STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES | KEY EPISODES | FIRST TIME WATCHING

[@Pentarax]

McCoy being choked with a blade at his throat and his only response being "make up your mind" is underrated as one of the more badass moments in Star Trek.

[@13DM13]

It was a moment that I actually liked McCoy's character. He was always so irrational.

[@bettyleeist]

Sometime’s the logic wins out,and other time’s it doesn’t work…..because,McCoy say’s;Mr.Spock remind me I’m sick 😷 and tired of hearing about your’e logic!But,before you know it,something alway’s work’s in Star Trek!And,historians take note;Star Trek was based on;Wagon train,🚂 a western show.

[@bettyleeist]

Another way to find out about Star ⭐️ Trek is;read the James Blish book’s.But,that’s up to the viewer,of course!

[@JJfromPhilly67]

Absolutely.

[@DG-dy4tv]

He was always a cowboy, keeping himself in check as much as possible.

[@suproliver]

The announcer guy on Miss Congeniality is William Shatner. You're just not used to seeing him as a young man in Star Trek. -OG

[@leftcoaster67]

James Doohan "Scotty" is Canadian. He was born in Vancouver, moved to Sarnia, Ontario. He joined the Canadian Army in 1939. Was in Juno Beach on D-Day. After the war he was early Canadian TV. Because of his gift for accents he was cast in Star Trek.

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Didn't know he grew up in Sarnia. He transfered to a flight unit and earned a reputation as a dare devil in the air. He got in trouble for flying between telephone poles during WWII.

[@Trygvar13]

There is another Captain of the Enterprise that is also from Québec in Canada. Bruce Greenwood who played Pike in 2009 Star Trek was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec. Vulcans do have emotions but they control them. Their emotions are much more powerful than humans and they nearly destroyed themselves so 2 thousand years ago they adopted the philosophy of logic to control their emotions. Some of them refused to do so and left Vulcan to found the Romulan Star Empire. There is a follow-up episode to The Trouble With Triblles in Star Trek Deep Space Nine called Trials And Tribble-ations. It is very well done and shows a different perspective.

[@MotoroidARFC]

​@@Trygvar13he also played JFK in Thirteen Days.

[@direnova6284]

Shatner is Canadian too.

[@WmTRiker]

It was at Juno Beach that Doohan was shot 6 times by a nervous Canadian sentry, one of which caused his right middle finger to be amputated. He kept this fact hidden from cameras through most of his acting career. It can be seen briefly in a scene is "Star Trek: Generations".

[@jamiegagnon6390]

Kirk is the physical, Spock is the mind and McCoy is the heart.

[@timmooney7528]

Spock and McCoy are personifications of logic and emotion. They act as guides to Kirk's moral compass.

[@bluebird3281]

and Chekov is one of the Beatles/ Monkees

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

@@bluebird3281 He;s whichever is most interested in locating nooklear wessels.

[@jrgilby]

Spock is the SuperEgo, McCoy is the Id, Kirk is the ego that has to balance both of his advisors.

[@ojpete]

"I'm a doctor, not a heart!" - McCoy, probably

[@dylanwedge3721]

Omg yes. Not enough reactors do Star Trek. I’m so hype!!

[@nonconsensualopinion]

If all the reactors did Star Trek, the world would be a better place as their subscribers learned of their philosophy.

[@BigTone_1701]

ME TOO!!!

[@dmichael1172]

Try Jen Murray she’s done all tos and now on tng

[@Yggdrasil42]

I recommend Target Audience (they just started TNG after doing all of TOS and their movies). Great discussions. JenMurray is also fun and she's on TNG. And The Gallifrey Gals are about to finish TNG.

[@gregorybiestek3431]

I know that many others have made recommendations, but I would suggest Balance of Terror, Errand of Mercy, Mirror, Mirror, & Journey to Babel also be watched before you start the movies. In addition, you should know that although the series centers on stories, the science that they envisioned fired the imaginations of numerous scientists & inventors. Our flip & smart phones, hypospray, universal translators, computer tablets, as well as many others became reality & others are currently being worked on.

[@kimothy1701]

What you have to think about with the tech used in the show is that, with a few exceptions, these are in wide use now. Communicators = mobile phones. Data padds = iPad or other tablet. Instantaneous Video communication = zoom, teams, messenger etc. automatic doors, verbal commands to computer = Alexa, google. Universal translator = google translate And on and on. Just missing the transporter, warp drive and a Starship named Enterprise

[@KevyNova]

We had a Starship Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle, even though it never went to space.

[@kimothy1701]

@@KevyNova but still not a starship. Unfortunately.

[@BogeyTheBear]

Even Uhura's communicator earpiece is now just a Bluetooth headset.

[@hrayz]

The, now old, 3.5" floppy disc was modeled and sized after the Star Trek data disc/cubes.

[@Trifler500]

I always felt the friendship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy was the centerpiece that everything in this show centered around.

[@yvonnesanders4308]

And Spock and McCoy are like 2 halves of Kirk

[@LogicalNiko]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@yvonnesanders4308they actually were intentionally designed to represent the Id (McCoy), The SuperEgo (Spock), and the Ego (Kirk) of a hero. Which allows the writers to externalize a persons normal struggles and debates as character interactions. It also allows them to create struggle by removing one from the equation and forcing the others to work to restore balance.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Trek was the first fandom, and it was the first tv show with fanfic. But there’s a twist. The first fanfic was erotic fiction centered on a homosexual relationship between Kirk and Spock. I figure that McCoy is the jealous ex-boyfriend, the older guy that was dropped when Kirk met the exotic and younger Vulcan.

[@thomashiggins9320]

@N37tron_Danc3 Of the Greek philosophical variety, not the Biblical sort. To Plato, human minds had three aspects -- Will (or thumos), Reason, and Appetite. A healthy human mind keeps all things in balance -- Will (the courageous and motivational aspect) and Appetite (survival and procreation, but also empathy and compassion) counterbalance -- and are kept in balance by -- reason. The command crew of the Enterprise-D in "The Next Generation" actually form the trinity that Gene Roddenberry originally wanted -- Picard, with his coolly rational mind, works through his first officer "Will" Riker, while receiving alternative views from his Betazoid empath counselor, Deanna Troi. However, he had to sell Star Trek in the 1960s as "Wagon Train in Spaaaace" to the studios, and that meant the charismatic and willful character needed to be the star of the show; so Kirk replaced Christopher Pike and became the strength of will and motivational force as captain. Spock took on the role of intellect (he was much more emotional in the original pilot), and the physician, McCoy, became the caring and compassionate final member of the tripartite mind in command of the ship.

[@sarahfullerton6894]

​I have always thought that homo erotica idea was a gross distortion of what Star Trek's leading trio was about. In the third season episode, "Where gods Destroy", Kirk says that he views his relationship with Spock as that of brothers!!

[@larky368]

Interesting story about the Uhura character. She was going to quit because she wasn't getting much screen time and she happened to meet Martin Luther King who asked to be introduced. When she told him she wanted to quit he told her that she mustn't because this was the first time a black woman was portrayed as a person of status on TV who wasn't a servant. So she remained on the show. She made TV history as being part of the first interracial kiss.

[@strangebiped]

I still like her "MOONLIGHT FAN DANCE" on top of the Sand Dunes that she did to distract the enemy soldiers! It was short but Really Cool!

[@brucechmiel7964]

@@strangebiped It is a shame her voice was dubbed over. Nichel was a talented singer. She did get to display that in the episode "The Conscious of the King".

[@Serenity113]

I believe Nichel was an inspiration for Whoopi Goldberg. I remember her saying that she was so surprised to see someone who looked like her and then years later Whoopi was also on Star Trek.

[@commandosolo1266]

I understand Dr. King's children ran to him yelling, "daddy, there's a black woman on TV and she isn't a maid!" Gene Roddenberry was by no means a perfect man; by modern standards he was a womanizer. But when Ms. Nichols told him about her encounter with Dr. King, Gene triumphantly said words to the effect of, "thank God someone understands what I'm trying to accomplish."

[@thomast8539]

Uhura was indeed important for the Enterprise. She was fourth in command after Kirk, Spock and Scotty. I believe she even got to take command in one episode.

[@meltorme-ntor2933]

Kahn was played by the great Mexican actor Ricardo Montalbán, who later played Mr. Roark on the 70's show "Fantasy Island". he was quite the movie star in the 50s.

[@elessartelcontar9415]

Considering that Ricardo Montalban suffered a severe back injury in 1951 and was in constant severe pain ever since he did very well. In 1998, Pope John Paul II made him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (KSG), the highest honor a Roman Catholic lay person can receive from the Church.

[@johnmarx3919]

He also sold cars with "rrrrich Corinthian leather"...

[@bubhub64]

​@@johnmarx3919Chrysler Cordoba.

[@TheMrSlartibartfast]

The appearance of the Klingons did indeed change dramatically. One of my favorite Star Trek spinoff scenes is when the Klingon character Warf is asked why some Klingons looked different during Kirks time and he responds, "We don't talk about that".

[@bluesreign]

That was the DS9 episode where they time warped back to the TOS "Tribbles" episode . They merged the two together . It was well done.

[@3dmaster205]

His name is Worf, not Warf.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

@@3dmaster205 Lwaxana Troi called him Mister Woof. 😉

[@ninjabearpress2574]

@@bluesreign The sequel to my favorite episode, but my favorite DS9 episode is "In The Pale Moonlight".

[@MotoroidARFC]

​@@3dmaster205yes. Son of Mogh, not son of Dock, brother to Pier and father to Quay.

[@laurogarza4953]

I began watching STAR TREK in 1966 with the very first episode. Thirty years later, my daughters, your age, would sit in my lap and watch this series and the new series, at that time, The Next Generation. As a father in search of educational TV for my kids, Star Trek offered wholesome (no bad language and polite communications) and thought provoking entertainment that featured scientists and engineers as heroes. All that was presented with excellent English and truly great vocabulary. STAR TREK is entertaining and educational without seeming to try. My kids enjoyed that.

[@DannyD714]

a bit of trivia: at 12:55 kirk and edith can be seen walking by floyd's barber shop from the andy griffith show. this is because both shows were shot on the paramount lot. it's what we would call an "easter egg" today,but back then it was just standard practice to reuse old sets.

[@drewood]

Watching someone discover a show that has meant so much to me for years, is not only fascinating to watch but reinvigorates my love for the franchise.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@Steve-gx9ot No, you're the nerd.

[@peanut1001x]

she has no idea

[@peanut1001x]

she has no idea

[@ht9851]

A lot of people shy away from watching Star Trek especially the earlier shows because they think it's all about science and nerdy stuff when in fact it is so much deeper. The intricate stories and characters make Star Trek truly exceptional and worthy of binge watching. It's an experience that everyone should partake in.

[@Radwar99]

Next Generation was so much better than the original series imo. Just thinking about the fight between Kirk and Gorn makes me laugh just how bad it was.

[@ht9851]

@@Radwar99you don’t get the full experience if you don’t watch everything related to Star Trek. For its time Star Trek was groundbreaking and for the audience back then it was very exciting. Too many people today want to watch something that is newer or has more cgi. They’ll only get part of the experience due to selective prejudice. It's these early pioneering shows that set the stage for what we have today as far as concept and technological advances in movie making. Not everyone wants to watch the same Marvel drivel over and over again.

[@pipingbob720]

ALL of trek is basically a philosophical show about the human condition. Just outsourcing it to space, and instead of sectarian conflicts we now have wars with aliens lol. Remember Roddenberry was a humanist thus the utopian future. At its heart it isn't real hardcore science fiction at all, just like star wars is essentially a buddhist fairytale with political undertones. If you want real sf watch the expanse, also excellent.

[@k--music]

It’s funny because this is one the farthest things from a hard sci fi of anything in the genre. It’s really just a setting, there to tell short stories about the human condition.

[@anonygent]

​@@Radwar99No way. The special effects and acting might have been a little better, but the original series is timeless. Watching TNG just reminds me of how old it is, while TOS could have been made yesterday with a limited budget.

[@dethtongue945]

The Doomsday Machine is a must. I'm an old man now but I can still remember how thrilling that episode was as a kid. When Commodore Deckard does his "thing" (Fans know what I mean.) I'm not ashamed to say it scared the absolute living s*** out of me. This show was literally light years ahead of its time. So many great episodes (and some hilariously bad ones) but I remember the Doomsday Machine with special fondness.

[@johnmarx3919]

I, too, have a soft spot for that episode as it was the very first Star Trek episode I saw during the original run in '68!

[@skippylance1591]

Dethtongue, I agree. I consider "The Doomsday Machine" the best of all the Star Trek episodes. It's masterly done, and Shatner as Kirk is at his pinnacle in that episode.

[@dethtongue945]

The big three all have great moments in that episode, but can we just take a moment to appreciate how William Windom managed to out-Shatner Shatner on his own show in that episode? It was some of the most glorious chewing of scenery I've ever witnessed. @@skippylance1591

[@ReaLifeHDchannel]

When I visit other Star Trek TOS episodes, I get a sense of thrill just to figure out what happens. I even revisited "The Return of the Archons" today and realized I got inspiration from that episode for a story of mine. But I know "The Doomsday Machine" by heart, and it's always worth a watch. It sucks that Uhura wasn't there, but Commodore Decker was a phenomenal character that ended up making Kirk shine even more. The story is solid. The thrill is real. And the perspective of another leader (Decker) makes the dynamic all the more exciting.

[@johnmarx3919]

@@ReaLifeHDchannel and so did the authors of "The Purge" movies...

[@EMarvinJohnson]

The best part about Trouble With Tribbles is, the laughter at the end, was real. It was a real emotional release from the cast for having to be so serious through that story, it was fun for them to finally get to laugh.

[@kristinaF54]

More cheese on that cheese spread with extra cheese?

[@MrDeathpilot]

" the laughter at the end, was real." LOL! 😂 No, but my laughter at your comment is real.

[@joeconcepts5552]

Something to note for future episodes... "Casualty" doesn't necessarily mean death. It means death or injury. Even now it technically means that, too, but for some reason people tend to use it when referring to death these days.

[@kurtunconscious]

I actually didn't know that. Thank you for the information.

[@stanmann356]

Anytime anyone asks for a causality report the proper response is always X number injured, Y number dead. Possibly Z number missing.

[@morey92]

Fatalities would have been a better word to use regarding actual deaths.

[@darkamora5123]

Thanks. I was going to say the same, but wanted to check to see if anyone got here first. I think that, maybe, it was a better understood word in 1967, with both the Vietnam War actively occuring (with the news giving casualty reports), and being only 22 years past the end of World War II so many people being used to hearing it.

[@gregmantis]

In the UK, what Americans would call the ER was historically known as the Casualty department (because the patients are all casualties). There is a TV drama about such a department that's been running since 1986 and is still going, simply called "Casualty". Nowadays the name isn't really used for the departments although everyone would know what you meant. Instead we call them "A&E" for Accident and Emergency department.

[@scottmcnulty70]

Galaxy Quest is a heartfelt homage to Star Trek.

[@Gorn-1967]

You should see the best written episode, "Balance of Terror", and then "Journey to Babel" so you can meet Spock's parents. They appear in the movies. Both of these episodes are fantastic. I can't recommend this enough, Cassie.

[@signedbookcollector3408]

After balance of terror watch The Enterprise Incident

[@txheadshots]

And Errand of Mercy for a good Klingon episode

[@anthonyhansel9175]

Balance of Terror for sure.

[@keithcurrie3237]

“Balance of Terror” has been a favourite of mine for years, and I’ve always loved “Journey to Babel” as well. I agree, you really learn a lot about the character of the cast in those episodes.

[@JDMunoz-ct9xn]

​@txheadshots people too often sleep on the Klingon episodes. Good recc.

[@G3rain1]

This was great. You should totally watch a few more. Balance of Terror, Devil in the Dark, Doomsday Machine, Mirror mirror, The Enemy Within, Tholian web are all great episodes.

[@fakecubed]

I completely agree on all of these recommendations. There's maybe a few more I'd add, but those would give her a pretty good understanding of TOS.

[@Riggswolfe]

I'm honestly shocked Balance of Terror wasn't one of the recommended ones. It introduces the Romulans and is a damned good episode with space combat that has a similar feel to one of the movies she'll be watching.

[@WEM2016]

Don’t forget “The Menagerie!”

[@JimMeeker]

Yes, these!

[@peterstanghellini393]

I really enjoyed how they developed the characters and their personalities. It was one of my favorites growing up. The stories were intriguing. usually a happy ending

[@randalthor741]

One thing to remember about Star Trek TOS is that it was on the air at the height of the Cold War, and the themes of the episodes often reflect that. In particular, the Klingons were frequently used as a stand-in for the Soviet Union.

[@davidmarquardt9034]

And the Romuliens could be compared to the Chinese.

[@logandarklighter]

Also - the elaborate make-up design for the Klingons (the ridged foreheads) beginning in Star Trek The Motion Picture necessitated a bit of an explanation as to why the looked so different back in the original series. This is actually addressed in-universe. First by acknowledging the issue by "hanging a lamp-shade" on the fact but NOT explaining it in a Time Travel Episode in Deep Space 9 (WORF: "We do NOT talk about it..." ) and finally explained for real in an episode or Star Trek: Enterprise.

[@lordmortarius538]

@@logandarklighter Seeing Worf so uncomfortable in that episode was one of the highlights, made me seriously lol

[@cmlemmus494]

@@logandarklighter There was also a semi-canon novel by John M Ford in 1984 called The Final Reflection. While not really explaining the change directly, the novel's version of Klingons was very popular in fandom and led to a still popular fan explanation of the change. This can be summed up as "the secret police control all information received by other races". Note: I refer to the book as semi-cannon because the publisher had worked out a deal whereby all books were considered cannon at publishing, but Paramount could later declare some books as non-canon. The Final Reflection is a bit of a sore point with older fans since most of the various Klingon groups use it as their unofficial bible and it is the origin of many elements of Klingon culture, such as their being an honourable warrior race, not just villains.

[@SJSpode114]

Also interesting that despite these themes, the Enterprise crew had a Russian (Chekhov) and a Japanese (Sulu) crew member showing that the Federation had got past old enemies of the 20th century

[@timcary5907]

Star Trek was so far ahead of its time. They were filming during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Anti-Vietnam War protests, and Sexual Revolution. Because they were a Science Fiction show, they managed to slip episodes past the censors dealing with many controversial topics. In "Plato's Stepchildren" episode, they even had the first ever interracial kiss on TV. The whole series is worth watching. Many modern inventions such as the cell phone came about because Star Trek inspired them. The man who invented the flip phone has always credited the idea to the communicators that are used in Star Trek. Thanks for reacting to this great series.

[@bad-people6510]

That's a myth by the way, it's not the first interracial kiss on TV. And people like to forget the context that it wasn't consensual and was immediately followed by the white man horse whipping the black woman. The thing you got in old Trek though that they've forgotten how to do today is subtlety and nuance and varied perspective. Star Trek was also very patriotic. It had episodes that took the piss out of hippies, there was an episode that argued against MAD yes, but there was also one that outlined it's necessity. It wasn't just the one perspective bashed over your head for three seasons like Kurtzman Trek is.

[@johnbonafede3289]

Another foreshadowing of the future I noticed when I rewatched the two part episode based on the original pilot - when Spock switched moved through the screens as he briefed what was known about Talos IV, he changed screens by swiping right ...

[@LA_HA]

timcary: There's a documentary about that very topic with interviews with people past and present) of the time of the filming of the documentary) who modelled their inventions after Star Trek. I can't recall if Star Wars was a separate documentary covering the same topic or if it was the two franchises together. But, it was Really good

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

@@bad-people6510However, despite your protests otherwise, Star Trek was and still is unambiguously left-wing.

[@bad-people6510]

@@ripleyjlawman.3162No it wasn't. It had elements of both, as I pointed out. The reason it was well remembered as it is, unlike modern trek, is because it held universal appeals and held a moderate position that the average person largely agreed with. Modern trek exists to push an overtly left-wing political agenda. That is why it fails. It has nothing to offer to the right wing, the center, or the moderate left for that matter. Old Trek offered something to everyone, that's why it has fan across the spectrum.

[@wesrrowlands8309]

The Trouble with Tribbles episode actually connects to future parts of the franchise as the actor playing the head Klingon reappears several times. They were really good about bringing back the actors for parts, and there's an amusing tie-in with Deep Space 9 featuring this episode.

[@TheDougMan]

I would suggest these three episodes: The Corbomite Maneuver, Journey to Babel, and Mirror, Mirror. I’m glad you are enjoying the three episodes. Live long and prosper.

[@driptrat]

Seconding Journey to Babel for a character in that episode who will be important to the movies.

[@bloodmoon0205]

I'd also recommend the Menagerie.

[@Doutsoldome]

She will probably just jump to the movies, but these episodes are indeed good.

[@chadwilliams4216]

Balance of Terror

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

But first, the tranya. I hope you relish it as much as IIIIIIII

[@d4mdcykey]

I hope that some day you can fit this entire TOS into your schedule. Some episodes are incredibly good and highly relevant, others are a bit meh, but it is a fascinating thing to watch later generations absorbing and reacting to the entire series and this unique TV era. The positive effects this show has had on science, pop culture, fashion, tech, everything really, is beyond measure.

[@donkfail1]

I agree almost fully. But fashion? ... I lived through the 70s and 80s and if there was any positivity with fashion remotely like in Star Trek it's nothing I remember fondly. Perhaps some of the more outrageous stage clothes that it inspired was entertaining at least. ;) Live long and prosper!

[@cleekmaker00]

@@donkfail1I would say the OP might be referring to the fact that wearing Red in TOS could possibly mean a Death Sentence... 😋

[@czos9239]

@@cleekmaker00 I laughed harder then I should’ve seeing all the red outside of Kirk, Spock, & McCoy. EDIT: City Edge Of Forever

[@darthmaul13]

@@cleekmaker00 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXq1g3eFbMSGkKssi=wMjHOh9WRCW-8net

[@mikecronis]

YES! You can watch them in-order if you look on Wikipedia. Season 1 was originally released a bit out-of-order as you can tell by the costume changes and references.

[@janus1958]

Several years ago, a local theater group put on a series of outdoor performances called "Trek in the Park". Each summer they performed one Star Trek episode over a few weeks. They did this for 5 years. My wife and I were able to catch three of them. The last year they did "The Trouble with Tribbles" and we were at the last performance, which had a special surprise quest in the audience; David Gerrold, the writer of this episode. He went up on stage afterwards and told a couple of stories.

[@prion42]

He wrote a book about that episode 😊 "The making of 'the trouble with tribbles'"

[@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm]

It was Grace Lee Whitney (Yeoman Janice Rand) who was almost single handedly responsible for those iconic miniskirt uniforms. In the two pilot episodes women wore pants just like the men. There were even early publicity pictures with Grace wearing pants too. But once the series was picked up she requested a skirt to both match the current style of the day as well as show off her dancer's legs. Nichelle Nichols thought it was a great idea and the rest was history!

[@strangebiped]

I agree with that! Love the 60's Clothing Styles! Women looked very desirable compared with now-a-days.

[@TalklikeAPirate]

For this we are thankfull

[@andromidius]

It was also just a sign of the times - miniskirts were a big part of women's social liberation during the 60's. A lot of the 'problems' with the show weren't problems at all back then, so it should be (mostly) judged by those merits. Not to say its perfect - but compared to the norm it was pretty darn progressive.

[@Lone-wolf-1982]

Women can be smart and look sexy.

[@DrLipkin]

Even the miniskirts eventually ended up being used to signify how progressive the future was. In the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a male background extra is wearing one of the skirt uniforms! In the future, you can wear what you want.

[@Manofsteel1701-f4r]

Star Trek has meant the absolute world to me since I was a little kid. I had some developmental issues and struggled to make friends, but always knew when I got home from school James T. Kirk and his crew would be there waiting for me. Captain Kirk helped me learn honor, to have an insane passion for life and to always be learning new things, and to show absolute loyalty to those I care about. I’ve had a heck of a life and helped a lot of people which I credit in large part to the adventures of James Tiberius Kirk and the intrepid crew of the starship enterprise. No bloody A,B,C, or D. ❤️

[@mr.donatello]

Star Trek meant so much more to me than just a tv show, as well. Let’s just say the fantastical, noble exploration of other worlds of endless deep space was exactly what I needed as a kid in a difficult situation. When the intro theme started playing, it took me away to a better place and situation.

[@lordmortarius538]

Same, as a nerd growing up in the 80's, I got picked on/bullied/beat up a lot, and I leaned hard into the Vulcan ethos, repressing my emotions and embracing logic. Hence I excelled in classes, got left alone after a while since bullies couldn't provoke a reaction, and gained respect from others for being steadfast in the face of that shit. Sadly the rest of the world is not like this, so I'm still working on the living long and prospering bit.

[@martini1179]

I'm glad to hear that Star Trek helped you heal. I struggled to make friends and was pretty lonely but I came home to reruns of Star Trek TNG and Picard taught me humanism and how to be a good person. I like that last line, ironically and especially since it was said in the TNG episode Relics.

[@Manofsteel1701-f4r]

@@lordmortarius538that’s all any of us can do. I hope you are successful happy and thriving now! 🖖🏼

[@Manofsteel1701-f4r]

@@martini1179when I saw the recreated bridge in Las Vegas in 2021 at STLV to say I got emotional was an understatement. After how rotten the year before had been to see that bridge was a gift.

[@shanewilliams9122]

More young people experiencing the original Star Trek makes my heart happy. It's a big universe to step into, but it is so worth it. Live Long and Prosper, Cassie.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

She probably makes very good _plomik_ soup.

[@davidb5711]

Hope you’ll watch at least one more round of episodes before the movies, and include “Mirror, Mirror.” I think you’d value the films more if you watch at least another 4 episodes.

[@spencerbookman2523]

...and Balance of Terror ...and The Devil in the Dark ...and Arena ...and the Harry Mudd episodes, perhaps. There are a bunch of great first season episodes I would recommend.

[@ninjabluefyre3815]

Or ten. Or twenty.

[@BigTone_1701]

@@spencerbookman2523 I'd throw "Errand of Mercy" in there, too.

[@gregmantis]

In terms of setting up for picking up on references in the movies I'd go with Journey to Babel.

[@nightwingjosh8491]

Perhaps one with sulu, since he was only in the beginning of city on the edge of forevrr

[@dammitspock]

It's so refreshing to see someone react to Star Trek, especially the original series. I appreciate that you can look past the limitations of the show due to its age & enjoy the stories & characters. This is the reason fans love this show with such passion & the actors continued to play these characters for 25 plus years. Hope you enjoy the films

[@LA_HA]

damnitspock: I dunno. As someone who's been watching ST:OG and TNG all through my childhood, I think I prefer the acting and effects that so many see as limitations. I think it's because the foundations of Theater is still very visible, making it very clear to the audience that what they're watching is, indeed, make-believe. Having it be so overdone and "dramatic" helps ground the audience so more attention can be paid to the stories and morals of the stories instead of becoming so emotionally involved, it's difficult to unblur those lines. All movies and TV shows are done in a natural way that makes it emotionally and mentally real, creating an interaction between the show and the audience that makes it viewer see them as something they're encouraged to try to replicate it some way instead of something to Think about. I'm not convinced that's a better option

[@sammy2840]

Every night at 10:00 PM we gathered in the dorm TV room to watch these great episodes! Hill crest, 1972!

[@Timbuktu407]

The actor that played Scotty was WWII veteran James Doohan, a fellow Canadian. He actually was part of the Canadian forces on D-day.

[@djco5782]

Yes, and 1:10:58 is one of the few times you can see that the middle finger of his right hand was missing, having lost it on D-day. It was usually obscured by a hand double in close-ups of him operating the transporter.

[@m_chupon5131]

He took 6 bullets in an accidental friendly fire incident, amazing how he managed to survive!

[@xerowhiz]

The reason why they beam in the show was simply a cheaper way to show characters going to the planets from the ship. Landing a ship down was more expensive to shoot. Transporter became an iconic feature of Star Trek because of it.

[@ct6852]

Did most episodes take place on the ship?

[@xerowhiz]

@@ct6852Yes. Every episode. But I’m saying they save costs by coming up with the transporter because using ship models for planetary landings was too expensive at the time. In Star Trek Voyager, they finally did.

[@ct6852]

@@xerowhiz Oh I see. I thought you meant shooting on location outside the studio was too expensive.

[@timbola]

whoops, just saw your answer

[@xerowhiz]

@@ct6852They shoot on locations too as well. Btw, you’re ok. 🙂

[@JungleMan777]

"The City on the Edge of Forever" was actually the first Star Trek episode I ever saw.

[@rb1691]

The most popular. The most beloved. Even more than the one Next Generation season finale with the Borg.

[@willcool713]

The acting, direction, and set design are much more like stage acting than modern TV. The viewer was expected to do much more imaginative work than contemporary audiences are used to bringing to entertainment. This series was written for readers, and fans of the sci-fi genre. There were some big authors who wrote for this series.

[@starrkitty1]

It makes me sooooooo unbelievably happy that you are watching some of the originals. When I was growing up a neighbor had the whole series recorded off the tv on VHS and if ever we were sick and had to stay home from school, my Mom would borrow the videos from her and we would watch them all day 😅 so I really have a nostalgic love for them.

[@jamesbeach7405]

Love the reaction video. I'll note that "the balance of terror" is one episode that really should be on the list.

[@MajorAnthonyNelson]

I used to run home after school in the early 1970’s to catch the after school reruns. Seen them all at least 50 times each over the years. It NEVER gets old

[@darthmaul13]

For me it was only on at 5pm on Saturdays in the 70s I remember running home with my dad after an afternoon at the officers mess to catch it.

[@eschiedler]

The bright colors in the original series were because early color TV's were new and didn't have as much ability to display subtle color schemes - Plus, the show still had to look good in high contrast as many people still had only black and white TV's.

[@sabalos]

"The Doomsday Machine" was always one of my favourites. I miss episodic TV too

[@SPOCK_TALK]

Most of the original stories are very profound. Also, show the human spirit and how people don't change no matter what century their in.

[@MatthewPettyST1300]

The City on the Edge of forever.......The episode received widespread critical acclaim and has been frequently stated to be the best episode of the entire Star Trek franchise. Elements such as the tragic ending were highlighted by several reviewers. It won several awards, including the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama on Television (Ellison, 1967) and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Ellison and Pevney, 1968).

[@johngraesser4911]

I'll see your city on the edge of forever and raise you deep space 9's in the pale moonlight as the best trek episode. If Cassie can steel herself to accept trek where there won't be a happy ending, then she can try ds9, which is my favorite of the trek series.

[@johngraesser4911]

Ellison hated what they changed about his version of the story, supposedly he would never talk to Roddenberry again due to his anger

[@adaddinsane]

@@johngraesser4911 Ellison's gonna Ellison.

[@brettmuir5679]

"I Remember Everthing"

[@larrymead151]

​@@johngraesser4911DS9 is garbage. The worst acting of any ST series.

[@calgaryjimbo]

Alberta represent! I'm born and raised in Calgary, currently living in Lethbridge. Vulcan is an absolute must-visit location for any Star Trek fan. So many cool Star Trek themed spots around town. 🙂 Great reaction! Looking forward to watching the movies with you.

[@inakamoto]

The announcer guy from Ms Congeniality was indeed William Shatner, the same actor for Captain Kirk of Star Trek fame. I realize he looks different here than he did in that movie, but he's actually a pretty versatile actor

[@jrgilby]

She will make the connection when she gets to the movies and his post T.J. Hooker hair.

[@pipingbob720]

@@jrgilby 🤣🤣to HUG the mountain!!

[@larrystuder6378]

He has had a long and varied career. Also was in T J Hooker, an LAPD cop show; and Boston Legal, as Denny Craig.

[@jrgilby]

@@larrystuder6378 Denny Crane. Not to correct you, I just like saying "Denny Crane!"

[@RandomNonsense1985]

My favorite role of his is The Big Giant Head from 3rd Rock.

[@asterix7842]

The Trouble with Tribbles is one of my favorite episodes. I hope you decide to do more episodes. Yes, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are old friends, though Spock and McCoy are constantly bickering. Vulcans do have emotions but, over centuries, they've learned how to suppress them and live a purely logical existence. Spock is half human (his mother) and, hard as he tries, his human side sometimes shows itself. Spock is the only one of the crew who can do the Vulcan nerve pinch. There's one episodes where he does it to someone, Kirk says "You have to teach me that sometime." and Spock replies "I have tried." The reason for the basic look of the Klingons, compared to the Next Generation Klingons, was purely cost. The original series had almost no budget. There's one great episode of Deep Space Nine where some of the crew of DS9, including Worf, the Next Generation Klingon, go back in time and are digitally added to scenes from Trouble with Tribbles. In this scene, the subject of the changed appearance of the Klingons comes up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHKVYmOEbb5kn68

[@ct6852]

You can tell how influential the show has been over the years. Tribbles felt like a precursor to Gremlins.

[@kirk1968]

My earliest memories are of watching Star Trek with my dad in the early 70s. Dude was such a fan that he allegedly didn’t pick up my mom for dates until Star Trek episodes were over during its first run 😂

[@Maya_Ruinz]

Personally my favorites were the Doomsday Machine and Balance of Terror, really love the submarine like episode against the Romulans.

[@Billinois78]

Do you remember the scene in Back to the Future, when Marty wakes up George with a Van Halen tape? After he says "My name is Darth Vader", he says, "I am an extra-terrestrial from the planet Vulcan" and does the Vulcan salute.

[@PatrickMersinger]

Another Star Trek show was called DEEP SPACE NINE. takes place on a space station. In one episode called “Trials and TRIBULATIONS” the ds9 crew goes back in time and they interact with this episode and all the people in it. Excellent episode.

[@tray488]

Yes.

[@spryttle]

I really appreciate the fact that you invest some time in understanding the context of what you're watching, going back to the originals and getting a much better understanding of what has changed, what remains the same, and why it works or doesn't work for you. I've seen other reactors miss the context of jokes or knowing nods or references that you've been spotting and it's been a real joy to watch your journey from a rom-comer to bonafide cinefile.

[@paulanerruhrpott6188]

But she should not have Google the concept of the show, thats why the intro explains the concept of the show in every eppisode

[@parallaxnick637]

In the 1960s, all TV was episodic. The original series of "The Fugitive" was the first to have a specialised series finale, in which Kimble finally caught the one armed man, and the writers and producers had to fight the execs to get it. It became one of the most watched episodes of TV in history.

[@timmooney7528]

TV shows had to stand alone by nature. The show runners had no power over how the network handled their shows. Episodes weren't always shown in order, or their time slot could be pre-empted by a news flash or alternate programming. Any major changes to main characters would either be on the season premier or season finale. It would be hard to explain changes from episode to episode if the order got too jumbled.

[@commandosolo1266]

The nineties was the advent of the serial-episodic format, where self-contained episodes daisy-chain into a larger overarching story. Hill Street Blues and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine pioneered this new format.

[@timmooney7528]

@@commandosolo1266 That was a benefit of syndicated programming. The show runners had more control of the programming. Even before Deep Space 9 the writers of Next Generation wrote several 2-parters and multi-episodic story arcs. The writers could actually write stories involving the main characters that didn't have to be resolved in 42 minutes.

[@tjtenser7828]

@@commandosolo1266 Well there were shows before the nineties like Dallas which began in 1978 that did continuing stories on mainstream television (daytime soaps had been doing it for years). Hill Street Blues made its debut in 1981. There was some continuity in classic shows such as episodes where characters returned or sequel episodes to previous stories. In the 90's Babylon 5 pioneered the modern arc style of television in a very important way (I'd highly recommend a complete watch of that landmark series sometime). Star Trek Deep Space Nine to cut a long story short ripped off the format and some character concepts from Babylon 5 as that series had been previously farmed around various studios including Paramount who made Star Trek who passed on it at the time. I personally think Babylon 5 is vastly superior to the Star Trek shows of the 90's in both writing and acting.

[@czarfore]

The City on the Edge of Forever - I started watching Star Trek when it was first broadcast and at 66 this episode is still my favorite.

[@kevinrosero9723]

The arrival of Cassie in the Star Trek universe is a major KZbin event. Loved the reaction as always, looking forward to more!

[@JoeCool7835]

One important thing to know about Spock is that he is only HALF Vulcan. His mother was human (seen in the episode Journey To Babel). The internal conflict between his Vulcan upbringing and his human emotions is what made the character so compelling.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Then Spock says of Picard: "an almost Vulcan quality to the man."

[@fahooga]

"Who put the tribbles in the quadrotriticale? Who put the ram in the rama-lama-ding-dong?"

[@markclason2272]

When filming that scene, after Kirk said the line, a production crewman off screen answered, "I don't know it, but, if you hum a few bars, I'll try to play it on my guitar." (or something to that effect)

[@62rowley]

Nichelke Nichols, Lt Uhura has told the story quite a few times of how she was going to quit after the first season until Dr. Martin Luther King Jr contacted her. He convinced her to stay with the show because of her role, being an officer, a black woman, and having such a major part in a TV show. She’s also said she had a hard time when she had to stand next to William Shatner because she was nervous because he was so handsome.

[@thomast8539]

Thumbs up for that nice bit of trivia. I like the fact that Uhura was fourth in command behind Kirk, Spock and Scotty. Such a powerful position on a exploration mission for an intelligent and beautiful woman.

[@Stogie2112]

Nichols got over that quickly, as she discovered how self-important Shatner was.

[@logandarklighter]

@@Stogie2112 To be fair - Shatner was something of a bastard early on. BUT - later in life mellowed out extremely and tried to make amends. He wasn't always successful with some of the cast (George Takei in particular maintains a HUGE grudge even now) but for the most part "The Shat" has humbled himself and got back in good graces with many people who's toes he stepped on back in the day.

[@jeff-hopkins]

Nichelle Nichols and William Shatner also shared the very first interratial kiss on U.S. public television! 😀 Way to go Captain! --I think she's so hot! ;-)

[@bonghunezhou5051]

No, he never truly succeeded in "making amends" (even Lennie N would later shun the Shat) 😐

[@Jmyth44]

Another thing you have to understand Cassie is that everything you see on science-fiction movies and TV have their origin in some fashion from Star Trek that’s why everything seems familiar to you in a vague way. Luv u Cassie.❤️

[@chrisbiebel6205]

Or the Twilight Zone, another Dezilu Production. Desilu was the production company owned by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. That's right, besides being a great comic actress and producer and trail blazer in her own right, Lucille Ball played a role in two of the greatest sci-fi TV shows ever.

[@SeedFactoryProject]

Forbidden Planet (1956) is a precursor to Star Trek in having a starship with a crew that visit a distant planet and have to deal with an alien mystery that starts killing people. It also featured Robbie the Robot, one of the first you could talk to and it could talk back. I would recommend it to the channel as a sci-fi classic.

[@davidhutchinson5233]

Ricardo Montalban was such a force of talent.

[@bradleyhart2492]

I'm 60 years old...the ORIGINAL will ALWAYS be my favorite!😊

[@cog4life]

🖖

[@Orieni]

Sing the Truth, my brother.

[@FredtheFrisian]

I also grew up with Star Trek. Of course the original was very impressive. I liked all the different series. However my favorite was/is the "Voyager" series.

[@Vulcanerd]

One of the all time (and my top 3) pieces of fiction all time.

[@SJHFoto]

I do like the original, but I grew up with Next Generation (I'm 48) As a kid, TNG was coming out, and I really only saw the original when I rented episodes at the local video store (it was expensive, because each VHS was just 1 episode), or if I caught a rerun (they came on after my bedtime, so I didn't see many that way)

[@johnkirk864]

Miss two of the best trek episodes ever.... The Doomsday Machine. And Mirror Mirror. For sure. Love this channel.!

[@kryptoniankaiju]

You took the words right out of my mouth. Also Balance of Terror.

[@joeltasker6956]

And devil in the dark

[@Greybeardmedic]

Dear Cassie, I can see where its leading and your reactions are so genuine that is fun to watch. I can also see where this is going, so please consider adding at least 2 more episodes for you to truely gain an appreciation for the most favorite character of all: Spock. I recommend to at least watch "Journey to Babel" which gives more backstory to Spock, the Vulcan. Cheers to you for doing Star Trek! Once you have a feel for the characters the Movies will be a lot of fun! (but then you will need to learn about The Next Generation series if you keep this up.)

[@chrismacias305]

I saw Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan followed by William Shatner talking for 90 minutes. Got my picture taken with him. It was last month in Jacksonville, FL.

[@TheCarterKent]

The Doomsday Machine is widely recognized as being Iconicly Star Trek.

[@einarschwentke7813]

The best memories of my life are watching old TOS reruns on Saturday morning with my father, and TNG on friday night.

[@aldunlop4622]

I can’t tell you how many times I religiously watched Star Trek reruns every Saturday in the 70s with my dad. Great memories…

[@johnmaynardable]

I'm so excited to see you react to this classic series. I was 8 years old when this show came on air. I fell deeply in love with it and tried to watch it every week. When it was cancelled I watched the reruns all of the time. It got to the point that my best friend and I could guess what episode it wa by the planet the Enterprise was orbiting at the opening. My father took me to a lecture that Leonard Nimoy gave at a local university a few years later. I got Nimoy's autograph. Please watch many more episodes of this great series. The show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, created such a beautiful future in which the Earth was united, and we tried to do good across the universe. More Star Trek: The Original series.

[@danielchapman6032]

I would also have put Balance of Terror on your episode list; it helps to explain why Vulcans are the way they are. It is vital TOS. Errand of Mercy is also a great episode. Both of these episodes introduces the Romulans and the Klingons. Mirror Mirror is an episode that has had implications in the USA culture.

[@vanyadolly]

What a treat! I don't even have the words to express how much I love TOS Star Trek. Yes, it's campy and silly, but also deeply poetic and philosophical, and so devoted to seeing the beauty and potential in human beings. I don't think anything since has been half as much of a love-letter to humanity. My favourite episode is the Conscience of the King.

[@bodine57]

Another reason for the success of Star Trek TOS was the number of episodes written by established science fiction authors. Robert Bloch, Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, David Gerrold, Norman Spinrad all had success as scifi/fantasy authors.

[@edc1451]

Ouch! I didn't know my face would hurt from smiling for over an hour! This is why Cassie's channel is so good! More Please!!!

[@michaeljohnson8002]

If it hasn't been mentioned by now, these episodes are the remastered version. The reason the effects don't look so 1960's is because the space sequences and special effects were recreated in CGI for the series release in HD. Glad to see you getting around to Star Trek and starting with the original movies and not the Chris Pine led reboot.🖖

[@keithdipippa200]

self proclaimed Star Trek expert here, really cool to see someone trying it out for the first time, I've been watching these since I was 5, you picked 4 really good ones to start, but honestly, you can't go wrong with a good portion of them, "The Enemy Within" "The Doomsday Machine" and "The Tholian Web" are my favorites

[@LashLeRoux.1]

In 1967 mainframe computers existed but personal computers didn't come along until the mid Seventies and weren't commonplace in homes until the Eighties.

[@davidcorriveau8615]

And a 1967s mainframe would totally fill the average American bedroom and had the calculating power of theromstat...

[@bdijkstra1982]

One of the first ever computer animations transferred to film was actually made in 1967.

[@Brejan]

As a huge Star Trek nerd I'm very happy to see you finally giving Trek a chance. I firmly believe it's a franchise where everyone who appreciates good stories will find something to their liking, even if they're not into sci fi. I still consider City on the Edge of Forever one of the finest episodes of any tv series ever. If you continue with some more episodes before moving on to movies I hope you see Mirror, Mirror, Balance of Terror and Journey to Babel.

[@SinginRabbit]

I never noticed before, but I love Uhura's defiance when theyre tossing her around in Space Seed.

[@swordmonkey6635]

"The captain was Patrick Stewart in a wheelchair, the guy with the lazer eyes and the foreheads" is the most lore accurate explanation of TNG I've ever heard.

[@richcarrCCC]

🤣😂😅🖖

[@mikejankowski6321]

Yeah, that was cracking me up!

[@nrkgalt]

Although Spock did appear in a Next Generation episode, but to understand it she may first have to see the one that focused on his father Sarek.

[@TheTghs1000]

Now I can’t stop picturing Picard on the bridge in a wheelchair instead of the captain’s chair.

[@nrkgalt]

@@TheTghs1000 So now she’s mixing Star Trek with X Men.

[@seregrian5675]

Cassie, you picked probably the four best episodes to react to. You're picking up on the personalities and the backstories, and "Space Seed" is one of the most revered, especially as the precursor for "Wrath of Khan"!

[@robertmoraga1501]

Agreed. A wonderful selection of episodes to give someone a feel for the characters. Journey to Babel and This Side of Paradise would also work well on that short list. City OTEOF has always been my favorite. Great story and concept by Harlan Ellison and I don't think Joan Collins ever looked better!

[@seregrian5675]

@@robertmoraga1501 "City" is regarded by many as the best episode of TOS, with "Space Seed" a close second (mainly because it's the prequel to "Wrath of Khan")

[@TheMoviePlanet]

LOL, these are four *terrible* episodes to react to.

[@SeanTube2099]

@@TheMoviePlanetthese are the standard of all 60s TOS trek.

[@TheMoviePlanet]

@@SeanTube2099 LOL, abolutely not.

[@walterrutherford8321]

This is the only show that I remember my whole family would stop anything we were doing and watch together. I think it’s a big part of why I like science fiction to this day. They’re a bit dated now but the original series still has a special place in my heart.

[@michaelgatton907]

It's all about the writing and the cast. That's why this series was so great .

[@jedlogan392]

A fun reaction video. As a trekkie there is so much I'd like to talk to you about when it comes to Star Trek. However, that would take to long. The one thing I do want to tell you is to remember that Star Trek is about people and relationships. Don't get hung up on the gadgets or technology. Its about the people (aliens included). That's why there are a total of 13 movies and 12 television series, including an animated one.

[@sethmaki1333]

One of the coolest gags that have recurred throughout the whole franchise is the "stone knives and bear skins" line.

[@flintarizaga1433]

Yes, William Shatner is Capitan Kirk and in Miss Congeniality plays Stan Field. Shatner has a very long acting history. Capitan Kirk is the role he is most know for.

[@purpleslog]

He also was in an iconic Twilight Zone episode (also a non-iconic one).

[@jlb6]

To Hooker

[@purpleslog]

OMG…he also played RJ Hooker! How did I forget that!!!

[@framergod69]

@@jlb6 TJ Hooker

[@nimz8521]

TJ Hooker gorammit

[@Sentry751]

Okay, this is instantly the most excited I have ever been for a reaction on this channel! I hope you love them and move on to TNG.

[@BogeyTheBear]

42:15 In military parlance a casualty is anyone who can no longer perform duties, so it includes the sick and injured as well as the dead.

[@capstan50g]

This show was so important to my childhood. My parents wouldn't let me watch it very often when it originally aired, but I devoured it in syndication. The characters are so well-written and so well-acted, they brought this universe to life for me. I understand your difficulty with the acting, Cassie, but TV at this time was a more theatrical affair, with bold gestures and expressions that would play to the back of the house. I sometimes miss that. I hope you watch more of the original series.

[@bugvswindshield]

fun fact. Scotty , James Doohan , was Canadian and a WW2 hero. Also the only cast member who could fly. In fact, he was one of the best pilots that Canada produced in the war. He was also shot 5 times, but lived.

[@LaBlueStateGirl]

Does Canada ever "send" a bad representative into the pubic eye? (I'm from the US and I wish we could do better!) He was so kind! I was honored to get to meat him when he stopped by the radio station where I worked to help promote Star Trek V. I grew up loving ST but my boss was a huge fan! James Doohan answered so many questions for us, and then spent so much time in out production room recoding so many versions of, "Hi, this is James Doohan, Scotty from Star Trek, and when I'm in city, I listen to name on radio station!"

[@internetidentity3917]

@@LaBlueStateGirl well they did send us Justin Bieber.

[@LaBlueStateGirl]

@@internetidentity3917 LOL! I hear Justin Bieber doesn't even count as Canadian Content when he's on Canadian TV or radio!

[@logandarklighter]

@@LaBlueStateGirl Well - William Shatner is originally from Canada. And by some accounts in the early days of Trek he was an insecure egotistical bastard to work with. BUT - as I mentioned in another reply here, he mellowed out later in life and humbled himself and tried to apologize for his past behavior once he realized he'd hurt people. A lot of people wouldn't even make the effort to change. Shatner did. Which goes a long way toward making him one of the good guys in the end in my opinion.

[@eddhardy1054]

I'm glad you added the 'but lived' to 'he was shot 5 times' (I'm terrified of zombie actors).

[@Oldtoby1138]

It's important to mention that she's watching the newer HD versions with updated effects. I'm sure this is mentioned in the comments somewhere - but I couldn't find it. Most shots of the ships and planets have been updated. Doesn't matter, I love her take on the show!

[@christopherwall2121]

I honestly prefer the new effects. There is a charm to the old effects, but to be frank, they haven't aged well at all.

[@ChrisReise]

Remember that the Vulcan salute has the thumb extended. It's not close to your index finger. And don't feel bad that you can't do it, in the episode that it was first used ("Amok Time") the actress, Celia Lovesky couldn't do it either.

[@seannovack3834]

"Balance of Terror" is an excellent introduction to the other big "enemy empire", the Romulans. So glad you did "The Trouble With Tribbles"! I was the head of a group that did a Star Trek (Federation)-themed party room at a large local science-fiction convention here in Minneapolis, we're talking two hotels and more than 8,000 people, all fan-run. We always tried to get as close as we could to the Klingon group that also hosted a party room around the pool. One year my wife went and bought several yards of multi-colored fake fur and bunting, and we made several dozen tribbles to bring along for the weekend. At about 2:00am the second night, when everyone had had time to have quite a bit of alcohol imbibed, we did a raid on their room and lobbed in these tribbles while screaming at them. These guys are in full "Next Generation" makeup and they played along like we had planned it (we didn't!) and started screaming back at us as The Great Tribble Fight ensued. This went on for a couple of years, and a running gag was playing "Where Will We Find A Tribble This Year"!

[@usedscar]

I luv hearing you put it all together! City on the Edge of Forever is usually thought of as the best classic Trek episode. But in general Star Trek is the best. Keep going you won't regret it!

[@scarlettmi]

Nice! I made an essential viewing guide once for a friend with about half the episodes cut out, and then a really short version that was just 6 episodes long. I feel like: "Space Seed", "The City on the Edge of Forever", "Amok Time", "Mirror Mirror", "The Trouble with Tribbles", and "Journey to Babel" are the six episodes that cover just about everything you need to have a deeper appreciation of the Star Trek movies. (Even though you don't necessarily need them.) Cool to see that whoever made your version of the list and I had overlap there.

[@walkir2662]

Yep. "Mirror, Mirror" missing is not big if all she wants to do is prepping for watching the movies, but it's crucial otherwise. "Journey to Babel", too.

[@scarlettmi]

@@walkir2662 Yeah, my friend is doing a watch through of TNG, and possibly DS9, so Mirror Mirror felt necessary. Not so much for the movies. I'd have probably still kept Babel in for the movie, for the Spock backstory especially.

[@JJJanez]

"The Devil in the Dark" is also a must see for its non-violent philosophy.

[@davidb5711]

To really prep for the movies, though, would be to be emotionally invested in the characters, and I think 4 episodes is too little for that.

[@robertelder164]

No. A taste of Armageden, Balance of terror, etc Yes, I am a killer-but I am not going to kill, today. All really

[@Kodos13]

While these four are an excellent choice of initial episodes, I'm concerned that they were picked because Cassie would like them, not because they are something a person being introduced to Star Trek for the first time needs to see. If you are going to go into this series further, I would strongly suggest watching a few more of the original episodes, such as Balance of Terror, The Doomsday Machine, Arena, The Corbomite Manuver and Journey to Babel, so that you get a broader idea of the Star Trek universe and how this group of people became such a cultural icon.

[@ziggystardog]

While there’s some truth to this, most also give necessary back-story and concepts for the movies.

[@Kodos13]

@@itubeutubewealltube1 Then why are you even here? Malicious on her part? I doubt it. Naive? Maybe. Either way, I'm entertained by it.

[@jamesriddles]

@@itubeutubewealltube1 ​Probably the worst possible examples you could have given, which display your overall ignorance. Both the Game of Thrones (GOT) and Breaking Bad (BB) series have ongoing storylines that span throughout the seasons. Star Trek, on the other hand, is serialized and episodic, allowing you to dip in and out as you wish. Imbecile.

[@BigMike246]

I loved watching these episodes with you. I grew up with Captain Kirk and his Enterprise crew. They sure had some great writing in these episodes with such big ideas done with such passion. I would watch the whole series with you if you ever decide to go that way.

[@davidt7482]

It's the writing that sets this series apart from the Next Generation and all the ones that come after. Not only did they use great writers but they were able to get great science fiction writers. Harlan Ellison, who did City on the Edge of Forever, and Theordore Sturgeon, who did Amok Time, are widely acclaimed authors in the science fiction genre. Other incredible authors that had stories for Star Trek include Richard Matheson ("I Am Legend") and Robert Bloch ("Psycho"). I do enjoy several of the later series, especially Voyager (sorry, i haven't tried the ones that came out more recently on Peacock(?)), but the writing on the Original Series remains the best.

[@ja5467]

You have to remember that this is 1967 you could not even imagine computer screens or communicator as these didn’t exist! The viewing screen on the Enterprise bridge was the first flat screen tv anyone had ever seen! There are many things seen in StarTrek for the first time that we take for granted today.

[@ccthomas]

I don't think that's really true. Science fiction was a well-established literary genre, and there have been other movies and shows depicting the future before this, like Tomorrowland, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Lost in Space, The Jetsons, etc. I don't get this myth that people 50 years ago weren't capable of imagination.

[@paintedjaguar]

@@ccthomas Movie & TV SF was always decades behind the ideas that were found in literary SF. In fact, there are many concepts that current viewers think are recent inventions but were actually famliar to readers of novels and stories from the 40s thru the 60s. And since even most current readers are prejudiced against past media, they are also largely in the dark about the real history of SF themes.

[@busload_uk]

How I wish I could start the whole Star Trek journey from the very start, again! What a path of treasures lay before you, if you decide to walk down it.

[@QBAN2010]

Kirk and Edith walk right past Floyd’s Barbershop and Emmit’s Fix It shop in Mayberry…!!!

[@mmattson8947]

I was glad to see Cassie laughing those 2 times for "Amok Time". In other episodes, other characters have commented on Spock's dry humor and ability to roast people verbally, while still acting cold and logical. She reacted to 2 of my favorite burns: "I see no logic in preferring Stonn over me", and the wanting-can-be-more-pleasing-than-having quip.

[@Serai3]

I especially love the unheard "hmph" when Spock looks at Stonn.

[@allengray5748]

Spock's humor is the Alamode of the show like COOL-QUIP! 😉 ☮️

[@fearguis]

How fun. :) I grew up watching these reruns with my mom every night after dinner in the 70s and 80s

[@Banterbear]

This was unexpected! What a great reaction to add to the channel. Absolutely the episodic nature of older Trek means you can watch them individually and treat them as mini movies without worrying about long series plot lines. And yes, it:s a lot. I think even most fans haven't watched everything at this point. So are we gonna get some TNG, DS9, and Voyager?😊