The Animated Series

[Jim]

There was an old thread that was unworthy of being brought back because it was old and decrepit. Per board policy I am linking it viewtopic.php?f=12&t=435 and summarising it: "Yesteryear was a good episode, no one bought the DVDs, Chekov was AWOL, Doohan was busy..."

As having never seen an episode I put this on me Netflix stream queue today. I am looking forward to watching episodes and discussing them. Potentially in how they fit into the overall ST-verse. Plus potentially even the quality of the animation and, depending on the episode content, how the writers were able to do more because of the animation as opposed to having to film real life actors... or how they missed the boat on that.

Many of you have seen these already, but for me it is basically a brand new ST series/experiance. I hope to get a few in tonight.

Jim

[Jim]

I watched three episodes last night. I was surprised that Yesteryear was episode #2 as it seems that people considered that the best. A few things that I noticed:

Kirk used the term "flank speed ahead"... I do not recall every hearing that used in ST before. "Full impulse" etc yes... but not "flank speed". Am I wrong in that?

They also used the term "galatic plane" which I took to mean from the bridge's orientation. I do not recall ever hearing them say that before, but I liked it. It gives perspective.

Life support belts - never saw those before either. They were actually personal shields as mentioned when Scotty got stuck in the hatch. I do not remember personal shields ever shown in any ST show.

I found Episode 1 to be very anti-climatic. They warp through the planet (???) and the entity transfers to the planet and then the ship just leaves, credits...?



I loved the old early 70's animation. It actually took me back to the old cartoons I used to watch as a kid.

I am glad that they are apparently taking advantage of the animation format. showing vast landscapes and cityscapes and different alien races and much more mobility. It seems to make the story telling bigger.

I noticed that everyone's eyeball color was the same as the skin tone. The teeth were white, but to save time/money they just colored the entire face the same color.

In Yesteryear, Spock's pet lamacha (sp?)... it's roar was good ole classic Godzilla!!! I actually laughed out loud at that!!!


So far the episodes are visually bigger than the regular series and they are entertaining enough... but it seems to be missing something. I am only 3 in but I am not surprised that the TAS did not last, so far.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

There was some great and original ideas... but Filmation was not the company to do it.

[Deepcrush]

Seriously? This required a new thread? HAHAHAHAHAHA

Honestly, I've always been torn as to if I should view the animated series or not. Keep up the watching and let us know how it goes for you.

[Jim]

Actaully, I didn't think so... but I am not Admiral... and I wanted to talk about it...

I am somewhere around episode 11 or 12. The stories are okay and it is nice seeing races that I have never seen anywhere else. However, the old animation that I praised earlier is now getting a bit long in the tooth. Not the animation itself, but the CONSTANT reuse of the same cells. The blueish winged dragonhead things have been used a handfull of times and each time it is supposed to be a different creature. The old 70's, hanna-barbarra style animal screatch is also getting old.

I still like the larger landscapes and such though. If the live action shows were able to visualize on this scale they would have been amazing.

[Deepcrush]

Actaully, I didn't think so... but I am not Admiral... and I wanted to talk about it...

They get pissy from time to time to time to time to time....

[Jim]

I think that the large golden bird-man race is my favorite so far.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Yeah, the animation didn't age well. Ponder that it's me saying that, too....

[Varthikes]

The life-support belts were a money- and time-saving device. They could just make a yellow aura around the characters rather than putting them in space suits.

Time and money were factors in the making of the animated series as much as they were in original live action series.