I love that series. Pure Star Trek. The animated format allowed for a lot of creativity. Anyone who appreciates TAS will probably also enjoy this amazing homage.
I love that series. Pure Star Trek. The animated format allowed for a lot of creativity.
I was always amused by this episode https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Slaver_Weapon where Larry Niven managed to write a lot of the “Known Space” universe into Star Trek. It’s part of the reason...
where Larry Niven managed to write a lot of the “Known Space” universe into Star Trek. It’s part of the reason why The Animated Series can’t be canon otherwise you’d have Kzinti and Puppeteers hanging out on Deep Space Nine and might get an episode where somebody opens a stasis box and a Slaver pops out. At least there wasn’t any sign of Protectors or the Ringworld.
According to that WIkipedia article, Gene Roddenberry is to blame for that one because he personally asked Niven to write a teleplay based on “The Soft Weapon” which is one of the best sci-fi short stories of all time, which is part of this collection
I don't get why 'The Slaver Weapon' can't be canon. There were lots of alien species features in TOS, TAS, and TNG who never turned up on Deep Space Nine. The Kzinti is just another one of those...
I don't get why 'The Slaver Weapon' can't be canon.
otherwise you’d have Kzinti and Puppeteers hanging out on Deep Space Nine
There were lots of alien species features in TOS, TAS, and TNG who never turned up on Deep Space Nine. The Kzinti is just another one of those species.
And, reading the Memory Alpha page about Kzinti, it seems that they are embedded in Star Trek canon. As well as making two appearances in TAS, they seem to have appeared in, or at least been name-checked in, no less than 8 'Lower Decks' episodes. And, this paragraph confirms that the Kzin are canonical:
Their homeworld of Kzin was subtly included on a star chart created by Mike Okuda that was displayed at Starfleet Headquarters in TNG: "Conspiracy", and which made occasional appearances thereafter in that series, in Kirk's quarters in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and in the classroom on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
As for the Puppeteers, they are not part of Star Trek canon. The role of the pacifist vegetarian non-human in 'The Soft Weapon' was played a Vulcan, Spock, in the adaptation, 'The Slaver Weapon'. There are no Puppeteers in Star Trek.
A number of years ago I bought the DVD set and watched it for the first time since I was a child. I thought it held up very well. I particularly enjoyed the references to some of Larry Niven's work.
A number of years ago I bought the DVD set and watched it for the first time since I was a child.
I thought it held up very well.
I particularly enjoyed the references to some of Larry Niven's work.
This is a guilty pleasure I'm rewatching all of trek with my wife and newborn, and I have to say I love how cheesy and bad the animated trek is. The voice acting is also sometimes phoned in too...
This is a guilty pleasure I'm rewatching all of trek with my wife and newborn, and I have to say I love how cheesy and bad the animated trek is. The voice acting is also sometimes phoned in too which is great.
I love that series. Pure Star Trek. The animated format allowed for a lot of creativity.
Anyone who appreciates TAS will probably also enjoy this amazing homage.
My goto answer when I get asked which ST series is my favorite. Mostly just to see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
Its worth watching the VERY SHORT TREKS
I think there will be more to come.
I was always amused by this episode
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Slaver_Weapon
where Larry Niven managed to write a lot of the “Known Space” universe into Star Trek. It’s part of the reason why The Animated Series can’t be canon otherwise you’d have Kzinti and Puppeteers hanging out on Deep Space Nine and might get an episode where somebody opens a stasis box and a Slaver pops out. At least there wasn’t any sign of Protectors or the Ringworld.
According to that WIkipedia article, Gene Roddenberry is to blame for that one because he personally asked Niven to write a teleplay based on “The Soft Weapon” which is one of the best sci-fi short stories of all time, which is part of this collection
https://www.tor.com/2022/03/30/the-borders-of-science-neutron-star-by-larry-niven/
which reads like a novel and is so good that if you haven’t read it and you’re a sci-fi fan you should read it now.
I don't get why 'The Slaver Weapon' can't be canon.
There were lots of alien species features in TOS, TAS, and TNG who never turned up on Deep Space Nine. The Kzinti is just another one of those species.
And, reading the Memory Alpha page about Kzinti, it seems that they are embedded in Star Trek canon. As well as making two appearances in TAS, they seem to have appeared in, or at least been name-checked in, no less than 8 'Lower Decks' episodes. And, this paragraph confirms that the Kzin are canonical:
As for the Puppeteers, they are not part of Star Trek canon. The role of the pacifist vegetarian non-human in 'The Soft Weapon' was played a Vulcan, Spock, in the adaptation, 'The Slaver Weapon'. There are no Puppeteers in Star Trek.
The Animated Series is a much-maligned and misunderstood part of Star Trek history. I like the show. Even when it's bad, it's fun.
A number of years ago I bought the DVD set and watched it for the first time since I was a child.
I thought it held up very well.
I particularly enjoyed the references to some of Larry Niven's work.
This is a guilty pleasure I'm rewatching all of trek with my wife and newborn, and I have to say I love how cheesy and bad the animated trek is. The voice acting is also sometimes phoned in too which is great.