movies/tv Star Trek

[AegisReflector 886]

I swear I searched for this topic and there wasn't a general thread, soooooo..... *whistles innocently*

 

Are you a Trekkie? If so, what's your favorite series and film?

 

I have to say that TOS will always remain my favorite. It's a timeless classic that showcases many quirky trends of 60's television with a brand of avant-garde and b-list editing. Plus, can't beat the original cast. Filled with such character, diversity, and awesome one-liners.

 

My favorite film is The Wrath of Khan, although I'm one of those Trekkies who also adores The Motion Picture. Call me a sucker for experimental and special effects flicks, but I loved it.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

I'm another one of those who thought The Motion Picture wasn't a bad movie. Maybe it pales in comparison to the rest in one way or several, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. I really dug McCoy's beard when he first beamed aboard the Enterprise. If any movie is truly undeserving of having the name of Star Trek attached to it, I would nominate The Voyage Home for that. Sure, it's a good movie and very endearing in its own special way, but it's certainly the most far removed from what one would expect in a Star Trek movie even when considering all of the movies with the TNG cast.

 

My favorite series is TOS because although many of the moral issues it tackled were more related to problems with 60s America than humanity as whole, it still had some good lessons that are applicable today. It's also the most action-packed of any series. What I liked the most was the camaraderie among the crew. Kirk, Spock, and Bones had a bond that was only approached by Data and Geordie in TNG, but the connection those three shared was without equal, romantic pairings aside.

 

Picking a second favorite is a toss-up between TNG and Voyager. There was a time when I said it was Voyager but now I can't be certain. Voyager is a well-balanced blend of the moral musings of TNG and the personal bonds and action of TOS. It has everything I could want in a Star Trek series. I guess it's one of those "jack of all trades but master of none" things. TNG was just so thought provoking and prompted me to engage in so much introspection that I can't relegate it to third place, even if I can't solidly place it in second.

 

 

As for favorite episodes, that's a tough call for TOS. Arena and Amok Time are both thought provoking episodes with all of the action that's typical of TOS. Hands down, my favorite TNG episode is Darmok. The late Paul Winfield, also known as Captain Terrell from The Wrath of Khan, gave a phenomenal performance as Dathon, the Tamarian captain.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58_xp8dGy5Q

 

For Voyager, my favorite would be Year Of Hell.

[AegisReflector 886]

The only reason why Trekkies hate The Motion Picture so much is because, yes, it is quite a boring movie. I will admit that you have to be a die-hard fan of the series in order to sit through it quite comfortably and enjoy for what it's got. However, if you merely cut out the minutes upon minutes they do trying to make the pacing and direction into a 2001: A Space Odyssey-esque film, then you have a film that's creative and truly interesting. The Remastered Director's Version DVD, currently the only SEPARATE version out there, does this and focuses more on the characters and their bonds, and to be quite honest, it turns out pretty damn well. Let us also look back at the Overture in the beginning of the film. More films should do this, it establishes a mood for you to eagerly await what exactly will happen in the flick and will make your mind wander. Also, the story for this picture is also very intriquing. Melding humans into uncharted alien matter and machinery for the next step of evolution? Uh, hell yeah! That's the type of sci-fi I look for!

 

As for favorite TOS episodes, it's really hard to decide. I mean, every Trekkie, including me, always talk about "Arena" being that one special episode, but I will avoid the bandwagon in this case. I think "Shore Leave" was an hilarious take on a typical sci-fi story (mind creations; false reality), "Who Mourns For Adonais?" had an interesting look at Apollo and the comparison of Greek gods to extraterrestrial life, and "The Naked Time"......had intoxicated Sulu fencing without his shirt on laughing like a maniac. That's just golden. However, I think no episode describes the beauty of TOS more than "The City on the Edge of Forever". Most Trekkies I know, surprisingly, skip this one over. The relationship between Kirk and the girl he meets in the past who ultimately has to die is really heartbreaking and it shows the various complications of time travel.

 

I like TNG as well but it leaves something to be desired everytime I watch it. The feeling I get from watching TOS, total satisfaction, isn't present at all when I'm viewing TNG. Maybe it's because it's less corny, "liberal", more serious, etc., but I always felt like TNG was more of daily military-like operations rather than adventures. I know it's because Starfleet by this time is well established but I miss the days when everything was literally an unknown and everything at that time seemed more exciting.

 

I haven't looked at either DS9 or Voyager so I can't comment on that. I prefer to stick my nose in the affairs of the Enterprise missions since it's the ship I grew up with, and I just hate looking at spin-off series that have more than 3 seasons. UGH. Too much to watch.

 

I did watch a lot of Enterprise episodes and to be honest, it's not a bad show like most Trekkies claim it to be.

[Thaliel 116]

I basically grew up with and by watching next generation. Though favourize Voager a bit more, best titel theme for sure. A year ago or so, some v station was showing original series again, I had a blast ...live long and prosper

[--Eve-- 351]

Thanks to the reboot movie, I got into it and from there watched almost all of TNG, VOY, and TOS. I'm watching all of DS9 now.

 

I think my favourite is a toss up between TNG and VOY. Probably Voyager though.

 

My favourite episode so far would have to be the TNG season finale. Partly because of Q, mostly because of how well it was written/planned out.

 

My favourite Voyager is probably The Thaw. The one with the stasis chamber clown and mind reading. Loved the ending in that one.

 

Favourite character would either be Tom Paris, The Doctor, or Data. Probably Data.

 

Star Trek's has always been my favourite show and still is.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

However, I think no episode describes the beauty of TOS more than "The City on the Edge of Forever". Most Trekkies I know, surprisingly, skip this one over.

You're right, it does, but that episode seems to be named as most Trekkies favorite according to every survey I've ever seen and my personal interactions.

 

 

I haven't looked at either DS9 or Voyager so I can't comment on that. I prefer to stick my nose in the affairs of the Enterprise missions since it's the ship I grew up with, and I just hate looking at spin-off series that have more than 3 seasons. UGH. Too much to watch.

Until the Dominion War started, I thought DS9 was pretty boring. Even after the war started I still found it dull. It was too political, too slow, and overly adhered to story arcs. I prefer more adventure, that stories be largely episodic, and I need a bit more variety. DS9 never provided much of that.

 

Voyager is a good blend of everything people loved about TOS and TNG. Like every other series (except Enterprise) it needs to get through most of the first season before it really establishes itself and figures out what it's trying to do. Character development over the first 15 episodes was pretty grueling. Until I watched Enterprise, I thought it had the most endearing characters aside from Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty. I now find myself equally attached to the NX-01's crew as much Voyager's. 

 

 

I like TNG as well but it leaves something to be desired everytime I watch it. The feeling I get from watching TOS, total satisfaction, isn't present at all when I'm viewing TNG. Maybe it's because it's less corny, "liberal", more serious, etc., but I always felt like TNG was more of daily military-like operations rather than adventures. I know it's because Starfleet by this time is well established but I miss the days when everything was literally an unknown and everything at that time seemed more exciting.

And that's probably why we both like Enterprise more than most other people.

 

What little bit I saw of Enterprise during its original run was interesting. Back then it aired on UPN and my reception was terrible, so I couldn't remember much of what I saw through the black and white haze. Yesterday I decided to revisit it on Netflix and I have to say that it's amazing. Jon Archer isn't too different from Kirk in many respects. He's clever, cavalier, and very informal with his crew.

 

Something I found to be a continued source of fascination and frustration is how overmatched they were at almost every hostile encounter. Their spatial torpedoes were useless against anything with shields and not particularly effective against unshielded vessels. Enterprise couldn't take much of a beating either. Their unfamiliarity with nearly everything they encountered and their technological limitations created a bigger sense of adventure for me. Improvisation saved their lives more often than superior equipment or lucky timing. I don't know why it was so short-lived. I've even heard some people say the intro was corny, but I found the historical clips and the song they used to be every bit as inspirational as they intended it to be. Nothing corny there.

[Mr Dash 1,820]

I'm just going to say that TNG is my all time favorite Star Trek series. I personally believe it had one of the best endings to any TV series I have ever seen. On top of it, well...It's got Q. I always couldn't wait until the next episode with Q showed up. I also like how the series began and ended with Q. Also, it's a good thing they ended with season 7 because they were planning an 8th season. But due to money and some other stuff, they figured the best decision was to end it with season 7. Then we got movies! Some good, some not so much.

 

Now, I haven't really watched TOS because I just couldn't really get into it. I can get into the movies just fine. Except for the first one. And obviously my favorite is Wrath of Khan. As far as TNG movies go, probably First Contact as my favorite. The reboot I really enjoyed as well and I can't wait for Into Darkness.

[Dr_Waveband 745]

I didn't have a chance to watch Star Trek until only less than two years ago when I borrowed the first season of TOS from the library. Now I've seen that entire series and the movie trilogy (II/III/IV) and just got the TNG dvd box as a Christmas present. I'm not sure if I'd call myself a trekkie, but I still have a lot to watch, and I've mostly enjoyed the two series so far.

[null1 606]

I enjoy The Next Generations and Picard's Picardisms. The movies for both series I grew up with. Wrath of Khan, First Contact, and The Undiscovered Country are my favorites, in no particular order.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

I'm just going to say that TNG is my all time favorite Star Trek series. I personally believe it had one of the best endings to any TV series I have ever seen. On top of it, well...It's got Q. I always couldn't wait until the next episode with Q showed up. I also like how the series began and ended with Q.

 

 

Q had three episodes on Voyager. You should have a look at them if you haven't already. The first of those three was quite profound.

 

 

 

Now, I haven't really watched TOS because I just couldn't really get into it. I can get into the movies just fine. Except for the first one. And obviously my favorite is Wrath of Khan.

 

My favorite TOS movie is The Undiscovered Country. I have very mixed feelings regarding the 2009 Abrams reboot.

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't have a chance to watch Star Trek until only less than two years ago when I borrowed the first season of TOS from the library. Now I've seen that entire series and the movie trilogy (II/III/IV) and just got the TNG dvd box as a Christmas present. I'm not sure if I'd call myself a trekkie, but I still have a lot to watch, and I've mostly enjoyed the two series so far.

 

Being a Trekkie is like being a Brony, some people have different criteria for what that means. I know the names and numbers of every episode of the original series, and some from TNG, Voyager, and Enterprise. I know the workings of a Starfleet vessel inside and out. The only reason I go that far is because I enjoy it, but I don't think anybody has to go that far to be a "Trekkie." Simply liking the show is enough. Same goes for MLP.

[null1 606]

My favorite TOS movie is The Undiscovered Country. I have very mixed feelings regarding the 2009 Abrams reboot.

I am not alone, that's a relief. It's a pretty good film, just... it doesn't feel like what Star Trek should be. I'd rather them continue on with the series (into the future), with a new Enterprise, Captain, characters. Just the Abrams Star Trek feels more like a hipster film than actual Star Trek.

[AegisReflector 886]

The one thing I hated about the Abrams reboot is that it conformed to the whole "MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS SEXUAL TENSIONS" gimmick that's virtually used in every big name film today, which is not how Star Trek is supposed to be presented. Instead of having a philosophical tone, it had a more action tone akin to films like Transformers. More action, less dialogue. At least, that's how I felt.

 

I will praise the new cast, though. The actor who portrayed Bones was like a young DeForest Kelley and very into character and Scotty was hilarious. I just didn't like how Abrams portrayed young Spock, beating the shit out of Kirk for example out of emotional compromise. It really surprised me, yeah, but in a negative way.