I have heard that the Star Trek animated series might be released on DVD early this year. Has anyoneelse heard?

Yup. :)

I think I heard that too.

The cause of the deja vu
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=131476

Yes indeedy! :) :thumbsup:

It is slated to finally appear on dvd this year. According to sources at Paramount you shouldn't expect to see these available until September at the earliest. However as with all estimations this is subject to change.

You mean that their was a ST animated series?

You mean that their was a ST animated series?

Umm...yes...no offense, but have you been vacationing under a rock since 1972? :confused:

From the rumors swirling around, it looks like the set release might be timed for the 40th anniversary of the first TOS broadcast - Sept. 8 (which, ironically, was the same day TAS premiered in 1973).

I have a feeling that Lloyd was teasing. :)

I got that feeling, too, but it's so hard to get a judge on sarcasm from the printed word. :freak:

And who's to say I wasn't being sarcastic?

Yes, I was kidding! I have the series on VHS.

Oh, and the rock was a safe place to be, back under again!LOL

Yes, I was kidding! I have the series on VHS.

Oh, and the rock was a safe place to be, back under again!LOL

I'm looking forward to selling that VHS pile on eBay for $1. Know of any other nice rocks in the neighborhood? I'm looking to hide out for 15 years or so... :tongue:

From the rumors swirling around, it looks like the set release might be timed for the 40th anniversary of the first TOS broadcast - Sept. 8 (which, ironically, was the same day TAS premiered in 1973).Why "ironically"? Don't you mean "coincidentally"? Irony is when events take an opposing twist; when the outcome is opposite to normal expectations. For example, if a world-famous mountain climber dies from falling off a ladder while painting his house, THAT would be ironic.

Oh, right, the topic: I remember being somewhat disappointed by the animated series. Except for one or two episodes, the stories were formulaic and predictable, and the cheap Filmation animation was downright awful. Unless you're a rabid Trek completist, I wouldn't bother with buying it on DVD.

Unless you're a rabid Trek completist...

I AM a Trek completist, though not rabid. I had my series of shots already...urrp!

Anyhoo...it's not only that I want to achieve, before the decade is out, having all filmed Trek in my DVD library, it's that in a way, I and many others are archiving our childhoods as a sort of 'Midlife Crisis' exercise. Some of us just liked the old 'toons.

There were only one or two episodes I remember being truly awful. Oddly enough one of them was David Gerrold's "BEM."

I thought the last animated episode, the one with the reverse time universe, was probably one of the worst STAR TREK episodes ever. Silly premise badly executed. About the only live-action episode that's close is the TNG episode where Riker is infected with an alien parasite and the only way they can save him is to play clips from previous shows.

I thought the last animated episode, the one with the reverse time universe, was probably one of the worst STAR TREK episodes ever. Silly premise badly executed. About the only live-action episode that's close is the TNG episode where Riker is infected with an alien parasite and the only way they can save him is to play clips from previous shows.I believe that's what they call a "bottle show" in the TV world — meaning not that everyone involved was drunk at the time, but that the season's production was behind schedule and/or over budget, so they had to make a quick, cheap episode appear like a genie from a bottle. Any episode of any TV series that consists largely of flashbacks from previous episodes probably fits that definition.

As for the animated ep you mentioned, yes, it was DUMB. The only good thing about it was that Capt. Robert T. April (Gene Roddenberry's name for his starship captain in the original ST outline), now Commodore Robert April (Ret.), finally got mentioned on Star Trek!

Hmmm . . . Somehow, "Robert T. April" doesn't strike quite the right note for a starship captain! :tongue:

I thought the last animated episode, the one with the reverse time universe, was probably one of the worst STAR TREK episodes ever. Silly premise badly executed. About the only live-action episode that's close is the TNG episode where Riker is infected with an alien parasite and the only way they can save him is to play clips from previous shows.

Not to mention the TNG episode where several of the Enterprise-D crew are reduced to being children. :lol:

By the way, the opening sequence from the Generations movie with the champagne bottle christening the Enterprise-B was directly taken from Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the screenplay to "The Counter-Clock Incident". This story featured the same scene of the champagne bottle tumbling through space and smashing against the hull of the original NCC-1701 Enterprise during the christening ceremony and launch from the orbiting drydock with Captain April in command of the ship.

Actually, I really liked "Counter-Clock" very much, if for no other reason than it did introduce the characters of Robert and Sarah April and further established and expanded the Enterprise's history even more.

By the way, the opening sequence from the Generations movie with the champagne bottle christening the Enterprise-B was directly taken from Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the screenplay to "The Counter-Clock Incident" which featured the same scene of the champagne bottle tumbling through space and smashing against the hull of the original NCC-1701 Enterprise in a million glistening particles during the christening ceremony and original launch from the orbiting drydock with Captain April in command.How can you say that all in one breath?

;)

Qapla'

SSB

T'aint easy!!! :lol:

You're right. It was a bit of a run-on sentence. I went back and broke it up into a better structure.

Why "ironically"? Don't you mean "coincidentally"? Irony is when events take an opposing twist; when the outcome is opposite to normal expectations. For example, if a world-famous mountain climber dies from falling off a ladder while painting his house, THAT would be ironic.

I know what irony is. Let's call it an ironic coincidence. :tongue:

Actually, I really liked "Counter-Clock" very much, if for no other reason than it did introduce the characters of Robert and Sarah April and further established and expanded the Enterprise's history even more.
No offense, but this is more evidence that Paramount should not listen to the fans. The episode had a silly, illogical premise that wasn't even consistently applied. The story had no real dramatic conflict or jeopardy. It introduced a time dilation effect which we not only never saw before, but would make interstellar travel impossible.

But it did have a character name taken from an early draft of Roddenberry's STAR TREK proposal.

At least the fans know what is important.

I believe that's what they call a "bottle show" in the TV world — meaning not that everyone involved was drunk at the time, but that the season's production was behind schedule and/or over budget, so they had to make a quick, cheap episode appear like a genie from a bottle.

Actually, "Shades of grey" was mostly what ya call a "clips show," which is even cheaper than a "bottle show."

"Bottle show" means you make an episode that takes place entirely on your standing sets, with only your regular actors - no guest stars, no planets to build, no location shooting, nothin. All "bottled up" as it were, in the studio with your regulars. As such "Shades of Grey" was both a crappy clips show and a crappy bottle show.

You can thank the Writer's strike for that one.

Granted, the "Counter-Clock" was a silly premise with the negative universe and all, but I did like the characters of the April's, the added backstory of the Enterprise, and the story conflict of mandatory retirement vs. a person's own continued value and productivity in a respected position of authority that Robert April faced.

There were many, many good potential story points within this episode that simply could not be explored within the confines of a half-hour animated television show. This is probably true of the majority of the animated episodes.

I actually wrote a complete screenplay many years ago about the first launch of the Enterprise with Captain April and crew, which included a young Chris Pike as second officer. This was back around the time of Phase II, long before any novelizations featuring the character of April (other than Foster's adaption). This included other characters and cameos which included a much younger Dr. Richard Daystrom, Lawrence Marvick, Dr. Phillip Boyce and, of course, Sarah, serving as the Enterprise's CMO and before her later marriage to the captain.

I've been seriously thinking about going back and revisiting this piece and further expanding upon it. This is one area that has never truly been explored on the tube or big screen. It has always interested me and I would loved to see this backstory (or something like it) produced someday.

John, Shades of Grey had a planet scene at the beginning. :)

"Bottle show" means you make an episode that takes place entirely on your standing sets, with only your regular actors - no guest stars, no planets to build, no location shooting, nothin. All "bottled up" as it were, in the studio with your regulars. As such "Shades of Grey" was both a crappy clips show and a crappy bottle show.Since you've had practical experience at the bottom of the cinema food chain, I assume you know whereof you speak. Thanks for clarifying that point.

You can thank the Writer's strike for that one.

Granted, the "Counter-Clock" was a silly premise with the negative universe and all, but I did like the characters of the April's, the added backstory of the Enterprise, and the story conflict of mandatory retirement vs. a person's own continued value and productivity in a respected position of authority that Robert April faced.

There were many, many good potential story points within this episode that simply could not be explored within the confines of a half-hour animated television show. This is probably true of the majority of the animated episodes.

I actually wrote a complete screenplay many years ago about the first launch of the Enterprise with Captain April and crew, which included a young Chris Pike as second officer. This was back around the time of Phase II, long before any novelizations featuring the character of April (other than Foster's adaption). This included other characters and cameos which included a much younger Dr. Richard Daystrom, Lawrence Marvick, Dr. Phillip Boyce and, of course, Sarah, serving as the Enterprise's CMO and before her later marriage to the captain.

I've been seriously thinking about going back and revisiting this piece and further expanding upon it. This is one area that has never truly been explored on the tube or big screen. It has always interested me and I would loved to see this backstory (or something like it) produced someday.


One of the early Pocket Books novels dealt with the premature launch of the Enterprise under Captain April with Kirk's father as his temporary second-in-command. I think Final Frontier may have been the title - I'd have to dig it out of storage to be sure.

John, Shades of Grey had a planet scene at the beginning. :)

Aw crap!! :lol:

I've ALWAYS considered the Animated Series as the final 2 years in the original 5 year mission.
Anyone else...?
Or should I ask Lloyd Collins to make room under that rock...?

Hmmm . . . Somehow, "Robert T. April" doesn't strike quite the right note for a starship captain! :tongue:Perhaps I should have mentioned it earlier, but I meant no offense to the board member who calls himself "Captain April." Why, it's a fine, rugged, manly name! ;)

When you consider that "Captain January" was on the list of possible names for the lead when the series was first being developed, I don't think that April is so bad. :)

For those of you old enough, you will recognize from where that other character name is taken from.

Perhaps I should have mentioned it earlier, but I meant no offense to the board member who calls himself "Captain April." Why, it's a fine, rugged, manly name! ;)

Damn straight.

:wave:

When you consider that "Captain January" was on the list of possible names for the lead when the series was first being developed, I don't think that April is so bad. :)

For those of you old enough, you will recognize from where that other character name is taken from.Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember — it's from a 1936 Shirley Temple movie.

According to The Making of Star Trek, after deciding against "April," G.R. considered the following names for the Enterprise captain:

January
Flagg
Drake
Christopher
Thorpe
Richard
Patrick
Raintree
Boone
Hudson
Timber (!?)
Hamilton
Hannibal
Neville
Kirk
North

All very butch. Interestingly, the name "Pike" doesn't appear on the list — perhaps it was a later, spur-of-the moment thing.

Interesting that he considered "Kirk" as a last name - and that "Christopher" reappeared in "Tomorrow is Yesterday" as the AF pilot.

John, Shades of Grey had a planet scene at the beginning.
Aw crap!! :lol:

That's OK, John's still right. "Planet Hell" was a TNG standing set.

José

The novelization of "The Counter-Clock Incident" was a nice expansion of the story that included much original writing and explained the events as being not real or manufactured (can't remember exactly now). I remember reading it not too long after having seen the episode and thinking how much more logical the novelization was.

BTW: Not sure how much it will help, but I'd like to do some screencaps for enventually making some of the shuttlecraft and other ships seen on the show.

Captain Timber??

"I never wanted to command a starship. I always wanted to be . . . A LUMBERJACK!

"Oh, I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay
I sleep all night and I work all day . . ."

PerfesserCoffee, I need to see if I have that novel, and read it.
As for screencaps, check out this. http://www.startrekanimated.com/tas_ep_counter.html

It's a good one, Lloyd!

I've seen the available screencaps on line but they just don't seem to be exactly what I need. It may be all that's really available but I'd sure like the opportunity to see.

I especially want to get the definitive word on the Heavy Shuttle. There are different blueprints out there with different takes on it that seem to be contradicted by what was seen onscreen. I also don't see how that door on the side is supposed to work.

Here is another great site.http://www.stguardian.to/mixed/tas/index.html

TAS was bad about taking short cuts on some ships, but it was for kids like us.