Bread and Circuses

TOS Season 2 Episode 25
Air Date:

The Enterprise finds debris in space that belongs to the SS Beagle. Analysis of the debris shows that it was completely destroyed but no evidence of bodies. They make their way to the closest planet, a class M that is almost identical to Earth in composition and size with a civilization mirroring the mid 1900s living on it.

They are able to view a television signal from the planet which shows while they have some technology like guns and cars, they still have slaves and gladiatorial games.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy transport down to the planet to investigate what happened to the SS Beagle crew. They end up getting captured by the local resistance by a man named Flavius, a parallel to the character Spartacus. They discover that the captain of the SS Beagle, Captain Merik, is the leader, first citizen, but known as Merikus. They agree to bring Kirk to the city to find Merik but as usual they get caught.

When they get caught, the police see Spock's ears and say he is different then a slave calling him a barbarian. Once at the jail, Merik shows up. His adviser Marcus who seems to be pulling the strings, demands that Kirk bring down his people to fight in the gladiatorial games. Kirk refuses and alerts Scotty that they are in trouble but to do nothing.

Spock and McCoy are forced to fight in the gladiator ring against Flavius. Spock is able to use the Vulcan neck pinch to subdue the gladiators, which is against the rules and Marcus leaves the choice up to Kirk if they live or die. Kirk doesn't say anything and Spock and McCoy are taken away.

Kirk is given an evening with a female slave which Marcus believes she got his communicator for him. Marcus has Kirk put to death publicly, but Flavius jumps out and creates a distraction. Kirk escapes to the prison area and frees Spock and McCoy. A fight breaks out with the guards and as the fight goes on, Captain Merik pulls out the communicator and tells Scotty to beam up the away team, but Marcus stabs him in the back.

"Are you trying to be funny?" - Flavius
"Never." - Spock

"I'm trying to thank you, you pointed-eared hobgoblin!" - McCoy
"The loss of our ship's surgeon, whatever I think of his skill, would mean a reduction in the efficiency of the Enterprise" - Spock
"Do you know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip and let your human half peek out. That's it, isn't it? Insecurity. Why, you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine, warm, decent feeling." - McCoy