The animated series tas made its tv debut in september 1973. Produced by filmation under the direction of animator hal sutherland the series closed a gap in between the cancellation of the original series and star trek. Tas saw the return of almost all of the key cast members voicing their iconic characters, and series veteran scriptwriters were given the freedom to tell stories on an unprecedented scale. The animated series never got the loved it deserved, even despite winning an emmy. Prior to lower decks, theres only been one other animated trek series, 1973s star trek. The animated series or tas was the second, and only non canon star trek tv series produced. And, in doing so, brought larry niven back into trek canon, too. Since memory alpha is the official canon source of the star trek universe, i give to you star trek. The animated series is an animated adaptation and the first spinoff from the original series, continuing the initial fiveyear mission given the reality that it was produced by filmation, the animation is typically the studios ultracheap style. But in later years roddenberry said the animated series was not canon to the star trek universe. Picard kzinti easter egg links star trek to the works of. However, in the 1999 edition of the star trek encyclopedia, it was stated that the series was no longer officially canon.
This website is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with cbs studios inc. On september 3, weldon owen will release star trek. The animated series was the first project to capitalize on the success of star trek. After the cancellation of the original series, star trek was briefly brought back in animated form with star trek the animated series. The original series tos, aired 79 episodes from 1966 to 1969. Star trek simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There is no reason that star trek, the animated series shouldnt be canon. It was canon for 15 years after it first aired it was only after the first season of tng that roddenberry officially got it decanonized. Though an exact launch date has yet to be announced, creator mike mcmahan has already started sharing some important details about the animated comedy series, including how it fits into the star trek canon timeline. The series used almost all of the original casts voices minus walter koenig, and animation allowed for more aliens and fantastical plots and sets.
One has to wonder one has to wonder if the star trek themed. Memory alpha, which catalogs only canon, took this as a tacit recanonization and added tas. By the early 70s, star trek reruns were becoming something of a sensation. Strange new worlds marks the third liveaction scripted star trek series and. As the latest addition to the star trek stable, picard, expands on star trek. Below weve gathered a few of the facts and histories of star trek that were canon before they inexplicably werent anymore. Many viewers who had never seen the poorly scheduled scifi series during its. This page was created by kail tescar this site was created strictly as a hobby. Kirk and the crew of the uss enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the united federation of planets.
While paramount abided by roddenberrys wishes, current rights holder cbs hasnt made an official announcement on star trek. At last the star trek animated series is out on dvd. Lower decks may come from a rick and morty writer, but it will stick closely to the complicated canon of the existing star trek series. Many of these types of collections are often known as franchises the main parts of the star trek franchise are. Seven television series first shown from 1966 to today and. Star trek pike and spock series set at cbs all access. By the way, there are a number of trek elements first introduced in the animated series which have since found their way into the mainstream canon of modern trek through homage and even direct referenceespecially in deep space nine, star trek. Picard unexpectedly made the kzinti, who are aliens from star trek.
With almost all the original star trek crew aboard, original writers and gene roddenberry in the credits, surely the animated series should. The animated series whether or not tas is included in the official star trek canon varies depending on who you ask. And though this series is considered to be canon as of 2007, it pretty much wasnt taken seriously from 1991 onward. I always felt that star trek animated was part of star trek because gene roddenberry accepted the paycheck for it and put his name on the credits.
On the television network nbc, 22 episodes of the animated series were aired between september 1973 and october 1974. The animated series on dvd, the studio appears to have changed its stance, and is now listing the cartoon series aired 19731974, as. The animated series tas, originally aired as star trek and as the animated adventures of gene roddenberrys star trek, is an american animated science fiction television series created by gene roddenberry. The animated series introduced a threearmed, threelegged, longnecked, alien member of the bridge crew, named arex, and a catlike alien crew member named mress. Many references to original series episodes have been made throughout star trek online. In accordance to this previous decision, i did not take into account events from tas on this website. The animated series is the last bit of the star trek franchise to be released on dvd and it is a worthy addition to any classic trek fans collection.
And dc fontana and all the other writers involved busted their butts to make it the best star trek they could. These iconic characters have a deep history in star trek canon. Within lower decks, there is a proper incanon star trek show. The animated series or tas was the second, and only noncanon star trek tv series produced.
In the mid2000s tas was released on dvd, and around the same time the official star trek database added tas material. The animated series was thought of as the fourth season of star trek, covering the fourth year of the enterprises fiveyear mission. However, they more than made up for that with the presence of all of the original cast except walter koenig chekhov, and the writers. Tas is not exactly among the visually best animated series made for tv. The animated series is often referred to as star treks fourth season because it was created in 1973, four years after the third and final season of the original series, and because most of the original cast provided the voices. With william shatner, leonard nimoy, deforest kelley, george takei. Plus, has added info from the series, making it canon officially. The original series, tas is formally titled as just star trek, with the subtitle the animated series being used to differentiate it both from the original liveaction series and its other spinoffs some sources listing the title as star trek the animated adventures. Events of some of the episodes were referenced in future canon trek stuff. One of those is creating new animated trek content, the first since 1973s star trek.
Lower decks is still on track for its planned 2020 release. Written by the tandem of rich schepis and aaron harvey, its the first and only guide to tas, and it will provide fans with behindthescenes production documents, neverbefore. The animated series, originally and formally titled star trek. Thirteen movies shown in theaters from 1980 to 2016. Therefore it is very unlikely that canon star trek will ever revisit. The series continues from the canonical establishment of rikers promotion and new command in the movie star trek. Kirk the original series in the second pilot of star trek. The cbs allaccess series starring patrick stewart as jeanluc picard has been a galaxyhopping adventure involving the starfleet legends mission to rescue soji isa briones, the synthetic daughter of the late commander data brent spiner, from romulans out to kill her.
At star trek guide, wed advise those offended fans to apply a little head canon to the internal contradictions within the animated series, because the truth is tas plays as an extension to the original series, part of the fiveyear mission with everything proper about star trek left intact. When it first appeared, it was billed as a followup to star trek, and whether things were or werent in. The star trek canon is the set of all canonical material in the star trek universe. The original series at memory alpha, the star trek wiki star trek, now called star trek. However, the definition of star trek canon as encompassing all released tv series. The animated series is the third star trek show for cbs to make available for online streaming. It later spawned an animated series and six movies.
This show basically continues the adventures of the original series presumably in the fourth year of the fiveyear mission, but takes advantage of the unlimited special effects provided by animation to introduce more alien crewmen the felinoid mress and the tripedal arex as well as introduce more. This is the further adventures of the star trek series in a halfhour animated form. Titan is a book series chronicling the adventures of captain william t. The answer lies with the franchises mercurial creator. William shatner, leonard nimoy, deforest kelley, james doohan, nichelle nichols, george takei, and majel. For many years it was generally accepted that only officially produced liveaction episodes and films were considered canon. The animated series is disputed, but is generally considered canon except where it conflicts with the liveaction series and movies. The animated series premiered in 1973 as a saturday morning cartoon four years after the original series final. The official star trek website defines canon as comprising the original series, the animated series, the next generation, deep space nine, voyager, enterprise.
It originally aired from september 8, 1973 to october 12, 1974 on nbc, spanning 22 episodes over two seasons. But this whole business of canon really originated with genes errand boy. The star trek canon is generally defined as all liveaction television series and feature films released by paramount pictures. As postulated by gene roddenberry, the animated series did not belong to star treks canon and was therefore missing in official reference works. Strange new worlds will bring back captain christopher pike, spock, and the rest of the original uss enterprise crew for a new cbs all access series. The official star trek website defines canon as comprising the original series, the animated series, the next generation, deep space nine, voyager, enterprise, discovery, picard, lower decks, and short treks as well as the films in the franchise.
One element from yesteryear that has become canon by depiction within star trek. The series was produced by the experienced animation house filmation and the episodes were scripted by professional science fiction and star trek writers, including larry niven, d. So while there was never an explicit pronouncement that it was canon, pretty much everybody has agreed that it is, and it is thus. The original series, kirk and the crew of the enterprise face off against fellow crewman and starfleet academy friend of kirk gary mitchell. The animated series with the release of the animated series dvd, the studio appears to have changed its stance, and is leaning towards the anim. Notably, discovery referenced the animated series when saur read the name robert april off of a computer screen in choose your pain. Star trek the animated series came about in 1973 following the cancellation of the original live action series in 1969. Canon in star trek online official star trek online wiki. The second series in the star trek franchise, it is the first sequel. Not a single reason except for the one that dvk jokingly remarks in. The original series in syndication so why is its place in canon a point of contention. With a single word from riker in episode 7, nepenthe, picard referenced a 1973 episode of star trek. How lower decks fits in the star trek timeline and canon. The original star trek became available in 2008 and in 2010 they added star trek.