Paramount's release of Star Trek: The Animated Series has been long-awaited, as it is the last of the Star Trek properties to make it to DVD. Many longtime fans are divided on the show's relevance and its merit. We come down on the side that respects the show and appreciates the talent that went into making this most unusual of Saturday-morning cartoons -- one that actually didn't underestimate the intelligence of the audience.
The DVD captures the show in it's glory: The animation, though limited, is clear and crisp, and the colors are vibrant. The artwork for the show had great style and design, and was actually influential on what would be seen in later Star Trek movies and television series. In fact, there is a special feature in the set that points out which elements from the animated show made their way into the feature films and the later TV spinoffs, and there are more than you would think.
The show also expanded the mythology of the original series by presenting sequels to some of the best known episodes. The Guardian of Forever, Harry Mudd, Spock's parents, Cyrano Jones and the tribbles, the Klingons and more make appearances in these 22 episodes. And while some will quibble that the show's stories are not canon, few dispute the effect that writer D.C. Fontana's episode "Yesteryear" had on the 40-year history of the franchise. Her take on Spock's upbringing and his homeworld's culture, not to mention the conflict the character experienced from his parents' very different heritages, is one of the very best episodes of any Star Trek series. That the show enlisted Mark Lenard to return as the voice of Sarek, Spock's father, illustrated that this was a class operation.
It's usually easy to distinguish between releases that are classics and those that are purely nostalgic. (For example, Warner Bros.' Batman: The Animated Series will stand the test of time as a classic; Hanna Barbera's Super Friends is nostalgia.) But Star Trek: The Animated Series strattles the line between classic and nostalgia. It may never be as adored as its live-action predecessor, but fans who want a fuller experience from the Star Trek saga miss it at their peril.
More info: Star Trek: Animated
