Is TAS Canon?

[Chris Propst]

I'm surprised this question isn't always being discussed.
TAS is one of the most disputed aspects of the Trek archives. What's your take?

Here's mine: I consider TAS to be semi-canon. I shall define my three categories:
-Apocrypha: Not canon; includes the novels, comics, fan series, etc. Anything that is clearly and unambiguously non-canonical.
-Canon: TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, the 10 films. All are on-screen canon; i.e., whatever happens on screen is canonical. TOS is, of course, on-screen canon as well with the exception of its special effects. For me, I consider all the things we see on screen with actors to be canon and as for the special effects that were revamped in the remastered editions, the remastered version overrides the previous old one.
-Semi-canon: TAS, and possibly the next Star Trek film. For me, semi-canon is basically off-screen canon. In other words, all the events and whatnot that we see in the Animated Series ARE canon and DO happen in the Star Trek universe. However, the animation quality and some of the errors therein (color problems, etc.) suggest to me, on top of the fact that it is animated, that what we actually see on screen is not canon. In other words, it's basically a description of what happens as opposed to an actual screen capture of those events.

Of course there are complications with my theory; for example, how do we deal with the uses of stock footage for special effects and stuff like that? The destruction of the Sitak and the Majestic in Operation Return (Sacrifice of Angels) was reused during the Final Battle in What You Leave Behind. Obviously these ships were not rebuilt and then destroyed again. Or the footage from Yesterday's Enterprise re-used for the battle against the Ferengi-hijacked birds of prey in Rascals. These are a little tricky, but I'd say in these cases the first one overrides the second one (plus for the former, there is acknowledgement of the ships' loss by characters on board the Defiant) so basically, as far as the final battle stock footage, we're basically just seeing a reminder of what the war was like in previous engagements as opposed to what actually happened in that specific incident.

[Sionnach Glic]

IIRC, Rodenberry de-canonified TAS when he started TNG>

[Mark]

A shame, really. That cartoon had some better storylines than MOST of TNG seasons one and two

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Hmm, I thought with it released to DVD, it was recanonized.

[Mark]

Was it?

[Sionnach Glic]

I think it was only released on DVD to cash in on it. I don't think it's included in canon.

[Mikey]

Does Paramount have a stance on TAS?

[Sionnach Glic]

AFAIK, Paramount's canon policy is "the live action shows and the movies" with no word on TAS. For that reason, I'd imagine it being de-canonified.

[Mikey]

Yeah, unless they mentione TAS specifically as canon, I wouldn't assume it as such.

[Mark]

I wonder if there is actually any way to get a definative answer

[Sionnach Glic]

You could always email them.

[Aaron]

I wonder if there is actually any way to get a definative answer

Email them. I would not however expect an answer, they probably get all kinds of emails asking this from fans and the various looneys on the net.

[Mark]

Yeah, somehow I don't see that working to well

[Varthikes]

IIRC, Rodenberry de-canonified TAS when he started TNG>

I heard he also de-canonized TOS when he started TNG, hence his original plan to do more TNG re-makes of TOS episodes (like "The Naked Now").

Here's mine: I consider TAS to be semi-canon. I shall define my three categories:
-Apocrypha: Not canon; includes the novels, comics, fan series, etc. Anything that is clearly and unambiguously non-canonical.
-Canon: TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, the 10 films. All are on-screen canon; i.e., whatever happens on screen is canonical. TOS is, of course, on-screen canon as well with the exception of its special effects. For me, I consider all the things we see on screen with actors to be canon and as for the special effects that were revamped in the remastered editions, the remastered version overrides the previous old one.
-Semi-canon: TAS, and possibly the next Star Trek film. For me, semi-canon is basically off-screen canon. In other words, all the events and whatnot that we see in the Animated Series ARE canon and DO happen in the Star Trek universe. However, the animation quality and some of the errors therein (color problems, etc.) suggest to me, on top of the fact that it is animated, that what we actually see on screen is not canon. In other words, it's basically a description of what happens as opposed to an actual screen capture of those events.

I noticed you didn't include ENT anywhere in there.


As for your question: I do consider TAS canon. In fact, I combine it with TOS as a fourth season. The fact that there are inconsistencies doesn't really present an acceptible excuse otherwise.

[Sionnach Glic]

I heard he also de-canonized TOS when he started TNG, hence his original plan to do more TNG re-makes of TOS episodes (like "The Naked Now").

Yeah, but who cares. Paramount is what decides canon nowadays.

I noticed you didn't include ENT anywhere in there.

Are you really that surprised? I ignore it as well.