The original pilot for the classic series is of interest to see how it differentiates from what became famous. There is Spock but none of the other crew - however there is a crew. Instead of Kirk there's Captain Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, who supposedly turned the role down in a decision that in hindsight can be seen to be a major mistake.
I think Hunter would've been absolutely fine - he wasn't as talented as William Shatner and lacked the intensity and humour, but he had his own conviction.
It's a good solid story with imagination - Pike winds up on a planet where aliens want him to breed with a hot blonde. It does dip in the middle - there's a strong start with Pike and the others going on the planet and meeting the mysterious women, and the aliens, etc, but it gets bogged down with too much chat. I can see why executives were wary of this.
All the raw material is there though - it just needed finessing, which they did. More character interaction among the leads, more dramatisation of the themes, etc.
There's two women officers on the ship but their characters are disappointingly sketchy (one is a bit cold which has promise). There's too much Pike to be honest - maybe Gene Rodenberry was hedging his bets making it a solo vehicle. At least it's smart.
1 comment:
Hunter was indeed fine but fine don’t cut it in the long run - Shatner and his chemistry with Nimoy and De Forrest Kelley allowed what would have likely been only a cult series to break out and capture the world’s imagination forever.
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