When it comes to Star Trek, the Starship Enterprise has a large number of fans, including yours truly. However, with the Original Series, I have more of a fondness to Pike's version then the evolved ship that Kirk would later command. Here are a few reasons why I prefer the real, first Enterprise.
With the taller bridge dome, larger navigational deflector dish and spiked nacelle caps, it just has this certain, unique look about it that is somehow lost on the later version. This ship would be shown prominently in two episodes, the original pilot called The Cage and Where No Man Has Gone Before.
It would make another major appearance in The Menagerie Part 1 and 2, which was a second attempt to get The Cage on the air, a clip show with a new story. During the first season, it would still make other appearances, slowly phased out with the revised model. However, it would pop up in other seasons, if one knew to look for it....
....as seen in Mirror, Mirror, for just one example.
Even from behind, the original Enterprise has a look that would set it apart from later versions. On the left, the ends of the nacelles would sport this look for The Cage. From the second pilot, the look on the right would take over and carry on to the end of the series.
Pike's Bridge brings a duller, more subdued look that I like, over the very colorful, almost distracting redress from Kirk's time. Granted, when the pilot was first produced in 1964, color televisions weren't the mainstay in people's homes, yet. By the time the second pilot aired in 1966, color was all the rage and more televisions were available to the masses to show this all off. Pike's Bridge also brings a simpler, more practical design, some of that was lost during Kirk's era.
Okay, the wider corridors from Kirk's era are bigger, allowing for more crew traffic to pass each other, something that Pike's era lacks. Can't be all perfect, I guess....
Pike's Briefing Room has the Knights of the Round Table look and feel to it. The circular room has that aesthetic quality that I find appealing. Kirk's Briefing Room looks like an after thought, almost as if a crew quarters was remodeled....
....and perhaps, it was. Pike's cabin is very simple, modest sized and mostly no nonsense accommodations. It also lacks personal touches....
....in stark contrast to Kirk's quarters. Smaller and more colorful, but defiantly compartmentalized.
Finally, the only other area shared onscreen with all of the Enterprise's is the transporter room. Once again, only a splash of color separates the eras from each other.
So, there you have it, the nutshell of why Pike's Enterprise has a special hold on me. Time to leave orbit and set a new course....
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