Finally going to step into TOS

[Praxius]

Hello all.

I've been watching Star Trek for a few years now.... basically I got into TNG in the early 90's as a kid.

I remember seeing TOS on TV over the years when I was even younger and up to this point in life, I never really got into it. I've watched some episodes here and there from time to time, but never.... ever delved right into it.

While I got hooked into TNG, it took me a few years to get into DS9. I eventually delved into DS9 and now it's hard for me to say whether I like TNG or DS9 more than the other.

I watched Voyager all the way through but I never had much interest in that series. The characters just didn't have that oomph like the characters in TNG/DS9.

I eventually got my wife into Star Trek through DS9. She was like me when I was a kid being introduced to Star Trek... it's a nerdy boring sci-fi show. But while she read her books on the couch or did whatever while I watched DS9 through, over time I could see her looking up more and more often to watch what was going on. She too got sucked into the show, especially once Worf came into the show.

I then introduced her to TNG and while she grew to like that series, she still preferred DS9.

She was also in the same position as I with Voyager.

And I tried to get into Enterprise, but after the first couple of episodes in season 2, we just went "meh" and stopped watching.

Now we haven't watched any Star Trek shows for a while now (kind of burnt out on DS9 and TNG) and caught up on all our other shows we were interested in for the last while, so I was trying to think of something else to watch.

Then it occurred to me..... TOS.

Like duh?

We've enjoyed the new Star Trek reboot movies, despite screwing everything up with the timeline and making TNG/DS9/VOY non-existent, and I always appreciated the Kirk/Spock/Bones stuff..... why not get into TOS and watch that?

So before we do, I figured I would ask the community here their thoughts.

Have some of you come into TOS from a similar background as us?

We don't exactly care that it's a bit dated, that's a given.... but is there anything we should expect or be aware of in regards to what's different or stands out from TOS compared to the other ST seriesez'ez?

Are there any specific episodes that you would think we would appreciate as a relation to any TNG or DS9 episodes? (Troubles with Tribbles is also a given)

And we are also aware that Kirk comes in a bit after Pike.

Thanks

 

[erastus25]

Since you're already an established Star Trek fan, I'd say just watch it start to finish and see what you think!

As far as what to expect, in broad terms it starts with a feel VERY reminiscent of westerns from the 1950s/early 60s, but by the third season it takes on the aesthetics of the late '60s and becomes more sci-fi. Be aware that the focus of the show shifts, somewhat, from Kirk in the first season to Spock in the second season.

From a Star Trek universe perspective, almost literally everything is different from the 24th Century shows. I can't put it any more simply than that. It really does feel like they occurred a century apart.

Ultimately, you're really going to enjoy it, I bet! The first season is one of the most solid of any Star Trek show so you're in for a real treat.

 

[Praxius]

Since you're already an established Star Trek fan, I'd say just watch it start to finish and see what you think!

As far as what to expect, in broad terms it starts with a feel VERY reminiscent of westerns from the 1950s/early 60s, but by the third season it takes on the aesthetics of the late '60s and becomes more sci-fi. Be aware that the focus of the show shifts, somewhat, from Kirk in the first season to Spock in the second season.

From a Star Trek universe perspective, almost literally everything is different from the 24th Century shows. I can't put it any more simply than that. It really does feel like they occurred a century apart.

Ultimately, you're really going to enjoy it, I bet! The first season is one of the most solid of any Star Trek show so you're in for a real treat.

Thanks.... I am at the point now where I feel that we're kind of missing the "This is how it all started" aspect of the Star Trek Saga.

I know there were a few episodes I did watch and remember were really good..... one in particular was the episode where Spock/Kirk go back in time and Kirk is conflicted about saving that lady who could have changed the course of history. That was a pretty strong episode.... City on the Edge of Forever, I believe it is called.

 

[Nebusj]

We don't exactly care that it's a bit dated, that's a given.... but is there anything we should expect or be aware of in regards to what's different or stands out from TOS compared to the other ST seriesez'ez?

The biggest one is a difference in the kind of story. 24th/22nd Century Trek is fundamentally an office show in space: professionals working together to meet challenges that may be overwhelming but that are, for the most part, categorized and understood and proceduralized.

The Original Series is much more the Adult Western as it'd been developed to the 1960s: the characters are often at the far end of civilization, to the point that the centers of power can almost seem mythical, and it is taken for granted that they are attempting to bring order to a chaotic situation and the chance of failure is real and palpable. (This tone, particularly, of remoteness and possible helplessness is strongest, to me, in the first season, the closer to 'What Are Little Girls Made Of' the better.)

On a smaller note, Modern Trek nearly defaulted to running an A plot and a B plot, which in the best episodes reflect off one another and come together in the climax. Original Series basically never ran subplots; everything's directly connected to the main crisis. (There are exceptions, e.g., 'Journey to Babel', in which the alien scheme and Spock's personal problems are basically independent plots, though they do come together in the end.) This can induce a bit of restlessness --- we've been on this plot for six minutes, why aren't we looking in on the subplot already? --- but if you can acclimate to that, all's well.

 

[Mytran]

The best thing about TOS is the originality of the stories and the strength of the actors. Most of the players cut their teeth on the stage, and it really comes across in their performances.

If you have a choice, I recommend viewing in production order, at least for the first season.

 

[bbailey861]

The best thing about TOS is the originality of the stories and the strength of the actors. Most of the players cut their teeth on the stage, and it really comes across in their performances.

If you have a choice, I recommend viewing in production order, at least for the first season.

Agreed - try to watch them in order of production.

Have fun with the old FX, try to get into the mood of trying to watch it like some of us did all those years ago, and focus on the many, many great stories that are out there. Amazing as it is, 48 years later, you'll be amazed at how many of the story lines resonate with truth just as much today as they did all those years ago.

 

[erastus25]

We don't exactly care that it's a bit dated, that's a given.... but is there anything we should expect or be aware of in regards to what's different or stands out from TOS compared to the other ST seriesez'ez?

The biggest one is a difference in the kind of story. 24th/22nd Century Trek is fundamentally an office show in space: professionals working together to meet challenges that may be overwhelming but that are, for the most part, categorized and understood and proceduralized.

The Original Series is much more the Adult Western as it'd been developed to the 1960s: the characters are often at the far end of civilization, to the point that the centers of power can almost seem mythical, and it is taken for granted that they are attempting to bring order to a chaotic situation and the chance of failure is real and palpable. (This tone, particularly, of remoteness and possible helplessness is strongest, to me, in the first season, the closer to 'What Are Little Girls Made Of' the better.)

On a smaller note, Modern Trek nearly defaulted to running an A plot and a B plot, which in the best episodes reflect off one another and come together in the climax. Original Series basically never ran subplots; everything's directly connected to the main crisis. (There are exceptions, e.g., 'Journey to Babel', in which the alien scheme and Spock's personal problems are basically independent plots, though they do come together in the end.) This can induce a bit of restlessness --- we've been on this plot for six minutes, why aren't we looking in on the subplot already? --- but if you can acclimate to that, all's well.

I wouldn't say that "basically never" ran subplots...more like TOS subplots were directly linked to the A plot and, as such, never felt crudely tacked on or needlessly lowered the stakes of the A plot like some of the 24th C stuff. Like the Ascent, for instance. Or, even worse, Life Support...blech.

 

[johnnybear]

I remember speaking to some die hard TNG/DS9 fans about TOS and they said that it was like a kids show back then and that the technology is outdated even now let alone two hundred odd years ahead! Maybe it's because I got into TOS or proper Star Trek when I was a kid that I still love it today!
JB

 

[BillJ]

I remember speaking to some die hard TNG/DS9 fans about TOS and they said that it was like a kids show back then and that the technology is outdated even now let alone two hundred odd years ahead! Maybe it's because I got into TOS or proper Star Trek when I was a kid that I still love it today!
JB

I'm not aware of too many kids shows that have allusions to rape, mass destruction of civilizations and people being vaporized.

 

[johnnybear]

Yes, Bill! That's what I thought too! The original series was mostly written with very important messages back in the day! Alot of later Treks seem to spend a few episodes each series being trapped on this deck or that or worrying about why a child isn't eating her dinner or something!
JB

 

[The Old Mixer]

Welcome, Praxius! TOS seems to be more of an acquired taste for later generations, but it can be appreciated if one keeps in mind that it's a product of its time and that it's the original that created the template for all of its successors. On that note, it sounds like you're going into this with the right frame of mind.

I watched most of TOS before TNG came along, and pretty much watched the others as they originally aired, but our takeaways from the more modern Trek shows are pretty much the same (not sure if TNG or DS9 is better, disappointed in VGR, stopped watching during ENT).

And while it can be a pain with the DVDs (which are in airdate order), I'll also strongly recommend at least watching the first half of the first season in production order, as a lot of things make better sense, both story-wise and design-wise/visually, in production order (the most notable example being that the second pilot was aired a few episodes in, but clearly takes place before the other aired episodes for various reasons).

 

[drt]

I'll say that I concur with watching at least the first season in production order, as early on they were still trying to find their way, and I think it could be jarring for a early season episode to follow a later one. In addition to the design/story stuff Old Mixer mention, some of the terminology changes a bit, plus Nimoy hadn't quite figured out how to play Spock (he's oddly shouty in some of the earlier ones).

Everything had gelled by the end of the first season, so production order viewing is not required for the rest.

 

[MacLeod]

Also bear in mind that during S1 esp. they where still building the universe so too speak. So there might be some differences between TOS and later Trek.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Absolutely...early TOS is best appreciated if one doesn't get hung up on minor continuity details, like what agency or government they're reporting to this week. These are matters that are still heatedly debated by the most hardcore TOS fans to this day with no hope of clear resolution, but they really don't affect the stories one iota.

 

[Praxius]

Thanks all. We've watched (in production order) the first three episodes.

• The Cage
• Where No Man Has Gone Before
• The Corbomite Maneuver

^ I think that's the right order, lol.

I've seen bits and pieces of The Cage on TV a while back as well as the other two episodes, but as mentioned, I never really sat down and focused on them before.

The humour between the characters seems to evolve and become "not as serious" as it was in The Cage. And knowing much of the history regarding how the show evolved, and how Spock's character was gradually ironed out, it's interesting to see it all unfold.

But my god..... Lt. Dave Bailey. He should have been relieved of duty the first time Sulu had to do his job. *smacks in the back of the head*

 

[Mytran]

I guess when you remind the boss of a younger version of himself you get a lot of free passes!
But I agree, he did come across as unprofessional in a crisis far too often

 

[The Old Mixer]

I guess the idea was that he was supposed to be a green recruit who hadn't got his "space legs" yet...he reacted to a life or death situation more like an ordinary person might react to it than a seasoned Starfleet officer would. You could say that they should have weeded this guy out at the Academy, but perhaps in Kirk's era the Academy can only take someone so far, and doesn't indicate how the dangers of a deep space assignment will affect someone...underscoring that the Enterprise is on a dangerous and unusual sort of mission.

Story-wise, it works because Bailey is a sort of straw man against whom we can measure the more seasoned officers and how they deal with the same sort of stress.

 

[EnriqueH]

The episodes get better and better.

I found production order VERY rewarding.

Loved seeing the characters grow and their friendships evolve.

 

[Praxius]

...... but perhaps in Kirk's era the Academy can only take someone so far, and doesn't indicate how the dangers of a deep space assignment will affect someone...underscoring that the Enterprise is on a dangerous and unusual sort of mission.......

That would probably explain the "Red Shirts"

I've gotten through 1.5 episodes last night. Mudd's Women and The Enemy Within (I'm not sure if I'm following the right order anymore, there's different lists on the net to follow :P)

The Enemy Within, I didn't get to finish watching because my wife needed to do something in the kitchen and made too much noise for me to concentrate. I found it interesting though and laughed as Sulu's Coffee jokes.

Though two things seemed odd.

I realize that they probably didn't get around to making shuttlecraft yet in the show, so the transporter was the only option (story-wise) but why couldn't they just transport them up before they froze to death?

Sure, there would be two of each person, but they'd still be alive and you'd just have to throw them in the brig for safety reasons until they fixed the transporter.

Secondly.... as I was born and raised in Canada (now living in Australia), the temperatures they noted in the show (minus 20 - minus 40) are pretty extreme when not wearing the right clothing, which the landing party didn't have and would have frozen to death pretty quickly.

Nit Picky, I know.... but come on

I have to finish watching that show tonight perhaps.

 

[The Old Mixer]

So far, you're in production order. The Wikipedia entry has them listed in airdate order on the main chart, but also has a smaller production order list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes#Production_order

"The Enemy Within" is a personal favorite of mine. Half the plot is based on a continuity oversight that nobody will ever be able to explain to satisfaction in-universe (they didn't use the shuttlecraft because they hadn't been established onscreen yet), but it's such a great story anyway--The basic concept of Kirk as a split being with neither half being the whole Kirk is great; Shatner gives us a hammy tour de force; and we get the births of the classic "Big Three" dynamic and the Vulcan neck pinch.

If you're enjoying so far, you're in for some good stuff in the very near future--production episodes 7 and 9 are routinely put in Top 10 lists.