50th anniversary of the original Star Trek

[russ_watters]

Its been 50 years and they are talking about it. Star Trek's influence on society, vis. science, technology, language, humor, has already been enormous. I don't think most people outside college or some authors know much about Shakespeare. They probably heard of Romeo and Juliet, perhaps the word "Hamlet", and not much more. We, well not "we", won't know for a hundred years.

Actually, you do have a point. As our society continues to dumb down in terms of people learning literature and history, what you suggest becomes more and more likely although if they get to that point they likely won't be comparing it to Shakespeare because they will have never heard of Shakespeare. The few people left who DO know Shakespeare well are not likely to think that a cheesy space opera is in the same league.

Shakespeare was a low-brow comedian...among many other things.

Everyone who speaks English is influenced by him, much more than most people realize (I'd bet most people quote Shakespeare at least once a day).
http://mentalfloss.com/article/60264/21-phrases-you-use-without-realizing-youre-quoting-shakespeare
https://readingnow.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/we-quote-shakespeare-every-day-without-realising/
Shakespeare's influence is such that people don't need to know his name to be influenced by him; What's in a name, anyway?

Shakespeare lived 500 years ago. How many 500 year old or even 100 year old media moguls can you name? 200 years from now, when people will only know of a handful of media creators (even if not by name), I doubt Star Trek will be one of them. If one sci fi creator gets one sentence in a history book, I'd probably put my money on Arthur C Clarke or Phillip K Dick.

That isn't to say Star Trek isn't influential today. It's the prototype for modern space exploration sci fi. I have watched a few episodes this week since it is on marathons, but I have to say that while all of the elements are there, the production value is just too low for me to enjoy it. I much prefer TNG.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you think Shakespeare is good in English, you should read it in the original Klingon.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Shakespeare lived 500 years ago. How many 500 year old or even 100 year old media moguls can you name?

100+ Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, off the top of my head.

 

[russ_watters]

100+ Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, off the top of my head.

"media mogul" was probably a poor choice of description on my part, but I don't know how to characterize Gene Roddenberry. "Media creator" maybe? Pulitzer will be remembered for the award that bears his name and Hearst as a businessman (and "media mogul" definitely applies), but they weren't really content creators.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

"media mogul" was probably a poor choice of description on my part, but I don't know how to characterize Gene Roddenberry. "Media creator" maybe? Pulitzer will be remembered for the award that bears his name and Hearst as a businessman (and "media mogul" definitely applies), but they weren't really content creators.

I'd call Old Bill of Stratford a literary titan or icon, if I wanted to go pop.

 

[Dr Wu]

Didn't Shakespeare write 'Forbidden Planet' (aka The Tempest)? Yes, I'm also a fan of Star Trek - improbable office-style command decks and imperfect gravity control notwithstanding. On the plus side, Star Trek introduced the romance of space to a global audience, which is a Good Thing. Unfortunately, its technological hand-waving also raised false expectations in some about ourselves becoming a spacefaring species the day after tomorrow, which is Not Such A Good Thing. For me, though, the real comparison between Star Trek and Shakespeare's drama lies in the strength of characterisation. Hamlet, I'm sure, will still be exerting a tangible influence in another five-hundred years. I likewise suspect Spock will be doing it as well. . . in his own inimitable way, of course.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

I remember a scene from "Space: Above and Beyond" where The Loner got a package in the mail, a cassette deck and tapes. He thoughtlessly starts blasting away with a Stones tape. When they calm things down one guy says "Hey, I like the classics too!"

 

[BillTre]

I likewise suspect Spock will be doing it as well. . . in his own inimitable way, of course.

I consider Spock to be another example of the Sherlock Holmes character, lots of logic, not so much emotion or personable interaction. Now that it has been established as a character type, I expect it to be repeated every so often, maybe about every 80 years.

 

[strangerep]

City on the Edge of Forever should win. (With a young Joan Collins no less!) No contest.

My ancient very-ex girlfriend nerdy-trekkie also liked that one. (She was the schizophrenic psychotic -- did I mention her already? )

Part of her reason for liking that episode was the authorship of renowned Sci Fi author Harlan Ellison. But, imho, there seems to be rather too little "Star Trek" in it. The story would be equally at home in various tv series that do time travel.

A local TV station here is re-running the original series. It's astonishing how lame the sets now look, and how small is the Enterprise bridge. Spock's personality in the very first episode was embarrassing -- sometimes he sounds more like the first mate of an 18th century sailing ship than the Spock we know today. The producers obviously had a bit of a rethink on his character between 1st and 2nd episodes.

The (what-would-now-be-called) political incorrectness and sexism of the original series is also quite amusing.

 

[strangerep]

Actually, star trek voyager has been playing in that time slot till late last week when they changed to ST TOS for the anniversary

Yeah, it's really annoying how 10/11/1 seem unable to continue Voyager to the end. Last time 11 played it, they also stopped at the same point. Maybe they don't have, or can't get, rights for the later episodes at a reasonable price?

 

[davenn]

Yeah, it's really annoying how 10/11/1 seem unable to continue Voyager to the end. Last time 11 played it, they also stopped at the same point. Maybe they don't have, or can't get, rights for the later episodes at a reasonable price?

going by that comment, you must be in Oz, greeting from inner west Sydney. I remember seeing it to the end episode on one a channel in recent yrs can't remember which one haha
Maybe they don't /cant get the rights quite possible ? or maybe it was just chance it happened to get to the same episode when the 50th anniv of TOS came around ?

Either way, it's good to see TOS again and I have noted over the last week of viewings that they have done some digital remastering and editing of the original recordings. The image quality is really crisp with good colour and I especially noted that, from orbit, at least, the planets look like real planets with proper looking topography and atmospheres ... that wasn't originally seen till TNG series.

Dave

 

[strangerep]

[...] they have done some digital remastering and editing of the original recordings. The image quality is really crisp with good colour and I especially noted that, from orbit, at least, the planets look like real planets with proper looking topography and atmospheres ... that wasn't originally seen till TNG series.

I just realized why it looks so different now, compared to my childhood memories. Back then, it was in B+W, plus imperfect reception of analog tv signal...

 

[Janus]

Spock's personality in the very first episode was embarrassing -- sometimes he sounds more like the first mate of an 18th century sailing ship than the Spock we know today. The producers obviously had a bit of a rethink on his character between 1st and 2nd episodes.

You might be thinking about the first and second pilots. In the first pilot it was the female first officer that was meant to have the non-emotional qualities. But when the network executives nixed that character ( They also wanted to nix " the guy with the ears" but finally gave in on that), They decided to give them to Spock's character For the second Pilot.

The (what-would-now-be-called) political incorrectness and sexism of the original series is also quite amusing.

The blame for a lot of that can be put on the network. For example, they were the ones that decided that the viewing audience of the time would not except a female first officer.

 

[fresh_42]

The blame for a lot of that can be put on the network. For example, they were the ones that decided that the viewing audience of the time would not except a female first officer.

I've heard that the famous kissing scene between Uhura and Kirk was supposed to be cut, but Shatner ruined all other takes so they had to take it. Don't know, whether this is true, but a nice anecdote.

 

[strangerep]

As I watch the various episodes of the 1st series, I grow disappointed at how derivative many of the plotlines are. (Back in the 60's I was still a kid, and didn't recognize this.)

E.g., a recently-aired episode involved a mass murderer masquerading as an actor and the few remaining people who could recognize him keep being murdered mysteriously. Kirk becomes semi-emotionally involved with the guy's daughter, then it turns out that she is the murderer, trying to protect her father.

Then, yesterday, the first major episode involving confrontation with a Romulan warbird destroying outposts on the Federation side of the Neutral Zone. Kirk and the Romulan captain play a delicate game of cat and mouse, like a couple of WW2 naval commanders trying to out-fox each other. They reach a state of mutual respect, though it ends badly for the Romulan.

Sound familiar?

 

[OCR]

...episode involved a mass murderer masquerading as an actor...

"The Conscience of the King" ... Original air date - December 8, 1966.

Back in the 60's I was still a kid...

Me too... in 1966, I was only 17 years old... ...

Then, yesterday, the first major episode involving confrontation with a Romulan warbird destroying outposts on the Federation side of the Neutral Zone.

"Balance of Terror" ... Original air date - December 15, 1966.
Unless you are talking about thus one...

On September 16, 2006, "Balance of Terror" became the first digitally remastered Star Trek episode, featuring enhanced and new visual effects, to be broadcast.

Mark Lenard played the Romulan Commander... he also played Sarek, Spock's father in other series.

 

[strangerep]

Mark Lenard played the Romulan Commander... he also played Sarek, Spock's father in other series.

I thought he looked familiar!

 

[OCR]

I've heard that the famous kissing scene between Uhura and Kirk was supposed to be cut, but Shatner ruined all other takes so they had to take it.

"Plato's Stepchildren" ... Original air date - November 22, 1968.

Don't know, whether this is true, but a nice anecdote.

It would seem that it's, more or less, true... Production and reception.

Having successfully recorded the former version of the scene, Shatner and Nichelle Nichols deliberately flubbed every take of the latter version, thus forcing the episode to go out with the kiss intact.

Here it is... Star Trek: TV's First Interracial Kiss ....

 

[strangerep]

Booo. Is that all? Such a fuss... over that ??

 

[fresh_42]

Booo. Is that all? Such a fuss... over that ??

You must not forget the time.

"Frustrated with the racist harassment, culminating with her learning that the studio was withholding her fan mail, she submitted her resignation from Star Trek (1966) after consulting with series creator Gene Roddenberry. She stated in several interviews that the harassment made her go back to work in theater until attending an NAACP fundraiser. The fundraiser was where a Star Trek fan was about to meet her for the first time and, to her astonishment, the fan turned out to be Dr. Martin Luther King. King stated that his wife and children had seen Star Trek on TV and it was the only television series that he had approved of. He said that her role as the fourth in command of the USS Enterprise became a positive role model for African-Americans. She withdrew her resignation from the series when King personally convinced her that her role was too important as a breakthrough to leave." (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629667/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm)

 

[strangerep]

Wow. I had no idea.

Sometimes I really wish there was a real-life "Bob-the-Dinosaur" (of Dilbert fame). (Bob's main purpose in life is to give atomic wedgies to dickheads...)

 

[Janus]

Booo. Is that all? Such a fuss... over that ??

Remember, this was a time when a certain network forbade Barbara Eden from exposing her Belly button on "I Dream of Genie".

 

[Janus]

I just found out that my local classical radio station is honoring the 50th anniversary by devoting their weekly segment of "The score" (which highlights movie and TV scores) to Star Trek. It will be broadcast on Sat. Oct 7 from 2-3 pm Pacific time. Anyone who is interested can listen to it on the web here: http://www.allclassical.org/

 

[OCR]

I recognise that that image too, from the episode, Arena

You're right...

What episode was this one from ? ..

 

[davenn]

You're right...

What episode was this one from ? ..

that one has me thinking ... initially I considered "the devil in the dark" but it isn't

will keep thinking a while ... don't give it away yet

Dave

 

[davenn]

You're right...

What episode was this one from ? ..

​

ahhhh you were trying to trick me hahaha, I was thinking of much later episodes... was giggling to myself, I could think of all the episodes it wasn't, it was a process of elimination ...
finally came up with the second pilot ... "Where No Man Has Gone Before"Dave

 

[OCR]

"Where No Man Has Gone Before"

Yup, not bad.... ...

That's the unmanned lithium-cracking facility on Delta Vega, where they were going to maroon Starfleet
lieutenant commander Gary Mitchell... really one of the better episodes, one of my favorites, anyway....

 

[Vanadium 50]

That print was also used in Dagger of the Mind:

Note that the refinery towers have been removed.

Also, it was mentioned Mark Lenard played two roles, Sarek and Romulan-Dude. So did Diana Muldaur (and a third in TNG).

 

[Janus]

That print was also used in Dagger of the Mind:

Note that the refinery towers have been removed.

Also, it was mentioned Mark Lenard played two roles, Sarek and Romulan-Dude. So did Diana Muldaur (and a third in TNG).

Other actors that played multiple role
Morgan Woodward- Simon Van Gelder(Dagger of the Mind) and Captain Tracy(The Omega Glory)
Ian Wolfe - Septimas(Bread and Circuses) and Mr. Atoz(All Our Yesterdays)
William Campbell - Trelane(The Squire of Gothos) and Captain Koloth(The Trouble with Tribbles)
And we mustn't forget Majel Barret-Rodenberry, who played Number One in the First Pilot and "The Menagerie", and Christine Chapel from TOS, Luxana Troi from TNG, as well as providing the voice for the ship computer for both TOS, TNG and several movies (including the 2009 reboot). She also voiced M'ress, a character in the animated series

James Doohan(Scotty) also provided the off-screen voice in some TOS episodes as well as the voices for many characters for the animated series.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You're right. Doohan did a lot of voices: M-5, Sargon and maybe one or two others. I think he was the Fabrini computer as well.