I want to watch TOS, but I'm having some difficulty

[Noname Given]

When I was grade school age in the 70's, sometimes it seemed like every other show was a cop show or a western. Of course, we only got a few VHF channels.* 2 each for the 3 big networks. A PBS station, which was the only one we could pick up with just rabbit ears, but the picture was snowy.

*If we were staying at my aunt's house in the country, we were lucky if we could get one channel, if the wind was blowing the right way.

Hey, don't forget the Hospital/Doctor shows where in the first 5 minutes you had the accident/diagnosis that the lead characters would agonize over curing for the next 45 minutes. [And often involved finding the 'black sheep' family member, who mhadn't been seen/talked to for years because of <plot device situation X> but was the only one with the right blood type/needed for some sort of prpcedure/transplant to save the patient.]

 

[Tracy Trek]

Hey, don't forget the Hospital/Doctor

Yep, there were quite a few of them also.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Trek was my escape from Westerns. For me, the extreme opposite end of the scale. By the way, "wagon train to the stars" was just a pitch Gene R made to sell Trek to the network.

I can understand where you're coming from, but there's a lot more western in Trek than you're giving it credit for.

In addition to westerns, another '60s show that's a good primer for TOS is the one and only, original Twilight Zone.

 

[Spock's Barber]

In addition to westerns, another '60s show that's a good primer for TOS is the one and only, original Twilight Zone.

Yes, one of my favorite TZ episodes was Nightmare at 20,000 Feet with good old Shatner.

 

[ian128K]

I especially love the Burgess Meredith episodes. Too bad they never got him on Trek.

 

[Spock's Barber]

I especially love the Burgess Meredith episodes. Too bad they never got him on Trek.

No disrespect to Elisha Cook, but I think Burgess Meredith would have been very good as Sam Cogley in Court Martial.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Trek was my escape from Westerns. For me, the extreme opposite end of the scale. By the way, "wagon train to the stars" was just a pitch Gene R made to sell Trek to the network.

"Wagon train" was direct reference to the show Wagon Train, one of the Adult Westerns Roddenberry was trying to emulate. To put a modern humorous twist on what Gene was pitching "Wagon Train...IN SPACE!!!!"

 

[ian128K]

No disrespect to Elisha Cook, but I think Burgess Meredith would have been very good as Sam Cogley in Court Martial.

That would have been amazing!

 

[UnknownSample]

"Wagon train" was direct reference to the show Wagon Train, one of the Adult Westerns Roddenberry was trying to emulate. To put a modern humorous twist on what Gene was pitching "Wagon Train...IN SPACE!!!!"

As I said, he said that to sell the show to network executives who wanted more of what was already popular. Rod Serling also had to mislead the network to get Twilight Zone in this way, presenting it as a very safe, conventional show. A trick, basically. GR didn't want it to be like a Western.

 

[Andrews]

Once you look past it's age TOS just has some incredibly good stories and the acting can be really top notch. I find it hard to watch more than an episode or two because of the age, but those two episodes are fun to watch. Just take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Forbin]

Wasn't there a story that Lucy misinterpreted the "Wagon Train to the Stars" pitch and thought Gene was talking about a western featuring all big name actors?

 

[Nerys Myk]

As I said, he said that to sell the show to network executives who wanted more of what was already popular. Rod Serling also had to mislead the network to get Twilight Zone in this way, presenting it as a very safe, conventional show. A trick, basically. GR didn't want it to be like a Western.

Sure he did. Just not of the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers variety, He wanted to tell adult stories in a Science Fiction setting, just as the people behind shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and yes, Wagon Train set out to tell to tell adult stories in a Western setting. Star Trek did stories about wiving settlers and attacks on frontiers forts. Kirk's sidekicks are a crusty doctor and a wise "native". There are Western fingerprints all over Star Trek.

 

[Spock's Barber]

....and then they got carried away with the pseudo-Western theme and gave us Spectre of the Gun.

 

[Nerys Myk]

....and then they got carried away with the pseudo-Western theme and gave us Spectre of the Gun.

I love the minimalist set design. No idea if it was a budget or creative decision but it gave the episode that alien, yet familiar vibe. Despite the set and costumes it wasn't really "Westernish",

 

[Spock's Barber]

Justman said that because of the low 3rd season budget, the crew couldn't afford to go on location, so Jefferies designed the indoor Western type sets.

 

[Markonian]

Watch the Remastered version. Had the same issue, this cured it.

 

[Emperor Norton]

It really isn't about special effects, spaceships or ray guns. TOS is mostly about the story. TOS-R is nice, but if you cannot tolerate it without TOS-R, I think you're missing the point.

 

[J.T.B.]

Sure he did. Just not of the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers variety, He wanted to tell adult stories in a Science Fiction setting, just as the people behind shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and yes, Wagon Train set out to tell to tell adult stories in a Western setting. Star Trek did stories about wiving settlers and attacks on frontiers forts. Kirk's sidekicks are a crusty doctor and an wise "native". There are Western fingerprints all over Star Trek.

^Basically beat me to everything I was going to say. Gunsmoke is seldom a procedural about Matt doing his job as marshal, it's about him coming into contact with different kinds of people who come through Dodge or live in the area, people with different problems and backgrounds and stories. Gunsmoke and Wagon Train and Maverick and Cheyenne and Have Gun Will Travel and Rawhide used and sometimes subverted the conventions of the genre to tell adult, dramatic stories that could also reflect on the issues of the day. Sounds familiar to me.

And if anyone thinks Spock and McCoy invented sidekick bickering, Chester and Doc had it elevated to another plane.

 

[geotrek]

Have Gun Will Travel

Loved that show!

 

[UnknownSample]

Just about anything ST and westerns have in common, ST would also have in common with non-westerns. If you like westerns and want to make that connection, you can. You could also make a list of things that make ST unlike westerns.