The Man Trap.

After "The Cage" was rejected by NBC, Gene Roddenberry was given an unprecedented second chance to bring Star Trek to the screen. Three new pilot outlines were written and finally one was chosen. The public's first glimpse of Star Trek was to take place on planet M-113—a world left deserted by a civilization with an apparent salt and stacking fetish—and tell a story that the studio felt was a safer first impression with its straightforward plot, monster action, and not-too-exotic setting.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Mike Schindler and Drew Stewart to discuss "The Man Trap," why it was chosen as the first episode to air, how it stacks up to the other choices both as science fiction and as an introduction to Roddenberry's concept, and how the franchise might have differed had it followed this episode's format and approach to alien life.

In news we learn about the next stop for Destination Star Trek—Frankfurt, Germany—how you can build your own NX class refit, look at the wide variety of 2014 Star Trek calendars, and discuss Bryan Fuller's desire to bring Star Trek back to television—and what form that might take. Plus, we learn about Mike's get-rich-quick scheme involving his cat, an ink pad, and a Star Trek convention.