Star Trek: The Animated Series

That episode was "The Slaver Weapon". This was the only episode of either TOS or TAS in which neither Captain Kirk nor the Enterprise itself did not appear.
 
The Animated Series hit DVD a while ago. I remembered watching them on TV when they were first broadcast, and was happily surprised to find that they held up pretty well. This partner article also discusses the history behind the 'toon, much of which is also covered in the supplemental materials that are on the DVD set itself.

Finally, I had a bit of fun looking at a few of the ways Filmation cheaped out on the animation -- you can spot a lot of the same techniques in use in Hanna-Barbera cartoons, and even in a lot of other more expensive toons if you look carefully.
 
Neat article on the animation shortcuts!

FWIW, though, you cannot flip over a cel and see the same thing only in reverse. The back side of a cel is a hideous smear of paint. (Here's an example: http://www.nohomers.net/cels/images...mpsons_cel/what_is_a_simpsons_cel_3_large.jpg) Those flopped images are a shortcut, but it was done at the animation stage--the animator simply traced existing animation, but with the original drawing placed face-down on the illuminated animation stand.

Filmation used all of these shortcuts, and more, for their entire existence. It's kind of fun spotting the same animation (albeit retraced to with the details of different characters) over and over. Running toward the camera, walking cycles, etc. Animation of a tiger jumping to the ground and preparing to pounce in their Tarzan show was reused as a lion, panther, He-Man's cat, etc etc.

Getting back to the original post, the Star Trek animated series did not use leftover scripts from the original show. They were new.
 
From my viewing experience, I'd have to say that Star Trek The Animated Series strikes me as the best cartoon series from the 1970s. I'm not saying this as a Star Trek fan since the cartoon got me interested in regular viewings of the series (Mostly the original).

While I do enjoy some of the typical 70s cartoons, Star Trek TAS makes for a nice escape from the usual conventions (teen sidekicks and cute animals).

While I can certainly see why Gene Roddenberry didn't think too highly of it compared to the other shows at the time, I think he didn't give it enough credit.

For one, some reviewers at the time I believe made statements about how "the show is too good for Saturday Morning" says a lot about the cartoon.

Second, a good number of adaptations/follow ups from live action to cartoons (Save for exceptions like The Real Ghostbusters and Men In Black) are drastically different from the original.

Back To The Future while fun to a degree feels more like a kid cartoon with the BTTF names and settings. Seeing the cartoon again with exposure to The Original Series, well TAS actually feels like Star Trek.



Actually "More Tribbles, More Trouble" and "Bem" were both intended for the show's 3rd Season. The former was rejected, because they weren't so anxious to do another episode with that particular humor. The latter, because the costume and effects weren't doable at the time.
 
I got the entire series on DVD from Columbia House two years ago, and I enjoyed it, since I was not able to view the series in '73 (I was a baby at that time), and when it came on TV Land's Super Retrovision Saturday in '99-00, they didn't even show all the episodes.

My favorite was the one where Spock went back in time to help his younger self deal with some manhood issues and a fallen pet.

Me, I'm waiting for CBS to release the Brady Kids animated series on DVD.
 
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