"Star Trek" (1973) TV series 1973-1975

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Creator:

Gene Roddenberry

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

8 September 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The further adventures of Capt. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise

Plot Keywords:

Outer Space | Star Trek | Klingon | Based On Cult TV Series | Phaser

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

William Shatner	...	Captain James T. Kirk / ... (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock / ... (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
George Takei	...	Sulu / ... (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura / ... (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
James Doohan	...	Scott / ... (22 episodes, 1973-1974)
Majel Barrett	...	Nurse Chapel / ... (21 episodes, 1973-1975)

Also Known As:

Star Trek: TAS (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Star Trek: The Animated Adventures (USA) (alternative title)
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series-The Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek (USA) (DVD box title)
The Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

30 min (22 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:G | Australia:PG | USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Filmation Associates

Trivia:

Filmation rotoscoped three live action USS Enterprise shots from the original show to use as stock animation. The shots rotoscoped were the ones where the Enterprise is coming toward camera in orbit (used in most of the original shows), the shot where the camera zooms in on the top of the Enterprise (where the bridge is) seen in full on "Star Trek" The Cage (1966) and a shot of the Enterprise zooming toward camera which also came from "The Cage" and was used rarely as stock footage.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Troldspejlet: (#37.3)" (2007)

For philosophers and little kids ONLY

Some consider this to be the ho-hum followup to a great show. I couldn't disagree more.

Aside from the fact that it's a cartoon and the episodes are rushed in 30 mins, I found this to be a philosophical cut above the Trek of the late 60s. Here in the animated series, we catch a glimpse of some amazingly progressive ideas such as non-violence, compassion and tolerance. Kirk & Spock aren't so quick to set phasers on kill as they were before. Klingon/Federation confrontations in space are resolved without bloodshed. In one episode (my favourite), Kirk defends Lucifer's right to live, because Lucifer--for all his past crimes and flaws--is a living entity. Folks, this is some advanced stuff.

Of course that means we don't see as much "action". Not many shootouts. Nothing violent really. The red shirts don't get wasted as bad. You may find yourself screaming at the TV, "Kirk, you WUSS! I woulda KICKED HIS ASS!" But that, I believe, is the whole point of Gene Roddenberry's visionary creation--that humans of the future would be a much more evolved, diplomatic and nonviolent species. This was evident in the original '66-'69 Trek, but we get it full force in the '74-'75 animated series.

If it means anything to you, both William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy were vegetarians (for ethical reasons) during the production of this show, and they still are today.

So if you're looking for zap-zap, kill the monster, good vs. evil stuff, you'll be disappointed. If instead you're ready for a truly philosophical mind trip, bordering on Hindu spiritualism, then this will rock your socks.

And the music is primo.

9/10.