CW station I watch it on, who have The Cage scheduled in a 1-hour slot. At the same time, the website has specified they're showing The Cage as opposed to a generic Star Trek listing (which I could expect if they didn't have the details).

Has anything been announced subsequent to the initial announcement, or am I likely to sit down and watch it, only to find the first or last half hour missing? (of course it would be nice to find they're running it advert free, but there's no chance of that )

 

[NCC621]

I don't recall any official announcement that it would be running uncut as a 90 minute special. I do remember some fans hoping that this would happen, but that's not the same thing.

 

[guardian]

I don't recall any official announcement that it would be running uncut as a 90 minute special. I do remember some fans hoping that this would happen, but that's not the same thing.

I'm pretty sure they DID say it was going to have an expanded time-slot.

It's 14 minutes longer than the average episode of TOS (64 min.) and they cut out 7 minutes of the average episode. So, 21 minutes cut out of the Cage would be pointless and worthless.

 

[Cyrus]

The initial press release at startrek.com about season 2 of TOS-R mentioned an uncut version, but later it was changed and that part was removed.

An edited syndication version of The Cage to fit a one hour time slot has been around for a quite while, so this will be similar to that. The uncut version will probably have to wait until the DVDs come out.

 

[Grant]

WOW, what a chopped up mess that will be--21 mintues cut out!!!
Unwatchable in my book.

 

[Outpost4]

A 43 minute Cage.

Instead of cutting it, why don't they just speed it up by a third? That should just about make it fit into a 43 minute hole. Everyone would walk around really fast. It could be turned into a comedy.

 

[WalkinMan]

21 minutes cut out...arg, that's disappointing...

 

[cooleddie74]

It'll just be the standard Syndicated and TV LAND edit with new effects and CGI. That's all.

 

[Cyrus]

This is nothing new. This edited version of The Cage was added to syndication package even before TOS went to the SciFi channel.

I am hoping that after this syndication run is over that they would sell TOS-R to a channel like HDNet. That way not only we can finally see it in HD, but also uncut since they don't run commercials. Of course HDNet will probably ask for a widescreen version (which has its good and bad points as previously discussed in this forum).

 

[cooleddie74]

It's a damn shame the new CGI Remastering didn't happen nine or ten years ago when Sci-Fi ran the completely unedited versions of all eighty original episodes in its "Special Edition" promotion. Then we'd have the ultimate versions of TOS and not these truncated, chopped edits that even cut out some of the new CGI!

 

[gastrof]

You know...

If it's 64 minutes long, they might even be able to turn it into a two parter, running it with A LOT of commercials over a two week period. (Too bad the schedule is already up and shows it as a one week only thing.)

I do remember them originally saying it'd be run uncut, and we all wondered how they'd manage it with it being over an hour to begin with.

Well, I guess we'll find out what they're going to do when the weekend of April 26th rolls around...

Two more weeks, guys.

 

[cooleddie74]

A little of their work's already been done for them. They can just reuse some of the shots from the Remastered "Menagerie" episodes and save a little time.

 

[gastrof]

...I am hoping that after this syndication run is over that they would sell TOS-R to a channel like HDNet. That way not only we can finally see it in HD, but also uncut since they don't run commercials. Of course HDNet will probably ask for a widescreen version (which has its good and bad points as previously discussed in this forum).

Oh please.

Chopping up a 4x3 show just to make it appear widescreen is insane. I hate that CBS or Paramount, or whoever at the time, said widescreen versions of TOSR were a possibility. In my opinion, that's just plain careless.

 

[Outpost4]

This is nothing new. This edited version of The Cage was added to syndication package even before TOS went to the SciFi channel.

I am hoping that after this syndication run is over that they would sell TOS-R to a channel like HDNet. That way not only we can finally see it in HD, but also uncut since they don't run commercials. Of course HDNet will probably ask for a widescreen version (which has its good and bad points as previously discussed in this forum).

HDNet, for all of their turning series like Hogan's Heroes into 16:9, has shown things windowboxed and 4:3. I do like your idea, Cyrus. Maybe they can option Star Trek when their HD exclusive on Enterprise runs out. They still have most of the fourth season to broadcast yet. For all the times they've replayed Broken Bow, they've yet to play In A Mirror, Darkly, once.

 

[Cyrus]

HDNet, for all of their turning series like Hogan's Heroes into 16:9, has shown things windowboxed and 4:3. I do like your idea, Cyrus. Maybe they can option Star Trek when their HD exclusive on Enterprise runs out. They still have most of the fourth season to broadcast yet. For all the times they've replayed Broken Bow, they've yet to play In A Mirror, Darkly, once.

It would be cool if HDNet showed both the 4:3 and 16:9 versions. They repeat everything often enough so it maybe a possibility. They are showing the 4th episode of ENT season 4 tonight, so they should be done with all ENT episodes just about the time TOS-R finishes its syndication run (around September). Even if their ENT contract goes beyond that, there is nothing to prevent them from showing both shows at the same time.

 

[Noname Given]

This is nothing new. This edited version of The Cage was added to syndication package even before TOS went to the SciFi channel.

I am hoping that after this syndication run is over that they would sell TOS-R to a channel like HDNet. That way not only we can finally see it in HD, but also uncut since they don't run commercials. Of course HDNet will probably ask for a widescreen version (which has its good and bad points as previously discussed in this forum).

HDNet, for all of their turning series like Hogan's Heroes into 16:9, has shown things windowboxed and 4:3. I do like your idea, Cyrus. Maybe they can option Star Trek when their HD exclusive on Enterprise runs out. They still have most of the fourth season to broadcast yet. For all the times they've replayed Broken Bow, they've yet to play In A Mirror, Darkly, once.

Well as HDNet plays an HD episode of ENT for the first time on it's Monday night slot; it then adds that episode to the daily 10:00 AM 'stripped' run. Personally, I hope they keep that up because I'd like to see he 4th season in actual HD a few times.

And I too hope CBS/Paramount decides to let an HD outlet (liek HDNet) option and broadcast TOS-R as it seems it may be a while before the Blu-Ray TOS-R Season Sets are out.

 

[Trekwatcher]

Actually, after reading all of this the 90 min airing slot sounds like it was the best idea all along.

 

[Cyrus]

If this was cable or a broadcast network then getting a 90 minute slot wouldn't have been a big problem. But to get hundreds of TV stations to juggle their schedule and agree to a 90 minute time slot, specially in the middle of season, is not easy.

 

[Cicero]

Have we heard anything as to why the remastered TOS isn't being released on Blu-Ray in the near future?

 

[cooleddie74]

Who knows. I myself never heard an explanation why. So far I haven't seen or read anything about the Blu-Ray issue.