re: Star Trek: TOS Watchers - Season 1 Wrapup *Page 25*

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The unsuccessful first ST pilot "The Cage" (which you can watch here), written by Roddenberry, had been a slow moving sci fi about mind control and illusion, with some Adam and Eve thrown in. It was like a very mediocre Outer Limits, and certainly not what Roddenberry had promised NBC. Not surprising it was rejected.

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Another thing "WNMHGB" improved on was in humanizing Kirk. Captain Pike in "The Cage" comes across as a very cold fish indeed, despite being a given a doctor-as-confessor scene (which "WNMHGB" conspicuously lacks). Partly this is due to the aloof performance of star Jeffrey Hunter.

"WNMHGB" however makes us empathize with Kirk even before the credits, in an efficient chess game scene which also adeptly sketches Spock and the respectful but competitive friendship between the two.

We also increasingly identify with Kirk as the story progresses, since the crisis involving his friend also affects him. This is is much more skillful storytelling than in "The Cage", even if (because?) it's done in the standard western format.