Bread and Circuses

DVD, Star Trek S2 (Bread and Circuses)

Another class act. I got the impression the director was deliberately trying to put his mark on this episode and do a few things that aren't often seen. Example: the teaser begins with all the bridge crew standing motionless, looking in one direction. At first you wonder if they've all been taken over, but it quickly transpires they're all watching Mr. Spock's analysis. Teaser isn't very exciting, but things pick up afterwards. Another rarity is the distant beam down, and having only Kirk, Spock and McCoy on the landing party. Very rare.

It's a solid and fascinating central premise: a parallel world (love the way they mention some Higgins' law or something, making it sound scientific and plausible!), where Roman civilization was not overthrown, but survives to the equivalent of the 20th Century, where modern developments service old ideas, such as gladiatorial contests as prime-time TV. Scarily, in real life you can almost imagine fights to the death coming in the not-too-distant future...

Where the Romans have survived so also has The Way. It was a nice touch to have Christianity still living on secretly as it did in Roman times, and the eventual reveal that the good people are not Sun-worshipers, but Son-worshipers. Though the Starfleet people don't necessarily share the belief (McCoy announces early on that they represent many religions), they do share in all men as brothers and living in peace and love. There's even redemption in the tale for Captain Merik, the villain, who gives Kirk the means to escape though it costs him his life. I wonder what changed his mind after living there for several years and allowing the weaker members of his crew to die in the arena.

As usual there are some well written scenes for the characters, perhaps the reason the series survives to this day - McCoy and Spock's usual feuding is boldly referenced, with McCoy even admitting he sometimes doesn't know if they're joking or not. This leads to a haunting scene as he questions whether Spock is not afraid to die because he finds it harder to live, controlling himself every moment, with the superb Vulcan theme. In the end they both share common concern for Kirk.

The only things that aren't working so well are the police with their white helmets, though I did like the idea that they carry both guns and swords. And I was expecting the slave that entertains Kirk was going to be one of the Children of the Son and that she would help them escape, so I was kind of waiting for that moment and it never came. And Sulu isn't there again.

Also worthy of note is the more serious adherence to the Prime Directive, perhaps the episode most consistently referencing it so far. And the satire on the series' own life and times - a gladiator shouts that they'll be in trouble if they don't make good ratings! Action, Concept, Character, this episode delivers 'em all.

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