I made the mistake of watching a couple of episodes about a month ago. I say mistake only because I could not get the music out of my head for days. 
TAS: Underrated Series
- Thread starter EnsignTOS
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I know I'm gonna get rapped in the mouth for this, but I thought TAS was kinda awful. I am an animator myself and the 70's was, bar none, the WORST decade in history for animation. The bar was so low! Unfortunately Filmation was part of the problem. Animation is A LOT of work and when you have a low budget and a strict deadline, it is nearly impossible to turn in a quality product, and if you convince CBS or whoever that you can do it, you have played into their (cheap) hands and have lowered the bar to spite yourself. They were a young company so I completely understand their motives.
I would give anything to get access to the original vocal tapes and redo the entire series with 2014 level animation and actual TOS music (now that the music is available) It would completely change the tone and feel into the original series that we all loved.
I'd go into detail about why I didn't like it very much but I don't want to be a downer on this thread.
(I know, too late right?)
I would give anything to get access to the original vocal tapes and redo the entire series with 2014 level animation and actual TOS music (now that the music is available) It would completely change the tone and feel into the original series that we all loved.
I'd go into detail about why I didn't like it very much but I don't want to be a downer on this thread.
(I know, too late right?)
I think the limited animation was a necessity of the budget and scheduling, rather than lack of talent. There may not have been a lot of movement in the show, but the artwork was excellent. And Filmation was doing some really good work just a few years later in things like their Flash Gordon movie.
I gather that TAS was an extremely rushed production because NBC gave Filmation only six months to do the first 16 episodes, which was an insanely tight schedule. That's the reason for a lot of the rushed and sloppy work in the first season. The six episodes of season 2 are a bit more polished, because they had more time.
As I've said elsewhere, I'd only be willing to see a reanimated TAS if it replicated the aesthetics of the original as closely as possible. I'd want it to look like Filmation art but with more fluid animation, like what they did in their later shows and movies, and with the same backgrounds as much as possible. The last thing I'd want is some generic 3D computer animation.
I gather that TAS was an extremely rushed production because NBC gave Filmation only six months to do the first 16 episodes, which was an insanely tight schedule. That's the reason for a lot of the rushed and sloppy work in the first season. The six episodes of season 2 are a bit more polished, because they had more time.
As I've said elsewhere, I'd only be willing to see a reanimated TAS if it replicated the aesthetics of the original as closely as possible. I'd want it to look like Filmation art but with more fluid animation, like what they did in their later shows and movies, and with the same backgrounds as much as possible. The last thing I'd want is some generic 3D computer animation.
I always admire it's accuracy to TOS. There's really very little it doesn't adhere strictly to, especially when you compare it to other animated adaptations of live-action material (some of which took GREAT liberties in adapting the source material). Things like the fact that the Enterprise interiors all resemble the TOS sets, the uniforms are as close as possible to the TOS uniforms, the original voice cast are involved, the scripts were written in part by TOS veterans etc might all seem like small details for a show like this, but IMO they are decisions in the production process that are very much appreciated in context. It always felt to me like they made absolutely the right call in approaching the show the way they did. It was very respectful to TOS. And even back when it was still 'controversial' in fandom to like TAS, I never shied away from declaring it the just and proper continuation of the original five-year mission. I championed it. It just feels "right". 
Yes it has production short-comings. But I appreciate TAS for what it did. If TOS could have been said to have been a dead series, then TAS very much had the spirit of TOS beating within it's heart.
Yes it has production short-comings. But I appreciate TAS for what it did. If TOS could have been said to have been a dead series, then TAS very much had the spirit of TOS beating within it's heart.
Agree. The other alternative is to go with a stylish version like the clone war cartoon (not the cgi version) . Can't recall his name, but he did samurai jack as well as the first season of clone wars. Those stories were quite good (unlike the cgi version)
My opinion, of course.
Definitely this.
Hey! Are you a Superman: The Movie fan???
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'd love to see updated animation to more closely mirror TOS' energy level.
TAS was great when we were kids bck ihe 70s and still has a place in our hearts today but TOS will always be the favourite Trek for me!
JB
JB
You're referring to Genndy Tartakovsky -- who has, unfortunately, been co-opted into doing 3D animated movies (like Hotel Transylvania and an in-development Popeye reboot) that look just like any other 3D animated movie rather than being done in his distinctive 2D style.
But what you're suggesting would be better suited for a new animated series, not a reworking of TAS. If something is going to be an alternative version of an existing work, then its new content should still fit the style and aesthetic of the original, rather than replacing it with something wholly unrelated.
Yes, and it didn't hurt that someone somehow managed to convince them not to add a cute/irritating animal sidekick for once! Can you imagine Kirk with a pet tribble (or worse) following him around everywhere?
I made the mistake of watching a couple of episodes about a month ago. I say mistake only because I could not get the music out of my head for days.
There are things that can be criticized in TAS, but I appreciate quite a few of the stories being definitely a cut or two above what else would be found on Saturday morning television back then. Indeed many of the stories could easily fit as credible stories adapted to live-action TOS. I also appreciate many of the ideas and worldbuilding elements that TAS brought to the TOS universe.
To that end it can be easier to read the Alan Dean Foster adaptations because then you can envision the live-action characters and settings as opposed to watching the stiff animation and uneven voice acting.
To that end it can be easier to read the Alan Dean Foster adaptations because then you can envision the live-action characters and settings as opposed to watching the stiff animation and uneven voice acting.
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I'm gonna get rapped on the mouth for THIS:
It's overrated now.
The stories are good . . . in theory. The acting is dead because of recording individually in sound booths. Energy and pacing are dead too. The animation is bad, face facts. The music is fine, but EVERY episode??!! Makes you want to tear your hair out. I bought the set: watched it once. Should probably eBay it now. It's a nice, orange creamsicle-looking dustcatcher.
I get it, it was better than it could have been.
But objectively, as a thing standing on its own merits (not "well, considering what else was out at the time . . . its budget . . . animation in the 70s, etc., etc.) -- on its own merits . . .
No thanks.
It's overrated now.
The stories are good . . . in theory. The acting is dead because of recording individually in sound booths. Energy and pacing are dead too. The animation is bad, face facts. The music is fine, but EVERY episode??!! Makes you want to tear your hair out. I bought the set: watched it once. Should probably eBay it now. It's a nice, orange creamsicle-looking dustcatcher.
I get it, it was better than it could have been.
But objectively, as a thing standing on its own merits (not "well, considering what else was out at the time . . . its budget . . . animation in the 70s, etc., etc.) -- on its own merits . . .
No thanks.
Or (possibly worse) Star Trek + 4 ..
That's very true...I keep forgetting about those.
The weird thing about the music is...well, let me put it this way. If I think of some theme from the original series, or movie, or whatever, there it is. But somehow the music from the animated series all seems to play at once in my head. It's weird how that works.
Oh yeah, kids on the ship!
I think that idea was actually floated but vetoed by Roddenberry. So we were spared that... at least until TNG.
Oh yeah, kids on the ship!
Wasn't it suppose to be some type of Space Cadet series where each child had one of the main characters as mentors?
That doesn't follow. Most animation voice acting is recorded individually in booths, but actors accustomed to that style of acting can give perfectly good performances. Indeed, a lot of the dialogue you hear in a live-action production was actually overdubbed by actors in booths; for instance, most exterior scenes you've ever seen in TV or movies are dubbed over with re-recorded dialogue to eliminate ambient background noises and get better recording quality. Literally every exterior location scene in every episode of TOS had every line of dialogue dubbed by the actors in a recording studio.
So that's not the reason the performances in TAS were lacking. One reason is that the three lead actors didn't have much voice experience beyond dubbing their own dialogue, and in that case they had their original live performances to guide them. Voice acting is a challenging discipline because you have to put everything in your voice and can't fall back on expression and body language; so more experienced voice actors like Doohan and Takei could give better performances than stage/screen actors like Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley. Another reason is probably that the actors were often sending in their performances from whatever studio was convenient, so they didn't have a voice director to elicit stronger performances. And maybe they didn't invest a lot of effort in their performances because they saw TAS as peripheral to their other projects. Whatever the reasons, it had nothing to do with being in booths.
I've directed a recording session with a bunch of voice actors for Hanna Barbara at the Salami Studios for a The Wacky Races videogame and the number of actors in the booth is dependent on the type of scene. We recorded a lot of lines individually, but when we had characters interacting, the actors were often in the booth at the same time. (I still kick myself for not asking Billy West record a voicemail greeting for me.)
My bad.
"The acting is dead because Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley recorded individually in sound booths and didn't have a seasoned voice director leading them."
But again we're justifying. On its own merits, this show is full of lifeless voice acting.
I remember one where they're on like some volcano planet, all hell breaking loose, and it sounds like they're talking in your living room.
If you like it, like it. My Trekkie kids can't stand it, but the girl next door (6th grade?) likes it because it's hilarious. YMMV
"The acting is dead because Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley recorded individually in sound booths and didn't have a seasoned voice director leading them."
But again we're justifying. On its own merits, this show is full of lifeless voice acting.
I remember one where they're on like some volcano planet, all hell breaking loose, and it sounds like they're talking in your living room.
If you like it, like it. My Trekkie kids can't stand it, but the girl next door (6th grade?) likes it because it's hilarious. YMMV
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