I'm watching Star Trek the original series, and even though it is intriguing, some things are also hilarious.
There's the sounds, the props and settings. The computers and their 'floppies' a far cry from what a computer looks like.
The acting is odd. I've watched this series before, but didn't recall there was so much shouting and being angry at someone (esp. coming from Cpt. Kirk). I guess what was thought to be good acting was different in those days?
Copy/paste that kind of anger-issue behaviour unto Cpt. Picard... it wouldn't compute! The man was an amazing mediator.

But the most bizarre thing... the outfits of the female crew members! I used to think they were very short dresses, but they're not. They're tunics (they call them that in the series) and these are so short they were knickers in the same colour as the tunic they wear.
It'd be considered indecent exposure these days. Talk about using women as sex & lust objects! Apparently that was still totally okay back then.
And also... in those days shaving wasn't really standard as far as I know? I believe "the jungle down there' was normal. But considering their outfits... I guess these women invented bikini-line shaving? Maybe even Brazilians? (Ouch!!)

Seeing a young William Shatner is pleasing, hihi.

I can’t explain everything but it seems the show only lasted 2 years as I recall. I like Star Trek but I’m not a fanatic so I suggest you do some research online since any questions asked has an answer to it.

It's definitely weird to go back and watch the original series after having seen the others, haha.

Chronologically, the original series is star dated after Discovery and Strange New Worlds, yet seems so primitive compared to the other two.

You forgot StarTrek: Enterprise, about 100 years before the original. The look and texture of the first starship Enterprise NX 01? is my favorite.
On a broadcast TV station, they've been playing Star Trek, S. T. Next Generation, S. T. Deep Space Nine, S. T. Voyager and S. T. Enterprise back to back, 6 nights a week for a few years now.

I didn't forget. The topic is the original series, and I was merely comparing it to the two recent series that came out.

As far as Star Trek Enterprise goes, I had a tough time getting into it because Scott Bakula is so melodramatic in that role. I loved him in Quantum Leap, but not so much in Enterprise. Although I only watched a few episodes, maybe his acting improves?

I tried ST Enterprise when it first aired and I couldn't get the hang of it either. It just felt off. So I never watched it bar for maybe the first 2 episodes. It was too much of a struggle to watch for me, it just doesn't work for some reason or other.

I also gave up on ST Deep Space 9. Really wasn't my thing.
Voyager, ST NG on the other hand I do love and have watched more than once.

What I find peculiar about ST Strange New Worlds is that the actor playing Pike looks and behaves so much like Kirk they could've continued the Kirk thing with him, movies too. He's better suited than Chris Pine and at the time I felt he was a marvelous match.
But having seen Anson Mount (I believe his name is)... he's way better! His style is so "Kirk"!
But I guess they felt it was better to stay away from Kirk for now. And with Pike, who knows, they might end up doing movies again!

Yeah, Deep Space 9 used to put me to sleep. I watched it when I was in NH. Eric insisted we watch the whole series before moving on to Voyager. I eventually started liking it, but still slept through quite a bit, haha.

I really like NG and Voyager.

I don't remember the actor who played Pike in Discovery. I'm terrible about that kind of thing, haha. But the one who plays in Strange New Worlds I really like. Hopefully they will come out with a movie or two starring him.

It's the same actor playing Pike in both these series.
He's quite smexy, hihi
But he's a good actor so it's not just his looks.

Oh okay, I thought so, but wasn't sure with you mentioning different names. Like I said, I'm terrible when it comes to who's who name wise, haha.

Yes, quite smexy!!

Oh something else they always do in ST original series: film young allegedly pretty women through a somewhat hazy lens, accompanied with specific music, to make her appear beautiful. The music is for a mesmerising effect (I guesstimate).

I spose we could call these the very first beauty filters, haha.

Yes, haha!

I started watching the original series again last night. I'm not sure if I ever saw the entire series from beginning to end. I started towards the end of the first season, where I left off about a year ago.

In Season 1, episode 29... "The City on the Edge of Forever", I noticed they did that with the music when Kirk was interacting with the woman. Both the somewhat hazy lens and the camera moving slowly to show only her face/head, while playing the music, definitely gave that mesmerizing effect, haha. They actually did the music thing with Kirk as well. Gave him a softer, more romantic appearance.

Haha, must be something. I haven't quite gotten to that episode yet.

Have you also noticed that oftentimes, when Kirk needs to make some kind of stronger impression, they shoot him with only his eyes properly lit and the top and bottom parts of his face slightly in shadow? Making him seem more mysterious or powerful or whatever?
I suppose they felt they had to rely on cheap visual tricks more than good acting with the right facial expressions?

Imagine them doing this with Patrick Steward (cpt. Picard) in the Next Gen.! Would be totally hilarious and wouldn't work at all with such a good and powerful actor.

Oh my goodness, haha. I hadn't really paid attention to that, but you're right, they do exactly that.

I'm finding it funny, and a little tough to watch such cheesy acting after watching some of the other ST series.

It would definitely be hilarious had they tried that with Patrick Steward, and so not necessary!

A few more things of interest:
Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of warp speed that features in "First Contact" movie with the NG crew, is also featured in the original series!
I had no idea.

And somewhere during season 1 of this original series they end up on a planet with a being that is very similar to Q, again from the NG.
Cannot remember his name now, but basically also a kind of young godlike being that's harassing them until its/his parents interfere.
So the entire idea of Q wasn't new either, but quite likely based on that.
Must admit Q was a helluva lot more fun with his "Mon capitan!", hihi. Although when it first aired in the 90s I couldn't stand him, now I find him hilarious.

You are referring to General Trelane retired, in the episode "The Squire of Gothos". He was watching earth but he was 700 light years away so he was confused as to how the earth had ships capable of space travel. He didn't realize he was looking at earth 700 years ago. He also played a Klingon commander in the episode "The Trouble With Tribbles". There were 79 episodes spread over 3 years.

Yes, that's the one!

there was an episode that was very ground breaking in which Kirk kissed Uhuru. and then there is Kirk's karate chop. it did push boundaries

Yes, I read about that somewhere and then watched the episode.
Not much of a kiss and it wasn't even that both wanted to, but I suppose in those days it was a big no-go still!

What also stood out to me...

The number of times I wondered about changing the lives, culture etc. of a planet and its people.
They didn't seem to care much about that. A number of times Kirk argued about it, wanting to do that as it was for the best interest of those people. At least according to him.

Me wondering... the Prime Directive hasn't been invented yet?

Then somewhere during season 3, the last season, the Prime Directive suddenly is mentioned. About 2 or 3 times so not often.



Also, one of the last episodes Spock says to another crew member "Captain Kirk will take care of it with his diplomatic balm."

Me thinking... "What diplomat balm?" Kirk is as subtle as the proverbial bull in a China shop!
All he does is scream, get angry, try to force others to do what he wants etc.
It must've put quite some strain on his vocal chords and blood pressure to play the part of Captain Kirk, haha.


I have btw read that William Shatner wasn't particularly liked by the rest of the cast. Apparently he was very full of himself and unpleasant to work with.