Star Trek: The Animated Series S1E01: Beyond The Farthest Star
Welcome to the first in a series of reviews marking the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, the oft-overlooked but surprisingly influential continuation of the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Initially airing in the UK in 1974 (almost a full year after it had entertained US kids chowing down on their second bowl of Lucky Charms), this animated extension of Gene Roddenberry’s original vision arrived at a time when syndication had given Star Trek a renewed fanbase, but the live-action series had been unceremoniously cut short. While fans had hoped for a full revival, The Animated Series provided the next best thing—bold, new adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew, albeit in animated form, as they ventured Beyond The Farthest Star.
The genesis of The Animated Series lies in the popularity of the original series in syndication, which sparked interest in keeping the Star Trek flame alive. With live-action considered too expensive, Filmation Studios stepped in to produce an animated series. Roddenberry and DC Fontana were on board, maintaining the show’s connection to its roots, even if the medium changed. What stands out is how Star Trek: The Animated Series retained its more mature storytelling style, refusing to pander to younger audiences despite its Saturday morning time slot.
The majority of the original cast returned to lend their voices, with William Shatner (Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), and DeForest Kelley (McCoy) at the helm. However, James Doohan (Scotty) and Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel) took on multiple voice roles, including those of non-returning characters. Conspicuously absent was Walter Koenig (Chekov) due to budget constraints, though he did contribute a script for the series. Instead, The Animated Series introduced new characters like Lieutenant Arex, a three-armed, three-legged alien, in an attempt to capitalise on animation’s freedom to showcase species that would have been impossible with 1960s practical effects.
One of the most striking absences from The Animated Series is the iconic Star Trek fanfare. The series opted for a completely different musical approach due to licensing issues and the lower budget for the animated format. Instead, The Animated Series used a mix of new, often whimsical, themes that didn’t quite capture the grandiosity of Alexander Courage’s original score but still carved out its own place in Trek’s rich musical landscape.
As for the episode itself, Beyond The Farthest Star sets the tone for the entire series, proving that animation doesn’t mean a sacrifice in storytelling ambition, while also proving that the much shorter running time wasn’t about to see the writers sacrificing their preference for languid pacing. The Enterprise crew encounters a mysterious ancient alien vessel in orbit around a dead star, only to inadvertently awaken a malevolent entity trapped aboard. The episode is rich in the kind of imaginative science fiction that became synonymous with Star Trek. The alien vessel’s design, with its biological, insect-like aesthetic, takes full advantage of the freedom animation offers, while the tense standoff with the entity demonstrates the continued importance of intellect and cunning in Starfleet’s modus operandi.
The episode serves as a solid opener, reassuring fans that this animated offering was more than a children’s show—it was a genuine continuation of Star Trek’s spirit of exploration and adventure, albeit with a different look and sound. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the animated adventures of the Enterprise, episode by episode, and celebrate the series’ lasting contribution to the Star Trek legacy.
