Star Trek - Did you know this?

[EddMarkStarr]

It took a few episodes to iron out the characters of both Mr. Spock and Mr. Data. Spock was rather emotional in 'The Menagerie' and Data not only had some minor emotions, he had a magnificent command of contractions.

Moments like that scene of Spock fighting emotions in "The Naked Time" was one of those wonderful examples of why Star Trek made a lasting connection to generations of fans.

The evolution of Spock also involved makeup. There's no Spock as distinctive as Spock in the replacement pilot episode, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Here's the scene where both Spock and Kirk know that Gary Mitchell will become powerful enough to kill everyone on the Enterprise - unless they kill him now,
while they still can!

 

[gsdx]

^ Actually, that was originally to be the new pilot episode, but the first episode to be broadcast was actually the 6th to be produced: 'The Man Trap.' (Remember the salt sucker?)

The network heads didn't think 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' was 'alien' enough, so they brought forward 'The Man Trap' because it had a bona fide space monster in it.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

^ Actually, that was originally to be the new pilot episode, but the first episode to be broadcast was actually the 6th to be produced: 'The Man Trap.' (Remember the salt sucker?)

The network heads didn't think 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' was 'alien' enough, so they brought forward 'The Man Trap' because it had a bona fide space monster in it.

Amazing! You are amazing gsdx, you just answered one of the most asked trivia questions about the Original Star Trek: "What was the first episode of Star Trek to air in 1966?".

You know your stuff too, "The Man Trap" was the first episode to air and NBC promoted the episode in a special, "Sneak Peek" broadcast that aired one week earlier than the formal Fall Season Premiere Week.

This is what I remember:

Due to the tremendous public interest in Star Trek, NBC was besieged by inquiries from people who couldn't wait to see this new TV show. NBC made the extraordinary announcement that instead of waiting for Premiere Week, (September 12 - 18, 1966), Star Trek would have a "Sneak Preview" episode one week early on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

Another thing you nailed gsdx is what a strange choice "The Man Trap" was. No other episode was quite like it. The odd behaviors of the actors and the eerie music to set the mood. Shout out to Jeanne Bal as "Nancy Crater". Not only was she an unusual looking woman her unsettling expressions are almost haunting to behold, just like Bruce Watson as Crewman Green. Excellent casting!

 

[gsdx]

Amazing! You are amazing gsdx, you just answered one of the most asked trivia questions about the Original Star Trek: "What was the first episode of Star Trek to air in 1966?".

You know your stuff too, "The Man Trap" was the first episode to air and NBC promoted the episode in a special, "Sneak Peek" broadcast that aired one week earlier than the formal Fall Season Premiere Week.

I may forget to pull down my pants occasionally when I sit on the toilet, but that's only because there's so much trivia stuffed in my head that it pushes the more important stuff out.

By the way, Spock was a compromise. In 'The Menagerie', Majel Barrett played 'Number One'. However, the networks weren't happy about having a woman as second in command. They also wanted Gene Roddenberry to 'ditch the guy with the ears'. Gene fought for both, but compromised by reducing Majel to Nurse Chapel.

Of course, everybody knows how the Vulcan salute came about. Right? And the Vulcan nerve pinch? Both ideas from Leonard Nimoy. Leonard truly was Spock, and Spock truly was Leonard.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Ahhh yes gsdx, I see you're displaying one of your Earth emotions, LOL!

 

[jbrown329]

I hated the look of Spock's eyebrows in the early episodes. They got better as time went on.

 

[gsdx]

Yeah. They were almost vertical.

 

[gsdx]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY STAR TREK

Fifty years ago today (Sept. 8, 1966), the world got it's first view of Star Trek when the first episode appeared on the small screen for the first time.

Live long and prosper.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

I'm right with ya gsdx.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY STAR TREK - 50 Years and Counting!

March 4, 1967


I would like to honor one of my favorite science fiction series by sharing a special scene from the less popular Star Trek: The Animated Series. This is from the episode called , "The Slaver Weapon".

The Slavers were an ancient race that conquered most of the galaxy millions of years ago with technology far more advanced than anything The Federation, or Star Fleet, has available. Rumor has it that the Slavers had a weapon that can convert 100 percent of mass directly into energy - a "Total Conversion Weapon".

The race is on between the United Federation of Planets and all enemies of the Federation to find this amazing weapon.

Spock, Sulu and Uhura discover a stasis box containing a Slaver weapon. But is it "The Weapon"?

*Spoiler Alert* - The answer is YES. Spock, Sulu and Uhura have found a Total Conversion Weapon.
It looks like this:

Now take a look at this clip from, "The Slaver Weapon", and compare the image above with the device displayed when the Federation's worst enemy, the Kzinti, convince the Slaver weapon's onboard computer to transform into the Ultimate Killing Machine!
(Remember - this was a Saturday morning cartoon series on NBC in 1973/1974 - a unique episode)

 

[johaninsc]

I remember watching that Star Trek cartoon episode when it first aired

 

[Kulindahr]

I'm right with ya gsdx.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY STAR TREK - 50 Years and Counting!

March 4, 1967


I would like to honor one of my favorite science fiction series by sharing a special scene from the less popular Star Trek: The Animated Series. This is from the episode called , "The Slaver Weapon".

The Slavers were an ancient race that conquered most of the galaxy millions of years ago with technology far more advanced than anything The Federation, or Star Fleet, has available. Rumor has it that the Slavers had a weapon that can convert 100 percent of mass directly into energy - a "Total Conversion Weapon".

The race is on between the United Federation of Planets and all enemies of the Federation to find this amazing weapon.

Spock, Sulu and Uhura discover a stasis box containing a Slaver weapon. But is it "The Weapon"?

*Spoiler Alert* - The answer is YES. Spock, Sulu and Uhura have found a Total Conversion Weapon.
It looks like this:

Now take a look at this clip from, "The Slaver Weapon", and compare the image above with the device displayed when the Federation's worst enemy, the Kzinti, convince the Slaver weapon's onboard computer to transform into the Ultimate Killing Machine!
(Remember - this was a Saturday morning cartoon series on NBC in 1973/1974 - a unique episode)

I hope they paid Larry Niven handsomely for twisting his Known Space universe into a Star Trek one. Personally, I find that a disgusting bastardization.

 

[jbrown329]

When TV Guide did 4 different covers for Trek, I ordered all 4. That was back in the early 90's. Cost me $2.50 each plus shipping. They're still in the box they came in. I have 2 limited edition board games ( TOS and TNG) and a TOS corded phone. Buried somewhere I have a TNG communicator pin.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Larry Niven fans have given NBC quite an earful over Filmation's treatment of one of his stories.

My personal favorite from "Star Trek: The Animated Series" is called, "The Survivor" - a simple story about a man named Carter Winston. Mr. Winston has been dead for years, yet the Enterprise crew finds him alive and well.

"Will the real Carter Winston please stop running":

 

[jbrown329]

I only watched one episode of the animated series. I hated it.

Fun fact. Leonard Nimoy came up with the Vulcan salute. The salute is actually based on a Jewish blessing performed by Cohens - believed to be the descendent of biblical priests - in a process called dukhanening. For the majority of Jews living outside of Israel, dukhanening is only performed on high holy days.

What you didn't know

 

[gsdx]

I only watched one episode of the animated series. I hated it.

Fun fact. Leonard Nimoy came up with the Vulcan salute. The salute is actually based on a Jewish blessing performed by Cohens - believed to be the descendent of biblical priests - in a process called dukhanening.

And he saw it only because his father told him to close his eyes and not look. What boy could resist not peeking at something he was told not to see?

He came up with the nerve pinch early in the series because the script called for him to shoot someone. It first appeared in 'Dagger of the Mind', the episode in which an escapee from Tantalus V (a colony for the criminally insane), smuggles himself aboard the ship and then makes his way to the bridge where he grabs a phaser and demands asylum. Spock, who comes up behind him, was supposed to shoot him, but Leonard didn't think a Vulcan would do that. They were pacifists by nature. He came up with the 'nerve pinch' as a means of incapacitating someone rather than shoot them. The director agreed to try it. Leonard talked to Morgan Woodward, the actor playing van Gelder, and told him what he was going to do. Morgan was to act as if he had suddenly become unconscious. The rest is history.

Oh, and that was the first episode in which the Vulcan Mind Meld was used. It, too, was used on van Gelder.

 

[jbrown329]

My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts.

 

[frankfrank]

Did I remember you saying you could get some US TV stations form Buffalo NY? If so, ME TV is on WBBZ 67.1.

He's far enough away that reception of that station "over the air" would be unreliable, if not nonexistent.

 

[jbrown329]

I don't know if TOS is viewable online, I've never looked.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Every Star Trek fan I know has a favorite episode and a hated episode.

But with Star Trek, the Original Series, the bad episodes are almost as much fun to talk about as the good ones. So what's on my awful list? How about the first episode of season three - "Spock's Brain".

"Brain, Brain - What is Brain?"

Leonard Nimoy admitted that he was embarrassed by this episode, but what about poor Marj Dusay? She played the alien leader, Kara, who had to say that horrible line of dialog written above. Personally I thought Marj Dusay made quite an entrance on the bridge of the Enterprise in her cute little alien outfit with go-go boots.

Overall, "Spock's Brain", launched Star Trek's third season with mixed reviews at the time. At least I found the opening scene well done with the appearance of the Sigma Dragonian Ion powered ship and the transporter special effects for Kara to materialize on the bridge of the Enterprise.

 

[gsdx]

^ I'm reminded of a story behind the 'dancing green lady' who danced for Christopher Pike. You must know the one I'm talking about. Anyway, they did the make-up on her and did a few test shoots for colouring and they came back looking natural. They changed the make-up and tried again. Same thing. No matter what they tried, she came back looking natural. Finally, they went to talk to the film development crew and asked what they should do.

The crew responded, "You mean you WANT her to be green?"

It's a story I read a long time ago. Whether or not it is true, I don't know.

Oh, and in 'Where No Man Has Gone Before', a tombstone at the end of the episode has Kirk's name as James R. Kirk. It was always James T. Kirk. Somebody goofed:

The gravestone Mitchell creates for Kirk says "James R. Kirk". According to D.C. Fontana in the introduction for Star Trek: The Classic Episodes 1, when the mistake was discovered, Gene Roddenberry decided that if pressed for an answer on the discrepancy, the response was to be "Gary Mitchell had godlike powers, but at base he was Human. He made a mistake."

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Where_No_Man_Has_Gone_Before_(episode)#Sets_and_Props