Which movie is most like a TOS episode?

RAO · November 20 2012, 06:20 AM

Which of the first six films do you think was closest to TOS. For me, it'd be TFF and TMP a far second. The actor's age really showed in that film, but I bet if it came out in 1979 it'd have been a favorite alongside Star Wars amongst the general audience.

Harvey · November 20 2012, 08:15 AM

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier has always felt the most like an episode of the series. It's very episodic, and despite the big themes, is mostly focused on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.

Doesn't make it a great movie.

T'Girl · November 20 2012, 11:50 AM

Wraith of Khan, the special effects to the side, it's very TOS in it's feel.

Kegg · November 20 2012, 11:53 AM

Harvey wrote:

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier has always felt the most like an episode of the series. It's very episodic, and despite the big themes, is mostly focused on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.

Doesn't make it a great movie.

Exactly this. It's the only one of the TOS films with a teaser, at that.

RAO · November 20 2012, 12:27 PM

What, exactly, is it about TFF that makes so many fans dislike or even hate that film? To me, you had the first film to not spend half the time reuniting the crew. They're on the ship, it's the Enterprise, let's get the show started. Tremendous performances by Luckinbill, Doohan and Nimoy. Good balance of drama and comedy (I still call them marshmellons today). Etc, etc. Now I'm not a special effects guy, so they really didn't bother me. Didn't care for the E-A's interior to look so much like the E-D's. Without TUC (where the ship looked like the E again) I bet the E-A would've gone down in Trek Lore as the Dick York of starships.

Kegg · November 20 2012, 01:02 PM

^
TMP and TUC are the only TOS films where re-uniting the crew is something that happens at all (and in TUC it happens pretty quickly).

King Daniel Into Darkness · November 20 2012, 03:58 PM

Definitely the underrated STV. It had that warm crew = family vibe the TV series had.

SchwEnt · November 20 2012, 06:31 PM

KingDaniel wrote:

Definitely the underrated STV. It had that warm crew = family vibe the TV series had.

Interesting. I'd say TSFS had the best crew vibe, with everyone risking their careers and lives to save their friends McCoy and Spock.

Conversely, TFF showed the crew turning on Kirk due to Sybok's influence.

Minuet · November 20 2012, 09:22 PM

I'm a little biased. I adore The Motion Picture to the point where I almost can't look at the film from an objective, logical point of view. It's the first of the films that I ever saw (and the only one my dad would let me see when I was a little tyke--TWOK had a bit too much blood).

I would say that a lot of the later TOS films (mostly TFF and TUC) suffered from the character's age, to the point where it ceased making any sense that these characters were able to be the action heroes that the scripts required. It made sense before the last couple of films, because those films directly dealt with the concept of growing old. They should have been making films throughout the Seventies. TFF and TUC would have felt slightly less pathetic had the actors been in their prime. Although, props for TUC being watchable on account of Nicholas Meyer and the amazing Christopher Plummer. I still have a soft spot for many elements of TFF, and the campfire scenes make me all warm and fuzzy inside, but it was all a little too late for me.

In the end, I don't really think any of the films perfectly captured the feeling of the original show, but I don't think they ever needed to. It takes place later in the Star Trek universe. The characters are different, older people who are coming to grips with mortality. The films stand on their own as the next chapter in the saga; I don't think they ever needed to perfectly replicate the tone of the show. That's why I always appreciated TMP. The tone was darker and colder, because it needed to be. Kirk had been bitter for being out of the center seat too long. Spock was a mess, struggling to come to terms with his human side, at first attempting to erase it entirely. In the next film, Kirk feels old and worn out. Of course it wouldn't be like the show. Times had changed, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all.

The Keeper · November 20 2012, 10:00 PM

They all have their classic ST moments but another check-mark in the ST V column from me.

I was at an event showing all five films and the trailer for VI, (billed: "Sit Long and Prosper") during the intermission between IV and V, I was taking with some neighbors in the row ahead of us about V. They were expressing their dismay at now needing to endure the Abomination that is ST V. I suggested they try to pay more attention to the soundtrack, may enhance their viewing. They doubted it but agreed to try. As the film was playing out I noticed them sitting still as statues during the most emotional music cues. Afterwards I asked, well? They admitted it wasn't as bad as they previously thought. They had been judging it to ST IV rather than on its own merits.

sonak · November 21 2012, 12:11 AM

TFF is very much like TOS with its focus on the "Big Three" and its Humanistic values. It's also a lot like a specific TOS episode, "the way to eden."

I'm surprised folks would say TMP. Other than the basic plotline ripped from "the changeling," the rest is nothing like TOS. Where TOS was fast-paced with characters like family, TMP is glacially-paced, with cold, distant characters replacing the ones in TOS. It's also much more dependent on special effects than TOS ever was.

GreenBlood · November 21 2012, 12:16 AM

I think the Wrath of Khan really hit the mark because it picked up where a TOS episode left off.

Surak of Vulcan · November 21 2012, 04:45 AM

The (slow) Motion Picture felt much like an extended TOS episode script with updated special effects and everyone wearing pajamas. In fact, it seemed not too unlike 'The Changeling...'

To a lesser extent, The Final Frontier was sort of like a TOS episode in that it was centered around Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.

Minuet · November 21 2012, 09:14 AM

Surak of Vulcan wrote:

The (slow) Motion Picture felt much like an extended TOS episode script with updated special effects and everyone wearing pajamas. In fact, it seemed not too unlike 'The Changeling...'

Yeah, yeah, I know, those are all the basic complaints that everyone throws at The Motion Picture. The film has so much more than most people give it credit for. It's the film where Spock explicitly proclaims his deep bond for Kirk, his th'hy'la. You have to admit it's a powerful scene. There's gobs of character development and emotion between Kirk and Spock in that movie, to the extent that I can't even imagine why anyone would completely dismiss the film outright.

But, that's an argument for another topic (and it's an argument that's been argued to death). I think I just have to agree to disagree with the majority of fandom who explicitly dislikes TMP.

Balrog · November 21 2012, 03:00 PM

For me, TSFS is the most like a TOS episode. It has the right mix of drama, excitement, exploration and humor.

November 20 2012, 06:20 AM	#1
RAO Ensign	Which movie is most like a TOS episode? Which of the first six films do you think was closest to TOS. For me, it'd be TFF and TMP a far second. The actor's age really showed in that film, but I bet if it came out in 1979 it'd have been a favorite alongside Star Wars amongst the general audience.

November 20 2012, 08:15 AM	#2
Harvey Admiral	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? Star Trek V: The Final Frontier has always felt the most like an episode of the series. It's very episodic, and despite the big themes, is mostly focused on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Doesn't make it a great movie. __________________ "What do you hear, Starbuck?" "Nothing but the rain, sir." "Then grab your gun and bring in the cat."

November 20 2012, 11:50 AM	#3
T'Girl Vice Admiral	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? Wraith of Khan, the special effects to the side, it's very TOS in it's feel.

November 20 2012, 12:27 PM	#5
RAO Ensign	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? What, exactly, is it about TFF that makes so many fans dislike or even hate that film? To me, you had the first film to not spend half the time reuniting the crew. They're on the ship, it's the Enterprise, let's get the show started. Tremendous performances by Luckinbill, Doohan and Nimoy. Good balance of drama and comedy (I still call them marshmellons today). Etc, etc. Now I'm not a special effects guy, so they really didn't bother me. Didn't care for the E-A's interior to look so much like the E-D's. Without TUC (where the ship looked like the E again) I bet the E-A would've gone down in Trek Lore as the Dick York of starships.

November 20 2012, 01:02 PM	#6
Kegg Rear Admiral Location: Ireland.	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? ^ TMP and TUC are the only TOS films where re-uniting the crew is something that happens at all (and in TUC it happens pretty quickly). __________________ 'Spock is always right, even when he's wrong. It's the tone of voice, the supernatural reasonability; this is not a man like us; this is a god.' - Philip K. Dick

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

November 20 2012, 03:58 PM	#7
King Daniel Into Darkness Admiral Location: KingDaniel has fallen Into Darkness (in England)	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? Definitely the underrated STV. It had that warm crew = family vibe the TV series had. __________________ Star Trek Imponderables, fun video mashups of Trek's biggest continuity errors. Episode One Episode Two

November 20 2012, 09:22 PM	#9
Minuet Lieutenant Commander Location: The marvelous progressive utopia of California	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? I'm a little biased. I adore The Motion Picture to the point where I almost can't look at the film from an objective, logical point of view. It's the first of the films that I ever saw (and the only one my dad would let me see when I was a little tyke--TWOK had a bit too much blood). I would say that a lot of the later TOS films (mostly TFF and TUC) suffered from the character's age, to the point where it ceased making any sense that these characters were able to be the action heroes that the scripts required. It made sense before the last couple of films, because those films directly dealt with the concept of growing old. They should have been making films throughout the Seventies. TFF and TUC would have felt slightly less pathetic had the actors been in their prime. Although, props for TUC being watchable on account of Nicholas Meyer and the amazing Christopher Plummer. I still have a soft spot for many elements of TFF, and the campfire scenes make me all warm and fuzzy inside, but it was all a little too late for me. In the end, I don't really think any of the films perfectly captured the feeling of the original show, but I don't think they ever needed to. It takes place later in the Star Trek universe. The characters are different, older people who are coming to grips with mortality. The films stand on their own as the next chapter in the saga; I don't think they ever needed to perfectly replicate the tone of the show. That's why I always appreciated TMP. The tone was darker and colder, because it needed to be. Kirk had been bitter for being out of the center seat too long. Spock was a mess, struggling to come to terms with his human side, at first attempting to erase it entirely. In the next film, Kirk feels old and worn out. Of course it wouldn't be like the show. Times had changed, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all.

November 20 2012, 10:00 PM	#10
The Keeper Commodore Location: Where reality ends and illusion begins	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? They all have their classic ST moments but another check-mark in the ST V column from me. I was at an event showing all five films and the trailer for VI, (billed: "Sit Long and Prosper") during the intermission between IV and V, I was taking with some neighbors in the row ahead of us about V. They were expressing their dismay at now needing to endure the Abomination that is ST V. I suggested they try to pay more attention to the soundtrack, may enhance their viewing. They doubted it but agreed to try. As the film was playing out I noticed them sitting still as statues during the most emotional music cues. Afterwards I asked, well? They admitted it wasn't as bad as they previously thought. They had been judging it to ST IV rather than on its own merits.

November 21 2012, 12:11 AM	#11
sonak Rear Admiral Location: in a figment of a mediocre mind's imagination	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? TFF is very much like TOS with its focus on the "Big Three" and its Humanistic values. It's also a lot like a specific TOS episode, "the way to eden." I'm surprised folks would say TMP. Other than the basic plotline ripped from "the changeling," the rest is nothing like TOS. Where TOS was fast-paced with characters like family, TMP is glacially-paced, with cold, distant characters replacing the ones in TOS. It's also much more dependent on special effects than TOS ever was. Last edited by sonak; November 21 2012 at 02:17 AM.

November 21 2012, 12:16 AM	#12
GreenBlood Captain Location: mid mind-meld	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? I think the Wrath of Khan really hit the mark because it picked up where a TOS episode left off.

November 21 2012, 04:45 AM	#13
Surak of Vulcan Ensign Location: On the Starship Enterprise, under Captain Kirk...	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? The (slow) Motion Picture felt much like an extended TOS episode script with updated special effects and everyone wearing pajamas. In fact, it seemed not too unlike 'The Changeling...' To a lesser extent, The Final Frontier was sort of like a TOS episode in that it was centered around Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. __________________ 'Everyone's a superhero, everyone's a Captain Kirk...'

November 21 2012, 03:00 PM	#15
Balrog Commodore Location: Moria	Re: Which movie is most like a TOS episode? For me, TSFS is the most like a TOS episode. It has the right mix of drama, excitement, exploration and humor. __________________ Anybody got a breath mint?