| Review : |
The original pilot, famously 'too cerebral' for the network bosses. Well, maybe they thought they were right, but I believe this was one of the best. It's odd when watching how different some things seem, especially where they sound effects don't seem to match the pictures, but that's simply because they decided different effects sounded better for different things. The sets also seemed more primitive, even in the remastered version. Still, some things actually seemed better - the uniforms were more practical for one thing. The acting was excellent as well. Jeffrey Hunter was a far better actor than William Shatner, and I really wish we had seen more of Captain Pike. Majel Barrett's 'Number One' was a curious character (pity we never found out her name) and the original version of Spock was certainly different from the character we know (although he was the only 'survivor' from the original cast). Still, I can't fault the story. Rodenberry managed a subtle reversal, from Pike being powerless in a cage, experimented on like a lab rat, to Pike being the key to the Talosians' survival, taking almost complete control of the situation. Almost, but not total. He also did it with his own mind, and the crew's best efforts to throw technology at the situation came to very little - although they did provide Pike with some useful laser pistols. It also highlighted the danger of disappearing into a fantasy world and leaving the real world to fall apart around you (something Mr Barclay and certain Trekkers ought to remember). It's a great unknown whether a series with Captain Pike's crew would have worked, but I would have liked to find out. This would have been an excellent start. |
