Supplemental #2 | A Look Back
TOS Season 1 | Episodes 0-9
Even though I’m reviewing every single episode I watch of Star Trek it’s always good to look back at what I’ve seen and reflect. I honestly can’t believe the road I’ve put myself on but this far I feel what what I’ve learned is paying off.
A few key points I wish to remember about these episodes are:
Women are clearly used as tools and sex objects for men. Even Uhura, who at least has a prominent position and every now and again is given the respect her rank is entitled to. I never realized just how heavily this perception was made on these characters. I now can see first hand why the way women are portrayed in later series is so important to the legacy of Star Trek and for fans everywhere.
Character building wasn’t their strong-suit. I also suspect it wasn’t as important as telling the immediate story. A lot of the relationship between the captain and the other members of the crew, especially Spock, seems to be an unwritten one. We, the viewer, are just supposed to assume they are close without any real context around it. This makes the dialog between characters seem dry and unreal.
The limited abilities this ship and crew had to work with while they explored the galaxy is crazy. Thus far, they don’t travel more than warp 1 which, if you know anything about the later Star Trek series you’ll learn is really slow. I mean, they might as well be traveling in the slow-slow lane. Then there’s the fact that their badge is nothing more than a badge and they use these cheap looking communicators. Very inconvenient. The equipment also looks like things you’d find in a retro 80’s catalog, cheap, made of plastic, lights up and makes random noises. Of course, this is coming from someone watching Star Trek today with all its vast technology. But it will make me observe more closely how Enterprise and Strange New Worlds handle this as they are supposed to be prequels to TOS.
Everything is always alright in the end. Thus far, there have been no real tragedies or cliffhangers. I can understand the latter as these episodes were designed to be stand-alone in nature and therefore couldn’t try to have a story thread. But to have no tragedies happen to the main crew meant I was never on the edge of my seat. Unlike the other series where a beloved character actually could die (and sometimes did), to know that would never happen here makes the need to have an amazing story all the more important.
The science is never sound. This is not a show to watch for accuracy in the fields of medicine or science or even space exploration. Not that I think anyone would watch this show expecting truths? This is a show that requires a separation from reality and possibility. If the science were sound it would require me to pay closer attention to it and look for the inconsistencies. Of which there are many even within the canon itself. But the fact that I know none of it is true means I can take it or leave it.
Lastly, the colors. I can’t make heads or tails if the writers are even certain at this point what color uniform signifies what? I’m going to try my best to ignore the fact that they are wearing any color on any given episode and just know that when we get to TNG this will all be sorted. But for now, none of it makes sense.
With one third of the first season complete, I look forward to getting one step closer to finish season one. It’s not that I don’t love and appreciate all that TOS has given to the franchise, but the more I watch this show the more I long for the other series that bring more depth, continuity of story, and high stakes to put me on the edge of my seat.
Just 70 more days to go!
Oh, and I’ve been working on a way to decide how I will increase my rank in starfleet by watching all the episodes and reviewing them as I go. I think there should be certain milestones of completions that should be acknowledged.
Ensign (O1) - Start watching Star Trek.
Lt. Junior Grade (O2) - Complete TOS.
Lieutenant (O3) - Complete TNG.
Lieutenant Commander (O4) - Complete DS9.
Commander (O5) - Complete Voyager.
Captain (O6) - Complete Enterprise.
Commodore (O8) - Complete Discovery.
Rear Admiral (O9) - Complete Picard.
Vice Admiral (O10) - Complete Lower Decks.
Admiral (O11) - Complete Prodigy & Strange New Worlds.