NBC was given four pilots of Star Trek: The Original Series to choose from

As a seasoned Star Trek enthusiast who has witnessed the evolution of this iconic series over the decades, I can’t help but feel a sense of bittersweet nostalgia when reflecting upon “The Cage.” This forgotten pilot episode, which was rejected by NBC in 1965, is now hailed as one of the best episodes by many Star Trek aficionados.

The Cage” was the initial episode for Star Trek: The Original Series, produced in January 1965. It was submitted to NBC for screening in February 1965, but unfortunately, the network executives chose not to air it as the pilot for their new science fiction series at that time. However, today this episode is highly acclaimed by sites such as Den of Geek and Syfy, despite its rejection back in 1965.

Oscar Katz, who was the head of production at Desilu, which produced the first two seasons of The Original Series, didn’t understaned why the network had turned it down, and the explanation didn’t really help. Executives responded with “we can’t sell this show; it’s too atypical.” Katz reminded NBC that they’d chosen “The Cage” to review as the pilot out of four potential offerings as Gene Roddenberry had written three additional script pilots.

When they rejected “The Cage,” I asked NBC, “Why are you turning it down?” and I was told. “We can’t sell it from this show, it’s too atypical.” I said, “but you guys picked this one. I gave you four choices.” NBC said, “I know we did and because of that, right now, we’re going to give you an order for a second pilot next season.”

As a fervent fan, I’ve come across an interesting piece of Star Trek trivia: In “The Fifty-Year Mission The First 25 Years,” it’s revealed by Stephen Kandel, the author of “Mudd’s Women,” that the network was initially spooked by “The Cage” because they believed the viewers might find it too complex to grasp.

NBC selected “The Cage” from four potential scripts, which prompted them to reconsider Star Trek. They might have felt they picked the wrong script initially. Regardless, getting a second pilot was uncommon, and it’s unknown if Roddenberry chose one of his original three scripts for NBC’s reevaluation. However, we do know that the second attempt resulted in “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” although it didn’t debut as the first episode in September 1966; instead, “The Man Trap” held that position. It’s intriguing to speculate whether the second pilot was based on Roddenberry’s initial scripts or if he opted for a different one with the opportunity for a second chance.

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2024-09-23 01:23