Star Trek: The Original Series the 23rd century bearing a crew dedicated to exploring the Milky Way Galaxy. Roddenberry noted a number of influences on his idea, some of which includes A. E. van Vogt's tales of the spaceship "Space Beagle", Eric Frank Russell's "Marathon" series of stories, and the film "Forbidden Planet" (1956). Some have also drawn parallels with the television series "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" (1954), a space opera which included many of the elements that were integral to "Star Trek"—the organization, crew relationships, missions, part of the bridge layout, and some technology. Roddenberry also drew heavily from C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower
The Menagerie (Star Trek: The Original Series) The Menagerie (Star Trek: The Original Series) "The Menagerie", a two-episode story arc, is both the eleventh and twelfth episodes of the of the American science fiction television series, "". Written by series creator Gene Roddenberry and directed by Marc Daniels (part one) and Robert Butler (part two), it is the only two-part story in the original series. Part one of the episode was broadcast by NBC on November 17, 1966, with part two broadcast on November 24, 1966. In the episode, Spock abducts his former commander Christopher Pike, locks the "Enterprise" on a course to the forbidden planet Talos