Foundational Science Fiction
What is there to say about Star Trek: The Original Series that hasn't been said before? Its influence on the science fiction genre, as well as television as a whole, cannot be understated. How many tropes did it originate, or re-popularize? Did you know this show had the first interracial kiss in TV history? Did you know it essentially defined modern fandom as it is today?! DID YOU?!
The writing of TOS varies in quality. Some episodes will be genuinely well-written allegories for issues that even now we still struggle to deal with, or a moral quandary that really makes you reflect on what you'd do in that situation. Then the next episode will be "hey what if Kirk and the crew land on a planet of gangsters?" Frankly, even the episodes with the more insane premises are usually very entertaining. Laughter may not have been the intention, but boy am I enjoying myself. Spock's Brain, widely considered the worst episode, is genuinely one of my favorites to rewatch because of how absolutely insane it is.
The acting also varies. I would say that even by modern standards, the majority of the main cast does very well. But keep in mind that, well, this was the 60s. Acting on camera wasn't the same as it is now. Things were more theatrical back then. When acting on a stage, your words and motions needs to be very big so that everyone can hear you. This is not true on camera, where you can be clearly seen and heard at all times. As a result, by modern standards, a lot of it can come out as what we'd call "overacting." Like with the writing, I think a mixture of both these styles is very fun to watch.
"So why aren't you giving it 5 stars?" That's because there's a handful of episodes that really, REALLY did not age well. I cannot, in good conscience, give it the full 5. Other shows I've reviewed also have this issue, but there's one thing many of them had that TOS does not: a larger volume. TOS only had 3 seasons, so the episodes that aren't so great upon modern viewing stand out more than a show with 7 seasons does. But don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for TOS. I still recommend it.
Also, anyone who doesn't want to watch it because they're die-hard Star Wars fans? Don't worry about it. Star Trek is very, very different from Star Wars. I enjoy them both because of how different they are!
The writing of TOS varies in quality. Some episodes will be genuinely well-written allegories for issues that even now we still struggle to deal with, or a moral quandary that really makes you reflect on what you'd do in that situation. Then the next episode will be "hey what if Kirk and the crew land on a planet of gangsters?" Frankly, even the episodes with the more insane premises are usually very entertaining. Laughter may not have been the intention, but boy am I enjoying myself. Spock's Brain, widely considered the worst episode, is genuinely one of my favorites to rewatch because of how absolutely insane it is.
The acting also varies. I would say that even by modern standards, the majority of the main cast does very well. But keep in mind that, well, this was the 60s. Acting on camera wasn't the same as it is now. Things were more theatrical back then. When acting on a stage, your words and motions needs to be very big so that everyone can hear you. This is not true on camera, where you can be clearly seen and heard at all times. As a result, by modern standards, a lot of it can come out as what we'd call "overacting." Like with the writing, I think a mixture of both these styles is very fun to watch.
"So why aren't you giving it 5 stars?" That's because there's a handful of episodes that really, REALLY did not age well. I cannot, in good conscience, give it the full 5. Other shows I've reviewed also have this issue, but there's one thing many of them had that TOS does not: a larger volume. TOS only had 3 seasons, so the episodes that aren't so great upon modern viewing stand out more than a show with 7 seasons does. But don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for TOS. I still recommend it.
Also, anyone who doesn't want to watch it because they're die-hard Star Wars fans? Don't worry about it. Star Trek is very, very different from Star Wars. I enjoy them both because of how different they are!
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