A Piece of the Action (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

Jump to: navigation, search
This article is written
from the Real World
point of view
This article is written
from the Real World
point of view
"A Piece of the Action"
TOS, Episode 2x20
Production number: 60349
First aired: 12 January 1968
← 50th of 80 produced in TOS →
← 46th of 80 released in TOS →
  {{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 80 released in TOS Remastered  
← 46th of 726 released in all →
Teleplay By
David P. Harmon and Gene L. Coon

Story By
David P. Harmon

Directed By
James Komack
Unknown (2268)
  Arc: {{{wsArc0Desc}}} ({{{nArc0PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc0PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc1Desc}}} ({{{nArc1PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc1PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})  

Returning to a planet last visited by a Starfleet ship 100 years ago, the Enterprise finds a planet that has based its culture on the gangsters of Earth's 1920s.

Contents

[edit] Summary

[edit] Teaser

The USS Enterprise arrives at Sigma Iotia II. This remote planet had been visited by the Horizon in 2168, before the establishment of the "non-interference" directive. The Horizon was lost shortly after leaving Sigma Iotia II and Starfleet only managed to receive her radio reports nearly a century later, as the Horizon was only equipped with conventional radio.

Kalo stops the landing party with a machine gun
Kalo stops the landing party with a machine gun

After planetfall, Uhura informs Kirk that she is in contact with an Iotian named Bela Oxmyx who describes himself as "Boss". Oxmyx invites Kirk to come down to the planet's surface saying that a "reception committee" will be waiting for him upon arrival. Since the Horizon's visit was before the Federation's Prime Directive against non-interference, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are concerned about what effects the Horizon's crew may have had on the Iotian culture which was just beginning industrialization at the time. The three beam down to find a culture resembling that of Chicago in the 1920s. They are greeted by two men dressed as gangsters who threaten them with Tommy guns.

[edit] Act One

"The Book"
"The Book"

The landing party surrenders its phasers and communicators and is asking questions of the gunmen when a drive-by shooting occurs. One of the gunmen is killed; the other refers to the "hit" being committed by someone named Krako. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are taken to Oxmyx's office, where they learn that Oxmyx is one of a dozen or so "Bosses" and that he has the largest territory in the world. The office contains a book published in 1992 titled Chicago Mobs of the Twenties. Oxmyx informs them that the book was left by the Horizon, and the landing party deduces that the entire Iotian culture has been formed by this book. Oxmyx refers to the landing party as "Feds" and tells them he wants the Enterprise to furnish him with weapons so he can wipe out the other Bosses and take over the planet. Kirk refuses; Oxmyx gives him just eight hours to provide the weapons or die.

[edit] Act Two

Oxmyx and his moll talk to Enterprise via communicators
Oxmyx and his moll talk to Enterprise via communicators

Oxmyx has the landing party taken to a warehouse under guard. He then takes one of the confiscated communicators and contacts the Enterprise. He threatens to kill the landing party unless the ship provides him with one hundred phasers (which he calls "heaters") and troops to show him how to use them.

An angry Jojo Krako
An angry Jojo Krako

In the warehouse the gunmen are playing cards while the landing party speculates about the future of the Iotian society. Spock insists that the society must become united or it will break down completely. Kirk feels that since a Federation vessel contaminated the culture, it’s the Enterprise's responsibility to put things right. He distracts the gunmen with a nonsensical card game called "Fizzbin" which he makes up on the spot enabling the landing party to overpower the gunmen and escape. Kirk instructs Spock and McCoy to find the local radio station, contact the ship and have themselves beamed aboard.

Kirk goes off by himself planning on abducting Oxmyx and bringing him back to the Enterprise. He is promptly greeted by a new gunman and is taken for a ride. Kirk is taken to the office of Jojo Krako, another boss who wants to be in control of the planet. Kirk again refuses to "come across with the heaters" and is confined to a small room.

Spock uses AM radio to talk to Uhura
Spock uses AM radio to talk to Uhura

Spock and McCoy find the radio station where they manage to contact Lt. Uhura and return to the ship. Shortly after, Oxmyx contacts the ship and informs Spock that Krako has kidnapped Kirk. He offers to assist in getting Kirk back if Spock and McCoy will return to his office.

Using wire from a radio, Kirk rigs a trip line across the doorway and then calls for help. He knocks out two gunmen and escapes with a machine gun.

Spock instructs Scott to set one of the ship's phaser banks to a strong stun setting. He and McCoy then beam down to Oxmyx's office where they are again met by armed hoods.

[edit] Act Three

Kirk and Spock fire phasers on the mob
Kirk and Spock fire phasers on the mob
"Ship's log, Mr. Spock reporting. Incredible as it seems, Dr. McCoy and I are once again prisoners of the chief criminal boss of a society patterned after old Earth gangsters."

Oxmyx again takes them prisoner, but Kirk arrives and turns the tables. Kirk and Spock dress in the clothes of two of Oxmyx's henchmen, commandeer a car and set out to "put the bag" on Krako. They are assisted by a small boy who demands "a piece of the action" in exchange for creating a diversion. They break into Krako's headquarters and appear to be in control until Krako's men gain the upper hand.

Kirk cools his heels while in control of the mob
Kirk cools his heels while in control of the mob

[edit] Act Four

Kirk tells Krako that the Federation is taking over and arranges to have Krako beamed up to the Enterprise to show him what he's up against. They overpower Krako's men and head back to Oxmyx's office where Kirk has Scott locate and transport the other Bosses including Krako. Krako's men try a hit on Oxmyx's territory and a gunfight ensues in the street below. Kirk has the ship fire phasers on stun in the surrounding area to demonstrate the power of the "Feds". The mobsters are convinced and agree to Federation control with Oxmyx as the top boss and Krako as his lieutenant.

Back aboard ship, Spock has concerns about Kirk's solution of having the Federation take a 40% cut of the planet's annual "action". Kirk explains that the money will go back into the planetary treasury to help the Federation guide the Iotians into a more ethical society.

McCoy is concerned because he seems to have left his communicator somewhere in Oxmyx's office. Kirk and Spock speculate that with that kind of technology in the hands of the Iotians and with their gift for imitation, the Iotians may one day want a piece of the Federation's action.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

Kirk quietly tries to quash Spock's inclination to note that fizzbin is not a real game
Kirk quietly tries to quash Spock's inclination to note that fizzbin is not a real game
Kalo listens intently as KIrk explains the rules
Kalo listens intently as KIrk explains the rules
Spock brings Kalo's fizzbin instruction to an end
Spock brings Kalo's fizzbin instruction to an end

"Of course, the uh... cards on uh... Beta Antares IV are different – but not too different. Uh... the name of the game is called, uh... fizzbin."
"Fizzbin?"
"Fizzbin. It's, uh, not too difficult."
"Mm-hmm."
"Each player gets six cards, except for the dealer, uh, the player on the dealer's right, who, uh, gets seven."
"On the right?"
"Yes. The second card is turned up, except on Tuesdays."
"On Tuesday."
"Mm-hmm. Oh, look what you got – two jacks! You got a half fizzbin already."
"Heh-heh!... I need another jack!"
"No, no, if you got another jack, why you'd have, uh, a shralk."
"A shralk?"
"Yes, you'd be disqualified."
"Oh."
"No, what you need now is either a king and a deuce – except at night, of course, when you'd need a queen and a, and a four."
"Except at night?"
"Right... oh, look at that – you got another jack! How lucky you are! How wonderful for you! Now, if you didn't get another jack, if you had gotten a king, why... then you'd get another card, except when it's dark, when you'd have to give it back."
"If it were dark on Tuesday?"
"Yes, but what you're after is a royal fizzbin, but the odds in getting a royal fizzbin are astronom... Spock, what are the odds in getting a royal fizzbin?"
"I have never computed them, captain."
"Well, they're astronomical, believe me." (pause) " Now, for the last card, we'll call it a kronk. You got that?"
"What?" (Kirk drops a card on the floor) "Oh, I'll get it..."
(reaches down, Kirk flips the table over and Spock treats the man to a Vulcan nerve pinch)

- Kirk, Kalo, and Spock


"We're trying to help you, Oxmyx."
 "Nobody helps nobody but himself."
 "Sir, you are employing a double negative."

- McCoy, Oxmyx, and Spock


"I got rights!"
"You got nothin'! Now you mind your place, mister, or you'll... you'll be wearin' concrete galoshes."
"You mean cement overshoes?"
"Uh... aye."

- Krako and Scott


(Grinding) "Oops! Gears!"
"Yes. Oh... I believe they had a device known as a... clutch. Clutch, captain. Perhaps one of those pedals on the floor."
(Kirk shifts the car into gear)
"I kind of like this. I'm going to get one myself."

- Kirk and Spock, on their first attempt at driving an automobile


"Captain, you are an excellent starship commander. But as a taxi driver, you leave much to be desired."

- Spock


"Must we?"
"It's faster than walking."
"But not as safe..."
"Are you afraid of cars?"
"Not at all. It's your driving that alarms me."
"I've got the hang of it now."

- Spock and Kirk, before another try at an automobile


"All right, boys, the Federation's movin' in, we're takin' over. You play ball, we'll cut you in for a piece of the pie. If ya don't, you're out - all the way out, y'know what I mean?"

- Kirk


"Comin' over there with a couple of my boys and... mother!"

- Tepo, after being beamed over to Oxmyx's office


"I'd advise youse to keep dialin', Oxmyx."

- "Spocko"
The Tough Kid wonders whom Kirk is callin' a babe
The Tough Kid wonders whom Kirk is callin' a babe


"Out of the mouth of babes."
"Who you callin' a babe?"
"I'm callin' you a babe."
"You callin' me a babe?"
"I'm ca– I'm callin' you a babe, but it's nothing personal."

- Kirk and the Tough Kid


"You watch it, Kirk! The Book tells us how to handle things! You make hits. Somebody argues, you lean on 'em. What do you think, we're stupid?"
"I don't think you're stupid, I just think your behavior is arrested."
"I ain't never been arrested in my whole life!"

- Krako and Kirk


"Daddy! Daddy! I hurt myself!"

- The Tough Kid, cueing Kirk and Spock, and getting his piece of the action

[edit] Background

  • Before it was decided they would focus on the events of "The Trouble with Tribbles", the Deep Space Nine writing staff toyed with the idea of the DS9 crew visiting Sigma Iotia II and finding they had all imitated the Enterprise crew and wore TOS-style uniforms. This was to be both a comedy and a social commentary on the Trekkie phenomenon; however, it was agreed that revisiting the famous "The Trouble with Tribbles" would be more memorable. The original idea was followed up in the final issue of the Star Trek Unlimited comic book series, "A Piece of Reaction" instead.
  • Bantam Books published a series of novelizations called Star Trek Fotonovels which took photographic stills from actual episodes and arranged word balloons and text over them, to create a comic book formatted story. The eighth installment was an adaptation of this episode.
  • Anthony Caruso wrote a very enjoyable foreword for that Fotonovel in the character of Bela Oxmyx. He mentions that he was elected president of the planet in a landslide and that he made Jojo Krako his vice president. The arrangement worked out well, he said, as he hadn't heard from Krako since.
Oxmyx's name is misspelled by the opposition
Oxmyx's name is misspelled by the opposition
  • The street seen throughout this episode is on the Paramount lot and can be seen in many television series. The steps leading up to Oxmyx's headquarters were used in the Judd Hirsch series Dear John.
  • The car that Kirk drove to "put the bag on Krako" had a V-12 engine, as a V-12 emblem is seen on the radiator. It is a Cadillac, probably a 1931 model. txt/Phocad31.htm Note the winged radiator cap, which Cadillacs of that vintage had. Incidentally, this represents the only time that a member of the crew ever operated any kind of land vehicle during the course of the original series.
  • Bela is called O-X-M-Y-X in the script, but the dartboard poster in Jojo Krako's lair spells it O-K-M-Y-X.
  • Hadley is given his name in this episode.
  • Kirk calls McCoy "Sawbones" in this episode.
Enterprise unusually sets its remastered phasers to stun
Enterprise unusually sets its remastered phasers to stun
  • This is the only episode of TOS to end in a freeze-frame. It is also the only episode in which the ship's phasers are set to stun. (In "The Ultimate Computer", Kirk has them set at 1/100th power.)
  • Gene Roddenberry jotted down the idea for this episode – a one-sentence synopsis titled "President Capone" – on the very first page of his very first Star Trek series proposal in 1964.
  • No stardate is actually logged in the episode. The stardate shown, 4598.0, is from Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance, apparently using an earlier script version, and the photonovel provides a closing stardate 4598.7. This stardate makes "A Piece of the Action" both stardate-wise and production-wise the episode that occurs just before "By Any Other Name".
  • With only one line of dialog (the first sentence in the episode), this is Walter Koenig's smallest speaking part ever in TOS.
  • In the Star Trek: The Original Series Sketchbook, his interesting book on the costumes and art direction of the original series, Herb Solow shows a yellow costume for "Marlys" that he says no one can identify. It is, in fact, the costume Marlys Burdette wore in this episode.
  • George Takei (Sulu) does not appear in this episode.
  • Coincidentally, a non-Star Trek role for William Shatner was when he played an aged 1930s gangster who thought he'd been transported back in time in a 1971 Mission Impossible episode named "Encore".
  • Issues 90-94 of the popular comic book series Fantastic Four, published 1969, involved the Thing being taken to a planet of aliens who have also based their entire culture on the mob lifestyle of the 1920s.
  • Star Trek: Enterprise appears to conflict with data stated in this episode. Kirk explains that when the Horizon visited the planet 100 years ago, subspace radio had not been invented yet. Yet, in Enterprise, set 115 years earlier, subspace communications did indeed exist. However, subspace communications in Enterprise had to be established through subspace amplifiers, so it may be that subspace radio – being a means to maintain contact with Starfleet Command over great distances without requiring an amplifier – had not yet been invented. Kirk also states the Horizon had no transporters; perhaps it was the ECS Horizon.

[edit] Production timeline

[edit] Remastered information

The original Sigma Iotia II

...and its remastered counterpart

The remastered version of "A Piece of the Action" aired in many North American markets during the weekend of 28 April 2007. While the episode required very few new effects, the planet Sigma Iotia II was given a CGI-makeover, now a more Earth-like planet. Aside from orbital establishing shots, an all-new phaser fire effect was created, replacing some of the more cartoonish aspects of the original. [1].

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Regular Cast

[edit] Guest Stars

[edit] References

Beta Antares IV; Bang Bang; Boss; Chicago Mobs of the Twenties; Cirl the Knife; clutch; fizzbin; flivver; heater; Horizon; Iotian; Iotians; Jailbreakers, The; penny; percentages; Prime Directive; Sigma Iotia II; subspace radio; territories; transtator

[edit] External link


Previous episode produced:
"The Immunity Syndrome" 		Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2 		Next episode produced:
"By Any Other Name"
Previous episode aired:
"The Gamesters of Triskelion" 		Next episode aired:
"The Immunity Syndrome"
Previous remastered episode aired:
None 		TOS Remastered Next remastered episode aired:
None
Retrieved from "http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/A_Piece_of_the_Action_%28episode%29"
Personal tools
In other languages