50th anniversary of the original series Star Trek

[Commander Wallace]

It's hard to believe that the original series is now 50 years old.

Quote : Star Trek, a groundbreaking sci-fi series, premiered on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966, and used space exploration as a metaphor for peaceful coexistence at a tumultuous time in history. The original series, which starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and a diverse supporting cast, struggled and was cancelled after three seasons, but its impact lives on: Trek spawned six TV sequels (including a new one due in January), several films and countless fan gatherings and merchandising opportunities. Let’s celebrate its 50th anniversary!

http://www.usatoday.com/topic/star-trek/local


Many high tech gadgets we use today look very similar to the original star trek props. The flip up cell phones we used are very similar to the communicators used on the show.


There were a number of hokey episodes but one episode stands out as an example of the enormous potential this series had.

" A Balance of Terror "

The Enterprise under the command of a fairly new captain, James kirk, encounters a Romulan ship, which has attacked outposts near the " Neutral Zone ". The episode introduces a cloaking device which renders a ship " invisible " The new technology has some real world scince behind it such as the selective bending of light waves. The Romulans have had an isolationist period for a decade but sought to test federation resolve.

It end with the destruction of the Romulan ship. the episode is somewhat reminiscent of movies we have all seen that featured naval combat. " The enemy below " with Kurt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum comes to mind "


The greatest feature of the series was that the cast was comprised of the collective talents of people from different countries. Hikaru Sulu as a Japanese Helsman, Pavel Chekov as the navigator and science officer. Montgomery Scott as the Scottish chief engineer and Uhura as a communications officer. It also included iconic science officer Spock from the planet Vulcan. Creator Gene Roddenberry had a vision of a future where everybody worked together.


Excerpts from " a balance of terror "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GRGu6uXknM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYB30M98uCo


Happy Birthday and anniversary to Star trek and it's revolutionary themes.

[Onkel Neal]

I'm rewatching TOS from the beginning. The show was under terrible budget and dealine pressures but still managed a ground breaking series.

[STEED]

How many time did Kirk battle a computer and win?

I recall the "Not of the body" one and the M5 computer and one in a dragon's head cave. Must be one or two more.

[Rhodes]

How many time did Kirk battle a computer and win?

I recall the "Not of the body" one and the M5 computer and one in a dragon's head cave. Must be one or two more.

Return of the Archons, I think.

[STEED]

Return of the Archons, I think.

Yea that's the not of the body one. :up:

[Onkel Neal]

How many times did Capt. Kirk get the woman? :)

How many times did McCoy say, "He's dead, Jim" or some variation.(It was said by others as well, including Kirk)?

How many times were the crew subjected to a. mysterious sickness b. hallucinations c. evil twins

How many times did Scotty object to the demands placed on his beloved beasties?

How many times did poor Uhura say, "Hailing frequency open" ?

[Rhodes]

Yea that's the not of the body one. :up:
Landru loves you, Steed!:03:

[mako88sb]

It's hard to believe that the original series is now 50 years old.

Quote : Star Trek, a groundbreaking sci-fi series, premiered on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966, and used space exploration as a metaphor for peaceful coexistence at a tumultuous time in history. The original series, which starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and a diverse supporting cast, struggled and was cancelled after three seasons, but its impact lives on: Trek spawned six TV sequels (including a new one due in January), several films and countless fan gatherings and merchandising opportunities. Let’s celebrate its 50th anniversary!

http://www.usatoday.com/topic/star-trek/local


Many high tech gadgets we use today look very similar to the original star trek props. The flip up cell phones we used are very similar to the communicators used on the show.


There were a number of hokey episodes but one episode stands out as an example of the enormous potential this series had.

" A Balance of Terror "

The Enterprise under the command of a fairly new captain, James kirk, encounters a Romulan ship, which has attacked outposts near the " Neutral Zone ". The episode introduces a cloaking device which renders a ship " invisible " The new technology has some real world scince behind it such as the selective bending of light waves. The Romulans have had an isolationist period for a decade but sought to test federation resolve.

It end with the destruction of the Romulan ship. the episode is somewhat reminiscent of movies we have all seen that featured naval combat. " The enemy below " with Kurt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum comes to mind "


The greatest feature of the series was that the cast was comprised of the collective talents of people from different countries. Hikaru Sulu as a Japanese Helsman, Pavel Chekov as the navigator and science officer. Montgomery Scott as the Scottish chief engineer and Uhura as a communications officer. It also included iconic science officer Spock from the planet Vulcan. Creator Gene Roddenberry had a vision of a future where everybody worked together.


Excerpts from " a balance of terror "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GRGu6uXknM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYB30M98uCo


Happy Birthday and anniversary to Star trek and it's revolutionary themes.

I still remember watching this for the first time when I was only about 8 or 9. As you mentioned, some iffy episodes but for the most part, a great show. I think "The Doomsday Machine" is probably my favorite for the action/tension episodes with "The City on the Edge of Forever" being my favorite for the drama/thought provoking episodes. I think that episode name is gotta be the best one ever used for any TV series episode ever made.

It's pretty amazing how well it holds up after all these years. Much better than the first couple seasons of TNG. Thankfully, TNG eventually found it's way and came up with some great seasons. It will be interesting to see how the new series does.

[Eichhörnchen]

Funny how something set in the distant future can evoke such nostalgia for the past :hmmm: I never missed an episode.

[Sailor Steve]

It end with the destruction of the Romulan ship. the episode is somewhat reminiscent of movies we have all seen that featured naval combat. " The enemy below " with Kurt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum comes to mind "
Not just "reminiscent of", but taken directly from the movie. I noticed this when the episode aired for the first time. I was sixteen, and the movie was one of my favorites.
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Balance_of_Terror_(episode)

And that's not a complaint. It's also one of my favorite episodes. I rewatched the series four years ago, and found it just as fascinating as it was in 1966.

[Bilge_Rat]

I am pretty much an original Trekkie, watched most shows when the series was on, watched each episode at least 10+ times when they were endlessly re-run in the 70-80s.

Since we finally got Netflix a few months back, I have been re-watching many of the episodes.

For a low budget, 50 year old TV show it has held up surprisingly well. The strength of the show was the stories, some were hokey, but you had a lot of classic science fiction themes that were explored.

favorite episode: "Mirror, Mirror"

https://youtu.be/deq6_p47g54

[Aktungbby]

How many times did Scotty object to the demands placed on his beloved beasties?

HA HA! how many Dilitium crystals (Li2) got cracked?... in retrospect the only serious problem aboard the Enterprise...still the only bible under my pillow:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/STTNGTM.jpg I'm watching the TV marathon as I post...with a Loowitt Brewing's Dilithium Crystal Fresh Hop pale ale of course!.:yeah:

[Gray Lensman]

The Trouble with Tribbles...

[Commander Wallace]

How many time did Kirk battle a computer and win?

I recall the "Not of the body" one and the M5 computer and one in a dragon's head cave. Must be one or two more.

Steed, you're not of the " body " either :03:
The M5 computer was from the Episode " the ultimate Computer "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzuIijxHBh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzmLRNRhltU




I still remember watching this for the first time when I was only about 8 or 9. As you mentioned, some iffy episodes but for the most part, a great show. I think "The Doomsday Machine" is probably my favorite for the action/tension episodes with "The City on the Edge of Forever" being my favorite for the drama/thought provoking episodes. I think that episode name is gotta be the best one ever used for any TV series episode ever made.

It's pretty amazing how well it holds up after all these years. Much better than the first couple seasons of TNG. Thankfully, TNG eventually found it's way and came up with some great seasons. It will be interesting to see how the new series does.

The doomsday machine was another cool episode. The only question was the original version or the remade one with more special effects. Another great episode was the " Ultimate Computer " which pitted the Enterprise against 4 other identical starships in a war games scenario gone wrong .

Not just "reminiscent of", but taken directly from the movie. I noticed this when the episode aired for the first time. I was sixteen, and the movie was one of my favorites.
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Balance_of_Terror_(episode)

And that's not a complaint. It's also one of my favorite episodes. I rewatched the series four years ago, and found it just as fascinating as it was in 1966.


I'm not sure if it was a direct take off or not Steve. I first saw Star trek, the original episodes from reruns that were old then. By then, I had already seen " the enemy below " with Kurt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum. It remains a classic. One can't argue the cat and mouse game played by Mitchum and Jurgens is the same as the one played by Kirk and the Romulan Commander in Star Trek. As you said, it was a great episode.

I however always wondered if the writer of this epidode or Gene Roddenbury himself was a fan of that Submarine movie. It's a safe bet they probably were.


Everyone had their favorites like Bilge Rat. I think He liked " Mirror Mirror " cause he got to see some skin. :D It was an interesting episode to see what the counterparts of the Enterprise would be like.

The Enterprise name itself was taken from the most decorated ship of WW2. It was none other than the " Big E " or the Carrier Enterprise CV 6 of the Yorktown Class.

[razark]

I'm not sure if it was a direct take off or not Steve. I first saw Star trek, the original episodes from reruns that were old then. By then, I had already seen " the enemy below " with Kurt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum.
I confess that I have not seen the movie, but I read the book. The captain notices the u-boat keeps returning to a certain course to make a rendezvous.
In the Star Trek episode, the Romulan ship keeps returning to a certain course to return home.

Take that for what it's worth.

[mapuc]

I'm a great fan of star trek, but I ain't no trekkies ´cause I have not that much knowledge about the actors, the things in the series. I just love the series

TOS
TNG
Voy
DS9

Markus

[Sailor Steve]

I'm not sure if it was a direct take off or not Steve.
Down near the bottom of the site I linked are a couple of statements to that effect, which was the reason for the link in the first place.
The plot of this episode is based on the 1957 movie The Enemy Below, with the Enterprise taking the part of the American destroyer and the Bird-of-Prey with its cloaking device taking the part of the submarine. (The Star Trek Compendium 4th ed., p. 40) Director Vincent McEveety had seen the film but only noticed the similarity later, when this was pointed out to him. He commented, "Obviously, it's the same story." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 34)
They also give links saying that Run Silent, Run deep may have been an inspiration as well.

One quote that I find fascinating:
Although phasers are used throughout the episode, the visual effect seen is that which later became used for photon torpedo launches, probably because the term "photon torpedo" was not invented until later in the season, in "Arena". Kirk orders the phasers to be "set for proximity blast"; each phaser blast acts like a Navy depth charge.

[Commander Wallace]

I confess that I have not seen the movie, but I read the book. The captain notices the u-boat keeps returning to a certain course to make a rendezvous.
In the Star Trek episode, the Romulan ship keeps returning to a certain course to return home.

Take that for what it's worth.

You are right and I'm sure others could make similar points as well. The books are usually better than the movie. I read the Tom Clancy Book " the Hunt for Red October which a number of Subsim members have said is one of their favorite Submarine movies. Although the movie was well produced and also one of my favorites, It leaves out a lot of details and the dynamics of the title characters. That's to fit the movie into a standard 2-3 hour movie. I thought the book was excellent and apparently others did too as it spent time on the best sellers list.

If you get a chance to watch " The enemy below " do so as most believe the movie to be a fairly accurate representation of war at sea. You won't be disappointed.


Down near the bottom of the site I linked are a couple of statements to that effect, which was the reason for the link in the first place.

They also give links saying that Run Silent, Run deep may have been an inspiration as well.

One quote that I find fascinating:

I missed the links so I will just go with it. The connection to the depth charges and the star trek " proximity torps is valid as well. I never saw the links you referenced but was fairly sure there was a connection between this Star Trek episode and the movie even if there were no links. Thanks for posting the links though because now I know for sure.

[Commander Wallace]

I'm a great fan of star trek, but I ain't no trekkies ´cause I have not that much knowledge about the actors, the things in the series. I just love the series

TOS
TNG
Voy
DS9

Markus

If you enjoy watching it, that's all that matters. :) You are in good company.

[Sailor Steve]

I confess that I have not seen the movie, but I read the book.
That's interesting. I've not conversed with anyone before who had read the book and not seen the movie. The Wiki link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enemy_Below) has some interesting comparisons. I also read, a long time ago, a reviewer who said he thought the movie was better than the book. In any case, I would highly recommend seeing the movie. It's what made me choose the navy when the time came to enlist, and it's what made me choose destroyers over any other ship when I was given that option.

I also apologize for dragging this further and further from Star Trek. My fault.

[razark]

If you get a chance to watch " The enemy below " do so as most believe the movie to be a fairly accurate representation of war at sea. You won't be disappointed.
In any case, I would highly recommend seeing the movie.
Honestly, I want to see it. I keep catching it on TV about halfway through, so I've seen the end.


That's interesting. I've not conversed with anyone before who had read the book and not seen the movie. The Wiki link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enemy_Below) has some interesting comparisons. I also read, a long time ago, a reviewer who said he thought the movie was better than the book.
I happened to find a copy in a used bookstore. It was in horrible condition, and was falling apart as I read it. I didn't need a bookmark, I just kept the portion I hadn't read yet.

It's been a few years, but I remember I found the book to be a bit heavy on the side of "Man, those Nazis are evil, not like us good Brits." Kind of like some of the WWII movies I have seen that were made during the war. It had a real good guy vs. bad guy jingoism to it that took away from the story.


I also apologize for dragging this further and further from Star Trek. My fault.
It's Subsim. Anything to do with submarines is on topic, isn't it? :03:


Edit:
Ok, Star Trek content.
I grew up with the original series reruns in the '80s, before TNG.
Starting Thursday until early Monday morning, one of the cable channels was running TOS. My 12-year-old spent most of his free time watching it. He's become a new fan.
I amazed him by walking into the room, and naming the episode that was currently playing within a few seconds. I think I missed one the whole time. (I knew which one it was, but I couldn't think of the title.)

[STEED]

Landru loves you, Steed!:03:

:haha:

Steed, you're not of the " body " either :03:
The M5 computer was from the Episode " the ultimate Computer "

Yes that's the title. :)

I'm not a big fan of Star Trek these days.

[Platapus]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=194509

Sadly the movie was much better than the book, in my opinion.

[Rhodes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI84pFvXDzQ&list=PLPrzu3397E1IH4kSTuyxQhhXpVaIee_Ym

Nostalgia Critic Star Trek month, the odd numbers films! :03:

[Onkel Neal]

Not many know what all Capt. Kirk's medal are for...
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=1045&pictureid=9176

[AVGWarhawk]

:haha:

[Commander Wallace]

Not many know what all Capt. Kirk's medal are for...
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=1045&pictureid=9176



Lol. Very nice. :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Jimbuna]

For kissing a woman.....then punching her

:haha: