TOS Purists of TrekBBS - Unite!
- Thread starter TOS Purist
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Are some TOS fans more strict for continuity then the other series or movies?
I might be considered a TOS purist in the sense that for me TOS is the only Star Trek that really matters. The rest is a matter of sporadic interesting moments, but overall it leaves me cold. And I say that while recognizing that I wouldn't do a new space adventure today exactly like TOS even though I would be inspired by it.
TOS was creative and visionary for its time and long afterwards. The spinoffs were essentially reinterpreting what TOS had already established.
TOS was creative and visionary for its time and long afterwards. The spinoffs were essentially reinterpreting what TOS had already established.
TOS is what really matters too me as well, even though I have enjoyed the spinoffs and movies. Maybe because at three seasons it contains just the right amount of information for my brain to absorb and regurgitate.
^^ There's something in that. At three seasons many of us have long yearned for more, but we've also seen many series overstay their welcome long after they should have closed up shop.
And TOS was open ended. We could easily imagine them still exploring the final frontier.
And TOS was open ended. We could easily imagine them still exploring the final frontier.
Very interesting points by Warped9 and Nerys Myk!!
In some early(?) episode of Babylon 5, Delenn remarked to a member of another long-lived race about how humans- because of their relatively short life spans- could live under the belief that a true love, a strong romantic relationship, could be unchanging and last forever. The Minbari seemed to (sadly) know better.....
Perhaps, since we were given only three seasons of adventures of Kirk and crew, TOS did not last long enough to have had the chance (in the eyes of many fans, at least) to drift down some "wrong road", or to disappoint us, or to stay past it's welcome....
In some early(?) episode of Babylon 5, Delenn remarked to a member of another long-lived race about how humans- because of their relatively short life spans- could live under the belief that a true love, a strong romantic relationship, could be unchanging and last forever. The Minbari seemed to (sadly) know better.....
Perhaps, since we were given only three seasons of adventures of Kirk and crew, TOS did not last long enough to have had the chance (in the eyes of many fans, at least) to drift down some "wrong road", or to disappoint us, or to stay past it's welcome....
Well, there were some 3rd season episodes...
"And The Children Shall Lead" us into cringe inducing despair...
Last night, I watched two TNG Season 3 episodes...you know...the year that TNG supposedly hit its stride: Evolution and The Ensigns of Command. This morning, I watched two TOS Season 2 episodes (non-Remastered) that are not considered among the best of that year: Friday's Child and The Deadly Years.
There was NO comparison! The two underrated TOS episodes won hands down...even in the category important to TNG purists: ensemble script writing and acting.
Friday's Child wonderfully portrays the TOS ensemble in action. While Kirk, Spock, and McCoy handle the planetary situation, the shipboard problems are shared by Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov. Everyone had in-character roles that were well written and acted. By contrast, The Ensigns of Command had only Data on the planet with a very Picard-centered script aboard Enterprise-D.
When The Deadly Years is stacked against Evolution, the same is found to be true. The TOS episode, although focused on Kirk, has ensemble contributions; whereas, the TNG episode is heavily focused on Wesley and the nutty professor with Momma Crusher poking her nose into everything.
TOS was definitely a lightning strike, but what came after was simply battery-charged.
Oh well, I think I'll sit down and watch two TAS episodes at random and see how they stack up against the two TNG ones I watched.
There was NO comparison! The two underrated TOS episodes won hands down...even in the category important to TNG purists: ensemble script writing and acting.
Friday's Child wonderfully portrays the TOS ensemble in action. While Kirk, Spock, and McCoy handle the planetary situation, the shipboard problems are shared by Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov. Everyone had in-character roles that were well written and acted. By contrast, The Ensigns of Command had only Data on the planet with a very Picard-centered script aboard Enterprise-D.
When The Deadly Years is stacked against Evolution, the same is found to be true. The TOS episode, although focused on Kirk, has ensemble contributions; whereas, the TNG episode is heavily focused on Wesley and the nutty professor with Momma Crusher poking her nose into everything.
TOS was definitely a lightning strike, but what came after was simply battery-charged.
Oh well, I think I'll sit down and watch two TAS episodes at random and see how they stack up against the two TNG ones I watched.
Mmmmmm... Well, yes... The 3rd season. I do see your point:
"Who are 'the Others'?"
"The givers of pain…and delight."
"You are not Morg. You are not Eymorg."
"What have you done with Spock's brain?"
"Brain and brain! What is brain?"
"Who are 'the Others'?"
"The givers of pain…and delight."
"You are not Morg. You are not Eymorg."
"What have you done with Spock's brain?"
"Brain and brain! What is brain?"
I agree. Yet, many rave over the two I watched because they are supposed to be so high in "character development"...however, nothing new is learned about Wesley and Data...they continue to make the same old mistakes.
On the other hand, the non-verbal acting along with scripted tidbits in the two TOS episodes I viewed today greatly develop McCoy's past, Scotty's leadership skills, Chekov's "screams", how our stars will age, and even that Kirk and Spock are rather accurate archers.
By comparison, TOS's Capellans are far more developed than TNG's Sheliak. Capellans have a range of emotions and motivations; while the Sheliak might as well be Data-like androids...dull, boring, and a waste of a good idea.
It's pompous and more prententious. Thats equals maturity.
TNG episodes I've liked:
"Where No One Has Gone Before" - This is brutally executed, but I do like some of the ideas presented in it. Since I associated enjoyable Star Trek predominantly with TOS then I tend to favour things that have something of a TOS feel to them in some measure.
"11001001" - A little more polished then WNOHGB and it's an fun idea for a story.
"Heart Of Glory" - Misfit Klingons!
"Arsenal Of Freedom" - Horribly executed, but again an interesting science fiction idea.
"Where Silence Has Lease" - Definitely more polish than 1st season and the story idea is interesting and even a little creepy.
"Elementary, Dear Data" - A holodeck story I found interesting before holodeck stories became boring and a crutch.
"A Matter Of Honor" - Finally visiting a Klingon vessel and it's fun.
"The Measure Of A Man" - For me this is TNG's finest hour and it's pure good Star Trek even if a tad rough in spots.
"Contagion" - Interesting.
"Q, Who?" - The only time I could tolerate Q and the Borg were menacing.
"Up The Long Ladder" - Bad science, but I like it in similar fashion as liking "The Trouble With Tribbles."
3rd season the show gets more consistent:
The Survivors"
"Who Watches The Watchers"
"Yesterday's Enterprise"
"The Offspring"
"Captain's Holiday"
"Tin Man"
"Sarek"
"The Best Of Both Worlds" (Part 1 & 2)
"Where No One Has Gone Before" - This is brutally executed, but I do like some of the ideas presented in it. Since I associated enjoyable Star Trek predominantly with TOS then I tend to favour things that have something of a TOS feel to them in some measure.
"11001001" - A little more polished then WNOHGB and it's an fun idea for a story.
"Heart Of Glory" - Misfit Klingons!
"Arsenal Of Freedom" - Horribly executed, but again an interesting science fiction idea.
"Where Silence Has Lease" - Definitely more polish than 1st season and the story idea is interesting and even a little creepy.
"Elementary, Dear Data" - A holodeck story I found interesting before holodeck stories became boring and a crutch.
"A Matter Of Honor" - Finally visiting a Klingon vessel and it's fun.
"The Measure Of A Man" - For me this is TNG's finest hour and it's pure good Star Trek even if a tad rough in spots.
"Contagion" - Interesting.
"Q, Who?" - The only time I could tolerate Q and the Borg were menacing.
"Up The Long Ladder" - Bad science, but I like it in similar fashion as liking "The Trouble With Tribbles."
3rd season the show gets more consistent:
The Survivors"
"Who Watches The Watchers"
"Yesterday's Enterprise"
"The Offspring"
"Captain's Holiday"
"Tin Man"
"Sarek"
"The Best Of Both Worlds" (Part 1 & 2)
I'm definitely a TOS purist, in the sense that I consider TOS to be my favorite by far. (I won't say "the best," because that's purely subjective.) I enjoy all the other shows to varying degrees, but I don't find that any of them reach that I heights of depth or characterization that I consider TOS to have. So, yeah, in a lot of ways for me, TOS is "Star Trek," and everything else is just "Trek," which is fine, but not the same.
How beautifully put.
I was predisposed to like everything that came afterwards; most of it I do, to some degree. Some of it a lot. But Star Trek itself will always be on a different tier.
And I thought it was a good thread.
well said.
I can be disappointed with the later series sometimes, and say that they didn't capture the spirit or intent of the original, while including them in the fictional history. Not "Enterprise" of course... those events could not possibly have led to original Trek. Anyway, original Trek (1966-9) is very much up on a pedestal for me. That doesn't count movies, certainly not new ones which throw away the internal history of ST.
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