The original series - monsters

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One thing that I have noticed as a difference between TOS and the later shows (especially DS9 onwards) is that there is more of an element of "monster of the week", be it the M113 creature or the underlying monster in Doctor Adams. Of course TOS was not just about monsters and characters are often more rounded, just see Kodos/Karidian in The Conscience of the King as a good example. However the code of "the monster" that appeared in other sucessful shows like The Twilight Zone is no longer prevalent in modern television and is in my opinion a shame.

 

What are your views on this issue?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I think it's a sign of the growing sophistication of the audiences, that's not to say that audiences of the 60's were less sophisticated but the technology was so the audiences could only go with what they were given.

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I think it's a sign of the growing sophistication of the audiences, that's not to say that audiences of the 60's were less sophisticated but the technology was so the audiences could only go with what they were given.

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I agree to some extent, especially regarding the trends and technology, however we have seen this format applied to modern audiences with great effect in the X-Files.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I think it's a sign of the growing sophistication of the audiences, that's not to say that audiences of the 60's were less sophisticated but the technology was so the audiences could only go with what they were given.

258310[/snapback]

 

I agree to some extent, especially regarding the trends and technology, however we have seen this format applied to modern audiences with great effect in the X-Files.

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That's something I can't really address, I think I've only watched 1 episode of the X-Files lol

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I recommend all the episodes up to the end of season three. After that it went downhill.

 

Of course Star Trek made the monsters representative of issues, where as the X-Files just did it for horror.

[TC1 0]

The STNG episode #125, "Darmok", when Captain Picard was on a Planet with the Tamarian Captain, and they were forced to fight an invisble creature to the death. I'm sure you all know the episode, the aliens talked in sayings like, - "Darmok and Jalad at Tenagra", all in metaphor.

Anyway, it reminded me alot of "Forbidden PLanet" 1956, with Leslie Nielsen. The invisible creature from the ID in that movie still scares me to this day. The point being, if a monster is done right, it can be mean so much more to the show.

The creature in the aformentioned STNG episode and Forbidden Planet, both, in my opinion, represented hate and greed, only to have the good of man win over it in the end. Very well done.

[krysis 2]

I think ST should have more monsters. I always have a place in my heart for any monster-eat-men movies. Lets see if there are any worthy man-eating monters on ENT.

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

I think it may be the shift in attraction to monsters and more to reality shows. For example, how many reality movies were filmed in the 60's? How many are filmed now? How many scary, freaky, Alfred Hitchcocktype movies were in the 60's? How many are there now?

 

There's a big difference. Right now, it's nothing but sex, violence or testosterone that drives the media.

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For example, how many reality movies were filmed in the 60's? How many are filmed now? How many scary, freaky, Alfred Hitchcocktype movies were in the 60's? How many are there now?

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I completely agree. The trends of our current day media have changed and no longer affect other productions in the same way that they once did. As a fan of Hammer horror, Hitchcock and all those sorts of influences I tend to enjoy a good monster better than an actor with ridges or a different nose, while not feeling that they are necessarily parodies or one dimensional.

[krysis 2]

Here's a formula

 

Good actor or actress + good script = may be a good show.

 

Good monster + great action - any script or speech = a fantastic 100% action packed show.

[TC1 0]

As a huge fan of Hitchcock and Hammer and ahuge non fan of Reality I wholeheartedly agree

with all three of you. I wish the media and the studios would realize the huge market potential out there. At least Universal tried with Van Helsing. I liked it. I hope the next ENTERPRISE season features at least one monster prominently.

[Airies 0]

I really miss the monstors of old. The closest they have come to that was species 8472. They were pretty cool! Do all Aliens nowadays have to have 2 arms and 2 legs? Why can't we have some blobs or something?

 

Like this guy >>> :huh: he has a 3rd arm in the middle of his face!

[krysis 2]

I think all monsters should at least have the basic sharp teeth.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

 

One thing that I have noticed as a difference between TOS and the later shows (especially DS9 onwards) is that there is more of an element of "monster of the week", be it the M113 creature or the underlying monster in Doctor Adams. Of course TOS was not just about monsters and characters are often more rounded, just see  Kodos/Karidian in The Conscience of the King as a good example.  However the code of "the monster" that appeared in other sucessful shows like The Twilight Zone is no longer prevalent in modern television and is in my opinion a shame.

 

What are your views on this issue?

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Well TM to be fair VOY did have a few monster episodes but you're smack on about DS9, I don't remember a single monster episode from that series. ENT TOS and TNG are King when it comes to the creature features. I suppose since ENT has done a monster episode or two that the presumption they are no longer prevalent is not entirely true but I'll give you they are less frequent on TV. They still show up in films as well (Evolution, Eight Legged Freaks etc.) but they never mean anything other than being a metaphor of 'Damage to the Environment'.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

SG: Atlantis had a pretty good one a couple of weeks into its run, a dark, amorphous cloud just waiting to "devour" the city dwellers. Try to catch the reruns.

[Rivendells_king 0]

was'ent there some child eating monster on TNG and data was on the planet?

[krysis 2]

Yeah, I really enjoyed 8-legged Freaks. Evolution was... well, not too bad. I'd like to see a group of monsters infesting a ship or a station. Red shirts going in to clean them out and in the process, some get eaten.

 

Other than sharp teeth, monsters should be made of rubber suits... lol

[Heron 0]

Monsters, eh?? LOL

 

Well, I guess that if they looked at *us* we could be seen as the same... :P lol

 

As Miranda addressed the issue in "Is There No Truth in Beauty" or as Horta indicated ( To Spock's amusement); it is all relative and there are no monsters ...lol :(

 

BUT... I wholeheartedly agree that there is very little in the way of diversity in the lifeforms that are being shown in modern Trek. It is discouraging. Most all have 2 arms and 2 legs and have a lizardlike exterior. Of course I allude to present day shapeshifters as changeable; but they usually change into common things. In TOS there were forms, anything from bright dancing lights(Zetar)/(Errand) to clouds with a cystoplasmic look (Metamorphosis)to rock beings(Savage curtain) to

vapors(Obsession) to brains suspended in spheres(Gamesters), miniature spaghettilike extremitied beings that presented as humans((catspaw), flying potstickers (neuralparasites)...I forget the name of that one lol as well as modified beings (Adonais,Gary Seven,Balok,Rayna, Gary Mitchell)... what a fantastic series :)

 

But, remember.....Reeves/Stevens have come into the picture. We may be seeing a resurgence of the imaginativeness that a lot of us crave! I am hopeful :)

 

Heron

[Wishfire 2]

It's all a trend. Audiences in the 60's were fascinated with monsters, so ST had monsters. Nowadays it's psychological stuff that draws audiences, so ST uses many plots that have to do with psychological stuff.

[Heron 0]

True... but the psychological factor was there with TOS as well.They just incorporated imaginative images adjunctively. I think that it worked well. Yes, you can *speak* of a silicone based lifeform and the differences and have intelligent conversation about it ; but to SEE it... and experience it's reaction to carbon based lifeforms and watch what it goes through when it's world is turned upside down and it's entire race is fighting for it's existance in a tunnel with only ONE being that is injured and in desperate agony is much more *illuminating*. That Kirk assists in protecting the being and McCoy finds that he has abilities that even surprise himself insofar as rescuing an entire race by patching it like a *bricklayer* with silicone....is just plain ENTERTAINMENT! The use of creative, alternate lifeforms was one of the BEST parts of TOS. Tell me you didn't....(but I won't believe you...) Tell me that you didn't begin to conjure in your imagination WHAT they were dealing with prior to seeing it. Remember tricorder readings and putting the facts together and coming up with what form they might end up presenting?Putting it all together as to what it did, what surroundings it had to sustain itself and how it might present was totally interactive. "It is not life as we know it Captain".... Then you see it and have to conjecture WITH them...WHY it's acting in the manner that it is. That's PURE entertainment, the stuff that studios are built upon and the stuff that sustains us, builds on our dreams and keeps us going as fans!

 

Heron

[Lursa 0]

Yeah,

 

I will have to agree with you, but i would date some of those monsters they look pretty hot lol.

[JGG 0]

Seems to me that if there are any "current monsters" be it on the big screen or tv they are all mostly made by CGI . :)

[TC1 0]

Technological imagery has replaced mood inso far as monster relationships with humans / good guys. I'll take a mood anyday over fancy CGI work. I love special effects, but the story comes first. "Ala; "Forbidden Planet"

[athena28 2]

I seem to recall TOS used the "Monster of the Week" storyline [more than it would have wished] as it helped keep costs down (esp. if they could shoot it all on the 'ship' sets).

[Heron 0]

Athena wrote:

I seem to recall TOS used the "Monster of the Week" storyline [more than it would have wished] as it helped keep costs down (esp. if they could shoot it all on the 'ship' sets).

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The varied aliens added dimension and imagination; thinking beyond the boundaries of life as we know it. Doesn't bother me if it's filmed in one room vs 50.

Interaction between humans is on every soap opera you'd want to tune into. SCI-FI reaches beyond that and interaction with alien forms of unending shape and capability in diverse situations provides an endless source of interesting material and sources for the imagination. How humans relate amongst themselves , in space, without alien beings in their varied possible forms, is finite....and will ultimately become boring.

 

I very much doubt that they would have wished for less aliens....; although the person enduring the costuming might think differently, at the time B)

It's all worth it in the end! B)

 

Heron

Edited December 31, 2004 by Heron

[TC1 0]

I'd have to agree Athena, I'm sure the budget called for more creative writing than visuals.

Nice to see you here by the way.

[TC1 0]

Although the writing compares favorably with the times, it really added to it's credibility when no monster was present and just added to it when one was clomping through the TOS universe.

Edited January 4, 2005 by TC1

[TC1 0]

Although not really evident in "The Cage" strangely enough. Beautiful episode, visually speaking.

Edited January 4, 2005 by TC1

[Heron 0]

Although the writing compares favorably with the times, it really added to it's credibility when no monster was present and just added to it when one was clomping through the TOS universe.

294393[/snapback]

 

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It added to it's credibility when no monster was present and added to it when one was?? It's early...but I'm having trouble with that one...lol

 

Heron

[LoveMalePecs1 0]

The Monsters on TOS were good for the time but I liked the Monsters/Aliens that came in the series after TOS but true the more Recent ones on Enterprise haven't been that many more Psychlogical Stuff and how all the Members of the Federation came together starting with the Humans and Vulcans.

 

:) :)