TOS- Overrated?
- Thread starter AdmiralScreed
- Start date
Great point I've not heard here before. Yup, he was downright sensitive sometimes. Not Ben Cartwright or Joe Friday at all.
Actually it was McCoy who ordered the change in Kirk's diet -- Kirk was taken slightly aback when his Yeoman served him "green leaves."
I love the little bits of banter and byplay among the crew in early TOS eps like "Corbomite Manuever." Those throwaway lines fleshed out the characters and made them human.
Hors d'oeuvres. Close enough for horseshoes.
I'll take it.
The story structure is very odd in the old school Doctor Who days, so I can completely understand why someone wouldn't enjoy that style. My point is that there is plenty to judge in TOS even if you only compare it to contemporary shows. And if you don't think Doctor Who is a good example of quality 60's sci-fi, how about the German series Raumpatrouille?
Admiralscreed, I would like to add to the discussion by saying: I don't find the series incredibly overrated, though I do think too many people say it's the best simply because it was the first.
In my mind, TOS and TNG are abit alike, in that both have a lot of good episodes, with a few bad ones mixed in there.
EDIT: Plus, some might find TOS abit hard to enjoy, after all, everyone already knows their story. (I'm not one of these people, but I've met a few with that mindset).
In my mind, TOS and TNG are abit alike, in that both have a lot of good episodes, with a few bad ones mixed in there.
EDIT: Plus, some might find TOS abit hard to enjoy, after all, everyone already knows their story. (I'm not one of these people, but I've met a few with that mindset).
I just recently watched The Aztecs episodes of Dr. Who, and while I enjoyed it, talk about stretching out a story.
Comparing Star Trek (I'm tired of this TOS nonsense) to its progeny isn't fair in that styles change. Pacing changes. Technique changes. It's fashion, and better or worse in fashion is pretty subjective.
Corbomite IS a slow episode, but it's the first one filmed and it takes most shows a few episodes to get on their feet. Star Trek was no different. And, to be fair TNG had its share of dull episodes, including its pilot.
Comparing Star Trek (I'm tired of this TOS nonsense) to its progeny isn't fair in that styles change. Pacing changes. Technique changes. It's fashion, and better or worse in fashion is pretty subjective.
Corbomite IS a slow episode, but it's the first one filmed and it takes most shows a few episodes to get on their feet. Star Trek was no different. And, to be fair TNG had its share of dull episodes, including its pilot.
When you compare TOS to any other 1960s series, it's head and shoulders FOR ITS TIME. I started with TOS first-run and was hooked from day one. Over the years I've seen all the eps countless times and have come to feel this way about it (I haven't seen remastered and do not plan to shell out more cash for new effects, same with TNG):
Season One - amazing, possibly the best Trek ever filmed. Only a few clunkers ("Miri," "The Alternative Factor", "Operation Annialate" (the one with the squeaking, flying pizzas who land on Spock's back and he goes blind temporarily...Kirk's nephew, brother and sister-in-law are in the ep)
Season Two - a mixed bag, too many "Gangster Planet," "Roman Planet," good God, "Nazi Planet" and throw aways ("The Apple," etc.). I think this season is highly overrated *DUCKS*
Season Three - not the greatest, but chances were taken and there was often a payoff. I prefer a lot of the eps in this season to season two for general weirdness alone. Again, *DUCKS*
So overall, yeah, I love TOS and do NOT feel it's overrated. The movies showed what they could do with a somewhat decent budget, love them all! TOS set the template for thoughtful Sci-Fi on TV with great character development for the leads and for that, ALL ST fans should be grateful. No TOS, no TNG, DS9, etc.
Season One - amazing, possibly the best Trek ever filmed. Only a few clunkers ("Miri," "The Alternative Factor", "Operation Annialate" (the one with the squeaking, flying pizzas who land on Spock's back and he goes blind temporarily...Kirk's nephew, brother and sister-in-law are in the ep)
Season Two - a mixed bag, too many "Gangster Planet," "Roman Planet," good God, "Nazi Planet" and throw aways ("The Apple," etc.). I think this season is highly overrated *DUCKS*
Season Three - not the greatest, but chances were taken and there was often a payoff. I prefer a lot of the eps in this season to season two for general weirdness alone. Again, *DUCKS*
So overall, yeah, I love TOS and do NOT feel it's overrated. The movies showed what they could do with a somewhat decent budget, love them all! TOS set the template for thoughtful Sci-Fi on TV with great character development for the leads and for that, ALL ST fans should be grateful. No TOS, no TNG, DS9, etc.
I don't think you have to duck. Many people feel the same, or similarly.
I find TOS to be not overrated at all, in fact, I think it's an excellent show. And I say this as one (of the few?) who actually enjoys all of the Trek shows - TNG, Voyager, DS9, Enterprise, and even the TOS animated shows. None are perfect, but there's plenty to like in all.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKg9tuSbXmk[/yt]
Also, that random German series I mentioned. TOS wasn't the star in the wasteland of 60's sci-fi that people make it out to be.
In retrospect, TNG is overrated. I was very disappointed with it and still am. Even Voyager was slightly more palatable to me. DS9 was intreqing at first but lost steam right away. It waits.. for a.. - I'm still waiting for what is waiting. ENT was the ash of the cigars they lit with twenty dollar bills. Of course it had potential and still does. Only problem it was cancelled due to self indulgant egotistical writing.
er, Corbomite Manuever is a decent episode, but I've never heard it described as anything BUT slow-paced.
you think it's a fast-paced story?
my God, something like "mirror, mirror" must give you whiplash
Carbomite Maneuver was one of the best episodes IMO. Up there with Mirror, Mirror and The Doomsday Machine.
other than the neat ending and some character insight, can you describe what was so great about it?
Corbomite has a lot of good character interplay, tension between Kirk and McCoy, and really gives you a sense of the crew as a crew and not just a few background players standing behind the leads. It shows Kirk being clever and at the same time that he's not perfect. The pacing's a bit off, yes. In fact, the pacing is really the only thing that's not great about the episode.
Last edited:
Little bit of carriage before the horse? The stilted personal stuff first and then the protracted objective alien threat. It should have been reversed and then it ended too abruptly. I would have liked to have seen Balok's home planet or others like him, etc.. to give it some scope. Did they ever go back to find that guy? drinking tranya?
TOS is what brought me to Star Trek in the early 70s. Today the series screams the 1960s and it doesn't bother me at all. I love it. I love the characters and the stories.
But having said that I am alright with other fans....especially the younger fans that grew up with something different and do not like TOS either at all or not as much as the newer shows.
But having said that I am alright with other fans....especially the younger fans that grew up with something different and do not like TOS either at all or not as much as the newer shows.
Look, for all the "TOS didn't need B-Plots!" "The pacing was better!" folks:
It's fairly easy to do singular plots that can encompass entire 45-50 minute episodes with decent pacing for all characters involved when there are only 3 characters and those characters happen to be basic freud archetypes (Id, Ego, Superego) that clearly operate as a single storytelling unit.
It's fairly easy to do singular plots that can encompass entire 45-50 minute episodes with decent pacing for all characters involved when there are only 3 characters and those characters happen to be basic freud archetypes (Id, Ego, Superego) that clearly operate as a single storytelling unit.
I don't think the characters correspond to Freudian archetypes.
McCoy wasn't a raging id, he was the conscience of the three, the heart.
it's more about logic vs emotion vs balance than id, ego, superego
Similar threads
