That's quite a feat.
If TOS is your favorite series, has it always been?
- Thread starter Gary7
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That's quite a feat.
TOS is my one and only one! Used to watch it for the first time on re-run together with my Dad when I was 10 or 11. I have alot of fond memories sitting in the living room with him, and watching those strange guys fly around in that strange ship, meeting strange aliens...
It just felt awesome and hasn't paled since. 
Watched some of the spin-offs, but never got into them.
It just felt awesome and hasn't paled since. Watched some of the spin-offs, but never got into them.
Well, that was the intent Kate, to see if those who say TOS is currently their favorite didn't always find it that way (didn't have it as a favorite before then it eventually became their favorite, or it was once, a different Star Trek series replaced it, but then they came back to TOS).
I've met a couple of people who started with TNG and then when they finally got around to seeing TOS, found TOS more enjoyable despite the special effects deficiencies.
For those who can't say TOS is their favorite, I would think this thread wouldn't interest them. If what you'd like to say takes a "hard left" on the topic, maybe another thread would be worthwhile? Otherwise, feel free to post here.
I don't think it's a "hard left" - I mean, I love TOS. It's just not my favorite. Usually. It kind of varies for me, depending on my mood, but most of the time TNG is my favorite, particularly starting with season 3 on until the end. I really think it did what it was supposed to do, which was take up where TOS left off, but then it pushed Trek where it was supposed to go with more complicated characters, more complicated plots and story arcs, more serious ideas.
I think TNG is simply a more...thoughtful and subtle show. I do realize the comparison isn't fair, not because of TOS's issues with special effects (which don't bother me at all, frankly), because for one thing TOS was extraordinarily thoughtful for its day. But the other reason is that with only three seasons, TOS didn't have a fair shot at hitting its stride the way TNG did. If it had gone on for more seasons...well, it would have been amazing, I think. I mean, heck, it's amazing now.
And there are days when it is my favorite. There is a freshness about it that no other Trek has, of course, and sometimes, that's exactly what I'm in the mood for.
And despite what I see as its limitations, it still includes some of the finest Trek episodes of all. Not bad for a 1960s scifi show.
There. I hope I'm not too OT.
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^^ Very well put, Kate.
I also agree that TNG hit its stride in season 3. And I'm right there with you on most of your points... TNG had a much bigger budget and better tech to work with, and with the 18 year hiatus on the series (TOS ending and TNG beginning), it quickly developed a strong fan base. With all this going for it, TNG was able to explore so much more. It is really sad that TOS didn't get a couple more seasons and a bigger budget.
I also agree that TNG hit its stride in season 3. And I'm right there with you on most of your points... TNG had a much bigger budget and better tech to work with, and with the 18 year hiatus on the series (TOS ending and TNG beginning), it quickly developed a strong fan base. With all this going for it, TNG was able to explore so much more. It is really sad that TOS didn't get a couple more seasons and a bigger budget.
I don't agree that Classic Trek needed more time to hit its stride. It hit the ground running and didn't let up until Season 3 when budgetary constraints and changes behind the camera ended up damaging the final product. I still feel that there are more good episodes in the Star Trek in it's mere three seasons than there were in the first three seasons of TNG, DS9,VOY and ENT put together and that's 12 bloody seasons worth of television right there.
No, just really hard.
I'm with you. The original series was fantastic from day one and, unlike every single Trek show since, never needed time "to find its feet." It had the perfect mix of writing, acting, directing, scoring, etc. and ran on all cylinders from its inception.
it wouldn't be the classic, often imitated, frequently expanded upon, currently rebooted property it is otherwise. The rest of the skyscraper is of varying quality, but the foundation is rock solid.
^ Well...
I have to disagree somewhat. That it's imitated is an indication of quality, yes, as well as the strength of its premise and its ability to fire the imagination of fans...
...But that certainly doesn't make it "the perfect mix." No Trek had the perfect mix, IMO, and I love almost all of them.
I have to disagree somewhat. That it's imitated is an indication of quality, yes, as well as the strength of its premise and its ability to fire the imagination of fans...
...But that certainly doesn't make it "the perfect mix." No Trek had the perfect mix, IMO, and I love almost all of them.
Well TOS had/has come the closest to "the perfect mix" as you can get IMO...which leads me to...your damn skippy it has always been my favorite show and it always will be. There is no way that anything else could take it's place .....so TOS is secure in the #1 all time favorite show spot in my heart....No matter what the genre etc...I will say on a side note that I'm not a big sci-fi fan in general...I like it but I have no extra love or "passion" for the sci-fi genre.
I'd say that TNG is my favorite since I grew up watching it and the TOS films, but it was my 'gateway drug' to TOS as a series.
TOS is a classic, of course. It's hard for me to really compare the two, since they are in many ways two sides of the same premise. Each offers something unique. Both were ambitious when they were produced. TNG will probably always be my favorite over any other Trek series for sentimental reasons.
Plus, there are very few episodes of TNG that I can't just sit down and enjoy. (The same is of course true for TOS...)
TOS is a classic, of course. It's hard for me to really compare the two, since they are in many ways two sides of the same premise. Each offers something unique. Both were ambitious when they were produced. TNG will probably always be my favorite over any other Trek series for sentimental reasons.
Plus, there are very few episodes of TNG that I can't just sit down and enjoy. (The same is of course true for TOS...)
Yeah it's always been my favourite since watching The Corbomite Maneuver in the 70's at a young age.
TOS has been my favorite ever since I got into Trek at the tender age of 8 (I'm 26). I've watched nearly all of the TNG and DS9 episodes (actually like DS9 a lot), watched some of VOY, watched a few 1st season episodes of ENT. I always come back to TOS. Favorite episode always has been The Devil In The Dark (Hortas rock, just my humble opinion).
There are times when I watch other Trek shows more frequently, but TOS holds a special place in my heart and most of the first 2 seasons never get old. It's still compelling television even 40 years later.
There are times when I watch other Trek shows more frequently, but TOS holds a special place in my heart and most of the first 2 seasons never get old. It's still compelling television even 40 years later.
TOS has always been my favorite. I watched it first-run, with my dad. Even though I watched all the later incarnations, I found most of them boring. I rarely, if ever, watch reruns of TNG, DS9, VOY or ENT.
When I was 13 years old, if you would have told me that one day I'd own the entire Star Trek series and could watch any episode I wanted as many times as I liked...I would have wet myself.
When I was 13 years old, if you would have told me that one day I'd own the entire Star Trek series and could watch any episode I wanted as many times as I liked...I would have wet myself.
I grew up watching TOS and the movie incarnations. I go spans of not watching it and then rewatch them on DVD. One thing I always notice is that I pick up on something, sometimes very subtle, that I never noticed before. That has been the great appeal to me over the years.
I have enjoyed all of the series (Voyager being my least favorite) and have no issues watching any of them in reruns. I had issues with TNG when I saw it for the first time in 1991 (missed the first few seasons while I was overseas in the Army), mainly because I hated the look of the ship and took some time to get caught up with the stories. I have tried to have an open mind about the different stories and series from that point on. I take each new incarnation on it's own merits and really don't try to compare it to the others, other than in the entire universe sort of way.
I have enjoyed all of the series (Voyager being my least favorite) and have no issues watching any of them in reruns. I had issues with TNG when I saw it for the first time in 1991 (missed the first few seasons while I was overseas in the Army), mainly because I hated the look of the ship and took some time to get caught up with the stories. I have tried to have an open mind about the different stories and series from that point on. I take each new incarnation on it's own merits and really don't try to compare it to the others, other than in the entire universe sort of way.
yes, since I saw it as a first run series.
You're right about this...I think this is a another big reason why we all love it so...somehow these episodes retain a "new" factor even after viewing them hundreds of times....
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