Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x01 — Beyond the Farthest Star
Synopsis
The Enterprise is dragged off course by Questar M-17, an imploded negative star mass, and meets a strange shapeless being.
Remarkable scenes
- The sight of that massive organic starship.
- The deployment of the automatic bridge defense system. Cool device!
- Kirk and Spock getting their asses kicked by the automatic bridge defense system when the alien took over the Enterprise. Haha!
Review
TAS begins its short run nicely, exploiting its cartoon production style by showing us grandiose sets they could have never used in live action. Indeed, this is TAS' single greatest advantage. Remarkable character: Lieutenant Arex. (The orange alien.) Just like the sets, Arex was a crewmember they couldn't have done in live action due to technology and budget constraints.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x02 — Yesteryear
Synopsis
By using the Guardian of Forever, Kirk, Spock, and the historian Erikson explore the planet Orion's past. When they return, there is no record of Spock.
Remarkable scenes
- Nobody knowing who Spock is.
- The first officer, an Andorian! Cool.
- Spock learning of his own death.
- An Andorian using the Vulcan salute. Surreal...
- Seeing the planet Vulcan is always remarkable.
- Sarek's appearance.
- Seeing Spock's sehlat. They look so cute and harmless in a cartoon unlike Spock's description in TOS: Journey to Babel.
- Spock talking to Spock.
- McCoy bemoaning about having to recalibrate his Tricorder to give Spock a physical.
Review
TAS is not considered canon by most people, which I disagree with. However, even among people who firmly believe TAS is not canon, this episode is largely an exception. Mostly because Spock's backstory is established here. The details of which will be confirmed by later live action shows. I take one point off for using the ridiculous Guardian of Forever and the ensuing time travel absurdity. Other than that a wonderful episode. Remarkable alien: the winged bird-like alien, a Federation member.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x03 — One of Our Planets is Missing
Synopsis
The Enterprise crew learns that a massive, planet-destroying extragalactic entity has entered Federation space and threatens every planet in the galaxy.
Remarkable scenes
- Arex with lines!
- Our first look at the engines of the Enterprise!
- Kirk: "Am I doing the right thing, Bones? Once I said that man rose above primitiveness by vowing, 'I will not kill today.'"
- Spock's communication and mind meld with the creature.
Review
This episode features a familiar theme. A planet eating monster, similar to TOS: The Immunity Syndrome or TOS: The Domesday Machine. The interesting difference, however, is that a nonviolent solution is achieved. The creature leaves our galaxy and returns to its own. One wonders if it's out eating planets over in Andromeda or something. ;)
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x04 — The Lorelei Signal
Synopsis
The Enterprise enters an uncharted sector of space where Federation and Klingon vessels have been reported missing every 27 years.
Remarkable scenes
- All the men being "summoned" by the signal.
- Uhura taking command of the Enterprise.
- Scotty singing in the captain's chair.
- Uhura: "Mr. Scott, as senior Luitennant I'm taking responsibility for the safetey of this ship." Scotty: "Very thoughtful of ya, love."
- Uhura's attack squad kicking some ass!
- Uhura: "Release captain Kirk and his men or we will destroy your temple!"
- Kirk: "Beam us up Scotty!" Another very close line to the famous and much parodied but never actually uttered, "Beam me up Scotty!"
Review
An episode where the women take command because all the men are incapacitated is a nice change of pace, and certainly comically valuable. This episode features yet another alien race that looks exactly like humans though. Something almost totally unforgivable now that it can no longer be blamed on makeup for aliens being expensive. It's nice that Nurse Chapel's affection for Spock is once again revisited, creating some good continuity. Once again, the transporter is used to reduce aging, which annoys me. Spock says their chances of living through the procedure are extremely low, which makes up for any potential miracle cures for general aging, but once again our heroes beat the impossible odds. Just like they do with the slingshot effects, the life support belts, and half a dozen other things!
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x05 — More Tribbles, More Troubles
Synopsis
The tribbles return for more trouble as the Enterprise encounters Cyrano Jones, the Klingons and a new breed of the popular pest.
Remarkable scenes
- The Klingons attacking the scout ship.
- The Klingons disabling the Enterprise with their new weapon.
- Uhura, regarding the ship being defenseless: "We could always throw rocks!"
- Spock: "You can't afford to lose that grain!" Kirk: "I can afford to lose the Enterprise even less!"
- Kirk winning against the Klingons using the robot ships.
- A tribble eating creature! Hahaha.
- The tribble eating creature trying to sink his teeth into a giant tribble.
- Kirk reluctantly defending Cyrano Jones from the Klingons.
- The Klingons buried in tribbles.
- Kirk buried in tribbles.
Review
This episode is a funny homage to TOS: The Trouble with Tribbles. Indeed, it's funnier than the original, even if less intelligent a plot. You have to forgive it for that, as TAS was largely marketed to children. Granted it was cliched to deliberately bury people in tribbles again, I would have seen it as a missed opportunity if they hadn't taken advantage. :)
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x06 — The Survivor
Synopsis
A long-lost philanthropist, Carter Winston, is discovered on board a damaged one-man vessel and is reunited with his fiancee on board the Enterprise.
Remarkable scenes
- Romulan: "You appear to have a propensity for trespassing in the neutral zone, captain Kirk." Kirk: "It was not deliberate, I assure you." Romulan: "It never is." A nice reference to all the times the Enterprise has crossed the zone.
Review
I couldn't write a better review than the one of pure perfection on Bernd Schneider's site. "A living legend of the Federation (what a surprise) on a damaged shuttle (what a surprise), whose fiancee is on the Enterprise (what a surprise), turns out a shapeshifter (what a surprise), causes trouble by assuming the shapes of crew members (what a surprise) and orders a course through the Neutral Zone (what a surprise). The whole episode is nothing but 'All kinds of TOS cliches in 25 minutes', almost like an unintentional parody, and doesn't show anything original." I might add, another alien race which we'll never see again (what a surprise) and another female crewmember who fails in her duty thanks to love (what a surprise).
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x07 — The Infinite Vulcan
Synopsis
While visiting a new planet Sulu is poisoned and Spock becomes cloned by the Phylosians, a plant-like species.
Remarkable scenes
- Kirk: "Beam us up, Scotty!" Another very close line to the famous and much parodied but never actually uttered, "Beam me up, Scotty!"
- Spock reciting the philosophy of the IDIC.
- Kirk: "Any chance of teaching me that body throw?" Sulu: "I don't know. It isn't just physical you know; you have to be inscrutable." Kirk: "Inscrutable? You're the most scrutable man I know!"
Review
This episode is completely pointless. It tries to make a point about how creating a master race is bad, but the ridiculousness of the plot blasts away any profound messages that it attempted to convey. We're not given any explanation for why Keniclius or Spock were so huge, the plant aliens were interesting but ultimately served no purpose, and Keniclius' goal of creating a peacekeeping army was pointless seeing as how starfleet is essentially just that. In the end, Keniclius gives up way too easily; or should I say not soon enough because his motives were so blurry? Only small details in this episode redeem it, such as Spock's recital of the philosophy of the IDIC and the reference to the Eugenics war of 250 years ago.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x08 — The Magicks of Megas-Tu
Synopsis
While investigating the theory of creation, the Enterprise is caught inside an energy/matter tornado and pulled to the center of the galaxy.
Remarkable scenes
None
Review
Oh boy. An impossible travel to the center of the galaxy, blatant disregard for the law of conservation of matter/energy, magical powers coming real without any kind of rational explanation. This episode features some of the worst science ever featured in Star Trek. Quite possibly the worst episode of Star Trek ever made. Only the idea that the aliens lived on Earth in ancient times and were persecuted for their magical powers at the Salem witch trials is interesting. An advanced race's natural abilities would indeed seem like magic. Though, unfortunately, this episode claims that it actually WAS magic. Furthermore, this episode contradicts its own already frail explanation for the magic. The episode claimed the magical powers can only exist in that alien dimension. So how did the aliens use their magical powers while on Earth? Also, I like the crack on religion in this episode; Lucifer = good guy. Though those nice little details aren't enough to save this most dreadful episode.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x09 — Once Upon a Planet
Synopsis
The Enterprise returns to the amusement planet where the crew had once taken shore leave, but this time things go wrong.
Remarkable scenes
- Another white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.
- M'Ress with lines!
- The revelation that the pleasure planet computer has become disgruntled.
- The giant cat.
- Zero gravity Enterprise.
- McCoy, assuming Sulu dreamed up the monster attacking them: "Sulu!" Sulu: "Never in my wildest dreams would I think of that!"
Review
Another rehashed plot from TOS, though like the tribble rehash it was very tactful and makes good use of continuity. The computer which provides all the entertainment has sentience and intelligence; and it no longer wants to spend its life in eternal servitude. The episode's situation is resolved peacefully without violence through negociation with the computer, true to the spirit of Star Trek.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x10 — Mudd's Passion
Synopsis
The Enterprise is ordered to find Harry Mudd, a Federation outlaw, who is accused of selling a fake love potion to miners.
Remarkable scenes
- Spock ruining Mudd's latest scheme.
- Spock getting emotional and Chapel getting pissed at Mudd for the potion's (supposed) failure.
- The whole crew being infected by the love potion.
- McCoy: "If the Enterprise had a heart I'd save her too."
- Spock: "That is an outstandingly stupid idea!"
Review
And another TOS rehash; this time by bringing back Harry Mudd. Captain Kirk tracks down Harry Mudd to arrest him. Once again, good continuity regarding Nurse Chapel's attraction to Spock is well exploited. Nothing too terribly interesting happens in this episode, though nothing too terribly boring either. It's safe to say it's a fairly average episode, excepting of course for some of the dumb things Nurse Chapel did.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x11 — The Terratin Incident
Synopsis
A strange flash of light paralyzes the entire Enterprise crew and all organic matter begins to shrink.
Remarkable scenes
- The crew of the Enterise shrinking.
- The little crew trying to operate the ship's equipment.
- Sulu breaking his leg by falling from his station on the bridge.
- Chapel nearly drowning in an aquarium and Kirk saving her using a string like a rope.
Review
This episode is remarkable in the fact that the story could not have been done in the live action series because the special effects wouldn't have been up to the task. Additionally, the science behind the crew shrinking is extremely good, especially by TAS standards. It was fun watching the miniature Enterprise crew struggle to operate the ship's equipment. Only the resolution of the plot was a bit contrived. Once again the transporter is the miracle cure, which is annoying. Even more annoying is Kirk's hesitation in rescuing the Terratins. Overall, a great episode though.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x12 — The Time Trap
Synopsis
While exploring the Delta Triangle, where many starships have disappeared, the Enterprise is attacked by several Klingon vessels.
Remarkable scenes
- Kirk: "Mr. Spock has come up with a formula which may just get us out of here." The screen shows a bunch of symbols and numbers that don't make any sense. Hilarious.
- Kor and Kirk working together.
- Spock pretending to be nice to the Klingons as an excuse to touch them and probe their minds to find their hidden intent.
Review
This episode bears an obvious reference to the Bermuda Triangle. The residents of the triangle formed a kind of miniature Federation, though it's not credible that the alien Elysian council is so ruthless in their methods of enforcing their odd laws, thankfully they don't get a chance to. Remarkable detail: the Elysian council is made up of several races we've already seen before. Such as an Orion female, a Tellarite, and even a Gorn!
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x13 — The Ambergris Element
Synopsis
The Enterprise arrives to study the planet Argo, a water-based planet where earthquakes caused the land masses to sink.
Remarkable scenes
- Shuttle being attacked by water monster.
- Kirk: "I can't command a ship from inside an aquarium!"
Review
A black vs white conservative vs liberal society on the planet is a bit annoying, but the water breathing mostly xenophobic race was an interesting idea. The political contrast is just too stereotypical; young overly idealistic liberals vs old overly stubborn conservatives. Some of the science in this episode is a little fuzzy, but acceptable. Overall, the plot is original and fun to watch. A water planet with a water race is a nice change of pace.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x14 — The Slaver Weapon
Synopsis
When a rare artifact of the Slaver culture, a time-stopping stasis box, is being delivered to Starbase 25, it registers that another one is nearby.
Remarkable scenes
- Spock offending Uhura.
Review
This episode is controversial in that it was intended as a crossover between two science fiction universes. The repercussions are extensive. A supposed four wars were fought between the Kzinti and Earth, the last of which was about 200 years ago, in the time of Earth's early space travel. None of this, of course, has been validated on any other series, indeed it's been blatantly contradicted with Star Trek VIII: First Contact, as well as Star Trek Enterprise. This episode's biggest problem is that the plot logic is terrible. Random facts and trivia are inserted into this episode where they don't belong. Also, the behavior of the slaver weapon seemed completely random; why would a race build such a weapon? Why would the Slavers place random technology in little time capsules and spread them across the galaxy? Standing alone, this episode does not deserve a zero, it deserves a 1. But the rest of Star Trek has decided to blatantly ignore the events of this episode and no attempt has been made to do any kind of rationalization. So this episode gets a de facto zero.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x15 — The Eye of the Beholder
Synopsis
The disappearance of a scientific team lures the Enterprise to investigate near Lactra VII.
Remarkable scenes
- McCoy being crushed by the giant dinosaur monster.
- Scotty accidentally beaming up the young alien.
Review
Another episode demonstrating the power of illusions. Another superior alien species using the cast for their own amusement. The only redeeming feature of this episode is the unique qualities of the aliens of the week. Granted, it's extremely cliched to have yet another super superior alien species; if there are so many alien species that are vastly superior to the Federation, then why is the Federation (and the Klingon and Romulan Empires for that matter) able to dominate so much space? Finally, it seems unlikely that such an advanced species wouldn't know their pets are sentient lifeforms.
Star Trek: The Animated Series — 1x16 — The Jihad
Synopsis
On Vedala, Kirk and Spock are summoned to learn about a stolen religious artifact that could ignite a galaxy-wide holy war, a jihad.
Remarkable scenes
- Lara declaring herself attracted to Kirk.
- The zero gravity fight.
Review
The Vedalans are an interesting concept. A powerful race, moreso than the Federation, but not super god aliens like we've seen so much of already. They're neutral, but friends of the Federation. They're something like galactic prophets. The power to watch, but not the power to act. Maybe they're guided by their own version of a prime directive. In any case, they were a cool idea. Unfortunately, this episode suffers from some fuzzy plot logic. We're not told exactly how stealing the Soul of Skorr would cause the mass breeding of soldiers. I guess we're supposed to assume that the defacing of a religious symbol drives their race into a Jihad. Or maybe Tchar was just nutty. The audience shouldn't have to come up with this stuff though. Overall an interesting episode, but dragged through the mud by a bit of bad writing.