Forgotten Toons: Star Trek- The Animated Series

Bloggers Log: Star Date 08292010-XYX.  I got a DVD in the mail from Netflix that contained the first few episodes of a nearly-forgotten piece of television history.  The series known as Star Trek ran for three seasons before a certain overlord company felt that it cost too much and didn't make enough money.  In the wake of an angry rebellion by rabid fanatics of the series, they gave them a sort of peace treaty: Star Trek- The Animated Series: The Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenbery's Star Trek.  My second-in-command Spock would note that this title is highly-illogical, as the point made by the first part of the series' title is repeated for no good reason in the second.  Regardless, I felt that it was worth a further look...

Upon further inspection, this treaty appears to be exactly what its recipients were requesting.  Sure, they did not get to see my predecessor's super-realistic toupee or girdle in action, but they did get to hear all of the crew.  For some reason, however, only the top three or four of them are actually billed in the opening credits.  I guess an inability to pronounce the letter 'V' properly gets you post-episode billing in the credits.  This work was made by a company called Filmation and seems to fit their usual style.  Some out-dated process called 'roto-scoping' was used to make the animation seem more fluid and life-like.  Another benefit is that the space battles and aliens look more realistic, due to the different medium's level of freedom.  A good call on their part.  How do the stories do?

What I was able to view of the show before Klingons attacked was good.  Despite being in the Federation, I find many of their actions to be stodgy and a bit awkward.  Ignoring that, however, this form of drawn-novella delivers good acting, fun stories and it manages to touch upon the earlier exploits of the crew.  You like the Tribbles?  They're back.  You want to see kid Spock in something that's not full of blinding lens flares?  You got it.  You want Klingons and all of their ilk?  Done.  If you are amused or entertained by the historical documents telling the live-action exploits of the Enterprise crew, you'll like this.  It doesn't break new ground or re-define animation itself, but it will make peace in the galaxy- at least for about twenty to twenty-two minutes at a time.
-Signing out.

Next up, I take a look at a classic point-and-click game turned short-lived animated series.  This should be twisted.  Stay tuned...