Dear Experienced Trekkies

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by TribbleFeeder, Jun 7, 2010.

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  1. Pemmer Harge

    Pemmer Harge Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Ooh, TOS Season 1! Balance of Terror and The City on the Edge of Forever are probably the best, but my personal favourite is This Side of Paradise - love the wildly varying tone and awesome music.
     
  2. TribbleFeeder

    TribbleFeeder Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    i've heard so many good things about "city on the edge of forever"! I'm so excited to watch it : )
     
  3. Arix

    Arix Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I just wanted to pop in and say that it totally warms my heart and makes me want to do a happy dance, seeing that ST09 is bringing in new fans to our beloved franchise!

    I absolutely adored the new movie and knowing that its not only continuing the story, but also encouraging new people to watch the older series - it just makes me proud to be a Trekkie. :)

    Like many of the others have already mentioned, we love hearing about newcomers' experiences, because it reminds us of when we were first watching each series (so basically we live vicariously through you :lol:) - and I want to join the other Niners in requesting that, in a few years (or however long it takes) when you start watching DS9, you pop over to the DS9 sub-forum and create a thread - we LOVE first-timers threads, and I truly look forward to reading yours.

    Enjoy!
     
  4. TribbleFeeder

    TribbleFeeder Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    awww! thanks so much : )

    this is all so exciting! and i know i have a lot to look forward to :D I can't wait to see what TNG, VOY, DS9, and ENT are like and how they're all linked together in some way. I'll definitely keep posting updates and feedback as I go along. everyone on here is so friendly and helpful!
     
  5. helenk579

    helenk579 Cadet Newbie

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    Such a very amazing link!
    Thanks you for the post.
     
  6. Praxius

    Praxius Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I figured first impressions are important and the very first Star Trek thing my wife watched was the 2009 movie..... she saw a few episodes of Voyager around the same time and didn't mind it.... but I flung her full into DS9 first, from start to finish and she was hooked on the series, it was and still is her favorite and was sad to see it end.

    I'd suggest DS9 since I think it's the best of all the series and then go from there.... as you venture into the other seriesez, you eventually get a much bigger picture of a much larger story/universe.

    Enjoy
     
  7. Whill

    Whill Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: For new fans of Trek...

    As you can see, everyone has wildly different opinions on where to go next, and some of us have opinions about the other opinons. In my opinion, many of the responses are from die hard Trek fans that are so deeply immersed into it that it may be difficult to step back and seen things from a new person's point of view.

    I do not agree that you should start off watching 24th century TV series (The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine or Voyager. These are different characters in different scenerios, and these are TV stories. If your first entrance into Star Trek was the big, flashy, high-budget, action-packed, epic, film-paced adventure story, then going strait into these entire TV series may result may result is shock from the drastic change. Baby steps, people!

    So after watching Star Trek (09), the most logical next step would be the previous movies with the original crew (first 6). They are the same basic characters in the same century (of course in the original timeline before Nero changed things).

    However I do agree that it makes sense to watch The Original Series (TOS) episode that the second movie is a direct sequel to first ("Space Seed"). And if you are going to watch that, then you might as well watch a few other episodes that are relavant to the movies or otherwise really good.

    I do not recommend starting out with the entire series. TOS is inconsinstent in quality, and watching the entire series strait through right after seeing the new movie may seem boring and ruin you on Star Trek (I know a lot of people here disagree). But a few episodes will be good to establish a basis for everything else.

    TOS has the characters about 5-10 years older but in similar uniforms to the new movie. The ship is a more basic design. At the start of the series, they hadn't yet seen Romulans so they don't know they are genetically related to Vulcans. The planet Vulcan was never destroyed and Spock's mom is still alive. And you get to see the old Spock when he was young in all his glory. You'll have to sit through cheesy 60's sets and appearances, but some of the effects have been updated in the remastered versions so they are pretty good now.

    Below are my recommendations in viewing order, including which season they are from:

    1. The Naked Time (great introduction, really gets inside the heads of Kirk and Spock, funny and dramatic, my personal favorite episode from the entire original series and essential in estalishing Spock's internal conflicts between his human and vulcan sides that are not resolved until the movies)
    1. Balance of Terror (submarine drama in space, first 23rd century encounter with Romulans in this original timeline)
    1. Space Seed (essential - the origin of Kirk's conflict with the movie villain Khan)
    1. The City on the Edge of Forever (classic dramatic time-travel story)
    2. Mirror, Mirror (classic adventure involving another alternate universe, but this episode does not involve time-travel)
    2. Journey to Babel (original introduction of Spock's parents, essential in establishing the conflicts between Spock and his father that are not resolved until the movies)
    2. The Trouble with Tribbles (very funny episode. And for now just accept that those very human-looking aliens are Klingons. The franchise eventually established a reason why Klingons looked so humanlike in the TOS, but that explanation is not necessary to enjoying this episode or the movies with Klingons.)
    3. The Enterprise Incident (drama, intrigue, another Romulan story, and the best episode from the third and final season of TOS)

    Quick note about the TOS: Ensign Checkov (the Russian wizkid character) only appears in the last 4 of the above episodes, but according to continuity, he was a part of the Enterprise crew as early as the "Space Seed" episode. He was just off-screen. (This will make sense when you watch the first movie below)

    If you don't know anyone that has these episodes to borrow, you can download individual TOS episodes from iTune for cheap each. There may also be some "best of" package deals that include most or all of these episodes.

    After watching those 8 episodes, you'll be ready to go back to the more cinematic mode of the movies. None of these are quite as flashy, high-budget, modern, action-packed and epic as the new movie, but somewhere in between Star Trek TV-mode and the new film.

    The Wrath of Khan
    The Search for Spock
    The Voyage Home
    The Undiscovered Country

    Yes, I recommend skipping the first motion picture (TMP) and Star Trek V (TFF) the first go around and watching the above 4 movies only. TMP is rated G, there is little action and it's extremely boring. They completely ignored it for the sequels. The Wrath of Khan is emphatically a sequel of the TOS and not TMP, which is why I suggested you watch the 8 episodes I did.

    Skipping TMP also allows for the end of TVH to be more enjoyable (by being less reptative). The top three movies above (TWOK, TSFS, TVH) form a trilogy in which Kirk starts off and ends like TMP, so the first three sequel movies together were the first reboot of the movie series. These movies are partially about Kirk in his early 50s dealing with age and not being in command of the Enterprise.

    TUC is my least favorite of the 4 but it ties up the Klingon story arc introduced in the trilogy, and it is still enjoyable. Captain Kirk is 60. It is the last adventure of the original crew in the original timeline, and the final voyage of that particular Enterprise. Overall it is a fitting end to their saga.

    I suggest skipping TFF because it is really irrelavent to the 4-part movie story I described, and of a much lower quality. In my opinion it is the worst of the first 6 movies, despite the fact that it has more action than TMP. I'm not saying never see it or TMP. I'm just stating that it is not necessary and right now and they may ruin the "good Trek film" flow.

    So, above I have suggested 8 of the best TOS episodes and the 4 best original crew movies. The best of the 23rd century Trek. Now you have some options where to branch off from here.

    If you have really fallen in love with Kirk, Spock and the other TOS characters, then you may want to go back and watch the entire 60's Trek series then the two movies I suggested you skip on the first run through. Just to be complete.

    Or you could jump centuries.

    If you want to go back to the mid-22nd century, you can check out the prequel TV series Star Trek: Enterprise (aired 2001-2005), my second favorite Trek series. It is 4 seasons that each get better as they go along (unlike TOS that gets worse). Enterprise Season 3 is one big story that is overall exciting and epic, the ship has to stop an alien race from destroying Earth with a big superweapon. However, the season long search for the superweapon is part of a series story arc that started in the pilot episode and moves forward in several occassional episodes in the first two seasons: The Temporal Cold War (agents from the far future duking it out by communicating with people in the past attempting to manipulate history). It is a neat idea but poorly executed.

    If you don't watch the series from season 1, then you may not be able to follow everything in season 3. And many fans here hate this series because ithey say it contradicts the continuity of other earlier series that take place in the future. Don't listen to them because many of the supposed contradictions are explained by season 4, and all the rest of the contradictions are resolved by the resolution of the Time War at the beginning of season 4. However, if that Time War doesn't sound like your cup of tea, and not worth the search for the superweapon plot, then you may want to skip the first three seasons and the first two episodes of Season 4.

    Starting with the 3rd episode of season 4, the time war is all done and all the stories are extremely relavent to the TOS. This is the real "prequel" season as they created multiple 2- and 3-part stories that give the background for things that take place later in Trek. Enterprise Season 4 makes me extremely nostalgic for the TOS, but in reality it is better than any season of TOS. Everything is modern and not all 60's, but they are teling stories that lead to the TOS and beyond.

    Enterprise also has the character set that is most like the characters from the TOS and new film. Captain Archer is the most Kirk-like of all the Trek captains. The Vulcan science officer here is the hottest chic in Star Trek. The captain's best friend and chief engineer has a little of bit of McCoy and Scotty in him.

    And, one final note on Star Trek: Enterprise. Even though both timelines in Trek are entertaining, it is interesting to consider that this is the only Trek that takes place as is in both timelines, being that it takes place before the Romulan villain Nero appeared back in time and changed things in the new movie. (This series take place in 2150's, and the new Trek film shows events from 2233-2258).

    Or, you may want to go into the future of TOS into gigantic 24th century of Trek. There are 3 series of seven season each (and 4 movies). If the future sounds more interesting than the past, then I recommend the series that is most like the TOS, which is The Next Generation (TNG).

    Yeah TNG takes a couple seasons to really get going, but in my opinion it is the best Trek TV series of them all. They take the premise of the original series and step up the quality overall. And this crew is the one that made the other 4 Trek movies before the 2009 film. Those movies take place after the TV series ends. And even though I recommend that you watch the entire TNG TV series before continuing with the movie series, the first TNG film (Generations) includes the passing of the torch of movie heroes from one generation to the next, and reveals the final fate of Captain Kirk. I've read a lot of hate here for that movie too, but don't listen to them. Kirk's part is a little cheesy, but still enjoyable (as much as I love the character, with Shatner's Kirk you've got to expect a little cheese here and there). I didn't care for the last TNG movie (Nemesis) but loved the first 3 (Generations, First Contact and Insurrection).

    If you love TNG, then you may want to get into the other 24th century Trek series, Deep Space 9 and Voyager. But I warn you they alter the normal formula of Trek as seen in the TOS, TNG and Enterprise (ship on exploration mission on Earth's side of the galaxy). Deep Space 9 is based on a space station near a wormhole connecting to another side of the galaxy, and Voyager is lost on yet another side of the galaxy looking for a way home. I didn't care for them that much but you may like them more.

    Good luck, and may the Great Bird of the Galaxy be with you!

    P.S. Send me a message after you watch TWOK film and before you watch TSFS film. After reading the novelizations, I can help TSFS make more sense. ;)
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2010
  8. Willieck

    Willieck Commander Red Shirt

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    Just scanned through this thread. If I were 1ittle I'd probably be so confused by now I would jump out of the nearest air lock.:lol:
     
  9. Nero's Shadow

    Nero's Shadow Captain Captain

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  10. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Start with TOS - if you liked the movie a lot, in addition to being the first series - and the best, period, full stop - it's also the one featuring versions of the characters and settings you like. :)
     
  11. TheGodBen

    TheGodBen Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: For new fans of Trek...

    Every Star Trek series is inconsistent in quality, every Star Trek series has its low points, seasons filled with too many episodes we'd like to forget. There's not a single Star Trek show that was great from beginning to end. The big advantage that TOS has over the other series is that it hit the ground running, it didn't have the luxury of relying on the name "Star Trek" to get viewers because that name meant nothing at the time. The first season of TOS is probably the most consistent first seasons of all the Star Treks, and one of the most consistent seasons in the franchise. There were episodes like Mudd's Women and The Alternative Factor that can be offensive or mind-numbingly dull, but every single season of Star Trek has at least two episodes that I can single out as being bad.
     
  12. Luther Sloan

    Luther Sloan Captain Captain

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    Uh, she's already watching the Original Series last I checked. I don't think she needs anymore suggestions. Unless she plans on decompressing the main shuttle bay or something.

    Just my 2 cents worth.

    ;)
     
  13. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Uh huh.
     
  14. Luther Sloan

    Luther Sloan Captain Captain

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    [​IMG]

    Note:

    These references in my last two posts have been in regards to the episode... "Cause and Effect". Just in case no one got it.

    ;)
     
  15. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    And here I always thought Picard liked his briefs.
     
  16. TribbleFeeder

    TribbleFeeder Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    my season one synopsis:

    so I finally finished season one, and I'm pretty surprised about my reaction. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I truly just finished it a week ago and already CAN'T WAIT to watch season two. especially after seeing the last few episodes.
    I was a little nervous in the beginning, with the awful fight scenes, the obvious sexism, incredibly primitive sets and props, and with all the aliens being conveniently human like. It was a bit hard for me to see past all of it in the beginning, but the creativity of the stories, the character development, and the emotion in a lot of these episodes kept me watching.

    my favorite episodes were probably (in this order):
    Tomorrow is Yesterday
    The City on the Edge of Forever
    The Naked Time
    Errand of Mercy
    Arena
    Operation: Annihilate!
    A Taste of Armageddon
    The Devil in the Dark


    in conclusion, even though this show aired wayyyyyy before my time, and was technologically behind in the sets and special effects, I really enjoyed it. and liking the oldest and least relate-able of the all the different series as much as I did, has me BEYOND excited for the series I have yet to watch. :drool:


    thanks for all the advice everyone : )
     
  17. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Glad you liked it! :techman:
     
  18. The

    The Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Agreed 100% :techman:
     
  19. di_mar

    di_mar Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Good plan. I went in the exact same direction as you, 1little. My mom is a major Trek fan, and I never knew this until Star Trek 2009 came out on dvd. She dropped a few hints, so I decided to get it for her birthday. We watched it, and I was really amazed at the strong storyline. I eventually got online and researched 'Star Trek'. Then got onto watching Voyager on Virgin 1. Now, here I am!
    Then as I got more free time I watched TNG on Virgin 1 during the day. And, then, Series 4 of ENT came out here in the UK so I called it upon myself to watch it from Series 1.
    DS9 was also available to watch - Virgin 1 really is a trekkie channel! So I watched that, also, glad to see a few familiar faces (O'Brian, Worf.etc). I get ever so excited when seeing crossovers.
     
  20. TribbleFeeder

    TribbleFeeder Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    Hey guys! 8 years later.....

    Took a lot of your advice. I did it chronologically and just finished DS9 after taking a few years to get through TOS and TNG. I just wanted to let you guys know I'm still hard at it and I haven't forgot about yas!

    Thanks again and may the force be with you all. JK. ;)
     
    Tim Thomason likes this.
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