critterdvd

I've seen the us version and I liked it. But it takes a couple episodes to find its way...

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

You're fine.

I thought I was on a good pace until I saw was lisa was doing. I have the blu-rays of the original series but haven't seen them yet. In fact, the only Star Trek I've ever watched was TNG. That's only because I worked at a tv station and it was on during my shift. After a few months of it, I started to get into it.

shadokitty

This talk about Star Trek is making me want to break open my Star Trek fan Collectives, as I have 2 right now and one coming in the mail. I have the Q Collection, the Alternate Realities Collection, and I'll be receving the Borg Collection soon.

Fist of Doom

Around episode 4 it really hits its stride and gets good. One of my favorite shows on TV right now.

Ash Ketchum

I'm gettin' a hankerin' for some cowboy shows and there plumb ain't enough in my collection...

So I checked the schedule of the Western Channel today and they've got six hours of TV westerns from 2PM to 8PM (EST), so I set the timer to record all six hours. I may do that some more this month, depending how much I like what I see. (The shows included are: Lawman, Have Gun Will Travel, Laredo, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Marshal Dillon and Gunsmoke, the first five of which I haven't seen since I was a kid almost 50 years ago.)

shadokitty

TV Land also airs Bonanza in the afternoons on weekdays if you are looking for more westerns.

lisadoris

Yep, I'm going through the entire Trek universe and it will probably take me until 2013! I re-watch my DVDs and the next discs on the list were Voyager and Enterprise. Add to that the fact that TNG is being released on blu and it seemed logical to just watch them all. There are several episodes from S3 of TOS that I've never seen and I've never seen any of The Animated Series so off to the races I go. I might revive the Star Trek thread in the TV forum once I get into full swing.

I agree that "Space Seed," "Balance of Terror," and "City.." are the best of the S1 episodes though I'd add "The Menagerie" to that list too. I should get to "Amok Time" this afternoon and that is one of my favs from S2. As for yesterday's viewing, I forgot how good "Court Martial" was except for the end. The last 10 minutes or so were a completely different tone than the first 40. "Taste of Armageddon" was also interesting and I think very relevant given how modern warfare has evolved in the last couple decades.

I became a Trekkie because of TNG though I have to say that watching S1 is physically painful. I'm not even going to buy the first season on blu because it's so bad (DS9 is my favorite of the series). I'll start that after the Oscar Challenge.

Ash Ketchum

Thanks. It's been a shorter period since I've seen Bonanza, maybe about 30 years. I do remember liking it, though.

I used to see tons of TV westerns when I was a kid. There were dozens on in the late '50s / early '60s. Maverick, Wanted Dead or Alive, Lawman, The Rifleman, Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, The Rebel, Wild Bill Hickok, Annie Oakley, Kit Carson, Jim Bowie, and Wyatt Earp are among the ones we watched in our household and those are only what I remember off the top of my head. Yet, for some reason, we never watched Gunsmoke or Bonanza or The Virginian. Don't know why. Probably conflicted with something else that was on. I don't recall watching Rawhide much either, although we might have seen a few eps.

Last year, I watched "Stories of the Century" (1954-55) for this challenge. It's not one I saw as a kid, but I love it today. It features a different outlaw every week, including all the famous ones (Billy the Kid, Jesse James, the Dalton Gang, the Doolin Gang, Colonel Quantrill, Tom Horn, Butch Cassidy, etc.) and some not-so-famous (L.H. Musgrove, Tom Bell, to name two). There was far more action in this show than in most other TV westerns, which tend to be talkier than I like. There were 39 episodes of this series and I have access to 38 of them and watched all 38 last year.

terrycloth

picked up Justified at bestbuy b iv heard good things gonna watch some of that and another episode of Nikita tonight

Trevor

Sort of speaking of Star Trek, I've decided to finally explore The Big Bang Theory. Wanted something light and short, as the organization after the move from Heck will take months and months. Figured 30 minute sitcoms may be all I watch for awhile.

Ash Ketchum

I have several anime features that were compiled from TV episodes. E.g. SUPER GRAND PRIX, which took several episodes from a Japanese car racing series made in 1977 to compile a 90-minute English-dubbed feature that went straight to video here in the U.S.

Are these eligible for this challenge?

BobO'Link

I know *many* people who became trekkies because of TNG. But if that's all you've seen you're missing out on the very best Trek has to offer. I'd highly recommend TOS and/or DS9 as the best starting points with Voyager running a close 3rd. Watching the newly remastered TOS episodes is almost like watching a new series. The updated fx shots are done *very* well and do not detract but enhance the episodes almost 100% of the time.

I, too, worked in TV when TNG started. I was in charge of the record calendar and had master control record 2 copies. I'd take one, dub it down to remove commercials, and put it on VHS. I did that for the entirety of S1 but became so disgusted/disenchanted with the series during the season that I erased them all. After the first episode of S2 I swore off it completely. I've seen random episodes through the years but nothing's changed the impressions I formulated during S1. In fact, most episodes I've seen reinforce them. *If* I ever come across a full series set at the right price (probably under $60) I'll get it anyway just to complete the universe set but otherwise I'm happy without it. I actually like Enterprise, even with its issues, better than TNG.

I should do that as well since it's been over a year since I've watched *any* TOS episode. I *finally* was able to complete Voyager last summer. The station for which I worked didn't air the program but I was still in charge of the record calendar when it was in initial syndication. I made sure it got recorded on VHS for me to take home. However, I left broadcasting during S5 and as it was never syndicated in this area it took me purchasing the series to see the last 2 1/2 seasons!

I watched TAS during its initial run and was less than impressed at the time. For *years* I maintained a low opinion of the series feeling it was "dumbed down" for the Saturday morning crowd. That changed when I picked up a copy a couple of years ago and re-watched the series. I discovered that it's actually quite good. I still feel the animation looks somewhat "on-the-cheap" (it *was* done by Filmation - kings of low budget animation - however you could make that same argument about many sets on TOS) but the stories are on a par with many of TOS only being hampered somewhat by the half-hour format. There *are* a few reworked episode type moments, but overall I'm glad I revisited it and consider it to be a worthy addition.

I can see that inclusion. It *is* a very good/clever recut/reworking of The Cage to allow it be included in the airings and not be discarded. However, I prefer the uncut The Cage over The Menagerie. That episode demonstrates how similar TNG is to the original concept as far as bridge crew is concerned. Mainly the inclusion of a "#1" on the bridge. I first saw The Cage in college when Roddenberry would go around doing lectures/talks about Star Trek. A highlight of the lecture was the showing of The Cage.

It always amazes me how much social commentary in TOS remains topical even today.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I don't see why not. Since it was originally from TV(or in this case I'd say it's close enough), I'd call it good.

davidh777

Resuming Mad Men season 3. Wasn't sure where I'd left off, but my list from the historical challenge spelled it out very clearly.

Jonesing for some Trek after this conversation. I never got to the last two seasons of DS9, though I finished Voyager. Only seen a couple episodes of Enterprise from the Collective editions, and have watched TNG very sporadically. Have seen all or nearly all TOS and TAS.

Ash Ketchum

Another question of eligibility.

I have a western series called "Six-Gun Heroes" in which a B-western is cut to under an hour and bookended with openings and closings with onetime B-western star Sunset Carson. He intros the film and provides some background info before it begins. The series ran on PBS stations years ago. The main content is a feature film originally shown in theaters, but the adding of a title sequence and opening intro makes it a TV show, kind of like "Matinee at the Bijou," another long-gone PBS show, which compiled films, cartoons, shorts and serial chapters to recreate...a once-upon-a-time Matinee at the Bijou.

I'm assuming that "Matinee at the Bijou" is eligible, but is "Six-Gun Heroes" also eligible?

Thanks.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

If it's some sort of version that aired on TV, then it would count. If it's just something with an intro but never aired on TV it wouldn't count. Does that help?

Ash Ketchum

Yes, thank you.

Qrusher14242

for the 'Stunt Guest Star', would Donald Pleasance count on 'The Fugitive'?

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I would say so.

kstublen

As I expected I'm not feeling super-motivated to keep an episode-by-episode list going throughout the month, so I'll probably just list the seasons as I watch them and then figure out a final tally of entries based on the number of episodes. Is that an acceptable means of keeping track or should I break down and list the episodes as I watch them?

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

That works for me.

I don't keep track as I watch them. When I find some time I just copy/paste episode titles from wikipedia.

terrycloth

my father and brother were big trekkies growing up. I never sat down and ever watched an episode as I would be a traitor to myself for all those times i made fun of them. however with all this talk i watched the pilot episode of the original series (man trap?) and wow i really enjoyed it and will def check out a couple more episodes for the challenge. are they all like weekly stories? that i can skip to the better ones? or should i watch them in order? I'm not big into sci fi, but i love cheesy horror so i think that's why I enjoyed it so much so I'm not sure how I would do with the later series.

Justified - While wanting to explore new series I read up about this one so i picked up s1 and s2 at bestbuy. FX shows are usually hit or miss for me as i loved the shield, sons of anarchy, and well now this, but couldnt get into damages, rescue me, or nip tuck. This series im enjoying, but is not what i had expected. im 8 episodes in and now it finally seems to have hit its stride so ill prolly finish up the series this weekend.

Breaking Bad - finally watched s1 last month, but held off for s2 and s3 for the challenge. and really am drawn into the relationships so far and for once while some is predictable i really have no clue where s3 is gonna go. I will say s2 ended in a wtf was that moment, but the fact the rest of the season was superb makes up for it.

Nikita - while the weakest of the group, but only because its in such great company is actually a fun little action show. while i dont have the desire to binge on this series like the others it offers a good break when i need something different and as long as it keeps up its current pace (im on ep 5) ill continue the season.

not sure where im heading to after i finish breaking bad and justified up. I wanna check out mad men and re watch Game of Thrones. I also have a big baglog of seasons sets iv picked up heap over the years that i need to finish. Lost s5/6, Tru Blood 1-3, Dexter, and Battlestar Galactica.

lisadoris

In The Original Series there isn't a whole lot of continuity so feel free to skip around or at least start with the better episodes. I skipped two of my favorite episodes yesterday because I was forced to do my viewing on my computer instead of my TV (it's awfully inconvenient to have one's furnace die int he winter especially when you live in the midwest). The episodes I watched weren't bad but they weren't good, they were just ok. I'm looking forward to "Amok Time" and "Mirror, Mirror" today.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I must admit that this has been the easiest and less stressful challenge out of all the others I've done. One thing that kills me in other challenges is finishing a movie and then taking a longer than anticipated break by watching TV or doing something else.

The last few days we've been watching a disc of Land of the Lost at night before the kids go to bed. We can squeeze in 5 episodes a night and then after they go to bed I switch to the Elizabeth R mini-series until my wife comes home. Then we catch up on some older stuff she missed when she was out of the country.

BobO'Link

Congratulations! Have you "eaten crow" and told your father and brother they were right...

The *true* pilot is The Cage which NBC rejected calling it "too cerebral". It was turned into a 2 parter which aired in S1 as The Menagerie so as not to lose the expensive production and footage. The "pilot" for the revamped series was Where No Man has Gone Before which was more action packed and sold the series to NBC. It aired as episode #3. The Man Trap was production #6 and aired as the public "pilot". It's somewhat surprising that The Man Trap was the first to be broadcast as it's not quite as good as Where No Man has Gone Before. But "not quite as good" is somewhat subjective as the first season contains more than its fair share of excellent episodes. There *are* a few sub-par episodes with Miri, The Conscience of the King, and The Alternatie Factor being the worst. I'd call all the others in S1 good to excellent.
With the exception of The Menagarie, which is a 2 parter, the rest of the series consists of fairly well stand alone stories with little of a "continuing story" episode to episode. There *is* character development as the series progresses but you can easily skip around without becoming lost. The main difference you would notice is more comfort/familiarity among the primary cast as the series progressed with the triumverate of Kirk/Spock/McCoy being better developed. However, you'll not see as much "cheesy horror" in other episodes as with The Man Trap. You'll have to be content with the cheesyness of Shatner's somewhat over-the-top portrayal of Kirk. So, yes, feel free to "cherry pick" the better episodes in just about any order you wish.