1x18 Arena - Star Trek: The Original Series Episode Guide

Star Trek: The Original Series

- Episode 01x18

Episode: 01x18
Title: Arena
Type: Regular Episode
Production Code: 6149-19
First Aired: Jan. 19, 1967

Season 1 » Episode #18 - Arena

Star Trek: The Original Series - 01x18 Arena

Summary: After an unknown alien race destroys an Earth colony, Kirk pursues them into unknown space where a third group of aliens, the Metrons, transport him and the alien captain to a deserted planet where they must fight to the death... and the Metrons promise to destroy the loser's ship and crew.

Who appeared in this episode?

Mr. Spock

Guest Stars:

Captain James T. Kirk	played by William Shatner
Dr. McCoy	played by DeForest Kelley
Sulu	played by George Takei
Scott	played by James Doohan
Uhura	played by Nichelle Nichols
O'Herlihy	played by Jerry Ayres
Kelowitz	played by Grant Woods
Lt. Harold	played by Tom Troupe
Lang	played by James Farley

	Season 1 / Episode 18: - Arena Dr. McCoy: If there were only some way we could contact him... Mr. Spock: Yes, indeed doctor, if only there were. Notice the substance encrusting that rock? Dr. McCoy: Yes? Mr. Spock: Unless I'm mistaken, it's potassium nitrate. Dr. McCoy: So? Mr. Spock: Perhaps nothing, doctor. Perhaps... everything.
	Season 1 / Episode 18: - Arena Captain James T. Kirk: You'll enjoy Commodore Travers. He sets a good table. Dr. McCoy: I wonder if he brought his personal chef along with him to Cestus III? Captain James T. Kirk: Probably. Rank hath it's priviletes. Dr. McCoy: [they both chuckle] How well we both know that!

[More Quotes]

MISTAKES/GOOFS

CREW: (At 09:37) As Kirk is preparing to fire a mortar round at the Gorn, a stage hand's shadow is seen moving across the actors.
PLOT: Although this episode eventually cranks up to be one of Star Trek's very best, capped by Captain Kirk's immortal declaration "I won't kill him...you’ll have to get your entertainment somewhere else!" it almost doesn't make it out of the starting gate due to several staggeringly huge plot holes. The episode opens with Kirk and his companions communicating with the Cestus Three outpost commander, Commodore Travers, after which they beam down to find the outpost destroyed, and themselves in jeopardy. Problems: ...Commodore Travers speaks to Kirk in the manner of an old friend, yet this is soon revealed to be a "faked" communication...faked by the Gorns, who we later learn have little or no knowledge or humanity, and cannot approximate our language without lisping and hissing; the personalized impersonation of Travers seems far beyond their abilities. ...The Enterprise transports its senior officers down to what is supposedly an active Federation outpost, without scanning it to see that it has been destroyed...or even noticing that the normal subspace communications activity of such an outpost is totally missing. When helmsman Sulu contacts Kirk to inform him that the Enterprise is under attack, no one has "taken the con," that is, occupied Kirk's command chair (and function) in his absence...though Sulu seems to be in authority (it should have been Engineer Scott, as established in other episodes) he is still at the helm...and is ordered by Kirk to fire first his phasers, then his photon torpedoes...without bothering to aim either!
CONT: After long, exhaustive, physically grueling battle with the Gorn on a planet that is seemingly uncomfortable with a hilly terrain, Kirk meets a Metron. The battle has left Kirk sweaty and his uniform dirty and disheveled while he discusses humanity with the Metron who sends Kirk back to the Enterprise. However, when Kirk reappears on the bridge, he appears freshly showered, with hair clean and combed and dressed in a fresh uniform.

TRIVIA

Although it was not intentional, Desilu's research department realized that Gene L. Coon's screenplay strongly resembled an earlier story of the same name by Fredric Brown. To deal with the difficulty, Brown was telephoned about the matter and he agreed to an official credit for the story.
The Cestus Three outpost is a re-use of the Alamo set.
The first episode to establish that the Enterprise's cruising speed was warp 6.
An improperly rigged explosion in this episode caused lifelong hearing damage and tinnitus for William Shatner.
The Metrons (Carolyne Barry) were named after Metatron. God's other high-ranking soldier in Michael's army of angels. Hence, their cherubic, spiritual appearance.