''The Cage'' - to watch, or not to watch?

[Harvey]

The Cage is what The Original Series SHOULD have been.

A less colorful visual palette? Despite having a female second-in-command, sexism that's even more blatant than it will be on the series? An all-white bridge crew (even José Tyler ends up being a blonde-haired white guy)?

I like Jeffrey Hunter as Pike, a much more introspective character than Kirk would be on most occasions, but give me the series proper over "The Cage."

 

[CoveTom]

^ Of the criticisms you mention, yes, I would take the less colorful visual palette. I know that the TOS set and costume design was for the purpose of selling color TV sets, but it looked quite unrealistic and hokey, IMHO. I definitely prefer the bridge design from "The Cage," for example.

 

[The Lensman]

It is my personal theory, backed up by as much evidence as I have been able to compile, that the bridge of the Enterprise as depicted in "The Cage" is not, in fact, real and doesn't really exist in the dome of that ship at any angle. My research shows that it was, in fact, an elaborately designed and constructed depiction of what a bridge might look like, constructed on a sound stage in southern California.

 

[Harvey]

^ Of the criticisms you mention, yes, I would take the less colorful visual palette. I know that the TOS set and costume design was for the purpose of selling color TV sets, but it looked quite unrealistic and hokey, IMHO. I definitely prefer the bridge design from "The Cage," for example.

I'll have to disagree on that point. While I think "The Cage" looks fine (as does "Where No Man Has Gone Before"), the bright colors of the series proper are one of the most appealing things about it to me these days, especially in beautiful HD.

 

[scotpens]

The Cage is what The Original Series SHOULD have been.

A less colorful visual palette? Despite having a female second-in-command, sexism that's even more blatant than it will be on the series? An all-white bridge crew (even José Tyler ends up being a blonde-haired white guy)?

Don't forget, it was the dropping of the Number One character -- or rather, the combining of her character with Science Officer Spock -- that gave us the logical, unemotional Spock who became one of the most famous fictional characters ever created.

And, not to stray into TNZ territory, but plenty of Spanish-named people have fair skin and blond hair. I used to work with a Cuban lady who's paler than I am.

Of the criticisms you mention, yes, I would take the less colorful visual palette. I know that the TOS set and costume design was for the purpose of selling color TV sets, but it looked quite unrealistic and hokey, IMHO. I definitely prefer the bridge design from "The Cage," for example.

Complete with gooseneck viewers and hard-copy printout slot?

I think adding touches of red to the bridge made practical sense as well as looking more colorful. The red railings and console edges make them stand out visually so the crew are less likely to bump into them.

 

[BillJ]

I'll have to disagree on that point. While I think "The Cage" looks fine (as does "Where No Man Has Gone Before"), the bright colors of the series proper are one of the most appealing things about it to me these days, especially in beautiful HD.

I wish they would've kept the overhead displays from The Cage and Where No Man....

 

[Harvey]

And, not to stray into TNZ territory, but plenty of Spanish-named people have fair skin and blond hair. I used to work with a Cuban lady who's paler than I am.

I don't think such conversations have to be exiled to TNZ, just as long as they're discussed with civility.

Upon further research, apparently Tyler was supposed to have been of Brazilian and European-American descent. Duryea works in that role. Of course, Roddenberry's description of the character can't help but saddle him with a few racial stereotypes. According to bio in The Making of Star Trek, he inherited his Brazilian mother's "Latin temperament."

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Not borne out onscreen, though, as the Tyler we saw barely had ANY temperament at all...

 

[Warped9]

The thing is with "The Cage" as a standalone we don't really see all that much. If NBC had accepted it pretty much as is then who is to say what tweaking might have been made? It's little different, less actually, from seeing what writers were doing with the characters in the early TNG novels when only a few episodes had even been broadcast.

...candidly I liked the Picard in the early novels better than Picard onscreen.

 

[Harvey]

^ Not borne out onscreen, though, as the Tyler we saw barely had ANY temperament at all...

Or personality of any sort, which is probably why NBC rejected his character. But the info is present in Roddenberry's pitch, as well as his final story outline.

Navigator José Tyler, always the Latin, is instantly interested, wondering whether or not this "dream woman" was beautiful?

Chekov would eventually fill the young and overenthusiastic role that Tyler was supposed to play.