STAR TREK - THE ANIMATED SERIES(1973)
SPACE, THE FINAL FRONTIER! THESE ARE THE VOYAGES
OF THE STARSHIP: ENTERPRISE! IT'S FIVE YEAR MISSION:
TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS, TO SEEK OUT NEW
LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS, TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO
MAN HAS GONE BEFORE!!
After the Original Series was cancelled, the network realized
that there was still quite a following for Star Trek, so they
decided to try an animated half hour series, which would be
considerably cheaper to produce!! Unfortunately, they didn't
realize that their audience weren't children that watched Saturday
morning cartoons, but rather college students and older!!
So again, sadly, they produced something guaranteed to fail,
even though it won an Emmy!!!
While some of the stories are top notch, and worthy of the name
Star Trek, the animation itself is considerably below par!!
A few other notes here. Walter Koenig is the only actor
from the last two seasons not to return to reprise his
role!! The reviewer from IMDb cites budget issues as
the reason!! I don't know for sure, but I sure didn't care
for the substitutes that they chose!!
SEASON "1":
EPISODE 1: BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR(Sept. 8, 1973):
While on a routine star charting mission, the Enterprise
and crew receive a distress signal from a planet who's
gravitational pull is overpowering the Enterprise!!
This first aired episode has, in order of appearance: Captain
James T. Kirk, Lt. Montgomery Scott, Lt. Hikaru Sulu, Mr.
Spock, Lt. Uhura & Dr. McCoy! (While Arex & Nurse Chapel
are seen, they are not heard!!) A
EPISODE 2: YESTERYEAR(Sept. 15, 1973):
Spock & Kirk go through the time portal(the same one
used in The City On The Edge Of Forever) and when they
return no one but Kirk knows who Spock is!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock & Lt. Scott!!
Guest starring in this one is Mark Leonard as Serak, Spock's
father!! Unfortunately, Jane Wyatt did not return to reprise
her role as Amanda!! A
EPISODE 3: ONE OF OUR PLANETS IS MISSING(Sept. 22, 1973):
A gaseous cloud has invaded the galaxy and the Enterprise
is ordered to find out what it's intentions are!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Lt. Sulu, Mr. Spock, Lt. Arex, Lt. Uhura, Dr. McCoy &
Lt. Scott !! A
EPISODE 4: THE LORELEI SIGNAL(Sept. 29, 1973):
After receiving a weird signal, the male command crew
of the Enterprise beams down to find only females on
the planet!! Hmmmm, wonder what they want!!
Not only does this have the singing debut of Jimmy
Doohan, but also the first female captain of the
Enterprise, Lt. Uhura!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Mr. Spock,
Captain James T. Kirk, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Scott, Nurse Chapel,
Dr. McCoy, (Lt. Hikaru Sulu & Lt. Arex are seen but not
heard from)!! A
EPISODE 5: MORE TRIBBLES, MORE TROUBLES(Oct. 6, 1973):
And here we have the return of Cyrano Jones - and his
Tribbles!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Sulu, Mr. Spock,
Captain James T. Kirk, Lt. Scott, Lt. Uhura & Dr. McCoy!!
Guest starring here, and reprising his role as Cyrano
Jones, is Stanley Adams! A
EPISODE 6: THE SURVIVOR(Oct. 13, 1973):
After rescuing a lone survivor aboard a small ship near the
Enterprise, they find that he's Winston Carter, a renowned
trader! Turns out that the good Winston is not all that he
seems to be!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Nurse Chapel, Lt. Scott, Lt. M'Ress
& Lt. Sulu!! A
EPISODE 7: THE INFINITE VULCAN(Oct. 20, 1973):
This episode is written by Walter Koenig!!!
Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Sulu beam down to a plant planet!!
Sulu gets stung by one of the locals and is dying, but another
local cures him! Kirk wants to know more about the planet
and the group start to investigate!! While doing so, Spock is
kidnapped and held for purposes unknown!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Sulu, Mr. Spock,
Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Scott!! A
EPISODE 8: THE MAGICKS OF MEGAS-TU(Oct. 27, 1973):
The Enterprise and crew head to the center of the galaxy
just to see if they can find out how the universe came to
be!! When they get there, they encounter the "Magicks"
who dwell in this area!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain
James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Lt. Sulu, Lt. Uhura, Dr. McCoy
& Lt. Scott!! A
EPISODE 9: ONCE UPON A PLANET(Nov. 3, 1973):
The Enterprise and crew return to the amusement park planet
from the TOS episode "Shore Leave"!! Only problem is, that
the planet now seems to be more of a nightmare rather
than amusement!!1
Nichelle NIchols warbles in this one!!
Starring, in order of appearance, Lt. Sulu, Dr. McCoy, Lt.
Uhura, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Lt. Scott, Lt. Arex, & Lt.
M'Ress(who's voice is very disturbing)!!!! A
EPISODE 10: MUDD'S PASSION(Nov. 10, 1973):
Another returnie from the Original Series, Harry Mudd!!
In this one, He's in trouble again, and Kirk and the crew
pick him up to take him to justice! While on board, he
talks the good nurse into trying out one of his love potions
to try to get Spock to fall in love with her!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk, Mr.
Spock, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Arex, Nurse Chapel, Lt. M'Ress & Lt.
Scott!! Lt. Sulu is seen but not heard!!!
Guest starring the same wonderful guest star from the
Original Series episodes "Mudd's Women" and "I, Mudd",
Roger C. Carmel!! A
EPISODE 11: THE TERRATIN INCIDENT(Nov. 17, 1973):
While researching a planet, the Enterprise intercepts
a signal and goes to another planet to find out what it's
all about!! It seems like a really small issue, but soon
everyone seems to be shrinking!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Mr. Spock,
Captain Kirk, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Sulu, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Arex, Lt. Scott
& Nurse Christine Chapel!! A
EPISODE 12: THE TIME TRAP(Nov. 24, 1973):
The Enterprise encounters a Klingon vessel that fires upon
them!! They fire back, and the Klingon ship disappears,
but not from the Enterprise's shot! Turns out that there are
three more Klingon ships hanging around, and they demand
that the Enterprise surrenders to them!! A+
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Mr. Spock, Lt. Sulu, Lt. Uhura & Lt. Scott!! A
EPISODE 13: THE AMBERGRIS ELEMENT(Dec. 1, 1973):
The Enterprise is sent to a planet who's land mass has shrunken
considerably, and they are to study it to see what a planet in Federation
space can expect when it suffers the same fate!! While there, Kirk
and Spock are changed into amphibian beings!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James
T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Scott & Lt. Arex! Lt. Uhura
and Nurse Chapel are seen but not heard! A
EPISODE 14: THE SLAVER WEAPON(Dec. 15, 1973):
Not sure how to describe this!! Spock, Uhura & Sulu are transporting
a stasis box when they discover another one! They beam down to a
planet where they get overpowered and the box is stolen!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Mr. Spock, Lt. Uhura
& Lt. Sulu!!(Other than the usual intro, there's No Captain Kirk!!!!) A
EPISODE 15: THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER(Jan. 5, 1974):
The Enterprise crew are directed to find out what happened
to the crew of another Starship!! They come to a planet where
the natives all look like strange monsters!! Turns out they are
quite intelligent and have put the whole lot of them in a zoo!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Lt. M'Ress!! A
EPISODE 16: THE JIHAD(Jan. 12, 1974):
Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are recruited to be a part of a
group to help a race recover an artifact that is the center
of their beliefs!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James T.
Kirk, Mr. Spock & Lt Sulu! Lt. Scott is seen but not heard!! A
THIS STARTS SEASON "2":
EPISODE 17: THE PIRATES OF ORION(Sept. 7, 1974):
Spock contracts a rare disease, and the Enterprise only
has three days to get the remedy! They work out a plan to
have another Starship pick up the remedy and meet them!
Unfortunately, the other ship gets attacked by pirates, and
it looks like the remedy will not make it to the Enterprise
in time!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James
T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Arex, Lt. Scott, Nurse
Chapel & Lt. Uhura! A
EPISODE 18: BEM(Sept. 14, 1974):
The Enterprise has picked up a passenger who's mission is to
"observe" the processes of the crew!! This dude has the ability
to dis-embody himself, and his plans seem to be less than friendly!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James Kirk,
Lt. Scott, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Arex, Mr. Spock & Lt. Hikaru Sulu(seen only)!!
EPISODE 19: THE PRACTICAL JOKER(Sept. 21, 1974):
While doing a routine geological survey, the Enterprise runs
into a bunch of Romulans!! Shortly afterword, a lot of
practical jokes start occurring, with the computer apparently
behind them!!
This has the first use of a holo deck!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk,
Lt. Alexander Scott, Lt. Sulu, Mr. Spock, Lt. Uhura, Dr. McCoy,
Lt. Arex & Lt. M'Ress.
While Nurse Chapel is not in this, Majel Barrett has one of
the largest roles here as the computer!! A
EPISODE 20: ALBATROSS(Sept. 28, 1974):
After dropping off some medicine to a planet, they arrest
Dr. McCoy for murder!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James T.
Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock, Lt. Scott, Lt. Sulu & Lt. Uhura.
Seen but not heard are Nurse Chapel & Lt. Arex! A+
EPISODE 21: HOW SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH(Oct. 5, 1974):
A probe comes into Federation territory and scans the planets
and sends a signal out into space for reasons unknown! It then
self destructs before anyone can find out what it is and where
it came from! The enterprise and crew then attempt to follow
the path of the signal to find out what's up!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock,
Lt. Arex, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Scott & Dr. McCoy! A
EPISODE 22: THE COUNTER-CLOCK INCIDENT(Oct. 11, 1974):
This ends the final attempt to have Star Trek's original crew on
television!
The Enterprise heads to the planet Babel, where Commodore
April, the Enterprise's first captain, is to be honored in his retirement!
While on the trip, another ship is seen headed toward a super nova
sun and the Enterprise tries to avert its disaster!! They put a tractor
beam on it, which in turn pulls both ships into the nova! While there
all those on board the Enterprise start growning younger!!
This final episode has, in order of appearance: Captain James Kirk,
Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Sulu, Lt. Scott & Lt. Arex!! A
From an IMDb.com customer:
Many fans have looked negatively on this series. That is
too bad, and they do not give it the attention and credit
it fully deserves. Sure there is an episode or two that was
simply okay, but overall, I enjoyed all of it.
Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek", was paid
money for this series. He said that it was not part of "official"
Star Trek. I think that is ridiculous, since he had the final
approval of all of the scripts, and there were some great ones.
If anyone faulted the animation of this show, it must be
remembered of what the state of animated films was in
1973. Even Disney had cut back considerably by that time;
look at Disney's "Robin Hood" to see what I mean.
Because "Star Trek - The Animated Series" had a limited
budget, there was not enough money to bring back Walter
Koenig to play Chekov. But the show is a fine example of
how "Trek" could work in animation.
And that is its finest accomplishment of all. - George Mussman