StuOz
The original 1966 series lives on as if it never ended...however the actors are not the same.An amazing attempt to bring a 50 year old TV series back to life! The sets, costumes, and scores match up so well with the old show.Four words: give it a chance! The original 1966 series has been a lifelong partner to me so, at first, "Continues" bothered me because it seemed to be playing around with ideas and plots I had spent decades watching and re-watching. At first, I never liked the "Continues" cast, but after a few episodes I began to warm to them all.I have followed all the 1980s and 1990s film/TV Star Treks, love them all, I also like the new Netflix series, and after all that I think there is just enough room for one more Star Trek series: "Continues".At the time of the this review I really have only one issue with "Continues", the forced attempts at humour between Kirk/Spock/Bones. However, in time maybe even those bits will grow on me???In a nutshell: this will never be as good as the 1966 original, but it makes a pleasing very well thought out copy.
XweAponX
On Twitter, I kept seeing little "Vignettes" from the episodes they had already made. Especially, Michael Forest from "To Morn for Adonis" (that's a pun) reprising his role. Then a green Orion Slave Girl played by Fiona Vroom. Then, I see the crew of the Enterprise wearing full accouterments from "Mirror Mirror".In those Vignettes, I saw the Bridge, the Hallways, the Transporter room, Sickbay all perfectly recreated. All original uniforms being worn, all original Tricorders, Phasers and Communicators (Thanks to the Wand company) being used.So then, I look up this crew who was bringing the original Star Trek back to life! And I watched the first episode, "Pilgrim or Eternity". And a rudimentary Holodeck, equipped with a Holo of Star Trek Artist Doug Drexler in "Paladin" outfit shoving a Colt 45 into "Kirk" (Vic Mignogna's) nose, in a set that looked a LOT like "Spectre of the Gun".So then I watched "Lolani", and along with Fiona Vroom, there was The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) playing a HUGE Orion Slaver.So, that was it, I was hooked. Of course, I thought Todd Haberkorn looked like an Odd Spock, but he did in fact talk and act like Spock. And they did change Dr McCoys after Lolani, I don't know why Larry Nemecek dropped out of that role. But then again, I saw Chris Doohan playing the role his father played, and he looks SO much like his father. Marina Sirtis is the Ships Computer, like Luwaxana, like Daughter. I started seeing all kinds of familiar names from the cast and crew of Next Generation/DS9/Voyager/Enterprise in the credits.And the Music was perfect, the LIGHTING was perfect, the SOUNDS were perfect, the Props were perfect (Close-ups of the Phaser props show a slight difference from TOS Phasers, but not much). And I have a Wand Company Communicator, and those were being used (Hint: THEY WORK!).But my posterior was floored by the 3rd Episode "Fairest of them All", or, "What happened when Mirror Kirk, Scott, McCoy and Uhura returned to Mirror Enterprise?".Eventually I ran out of Episodes to watch, I was amazed that there were FIVE of these episodes (at the time). I left off at "Divided we Stand", which was a great Omega-Glory type of episode, which included BORG Nanites! And we met a Security Chief, "Drake", who had a Mechanical Arm.Not just Drake, but I met McKennah, Smith (who was holding Gary Mitchell's hand at the Barrier of the Galaxy), and these became as beloved to me as Kirk, Spock, Uhura, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov.It did not matter to me that I was not seeing Leonard Nimoy, Bill Shatner, George "It's OK to be" Takei. The SPIRIT of the characters they created was there. The chemistry was there, and, the Ship was there.For those of you who are just joining these voyages, watch the Featurette which shows the construction of the Engineering set. From a Huge, Empty Soundstage, to a perfect replica of the 1701's warp drive. The DILITHIUM Crystals even had that same shape (From "The Alternative factor").I feel that McKennah, Smith, Drake, and the other characters and actors that had recurring crew roles, had been there all the time.There are many things that hint toward things that would happen later in TNG and DS9.I just finished the final episode today, and in one scene, we see, on an Admirals desk, models of The Pheonix, NX-01, Kelvin, Discovery, and the 1701 as it appeared in TMP. And even that scene was a nod to a scene from "Into Darkness", the ships on Admiral Marcus' desk.I feel as close to the Actors and Crew who made this show as I do the whole franchise.This SHOULD be "Official Trek", CBS should buy this show and release it as part of the franchise. In my mind, it already is.Thank you, Vic, Todd, Thank you Kipleigh Brown for bringing "Smith" back, thank you Michele Specht for creating "McKennah", the original "Counselor Troi", not just the main characters but everyone who worked on this to make it a reality.I feel that Fan Productions like this should not be hindered by CBS, this one was not, but others were. Nobody is stealing Klingon by wanting to learn it, nobody who wants to help recreate something that we've loved for over 50 years should be discouraged, not sued. CBS may own the show now, but it does not really belong to them, it belongs to US.
pkpera
I spotted on this serial only couple months ago, and watched so far only 2 episodes. Indeed, they made it well - it is probably only true follower of (original) TOS. And as I see, Star Trek is probably original serial with most of followers - there is most of serials starting with "Star Trek" . I have strong feeling that it is low on budget, although it is not much visible on screen, but fact that there are only few episodes per year may be indicator. Acting may be not on high level, and actors are really unknown, again, probably because low budget. But it is OK. What matters is story. And it is for sure on level of original series.At moment we have 2 "Star Trek" serials under work and (premiere) airing: this and practically the complete opposite: ... Discovery . While Discovery is high(er) budget, with shiny CGI, lot of action, shooting, it is just not Star Trek. They changed a lot, in not good direction. I stopped to watch it because it is just so shallow. Star Trek Continues goes so far in recreation of original that they even use outdated 4:3 screen format. Effects are not 100% same, but very close to those from some 50 years ago. I will keep watching this. Rating: 8 .
randalakoene
Star Trek Continues is made with meticulous attention to detail and great effort. There are episodes, for example "Lolani" that come with a hair breadth of TOS show quality. The FX are set to emulate those of TOS. Consequently, the FX may seem more slick in some of the other fan produced shows, but the story telling, characters and pacing are a perfect emulation of TOS. Even the on-board banter between the crew, the angle of the camera shots, lighting, all of those are perfectly recreated. The acting, while not quite at the level of professional experienced Hollywood actors, evolves to a surprising level of professionalism, rising well above the wooden acting in many other fan produced Trek films. Highly recommend seeing Star Trek Continues - it will leave you feeling like you just saw another canon episode of Star Trek TOS.
