On March 22, 1968, NBC elected to show highlights of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in place of Star Trek. It happens that this was my fourth birthday and I was not pleased. Even at 4 years of age, I would gladly have watched a new Star Trek episode over circus highlights. Perhaps NBC came to this decision because of the title of last week’s episode?
March 15, 1968 was the original air date for Star Trek‘s second season episode “Bread and circuses”. The story was written by Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon and directed by Ralph Senensky. The episode’s name is a reference to the phrase “bread and circuses” taken from the Satire X written by the poet, Juvenal. In modern usage, the phrase has become an adjective to describe a populace that no longer values civic virtues, the public life and military (manly) service. Instead, the people need only food and entertainment.
Plot Summary
After encountering a planet that resembles what Earth might have been like if the Roman empire had survived through the 20th century, Kirk and his crew are forced to fight in gladiatorial games.
“The Ultimate Computer” is a season two episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast on March 8, 1968 and repeated June 28, 1968. It is episode #53, production #53, written by D.C. Fontana, based on a story by Laurence N. Wolf, and directed by John Meredyth Lucas.
Plot Summary
A new computer designed to control the ship causes havoc aboard the Enterprise.
“The Omega Glory” is a second-season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast March 1, 1968, and repeated July 26, 1968. It is episode #52, production #54, written by Gene Roddenberry, and directed by Vincent McEveety. The story was one of three outlines submitted for selection as the second pilot of Star Trek: the others being “Mudd’s Women” and “Where No Man Has Gone Before”.
Plot Summary
Captain Kirk must find the cure to a deadly disease and prevent a meaningless war.
This date in 1968 Fans of Star Trek were watching the second-season episode “By Any Other Name”. The episode was written by D.C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby, and directed by Marc Daniels. The title is taken from a line spoken by Juliet in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet: “that which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.”
Plot Summary
Beings from another galaxy steal the Enterprise in an attempt to return home.