The Animated Series

[plynch]

Nobody said it was necessary. None of this necessary. Some fairly well-done space opera I love was not necessary. Nor an animated version with horrible animation. Christopher asked "What would be the point?"

I answered.

No, I would not tinker with the examples you mentioned. I have argued against the FX in the TOS blurays, actually. But, my coloring book statement is no exaggeration. I went and watched one again after posting. Really, "animation" is a stretch. They really are basically coloring book pictures with the lips moving.

So, I (who love those beautiful Fleischer Supes btw) would like to see some killer animation mated with those stories, since they have the original actors' voices. It would be cool, in my opinion. That's all. I don't see why people get so worked up about other people's desires or opinions here.

I hear you.

Thank you.

And, Christopher, anime gets no pass from me, nor from others who deride its crappy animation. I can't watch it. Its lack of fluidity reminds me of the b/w Looney Tunes that were sent to Korea to be colorized and they took out every other frame to lighten their load.

 

[EnriqueH]

I think I know what the problem is.

Star Trek TOS was such an energetic show. A young Bill Shatner is the star, for chrissakes. The guy didn't stop moving!

And then there were explosions, chases, phaser shoot outs, fistfights, melodrama, screaming, torture, warp speed chases, crewmen being tossed around the Enterprise.

And then comes TAS with its relaxed animation style.

It's kind of a rough transition.

But then maybe it's more apparent to me because I'm currently doing a complete TOS marathon, jumping right into TAS after Turnabout Intruder before getting into the motion pictures.

 

[Commishsleer]

I don't want the Animation changed.

Yeh its got clunky bits but I'm more in it for the stories.

New animation (if better) would increase my appreciation for TAS by 5.65%. Not worth it for me.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I appreciated the imagination in TAS.

 

[plynch]

I think I know what the problem is.

Star Trek TOS was such an energetic show. A young Bill Shatner is the star, for chrissakes. The guy didn't stop moving!

And then there were explosions, chases, phaser shoot outs, fistfights, melodrama, screaming, torture, warp speed chases, crewmen being tossed around the Enterprise.

And then comes TAS with its relaxed animation style.

It's kind of a rough transition.

But then maybe it's more apparent to me because I'm currently doing a complete TOS marathon, jumping right into TAS after Turnabout Intruder before getting into the motion pictures.

The dialog is delivered/recorded in a very "relaxed" manner too, each actor reading to a mic rather than speaking to each other on a set or location.

 

[EnriqueH]

Yeah.

And I also believe that the actors recorded their dialogue separately, negating the chemistry of the show a bit.

I remember the Shatner and Nimoy DVD commentaries for Treks III and V, and they were a little dry compared to the magic of the Trek IV commentary, which they recorded together.

 

[Last Redshirt]

TAS was very imaginative and I like to think a lot of the scope of it (huge non-humanoid alien monsters, massive landscapes, etc) was stuff that Roddenberry had ideas for, but couldn't ever implement into TOS.

But it was very dry, very relaxed, especially in comparison to TOS. Shatner was always walking around the bridge, there was always crewmembers behind up, doing average joe shit. It didn't help that some of the animation just didn't work.

 

[EnriqueH]

TAS was very imaginative and I like to think a lot of the scope of it (huge non-humanoid alien monsters, massive landscapes, etc) was stuff that Roddenberry had ideas for, but couldn't ever implement into TOS.

Oh yeah. I like the stories! It is a good show, but despite that, I can't help but feel that the animation is not consistent with the show's energy.

But it was very dry, very relaxed, especially in comparison to TOS. Shatner was always walking around the bridge, there was always crewmembers behind up, doing average joe shit.

Yeah, those overhead shots of the Enterprise crew frozen in their seats just don't cut it.

 

[EnriqueH]

New animation (if better) would increase my appreciation for TAS by 5.65%. Not worth it for me.

Why, would you be doing the work?

 

[Christopher]

And I also believe that the actors recorded their dialogue separately, negating the chemistry of the show a bit.

That's actually pretty standard for animation, but good voice directors are able to compensate for it by bringing out good performances in their cast. And experienced voice actors are often better at emoting/performing through their voices alone. The problem with TAS is that its production was rather rushed, so the actors often had to record their lines from whatever studio was convenient and didn't get consistent direction, and also that Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley weren't used to voice acting. It's noticeable that the actors with the most prior experience performing with their voices -- Doohan (who'd done a bunch of radio acting), Takei (who'd dubbed Japanese movies into English), Nichols (an experienced singer), and Barrett (who'd done voiceovers for TOS) -- gave more, well, animated performances than the lackadaisical deliveries of the big three.

 

[Commishsleer]

New animation (if better) would increase my appreciation for TAS by 5.65%. Not worth it for me.

Why, would you be doing the work?

True, true.

If they're going to do it anyway I'd take it.
I'd probably buy/pay for the new versions as well because well I'm a sucker for TOS/TAS.
I'd rather them spend the money on making completely new episodes with as many of the original actors or the best facsimilies as possible.

 

[EnriqueH]

I would certainly watch new episodes, but even if they get the original actors, they all sound much older than their 1960s-70s selves.

A few years ago, I played a James Bond video game "From Russia With Love" featuring Sean Connery's likeness and Connery reprising the role.

The problem was a 35-year old Connery likeness with a 70-year-old Connery voice. A little jarring.

But anyway...

 

[Albertese]

Yeah, IIRC there's a line in the Director's Edition of TMP where Early 21st Century Walter Koening was employed to loop one of Chekov's lines, and it does stand out.

--Alex

 

[Marsden]

The entirety of Judgment Rites can be viewed on Youtube here (and thinking about it, would also be a no-brainer to put these on iPad already):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcgE3qZ9uws

I just watched the first mission, that was great! It took a half hour, it really was like another animated episode. Thanks for posting that link!

 

[F. King Daniel]

The entirety of Judgment Rites can be viewed on Youtube here (and thinking about it, would also be a no-brainer to put these on iPad already):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcgE3qZ9uws

I just watched the first mission, that was great! It took a half hour, it really was like another animated episode. Thanks for posting that link!

If you want new TAS, you can't do better than "Starship Farragut: Animated" http://farragutanimated.com/

 

[2takesfrakes]

As noted, TAS has the original actors voices and even won an Emmy in Children's Television, but I do not see The Animated Series as working for kids of any age today, unfortunately. It's too slow, it's too talky and it's too static. For its half-hour running time, it usually manages to be very boring, for a cartoon. And because of when it came out and budget concerns at the time, it's flat and cheap-looking. But people who are just finding out about STAR TREK would probably still be interested in it, just for the novelty, if nothing else.

Some of it is difficult to accept as representing a live-action adventure, as it does veer off into kiddy territory more than just occassionally. I think it's cute - Nurse Chapel's never looked better, that's certain - it has charm and some of the ideas are interesting. When I'm cleaning the house or whatever, I'll put on TAS sometimes as background noise, so I do still 'watch' it. But it's easily the weakest STAR TREK series - next to TAS, Enterprise & Voyager shine.

 

[Marsden]

But it's easily the weakest STAR TREK series - next to TAS, Enterprise & Voyager shine.

That's a fascinating comparison, a low budget 1/2 hr cartoon from the 70s and two live action hour long big budgeted shows from the 90s.

I'd hope they would shine in that comparison, but I just don't see it.

But, I'm just offering my differing opinion, not condemning yours. I didn't think Voyager shined very much at all, maybe compared to watching Gilmore Girls, or Dawson's Creek. But on it's own, not too shiny. I didn't see enought Enterprise to find out.

 

[BK613]

I think people aren't giving "kids these day" enough credit. I mean, these are the Flash animation kids. The look-pass-the-graphics-and-embrace-the-gameplay Minecrafting kids. They can handle the Seventies animation.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I still like the old TAS with all its flaws. To me they are like beauty marks.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I think people aren't giving "kids these day" enough credit. I mean, these are the Flash animation kids. The look-pass-the-graphics-and-embrace-the-gameplay Minecrafting kids. They can handle the Seventies animation.

The Flash reference is a strong point; so many series (over recent years) have all but dumped traditional animation, with so much of the Flash stuff (ex. a great amount of series on Cartoon Network, etc.) being so limited, it is not that far ahead of construction paper cut outs linked with paper clips. On that note, TAS--with its attention to detail and patience when telling a story--is a 5-star restaurant next to endless Taco Bell shacks scattered across the land.