Bread and Circuses episode
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DevilintheDark
Lieutenant
Hmm, guess i was wrong.For some reason i had always thought GR was jewish.Now that i think about it though i have no idea why i thought that.
Personally I don't think Kirk and Drusilla got far beyond grapes. Proconsul wakes Jim fully dressed (including his boots), he's as worried about Spock and McCoy as they about him, and he already suspects surveillance. After a busy day the smart thing to do would be rest, and next scene we see the light out and Marcus acknowledging he slept through the afternoon.
It's open to interpretation and she is pretty, except for dyeing her roots dark.
It's open to interpretation and she is pretty, except for dyeing her roots dark.
If I may add my take on parts of this discussion.
I didn't view it as a "plug" for Christianity. It was simply a plot device to work in Son worshipers as sun worshipers. And the episode never called Christ "savior." At least I don't recall that happening. (But I DID get a kick out of Uhuru tying it together.)
Why would it bother Nimoy or Shatner? They were actors doing a job. About 20 years ago I took a group of teens to see a touring production of "Godspell". The cast was Broadway caliber, this wasn't a high school production. The kids wanted to talk to some of the cast after the show because they projected such depth of faith. We discovered most of the cast was either atheist or agnostic. The kids were amazed but a good actor is just that...a good actor.
I firmly believe that there is life out there in the universe. As a priest I've often wondered whether or not those folks would need a visit from Christ too. Why shouldn't Star Trek ponder (not pander) the question as well?
One last item...I too loved the satire and the interplay between McCoy and Spock. Great stuff performed well by two pros. Oh...and before I forget...they SHOULD have been speaking Latin.
I didn't view it as a "plug" for Christianity. It was simply a plot device to work in Son worshipers as sun worshipers. And the episode never called Christ "savior." At least I don't recall that happening. (But I DID get a kick out of Uhuru tying it together.)
Why would it bother Nimoy or Shatner? They were actors doing a job. About 20 years ago I took a group of teens to see a touring production of "Godspell". The cast was Broadway caliber, this wasn't a high school production. The kids wanted to talk to some of the cast after the show because they projected such depth of faith. We discovered most of the cast was either atheist or agnostic. The kids were amazed but a good actor is just that...a good actor.
I firmly believe that there is life out there in the universe. As a priest I've often wondered whether or not those folks would need a visit from Christ too. Why shouldn't Star Trek ponder (not pander) the question as well?
One last item...I too loved the satire and the interplay between McCoy and Spock. Great stuff performed well by two pros. Oh...and before I forget...they SHOULD have been speaking Latin.
Good point father.
Well, he'd have had every motivation not to.
I mean, he could rely on his captors watching. Why not deny them the satisfaction? He could also rely on this not being his last night on Earth (or Earth's evil twin, or whatever). Why not radiate confidence? And he was opposed to this whole slavery business, by Starfleet doctrine and personally. Why not make a point here, by engaging Drusilla with intense political discussion rather than intense amorous advances? Finally, there was a finite chance that Drusilla was an agent of destruction, either at the behest of her masters, or then simply because the equivalent of 20th century technology wouldn't have conquered veneric diseases yet.
And of course, Kirk had a ship full of better prey anyway.
Timo Saloniemi
That's TOS - high quality entertainment all round
I'm jewish and the "son" worshiper reference never really bothered me much.
A fun episode although I would have liked trek to tie together its parallel earth stories- Miri- Omega glory and this one- with the preservers as Shatner later tried in his books. as others have pointed out, at least they explained the nazis and gangsters.
A fun episode although I would have liked trek to tie together its parallel earth stories- Miri- Omega glory and this one- with the preservers as Shatner later tried in his books. as others have pointed out, at least they explained the nazis and gangsters.
DevilintheDark
Lieutenant
Thinking about it i dont see why them speaking english would be of note to spock at all since every alien in Star Trek speaks english...
Khan dreams in English. That should be good enough for anyone.
I believe they actually tried to do that, but could never get a decent script together....
TransporterBeam
Lieutenant Commander
Captain Kirk did some of his best fighting scenes in the ring with the Gladiator. It is too bad he never did more sword fighting scenes with the Klingons . The only episode if I am correct with the Klingons having swords was Day of the Dove ? Why weren't the Klingons given swords to use from day one? The Klingons and starfleet Officers could have had some wild Sword action.
[I mentioned this in the Star Trek and Religion thread, but it seems to bear repeating here.]
It's interesting to note that the homage (used strictly in the broader sense of that word) given the Son of God in "Bread and Circuses" could well be interpreted as a fairly subtle sap of Christianity, in that it posits there was nothing unique about the Incarnation here on Earth. Discerning Christians would hold a birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus on Magna Roma completely unnecessary, as the Omniversal God-King need be made flesh only once to ensure cosmic redemption.
Frankly, I don't think it was given nearly so much thought as any of us have put into it.
It's interesting to note that the homage (used strictly in the broader sense of that word) given the Son of God in "Bread and Circuses" could well be interpreted as a fairly subtle sap of Christianity, in that it posits there was nothing unique about the Incarnation here on Earth. Discerning Christians would hold a birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus on Magna Roma completely unnecessary, as the Omniversal God-King need be made flesh only once to ensure cosmic redemption.
Frankly, I don't think it was given nearly so much thought as any of us have put into it.
- I think Kirk definitely slept with Drusilla. There's nothing particularly surprising about him doing the deed, redressing, and then laying down until further action is necessary.
- I enjoyed the interplay between McCoy and Spock.
- I can't help but think of King Kong Escapes, and the other Doctor Who, whenever I see Rhodes Reason.
- I appreciated the Christian references as more a philsophical nod than an affirmation of religious truth.
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For those of you that still have the VHS tape of this particular episode, did you watch the closing credits to see if it said "A Desilu Production" at the end?
~Ben
~Ben
Uh, oh. A nine year old thread has been resurrected. 
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