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Watching Star Trek for the first time (again)

Yes.

Charlie Brown -- people being mean to each other, the cartoon.

After the lousiness of the Christmas special, you can bet we're not hurrying back for more.
As with many things on here it is amazing to see the different perspectives.

I don't agree but I'll at least share that the special has always meant something to me on a family level. As for kids being mean to each other, well, that was my experience, and the experience of clients I work with some times. I can understand not wanting to watch it but it's an experience that resonates deeply with myself.
 
Mixed reviews of Miri:

"For my first viewing of the original Star Trek, I really liked it." One of our young guests (college Freshman)

"Better than last week's" Lorelei

"I hated it a lot less than I used to" Tam

on the other hand...

"I hate kids" Savannah

"Those damned kids" David

I think the biggest problem with the episode is the stated time frame of 300 years of abandonment. But 3 years would make sense, and actually makes the kids' situation sympathetic. In my brain, they assumed it had been 300 years because the Earth was 300 years out of date, but the incident actually only happened a few years before. That makes the episode make a lot more sense.

Anyway, I'm not sorry I missed Peanuts for this.
 
As with many things on here it is amazing to see the different perspectives.

I don't agree but I'll at least share that the special has always meant something to me on a family level. As for kids being mean to each other, well, that was my experience, and the experience of clients I work with some times. I can understand not wanting to watch it but it's an experience that resonates deeply with myself.

I am glad you enjoyed it! I would never tell anyone that their taste is wrong or that they shouldn't like something.

The music is excellent, too. :)
 
Miri is my least favorite episode of season one. Once on the planet, it was so creepy that I think it scarred me for life. This episode may have been my first impactful memory of a dystopian future, and since then, I hate dystopian futures.
 
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Miri is my less favorite episode of season one. Once on the planet, it was so creepy that I think it scarred me for life. This episode may have been my first impactful memory of a dystopian future, and since then, I hate dystopian futures.

Oh that's interesting. It was too effective!

(I hate dystopias, too. I run a publishing house, and we don't do dark. I just rejected a submission that takes place in a dystopia.)
 
I like "Miri" a lot. I like the stylized and particular ways the children have, with their slang and chants. I know some people hate that, but it reminds me of West Side Story or Bugsy Malone (1976): a fictional youth culture that's always on the verge of breaking into song.

I also like the early-segment quirkiness and naturalism, the rough edges. When Kirk hands the tricycle to Spock and walks away, Spock looks after him mystified and annoyed. Like, "What do you expect me to do with this?" Later-series Kirk and Spock had their moves smoothed out; they were always on the same page.

"Miri" also makes good use of library music, no surprise there, and the cinematography is outstanding. Lighting, composition, color, textures. All terrific.
 
Peanuts wasn't for kids. It was a very hip, adult, strip in the 50s with its Age of Anxiety existentialist angst going on.

Hence Lucy the psychologist, the football, the hip jazz score for the TV doc that preceded the Christmas special. They wanted to avoid kiddie music and adults masquerading as children's voices.

First strip ever, 1950: Two kids: "Here comes good ol' Charlie Brown. Yup, good ol' Charlie Brown." He walks by. "How I hate him."

Commentary on the human condition. People can suck. (I don't usually like this in my entertainment btw, but Peanuts is a big part of my life, and it gets a pass. Plus, sometimes realism is needed.)

May I point out I find Linus's Lucan monologue in the Christmas special to be one of the transcendent moments in the history of TV. Y'know what, AND the final redemption scene around the tree. There's your redemption, whoever wanted him to finally kick the ball, above. Odd that a depressing strip offers people redemption and hope in its most famous special.

Also, may I point out that the main musical theme is actually titled "Linus and Lucy." Maybe someone already did that above.

Peace and love to all. May you kick that football to the moon!
 
I also like the early-segment quirkiness and naturalism, the rough edges. When Kirk hands the tricycle to Spock and walks away, Spock looks after him mystified and annoyed. Like, "What do you expect me to do with this?" Later-series Kirk and Spock had their moves smoothed out; they were always on the same page.

And McCoy very gently puts it back. Lots of great subtle touches in this episode. I also feel like it's the first time we get the Spock we know and love.
 
Peanuts wasn't for kids. It was a very hip, adult, strip in the 50s with its Age of Anxiety existentialist angst going on.

I tried reading Peanuts from the beginning. By 1958, I had burned out. I recognize Charlie Schultz resonates what with his cynical view and his unhappy marriage, but it's just not for me.

Also, may I point out that the main musical theme is actually titled "Linus and Lucy." Maybe someone already did that above.

I did, yes. :)

Peace and love to all. May you kick that football to the moon!

And to you, too!
 
I also like the early-segment quirkiness and naturalism, the rough edges.

"Naturalism"! That's why I like early S1 so much. The dialog between crew members. The conversations with a little more pause in them. . . . They streamlined and learned how to do good Star Trek shows in S2 whereas they were doing almost Twilight Zone level quality, and not just the spookier thing goin on, in S1. Sci fi shows in the Star Trek setting.
 
"Naturalism"! That's why I like early S1 so much. The dialog between crew members. The conversations with a little more pause in them. . . . They streamlined and learned how to do good Star Trek shows in S2 whereas they were doing almost Twilight Zone level quality, and not just the spookier thing goin on, in S1. Sci fi shows in the Star Trek setting.

That's a really interesting observation. And going through things slowly, it'll be interesting seeing how things evolve. These episodes are all very self-contained right now. Moody in a way Voyage never could be. As you say, somewhat TZ. But it's not just that the show becomes more of its own thing, everything is changing on TV. In culture in general. We've just entered the late 60s.

God help us all. :)
 
Moody in a way Voyage never could be. As you say, somewhat TZ.

God help us all. :)

Well, that depends on what you mean. A number of Voyage episodes were quite moody and spooky. A few of the first season were very darkly noir or chillingly cold war type-moody. A couple in the second season were very creepy before they just kinda went for brightly lit monsters.
 
A bonanza this week. First, Walter Koenig on I, Spy (10-26-66)

661026koenig.jpg


And then Captain Stone and Diplomatic Attaché Sarek from Mission Impossible (tonight -- 10-29-66):

661029stonesarek.jpg
 
As of "Miri", we have watched nine episodes of Star Trek. Averaging the ratings of those who've reported, this is how the eps rank thus far (scale of 1-5):

The Cage 4.833333333
The Naked Time 4.5
The Man Trap 4.333333333
The Enemy Within 4.25
Miri 3.25
Charlie X 3
What are Little Girls Made of? 3
Mudd's Women 2.4
Where No Man Has Gone Before 2.333333333

The consensus as of the end of October '66 is that Star Trek is an inconsistent show with tremendous but somewhat unrealized potential. Here's hoping it makes it past the half-season cutoff (hey, it's doing better than The Tammy Grimes Show at least...)

Here are the reviews thus far ("Miri" comes out on 11-4).

P.S. I guess from this limited sample we can conclude that titles starting with "The" are the best.
 
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WNMHGB is a really good sci-fi short film.

Wow. Tough room.

We watched it the same weekend we watched "The Cage" (TriCon, natch). We were utterly blown away by "The Cage" -- WNMHGB just didn't do it for us. It failed to establish Mitchell as sympathetic before his transition, so his change wasn't shocking or sad. Shatner hadn't figured out his character yet; everything was too much. Spock was "the wise indian". The doctor character was a complete cipher. Dehner (and women characters in general) contrasted poorly with the excellent portrayals we saw in "The Cage" (Number One, Colt, Vina). It was oddly paced. It felt cheap, particularly compared to "The Cage".

We didn't hate it. It's just the Trek we've enjoyed least so far.

(I guess I should add, in case it's not clear, our scale goes from 1-5, not 1-10). Seven of the nine episodes we've seen range from good (3) to superb (nearly 5).)
 
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