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Also too bad that when A&E did put together a Hornblower series, they tampered with Forester's stories to such a great degree that they were almost unrecognizable.
I read and loved all of the Hornblower books and didn't think that the A & E series was bad, just unfortunately under budgeted so that the action scenes were annoyingly low scale and unimpressive. The same flaw marred the Sharpe's Rifle series which left one with the impression that Sharpe and four guys beat Napoleon all by themselves.
In any event..I regard the books as the main course, the tv series were desserts.
Was it the case that the NBC brass didn't like Star Trek or know what to do with it?
I think that was much of the situation. They expected Wagon Train in Space. They nearly got rid of Spock before they found out he was one of the main attractions. The endlessly interfered with the writers by not approving this or that. There was a science fiction fandom which embrassed it out there, but they didn't understand that.
I don't know that they didn't like it but it was a departure from the formula and that wasn't what they understood what to do with. They didn't know who to pitch it to or what audience to expect. And a good many were young, but then teens didn't make up a big demographic in terms of advertisers. Today it would be perfectly understood and appreciated, which may account for the amount of 'fantasy' inspired shows on tv today.
Yes, i did enjoy it on first run as did many of my school friends. and my dad. he used to jokingly call it the falling down show.
that was about the extent of special effects at the time.
Actually there were others. The difference is that the others were model work and space shots mostly and very carefully used as they were very expensive. Trek actually simplified and made easier some of the fx, but the reason the transporter exists is simply that they couldn't afford showing the shuttle over and over and over again.
One of my favorite jokes is why didn't have seat belts on the bridge? Because they couldn't fall down then...
I remember the show from the 60's and I absolutely loved it. Hardly ever missed an episode. But as I recall now, I thought Mr Spock was absolutely dreamy....with those smoldering eyes and those pointed ears and the way he could squeeze you till you passed out!!! I also liked the aliens they dealt with - spooky scary to a kid and who didn't love a good monster back in the day? (Remember Shock Theater?) So, yeah, I got it, I loved it, I watched it, and I also liked the second series with Capt. Picard and that crew.
I had a crush on Mr. Spock and never missed an episode either. I even had a autographed picture of him that I framed and kept on my nightstand. Have to laugh about it now and the picture is long gone, but I wonder what it would be worth now to some trekkie.
I found six episodes of season one of Tos, digitally remasterd on dvd's at the pawnshop. I'm loving it, its been a while. I'd love to pick up the whole set to go along with my collection. Brings me back to the mid teens and making up our own episodes with my friends and after all this time I STILL like and appreciate them. All those 'standard' moment like Kirk tearing his shirt make me smile.
Can't say that about the other shows of that time I remember and occasionally watch.
I am in my Mid 20s, so I obviously was not around when Star Trek had its initial run, and I was but an infant and toddler when TNG came along. I admit to not becoming a Trekkie until I got to college, where my Dad let me borrow some episodes of TOS for my dorm room.
However, something that I want to address and was brought up with an earlier comment is shows and movies that have terrible first runs, but come to a new, cult following later on in syndication or on DVD. Someone earlier mentioned that maybe the low ratings and "failure" of the series was indicative of NBC not knowing what they had. I wonder what makes shows and movies fail at first but come back to life later on. The Shawshank Redemption is considered one of the greatest movies of all time, and yet it has a terrible run in theaters.
So, C-D readers and posters, why do you think that was the case with Star Trek?
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