Bread and Circuses (Star Trek: The Original Series) entertainment. In the episode, Captain Kirk and his companions are forced to fight in gladiatorial games on a planet resembling the Roman Empire, but possessing mid-20th century Earth technology. The Federation starship USS "Enterprise" is on routine patrol when it finds wreckage of the SS "Beagle". The "Beagle" was under the command of Captain R. M. Merik (William Smithers), whom Captain Kirk (William Shatner) knew during his academy days. First Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy) traces the path of debris back to a planet in the previously unexplored system 892. The "Enterprise" picks up a 20th-century-style television news broadcast, reporting in
The Last Voyage of the Starship Enterprise was no option other than cancellation, they each showed their identity and humanity. Pielke praised the final scene of the sketch as evocative of the original series and an indictment of capitalism. He wrote that Belushi finished off the sketch with a moving rendition of the introduction to the original "Star Trek" series, while modifying it slightly to emphasize that NBC's greed had ended the "Enterprise" mission. "Mother Jones" magazine additionally commented upon the key theme of satire over conflict between the critical success of "Star Trek" and the decision to cancel the program by the studio executives. The magazine