Wednesday, September 24, 2014

These Are The Voyages TOS Season One and These Are The Voyages TOS Season Two



I’ve long considered myself well-versed and informed when it concerns the facts and fables surrounding the original Star Trek TV series.

After all I am a ‘Trekker’-I watched the TV series when it was first broadcast in 1966 on the NBC TV network on Thursday nights.  I was immediately hooked on the show the moment the starship Enterprise streaked across our small black and white TV screen.

I was 13 years old, impressionable and drawn to the adventures of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chapel, Scotty, Chekov and Uhura. They were like family and like with any family I kept a special scrapbook about them.

If it was about Star Trek, I collected it: TV guides, comic books, a full set of the original Leaf trading cards, ALL of Leonard Nimoy’s record albums, William Shatner’s ‘Transformed Man’ album, toys, games and even an NBC Star Trek press pack complete with DeForest Kelley  autograph.-you name it, I had it.  (I still have some of those items).

Yep, I’m feeling pretty cocky-I’m a Star Trek expert-or so I thought.  That it until I read the These Are The Voyages TOS Season One and These Are The Voyages TOS Season Two books from Jacobs Brown Press, written and researched by Marc Cushman and Susan Osborrn.  Now I feel like a rank amateur.

To state that I’m impressed would be an understatement.  Never have I read books that so completely and totally delve into the original Star Trek TV series than these books. (Season Three is on the way).

The Season One book begins with the life and times of the series creator: Gene Roddenberry.  From his birth up until the time he conceived and produced the original series the book provides exhaustive details on every aspect of his pre-Trek life including his early literary influences, his many TV writing assignments, successful and failed series and much more.

Each book delves into its respective season with full episode breakdowns, behind- the-scenes scuttlebutt and examinations of the ins and out of network TV, executives and decisions.

From casting and guest star appearances, storylines, story-editing, inner squabbles and compromises, studio policies and hierarchy and the like-each facet of the show is examined thoroughly.

I never knew I knew so little about my favorite TV series.  And I love it!  I feel as if a whole new light has been shown on the series which makes it even more exciting to read about.

Whether you’re a ‘Trekker’ or ‘Trekkie’ you’re sure to love this series of books.  “Fascinating.”