# Star Trek TOS is really quite watchable after it's rested a while. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581 "2006-12-18T03:08:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/1 "2006-12-18T03:08:06Z")
Fox is playing Star Trek TOS Sundays at 10 PM. I haven’t seen TOS for 10-15 years now. After so long it’s actually ls kind of fresh in a retro way. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/2 "2006-12-18T03:23:48Z")
Live everything, it had good episodes and bad ones. I think the good ones hold up pretty well, though they are very familiar. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/3 "2006-12-18T03:52:58Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Live everything, it had good episodes and bad ones. I think the good ones hold up pretty well, though they are very familiar. [/QUOTE] This is [the first time the meet the Romulans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_Terror). It’s a pretty good one. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/4 "2006-12-18T14:02:15Z")
I’ve come to feel the same way about the original James Bond novels. I’ve been critical of the Bond _franchise_, but the _novels_ remain a good read, if you think of them as period pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/5 "2006-12-18T15:06:30Z")
We’ve been recording them on TV Land to watch with our kids. It’s fun to see the kids watch them for the first time - they liked _The Trouble With Tribbles_, of course, and _The Devil in the Dark_ (the one with the Horta). ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/6 "2006-12-18T16:05:59Z")
I caught the Corbomite Maneuver a few days ago and noticed the enhancement of the Fesarius. Nice! There is a link [on this page](http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/ships/article/70389.html) that shows the difference between the original and remastered versions. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/7 "2006-12-18T16:11:29Z")
I’ve managed to get my roommate (who was avidly anti-_Trek_) to watch them with me on TVLand. She’s loving it. She says it makes all the difference because while I’m a fan, I don’t take it nearly as seriously as some of the other people she’s known in the past. And she loves that I point out helpful things like “See that? That’s Engineering. I’m sure they do stuff in there, but for story purposes, it’s just a big empty room for Captain Kirk to fight people in.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/8 "2006-12-18T16:11:34Z")
[QUOTE=Patty O’Furniture] I caught the Corbomite Maneuver a few days ago and noticed the enhancement of the Fesarius. Nice! There is a link [on this page](http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/ships/article/70389.html) that shows the difference between the original and remastered versions. [/QUOTE] Here’s that link, I hope. [http://www.startrek.com/custom/include/feature/bst/tos-enhanced/tos-003/new-540x287.jpg](http://www.startrek.com/custom/include/feature/bst/tos-enhanced/tos-003/new-540x287.jpg) It _should_ work… ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/9 "2006-12-18T16:17:20Z")
It works but doesn’t show the original side-by-side for comparison. The difference is stiking. Also [available here](http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/features/bst/article/28135.html) are a couple dozen similar before and after images from other episodes. Really nice improvements. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/10 "2006-12-18T16:38:03Z")
I’m introducing my ten-year-old son, who’s previously been a _Star Wars_ junkie, to _Star Trek_ through these remastered editions. He’s really gotten into 'em, and we have fun talking about them. I’ve been careful only to show him the good episodes - there’s so much ST available that I want him to see the best of TOS, TNG, DS9 etc. Just doing my part to help create the next generation of Trekkers… ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/11 "2006-12-18T17:56:50Z")
[QUOTE=astro] This is [the first time the meet the Romulans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_Terror). It’s a pretty good one. [/QUOTE] Bah. _Run Silent, Run Deep_ in space, and poorly acted to boot. But often considered a classic. Note that it was redone to become the best of the movies, even though it was still poorly acted. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/12 "2006-12-18T18:01:50Z")
Tribbles was fun. Piece of the Action is fun. City on the Edge of Forever was the best plotline, not surprising since it was written by a real writer of good science fiction (Harlan Ellison). I personally always liked the episode where Spock falls in love because of the spores, though many might think it a bit campy and overdone. I think that, out of roughly 75 episodes (depending upon how you count the pilots, etc.), there are about 20 that are good, another 25 that are watchable, and the remaining 30 could be lost forever and no one would miss them. Which isn’t that bad as TV shows go, but not up there with the really good shows. Which helps explain why the show only lasted three seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/13 "2006-12-18T18:14:18Z")
Even in science fiction - in fact, especially in SF - it’s the characters that make or break a show. TOS is the best Trek because of the chemistry between Kirk, Spock and McCoy. That’s all there is to it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/14 "2006-12-18T18:19:28Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Just doing my part to help create the next generation of Trekkers… [/QUOTE] Good _job!_😃 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/15 "2006-12-18T18:24:37Z")
Well, I suppose if the goal is to make ST:TOS look like ST:TNG then it’s a good thing. I’ll take the originals. But I am glad that a new audience is seeing these, for that it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/16 "2006-12-18T18:38:51Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Bah. _Run Silent, Run Deep_ in space… [/QUOTE] For anyone else who is as confused as I was, [Run Silent Run Deep](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052151/) was a submarine flick. The Bruce Dern in space movie was called [Silent Running](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067756/) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/17 "2006-12-18T19:01:26Z")
[QUOTE=a35362] Good _job!_😃 [/QUOTE] Thanks. It’s been fun! So far we’ve seen “Court-Martial,” “The Menagerie, Pts. 1 and 2,” “Devil in the Dark,” “Space Seed” (and, as a natural follow-on, STII:TWOK), “City on the Edge of Forever,” “Amok Time,” “The Conscience of the King,” “The Ultimate Computer” and “A Taste of Armageddon.” I still want him to see “Shore Leave,” “Journey to Babel” and “This Side of Paradise,” and then we’ll probably move on to TNG. That should cover the best of the best, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/18 "2006-12-18T20:16:59Z")
What channel/time are these remastered episodes being shown on? ---
**Author:** ![indecisive1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/41988e/32.png) [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/19 "2006-12-18T20:39:44Z")
I’ve always loved Star Trek. I don’t think people should not call it TOS, damn it! Star Trek is Star Trek. The stuff that came after needs the TNG stuff. I don’t know any of the names of the episodes, I remember them by what the “new life” looked like. Some episodes I remember fondly (that means good or bad): The Big Globs of pizza vomit that tunnels through rock. The giant cream horn pastry that eats planets. The flying melted plastic tank/car models that latch onto your back (my brother made models, then set them on fire in the driveway, what’s left looks just like those things). The Salt Monster – my brother says that the Salt Monster’s natural state looks exactly like me. That silly one with the guy in the lizard suit. That green Lady. 'k, I’ll stop now. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581/20 "2006-12-18T23:49:16Z")
**indecisive1** –the “green lady”? I take you mean one of the Green Orion Slave Girls, who have been giving the right hands of Nerds exercise for decades. And inspired Princess Leia’s outfit in _Return Of The Jedi_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tos-is-really-quite-watchable-after-its-rested-a-while/384581.md?page=2)