Why TOS started so good?

[Ssosmcin]

From more of a business standpoint, I'm sure TV writers wanting to sell scripts probably weren't chomping at the bit to submit for "Star Trek" when the show was renewed against NBC's initial wishes. Seeing that they were going to air it Friday at 10:00pm, let anyone with a brain know, that the show was a lame duck...just hanging on by a thread. Add to that Roddenberry packing his bags and leaving the studio to focus on "future endeavors"...couldn't give the sci-fi or TV writers the warm and fuzzies.

From what I understand, Star Trek had no lack of people submitting scripts. If I am to believe Marc Cushman's "research," more than a few were never used. Trek's problem was being able to film the scripts on time and within the budget. And, honestly, writers just write, and freelance writers write for whatever show they can. Very few writers are so secure they would pass up writing for a halfway decent SF series if they had an idea. Especially a show that wasn't some kid's monster rally. But in the world of TV writers, a job is a job, and a paid credit on a show on its way out is better than no paid credit at all. Actually, I would think that a show with a low rating on its way out would be a good show to submit for. They may be open to more varied material from someone new.

What I just said above also took a negative effect on the actors....Shatner's performance was more broad,

I think this had more to do with the later directors who didn't know how to reel Shatner in, and a producer who thought what he was doing was just fine.

Nimoy as Spock seemed almost depressed and De Kelley just did what he could with the material he was given.

Kelley did fantastic work throughout the series. He was given some of his best material in year 3. The Empath and For the World is Hollow gave him that rare chance to stretch. All Our Yesterdays was also another great showcase for him as he shared most of the episode with Nimoy.

Compare that to Season 1 where you saw almost a different take on Captain Kirk in every episode.

A lot of that was due to their finding their way and the evolution of the character, Kirk was more of the self-doubting "Hornblower" mold at first and gradually moved toward the more confident, heroic Kirk who settled into the second season.

 

[scotpens]

. . . the show was a lame duck...just hanging on by a thread.

Sorry to go OT for a moment, but that mixed metaphor calls to mind all sorts of funny images.

 

[Steve Gennarelli]

Just to clarify my earlier comments...yes, I know "Star Trek" was receiving tons of scripts...but by season 3, were you seeing Robert Bloch, Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson, Jerome Bixby.....No, that ship had sailed...Season 3 had the same great actors, but the scripts and the resources they had around them to make "great TV" had greatly withered since the end of year 2.

 

[Harvey]

Just to clarify my earlier comments...yes, I know "Star Trek" was receiving tons of scripts...but by season 3, were you seeing Robert Bloch, Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson, Jerome Bixby.....No, that ship had sailed...Season 3 had the same great actors, but the scripts and the resources they had around them to make "great TV" had greatly withered since the end of year 2.

Bixby wrote two episodes during season three. Ellison had a personal falling out with Roddenberry and wasn't coming back. Matheson pitched the series after "The Enemy Within," but none of his stories were bought. No idea about Bloch.

 

[Ssosmcin]

A script by a science fiction author doesn't necessarily result in "great TV." A lot of what made Star Trek great was done by the staff writers - the rewriting by Coon, Roddenberry and Fontana for the most part. The change in stories had more to do with their leaving the series than any lack of input by Ellison or Robert Bloch, who didn't exactly provide the best episodes of the series anyway. You can argue that "Adonias" isn't on anyone's top ten fan favorite episode list, but neither are "What Are Little Girls Made Of?," "Catspaw," or "Wolf in the Fold." I don't think we're missing out on anything because he didn't come back for year 3. He most likely stayed away for reasons other than Trek being a "lame duck." Most of the higher profile SF writers apparently stayed away because they didn't like being so heavily rewritten. Since SF TV rarely succeeds, it would be a desolate landscape if they only wrote for highly rated shows in sweet time slots.

Bixby wrote "Day of the Dove" and "Requiem for Methuselah" for the third season.

The budget restrictions, the shooting schedule and the fact that all of the rewriting was done by Freiberger and Arthur Singer is what lead to the changes in the series. Their vision and standards were different from the absent members of the Trek writing/producing team.

 

[Steve Gennarelli]

I forgot about Bixby. "Day of the Dove" is an average episode, not bad while "Requiem" was a little better and more creative.
I mentioned Harlan Ellison only because the one script he wrote (however tinkered it was) became the best episode of "Star Trek". There wouldn't have been a budget for that type of complex show in the 3rd season. It would have been shot down.
But I agree with your points, rear admiral.

 

[Talos IV]

A lot more love & care went into the writing and production of ST:TOS' first season than subsequent seasons.

This makes sense, as other shows had the same "not sure we'll succeed, so we'd better try really hard" first seasons too. (I used to harp on this so much that it caused a friend of mine to joke, "Maybe most shows should just cease production after their first season?")

A few others whose first season was arguably their glory days:

"The Twilight Zone" (Rod Serling more involved)
"The Outer Limits" (unforgettable TV, Joseph Stefano producing)
"The Adventures of Superman" (film noir-like first season, produced by Robert Maxwell, before becoming a true kiddie show)
"Family Affair" (more energetic direction, more New York-like upscale atmosphere, a more engaged Brian Keith)
"My Three Sons" (a wildly imaginative first season courtesy of Peter Tewksbury, barely resembling the show it would eventually become)
"The Partridge Family" (excellent location shooting, music-video style song montages)
"Cheers" (before Sam & Diane became an item)
"Alice" (daring-for-1976 topics, more Alice-and-Flo-as-friends, zippier videotape editing)
"The Beverly Hillbillies" (far superior direction & background music, wittier scripts, lots of location shooting)
"Bewitched" (far & away the best season -- see HERE for why)
"Lost in Space" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color campfest)
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color schlockfest)

For me, the overall quality of STAR TREK's first season is so vastly better than the other two seasons that it's (almost) like a separate series.

 

[Tenacity]

I mentioned Harlan Ellison only because the one script he wrote (however tinkered it was) became the best episode of "Star Trek".

"Tinkered" as I understand it doesn't go far enough. Little beyond Ellison's basic concepts survived the eventual extensive re-write.

 

[Kor]

A lot more love & care went into the writing and production of ST:TOS' first season than subsequent seasons.

This makes sense, as other shows had the same "not sure we'll succeed, so we'd better try really hard" first seasons too. (I used to harp on this so much that it caused a friend of mine to joke, "Maybe most shows should just cease production after their first season?")

A few others whose first season was arguably their glory days:

"The Twilight Zone" (Rod Serling more involved)
"The Outer Limits" (unforgettable TV, Joseph Stefano producing)
"The Adventures of Superman" (film noir-like first season, produced by Robert Maxwell, before becoming a true kiddie show)
"Family Affair" (more energetic direction, more New York-like upscale atmosphere, a more engaged Brian Keith)
"My Three Sons" (a wildly imaginative first season courtesy of Peter Tewksbury, barely resembling the show it would eventually become)
"The Partridge Family" (excellent location shooting, music-video style song montages)
"Cheers" (before Sam & Diane became an item)
"Alice" (daring-for-1976 topics, more Alice-and-Flo-as-friends, zippier videotape editing)
"The Beverly Hillbillies" (far superior direction & background music, wittier scripts, lots of location shooting)
"Bewitched" (far & away the best season -- see HERE for why)
"Lost in Space" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color campfest)
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color schlockfest)

For me, the overall quality of STAR TREK's first season is so vastly better than the other two seasons that it's (almost) like a separate series.

Batman '66 was also better in its first season.

Kor

 

[gottacook]

A lot more love & care went into the writing and production of ST:TOS' first season than subsequent season

I've just seen "Balance of Terror" (on Heroes & Icons) for the first time in many years. Damn, they really nailed the ending. Just beautiful. First the scene where Kirk comforts Angela Martine, backed with music from "The Cage"; then suddenly the music changes - to a most energetic "Where No Man Has Gone Before" cue - and Kirk is back in the corridor, among the normal flow of the crew, varied uniforms cutting in and out, no dialogue, nothing but movement. Both great Alexander Courage cues.

Every episode, even in the first season, had its own implausibilities - even this one, with its weak-ceilinged Romulan ship and English-speaking Romulans - but just-right endings (like this one and "Let's get the hell out of here") count for a great deal.

 

[plynch]

A lot more love & care went into the writing and production of ST:TOS' first season than subsequent seasons.

This makes sense, as other shows had the same "not sure we'll succeed, so we'd better try really hard" first seasons too. (I used to harp on this so much that it caused a friend of mine to joke, "Maybe most shows should just cease production after their first season?")

A few others whose first season was arguably their glory days:

"The Twilight Zone" (Rod Serling more involved)
"The Outer Limits" (unforgettable TV, Joseph Stefano producing)
"The Adventures of Superman" (film noir-like first season, produced by Robert Maxwell, before becoming a true kiddie show)
"Family Affair" (more energetic direction, more New York-like upscale atmosphere, a more engaged Brian Keith)
"My Three Sons" (a wildly imaginative first season courtesy of Peter Tewksbury, barely resembling the show it would eventually become)
"The Partridge Family" (excellent location shooting, music-video style song montages)
"Cheers" (before Sam & Diane became an item)
"Alice" (daring-for-1976 topics, more Alice-and-Flo-as-friends, zippier videotape editing)
"The Beverly Hillbillies" (far superior direction & background music, wittier scripts, lots of location shooting)
"Bewitched" (far & away the best season -- see HERE for why)
"Lost in Space" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color campfest)
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (black-and-white action/adventure, before becoming a color schlockfest)

For me, the overall quality of STAR TREK's first season is so vastly better than the other two seasons that it's (almost) like a separate series.

You're not wrong. When anything is new, the thrill is there, the novelty. Eventually it becomes the thing you're now doing and you just keep doing it. Often well. But not like when it was new. You develop ruts and routines. S2 of TOS is often routinely good. Very good. But they get to feeling like another-decent-episode, where early S1 has the different feel to it.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Also, when a show begins, they're finding their way, seeing what works. Many new things are tried. When Gene Coon came on as producer, the series took on his style as Roddenberry stepped back. I feel the series was a little more edgy and serious in the first half-ish of the first season. I actually prefer the more serious, colder SF feel of the early episodes to the chummy, jokey Coon era. While I love MANY episodes of the second season, the accent on comedy and familiarity blunted the edge. The parallel Earth's got a little too much that year as well (even if they still were good stories). When the third season went back to the more serious tone, it didn't bring the quality of storytelling with it. But, the lack of humor and the return to the strangeness of space, was one thing about the third season I loved. I actually wish John M. Lucas was retained to produce year 3. I liked his take on it.

 

[gottacook]

Ssosmcin: The earliest episodes also sometimes showed a warmer, more familiar side. I'm thinking of two Kirk/McCoy interactions: the "Green leaves?" scene in "The Corbomite Maneuver," or the exchange ending with Kirk's "Try taking one of those red pills you gave me last week. You'll sleep" in "The Man Trap." There are probably other examples.

As for J. M. Lucas, he was busy producing the half-hour syndicated series Insight (which I used to see on occasion in the 1970s), writing the occasional Mannix, etc.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Ssosmcin: The earliest episodes also sometimes showed a warmer, more familiar side. I'm thinking of two Kirk/McCoy interactions: the "Green leaves?" scene in "The Corbomite Maneuver," or the exchange ending with Kirk's "Try taking one of those red pills you gave me last week. You'll sleep" in "The Man Trap." There are probably other examples.

Sure, but those were private moments. There were fewer of the chummy "on the bridge" moments than we saw later. The humor between the characters increased greatly after Coon came on.

As for J. M. Lucas, he was busy producing the half-hour syndicated series Insight (which I used to see on occasion in the 1970s), writing the occasional Mannix, etc.

Apparently Lucas had no idea why he wasn't asked back to produce in the third season. He didn't have a falling out with Roddenberry, and there's even a memo from Herb Solow on his way out mentioning that he had a feeling JML wouldn't be asked back, which he felt was a mistake. So, it seems that if he were asked, he would have come on rather than Freiberger.

 

[Harvey]

Apparently Lucas had no idea why he wasn't asked back to produce in the third season. He didn't have a falling out with Roddenberry, and there's even a memo from Herb Solow on his way out mentioning that he had a feeling JML wouldn't be asked back, which he felt was a mistake. So, it seems that if he were asked, he would have come on rather than Freiberger.

The closest thing I've found to an answer on this is a memo from Rodenberry to Lucas wishing him well as he moved on to produce Insight. It is a bit odd, though, that Lucas didn't continue on for the third season.