CBS has added more streaming Star Trek content to the web. Star Trek: The Animated Series is now available online via free (ad-supported) streaming, joining the original Star Trek and Star Trek: Enterprise. Details below.
Watch Kirk and Spock animated on the web
CBS has added Star Trek: The Animated Series to its online streaming offerings. All 22 episodes of the series are available for ad-supported streaming at StarTrek.com, on the Star Trek page at CBS.com, and also at the CBS-owned TV.com.
The animated Star Trek series ran for two seasons in 1973 and 1974. With the exception of Ensign Chekov, all the regular characters from Star Trek appear in the series, and all are voiced by the original actors. James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, and Majel Barrett voiced most of the guest characters as well. Although the Filmation-produced series was aimed at kids and made on a budgetary shoe-string, Star Trek: The Animated series still produced some good Star Trek. The show included episodes written by veteran Star Trek writers D.C. Fontana, David Gerrold and Samuel A. Peeples as well as sci-fi author Larry Niven. The show even offered follow-on stories to some original Star Trek episodes, such as Gerrold’s "More Tribbles, More Troubles". But in the end the show was still kids TV, as this clip demonstrates.
Star Trek: The Animated Series is the third Star Trek show for CBS to make available for online streaming. The original Star Trek became available in 2008 and in 2010 they added Star Trek: Enterprise, with both shows available in HD. Hopefully soon we will see Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager also make it online, even if they could only be made available in standard definition.
Wish they would put the Remastered episodes back on line again. First!
Having never seen these before, this is excellent.
WIsh they could/would do these in all CGI. Maybe “Final Fantasy” quality?
It will be that much harder for people to ignore this series now.
@3 I’d be satisfied with redoing it in a modern 2d animation style (with semi-3d for the space scenes as is typical for cartoons these days). Although many of the voices (not the main cast of course) and/or music I feel would need to be re-recorded as the originals often sucked.
The animated series was an interesting experiment. Cheesy and sometimes pretty goofy, but to me? They’re just as ‘official’ as “Spock’s Brain”, “And the Children Shall Lead” or “Omega Glory”. If you can look past the cheese, some of the stories are actually quite interesting. Dorothy Fontana’s moving “Yesteryear” easily being the very best offering of the series (combining elements from “Journey to Babel” and “City on the Edge of Forever”; two of TOS’ best).
One nagging distraction throughout the series however is the overuse of series regulars James Doohan, Majel Barrett and even Nichelle Nichols as ‘guest voices’ in EVERY episode. Sometimes it was a bit much to hear Uhura’s voice come out of a new character, and then hear Uhura in the very next scene! Even George Takei got in on the act in one or two episodes. I realize the budget was very low, but was new voice talent really that expensive?
I kind of like to think of them as ‘illustrated audiobooks’ with original cast recordings. They’re a bit more palatable that way. ;- )
It’s nice to see Animated Trek getting internet distribution. It includes animated sequences that would never have been affordable to film in the original Trek. Also, some really nice moments – feels a lot like home in TOS.
I’ve seen TOS more times than I can count, but I’ve only seen the Animated episodes a couple times. I like the music too. Looking forward to re-viewing!
It’s canon, baby! (or at least it should be…)
The continuity was pretty remarkable. TAS scripts often made mention of events that happened in TOS.
Also, I really liked some of the spacecraft designs using TOS elements. Like the grain ships in “More Tribbles, More Troubles”. Those were just sweet!
8^D
And, as usual, if you’re not in the US, all you get is a message saying “You can’t watch this, nyah, nyah”
And they wonder why piracy happens.
“I realize the budget was very low, but was new voice talent really that expensive?”
As I understand it, it wasn’t an issue of voice talent… but had something to do with only being able to afford to use so many recorded tracks at once. Basically, I think it was the sound mixing that was the expense… not necessarily the actors.
Unfortunately, I read that somewhere and can’t remember where. So I have no source to site.
As for whether this should be regarded as canon… I just don’t think so. Some episodes and some of the things done were great… while others were bad sci-fi and childish. Basically, the best that can be done is to pick and choose what to use and what not to use.
I’m glad to get a chance to see more of these though. I haven’t been able to see much other than a few episodes I found on youtube, since they aired on Nickelodeon when I was a kid.
Tas wasnt bad–it was a lot better than nothin for a couple years anyway–aside from purple tribbles, overuse of the same music n sound efx n yes every voice being chapel or uhura although scotty was good at doing diff. voices like the alien pilot–the storis were the best limited mainly by sat morning ratings n only half n hour to tell stories—i remember roddenberry saying yes were making trek–no its not a cartoon–its animated—when i saw it on tv i thought–not so much-ha
Hahaha I love TAS, I have it on DVD, but its still cool!
In regards to cannon, I think the single biggest strike against TAS is the environmental-belts they used. It negated the need to animate space suits, but it begs the question why all the later series continued using space suits instead of magic belts with built-in atmosphere.
It would be nice if it were available in ALL regions.
And this is for free?
I thought everything on storetrek.com cost an arm and a leg.
14–CBS/Paramount has since added the animated series back into canon. Some of the novels even reference events from the series. I remember the Crucible series explaining the environmental belts, that Starfleet was experimenting with them but discontinued their use because of technical problems. In reality, the belts were used to save money from not having to illustrate space suits.
As a Kid I love TAS. Now I enjoy them a lot. But would love to see a little Remastering of TAS as well. That would be fantastic. I have the Tos Remastered on Bluray and the TAS Ep More tribbles More Troubles is on there and that I think is a realy good Ep. Would be much better if it had better Animation.
Yes, it was low budget fair… but, some of the stories could easily have been jazzed into good TOS eps. If you’ve never read the novelizations, you’re in for a treat. Alan Dean Foster frequently took two episodes and added a thread to connect them… then added a third story that grew out of that. Cool stuff for a Trek-starved youth.
As for “affording” extra voice talent… I saw Casey Kasem speak on a panel once about doing Super Friends with Ted Knight. Kasem kept volunteering to do extra voices until Knight told him to knock it off. Later, he found out actors got paid by the role. Ha!
I’d rather watch Yesteryear than The Lights of Zetar any day.
Outside the US… no luck.
That clip was better than a lot of the Trek made from ’95 onwards.
Awesome! How about a blu ray release? Is there going to be any future blu ray Star Trek titles in 2011?
Here is an entirely new full episode a friend of mine put together for a laugh.
http://www.vimeo.com/4438987
:)
Gene was involved with the cartoon for a time, but did not consider the animated series canon. Therefore, they are not.
On the other hand, if you feel like watching it, do, who cares?
#25 “Gene was involved with the cartoon for a time, but did not consider the animated series canon. Therefore, they are not.”
Well it DID have the involvement of TOS verterans, like DC Fontana, David Gerold, the original cast, original guest stars like Mark Lenard, Stanley Adams and Roger C. Carmel…along with science fiction scribes who worked on the original show returning to pen new stories. In fact, they crafted the only Trek series to ever win the “best of” emmy…for best childrens series. Yes, this was very much Star Trek…and after watching The Motion Picture and TNG, I don’t think Gene would know “STar Trek canon”…circa 1966… if it hit him over the head anyway.
I don’t even mind the stilted animation. Was it full blown DIsney, no, but It is every bit as “fluid” as any of that jerky anime nonsense that saturates the airwaves today. Also, the backgrounds and likenesses of the crew were spot on, more so than many comic books.
Oh yeah, I love me some animated Trek, glad to see it readily available online…whether Gene liked it or not! :)
“, I don’t think Gene would know “STar Trek canon”…circa 1966… if it hit him over the head anyway.”
Of course, because he had no life whatsoever outside of “1966”, in fact, that is the year he died too. Everything that happened post 1966 is just a mass hallucination.
I’ve often thought the animated series is a gold mind of possibilities. Many of the episodes are silly, but some like Yesteryear and Time Trap are actually quite good.
I think the powers that be could go farther than just re-animating the episodes. Reports have it that serval filmmakers (George Lucas among others) are looking at techniques to bring Avatar-like photo realism with long-dead actors, essentially “bringing them back to life.”
Imaging, then, a new Star Trek episode made from the voice track of Yesteryear, complete with photo real effects, settings, etc. The guest stars could be shot with real actors, but the old crew could be digital renditions of Shanter, Nimoy, etc. New music and sound could be used.
Of course, there are ethical/legal/artistic arguments whether it should happen. But it would be interesting to see.
Yea, its canon, as in lets put my DVD set of it into a cannon, light the fuse and launch it into the ocean for a burial at sea. :-)
The best thing about TAS was the Alan Dean Foster Star Trek logs — those are really good, especially the latter full novelizations.
@27 “Of course, because he had no life whatsoever outside of “1966″, in fact, that is the year he died too. Everything that happened post 1966 is just a mass hallucination.”
OK Iva, while the first couple times you tried LSD, it was pretty cool, I think the rest of us would now say that it is time for you to detox. :-))
@#14 Dr. Cheis
I agree about the enviormental belts, I remember seeing them in action for the first time and thinking it was a good idea. At the time, It was the newest star trek to be had. I accepted it. Of course you get older and think about it scientificly and it leaves alot of unanswered questions about oxogen supply and heat.
Taking it one step further, In the show “Jason Of Star Command” which co-starred James Doohan, There is a scene where james doohan’s charactor is floating unconscience in space without a suit of any kind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTQdr4x_2HI&feature=related
Starts at 7:21
Kids shows?….Yeah..
By the way, Jason of star command wasn’t a bad show, I watched all the available shows uploaded to youtube. Good villain, forgettable leading man..the resemblance of the hero to Han Solo is uncanny and is definitly a rip off. The only thing missing was a chewbacca clone.
While we might dog the animated series for having a “low budget” can you imagine the burnrate for the TOS stars? I am sure they didn’t work on the cheap even lending their voices.
Though, as stated why not hire one good character voice actor for “bit parts”. It is amazing the vocal variety that some voice actors can bring.
AHA! I WILL TAKE THE ANIMATED SERIES OVER THAT LAST MOVIE ROT ANY DAY!
ALSO WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM????!!!!!
19: Did we grow up together? I can remember watching these, and buying any novelizations (and even picture books) that I could get my hands on, just to feed that Trek-starved part of me. I LOVED these episodes. To me they really weren’t any cheesier than the original show itself (c’mon, you know it’s true). One of my favorite Christmas gifts was the DVD series of the animated series.
The heads of CBS/Paramount in charge of Star Trek have since re-added Star Trek as official canon.
Regarding Gene Roddenberry, loved the guy’s creation, but his interpretation of what was canon sometimes changed with his mood. Sometimes he did not feel parts of the original series were not canon. When it first came out he said it was canon, then someone at Paramount (sometime in the 80’s or 90’s) who Roddenberry gave a title too rather than a pay raise decided it was not anymore (you can read it on memory alpha). I agree with 26, many of the legendary writers of the series wrote episodes of the original series, including well known sci-fi writers.
Gene Roddenberry also felt parts of Star Trek V and VI were not canon, though he did not specify what wasn’t. In general, canon is anything on screen.
Frankly, I think we obsess more about canon that Roddenberry ever did. He was more of a big picture guide. Did Star Trek adhere to what he envisioned for the future. I think that is what he mainly cared about. He left the day to day minutae to the writers and fans.
Now me, I accept all on screen stuff as canon. All the writers involved did a reasonably good job of trying to keep to the overall story, considering it spanned over 40 years and different eras of television (don’t forget, what was important to tv in the 60’s was much different than today). I’m also an avid novel reader and while not canon, as long as they are not contradicted on screen I accept as the continuing story. I’m reading the Typhon Pact novels now, and for me, since a continuation of Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation will almost definitly not happen on screen, I accept as an ongoing story. Same goes for the Voyager, Enterprise and original series books from the prime universe.
Oh, the grammar–
in my 36 comments I should have said
Sometimes did not feel parts of the original series were canon
and many of the legendary writers of the TV series wrote episodes of the animated series.
Sometimes I wish you could edit your prior comments. I usually proofread but I screwed up.
#31 MJ
You know that Iva was making a joke, yes? Although I don’t happen to worship at the alter of Gene.
As far as I am concerned TAS is canon. Same actors. Same writers. Gene Roddenberry approved (since he was involved and signed off on it as well as got paid). Whether HE considered it canon is of little consequence to me. He didn’t like the way the TOS movies were going and that doesn’t exclude them from canon.
It would be nifty if we could let some of the canon nonsense go. Canon is a term that was used to guide the series writers as to what can be and what cannot be. I don’t think it was intended to be the holy word on whether or not evry single detail fits into the universe. Otherwise most of the new film would be non-canonical. The TOS writers broke canon all the time starting with the original series. Read the nitpickers guide sometime. As a matter of fact, breaking canon’s rules is a long tradition with Trek and has occured in EVERY incarnation.
So there you have it. The definitive word. TAS is canon. Because I say it is. You shall never change my mind. Nyah, nyah, na, nyah, nyah.
@38. We’ll I’ll meet you half way and say that I will consider TAS, as supplemented by the A D Foster Logs, as canon.
MJ
You’d do that for me? I don’t know what to say….*sniff*….I am touched.
Now will you watch Voyager and Enterprise?
I don’t think “Gene said so” is much of a reason to exclude TAS from cannon, since as a few have already said, he said some of the movies weren’t cannot. To me it makes no sense for Star Trek IV to be cannon but Star Trek V not to be. There, I said it. Spock has a half-brother. But it’s not a great story so we’re going to avoid making references to it.
I would like to consider TAS cannon, but I do think it’s worth considering the fact that it’s a *cartoon* as reason to not consider it. There have been many sci-fi franchises with live-action tv shows and movies that had cartoon spinoffs, and many of them exclude the cartoons from their cannon, the same way many of them may (or may not) exclude their novels.
By the way, if Paramount is looking to make some $$ off of TAS, I think they should strongly consider re-animating and partially re-voicing the show so they can air it on Cartoon Network or something. After they run out of episodes they could just make new ones with the cast from the 2009 film (or a mix of old stars and new stars, but somehow I doubt Shatner and the rest would be willing).
I never laughed, too! … Captain! … I swear! :-) :-)
Why aren’t these available via netflix streaming? Bastards.
@40. Well THX-1138, I gotta throw you a bone now and then. But I must draw the line on your request that I watch Voyager and Enterprise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGF1NP-FrCU
….but DS9 works for me. :-)
LOL. Trust a thread on TAS to turn into a debate on what does and does not constitute Star Trek “canon.” It’s a legit concept, like “political correctness,” that usually boils down to meaning what the given individual wants it to mean. For me, “canon” basically refers to Trek which meets some minimal standard of entertainment or storytelling value that makes it worth the trouble of fitting it within Trek’s often incohate internal continuity. Which is why “Yesteryear,” along with a few other of the animated shows (as well as New Voyages’ “World Enough and Time,” for that matter) fits within my Trek canon, while the 2009 movie, sadly, does not.
In 1977, I attended a lecture by Gene Roddenberry (his roadshow at the time of a lecture, Q and A session, showing of the bloopers and his b&w print of “The Cage”) in which he was discussing the plans for “Star Trek: Phase Two” acompanied by a slideshow of the sets under construction.
In the Q and A, he was very positive and complementary toward the animated series and intimated that some aspects of the Animated Series might show up in “Phase Two” (story and budget permitting), specifically, the holographic rec room (although that doesn’t appear in any of the extant scripts and story treatments), the aquashuttle, and – believe it or not – the life support belts.
In fact, if you read Harold Livingston’s draft script of “In Thy Image”, there is a reference to “life support system belts” [sic].
Now, Roddenberry’s view of what counted as “Star Trek” and did not was changeable, as we have seen, further complicated by being mediated through to the licensees and fan-press by Richard Arnold’s diktats issued in Gene’s name.
As far as I’m concerned, TAS aired on network television, DC Fontana was the story editor (as she was for a good bit of TOS), a number of TOS writers wrote for it, including but not limited to Sam Peeples, Paul Schneider, Margaret Armen, David Gerrold, Stephen Kandel, along with Fontana, herself, and it had a number of the original actors reprising their roles; consequently, TAS is about as canonical as it gets, no matter what Roddenberry or Richard Arnold maintained.
No one seriously talks about firing the Gene Coon, John Meredith Lucas, or Fred Freiburger produced episodes of TOS out of the canon.
@46 “No one seriously talks about firing the Gene Coon, John Meredith Lucas, or Fred Freiburger produced episodes of TOS out of the canon.”
Well, I think a few of us we might consider firing a couple of the Freidburger episodes out of the canon. ;-)
@47: I think DCF might like having “The Enterprise Incident” and “the Way to Eden” fired out of the canon. “Leonard, I didn’t write that [love] scene.”
:-)
@ 46 “No one seriously talks about firing the Gene Coon, John Meredith Lucas, or Fred Freiburger produced episodes of TOS out of the canon.”
Hold on thar, Babalooey! Are we saying bad things about the great Gene L. Coon? Not on my watch! The man is as responsible for the tone and texture of the Star Trek universe, and characters, as is Roddenberry, and wrote many of the very best episodes. You could look it up, as Casey Stengel would say.
As for TAS, I remember watching it as a 10 year old back in 73. It is more “Star Trek” than TNG, Voy, DS9, Ent, or ST09, as far as I am concerned. It features all the actual voices of the original TOS cast (not losing any sleep over no Chekov). Any opportunity to enjoy those comforting friends in the roles we love is OK by me.
Star Trek had two Genes. The other one is named Roddenberry!
Okay, we can all agree with the following stuff be removed from canon.
Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection.
Oops, sorry wrong sci-fi franchise. David Fincher (“The Social Nework”) directed Alien 3?! Joss Whedon did the screenplay for Alien Resurrection?!