Learning to Love Star Trek

[rcr1000]

Hey guys, I need a little advice.

I run a science fiction-based website, and although I have been a long-time sci-fi fan, I never became attached to Star Trek. In January, though, I'm going to start a project where I try to make a ST-lover out of myself. I'm gonna chronicle weekly exposures to the show (probably with a focus on TOS 1 and 2 and TNG 1 and 2) on a series of weekly blog posts on the site throughout the year.

This is my question: What's the best way for me to come to love Star Trek? I'm thinking that I'll probably just watch the first two seasons straight through, as that is obviously what created many a Trek fan back in the '60s. But I want to know if you think there's a better way to do this.

So, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Piper]

Hey guys, I need a little advice.

I run a science fiction-based website, and although I have been a long-time sci-fi fan, I never became attached to Star Trek. In January, though, I'm going to start a project where I try to make a ST-lover out of myself. I'm gonna chronicle weekly exposures to the show

That sounds a great idea, looking forward to reading it

(probably with a focus on TOS 1 and 2

And you couldn't start in a better place. Still, after all these years and with my love for the other shows undimmed, my two favourite seasons of Trek ever.

and TNG 1 and 2)

Ahhh... no. I wouldn't. Not if you want to get into TNG. Bar the very rare highlights both, especially S1, are dire, and don't really give much of an idea of what TNG eventually became, and will most likely put you off for life. The good news is S3 is fantastic, and you can skip straight to it without missing out on anything.

This is my question: What's the best way for me to come to love Star Trek? I'm thinking that I'll probably just watch the first two seasons straight through, as that is obviously what created many a Trek fan back in the '60s. But I want to know if you think there's a better way to do this.

So, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Bar the TNG thing, sounds to me like you're going the right way about it. The only thing I would say is that 60s Trek is very different from TNG and the other series, so even if you don't like TOS it's very possible you'll like TNG, or vice versa. I'd also be prepared to be a bit forgiving of a couple of early TOS episodes - there are a couple of very ropey ones (Charlie X and Mudd's Women) amongst the good stuff.

Keep us updated

 

[Hambone]

My only bit of advice would be to watch the shows (especially TOS) in production order, starting with "The Cage". You really get a sense of the the show's evolution this way.

I would also echo rcr1000's feelings about TNG. The first 2 seasons will not leave you wanting more. TNG sort of "arced" in that the first two and last two seasons were the weakest.

 

[rcr1000]

Okay, thanks a lot for the advice. Maybe I'll start with S3 as far as TNG goes.

 

[GalaxyX]

Start with Season 1 and 2 of TNG. Seasons 1 and 2 are where TNG is the most TOSesque. Watch TOS all the way thru, even the 3rd Season (you'll find an equal amount of excellent and horrible episodes in all Seasons). TNG becomes "different" Season 3 on, not necessarily better.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

This is my question: What's the best way for me to come to love Star Trek?

Watch DS9. In conjunction with TOS for the history. If you're a sci fi person and not a Trek fan you may find more to respect in DS9.

 

[Timewalker]

Every now and then, some detail in an episode will spark an impulse to find out more information - about a character, an actor, a culture, custom, or whatever other might strike your fancy. Remember that most of the Trek actors were well-known for other roles previous to their ST careers. Star Trek at its best has Shakespearean elements in it, in terms of characters' relationships, the episodes' themes, etc. And if you can, try to find a copy of Harlan Ellison's original script for "City on the Edge of Forever" - it's amazing how both versions of this episode were so good, and yet so far apart while still keeping the theme of Kirk having to make the ultimate heart-breaking decision of whether to save his soulmate or the universe he knows - because there is absolutely no. way. that he can do both.

 

[rcr1000]

Thanks, everyone, for all the advice. I've definitely taken everything into consideration.

I meant to post here when my first entry went up (Jan. 1), but I forgot. Anyway, here it is:

Introduction: http://scifiblock.com/blog/robert-ring/learning-to-love-star-trek-a-new-years-resolution.htm

Or skip straight to the first entry: http://scifiblock.com/blog/robert-r...star-trek-pt-1-stepping-into-the-man-trap.htm

 

[barnaclelapse]

Is this anything like the song "Getting To Know You"?

 

[DevilEyes]

Okay, thanks a lot for the advice. Maybe I'll start with S3 as far as TNG goes.

Don't skip all of the first two seasons. You have to at least watch The Measure of A Man (one of the best TNG episodes) and a few other episodes that are important for some characters' storyarcs and get followed up on later, like the pilot, Datalore, Q Who, The Emissary... I'm borrowing this list of episodes you should see from the first two seasons - either because they are good by themselves or because they are important for what comes later - from TheGodBen, who posted it in this thread: http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=111246&page=2

Season 1
Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot - not incredibly good, but very important, and gets referenced a lot, and followed up on in the excellent series finale All Good Things)
The Naked Now (awful, but events from the episode are referenced later)
Where No One Has Gone Before (Explains the Traveller)
Hide and Q (part of the Q story)
Datalore (Introduction of a recurring character)
11001001
Coming of Age (To better understand Conspiracy)
Heart of Glory
Skin of Evil (also not good, but features a very important event)
Conspiracy
The Neutral Zone (bad, but introduces important plot elements)

Season 2
Where Silence Has Lease
Elementary Dear Data (introduces a recurring character)
A Matter of Honor
The Measure of a Man (great episode, of the TNG's best, mustn't be missed)
Contagion (The Iconians are mentioned later on DS9)
Time Squared
Q Who
Samaritan Snare
The Emissary (Important for Worf's arc)

Bear in mind that most of season 1 is really, really bad, including the important episodes listed above.

DS9 is my favorite Trek series, but if you start with it, you'll spoil a great TNG two-parter, Best of Both Worlds (season 3 finale - season 4 opener), one of TNG's best (DS9 pilot The Emissary directly references the events of TBOBW), and a few other things, such as Worf's storyarc on TNG, will also be spoiled for you. (DS9 started during TNG season 6, and there are a few crossovers and characters that overlap.)

 

[Esteban]

So you run a science fiction-based website, and although you have been a long-time sci-fi fan, you never became attached to Star Trek?

I'm already skeptical. Have we made it through the Foundation Trilogy yet? Have your read any Conklin collections? Maybe a little Bester, Heinlein, Clarke? Bradbury, delRey, Leinster? Dick, Anderson, Knight?

I mean, it's like my saying, "hey guys, I run a Bible-based website, and although I like that Jesus guy, I never became attached to Moses."

You've got some work to do.

 

[rcr1000]

So you run a science fiction-based website, and although you have been a long-time sci-fi fan, you never became attached to Star Trek?

I'm already skeptical. Have we made it through the Foundation Trilogy yet? Have your read any Conklin collections? Maybe a little Bester, Heinlein, Clarke? Bradbury, delRey, Leinster? Dick, Anderson, Knight?

I mean, it's like my saying, "hey guys, I run a Bible-based website, and although I like that Jesus guy, I never became attached to Moses."

You've got some work to do.

Yeah, I do have some work to do. Thus, this blog series.

Even though I consider myself a sci-fi aficionado (though mostly just in regards to film), I don't spend a ton of time on the aspects of it that don't interest me. Only so many hours in a day.

But hopefully this project will fix some of that.

Anyway, entry #2 is up: http://scifiblock.com/blog/robert-ring/learning-to-love-star-trek-part-2.htm

 

[Anji]

rcr1000, welcome aboard!

Don't feel bad if Star Trek does not appeal to you, because like many things in life not everything is for everyone.

I can understand that if you have been raised on the sci-fi classics, Star Trek may be a little difficult to stomach. Novels go into great detail, while TV, as I'm sure you know, gives you only a skeleton of a story or concept.

Of the Star Trek you've seen, what didn't you like about it? And you can be honest here, our feelings won't be hurt.

 

[indranee]

Hey guys, I need a little advice.

I run a science fiction-based website, and although I have been a long-time sci-fi fan, I never became attached to Star Trek. In January, though, I'm going to start a project where I try to make a ST-lover out of myself. I'm gonna chronicle weekly exposures to the show (probably with a focus on TOS 1 and 2 and TNG 1 and 2) on a series of weekly blog posts on the site throughout the year.

This is my question: What's the best way for me to come to love Star Trek? I'm thinking that I'll probably just watch the first two seasons straight through, as that is obviously what created many a Trek fan back in the '60s. But I want to know if you think there's a better way to do this.

So, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

just start watching TOS

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Hey guys, I need a little advice.

I run a science fiction-based website, and although I have been a long-time sci-fi fan, I never became attached to Star Trek. In January, though, I'm going to start a project where I try to make a ST-lover out of myself. I'm gonna chronicle weekly exposures to the show

That sounds a great idea, looking forward to reading it

(probably with a focus on TOS 1 and 2

And you couldn't start in a better place. Still, after all these years and with my love for the other shows undimmed, my two favourite seasons of Trek ever.

and TNG 1 and 2)

Ahhh... no. I wouldn't. Not if you want to get into TNG. Bar the very rare highlights both, especially S1, are dire, and don't really give much of an idea of what TNG eventually became, and will most likely put you off for life. The good news is S3 is fantastic, and you can skip straight to it without missing out on anything.

This is my question: What's the best way for me to come to love Star Trek? I'm thinking that I'll probably just watch the first two seasons straight through, as that is obviously what created many a Trek fan back in the '60s. But I want to know if you think there's a better way to do this.

So, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Bar the TNG thing, sounds to me like you're going the right way about it. The only thing I would say is that 60s Trek is very different from TNG and the other series, so even if you don't like TOS it's very possible you'll like TNG, or vice versa. I'd also be prepared to be a bit forgiving of a couple of early TOS episodes - there are a couple of very ropey ones (Charlie X and Mudd's Women) amongst the good stuff.

Keep us updated

What's wrong with Mudd's Women? It's one of the best entries of the entire series.

 

[finnobrit]

What's wrong with Mudd's Women? It's one of the best entries of the entire series.

I love "Mudd's Women"...

It's perhaps not brilliant sci-fi, but it is very good entertainment. That might be the cause of differences of opinion about this episode?

 

[DevilEyes]

^ Mudd's Women is horrible. What's wrong with it? Everything. Harry Mudd - a guy selling drugged-up women presented as lovable rogue; awful overacting by the actor who plays him; a dubious 'message'; a happy ending that suggest that gee, buying brides might end up being a good thing as long as the guy is not looking for a pretty mail-order bride, but one who will be a faithful and hard-working wife.

 

[finnobrit]

^ Mudd's Women is horrible. What's wrong with it? Everything. Harry Mudd - a guy selling drugged-up women presented as lovable rogue; awful overacting by the actor who plays him; a dubious 'message'; a happy ending that suggest that gee, buying brides might end up being a good thing as long as the guy is not looking for a pretty mail-order bride, but one who will be a faithful and hard-working wife.

That wasn't the ending I saw at all. I saw a rather seedy crook getting his just deserts, being trapped on a planet with endless copies of someone he hates.

 

[Shaw]

I run a science fiction-based website, and although I have been a long-time sci-fi fan, I never became attached to Star Trek. In January, though, I'm going to start a project where I try to make a ST-lover out of myself...

So, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I know this is going to sound really odd... and please don't take it the wrong way, but honestly, don't even try.

Either you like Trek or you don't. If you haven't realized it by now, forcing it on yourself isn't the right way to do it. It shouldn't be a chore.

Go out, enjoy what you enjoy and make the most of life. Trek will be just fine.

 

[finnobrit]

I know this is going to sound really odd... and please don't take it the wrong way, but honestly, don't even try.

Either you like Trek or you don't. If you haven't realized it by now, forcing it on yourself isn't the right way to do it. It shouldn't be a chore.

Go out, enjoy what you enjoy and make the most of life. Trek will be just fine.

LOL, but yeah that doesn't actually sound odd at all, sounds very mature.

One thing I would add though is that if you're going to sample Trek (or any other series) it's best to try the good and accessible episodes first. A lot of Trek episodes would put me off Trek if I thought they represented the entire series.