The appeal of the old over the new.

The Original Series
User avatar
Granitehewer
Captain
Captain
Posts: 2237
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:03 pm
Location: Teesside, England
Contact:

The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Granitehewer »

I was just wondering what the appeal of the Original Series is to you in particular...
I've spoken to many fans, authors and publishers who adore the Kirk era whether adding new lore to it or simply revelling in what was had on-screen.
Some of those acolytes were around at the time that TOS was first released and others when TOS and it's associated films were cracking on a bit but the only option as TNG hadn't yet come to the fore, others because regardless of what was on television TOS was their first perhaps introduced via a relative. So for many it was formative.
My first ever Star Trek of any fruit was TOS; Galileo Seven and Balance of Terror. Those episodes showed me that people dared to dream and to show those visions on the screen to share and to entertain. Sure, a few weeks later I saw a lot of TNG but the die was already cast and so for me putting aside the orgasmic c.g.i. of the Dominion war scenes in DS9, TOS reigns supreme.
PTLLS (Tees Achieve), DipHE App Bio (Northumbria), BSc Psychology (Teesside), Comparative Planetology (LJMU), High Energy Astrophysics (LJMU), Mobile Robotics/Physics (Swinburne), Genetics (SAC), Quant Meths (SAC)
https://www.facebook.com/PeterBrayshay
Mikey
Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 35635
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:04 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award
Location: down the shore, New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Mikey »

I think the appeal of TOS was the freshness of the ideals of 'Trek. There had been television SF prior to 'Trek, to be sure; but Roddenberry's ideals - presented in the dressing of sci-fi - were both clear and great to see.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
User avatar
Jim
Captain
Captain
Posts: 1907
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pittsburgh
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Jim »

What I like about the old series is the style of the time. I like the retro-futuristic look. I also like the acting style. It was still the time of westerns on tv and you could see the swager of that style of acting in TOS.
Ugh... do not thump the Book of G'Quan...
RK_Striker_JK_5
3 Star Admiral
3 Star Admiral
Posts: 12986
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:27 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award, Cochrane Medal of Excellence
Location: New Hampshire
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by RK_Striker_JK_5 »

The show has individual episodes so groundbreaking and in their own way, better than anything that's come since in Trek. It's a hopeful future. Where humanity is still humanity. It's just we... decide not to kill today.

Also, the E-nil is still one of the most gorgeous sci-fi ships I've ever seen.
stitch626
2 Star Admiral
2 Star Admiral
Posts: 9585
Joined: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:57 pm
Location: NY
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by stitch626 »

I love the Enterprise. It was gorgeous, even more so in HD.

The stories were nice, and I can watch them over and over (unlike most episodes of the other series).

They did so much with so little, fx wise.

And lastly, I didn't hate anyone in the main cast. There was no Westley, Neelix, Nog, or Tucker. And the Shatner, Nemoy, and Kelly dynamic has never been able to be revived in any combination of cast members.
No trees were killed in transmission of this message. However, some electrons were mildly inconvenienced.
User avatar
Tholian_Avenger
Lieutenant jg
Lieutenant jg
Posts: 356
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:51 am
Location: Here, just past there.

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Tholian_Avenger »

I took up watching when TNG was airing. I would get home after school and tune into CBS in the afternoons to watch the adventures of Data, Geordi, Troi, Beverly, Jean Luc, Miles, and my personal favorite Dr. Pulaski. I was never really beholden to any of the later series until they were near the end of their runs. I watched the first of Enterprise and didn't return until it was well dead, and honestly would not have if not for Chuck. Enterprise, to me, seemed to get really good near the end and then took a nose dive at the very end.

Now that I'm older I don't care for the newer series all that much and it is mostly because they come off with an air of such obnoxious pretension that it smacks of hypocrisy given their low quality production and horrible stories. There is something about that first show though, how hard they all tried (at times) and how good it still is, even the corny bits. It taps in to that anticipation for a bright future, that eagerness for a better tomorrow—and I don't feel that anywhere right now.

A last comment, TOS was the first television show that my father saw in color when he was a child.
6 Star Admiral of the Loyal Water Buffaloes and Honorable Turtles
Vic
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 1178
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 12:20 pm
Location: Springfield MO

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Vic »

The Original Series came at a time when the Cold War was raging, nuclear destruction was just around the corner. TOS was a breath of fresh air, yes things would go very bad, but after that was a bright future, all you had to do was survive.
God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.
.................................................Billy Currington
RK_Striker_JK_5
3 Star Admiral
3 Star Admiral
Posts: 12986
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:27 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award, Cochrane Medal of Excellence
Location: New Hampshire
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by RK_Striker_JK_5 »

Chekov as a bridge officer. That was pretty damned gutsy.
Mikey
Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 35635
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:04 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award
Location: down the shore, New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Mikey »

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:Chekov as a bridge officer. That was pretty damned gutsy.
There was that, the Kirk/Uhura kiss, the general presence of women in positions of authority (perhaps none more notable than the XO in "The Cage.") Roddenberry was not a man of mediocre qualities - both his positive and negative traits were extreme. One of the more extreme on the positive side was the fact that he did not let the way things were affect how he was going to present his idea of the way things ought to be. Perhaps that consistent, underlying vision was a key factor in the appeal of TOS.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
Mikey
Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 35635
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:04 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award
Location: down the shore, New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Mikey »

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:Chekov as a bridge officer. That was pretty damned gutsy.
There was that, the Kirk/Uhura kiss, the general presence of women in positions of authority (perhaps none more notable than the XO in "The Cage.") Roddenberry was not a man of mediocre qualities - both his positive and negative traits were extreme. One of the more extreme on the positive side was the fact that he did not let the way things were affect how he was going to present his idea of the way things ought to be. Perhaps that consistent, underlying vision was a key factor in the appeal of TOS.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
User avatar
Deepcrush
4 Star Admiral
4 Star Admiral
Posts: 18917
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:15 pm
Location: Arnold, Maryland, USA

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Deepcrush »

TOS was a story of hope. It was a giant sign saying "We aren't perfect but we will never stop trying". Take that to TNG's and VOY's story of "Everyone should just kiss up to us no matter how useless we are to everyone". DS9 went back to the message of hope, then ENT just killed it again.
Jinsei wa cho no yume, shi no tsubasa no bitodesu
User avatar
Captain Seafort
4 Star Admiral
4 Star Admiral
Posts: 15548
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:44 pm
Location: Blighty

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Captain Seafort »

Deepcrush wrote:TOS was a story of hope. It was a giant sign saying "We aren't perfect but we will never stop trying".
Very true.
Take that to TNG's and VOY's story of "Everyone should just kiss up to us no matter how useless we are to everyone". DS9 went back to the message of hope, then ENT just killed it again.
I thought it was more like this:

TNG: We're perfect, and anyone who disagrees has mental problems
DS9: Don't fuck with The Sisko.
VOY: Janeway's perfect and always right, even when proven wrong or directly contradicting one of her own previous statements.
ENT: Only the Brits are competent at anything. :P
Only two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe: Albert Einstein.
Mikey
Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 35635
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:04 am
Commendations: The Daystrom Award
Location: down the shore, New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Mikey »

Captain Seafort wrote:ENT: Only the Brits are competent at anything.
If that was the message, they screwed it up as much as the rest of the show. The only major limey character I recall was Reed, who was the whiniest bitch on TV since the Dr. Smith on "Lost in Space."
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
User avatar
Captain Seafort
4 Star Admiral
4 Star Admiral
Posts: 15548
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:44 pm
Location: Blighty

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Captain Seafort »

Mikey wrote:
Captain Seafort wrote:ENT: Only the Brits are competent at anything.
If that was the message, they screwed it up as much as the rest of the show. The only major limey character I recall was Reed, who was the whiniest bitch on TV since the Dr. Smith on "Lost in Space."
Maybe. He was certainly the only member of the crew who had a clue what he was doing. How many times was the NX-01 saved thanks to Reed's actions, or end up in the shit because he was ignored? Just go and have look through Chuck's reviews.
Only two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe: Albert Einstein.
User avatar
Deepcrush
4 Star Admiral
4 Star Admiral
Posts: 18917
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:15 pm
Location: Arnold, Maryland, USA

Re: The appeal of the old over the new.

Post by Deepcrush »

I saw it more as he was the only non-civilian on the ship, there for the only one not bred to mess things up. Never figured it as his nationality had anything to do with it.
Last edited by Deepcrush on Sun Oct 21, 2012 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jinsei wa cho no yume, shi no tsubasa no bitodesu
Post Reply