And the communicators are like foldable phones from two decades ago, which have became out of style again. Now we are using devices that look more like the PADDs from The Next Generation (still waiting for my combadge …) Also the use of memory disks, which looked like the 3.5" disks used a lot on 90s PCs - then came SD cards, memory sticks and cloud saves. A lot of Star Trek's design was adopted into real tech, and some even went away again.
The first actual episode they filmed after the show was greenlit as a series was The Corbomite Maneuver. It's also the first time we see the uniforms with the black collar and they look like they still need some work. Everybody's looks a little different and none of them fit very well. That's an episode with a lot of optical effects which took time so, it ended up being shown later
Yes much like _Firefly_ an arbitrary decision was made by executives to air the episodes out of order to give people what they thought they would want/expect. With _Star Trek_ it was an alien monster; with _Firefly_ it was a train robbery.
@@CFWhitmanAt least Firefly made it to home video and streaming in the intended order instead of the jumbled airdate order. TOS is exclusively available jumbled.
The Star Trek episodes are quite diverse. Some are really heavy and even violent, while others are comedic, and others are very intellectual. There are also some romances. Not every episode has space battles. The diversity makes the series great.
Please keep in mind that the creators and actors don't have everything dialed in yet. They're still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't work. The next few episodes will be a learning experience for everyone involved.
I big time disagree. The network told them they wanted a "space Western" (interesting too because the three main actors here also appeared together in several Westerns before Trek.) Gene Roddenberry had a vision, and they all fought hard to get their show to be true to that grand vision despite the Network Nitwits.
@Philimagne I guess I don't know what you mean. Nimoy said he didn't start to understand his character until that first "Fascinating" in Corbonite Manuever. The Vulcan neck pinch wasn't until The Enemy Within because Nimoy just thought of it on the spot. Shatner based his performance on Alexander the Great. But as the show went on Shatner tailored it until he wasn't playing Alexander and was playing Captain James T. Kirk! Deforrest Kelly liked Dr. McCoy because he saw the opportunities for humor. From that, we got the famous bantering where Spock and McCoy would get on each other's nerves.
@@c1ph3rpunk Well, "The Wrath of Khan" is by far the best movie, despite its miniscule budget. But that was because it felt the most like the original series, in my opinion. Amazing how having a limited budget so often results in a better story being told, huh?
Westerns were massive at the time. Gene Roddenberry sold the studio on the concept of a Western in space. He needed to somewhat deliver on that, at least until they 'got' his vision for what Star Trek should be. A bright future with an enlightened version of humanity venturing into a big galaxy. You talk about the emotional vs logical. Star Trek TOS actually has three leaders. Kirk, the overall leader, largely leads and motivates through emotional argument, an agent of pathos, but is also ethical and logical. When Spock ventures an opinion, which regularly sways the path the ship takes, he represents a logical or logos argument, but is also ethical. When Dr McCoy is involved in the decision making, he will always be arguing an ethical point of view first, and will therefore make an ethos-based argument often splashing in pathos and trying to ignore pure logic (he tries, but he isn't prone to being outright illogical either). And if the decision is a medical one, well sometimes his opinion actually trumps that of the other two. If you are a master of ethos, logos and pathos arguments and know how to use them together, you can pretty much persuade most people to your point of view!
An interesting tidbit about this episode: they wanted to find some futuristic-looking salt shakers, to fit in with the 23rd-century trappings of the show. They found some really-odd looking salt shakers, but felt that the audience would not recognize them as salt shakers. So they used the ones Janice was using when Green was watching her shake some salt onto her food -- ordinary-looking ones (guess you can't reinvent the wheel, huh?) but the weird- looking ones became some of Dr. McCoy's medical instruments! Anyway, love your reactions! I've watched these shows in reruns since the 70s, and I'm interested to see what the younger crowd thinks of them. Have a nice day.
Great reaction! I saw all the TOS episodes in reruns in the early 1970's. Two Philadelphia TV stations would run an episode every weeknight, and at one point one of the stations was showing two per day. I saw all of them before I was a teenager, and many more times since then. The killing of the alien never made sense to me. The purpose of the Enterprise was "to seek out new life and new civilizations" and this creature was the last of its kind. Yes it had killed several crewmen, and perhaps it even preferred obtaining salt from people instead of from tablets--although it was clear that it could survive on salt tablets alone since Crater had lived with it for over a year. I always thought a trained Star Fleet crew would have attempted to negotiate once the alien had been stunned and lots of people were present (although it was capable of projecting illusions to multiple people at the same time it didn't seem to be able to paralyze multiple people at once). I suppose they just needed to end the episode and it was more dramatic to have McCoy kill an alien that looked like the woman he loved. Also, it was at the beginning of the series so a dramatic ending would be better at attracting an audience as opposed to a rational solution. Let's not forget that Star Trek was sold to the network as "'Wagon Train' to the stars" ("Wagon Train" was a western TV show), and westerns often ended with a shootout. However, note the contrast between this episode and "The Devil in the Dark" later in the season.
Even though this is extremely early, this to me is quintessential Original Series. A self-contained episode, a mysterious planet, a unique new alien monster, some character bits with the crew, and Kirk, Spock and McCoy on full display as the "Big Three" characters. And I don't care how silly those sets can look, I absolutely love them. We have to remember that this is only, what, 15 years after television really blew up as a unique medium, and it initially was patterned not after cinema, but after theater. I think most of the early live shows were broadcast out of NYC, not LA, so their talent pool was heavily slanted towards Broadway and Off-Broadway, and the first original works for television tended to be either adaptations of stage plays or original scripts from established playwrights. So audiences were a lot more forgiving of fake-looking sets, in the same way that audiences for a play can accept that the stage sets are "real" for the purposes of the story and the characters even if they don't look "realistic." The story of the salt monster and Dr. Crater is weirdly poignant and tragic to me. Crater doesn't strike me as a nice guy, as you picked up, but he's not really a villain either. He just seems to be someone who thought he didn't need anyone else in his life, and gravitated towards a solitary profession, but then was lucky enough to fall in love with someone willing enough to accept a life like that, living alone sifting through the ruins of a dead world. And when he lost Nancy, he wasn't prepared for the pain he felt, and something inside him broke, and he rationalized living this lie with a shapeshifting animal, pretending it was his wife. He didn't even have the excuse of temporary insanity - he's consciously aware the entire time that "she" is not Nancy at all. He just can't stand being completely alone anymore, and is willing to play along. It's kind of a pathetic and horrible existence. Thanks again for doing this, looking forward to the next episode.
That line where Crater establishes that he can 'see' the creature whatever shape it's in, even though it's sitting right next to him in McCoy's shape, leads to his death. But Crater and the creature are almost alike in the way you describe, not needing anyone else, one due to it's nature, the other due to perhaps, driving away everyone preferring solitude.
Right on! This was Star Trek. I LOVE the planet Crater was from. It had a Mars quality about it, and those panning shots….paper mache… I like it better than anything hollywood puts out now. Practical effects will always be better!
Keep in mind that when these originally aired, most folks still only had a black & white tv that only measured 13-15" diagonally on average. Only really well-to-do folks could afford bigger, color TV's. And even then, the biggest console color TV's at the time were only 25" diagonally. They were more like a piece of furniture, the cabinets were made of heavy wood. Folks your age probably can't even imagine it. This was broadcast over the air, and you had a set of "rabbit ears" on top of your TV that you'd hafta move and set in different positions to get optimal tuning and reception. It was a completely different world we lived in. It was truly the best time to grow up in my humble opinion.
@@bunnytailsREACTS Don't let anyone tell you how to watch the series. There is no wrong way to watch TOS. I for one am just happy to see you enjoying the ride. There are a lot of great episodes ahead! I really enjoy your reactions. Keep 'em coming!
I enjoy your reactions! This episode, in addition to being the first piece of Star Trek that television audiences ever saw, has a couple of other anomalies: - There are four rooms aboard ship that comprise Dr McCoy's work environment. In the overwhelming majority of the episodes, that collection of rooms (McCoy's office, McCoy's medical lab, the examination room, and a room with beds for recuperating patients) is called "Sickbay." In this episode only, it's called the "Dispensary." I've never heard an explanation as to why. - I don't think we see McCoy's living quarters in any other episode. - There's a very atypical dynamic between Kirk and McCoy in this episode. In most episodes of the series, McCoy and Kirk are friends, and both express that friendship (and that is also the case in this episode). McCoy normally calls Kirk, 'Jim' as part of that friendship. Early in this episode, however, McCoy is off his game: he's unusually distracted by Nancy, and also fails to provide Kirk with timely information. (What killed Sturgeon?) When Kirk admonishes him, McCoy realizes that he's failed Kirk, and has failed to live up to his own usual standards. So as a consequence, McCoy retreats from his usual, privileged position (of being informal with Kirk) and repeatedly addresses Kirk as, "sir," which is not normally McCoy's style. As you'll see, the Kirk-McCoy relationship is similar to the one depicted between Captain Pike and Pike's own ship's Doctor, Dr. Boyce. Boyce and McCoy can get away with things that other ship personnel can't, when it comes to interacting with their respective Captains. This is often seen in the form of two-way advice that flows between the two men. Also, Kirk lets his guard down with McCoy from time to time, and expresses a deep vulnerability that he would not dare do with other crew members (unless under the influence of some outside force, as you'll see.)
As someone who was a child counting the days when these first aired, it is awesome to kind-of re-live them again through you. Of course, by now I have seen them all countless times.
You’re doing a great job. You mentioned you like the “cerebral” stories best. You’ll find Star Trek the most intelligent, philosophical sci-fi ever on TV, even by todays standards. Each episode is its own contained story, and you’ll find a nice variety. Trek is an allegorical show where Humans have “figured it out” but aliens are used in the series to demonstrate todays social and moral dilemmas. The great thing is Star Trek doesn’t tell you what or how to think. It gives you something to think ABOUT.
Well, JJ always said that he hated the "cerebral" aspects of Trek... which us why he and his acolytes removed that, entirely, from modern (post-2009)Trek.
And to all of my original Trek fans out there - I HIGHLY recommend 'Star Trek Continues' which was aired as webisodes from 2013-2017 (this series wraps-up the 5 year mission of the original Star Trek). There are 10 episodes which are shot in the exact same manner as the original series with the same music as well. And they are really, really good! (the first episode even has the same actor who played Apollo in the original Trek). Can watch them all on the RUclips 'Star Trek Continues' channel.
The final version of Star Trek was essentially a space Western, pitched to the execs as "Wagon Train in Space." The action elements are basically the same as on the Westerns of the era.
I have a small story to tell ya. Leonard Nimoy once told how a few decades ago he was walking about in public when he got a phone call. He pulled out his brand new flip phone, flipped it open, put it to his ear, and answered the call. But then he noticed that everyone around him was staring at him! Why? Then he realized. He had just repeated the same motion he had done for years as Spock answering his communicator. lol.
Well, as several people have pointed out now, and as I suggested in my comments re: "The Cage," there are two different viewing orders: "as aired" versus "as produced." And while this was the first episode ever aired, it was actually filmed nearly halfwaybthrough the first season. As I mentioned last time, the "production order" is a better viewing order, as things often don't "fit" otherwise, particularly during the first season. The second pilot is called "Where No Man Has Gone Before." And the first "regular production" episode is called "The Corbomite Maneuver." Both are far superior to "The Man Trap," which is in my opinion the weakest episode of the first season. However, NBC chose to air it first because it was the closest to how the execs viewed "science fiction" at the time... complete with rubber-suited monster. On the other hand, "Corbomite" turns that entire precept on its proverbial ear... I won't dpoil that for you but it really is far closer to the "spirit of Star Trek" I've loved since I saw these, first-run, as an infant! Seriously... "Production viewing order" matters.
Yes, I recommended viewing by production order after "The Cage." Besides the fact that production order is how everyone watched the show in syndication for decades (which is what built STAR TREK into what it is), you get to watch the show figure out what it is. And yeah, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and "The Corbomite Maneuver" are both classic (it's good to see some appreciation for the latter, which I've always loved but I think gets slighted at times).
Yeah, I recommend watching the first half-dozen episodes in production order. Otherwise, you'll get jarring anachronisms like "Who's this ship's doctor? What happened to McCoy?", "Why are Uhura and Scotty in tan uniforms?", "Why is Sulu suddenly a botanist, rather than driving the ship?", "Why is Spock shouting?". Plus, early in the second pilot, they make a point to give you interior shots you'll never see again, to introduce the Enterprise and just how big it is.
Lots of people recommended it, and I fully intended to do so, but my friend told me Paramount+ had them in production order and that was incorrect information.
@@bunnytailsREACTS For whatever reason, it became a fad, around the time the original complete-season DVD collections were released, to put them in order of airdate. At the end of the day though, the airing order was just one of several mistakes the network made with the show. "The Man Trap" really was a weak ep, whereas "Where No Man Has Gone Before," the 2nd pilot, is a classic. @JJ_W is right about the anachronisms too. But as I said before, production order lets you see them figure out the show, the characters, their interactions, the production design, etc. as they go. Like watching it being born. There are various lists with the production order, so to be somewhat insufferable, I'll even link to one! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes#Production_order Enjoy the show. It really is one of the best things TV ever coughed up.
You are going to see artistic and cast changes between the first pilot, the second pilot and the next few episodes as they work things out. The first pilot "The Cage" was rejected for different reasons but the second "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was commissioned because the first gave studio execs a realistic feel of being on a disciplined, military-like spaceship. This was a good thing since WWII (1941-1945 for the US) was still in adults memory. IRL navies, orders are barked out and repeated, officers and crew have informal titles which are restatements of formal titles (Number One, XO, Executive Officer all the same thing).
Exactly true. Modern trek is made by people with neither a grasp of, nor an appreciation for, the realities of military service. 1960s Star Trek was effectively the US Navy. 1980s Trek was more like the British navy, blending both modern and age-of-sail aspects (which Roddenberry originally intended for TOS as well). Modern Trek is more like "frat boys on daddy's yacht." Unsurprising, given that the producers... starting with Jeffrey Jacob Abrams, brat of CBS/Paramount studio exec Gerald W. Abrams, who is literally exactly that... know nothing else.
Good catch on the "nice heels." The Star Trek cosplay Holy Grail is a pair of black boots with the proper Cuban heel to fit the look of the series. 🙂 Great reaction! Lots of good insights. Looking forward to continuing this journey with you-I've been a huge TOS fan from the time I was old enough to watch TV; seeing it again through your eyes is a real treat!
OMG. Your reactions of Star Trek and now the series won't come fast enough lol. OMG I love this!!! Barely anyone does these and you're doing it all! Beyond awesome. Many peeps don't understand how good and influential Star Trek is to society. You get it now a bit and still seeing and it's so awesome to see your Trek through Trek lol. Love this!! I can not wait for more!!! Been seeing you do the few already of Trek and its so Fracking Awesome! And oh man hearing you say you miss and love your dad hit me. :)
I am happy that you are doing this, bunnytails. I am a trekkie from 1966. I first watched these episodes when they were first broadcast. Looking at your reaction videos is like re-living that part of my life. Boldly we go!!! 🙂
This was the first episode aired but the 6th one made. They went back and forth on which one to air first and they settled on this one. Unlike Strange New Worlds, the Original ST was done on a very low budget. The creature was a salt vampire. This episode left you wondering why they didn't take this last surviving member of this species to another planet where there was a lot of salt. Or for that matter, Prof. Crater should've told Star Fleet about this problem early on and they could've arranged to either give this creature a huge stockpile of salt or take it to another planet where salt was abundant.
As a huge fan of TOS, I'm very excited for you. I know what episodes you have to see this season. The show really comes together in the next few episodes to become the science fiction legend it is today. Always bear in mind this show ran from 1966-69. Focus on the story and characters. This is going to be fun 😊
Man, that was fun. Been waiting and checking every day ... when's "Bunny" gonna get to the first episode. Boom! Today!!! Really enjoyed how you let us view the episode in the correct aspect ratio, full-screen. Others have either stretched the picture, made it tiny, or edited the crap out of it. This was A LOT OF FUN. Your mindset about not minding a more thinking show is probably why you're suited to watching Trek. Suits at Hollywood studios tend to like to do the action, destruction, boom boom in outer space, etc. stuff, over the less in-your-face thoughtful drama. Your comments about Spock were very perceptive. So many newbies think Vulcans have no emotion, but the series actually explains that Vulcans are feeling beings like us; it's just that they have determined suppression of emotions eliminates a lot of problems that they have had in their history, actually. So, good call. Can't wait for the next one. :)
This show, along with its predecessors like "The Twilight Zone," were groundbreaking for their time. The better episodes tackled some tough sociopolitical and moral topics that were as important then as they are now. Given that Trek was produced at the height of Cold War tensions, the Klingons were a substitute for the Soviet government.
Throughout the series, Kirk continues to vary between being harsh and demanding when he needs to be while mostly being a genial dictator like any captain of a capital ship. Several times he walks back, something he said that was too harsh, very human. It is fun seeing your reactions; remembering my first reaction 57 years ago. 😊
Being A Huge Star Trek & Star Gate Fan can say these shows are indeed Great Entertainment !!! I Still say it was the Original Star Trek that created so many spin-offs that were so successful !!! Demon in the Dark is one of my personal favorites !!! The scary Part is I own the entire original series , Generations , Deep space Nine & Enterprise all on DVD Hard copies along with The Star Gate Movies ,SG1 TV series & Atlantis & Yes the Original Star wars before Kathleen Kennedy !!!! Like Button Illuminated 😁
Thanks for sharing your time and this show with us. I always enjoy doing so and am grateful to you for the escape from the monotony of everyday life. Thanks Bunny.🥰
Where No Man Has Gone Before is actually the second pilot, but these weren’t released in order as they were filmed. They’re pretty episodic so theirs no real continuity loss by doing so. You can kind of notice it still though in some of the episodes, as the actors get more comfortable and into their groove with playing their characters and their interactions with each other. Some of the early episodes seem kind of out of character at times because an episode may have been filmed earlier than another. It’s not just the audience they’re introducing their character traits to, but each other as well. Also keep in mind their budget was extremely low! Hence the plant that was clearly a hand in a glove and the sets that move around when someone stumbles into them lol That’s one of the things with Star Trek The Motion Picture and Wrath Of Kahn, their budget was way bigger so we were treated to better effects, props, makeup, and set design! Love your commentary! Can’t wait for more reactions
I'm sure someone has already pointed this out in the comments, but just in case: "The Man Trap" was actually the 4th regular series episode produced. The second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" actually sold the series as more action-oriented and would be the third episode broadcast in 1966. When you get to it you will see it used many of the sets and costumes created for "The Cage." "The Man Trap" was chosen by the network as the first broadcast episode because it was felt it was the most action-adventury of the handful of episodes they had already produced. You will notice many subtle changes in costumes and character portrayal as the early episodes jump back and forth in production order. Eventually, around mid-season, things started to be more concrete and episodes were shown more in the order they were produced.
What a fun episode to watch!!! I enjoyed this one a lot, when I tell friends and family about Star Trek I usually talk about this episode and what I appreciate about the episode is you see everything that’s going on the starship enterprise. I feel like you are getting good tour of the ship. Great video!!! Glad to see you happy and enjoying this show.
Nice reaction - I think one modification was having Kirk as a more action-oriented captain, tho I could have imagined them just having Pike do that - one interesting aspect of this show is how they set up these dilemmas - in many episodes, there's no real "villain" - each side has a strong reason for behaving as it does, and in the end, nobody "wins"; the show often resists reductive Good vs Evil scenarios - there's a spirit of inquiry and exploration - IMO the recent Master and Commander was closer to this spirit than the Abrams films
Yes, in this one, it was disappointing that it ended with killing (conflicted, but the killing of a new life form) in contrast to the monolog's lofty exploration theme. *But* in the wrap-up, Kirk is pensive, recalls "the buffalo," is not triumphalist. A bit similar to the "laurel leaves" ending of Adonais.
FWIW, this was indeed the first regular episode of Star Trek when it made it to air, but it wasn't technically the second pilot. That was "Where No Man Has Gone Before", which eventually aired as the third episode. (You'll be able to tell when you get there from the cast and some different props and special effects.)
I think TOS had a nice balance of more straight sci fi and the more thought provoking episodes. The first few do seem to represent the show "finding its way" which seems to be the norm for TV shows. You really caught on to what was up quite early, congrats! It's fun to watch your thoughts on these shows that I spent countless hours watching as a kid. And such a nice greeting to your dad at the end. I bet he's watching right along with you.
I hope this was filmed before you saw my post listing the episode production order. Just in case, here’s the order: (1) The Cage, (2) Where No Man Has Gone Before, (3) The Corbomite Maneuver, (4) Mudd’s Women, (5) The Enemy Within, (6) The Man Trap, (7) The Naked Time, (8) Charlie X, (9) Balance of Terror, (10) Dagger of the Mind, (11) What Are Little Girls Made Of?, (12) Miri, (13) The Conscience of the King, (14) The Galileo Seven, (15) Court-Martial, (16) The Menegarie Part 1 & 2, (17) Shore Leave, (18) The Squire of Gothos, (19) Arena, (20) The Alternative Factor, (21) Tomorrow is Yesterday, (22) Return of the Archons, (23) A Taste of Armageddon, (24) Space Seed, (25) This Side of Paradise, (26) The Devil in the Dark, (27) Errand of Mercy, (28) The City on the Edge of Forever, (29) Operation: Annihilate!
I was told Paramount+ listed them in production order so I just went with that, thinking it was the easy way to go about it. Unfortunately that information was wrong.
@@bunnytailsREACTSas a kid watching TOS via the first reruns, order didn't matter. Adult me can tell, but after watching the show a million times over thriugh the years, it no longer matters. Still, the monster reveal waa scary to a 6-yr old.
@@bunnytailsREACTS you will have a better time, and understand everything better if you switch to production order. it wont be complicated to figure out at all. sorry paramount has their heads up their butts.
The Salt Vampire is a killer, of course. But note that it gave Crater what he needed, and responds to Uhura, aboard the ship. It is not completely cruel. It kills for salt, so it can sustain itself.
When this was made people took salt pills when it was hot and they were sweating lots. It was considered necessary and healthy to have lots of salt in your diet. Things hace changed.
Enjoying your great reactions to these Star Trek episodes. Early on you nearly came up with an excellent alternate title for this one, "There's Something About Nancy".
One of the things demonstrated in this episode was that much of the show was just about seeing people perform routine tasks using 23rd century technology. It was cool seeing them deal with various problems using the starship's systems, the medical and communications technology etc. Seeing those systems sometimes encounter unexpected failures and the crew having to work around them. And notice how potent their weapons were. While Federation personnel didn't often resort to shooting, battles usually didn't last long when they did (unless they were intentionally using their weapons on stun-only settings to avoid injuring or killing the inhabitants of planets they were visiting). But one shot from a handheld phaser could easily destroy a 20 foor square section of a stone or metal wall, or completely disintegrate a 7' tall humanoid. So in classic Star Trek, there was lot more time spent deciding whether using lethal force was justified or a good idea, than actually using it. It's really the opposite of modern action-oriented scifi where everyone is blasting away constantly, usually missing and having little effect on the environment when their shots do hit something.
The 2. Pilot was "Where no man has gone before"! "The Man Trap" was the first episode to air on television on September 8, 1966. In the production order, it was the 5th episode in the first season!
The network (NBC) was still nervous about the "cerebral" nature of the show, so they juggled the order of the episodes to push more monster-based episodes to air earlier to ease the audience, who they didn't think could handle "smarter" stories, into the series. So, if you keep watching in broadcast order, you'll see details in uniforms and other things, like Spock's demeanor, shifting around a bit until the producers settle into a constant look. After the first 5-10 episodes, the broadcast and production order shake out to match. But your TOS videos are great! I'm loving your reactions, they are spot-on.
This episode, with respect to crew and the look of the show, is what you will see going forward. 16:52 - Very good observation ! 😉 I love the reveal at the end, with Spock beating the hell out of Nancy, and the actual reveal. Good stuff.
*There were two pilots: First Pilot: "The Cage/The Menagerie" and the Second Pilot: "Where No Man Has Gone Before". This episode ("The Mantrap") was not a pilot, however, but actually the 6th episode of Star Trek filmed. As such, this was also the premiere episode - or the very first episode that NBC chose to release for Star Trek's network television debut. Prior to "The Mantrap", Star Trek had never been seen before and so this episode was the public's very first glimpse of it. And the monster? Well, turns out a woman wore the monster suit and based on her photograph quite an attractive one.*
Hang in there, I think you'll find it's worth it. As with any show, there are some episodes that are classic, and some that are sub-par. Even the lesser episodes usually tap into that Kirk-Spock-McCoy relationship to some degree. Thanks for continuing on the journey!
You are going to notice George Takei coming and going in various episodes. He was in several film productions during the first two seasons of Trek and wasn't always available to man the helm. (Thus Sulu's absence in "Space Seed.") Quite often some nameless redshirt will be steering the Enterprise on the weeks George was unavailable. It was one of the reasons a steady navigator character was created in the second season named Pavel Chekov.
bunnytails, you sound like an excellent role-player... and I've caught your very occasional D&D references. What makes me think you're a good RPer is that you can appreciate a blend of story, atmosphere and action. That's what RPing is when it's fun.
Your instincts are quite correct. This was not the second pilot (which I won't name). Nor was it supposed to be the first episode that Roddenberry wanted to air first after the series was picked up. NBC wanted to start things off with a more traditional sci-fi story. Things will get more Trek-like.
absolutely love this series of reviews. focusing on Star Trek original series is an awesome direction, as it will give you the grounding in knowing about all that the Star Trek universe is about / has to offer. This may seem out of place, but I'd also recommend watching Star Trek the animated series (1973-75) , as it continued the original cast concepts, but surprisingly for children's Saturday morning cartoons. The stories were written by real sci fi writers, original Star Trek writers, and even cast member Walter "Chekov" Koenig. Surprisingly he was the only original cast member who was not allowed to join the cast.... as it was considered a cost saving measure. Oddly, 2 actors who portrayed characters in the series ( series antagonist characters Cyrano Jones and Harry Judd) joined the cast for a couple of episodes , Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel and Number One, the second in command from The Cage) reprised her role as Nurse Chapel in the animated series, and she and James "Scotty Doohan" reprised their roles as the voices of the ships computers (and they also did other random incidental voice over parts.) your assessments are really cool to see, and it's great to see someone do an assessment and review of the films and episodes. This is classic sci fi, and from the sound of it, it's awesome to see that you enjoy the series. As you pointed out, I loved the suspense filled side of this episode..... Kirk and crew not knowing who / what they were dealing with, and the alien moving amongst them , with its shape changing abilities, was definitely an interesting , and mildly creepy episode (a more modern take, to consider........ if you are into horror and haven't seen it yet, is the 1982 remake by John Carpenter , of The Thing...... highly suspenseful , but very gruesome.) another series recommendation , when you get done with watching Star Trek (any and all you plan on viewing) ...... I'd consider Space 1999, and Twilight Zone...... Twilight Zone was out prior (1959-64) to Star Trek and had individual stories of sci fi, suspense and horror , with (similar to Star Trek) messages and social commentary (and snap endings.) Space 1999 (1975-77) was an episodic show , like Star Trek, using science fiction to attempt to discuss perhaps more metaphysical issues/ spiritual issues, within a slightly harder sci fi story telling (in it's first season), and more action / sci fi edge in its second season . LOVE your reviews !!!!! Keep up the awesome show !
It's so fun watching your reactions! You're very intuitive when it comes to the story. Through your reaction, it's like getting to watch the episode for the first time again!
George Takei (Sulu) was absent for about half of season two because filming on "The Green Berets", a movie he was in with John Wayne ran unexpectedly long. While he was gone many lines that were supposed to be Sulu's went to Walter Koenig (Chekov).
Hey Bunny! glad to see you back! Lets see, I've been a Trekkie all my life and have seen everything too many times to count. But this episode is just okay . There are a few worse. But many better. When I think of Star Trek, I don't much think of Man Trap. =] I was glad to see Sulu here. I'm Asian. And when I was young, long ago, almost every other Asian I saw on TV or in a movie was an ugly charicature of an Asian. Buck tooth with thick round glasses and a funky accent. The better ones did Kung fu. Most were servants or did laundry. Alot of bad guys. But Sulu was different. Calm cool and professional. My only role model that I could look up to. Star Trek was a future I looked up to. Loved it back then. =]
Awesome review. Also later on in the series you notice a trend of crew deaths that primarily wear RED shirts. This led to a saying that still exists today that uninportant cast members or extras that quickly die off in an episode are RED SHIRTERS. As you watch this series you will notice the same thing. Also, each color of shirt means something different in this series: BLUE for sciences, YELLOW for command, and RED technical/security. Usually security personnel wearing RED shirts are the first to die off on any landing party.
I'm glad you're able to see past the slightly? dated? sets of TOS, and enjoy the depth of the stories, that's what Star Trek is, the study of humanity in deep space. And I feel really bad for McCoy in this episode. Imagine you're in your 40's, you run into an old girlfriend/boyfriend from high school, someone you really cared about, and still reminece and tell stories about to your friends. You quickly start to workout, trying to look as good as you can when you see her again, than people start dying, everyone blames her, you refuse to believe it, and you have to end up offing your high school girlfriend/boyfriend/crush to keep her from killing your friends. It's tragic, great story, love TOS. Keep it up eh kiddo. Live long and prosper... :)
Someone, or many someones, may have told you this already, but The Man Trap is not the second pilot, however it was the First Star Trek episode to be broadcast. The 2nd pilot was Where No Man Has Gone Before, but it was the third episode aired out-of-sequence. The Man Trap was also the first Star Trek episode I ever saw, in it's first broadcast. I barely remember it as I've never seen it since, until now!
Yup, I'm all for cerebral rather than action if I have to choose between the two. I think that's why I enjoy your channel so much - you think about what you're watching. Many of the movies I hope you'll watch one day are those that make me think. Shape shifters crop up from time to time on Star Trek. It's a handy way to keep us guessing. I vaguely remember this episode from my childhood, mostly the hideous creature she really was (which in black and white looked more realistic). And to go deeper, when three people look at the same person and all see somebody different, it isn't a lot different to the various personas we adopt when with different people.
Several others have mentioned that these were originally broadcast out of order, usually because of problems getting the special effects completed on time. Most streaming services present the series in the air date order, but the actual production order for the first episodes is: 1. Where No Man Has Gone Before (2nd pilot) 2. The Corbomite Maneuver 3. Mudd's Women 4. The Enemy Within 5. The Man Trap 6. The Naked Time 7. Charlie X 8. Balance of Terror 9. What Are Little Girls Made Of? 10. Dagger of the Mind 11. Miri 12. The Conscience of the King 13. The Galileo Seven 14. Court Martial 15/16. The Menagerie, Parts 1 & 2
4:06 "I noticed he had a Borgia plant in his hand. Before I could say anything, he'd taken a bite from it and he... fell." I mean, standard Starfleet landing party procedures aside, it's _still_ a bit of a stretch a _human being_ would be inclined to eat part of a plant from another _planet._ The simple fact that it's from another planet ought to make caution the most natural inclination in the _world._
I don't think the network ever really understood what Star Trek was trying to do. Sci-fi on TV in that era was mainly people fighting Bug-Eyed Monsters (Lost in Space had a lot of this) and this episode was one the network actually understood and agreed to air. The they aired the other episodes that were available and made more.
Hey there! Just thought I'd make a quick suggestion! A friend of mine (rolliepollie reactions) is also making his way through the star trek catalog. The way he's doing it, which i think is brilliant, is by looking at the most acclaimed episodes from each series, from which there are plenty, watching and reacting to those and then moving on to the next series. He also watches the rest of the episodes from each series on his own time to fill in the blanks. By doing it this way, you get to experience the very best and most relevant aspects of the show with your viewers while at the same time advancing your own knowledge of the lore, while simultaneously keeping things fresh and giving the viewers the best stuff to look forward to every week. He really seems to be getting a great response from it and I know I've super enjoyed that format! Just a thought!
I always loved the original series sound tracks and sound effects. Season 3, episode 9 called The Tholian Web is a classic for low action, gripping suspense and Spock/McCoy drama (McCoy stops antagonizing and starts working with Spock to save Kirk). The sound track is terrific ... when McCoy's hand passes through a dissolving table and then a corpse. By this time production had things figured out.
Loving ur reactions channel since i found u on "The Wrath of Khan". So happy ur doing the Original Series. Just remember, Kiddo, they're not all AMAZING episodes. The ones that are, though, u'll remember them forever. Like i mentioned once before im in my mid-fifties, like ur dad for u, it was my late sister that got me hooked on Trek when i was but a young boy. I've been loyal until the "new" stuff that started coming out. It doesnt understand the heart of Trek. It just uses the name. If u ever dig into the other series u will find the best Trek show will be "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"
Yep. Ds9 started off badly, but improved drastically once the Dominion was introduced. It us, overall, the second best series... with TNG being #3, and TOS (including the animated episodes) being #1.
"Where No Man Has Gone Before" is actually the second pilot. You'll notice that the uniforms are the same/similar as they were in "The Cage." Episodes were not aired in the order of production, mostly due to some episodes involved more SFX than others, thus more money. These episodes took longer to finish than others, therefore they would air the ones that were finished and ready to go to keep up with the weekly schedule. Things are done completely different in today's world, where each episode will have a month or two for production.
Gene Roddenberry fought hard to keep it from becoming a "different monster every week" show but they did sprinkle in a few. For the shot at 9:05 he sent a guy shopping to find some "futuristic salt & pepper shakers". He came back with a selection and some of the ones not used were made into medical device props.
You will see the uniform change in the true second pilot. The executives insisted that this be the first episode that AIRED because it had a monster in it. (Twilight zone and outer limits were popular so they wanted something like that to be the first episode hook)
I am so happy that you are watching the Original star trek. Mr Spock was supposed to be enigmatic. he was supposed to be alien, but half human, and in this iteration of spock, Leonard plays him as a man trying to hide his humanity and embrace his vulcan side, and prove hes vulcan in spite of his human genes. That upsets McCoy, because McCoy thinks spock is ashamed of his human side, meaning he must not like humans. Its a real interesting dynamic for them. McCoy gets pissed at spock for shunning his humanity, and Spock gets pissed at McCoy for being irrational, and Kirk is stuck in the middle. There are several wonderful episodes where these players demonstrate wonderful storytelling: But, admittedly, there are a few bad episodes too. Still, this is your journey and I am excited to watch you go through it.
Although this wasn’t filmed as the first episode, I think it’s a good first episode (original aired order). It hits a lot of notes that convey what Star Trek is about and I think would pull in more viewers than the Cage or Where No Man Has Gone Before.
These were aired out of production order. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is the title of the second pilot. I agree, a cerebral show can hold its own and action isn't always needed. You will see some character dynamics get fleshed out over time including what it means to be a Vulcan.
Fun fact: The gold shirts worn by Kirk and Sulu were actually green but between the material, the lights, and the color process used on the show they appeared gold. Later on, Kirk gets a wrap-around tunic of a different material that looks very green.
A great early episode. Keep in mind that these are the remastered episode. They have updated effects using some CGI, and tweaked soundtracks. The crew member that is added later is Chekov. Added because some people wondered with such a varied crew why there wasn't a Russian on board, So Walter Koenig was brought in.
It's funny... when Paramount released "Star Trek" on VHS tapes decades ago, the episodes were listed and released in PRODUCTION ORDER. But when the series was released on DVD, the episodes were listed and released in AIRDATE ORDER, and have been listed that way ever since. Personally, I prefer watching the series in production order so that the subtle changes that were made as the series progressed don't stand out so glaringly. But other people prefer it in the airdate order, so to each his or her own. I'm sure NBC had their reasons for wanting to air "The Man Trap" as the first episode, but I personally don't think it was the best of the handful of completed episodes that they had to choose from. I still think the very first produced episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver" would have been the best episode to start the series. Also, just a reminder... you are watching the 2007 "remastered" version of the series, where all the special effects and ship shots have been replaced with CGI. Up until that time, you would see the original ship effects, where the Enterprise didn't always look the same. There is a reason for that... the 11 foot model underwent two major modifications after it's appearance in "The Cage". The first major modification was for the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Internal lighting and some upper saucer markings were added. When that second pilot sold, the model was again modified. This time, extra internal lighting was added, the saucer navigational lights were "moved", spinning fans and lighting was added to the front of the engine nacelles, the upper saucer markings that were added for the second pilot were removed, and a few more things. BUT... stock shots were made using the previous 2nd pilot modifications, and for whatever reason, those shots would continue to be used throughout the series, mixed with the current model stock shots... making it appear that the Enterprise was changing somewhat from shot to shot. Of course, since you are watching the remastered version, that bit of continuity error has been corrected with the CGI Enterprise, but if you ever decide to watch the original version of the episodes, you will now know why that change occurs. Sorry for rambling... just though you might like to know about this.
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The silver things Uhura and Spock have in their ears are essentially Bluetooth earphones decades before any such thing became available to the public.
And the communicators are like foldable phones from two decades ago, which have became out of style again.
Now we are using devices that look more like the PADDs from The Next Generation (still waiting for my combadge …)
Also the use of memory disks, which looked like the 3.5" disks used a lot on 90s PCs - then came SD cards, memory sticks and cloud saves.
A lot of Star Trek's design was adopted into real tech, and some even went away again.
TOS did a great job of seeing into the future. I saw a documentary that the creator of the modern cell phone got his idea from the ST communicator
@cau_No. Actually there are literal com badges that act as Bluetooth connections to your phone.
@@noneya3635 No. Actually, _literal_ combadges do not yet exist. A bluetooth connection to a phone is not a combadge :O
@@noneya3635an Apple Watch can basically be a com-badge
These were aired out of order. Where No Man Has Gone Before was the second pilot. Hope you like it.
Yes, it was the sixth episode produced, but the network wanted it as the premiere.
Yeah, in the very first 2 episodes Kirk had a different style of shirt.
The first actual episode they filmed after the show was greenlit as a series was The Corbomite Maneuver. It's also the first time we see the uniforms with the black collar and they look like they still need some work. Everybody's looks a little different and none of them fit very well.
That's an episode with a lot of optical effects which took time so, it ended up being shown later
Yes much like _Firefly_ an arbitrary decision was made by executives to air the episodes out of order to give people what they thought they would want/expect. With _Star Trek_ it was an alien monster; with _Firefly_ it was a train robbery.
@@CFWhitmanAt least Firefly made it to home video and streaming in the intended order instead of the jumbled airdate order. TOS is exclusively available jumbled.
The Star Trek episodes are quite diverse. Some are really heavy and even violent, while others are comedic, and others are very intellectual. There are also some romances. Not every episode has space battles. The diversity makes the series great.
Please keep in mind that the creators and actors don't have everything dialed in yet. They're still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't work. The next few episodes will be a learning experience for everyone involved.
I’d argue it took until the second movie to really get it all dialed in. Wrath is Trek perfection.
I big time disagree. The network told them they wanted a "space Western" (interesting too because the three main actors here also appeared together in several Westerns before Trek.) Gene Roddenberry had a vision, and they all fought hard to get their show to be true to that grand vision despite the Network Nitwits.
@Philimagne I guess I don't know what you mean. Nimoy said he didn't start to understand his character until that first "Fascinating" in Corbonite Manuever. The Vulcan neck pinch wasn't until The Enemy Within because Nimoy just thought of it on the spot. Shatner based his performance on Alexander the Great. But as the show went on Shatner tailored it until he wasn't playing Alexander and was playing Captain James T. Kirk! Deforrest Kelly liked Dr. McCoy because he saw the opportunities for humor. From that, we got the famous bantering where Spock and McCoy would get on each other's nerves.
@@c1ph3rpunk
Well, "The Wrath of Khan" is by far the best movie, despite its miniscule budget. But that was because it felt the most like the original series, in my opinion.
Amazing how having a limited budget so often results in a better story being told, huh?
I felt the Corbomite waa pretty good for a 1st ep including character performances.
I watched these episodes every day after school growing up. It drove my dad crazy.
Westerns were massive at the time. Gene Roddenberry sold the studio on the concept of a Western in space. He needed to somewhat deliver on that, at least until they 'got' his vision for what Star Trek should be. A bright future with an enlightened version of humanity venturing into a big galaxy.
You talk about the emotional vs logical. Star Trek TOS actually has three leaders. Kirk, the overall leader, largely leads and motivates through emotional argument, an agent of pathos, but is also ethical and logical. When Spock ventures an opinion, which regularly sways the path the ship takes, he represents a logical or logos argument, but is also ethical. When Dr McCoy is involved in the decision making, he will always be arguing an ethical point of view first, and will therefore make an ethos-based argument often splashing in pathos and trying to ignore pure logic (he tries, but he isn't prone to being outright illogical either). And if the decision is a medical one, well sometimes his opinion actually trumps that of the other two.
If you are a master of ethos, logos and pathos arguments and know how to use them together, you can pretty much persuade most people to your point of view!
An interesting tidbit about this episode: they wanted to find some futuristic-looking salt shakers, to fit in with the 23rd-century trappings of the show. They found some really-odd looking salt shakers, but felt that the audience would not recognize them as salt shakers. So they used the ones Janice was using when Green was watching her shake some salt onto her food -- ordinary-looking ones (guess you can't reinvent the wheel, huh?) but the weird- looking ones became some of Dr. McCoy's medical instruments!
Anyway, love your reactions! I've watched these shows in reruns since the 70s, and I'm interested to see what the younger crowd thinks of them. Have a nice day.
My family always referred to Bones' hand held medical scanner as a "salt shaker." Now it makes sense.
I truly envy you getting to watch this for the first time! I hope you stay with it so we can continue watching the journey.
Great reaction! I saw all the TOS episodes in reruns in the early 1970's. Two Philadelphia TV stations would run an episode every weeknight, and at one point one of the stations was showing two per day. I saw all of them before I was a teenager, and many more times since then. The killing of the alien never made sense to me. The purpose of the Enterprise was "to seek out new life and new civilizations" and this creature was the last of its kind. Yes it had killed several crewmen, and perhaps it even preferred obtaining salt from people instead of from tablets--although it was clear that it could survive on salt tablets alone since Crater had lived with it for over a year. I always thought a trained Star Fleet crew would have attempted to negotiate once the alien had been stunned and lots of people were present (although it was capable of projecting illusions to multiple people at the same time it didn't seem to be able to paralyze multiple people at once). I suppose they just needed to end the episode and it was more dramatic to have McCoy kill an alien that looked like the woman he loved. Also, it was at the beginning of the series so a dramatic ending would be better at attracting an audience as opposed to a rational solution. Let's not forget that Star Trek was sold to the network as "'Wagon Train' to the stars" ("Wagon Train" was a western TV show), and westerns often ended with a shootout. However, note the contrast between this episode and "The Devil in the Dark" later in the season.
“Crater fucked that thing?!” Love your commentary from an adult perspective.
Are those suckers "adaptable"?
Well yeah, this thing can become whomever you fancy for the price of salt, one hell of a bargain lol
I’m still laughing at that line an hour after watching the video.
Just when I thought she was going to be g - rated.
The look on Bunny's face. 😄
Even though this is extremely early, this to me is quintessential Original Series. A self-contained episode, a mysterious planet, a unique new alien monster, some character bits with the crew, and Kirk, Spock and McCoy on full display as the "Big Three" characters. And I don't care how silly those sets can look, I absolutely love them. We have to remember that this is only, what, 15 years after television really blew up as a unique medium, and it initially was patterned not after cinema, but after theater. I think most of the early live shows were broadcast out of NYC, not LA, so their talent pool was heavily slanted towards Broadway and Off-Broadway, and the first original works for television tended to be either adaptations of stage plays or original scripts from established playwrights. So audiences were a lot more forgiving of fake-looking sets, in the same way that audiences for a play can accept that the stage sets are "real" for the purposes of the story and the characters even if they don't look "realistic."
The story of the salt monster and Dr. Crater is weirdly poignant and tragic to me. Crater doesn't strike me as a nice guy, as you picked up, but he's not really a villain either. He just seems to be someone who thought he didn't need anyone else in his life, and gravitated towards a solitary profession, but then was lucky enough to fall in love with someone willing enough to accept a life like that, living alone sifting through the ruins of a dead world. And when he lost Nancy, he wasn't prepared for the pain he felt, and something inside him broke, and he rationalized living this lie with a shapeshifting animal, pretending it was his wife. He didn't even have the excuse of temporary insanity - he's consciously aware the entire time that "she" is not Nancy at all. He just can't stand being completely alone anymore, and is willing to play along. It's kind of a pathetic and horrible existence.
Thanks again for doing this, looking forward to the next episode.
That line where Crater establishes that he can 'see' the creature whatever shape it's in, even though it's sitting right next to him in McCoy's shape, leads to his death.
But Crater and the creature are almost alike in the way you describe, not needing anyone else, one due to it's nature, the other due to perhaps, driving away everyone preferring solitude.
Right on! This was Star Trek. I LOVE the planet Crater was from. It had a Mars quality about it, and those panning shots….paper mache… I like it better than anything hollywood puts out now. Practical effects will always be better!
Keep in mind that when these originally aired, most folks still only had a black & white tv that only measured 13-15" diagonally on average. Only really well-to-do folks could afford bigger, color TV's. And even then, the biggest console color TV's at the time were only 25" diagonally. They were more like a piece of furniture, the cabinets were made of heavy wood. Folks your age probably can't even imagine it. This was broadcast over the air, and you had a set of "rabbit ears" on top of your TV that you'd hafta move and set in different positions to get optimal tuning and reception. It was a completely different world we lived in. It was truly the best time to grow up in my humble opinion.
I remember back in the day when my job to change the channel and my brother's was to adjust the antenna.
@@HBHaga Hahaha! I can most definitely relate to that!!!
Yay, the adventure continues ... Thanks for allowing us to hop along for the journey!
You're welcome!
@@bunnytailsREACTS Don't let anyone tell you how to watch the series. There is no wrong way to watch TOS. I for one am just happy to see you enjoying the ride. There are a lot of great episodes ahead! I really enjoy your reactions. Keep 'em coming!
I enjoy your reactions!
This episode, in addition to being the first piece of Star Trek that television audiences ever saw, has a couple of other anomalies:
- There are four rooms aboard ship that comprise Dr McCoy's work environment. In the overwhelming majority of the episodes, that collection of rooms (McCoy's office, McCoy's medical lab, the examination room, and a room with beds for recuperating patients) is called "Sickbay." In this episode only, it's called the "Dispensary." I've never heard an explanation as to why.
- I don't think we see McCoy's living quarters in any other episode.
- There's a very atypical dynamic between Kirk and McCoy in this episode. In most episodes of the series, McCoy and Kirk are friends, and both express that friendship (and that is also the case in this episode). McCoy normally calls Kirk, 'Jim' as part of that friendship. Early in this episode, however, McCoy is off his game: he's unusually distracted by Nancy, and also fails to provide Kirk with timely information. (What killed Sturgeon?) When Kirk admonishes him, McCoy realizes that he's failed Kirk, and has failed to live up to his own usual standards. So as a consequence, McCoy retreats from his usual, privileged position (of being informal with Kirk) and repeatedly addresses Kirk as, "sir," which is not normally McCoy's style. As you'll see, the Kirk-McCoy relationship is similar to the one depicted between Captain Pike and Pike's own ship's Doctor, Dr. Boyce. Boyce and McCoy can get away with things that other ship personnel can't, when it comes to interacting with their respective Captains. This is often seen in the form of two-way advice that flows between the two men. Also, Kirk lets his guard down with McCoy from time to time, and expresses a deep vulnerability that he would not dare do with other crew members (unless under the influence of some outside force, as you'll see.)
As someone who was a child counting the days when these first aired, it is awesome to kind-of re-live them again through you. Of course, by now I have seen them all countless times.
You’re doing a great job. You mentioned you like the “cerebral” stories best. You’ll find Star Trek the most intelligent, philosophical sci-fi ever on TV, even by todays standards. Each episode is its own contained story, and you’ll find a nice variety. Trek is an allegorical show where Humans have “figured it out” but aliens are used in the series to demonstrate todays social and moral dilemmas. The great thing is Star Trek doesn’t tell you what or how to think. It gives you something to think ABOUT.
Well said!
Though I feel that aspect has been lost in the "Nu-Trek" Era, or basically post ENT.
Well, JJ always said that he hated the "cerebral" aspects of Trek... which us why he and his acolytes removed that, entirely, from modern (post-2009)Trek.
@carybrown851 I like JJ Abrams stuff....but I would disagree with his dislike of "cerebral" stuff/element.
IMO that's what makes it!
Just wait until she gets to "The Enemy Within" 😁
Your study of ancient televisual artifacts is fascinating, please continue.
Whitney wrote that she and George Takei kept cracking up during the "botany" sequence.
Agreed, well written sci fi doesn’t “need” action to keep people interested.
And to all of my original Trek fans out there - I HIGHLY recommend 'Star Trek Continues' which was aired as webisodes from 2013-2017 (this series wraps-up the 5 year mission of the original Star Trek).
There are 10 episodes which are shot in the exact same manner as the original series with the same music as well. And they are really, really good! (the first episode even has the same actor who played Apollo in the original Trek). Can watch them all on the RUclips 'Star Trek Continues' channel.
Solid shows, some very good ones
Sulu was absent from nine consecutive episodes in the middle of the season 1, the result of a film George Takei was working on over-running.
"Bridge Over The River Kwai," as I recall...
@@carybrown851Thought it was "The Green Berets" with John Wayne, but could be wrong.
@@jamesbednar3108 No, "Green Berets" caused Sulu to miss out on more than half of Season 2.
@@JGM154 THANKS for the correction
He was not in the movie Bridge over the River Kwai.@@carybrown851
Fun Fact: The actress who played the Salt Vampire in "The Man Trap" (Sandra Gimpel) was also one of the Talosians in "The Cage"🙂
Happy to see another episode.
The knuckle biting was a tell so the audience could identify the creature no matter what form it was in.
The final version of Star Trek was essentially a space Western, pitched to the execs as "Wagon Train in Space." The action elements are basically the same as on the Westerns of the era.
I have a small story to tell ya. Leonard Nimoy once told how a few decades ago he was walking about in public when he got a phone call. He pulled out his brand new flip phone, flipped it open, put it to his ear, and answered the call. But then he noticed that everyone around him was staring at him! Why? Then he realized. He had just repeated the same motion he had done for years as Spock answering his communicator. lol.
You're doing wonderfully with TOS! And you honestly stated what we were all thinking Crater was doing with the Salt Vampire 😮
Keep it up!
I am really enjoying your reactions to the original series, I look forward to enjoying the nostalgia of these episodes.
Happy to hear :)
Well, as several people have pointed out now, and as I suggested in my comments re: "The Cage," there are two different viewing orders: "as aired" versus "as produced." And while this was the first episode ever aired, it was actually filmed nearly halfwaybthrough the first season. As I mentioned last time, the "production order" is a better viewing order, as things often don't "fit" otherwise, particularly during the first season.
The second pilot is called "Where No Man Has Gone Before." And the first "regular production" episode is called "The Corbomite Maneuver." Both are far superior to "The Man Trap," which is in my opinion the weakest episode of the first season. However, NBC chose to air it first because it was the closest to how the execs viewed "science fiction" at the time... complete with rubber-suited monster. On the other hand, "Corbomite" turns that entire precept on its proverbial ear... I won't dpoil that for you but it really is far closer to the "spirit of Star Trek" I've loved since I saw these, first-run, as an infant!
Seriously... "Production viewing order" matters.
Yes, I recommended viewing by production order after "The Cage." Besides the fact that production order is how everyone watched the show in syndication for decades (which is what built STAR TREK into what it is), you get to watch the show figure out what it is. And yeah, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and "The Corbomite Maneuver" are both classic (it's good to see some appreciation for the latter, which I've always loved but I think gets slighted at times).
Yeah, I recommend watching the first half-dozen episodes in production order. Otherwise, you'll get jarring anachronisms like "Who's this ship's doctor? What happened to McCoy?", "Why are Uhura and Scotty in tan uniforms?", "Why is Sulu suddenly a botanist, rather than driving the ship?", "Why is Spock shouting?".
Plus, early in the second pilot, they make a point to give you interior shots you'll never see again, to introduce the Enterprise and just how big it is.
Lots of people recommended it, and I fully intended to do so, but my friend told me Paramount+ had them in production order and that was incorrect information.
Your message to your dad still gets to me.
@@bunnytailsREACTS For whatever reason, it became a fad, around the time the original complete-season DVD collections were released, to put them in order of airdate. At the end of the day though, the airing order was just one of several mistakes the network made with the show. "The Man Trap" really was a weak ep, whereas "Where No Man Has Gone Before," the 2nd pilot, is a classic. @JJ_W is right about the anachronisms too. But as I said before, production order lets you see them figure out the show, the characters, their interactions, the production design, etc. as they go. Like watching it being born.
There are various lists with the production order, so to be somewhat insufferable, I'll even link to one!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes#Production_order
Enjoy the show. It really is one of the best things TV ever coughed up.
You are going to see artistic and cast changes between the first pilot, the second pilot and the next few episodes as they work things out. The first pilot "The Cage" was rejected for different reasons but the second "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was commissioned because the first gave studio execs a realistic feel of being on a disciplined, military-like spaceship. This was a good thing since WWII (1941-1945 for the US) was still in adults memory. IRL navies, orders are barked out and repeated, officers and crew have informal titles which are restatements of formal titles (Number One, XO, Executive Officer all the same thing).
Exactly true. Modern trek is made by people with neither a grasp of, nor an appreciation for, the realities of military service.
1960s Star Trek was effectively the US Navy. 1980s Trek was more like the British navy, blending both modern and age-of-sail aspects (which Roddenberry originally intended for TOS as well).
Modern Trek is more like "frat boys on daddy's yacht." Unsurprising, given that the producers... starting with Jeffrey Jacob Abrams, brat of CBS/Paramount studio exec Gerald W. Abrams, who is literally exactly that... know nothing else.
Good catch on the "nice heels." The Star Trek cosplay Holy Grail is a pair of black boots with the proper Cuban heel to fit the look of the series. 🙂
Great reaction! Lots of good insights. Looking forward to continuing this journey with you-I've been a huge TOS fan from the time I was old enough to watch TV; seeing it again through your eyes is a real treat!
OMG. Your reactions of Star Trek and now the series won't come fast enough lol. OMG I love this!!! Barely anyone does these and you're doing it all! Beyond awesome. Many peeps don't understand how good and influential Star Trek is to society. You get it now a bit and still seeing and it's so awesome to see your Trek through Trek lol. Love this!! I can not wait for more!!! Been seeing you do the few already of Trek and its so Fracking Awesome! And oh man hearing you say you miss and love your dad hit me. :)
I am happy that you are doing this, bunnytails. I am a trekkie from 1966. I first watched these episodes when they were first broadcast. Looking at your reaction videos is like re-living that part of my life. Boldly we go!!! 🙂
This was the first episode aired but the 6th one made. They went back and forth on which one to air first and they settled on this one. Unlike Strange New Worlds, the Original ST was done on a very low budget.
The creature was a salt vampire. This episode left you wondering why they didn't take this last surviving member of this species to another planet where there was a lot of salt. Or for that matter, Prof. Crater should've told Star Fleet about this problem early on and they could've arranged to either give this creature a huge stockpile of salt or take it to another planet where salt was abundant.
Love your final comment and tribute to your dad. I think they added action sequences because of network requests, but it does add excitement.
Welcome Bunnytails to the world of Salt Vampires. The last of its kind. The last of the buffalo.
As a huge fan of TOS, I'm very excited for you. I know what episodes you have to see this season. The show really comes together in the next few episodes to become the science fiction legend it is today. Always bear in mind this show ran from 1966-69. Focus on the story and characters. This is going to be fun 😊
Yep just wait until you get to 'City on the Edge of Forever' - best episode of any Star Trek series.
I wholeheartedly agree! "City" is amazing!
Man, that was fun. Been waiting and checking every day ... when's "Bunny" gonna get to the first episode. Boom! Today!!! Really enjoyed how you let us view the episode in the correct aspect ratio, full-screen. Others have either stretched the picture, made it tiny, or edited the crap out of it. This was A LOT OF FUN. Your mindset about not minding a more thinking show is probably why you're suited to watching Trek. Suits at Hollywood studios tend to like to do the action, destruction, boom boom in outer space, etc. stuff, over the less in-your-face thoughtful drama.
Your comments about Spock were very perceptive. So many newbies think Vulcans have no emotion, but the series actually explains that Vulcans are feeling beings like us; it's just that they have determined suppression of emotions eliminates a lot of problems that they have had in their history, actually. So, good call. Can't wait for the next one. :)
Your thoughtful reactions are appreciated by fans of the content. You nailed it on the salt creature. Welcome to Star Trek.
Thanks!
AKA "Salt Vampire," one of the creepiest creatures in TOS.
Welcome to the world of Star Trek. Ive been a fan since I was in (1974). My older brothers got me into Star Trek.
This show, along with its predecessors like "The Twilight Zone," were groundbreaking for their time. The better episodes tackled some tough sociopolitical and moral topics that were as important then as they are now.
Given that Trek was produced at the height of Cold War tensions, the Klingons were a substitute for the Soviet government.
The Outer Limits had a lot more SF stories than T.Z.
Throughout the series, Kirk continues to vary between being harsh and demanding when he needs to be while mostly being a genial dictator like any captain of a capital ship. Several times he walks back, something he said that was too harsh, very human. It is fun seeing your reactions; remembering my first reaction 57 years ago. 😊
Being A Huge Star Trek & Star Gate Fan can say these shows are indeed Great Entertainment !!! I Still say it was the Original Star Trek that created so many spin-offs that were so successful !!!
Demon in the Dark is one of my personal favorites !!!
The scary Part is I own the entire original series , Generations , Deep space Nine & Enterprise all on DVD Hard copies along with The Star Gate Movies ,SG1 TV series & Atlantis & Yes the Original Star wars before Kathleen Kennedy !!!! Like Button Illuminated 😁
Thanks for sharing your time and this show with us. I always enjoy doing so and am grateful to you for the escape from the monotony of everyday life. Thanks Bunny.🥰
You're welcome!
Shows that Bunny knows more than 60's Network Executives. :D
Where No Man Has Gone Before is actually the second pilot, but these weren’t released in order as they were filmed. They’re pretty episodic so theirs no real continuity loss by doing so. You can kind of notice it still though in some of the episodes, as the actors get more comfortable and into their groove with playing their characters and their interactions with each other. Some of the early episodes seem kind of out of character at times because an episode may have been filmed earlier than another. It’s not just the audience they’re introducing their character traits to, but each other as well. Also keep in mind their budget was extremely low! Hence the plant that was clearly a hand in a glove and the sets that move around when someone stumbles into them lol That’s one of the things with Star Trek The Motion Picture and Wrath Of Kahn, their budget was way bigger so we were treated to better effects, props, makeup, and set design! Love your commentary! Can’t wait for more reactions
I'm sure someone has already pointed this out in the comments, but just in case: "The Man Trap" was actually the 4th regular series episode produced. The second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" actually sold the series as more action-oriented and would be the third episode broadcast in 1966. When you get to it you will see it used many of the sets and costumes created for "The Cage."
"The Man Trap" was chosen by the network as the first broadcast episode because it was felt it was the most action-adventury of the handful of episodes they had already produced. You will notice many subtle changes in costumes and character portrayal as the early episodes jump back and forth in production order. Eventually, around mid-season, things started to be more concrete and episodes were shown more in the order they were produced.
What a fun episode to watch!!! I enjoyed this one a lot, when I tell friends and family about Star Trek I usually talk about this episode and what I appreciate about the episode is you see everything that’s going on the starship enterprise. I feel like you are getting good tour of the ship. Great video!!! Glad to see you happy and enjoying this show.
Nice reaction - I think one modification was having Kirk as a more action-oriented captain, tho I could have imagined them just having Pike do that - one interesting aspect of this show is how they set up these dilemmas - in many episodes, there's no real "villain" - each side has a strong reason for behaving as it does, and in the end, nobody "wins"; the show often resists reductive Good vs Evil scenarios - there's a spirit of inquiry and exploration - IMO the recent Master and Commander was closer to this spirit than the Abrams films
Yes, in this one, it was disappointing that it ended with killing (conflicted, but the killing of a new life form) in contrast to the monolog's lofty exploration theme. *But* in the wrap-up, Kirk is pensive, recalls "the buffalo," is not triumphalist. A bit similar to the "laurel leaves" ending of Adonais.
FWIW, this was indeed the first regular episode of Star Trek when it made it to air, but it wasn't technically the second pilot. That was "Where No Man Has Gone Before", which eventually aired as the third episode. (You'll be able to tell when you get there from the cast and some different props and special effects.)
That's pretty much exactly what I just posted, but you beat me to it by 7 hours. 😕
I think TOS had a nice balance of more straight sci fi and the more thought provoking episodes. The first few do seem to represent the show "finding its way" which seems to be the norm for TV shows. You really caught on to what was up quite early, congrats! It's fun to watch your thoughts on these shows that I spent countless hours watching as a kid. And such a nice greeting to your dad at the end. I bet he's watching right along with you.
I hope this was filmed before you saw my post listing the episode production order. Just in case, here’s the order: (1) The Cage, (2) Where No Man Has Gone Before, (3) The Corbomite Maneuver, (4) Mudd’s Women, (5) The Enemy Within, (6) The Man Trap, (7) The Naked Time, (8) Charlie X, (9) Balance of Terror, (10) Dagger of the Mind, (11) What Are Little Girls Made Of?, (12) Miri, (13) The Conscience of the King, (14) The Galileo Seven, (15) Court-Martial, (16) The Menegarie Part 1 & 2, (17) Shore Leave, (18) The Squire of Gothos, (19) Arena, (20) The Alternative Factor, (21) Tomorrow is Yesterday, (22) Return of the Archons, (23) A Taste of Armageddon, (24) Space Seed, (25) This Side of Paradise, (26) The Devil in the Dark, (27) Errand of Mercy, (28) The City on the Edge of Forever, (29) Operation: Annihilate!
Yep, and it wasn't until "Devil in the Dark" that everything felt fully fleshed out, and "order" stopped mattering.
As a 1960s TV show the order doesn't really matter since it was assumed it would be watched out of order in syndication reruns.
I was told Paramount+ listed them in production order so I just went with that, thinking it was the easy way to go about it. Unfortunately that information was wrong.
@@bunnytailsREACTSas a kid watching TOS via the first reruns, order didn't matter. Adult me can tell, but after watching the show a million times over thriugh the years, it no longer matters. Still, the monster reveal waa scary to a 6-yr old.
@@bunnytailsREACTS you will have a better time, and understand everything better if you switch to production order. it wont be complicated to figure out at all. sorry paramount has their heads up their butts.
The Salt Vampire is a killer, of course. But note that it gave Crater what he needed, and responds to Uhura, aboard the ship. It is not completely cruel. It kills for salt, so it can sustain itself.
When this was made people took salt pills when it was hot and they were sweating lots. It was considered necessary and healthy to have lots of salt in your diet. Things hace changed.
Enjoying your great reactions to these Star Trek episodes. Early on you nearly came up with an excellent alternate title for this one, "There's Something About Nancy".
One of the things demonstrated in this episode was that much of the show was just about seeing people perform routine tasks using 23rd century technology. It was cool seeing them deal with various problems using the starship's systems, the medical and communications technology etc. Seeing those systems sometimes encounter unexpected failures and the crew having to work around them. And notice how potent their weapons were. While Federation personnel didn't often resort to shooting, battles usually didn't last long when they did (unless they were intentionally using their weapons on stun-only settings to avoid injuring or killing the inhabitants of planets they were visiting). But one shot from a handheld phaser could easily destroy a 20 foor square section of a stone or metal wall, or completely disintegrate a 7' tall humanoid. So in classic Star Trek, there was lot more time spent deciding whether using lethal force was justified or a good idea, than actually using it. It's really the opposite of modern action-oriented scifi where everyone is blasting away constantly, usually missing and having little effect on the environment when their shots do hit something.
Wow, I just finished the pilot review and this appeared in that time. Thank you.
14:50 You are hilarious! Refreshingly genuine.🖖
The 2. Pilot was "Where no man has gone before"! "The Man Trap" was the first episode to air on television on September 8, 1966. In the production order, it was the 5th episode in the first season!
The network (NBC) was still nervous about the "cerebral" nature of the show, so they juggled the order of the episodes to push more monster-based episodes to air earlier to ease the audience, who they didn't think could handle "smarter" stories, into the series. So, if you keep watching in broadcast order, you'll see details in uniforms and other things, like Spock's demeanor, shifting around a bit until the producers settle into a constant look. After the first 5-10 episodes, the broadcast and production order shake out to match.
But your TOS videos are great! I'm loving your reactions, they are spot-on.
This episode, with respect to crew and the look of the show, is what you will see going forward.
16:52 - Very good observation ! 😉
I love the reveal at the end, with Spock beating the hell out of Nancy, and the actual reveal. Good stuff.
If someone can knock Spock across the room, they're very strong.
*There were two pilots: First Pilot: "The Cage/The Menagerie" and the Second Pilot: "Where No Man Has Gone Before". This episode ("The Mantrap") was not a pilot, however, but actually the 6th episode of Star Trek filmed. As such, this was also the premiere episode - or the very first episode that NBC chose to release for Star Trek's network television debut. Prior to "The Mantrap", Star Trek had never been seen before and so this episode was the public's very first glimpse of it. And the monster? Well, turns out a woman wore the monster suit and based on her photograph quite an attractive one.*
Love the sign off to your Dad. It gets me every time.
Hang in there, I think you'll find it's worth it. As with any show, there are some episodes that are classic, and some that are sub-par. Even the lesser episodes usually tap into that Kirk-Spock-McCoy relationship to some degree. Thanks for continuing on the journey!
You are going to notice George Takei coming and going in various episodes. He was in several film productions during the first two seasons of Trek and wasn't always available to man the helm. (Thus Sulu's absence in "Space Seed.") Quite often some nameless redshirt will be steering the Enterprise on the weeks George was unavailable. It was one of the reasons a steady navigator character was created in the second season named Pavel Chekov.
bunnytails, you sound like an excellent role-player... and I've caught your very occasional D&D references. What makes me think you're a good RPer is that you can appreciate a blend of story, atmosphere and action. That's what RPing is when it's fun.
Your instincts are quite correct. This was not the second pilot (which I won't name). Nor was it supposed to be the first episode that Roddenberry wanted to air first after the series was picked up. NBC wanted to start things off with a more traditional sci-fi story.
Things will get more Trek-like.
absolutely love this series of reviews. focusing on Star Trek original series is an awesome direction, as it will give you the grounding in knowing about all that the Star Trek universe is about / has to offer. This may seem out of place, but I'd also recommend watching Star Trek the animated series (1973-75) , as it continued the original cast concepts, but surprisingly for children's Saturday morning cartoons. The stories were written by real sci fi writers, original Star Trek writers, and even cast member Walter "Chekov" Koenig. Surprisingly he was the only original cast member who was not allowed to join the cast.... as it was considered a cost saving measure. Oddly, 2 actors who portrayed characters in the series ( series antagonist characters Cyrano Jones and Harry Judd) joined the cast for a couple of episodes , Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel and Number One, the second in command from The Cage) reprised her role as Nurse Chapel in the animated series, and she and James "Scotty Doohan" reprised their roles as the voices of the ships computers (and they also did other random incidental voice over parts.)
your assessments are really cool to see, and it's great to see someone do an assessment and review of the films and episodes. This is classic sci fi, and from the sound of it, it's awesome to see that you enjoy the series. As you pointed out, I loved the suspense filled side of this episode..... Kirk and crew not knowing who / what they were dealing with, and the alien moving amongst them , with its shape changing abilities, was definitely an interesting , and mildly creepy episode (a more modern take, to consider........ if you are into horror and haven't seen it yet, is the 1982 remake by John Carpenter , of The Thing...... highly suspenseful , but very gruesome.)
another series recommendation , when you get done with watching Star Trek (any and all you plan on viewing) ...... I'd consider Space 1999, and Twilight Zone...... Twilight Zone was out prior (1959-64) to Star Trek and had individual stories of sci fi, suspense and horror , with (similar to Star Trek) messages and social commentary (and snap endings.) Space 1999 (1975-77) was an episodic show , like Star Trek, using science fiction to attempt to discuss perhaps more metaphysical issues/ spiritual issues, within a slightly harder sci fi story telling (in it's first season), and more action / sci fi edge in its second season .
LOVE your reviews !!!!! Keep up the awesome show !
The new Star Trek episode is here! The new Star Trek episode is here! 🤠
It's so fun watching your reactions! You're very intuitive when it comes to the story. Through your reaction, it's like getting to watch the episode for the first time again!
That was fun. I look forward to future episodes.
I like your sign-off at the end.
George Takei (Sulu) was absent for about half of season two because filming on "The Green Berets", a movie he was in with John Wayne ran unexpectedly long. While he was gone many lines that were supposed to be Sulu's went to Walter Koenig (Chekov).
Hey Bunny! glad to see you back!
Lets see, I've been a Trekkie all my life and have seen everything too many times to count. But this episode is just okay . There are a few worse. But many better. When I think of Star Trek, I don't much think of Man Trap. =]
I was glad to see Sulu here. I'm Asian. And when I was young, long ago, almost every other Asian I saw on TV or in a movie was an ugly charicature of an Asian. Buck tooth with thick round glasses and a funky accent. The better ones did Kung fu. Most were servants or did laundry. Alot of bad guys. But Sulu was different. Calm cool and professional. My only role model that I could look up to. Star Trek was a future I looked up to. Loved it back then. =]
I love that Sulu could be a role model for you where previously none were to be found!
OMG! I can’t believe I never noticed Yoeman Rand was totally eating Sulu’s food until you pointed it out! Love your comments.
😄
Sulu says to Rand, "May the Great Bird of the Galaxy bless your planet."
The Great Bird of the Galaxy later became a nickname for Gene Roddenberry.
Awesome review. Also later on in the series you notice a trend of crew deaths that primarily wear RED shirts. This led to a saying that still exists today that uninportant cast members or extras that quickly die off in an episode are RED SHIRTERS. As you watch this series you will notice the same thing. Also, each color of shirt means something different in this series: BLUE for sciences, YELLOW for command, and RED technical/security. Usually security personnel wearing RED shirts are the first to die off on any landing party.
Crewmember we've never seen before goes on away mission. Guess who isn't coming back.
I'm glad you're able to see past the slightly? dated? sets of TOS, and enjoy the depth of the stories, that's what Star Trek is, the study of humanity in deep space. And I feel really bad for McCoy in this episode. Imagine you're in your 40's, you run into an old girlfriend/boyfriend from high school, someone you really cared about, and still reminece and tell stories about to your friends. You quickly start to workout, trying to look as good as you can when you see her again, than people start dying, everyone blames her, you refuse to believe it, and you have to end up offing your high school girlfriend/boyfriend/crush to keep her from killing your friends. It's tragic, great story, love TOS. Keep it up eh kiddo. Live long and prosper... :)
Someone, or many someones, may have told you this already, but The Man Trap is not the second pilot, however it was the First Star Trek episode to be broadcast. The 2nd pilot was Where No Man Has Gone Before, but it was the third episode aired out-of-sequence.
The Man Trap was also the first Star Trek episode I ever saw, in it's first broadcast. I barely remember it as I've never seen it since, until now!
Yup, I'm all for cerebral rather than action if I have to choose between the two. I think that's why I enjoy your channel so much - you think about what you're watching. Many of the movies I hope you'll watch one day are those that make me think. Shape shifters crop up from time to time on Star Trek. It's a handy way to keep us guessing. I vaguely remember this episode from my childhood, mostly the hideous creature she really was (which in black and white looked more realistic). And to go deeper, when three people look at the same person and all see somebody different, it isn't a lot different to the various personas we adopt when with different people.
Several others have mentioned that these were originally broadcast out of order, usually because of problems getting the special effects completed on time. Most streaming services present the series in the air date order, but the actual production order for the first episodes is:
1. Where No Man Has Gone Before (2nd pilot)
2. The Corbomite Maneuver
3. Mudd's Women
4. The Enemy Within
5. The Man Trap
6. The Naked Time
7. Charlie X
8. Balance of Terror
9. What Are Little Girls Made Of?
10. Dagger of the Mind
11. Miri
12. The Conscience of the King
13. The Galileo Seven
14. Court Martial
15/16. The Menagerie, Parts 1 & 2
Don't have time to watch it now but super happy you're doing it. Your Wrath of Khan reaction is number one for me.
4:06 "I noticed he had a Borgia plant in his hand. Before I could say anything, he'd taken a bite from it and he... fell."
I mean, standard Starfleet landing party procedures aside, it's _still_ a bit of a stretch a _human being_ would be inclined to eat part of a plant from another _planet._ The simple fact that it's from another planet ought to make caution the most natural inclination in the _world._
I don't think the network ever really understood what Star Trek was trying to do. Sci-fi on TV in that era was mainly people fighting Bug-Eyed Monsters (Lost in Space had a lot of this) and this episode was one the network actually understood and agreed to air. The they aired the other episodes that were available and made more.
Hey there! Just thought I'd make a quick suggestion! A friend of mine (rolliepollie reactions) is also making his way through the star trek catalog. The way he's doing it, which i think is brilliant, is by looking at the most acclaimed episodes from each series, from which there are plenty, watching and reacting to those and then moving on to the next series. He also watches the rest of the episodes from each series on his own time to fill in the blanks. By doing it this way, you get to experience the very best and most relevant aspects of the show with your viewers while at the same time advancing your own knowledge of the lore, while simultaneously keeping things fresh and giving the viewers the best stuff to look forward to every week. He really seems to be getting a great response from it and I know I've super enjoyed that format! Just a thought!
I always loved the original series sound tracks and sound effects. Season 3, episode 9 called The Tholian Web is a classic for low action, gripping suspense and Spock/McCoy drama (McCoy stops antagonizing and starts working with Spock to save Kirk). The sound track is terrific ... when McCoy's hand passes through a dissolving table and then a corpse. By this time production had things figured out.
Loving ur reactions channel since i found u on "The Wrath of Khan". So happy ur doing the Original Series. Just remember, Kiddo, they're not all AMAZING episodes. The ones that are, though, u'll remember them forever. Like i mentioned once before im in my mid-fifties, like ur dad for u, it was my late sister that got me hooked on Trek when i was but a young boy. I've been loyal until the "new" stuff that started coming out. It doesnt understand the heart of Trek. It just uses the name. If u ever dig into the other series u will find the best Trek show will be "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"
Yep. Ds9 started off badly, but improved drastically once the Dominion was introduced. It us, overall, the second best series... with TNG being #3, and TOS (including the animated episodes) being #1.
This episode has a very "Radio Mystery Theatre" feel, especially the organ music.
"Where No Man Has Gone Before" is actually the second pilot. You'll notice that the uniforms are the same/similar as they were in "The Cage." Episodes were not aired in the order of production, mostly due to some episodes involved more SFX than others, thus more money. These episodes took longer to finish than others, therefore they would air the ones that were finished and ready to go to keep up with the weekly schedule. Things are done completely different in today's world, where each episode will have a month or two for production.
Gene Roddenberry fought hard to keep it from becoming a "different monster every week" show but they did sprinkle in a few. For the shot at 9:05 he sent a guy shopping to find some "futuristic salt & pepper shakers". He came back with a selection and some of the ones not used were made into medical device props.
Enjoyable as always. So glad I found your channel last week. That last message to your dad... Thanks for making an old man cry! 😂
Thank you!
Crater was using a laser pistol from the Cage.
You will see the uniform change in the true second pilot. The executives insisted that this be the first episode that AIRED because it had a monster in it. (Twilight zone and outer limits were popular so they wanted something like that to be the first episode hook)
Exactly correct. Glad to see someone pointing this out.
Watching Spock hit the creature over and over like that reminded me that at this point in time we didn't know just how strong Vulcans really are.
SHE WAS A NEW FORM OF A SHAPE SHIFTER.
I am so happy that you are watching the Original star trek. Mr Spock was supposed to be enigmatic. he was supposed to be alien, but half human, and in this iteration of spock, Leonard plays him as a man trying to hide his humanity and embrace his vulcan side, and prove hes vulcan in spite of his human genes. That upsets McCoy, because McCoy thinks spock is ashamed of his human side, meaning he must not like humans. Its a real interesting dynamic for them. McCoy gets pissed at spock for shunning his humanity, and Spock gets pissed at McCoy for being irrational, and Kirk is stuck in the middle. There are several wonderful episodes where these players demonstrate wonderful storytelling: But, admittedly, there are a few bad episodes too. Still, this is your journey and I am excited to watch you go through it.
Although this wasn’t filmed as the first episode, I think it’s a good first episode (original aired order). It hits a lot of notes that convey what Star Trek is about and I think would pull in more viewers than the Cage or Where No Man Has Gone Before.
These were aired out of production order. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is the title of the second pilot. I agree, a cerebral show can hold its own and action isn't always needed. You will see some character dynamics get fleshed out over time including what it means to be a Vulcan.
Fun fact: The gold shirts worn by Kirk and Sulu were actually green but between the material, the lights, and the color process used on the show they appeared gold. Later on, Kirk gets a wrap-around tunic of a different material that looks very green.
A great early episode. Keep in mind that these are the remastered episode. They have updated effects using some CGI, and tweaked soundtracks. The crew member that is added later is Chekov. Added because some people wondered with such a varied crew why there wasn't a Russian on board, So Walter Koenig was brought in.
Wasn't Chekov also an attempt to appeal to young women? His looks got compared to Davy Jones, of the Monkees.
@@JJ_W yes indeed. That why they gave him the Davy Jones hair, which I believe was a wig.
I'm sure others have said it, but, although this was the first story aired, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was the Kirk pilot.
It's funny... when Paramount released "Star Trek" on VHS tapes decades ago, the episodes were listed and released in PRODUCTION ORDER. But when the series was released on DVD, the episodes were listed and released in AIRDATE ORDER, and have been listed that way ever since. Personally, I prefer watching the series in production order so that the subtle changes that were made as the series progressed don't stand out so glaringly. But other people prefer it in the airdate order, so to each his or her own. I'm sure NBC had their reasons for wanting to air "The Man Trap" as the first episode, but I personally don't think it was the best of the handful of completed episodes that they had to choose from. I still think the very first produced episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver" would have been the best episode to start the series.
Also, just a reminder... you are watching the 2007 "remastered" version of the series, where all the special effects and ship shots have been replaced with CGI. Up until that time, you would see the original ship effects, where the Enterprise didn't always look the same. There is a reason for that... the 11 foot model underwent two major modifications after it's appearance in "The Cage". The first major modification was for the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Internal lighting and some upper saucer markings were added. When that second pilot sold, the model was again modified. This time, extra internal lighting was added, the saucer navigational lights were "moved", spinning fans and lighting was added to the front of the engine nacelles, the upper saucer markings that were added for the second pilot were removed, and a few more things. BUT... stock shots were made using the previous 2nd pilot modifications, and for whatever reason, those shots would continue to be used throughout the series, mixed with the current model stock shots... making it appear that the Enterprise was changing somewhat from shot to shot. Of course, since you are watching the remastered version, that bit of continuity error has been corrected with the CGI Enterprise, but if you ever decide to watch the original version of the episodes, you will now know why that change occurs. Sorry for rambling... just though you might like to know about this.