All the Treks inc the Animated

[Neutral Zone]

Been a way for while due to health reasons but during that time I have completed my collection of all the Star Treks, Series, Films and even the Animated series.

I have enjoyed the animated series but at timesI find that thyey don't quite feel like one ofthe Trek family, even thoughthe voices are from TOS, Shattner and compny.

I was wondering how others felt about the animated series are they true Trek or a poor imitation?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

TAS had some good stories, but IMHO the actual look and feel of the animation was typical early 70's crap. I'm still holding out for a full CGI remake of the series.

 

[MANT!]

A lot has to do with the flat voices our favorite actors used.. but as each read his or her lines singly it's understandable..

And Filmation was damn near the cheapest animation house available..but they were profitable...

 

[StarryEyed]

Whether or not TAS is true-Trek shouldn't have anything to do with production values. If we used that measure, we would have to disregard the original series!

TAS was by and large faithful to TOS in the most important ways. Most of the stories were serious and written by actual sci-fi writers.

The biggest problem is that the writers sometimes took advantage of the freedom of animation to create things they shouldn't have. Many aliens were creative but ridiculously out of step with real-world physics (Edoans). Some of TAS races either don't fit well into established TOS continuity (Kzinti) or would dramatically upset the established balance of power (Skorr).

Some episodes were remarkably sophisticated and totally worthy of TOS and the overall Star Trek universe. Yesteryear, Albatross, Pirates of Orion, and How Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth in particular IMO.

 

[Smellincoffee]

I like what I've seen of it. I've been watching them on YouTube and the like.

The vocals are flat at times, apparently from that cat-woman.

 

[Sector 7]

The Animated Series was my first introduction to Trek, so it still holds a special place for me. Production values, while very limited by today's standards, were actually average for cartoons of the era.

 

[Amaris]

Whether or not TAS is true-Trek shouldn't have anything to do with production values. If we used that measure, we would have to disregard the original series!

TAS was by and large faithful to TOS in the most important ways. Most of the stories were serious and written by actual sci-fi writers.

The biggest problem is that the writers sometimes took advantage of the freedom of animation to create things they shouldn't have. Many aliens were creative but ridiculously out of step with real-world physics (Edoans). Some of TAS races either don't fit well into established TOS continuity (Kzinti) or would dramatically upset the established balance of power (Skorr).

Some episodes were remarkably sophisticated and totally worthy of TOS and the overall Star Trek universe. Yesteryear, Albatross, Pirates of Orion, and How Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth in particular IMO.

No love for "The Magicks of Megas-Tu"?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Many aliens were creative but ridiculously out of step with real-world physics (Edoans).

Hands off my man Arex. All three of them!

How do you feel about Species 8472? Larry Niven's Pierson's Puppeteers?

 

[StarryEyed]

Many aliens were creative but ridiculously out of step with real-world physics (Edoans).

Hands off my man Arex. All three of them!

How do you feel about Species 8472? Larry Niven's Pierson's Puppeteers?

The same way I feel about Arex. Evolution would never go in that direction because it is a mechanically impractical setup. Edoans have an even worse problem though: Their neck would be inadequate to support their head in Earth gravity. That's not to say they couldn't be a product of a low-gravity world but Arex is functioning just fine on the Enterprise.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I enjoyed some of the stories and voice acting (although it was indeed pretty dry at times). I just assumed it was canon and moved on with my life. I had no idea that it was (and still is? I don't know) a subject of debate.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I love TAS. Mr Arex is one of my all-time favourite Trek characters, and I hope he'll crop up in one of the new movies being made. The alien on the Kelvin was close, but short an arm and a leg .
I'm also waiting for an epic Mr Arex Star Trek novel to come along .

I did not like M'Ress, though. That OTT purring wound me up no end!

As for the show itself, I love it and consider it "real" Star Trek. Episodes like "Yesteryear" (a big influence on STXI), "The Pirates of Orion", "Slaver Weapon" (love the Kzinti - this episode got me into Known Space books and Ringworld) and "The Time Trap" (gave me a lifelong love for starship graveyards) are my favourites.

It's obviously a kids show and is limited by that somewhat, but even at it's most bizarre ("Magicks of Megas-Tu") it's not too different from the nuttier live-action stuff like "Spock's Brain", "If Wishes Were Horses" and the rest of those episodes everyone tries to forget.

 

[milo bloom]

Besides the fact that it had many of the same production team, most of the same actors, some of the same writers, etc, etc, keep in mind also that its title cards read, very simply, "Star Trek". Not "Star Trek The Animated Series", not "The New Adventures of Star Trek", nothing like that. It simply was Star Trek.

And "Yesteryear" alone makes it worth keeping.

 

[Neutral Zone]

I have to confess that I never knew about TAS, did they get to the UK? I looked at when they were made, and I had just left school and got my first job, lot of things happening at the time, so I guess I missed them at that time.

 

[F. King Daniel]

They occasionally showed TAS in the UK early in the mornings during the 90's (around the time DS9 started, IIRC) which is when I saw about 2/3 of them. It wasn't until a couple of years ago I got the DVD box set and saw them all.

 

[I am not Spock]

TAS is the only Trek production I don't own on DVD, but only because I can't find the boxset in stores over here anymore. Shoulda bought it when I saw it on store shelves several years ago. Actually, I do have one episode 'More Tribbles, More Troubles' on the TOS season 2 DVD. And I've seen several others on Youtube. As far as I am concerned, TAS is proper Star Trek. Some of the stories are sophisticated for a 23 minute cartoon. It's canon. It's been referenced in the 24th C spinoffs, and in the new JJ Abrams film.

 

[Roberta Lincoln]

I have the full set on DVD and I like having them on in the background when I am working at home. I consider it the remaining 2 years of the 5 year voyage of the original Enterprise.

The episodes are a little more geared towards children since they were originally shown on Saturday mornings, so Kirk doesn't get to make out with anyone (he doesn't , does he?).

I like Arex just because he is an odd addition. And I like the episode "Bem" because Bem could separate into sections. I also like the one episode where they encounter a really large, plant-like space ship -- very pretty visuals.

I also agree that the animation is not very good! Too bad because I like most of the episodes.

 

[Neutral Zone]

They occasionally showed TAS in the UK early in the mornings during the 90's (around the time DS9 started, IIRC) which is when I saw about 2/3 of them. It wasn't until a couple of years ago I got the DVD box set and saw them all.

No wonder I missed it, we were busy moving around and working at the time which would mean we only watched the TV in the evenings. They don't beat the live action series but I have found that after a while they grow on you.

TAS is the only Trek production I don't own on DVD, but only because I can't find the boxset in stores over here anymore. Shoulda bought it when I saw it on store shelves several years ago. Actually, I do have one episode 'More Tribbles, More Troubles' on the TOS season 2 DVD. And I've seen several others on Youtube. As far as I am concerned, TAS is proper Star Trek. Some of the stories are sophisticated for a 23 minute cartoon. It's canon. It's been referenced in the 24th C spinoffs, and in the new JJ Abrams film.

It was throughthe TOS extra that I saw my first TAS, More Tribbles, More Troubles. it was then that I decided to get the set. I got mine off Amazon UK. I would suggest that you go through them but region code for DVD's is probably different to that of europe (ours is 2)?

 

[James Wright]

TAS had some good stories, but IMHO the actual look and feel of the animation was typical early 70's crap. I'm still holding out for a full CGI remake of the series.

Something tell me you, all of us actually are going to be waiting awhile!

 

[Neutral Zone]

I don't think a complete CGI remake will be high on the list of the producers.It's not the most popular of all the ST's made and most people prefer the live action series rather than than the animated.