Sell Me on TAS, Please

[fireproof78]

The following in franchise continuity episodes would like to have a word with you.

TOS Spock's Brain & Way to Eden
TNG A Fistful of Datas
DS9 One Little Ship
VOY Distant Origin
SNW Subspace Rhapsody

Up the Long Ladder and bowing to the absurd.
Enterprise being taken over by Ferengi in two birds of prey.
Thought as the basis of reality from random alien of the week, plus going warp 10.
Captain Janeway cosplaying as the Queen of the Spider people.

This franchise is the definition of bizarre.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Up the Long Ladder and bowing to the absurd.
Enterprise being taken over by Ferengi in two birds of prey.
Thought as the basis of reality from random alien of the week, plus going warp 10.
Captain Janeway cosplaying as the Queen of the Spider people.

This franchise is the definition of bizarre.

I don't get why people keep interrupting the conversation to list the worst episodes from other shows.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Up the Long Ladder and bowing to the absurd.
Enterprise being taken over by Ferengi in two birds of prey.
Thought as the basis of reality from random alien of the week, plus going warp 10.
Captain Janeway cosplaying as the Queen of the Spider people.

This franchise is the definition of bizarre.

I like these episodes.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I don't get why people keep interrupting the conversation to list the worst episodes from other shows.

To point out that TAS never had a monopoly on the bizarre and unexpected. And I wouldn't characterize any of the episodes cited as "worst" by any stretch of the imagination (and I liked "Subspace Rhapsody").

 

[Kor]

It's a bizarre and gonzo fever dream of giant Spock clone, goat devils and 17th-century puritans at the center of the galaxy, huge slug creatures that keep humanoids in zoos, and cat warriors from Larry Niven's "Known Space" dressed in Pepto Bismol suits.

I love it.

Kor

 

[Shawnster]

I don't get why people keep interrupting the conversation to list the worst episodes from other shows.

The implication was live action Trek never achieved the same level of absurdity as TAS.

And yes, TAS gave us Kirk's middle name.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

The implication was live action Trek never achieved the same level of absurdity as TAS.

I just thought it was funny that there was a definite theme to the episodes. Though I didn't see Sub Rosa.

I wasn't claiming that live action Trek was never as absurd as TAS (though you have to try really really hard to find something as nuts as Magicks of Megas-Tu or The Counter-Clock Incident), but the way that the franchise developed made the more absurd episodes feel like outliers.

 

[Qonundrum]

I never minded the animation. I thought the stories were fun and interesting, and I loved that the original actors did the voices. I also thought the stories were way cool, but I was 8 when they originally aired.

^^this; it's a great description.

The animation is there. It doesn't not work, and the majority of the stories themselves were surprisingly engaging - feeling just a notch lower than the live-action show had due to animation combined with reduced runtime. The actual actors' voices d far more to help the show, and Nimoy was right in getting the studio to bring back Nichols and Takei.

The show was canceled because of "low ratings", despite winning a best daytime children's TV award. From what I recall as it's been a couple of years now, atop the fact that TOS was also aimed at older kids/adults, younger kids on Saturday morning probably weren't enthused compared to the usual fare where the big brown dog thing keeps doing dumb things while hearing a bird say "beep beep", not that there's anything wrong with that...

I might say this: TAS had some oddball stories, but with TOS having "The Immunity Syndrome", the TAS entries don't always feel out of place by comparison. But oddball stories can be right if they sell it right and "TIS" is one of my all-time favorites, please pardon my digressing. "TIS" could have worked fairly easily in the animated format as well...

 

[Richard S. Ta]

The original cast are (mostly) present as well as many key behind the scenes staff.

The episodes are short. If they offend in some way, at least it’s a short offence. Bad episodes can be watched painlessly. Relatively anyway.

The Filmation style of animation is quite charming in and of itself. Look at it as a 70s period piece and have fun with it.

TAS is really good.

 

[RichMerk]

Back in those days, Filmation did a lot of Saturday cartoons, so the TAS animation style fit right in and didn't seem weird or crappy to us. We were happy to see more Star Trek. The stories were of the same caliber as TOS, though they felt hurried or a little light sometimes because of the 22 minute run-time compared to the live action shows. I personally have a few pink tribbles on my bookshelves.

 

[somebuddyX]

it has a shuttle submarine.
also
a guy with three arms or legs or both.
a cat lady.
purple klingons.
and
other things.

 

[tomalak301]

I don't get why people keep interrupting the conversation to list the worst episodes from other shows.

I'm reading this thread and I'm the only one who mentioned episode titles from The Animated Series. I don't even know what the episode title was with Giant Spock. (After looking it up, was The Infinite Vulcan)

 

[Poltargyst]

it has a shuttle submarine.
also
a guy with three arms or legs or both.
a cat lady.
purple klingons.
and
other things.

I know, right? And people want to complain about it???

We all live in a shuttle submarine...a shuttle submarine...a shuttle submarine...

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I know, right? And people want to complain about it???

We all live in a shuttle submarine...a shuttle submarine...a shuttle submarine...

Remember when the Delta Flyer was a submarine? On, and the Reboot-prise too.

 

[somebuddyX]

I'm reading this thread and I'm the only one who mentioned episode titles from The Animated Series. I don't even know what the episode title was with Giant Spock. (After looking it up, was The Infinite Vulcan)

I just call it "Giant Spock." Goddamn I love Giant Spock.
One of my favourite threads of all time. https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/wherefore-art-thou-giant-spock-clone.151288/

 

[Qonundrum]

The original cast are (mostly) present as well as many key behind the scenes staff.

The episodes are short. If they offend in some way, at least it’s a short offence. Bad episodes can be watched painlessly. Relatively anyway.

The Filmation style of animation is quite charming in and of itself. Look at it as a 70s period piece and have fun with it.

TAS is really good.

Ditto. If anything as far as nitpicks goes, TAS felt too rapidly-paced at times. At least compared to the live-action show.

 

[Redfern]

it has...

a cat lady.

I know! Isn't that great?!

 

[sonak]

I love TAS. It’s sad that it had such a short run of episodes. Who knows what they would have done with a five season or longer run? The opening music and title sequence is great.
TAS had its budgeting limitations, as did TOS, but it’s a fun series with good writing.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I love TAS. It’s sad that it had such a short run of episodes. Who knows what they would have done with a five season or longer run? The opening music and title sequence is great.
TAS had its budgeting limitations, as did TOS, but it’s a fun series with good writing.

I was 11 when TAS hit NBC, and I was crazy about it. I was a budding score fan (Lost in Space and Star Trek were gateway drugs to symphonic film music), and the simple but catchy TAS cues were terrific.

Also, I was captivated by the Enterprise in TOS, and you couldn't help noticing how faithfully the TAS ship was drawn. And I totally accepted the Enterprise sliding across the screen as if flying diagonally. It was artwork with limitations, but it was my thing and I ran with it.

NBC canceled the show but kept it on for considerable Saturday morning reruns, and I stuck with it. I think if it had been scheduled in prime time like The Flintstones, and had just slightly better writing for the adult ear, it would have been a hit.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I was 11 when TAS hit NBC, and I was crazy about it. I was a budding score fan (Lost in Space and Star Trek were gateway drugs to symphonic film music), and the simple but catchy TAS cues were terrific.

Also, I was captivated by the Enterprise in TOS, and you couldn't help noticing how faithfully the TAS ship was drawn. And I totally accepted the Enterprise sliding across the screen as if flying diagonally. It was artwork with limitations, but it was my thing and I ran with it.

NBC canceled the show but kept it on for considerable Saturday morning reruns, and I stuck with it. I think if it had been scheduled in prime time like The Flintstones, and had just slightly better writing for the adult ear, it would have been a hit.

This is honestly a great review and actually makes the show approachable. As an adult, can you go back and watch original LIS and enjoy it? I tried watching, but I found it impossible to get through the 4th episode.