Remember the old days? (Mainly for Gen X and boomers, I guess…)

[Warped9]

Before I was old enough to go alone to the then new Square One Shopping Centre I’d go to the corner drugstore watching for new Star Trek books, particularly the James Blish adaptations, and the bearby variety store watching for the Gold Key comics. I’d also ride my bike to Towers department store where I found David Gerrold’s behind-the-scenes The World Of Star Trek and The Trouble With Tribbles books. There were also the Bantam Books novels and The Star Trek Log books adapting the TAS episodes where Alan Dean Foster’s adaptations often made the TAS episodes seem more real. I also remember the excitement of getting Franz Joseph’s Booklet Of General Plans and the Star Fleet Technical Manual.

Of course, The Making Of Star Trek was essentially Trek’s holy bible back in the day. Sure there were other things I watched and was interested in back then, but Star Trek was my absolute favourite and pretty much an all consuming passion.

 

[FredH]

This is really pretty much a "get off my lawn" thread, but I don't care.

As the OP, I just want to say: I absolutely did not intend this to be a “get off my lawn” thread. I love most of modern Trek. I was just feeling wistful for the past, that’s all.

 

[Warped9]

Part of what made Star Trek feel different was that it felt so distinct from most other sci-fi and other genre stuff then. It felt head and shoulders above the rest. That started to change with the advent of TNG and then other productions in the ‘90s. For me it was Babylon 5 that offered a solid alternative to what I felt was becoming stale and no longer distinctly better than what else was out there.

There was still other stuff I liked then—UFO and The Six Million Dollar Man—but it wasn’t on Star Trek’s level.

 

[Procutus]

Nice! I am no TNG fanboy (it's fine, just was never my favorite other than TOS—that would be Voyager) but I certainly know it and would enjoy such a piece, especially seeing your perspective now through the lens of ~1987. Is it available somwehere? I don't mind purchasing it or the wider BOT issue/volume if needed.

Take a look at Amazon. There are copies of The Best of Trek #15 listed, with copies listed as 'Used - Good' starting at $6.65.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I do miss the days before franchise fatigue and content spam when every new episode or movie or novel was a Big Deal.

Ditto around the time of the 1st and 2nd Kelvin movies, they brought that feeling back for awhile.

Now we have infinite everything and it all means far, far less.

 

[Phaser Two]

I do miss the days before franchise fatigue and content spam when every new episode or movie or novel was a Big Deal.

Ditto around the time of the 1st and 2nd Kelvin movie, they brought that feeling back for awhile.

Now we have infinite everything and it all means far, far less.

Enh, it’s more that we haven't had quality lately. Discovery, S31 and SFA got no buzz and were also quite mid. LD and Prodigy were excellent—but Paramount/CBS inexplicably ignored/dumped them. SNW is pretty good but gets little hype for some reason. And Picard got a ton of press but was at best fine/mildly entertaining overall.

BTW, one of the best developments in recent Trek times is everyone forgetting that the JJVerse existed.

 

[Set Harth]

BTW, one of the best developments in recent Trek times is everyone forgetting that the JJVerse existed.

How'd that happen? Did Will Smith show up with his little light thingy?

 

[Phaser Two]

How'd that happen? Did Will Smith show up with his little light thingy?

Not sure—but I for one am glad it did.

 

[F. King Daniel]

BTW, one of the best developments in recent Trek times is everyone forgetting that the JJVerse existed

Isn't SNW essentially JJTrek: The Series? That's why I like it

 

[Noname Given]

I’ve enjoyed and been glad of all the various series that came after TOS & TAS, from TNG onwards (and unlike some, I’ve basically loved the Kurtzman era). But at the same time… as an increasingly sad and nostalgic 57-year-old, I do also miss those for-me youthful days when TOS and its films were simply what Star Trek was. (And everybody was still alive.)

And remember when you had to recall dialog, etc. FROM MEMORY (no Yahoo/Google to assist); and you'd even get into arguments about what/how it was said, and you went with/against the local consensus of you.

And with the exception of a few episodes the general consensus was "The Turd season DOESN'T exist!" (Of course referring to TOS S3). Yes, there were fans who refused to acknowledge the majority of TOS S3 in fact existed.

 

[Warped9]

It wasn’t until I got onto the TrekBBS that I heard so much criticism of TOS S3. Then and now I still like quite a bit from the third season. Compared to what we’ve seen for the past few decades much of TOS S3 looks like classical art.

 

[Ssosmcin]

As the OP, I just want to say: I absolutely did not intend this to be a “get off my lawn” thread. I love most of modern Trek. I was just feeling wistful for the past, that’s all.

Well, we're gonna make it one anyways

@Warped9 I remember reading only a few things, usually that the third season was "disappointing." But because we had, at best, Starlog (which at first was nothing more than a Star Trek butt kissing periodical), all know was that some episodes were great. Others not so much. But growing up, I didn't tie them to a "season" or a person, like Freiberger. I remember groaning with "The Cloud Minders" aired, but i was just as disappointed with "Charlie X." But with episodes like "The Tholian Web" and "Day of the Dove" I was not overly cranky about the third season.

And with it being shown on 3 different channels in my area for a time, the seasons got mixed.

I found out the third season was disliked through David Gerrold's The World of Star Trek 1984 edition.

 

[mb22]

It wasn’t until I got onto the TrekBBS that I heard so much criticism of TOS S3. Then and now I still like quite a bit from the third season. Compared to what we’ve seen for the past few decades much of TOS S3 looks like classical art.

Davis Gerrold in The World of Star Trek (1973 edition) and Leonard Nimoy in I Am Not Spock were pretty hard on the third season.

 

[mb22]

And remember when you had to recall dialog, etc. FROM MEMORY (no Yahoo/Google to assist); and you'd even get into arguments about what/how it was said, and you went with/against the local consensus of you.

And with the exception of a few episodes the general consensus was "The Turd season DOESN'T exist!" (Of course referring to TOS S3). Yes, there were fans who refused to acknowledge the majority of TOS S3 in fact existed.

Cassette tapes!

 

[Noname Given]

Cassette tapes!

Yep - recorded some favorites via that method. I even recall my tape of Elaan Of Troyius had a loud bang because I had an old B&W TV in my bedroom (which was a luxury for a 10 year old back then), but the vertical hold would sometimes go wonky, but a bang to the side of the TV set once or twice fixed it.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

But because we had, at best, Starlog (which at first was nothing more than a Star Trek butt kissing periodical), ...

Which filled a vital need in the market. In 1976, most print media were still taking a decidedly "arch" or even mocking tone in any mention of the show.

When my mother brought home Issue #1 off the news stand, I was surprised as well as thrilled. Subscribed at once.

 

[Warped9]

Loved Starlog back in the day.

 

[CoveTom]

The pre-Internet days had a lot of things that made them special. Of course, I am also old enough (50, in case anyone is wondering, born in 1976), to remember when there was an online presence of sci-fi fans on places like CompuServe and independent BBSes.

But there was something special about the myriad of books, magazines, fanzines, etc. that were available back then. Something unique about ordering some piece of merchandise out of a catalog by mail and anxiously awaiting for it to arrive. (I remember ordering the Enterprise Flight Manual from Lincoln Enterprises and just being in Heaven.)

There was also something unique about the traditional TV schedule, having to wait for episodes to air, etc. Moving into the TNG era, I saw "Best of Both Worlds" in its original airings, and I don't think it would have seemed as special without that three month wait for Part II, although everyone hated the waiting at the time. Now, we binge a season in a day and I think that undermines the experience somewhat.

(As an aside, though I was not around for the original airings of TOS, I am old enough to have seen TVH, TFF, and TUC in the theaters in their original runs. In later years, I have managed to see TMP and TWOK in the theater as well. TSFS is the only one of the TOS films I have yet to see on the big screen.)

So, yes, I am quite nostalgic for "the good ole days."

 

[Warped9]

Binging is like a rush, but when it’s over you’re feeling, “Whats next?”

 

[Rebel Scum]

Binging is like a rush, but when it’s over you’re feeling, “Whats next?”

Rewatch Babylon 5?