Poll The TAS Redux That Might Have Been

[blssdwlf]

Yes and by looking at Saavik in ST2 and ST3 it is obvious that the character is being portrayed by different actresses, yet the intention of the fictional world is that we accept them as one and the same.

Given the different actress and the different damage on the Enterprise between "Wrath of Khan" and "The Search for Spock" the two movies could be two different continuities

But back to SNW April and TAS April. Why the insistence that these two are the same when the showrunner has already stated that changes have been made? It's like arguing that the SNW Enterprise is the same as the TOS Enterprise.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Yes and by looking at Saavik in ST2 and ST3 it is obvious that the character is being portrayed by different actresses, yet the intention of the fictional world is that we accept them as one and the same. Since April's ethnicity was never an element of his character, changing it becomes trivial.
It might even be trivial in-universe, as put best by @CorporalCaptain earlier in this thread

To be clear, my most favored explanation is that it's just new casting. And the change in ship appearance, both externally and internally, is like a new set on a theater stage.

So far, it appears that every script in TOS, TAS, or SNW can work equally well as versions in any other show, with only minor tweaks or shifts in emphasis, if any are needed at all. The conceit is that all three shows are in the same continuity; they're not fundamentally incompatible.

Why did Kirk say, "I face the creature the Metrons called a Gorn"? Maybe because the captain he encountered doesn't exactly align physically with the Gorns encountered by Pike's crew. That would be a really minor retcon.

The TAS Enterprise wasn't literally identical to the TOS Enterprise, but it was close enough. For example, they didn't even use the secondary bridge exit as a plot point in any story. Was the secondary exit added during the five-year mission, or was it really there all along, but the TOS set lacked perfect fidelity? It really doesn't matter.

What is the real internal layout of the Enterprise, anyway?

I would have been perfectly happy to let the reimagined Klingon appearance in TMP pass without mention, as just a change in makeup. But, no, we just had to have it explained by the augment virus.

If literalism wins, and we need an in-universe explanation for April's change in appearance, it's right there to be had. But why we have to worry about it—any more than we worried about Saavik going from looking like Alley to looking like Curtis—I'll never know. Truly, I look at it as theater.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Given the different actress and the different damage on the Enterprise between "Wrath of Khan" and "The Search for Spock" the two movies could be two different continuities

But back to SNW April and TAS April. Why the insistence that these two are the same when the showrunner has already stated that changes have been made? It's like arguing that the SNW Enterprise is the same as the TOS Enterprise.

Until it’s confirmed, in an episode, that there have been changes (which has not been done), then it never existed. I don’t ing CARE what the showrunners said.

Besides, if it had, then effectively TOS and its ilk would be decanonized, and nobody wants that.

 

[Warped9]

But back to SNW April and TAS April. Why the insistence that these two are the same when the showrunner has already stated that changes have been made? It's like arguing that the SNW Enterprise is the same as the TOS Enterprise.

There are fans who enjoy insisting it’s all one continuity. But the showrunner has already admitted it’s not by ignoring previously established continuity in TOS. At least he admitted to it while others have been more coy about it.

Comic book characters get rebooted often. Movie and television properties get rebooted. Bond has been rebooted more than once. Why not Trek?

So in TOS/TAS’ continuity Robert April is white. In DSC/SNW’s continuity he is black. And thats just one thing amongst a great host of things they’ve changed for the new continuity. Nothing done in DSC/SNW has any bearing whatsoever in regard to TOS.

Thats all there is to it.

 

[blssdwlf]

So far, it appears that every script in TOS, TAS, or SNW can work equally well as versions in any other show, with only minor tweaks or shifts in emphasis, if any are needed at all. The conceit is that all three shows are in the same continuity; they're not fundamentally incompatible.

The difference in tech would preclude SNW from being in the same continuity. Arguably TAS could also be in a different continuity. Some of the tech differences are not so easily explainable like the near-infinite use transporter M'Benga uses to keep his daughter alive in SNW.

Until it’s confirmed, in an episode, that there have been changes (which has not been done), then it never existed. I don’t ing CARE what the showrunners said.

Besides, if it had, then effectively TOS and its ilk would be decanonized, and nobody wants that.

What would be your definition of a "confirmed change"? TOS is in many ways already decanonized by other material, IMHO. It is the odd bird among the other Star Trek series in terms of technology and history.

There are fans who enjoy insisting it’s all one continuity. But the showrunner has already admitted it’s not by ignoring previously established continuity in TOS. At least he admitted to it while others have been more coy about it.

Comic book characters get rebooted often. Movie and television properties get rebooted. Bond has been rebooted more than once. Why not Trek?

So in TOS/TAS’ continuity Robert April is white. In DSC/SNW’s continuity he is black. And thats just one thing amongst a great host of things they’ve changed for the new continuity. Nothing done in DSC/SNW has any bearing whatsoever in regard to TOS.

Thats all there is to it.

I mostly agree that SNW is a different continuity but I don't consider anything in Trek a reboot given that the series has multiple universes and have played that card many times. Comic book characters often are claimed to have been rebooted but in the big picture almost always return to a multiverse scenario.

I enjoy SNW as much as TOS. I really don't see the need for both to be forced into a single story when they work just fine as separate continuities.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The difference in tech would preclude SNW from being in the same continuity. Arguably TAS could also be in a different continuity. Some of the tech differences are not so easily explainable like the near-infinite use transporter M'Benga uses to keep his daughter alive in SNW.

I really don't have a problem with what M'Benga was doing. Scotty implied he could do essentially the same thing with the Klingons in "Day of the Dove," and we know he goes on to jury-rig a transporter to save himself in a similar fashion, even while no one is around to maintain it or periodically rematerialize him. Plus, in TOS the transporter could do other magic things, like split someone into two and later reintegrate them.

Even the waldos can be swept under the rug as something happening off screen in TOS, as they more or less seem to be in SNW. There's no way a starship like that wouldn't have robots.

I prefer to make these kinds of trade-offs to keep Star Trek a living franchise instead of a calcified one. There's no way that what was shown on TOS will be what things literally look like in the 23rd century. Similarly, what's being imagined now will turn out to have been shortsighted, half a century from now. In many ways, the actual future is impossible to imagine.

 

[blssdwlf]

I really don't have a problem with what M'Benga was doing. Scotty implied he could do essentially the same thing with the Klingons in "Day of the Dove," and we know he goes on to jury-rig a transporter to save himself in a similar fashion, even while no one is around to maintain it or periodically rematerialize him. Plus, in TOS the transporter could do other magic things, like split someone into two and later reintegrate them.

Actually Scotty just said, "Well, they're right in here." It was Chekov that then added, "Captain, leave them where they are. Non-existence. That's so many less Klingon monsters in the galaxy." The implication is that leaving them there is a death sentence. M'Benga's medical transporter is quite the opposite operating like Scotty's jury-rigged but, novel, setup where he's keeping the person in suspended animation to extend their chance of survival. Since "Relics" implies that Scotty's trick has never been done before that puts M'Benga's system ahead of its time.

Even the waldos can be swept under the rug as something happening off screen in TOS, as they more or less seem to be in SNW. There's no way a starship like that wouldn't have robots.

Imagine if M-5 used these "hidden" robots to enforce taking over the Enterprise in "The Ultimate Computer". Or the episodes where it is specifically stated that the ship cannot operate with just the Captain. Many of these TOS episodes wouldn't work anymore if the TOS Enterprise has a bunch of robots at its disposal.

I prefer to make these kinds of trade-offs to keep Star Trek a living franchise instead of a calcified one. There's no way that what was shown on TOS will be what things literally look like in the 23rd century. Similarly, what's being imagined now will turn out to have been shortsighted, half a century from now. In many ways, the actual future is impossible to imagine.

Why must this be a trade-off? Why can't we enjoy TOS and SNW and all the other series as continuities that exist in parallel? TOS showed us they had orbiting nuclear platforms in 60s and a eugenics war and atomic interplanetary ships in the 90s which led to their version of the 23rd century. SNW I'm sure will do their own take on it. YMMV.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Actually Scotty just said, "Well, they're right in here." It was Chekov that then added, "Captain, leave them where they are. Non-existence. That's so many less Klingon monsters in the galaxy." The implication is that leaving them there is a death sentence.

Scotty didn't seem to imply there was any hurry to bring them out again. IIRC, this was the first time that anybody had been held dematerialized in transit, expect possibly in "The Enemy Within" during reintegration. There were of course other episodes when rematerialization was drawn out, like "Obsession" and "The Doomsday Machine."

I agree that leaving the Klingons in indefinitely would have been a death sentence, but if Chekov had really wanted to say the quiet part out loud, he could have just said, "Beam them into space, widest angle of dispersion!" I mean, wouldn't it prevent the transporter from being used to just hold them there indefinitely? When I first saw the episode, I never got the feeling that there was a ticking clock that was going to expire Real Soon before it was too late to rematerialize the Klingons.

M'Benga's medical transporter is quite the opposite operating like Scotty's jury-rigged but, novel, setup where he's keeping the person in suspended animation to extend their chance of survival. Since "Relics" implies that Scotty's trick has never been done before that puts M'Benga's system ahead of its time.

But M'Benga isn't leaving his daughter in there for 75 years at a stretch. He has to rematerialize her periodically, something that Scotty's set up didn't need (at least not nearly as often, by several orders of magnitude). It's literally not the same thing that Scotty did.

Imagine if M-5 used these "hidden" robots to enforce taking over the Enterprise in "The Ultimate Computer". Or the episodes where it is specifically stated that the ship cannot operate with just the Captain.

I agree it's not clean, but when has a hard limitation stopped anything in Star Trek? Has the "can't beam through shields" been strictly observed? No, there are Treknobabble workarounds: "match frequencies" or beam during the brief period when the system recycles, or whatever.

To address how "The Ultimate Computer" could be salvaged, you just need one new line from Spock, in place of something similar in the script we had, something like:

"Fortunately, the safeties on the waldos are holding, and life support is now fully under our control, but we cannot disengage the M-5 from control of weapons and helm."​

That's it. That was actually super-easy, and because it's so easy, it's not strictly speaking necessary for it to occur on screen; the script is consistent, if incomplete, as is.

Why can't we enjoy TOS and SNW and all the other series as continuities that exist in parallel?

You can, if that's how you want to take it. I'm just saying that it's not necessary to consider them to be separate continuities.

 

[blssdwlf]

Scotty didn't seem to imply there was any hurry to bring them out again. IIRC, this was the first time that anybody had been held dematerialized in transit, expect possibly in "The Enemy Within" during reintegration. There were of course other episodes when rematerialization was drawn out, like "Obsession" and "The Doomsday Machine."

I agree that leaving the Klingons in indefinitely would have been a death sentence, but if Chekov had really wanted to say the quiet part out loud, he could have just said, "Beam them into space, widest angle of dispersion!" I mean, wouldn't it prevent the transporter from being used to just hold them there indefinitely? When I first saw the episode, I never got the feeling that there was a ticking clock that was going to expire Real Soon before it was too late to rematerialize the Klingons.

But M'Benga isn't leaving his daughter in there for 75 years at a stretch. He has to rematerialize her periodically, something that Scotty's set up didn't need (at least not nearly as often, by several orders of magnitude). It's literally not the same thing that Scotty did.

We do have "Gamesters of Triskelion" where McCoy questions, "It's been nearly an hour. Can people live that long as disassembled atoms in a transporter beam?" Spock replies, "I have never heard of a study being done, but it would be a fascinating project." A few sentences later McCoy says, "The odds are not good." Spock replies, "No, I would say approximately four hundred..." and gets cutoff by McCoy. So there is a limit present in TOS. M'Benga's SNW setup exceeds that limit by a wide margin and with obviously very good odds compared to TOS.

I agree it's not clean, but when has a hard limitation stopped anything in Star Trek? Has the "can't beam through shields" been strictly observed? No, there are Treknobabble workarounds: "match frequencies" or beam during the brief period when the system recycles, or whatever.

Technically in TOS, it's been "I can't beam you up with the shields up" but not I can't beam you down with the shields up as seen in "A Taste of Armageddon" and another episode I can't remember at the moment.

To address how "The Ultimate Computer" could be salvaged, you just need one new line from Spock, in place of something similar in the script we had, something like:

"Fortunately, the safeties on the waldos are holding, and life support is now fully under our control, but we cannot disengage the M-5 from control of weapons and helm."​

That's it. That was actually super-easy, and because it's so easy, it's not strictly speaking necessary for it to occur on screen; the script is consistent, if incomplete, as is.

If you have to salvage with additional dialogue then it is already different, IMO.

You can, if that's how you want to take it. I'm just saying that it's not necessary to consider them to be separate continuities.

We already do though. When we speak of Fleet Captain Pike is it the TOS one that "went in bringing out all those kids that were still alive" or the one that just happened to be there when the explosion happened and got caught accidentally in the radiation?

Or when using the different actors as reference points like the different Kirks - Shatner Kirk, Pine Kirk and Wesley Kirk. Or physically different ships like SNW Enterprise and TOS Enterprise, etc...

 

[CorporalCaptain]

We do have "Gamesters of Triskelion" where McCoy questions, "It's been nearly an hour. Can people live that long as disassembled atoms in a transporter beam?" Spock replies, "I have never heard of a study being done, but it would be a fascinating project." A few sentences later McCoy says, "The odds are not good." Spock replies, "No, I would say approximately four hundred..." and gets cutoff by McCoy. So there is a limit present in TOS. M'Benga's SNW setup exceeds that limit by a wide margin and with obviously very good odds compared to TOS.

Sounds like they're talking about a beam travelling through space, which would be subject to dispersion that an unemitted beam would not. It's not the same thing as what M'Benga is doing.

If you have to salvage with additional dialogue then it is already different, IMO.

I mean, I literally said that the additional dialog isn't even necessary, right there in what you quoted.

We already do though. When we speak of Fleet Captain Pike is it the TOS one that "went in bringing out all those kids that were still alive" or the one that just happened to be there when the explosion happened and got caught accidentally in the radiation?

While we're at it, maybe would should throw out "Turnabout Intruder," because it refers to General Order 4 as being the only general order with the death penalty, instead of General Order 7, as it was established in "The Menagerie."

Or maybe we should toss "The Cloud Minders," because Spock discusses Vulcan mating habits with an out-worlder, something that he said was against Vulcan custom back in "Amok Time."

Or "The Squire of Gothos" because it got the century wrong.

I really wonder how much TOS isn't actually TOS, by this hyper-literal standard.

edited to add - Any possibility of hyper-literal continuity in TOS was precluded by TOS itself in its use of stock footage in which the Enterprise model had noticeable physical differences, resulting from exactly when each stock shot was originally filmed. The details of the starship's physical appearance change over the course of every or almost every episode.

 

[blssdwlf]

Sounds like they're talking about a beam travelling through space, which would be subject to dispersion that an unemitted beam would not. It's not the same thing as what M'Benga is doing.

What is M'Benga doing differently? His daughter's disassembled atoms are being held certainly longer than what would be an hour and longer than "non-existence" as spoken of in "Day of the Dove".

I mean, I literally said that the additional dialog isn't even necessary, right there in what you quoted.

Only after you typed in how it could be fixed with an additional line. Why even mention the first option then?

While we're at it, maybe would should throw out "Turnabout Intruder," because it refers to General Order 4 as being the only general order with the death penalty, instead of General Order 7, as it was established in "The Menagerie."

Why? The time difference between the 2 episodes is almost 3 years. They both can be true at the time they were spoken.

Or maybe we should toss "The Cloud Minders," because Spock discusses Vulcan mating habits with an out-worlder, something that he said was against Vulcan custom back in "Amok Time."

Well up to "Amok Time", Spock apparently didn't discuss this with any out-worlder and then in the same episode tells Kirk and acknowledges the situation to McCoy who figured it out on his own. After some re-assurance by Kirk and McCoy that it isn't distasteful Spock invites them both to the ceremony. Then the entire bridge crew meets T'Pring on the main viewer as his wife. By "The Cloud Miners" time it can be argued that Spock is much more comfortable discussing Vulcan mating habits, especially to a "totally intellectual society."

Or "The Squire of Gothos" because it got the century wrong.

And also toss out "Assignment: Earth" because of the orbital nuclear platforms in the 60's or "Space Speed" for the interplanetary atomic powered ships with suspended animation chambers in the 90's? Why can't "Squire of Gothos" have their century right and you're incorrectly trying to apply our history onto their fictional history?

I really wonder how much TOS isn't actually TOS, by this hyper-literal standard.

Quick question then, show us a picture of Pike's Enterprise.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

And now we're going for the gold medal at the Olympic Mental Gymnastics (aka, the OMG).

My point is, practically any inconsistency, yes even the variation in the physical appearance of the starship model within each episode, can be explained in-universe, including all those cases when the probable explanation is one or more of: that the writers forgot to crosscheck something with other episodes, or that they decided that what was done before wasn't important enough for the sake of what they were doing later, or that continuing to do what was done before was later no longer practical. What's happening with SNW is no different in all those respects, especially the last two.

So, I am presented with two choices: trouble myself some more over something that was always only supposed to fun or let go and enjoy myself. I'm choosing the latter. YMMV.

 

[blssdwlf]

And now we're going for the gold medal at the Olympic Mental Gymnastics (aka, the OMG).

My point is, practically any inconsistency, yes even the variation in the physical appearance of the starship model within each episode, can be explained in-universe, including all those cases when the probable explanation is one or more of: that the writers forgot to crosscheck something with other episodes, or that they decided that what was done before wasn't important enough for the sake of what they were doing later, or that continuing to do what was done before was later no longer practical. What's happening with SNW is no different in all those respects, especially the last two.

Yes, I'm a proponent that even the variation in the physical appearance of the starship model can vary within each episode can be explained in-universe. I get that point. Where we differ is trying to say a series like SNW is the same as TOS when they are not as it requires a lot more mental gymnastics to attempt to get them to fit.

So, I am presented with two choices: trouble myself some more over something that was always only supposed to fun or let go and enjoy myself. I'm choosing the latter. YMMV.

Considering how much trouble you went through to debate your point that TOS and SNW are the same perhaps it would be best to let go and enjoy SNW and TOS as their own separate series. Less OMG's required. YMMV.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Considering how much trouble you went through to debate your point that TOS and SNW are the same perhaps it would be best to let go and enjoy SNW and TOS as their own separate series. Less OMG's required. YMMV.

Let's not get carried away. I acknowledged differences in casting and set, and I acknowledge differences also in costuming, props, etc. I acknowledge the need to gloss over some details in plot and/or dialog. It simply isn't commercially feasible to make a continuation/prequel over half a century later and expect perfect fidelity to the original production values.

With the use of TOS footage in DISCO S2 E8 "If Memory Serves," all (reasonable) doubt that SNW and DISCO supposedly exist in the same continuity as TOS was erased. I expect the upcoming SNW/LDS crossover to further confirm that, and to strengthen the case that TAS is also in continuity.

Suspension of disbelief is something every audience member always does, and leaving issues on the floor is routine when watching any production. There's no "work" required of me to explain anything, if my threshold to get taken out of a story hasn't been reached. There are always issues.

 

[blssdwlf]

Let's not get carried away. I acknowledged differences in casting and set, and I acknowledge differences also in costuming, props, etc. I acknowledge the need to gloss over some details in plot and/or dialog. It simply isn't commercially feasible to make a continuation/prequel over half a century later and expect perfect fidelity to the original production values.

Nor am I insisting that it should have perfect fidelity to the original production values because SNW's producer clearly states they aren't trying to. It isn't trying to be Rogue One to Star Wars. It is trying to be it's own thing and should be respected as such, IMHO.

With the use of TOS footage in DISCO S2 E8 "If Memory Serves," all (reasonable) doubt that SNW and DISCO supposedly exist in the same continuity as TOS was erased. I expect the upcoming SNW/LDS crossover to further confirm that, and to strengthen the case that TAS is also in continuity.

Not really. The scenes S2 E8 of Discovery confirms that SNW Pike experienced some of the scenes TOS Pike experienced in "The Cage". We already know from graphic viewings of SNW Pike's future that he doesn't go running into save cadets as described by Mendez in "The Menagerie". We also see in S2 E12 SNW Pike's future in the life-support chair. Since they re-used scenes from "The Cage" which showed how things looked when he visited Talos IV then from your continuity argument they should've used the same chair as seen in "The Menagerie" if it is the same continuity. Since the SNW version of the chair is different then that's another sign that it is a different continuity.

Suspension of disbelief is something every audience member always does, and leaving issues on the floor is routine when watching any production. There's no "work" required of me to explain anything, if my threshold to get taken out of a story hasn't been reached. There are always issues.

Yes, ignoring it as the price of production compromise and enjoying it as-is is one option. Another option is to treat it as a reboot like Warped9. Or get mad at the discrepancy like Mr Laser Beam. Or in my case (and option), accept the differences as two different series and enjoy them both.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Since they re-used scenes from "The Cage" which showed how things looked when he visited Talos IV then from your continuity argument they should've used the same chair as seen in "The Menagerie" if it is the same continuity. Since the SNW version of the chair is different then that's another sign that it is a different continuity.

That doesn't follow at all. It's just a different prop representing the same thing in-universe. It's not all that different from the Enterprise model being different in the TOS stock footage shot at different times. TNG had a similar problem when they introduced a newer model of the Ent-D. Not to mention, Mount doesn't look exactly like Hunter, but that, too, is irrelevant.

 

[Pauln6]

I am perfectly fine with suspension of disbelief for recasting actors, re-jiggered visuals, updated alien make up including all klingons.

I am less forgiving when the effects of the technology are substantially ret-conned or ignored, overruling express dialogue and stories.

The transporter thing is clearly a triple ret-con. TOS and even TNG did not have transporters in sickbay. TOS could not maintain patterns for long periods.

TOS did not do site to site transports inside a ship because they were more dangerous (possibly but not expressly stated to be a ship with an active warp core). So it's fine for characters to do them but it's not fine for them to treat them as safe or routine.

 

[blssdwlf]

That doesn't follow at all. It's just a different prop representing the same thing in-universe. It's not all that different from the Enterprise model being different in the TOS stock footage shot at different times. TNG had a similar problem when they introduced a newer model of the Ent-D. Not to mention, Mount doesn't look exactly like Hunter, but that, too, is irrelevant.

If you introduce footage from "The Cage" as evidence that SNW Pike is in the same continuity as TOS and then change how Pike gets to the end point as seen in "The Menagerie" to something different then you're not in the same continuity. SNW Pike doesn't go in and rescue any of the cadets in his SNW future. And as you point out, it is a different prop. It just happens to be attached to a Pike that didn't run in and save cadets making it a different story and universe. Also you are bringing up that they are two different actors. Do you want to start referring to them as Mount Pike, Hunter Pike and Kenney Pike to make it easier for us to discuss?

So just for fun, are you able to show us a picture of Pike's Enterprise? Or Pike's wheelchair? Or tell us what Pike does to get hit with delta radiation?

 

[Tallguy]

I was thinking on this a bit ago. So many people (myself very much among them) would love to see TAS "redone" with some sort of CGI. Presumably to make it closer to a live action 4th season of TOS.

Then I started thinking: What if rather than chasing after the edges of the uncanny valley, what if we got a lusciously 2D animated re-imagining? Pick a style: Disney at the height of their powers (wherever you feel that is). Miyazaki. Some style I'm unaware of or forgetting.

That could be so cool.

OTOH, if we want to stick with Filmation, imagine Star Trek but with the quality of Filmation's Flash Gordon?

But sure, a nearly live action reinterpretation of TAS could be amazing. Just don't ever get rid of the originals, thank you.

 

[Metryq]

would love to see TAS "redone" with some sort of CGI.

I'd be with you, if I felt strongly enough about any of the TAS stories. Unfortunately, none of them really grabbed me, and the musical "ear-worm" score should be burned. (Forgive me, Zap.) But as a technical exercise, I'm all for it.

It's refreshing to run into someone who does not, as a knee-jerk response, consider all computer rendered art "cookie cutter junk." Like any other artform, it depends on the skills of the artists—and sometimes the deadlines and pressure from producers. Flirting with the Uncanny Valley is no longer as dangerous as it once was. There's enough material of all the cast to "Deep Fake" a live-action-looking production. We've seen the results in many movies where a long-established celebrity is "rejuvenated" for stories spanning decades. However, I would rather see some other approach. (It's enough that we have the voice-overs of the original performers without having to Deep Fake that, too.)

"Brute force animation," or hand-drawn animation based on live-action film dates back to Fleischer's rotoscope. I recall short segments of He-Man where the motion would suddenly look very fluid and carry real-world weight. Those had to be rotoscoped. Today we have mocap (motion capture) to record the physical performances of live actors to be applied to computer models.

3D models rendered to look like 2D cel animation is nothing new. And many 2D, 2.5D and 3D animation packages exist, some combining all three (like the free, open-source Blender). But even 2D art need not look like the made-for-TV Filmation style. The Looney Tunes animations had backgrounds reminiscent of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. With all respect to Miyazaki, his characters tended to follow the "anime" style, although any of his movies featuring backgrounds by Kazuo Oga are a big treat. Those backgrounds have a "painted photo-real" look that make light and shadow live. Pixar's The Incredibles had cartoon-like caricature in 3D, And The Secret of Kells had a distinctive, stylized look all its own. (Kells reminded me a little of Once A Mouse, a children's book first published in the '60s with wood-cut art.)

The right style for TAS-R would need careful consideration. The production design and lighting of TOS should be a guide. But the look of the characters? One of TOS's strengths was making the fantastic seem down-to-earth, or at least plausible, which may be why I reject the idea of "Deep Fake"/real rendering. I just know that many of the VFX for TOS-R failed, in my opinion. For example, that Doomsday Machine looked unthreatening, like a monster in a videogame.

I don't have the answers, but I would love to see it explored.