HTF REVIEW: Star Trek - The Complete First Season (1 Viewer)

[BernieV]

I still say there is no right or wrong viewing order. It's a matter of personal choice. Those who argue that production order is somehow "canonical" are ignoring the fact that the producers - not just the network - had their reasons for choosing broadcast order. Maybe they wanted a good mix of "planet" and "space" episodes. Maybe they thought a certain episode fit the overall time line better if aired at a later date. Whatever their reasons, broadcast order wasn't just a random selection.

Production order was most likely based on availability of actors, directors, writers, etc. It may simply have been cheaper to leave a set in place for consecutive productions than to build it, tear it down and rebuild it. That doesn't mean the creators intended the episodes to be viewed in that order. Still, production order is a valid choice for those who insist on it. Here is the sequence of disc changes that must be followed:

• The Cage [you can't even begin until S3 is released! ]
• Where No Man Has Gone Before [disc 1]
• The Corbomite Maneuver [disc 3]
• Mudd's Women [disc 2]
• The Enemy Within [disc 2]
• The Man Trap [disc 1]
• The Naked Time [disc 1]
• Charlie X [disc 1]
• Balance of Terror [disc 4]
• What Are Little Girls Made Of? [disc 2]
• Dagger of the Mind [disc 3]
• Miri [disc 2]
• The Conscience of the King [disc 4]
• The Galileo Seven [disc 4]
• Court Martial [disc 5]
• The Menagerie, Part I [disc 3]
• The Menagerie, Part II [disc 3]
• Shore Leave [disc 4]
• The Squire of Gothos [disc 5]
• Arena [disc 5]
• The Alternative Factor [disc 7]
• Tomorrow Is Yesterday [disc 5]
• The Return of the Archons [disc 6]
• A Taste of Armageddon [disc 6]
• Space Seed [disc 6]
• This Side of Paradise [disc 6]
• The Devil in the Dark [disc 7]
• Errand of Mercy [disc 7]
• The City on the Edge of Forever [disc 7]
• Operation: Annihilate! [disc 8]

That means loading discs 19 times to get through the set. You'll need a checklist to keep track of viewing order for each disc, too. Is it worth the effort to avoid exposure to a few continuity problems? I can only answer for myself. No. I'd rather watch the set in track order the first time through and not have to juggle discs or remember the production sequence. After the first run through, I'll probably just watch individual episodes as the urge strikes me. I'll take the easy way out.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

Personally, I watch all my TV shows on DVD in "DVD order", i.e. the order they are presented on disc.

In the case of McGoohan's The Prisoner, neither airdate order nor production order is the intended order, according to the creator himself. The discs use the preferred order of one of the many Prisoner fan clubs. I'm sure a case could be made for a different order than is on the discs themselves.

The only time "DVD order" has failed me was on Reno 911 where a 2-parter is split by one or two other episodes. I'll have to make myself a little note and slip it inside the DVD case next time I watch those discs.

If I remember correctly, the Spock 2-parter on TNG was shot in reverse order (part 2 was shot first) in order to accommodate Nimoy's schedule.

 

[Bill Williams]

That is indeed correct, Rob. "Unification II" predates "Unification I" in terms of production order because of Nimoy's availability in filming at that time, though "Part I" would come first in viewing order.

TNG had gone through it earlier in the series with "Skin of Evil" and "Symbiosis", the latter being Denise Crosby's final regular episode on the series, though "Skin of Evil" was filmed prior to it. Yet "Skin of Evil" features Tasha Yar's death
and would follow "Symbiosis" in terms of continuity.

I've been viewing the Season 1 DVD set thus far the way I remember seeing it on my local Fox station and on VHS during the 1980's, in production order.

 

[nolesrule]

On older series that are basically self-contained episodes, production order generally works best for continuity of production design, especially on DVD where you don't have a week between episodes so previous viewings are fresh in ones mind.

I'm used to watching Star Trek in production order anyway, because that is the order it always aired in syndication locally. Watching it in airdate order (which I am doing currently) actually feels strange to me.

On newer series, where episodes are shot out of story arc order in order to allow more post production time for episodes that need it or to accomodate actor availability, the proper order is usually much more obvious based on the overall storyline.

A good example of this is on Babylon 5, where, due to the amount of computer effects required, the sason 1 finale was filmed 12th, even though it aired 22nd.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Say what you will about the man, at least he isn't afraid to make fun of himself.

Check this out - William Shatner:Has Been- his newest CD.

Word is that it's pretty good - I can't check it because of the work firewall.

 

[paul_austin]

i like the album....its good in a shatneresque kind of way.
We all know the Cage wasnt released on video untill after TOS but its so retarded to slap it on to the end of the series when it really should be on the first disc of the first set...this always irks me.
I personally think the episodes look marvelous for the most part. I just hope they give us more extras...they were kinda week....please please please paramount pay the fans back for 38 years of loyalty to your francise.

 

[JoSAN]

.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

JoSan I believe the interviews are on the disc.

BTW did anyone ever check out Mindmeld with Shatner and Nimoy? Is it worthwhile tracking down?

 

[Bill Williams]

Lou,

I picked up Mind Meld a year or so ago, and it's a really good disc. Not only do Shatner and Nimoy talk about their involvement in Star Trek, they also touch upon some really serious issues that personally affected their lives, among them divorce, alcoholism, death (among them Shatner's third wife and of course De Kelley), personal growth as a result of their work together on the series and films, and the growth of their own friendship over the years. There's even some hidden footage on the disc in which Nimoy and Shatner talk about some of their early pre-Hollywood work, as well as a gag shot from Trek's second season. And of course they managed to share some thoughts from their work on the original series.

I was in Best Buy today, and I saw that it's on sale as a 2-DVD set with Shatner's first Spplat Attack event. It's a good pickup, IMHO.

 

[Nelson Au]

Bill-

Thanks for the review of Mind Meld, I have it and I didn't know about the hidden footage. Must be an Easter Egg.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Thanks Bill I'll have to track it down!

 

[Dave Farley]

I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can help me with. My first set had a number of defective discs. I got my replacement set a while back but didn't really check it out closely until last night. I was looking at the disc artwork. Each disc has a picture of one of the cast members. The picture of Grace Lee Whitney looks different than the rest in terms of focus and texture. It's a little grainier. It's hard to describe but it looks slightly different than the other seven. Is this normal or is something wrong with the artwork on this disc? If you're looking at the disc artwork and flip the disc over, it's the only disc out of eight with a white hub, instead of the mirror/clear hub of the rest. Anyone else with this?

This set seems to be okay in terms of scratches. On four of the discs, I notice a glue substance or even a fairly large bubble or two on the center hub of the disc along with a few tiny scratches, but not out on the disk surface or outer edge. Just the hub. Is this a problem or nothing to worry about? I haven't played these yet.

Thanks

 

[Dannie]

so does anyone have the full info on what the galaxy box set coming out in japan is going to have in it? and why is it so special and expensive?