VERY SHORT TREKS...

[Michael]

Wow, these didn't land for me twice in a row now. The TAS animation style is emulated to pitch perfection, but it seems wasted on some of the unfunniest, stiffest writing imaginable. I know humor is subjective and I'm glad other seem to enjoy these, but in my eyes these are super disappointing.

 

[DaveyNY]

It does kinda look like they may have drawn Burnham, realised she wasn't there then changed her a bit to make a generic white background character.

The original was a guy and the animation appears to be female (or at the very least Trans), so maybe They are just playing with us.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I'm still wondering why they put Saru in a wildly anachronistic 32nd century uniform. I get maybe changing up the background characters from the original - not a big deal there - but it was almost like they rotoscoped the scene from BotBS, replicating it perfectly, and yet made the deliberate artistic choice not to go with the same blue uniform for everyone.

 

[DaveyNY]

I'm still wondering why they put Saru in a wildly anachronistic 32nd century uniform. I get maybe changing up the background characters from the original - not a big deal there - but it was almost like they rotoscoped the scene from BotBS, replicating it perfectly, and yet made the deliberate artistic choice not to go with the same blue uniform for everyone.

I think perhaps, based on what the ultimate goal of these shorts represent, we have to assume that any wild visual alterations are purposely done to fit with the crazy tone of the tales.

The fact that they have been presented as NOT CANON IN ANY WAY, is the key.

 

[Christopher]

I think perhaps, based on what the ultimate goal of these shorts represent, we have to assume that any wild visual alterations are purposely done to fit with the crazy tone of the tales.

They're probably intentionally referencing the kinds of animation errors that were frequently made in '70s shows. When Batman: The Brave and the Bold did their tribute to Batman and Robin's Scooby-Doo crossovers from the same era (but from Hanna-Barbera, whose work was typically even more error-laden than Filmation's), they included deliberate errors like inverting the colors of Batman's chest emblem.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I think perhaps, based on what the ultimate goal of these shorts represent, we have to assume that any wild visual alterations are purposely done to fit with the crazy tone of the tales.

The fact that they have been presented as NOT CANON IN ANY WAY, is the key.

Makes sense. The bizarre color palette (with pink Klingons, ships and tribbles) and other oddities that TAS was (in)famous for certainly lends credence to that theory.

If you look and listen closely, you can even see film grain has been subtly added to the picture, as well as a slight occasional faint warble of the soundtrack, as if the motor, gears, and/or belts on the old film projector the show was playing on were starting to slip a little.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm still wondering why they put Saru in a wildly anachronistic 32nd century uniform. I get maybe changing up the background characters from the original - not a big deal there - but it was almost like they rotoscoped the scene from BotBS, replicating it perfectly, and yet made the deliberate artistic choice not to go with the same blue uniform for everyone.

A wrong uniform like that is 100% an intentional TAS callback. They had McCoy in yellow once, and Christine in blue with one red sleeve. Scotty was often Captain.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Wasn't someone missing an arm at some point? And I'm not thinking of Ari Bn Bem, either...

 

[Richard S. Ta]

It does kinda look like they may have drawn Burnham, realised she wasn't there then changed her a bit to make a generic white background character.

Looks like Michelle Yeoh to me.

 

[Ronald Held]

Animation style is fine, as is the soundtrack. Writing is iffy.

 

[Tuskin38]

I laughed at the second one, I didn't laugh at the first.

 

[CitadelZombies]

Yeah "Holiday Party" got a few chuckles from me. But the first one was terrible.

 

[Tango]

Wasn't impressed by the first one. Liked the second better since I enjoy Spock's attempt at human humor ending up falling into the uncanny valley.

 

[Eddie Roth]

I was simply befuddled by why these are made (or made as they are). Some tribute to the fact that TAS turned 50, of course, but when these were originally announced I was hoping for something that also narratively paid homage to the show. Now comedy is fine, but this seems... I don't know... weird for weird's sake.

 

[Qonundrum]

I was simply befuddled by why these are made (or made as they are). Some tribute to the fact that TAS turned 50, of course, but when these were originally announced I was hoping for something that also narratively paid homage to the show. Now comedy is fine, but this seems... I don't know... weird for weird's sake.

In 1973, TAS provided creative freedom and weirdness that TOS could not, thanks to the animated construct. Add in how a couple of TAS episodes are themselves "weird for weird's sake", I think Very Short Treks is parodying that. And why not? Outer space and other planets are likely going to be weird at some point. The real trick is to make the weirdness interesting and not "kids' throwaway", something good sci-fi can and has done before.

 

[1001001]

The Spock's Blooper Reel one was pretty hilarious, once I got over the shock.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Now comedy is fine, but this seems... I don't know... weird for weird's sake.

Yes. Isn't it wonderful?

 

[Christopher]

In 1973, TAS provided creative freedom and weirdness that TOS could not, thanks to the animated construct.

I think people overstate that difference. Yes, the designs of the aliens and landscapes are able to be more imaginative and exotic, but the concepts aren't really that much weirder. Megas-tu isn't intrinsically weirder than the "Catspaw" aliens. A giant Spock clone isn't intrinsically weirder than a giant Apollo. The Lactran zoo isn't intrinsically weirder than the Talosian menagerie. A shapeshifting Vendorian is no weirder than a shapeshifting salt vampire or Garth of Izar. Radiation shrinking people is no weirder than radiation hyper-accelerating people, or Flint shrinking the Enterprise to sit on his tabletop. An alien that can split into three parts isn't much weirder than a society ruled by three candy-colored disembodied brains.

The goal of TAS was not to make a kids' show or a silly cartoon. The goal was to make more Star Trek, as much like the original series as possible, but taking advantage of the medium's greater freedom to show imaginative vistas and aliens. The only concession to the children's time slot was toning down the sexiness and onscreen violence.

So it bothers me that these shorts supposedly "celebrating" TAS seem to be treating it as a joke.

 

[Tallguy]

So it bothers me that these shorts supposedly "celebrating" TAS seem to be treating it as a joke.

It's not just that. It's the apparent attitude of "Well, NOBODY can take this stuff seriously, we all know that, right?"

And thanks for putting that much better than I have been able to, @Christopher .

 

[DaveyNY]

Considering that for over 30 years a lot of folks didn't even consider TAS to be canon, I'd say these shorts fit perfectly into that line of thought and replicate its history.

Even the tagline promoting them as "ANYTHING BUT CANON" fits with how TAS was treated.
(even by the IP owner for years)