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These Are The Voyages #3
These Are the Voyages TOS Season Three
Marc Cushman's biography of Star Trek® the original series (TOS) takes you back in time for the final season of this iconic television show, to the production offices, the writers' room, onto the soundstages, and in front of your TV sets for what many thought would be Star Trek's final voyage. Included are hundreds of memos between Rodenberry, the producers and staff, production schedules, budgets, fan letters, behind-the-scene images, and the TV ratings. You'll find out the real reason Star Trek® was cancelled. So buckle your seat belts, this final trek gets really bumpy.
750 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
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164 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 10, 2021
This is more a review of the entire three book set. I consider myself an enthusiastic Trekker, but I learned a lot from these three meticulously researched books. In particular, I gained an appreciation for how much we find odd or laughable in the 21st Century were necessary choices made by the producers under the financial and editorial pressure of the studio and NBC, as well as the determination of Roddenberry and William Shatner to ensure that Captain Kirk kept his position as "The STAR" of "Star Trek."
For example, why did Captain Kirk always beam down to unknown situations? Because if he stayed on the ship, he'd have less to do, dramatically. Why were bridge officers so often sent on away missions? Because guest stars are expensive. Why does everyone in the Galaxy speak English? Because the Network thought that people would not be patient with subtitles and you couldn't build a whole alien language in a week. And so on.
What was also interesting was watching the journey of a story idea become an outline and then a script. So many people involved and often competing agenda.
The book has extensive lists of sources consulted and an index for quotes and memos. As I've mentioned with the other volumes, people who are REALLY into Star Trek or into TV production will enjoy this set.
For example, why did Captain Kirk always beam down to unknown situations? Because if he stayed on the ship, he'd have less to do, dramatically. Why were bridge officers so often sent on away missions? Because guest stars are expensive. Why does everyone in the Galaxy speak English? Because the Network thought that people would not be patient with subtitles and you couldn't build a whole alien language in a week. And so on.
What was also interesting was watching the journey of a story idea become an outline and then a script. So many people involved and often competing agenda.
The book has extensive lists of sources consulted and an index for quotes and memos. As I've mentioned with the other volumes, people who are REALLY into Star Trek or into TV production will enjoy this set.
August 11, 2017
As the author stated many times in this book, season three is looked down upon because the talented people that made Star Trek were leaving and the quality suffered. That being said, there are some good episodes tucked away here.
This was another fantastic book with trivia and details through the roof.
Recommend again for Star Trek fans.
This was another fantastic book with trivia and details through the roof.
Recommend again for Star Trek fans.
September 16, 2017
Volume 3 concludes Marc Cushman's intricate examination of the production of classic Star Trek, detailing the clashing personalities behind the scenes and on camera. By publishing original memoranda and alternative ratings documents, he gives new perspective on stereotypes long embedded in the fandom. Perhaps Season 3 was not canceled because of low ratings and Fred Freiberger didn't personally kill the series.
I have to say that I come away from this book with less respect for Roddenberry and more respect than I've ever had for Freiberger. There is admittedly a lot of repetition found within, but it's a seemingly well-rounded and comprehensive work. I feel like all sides were defended well.
The level of detail here is extremely impressive, but there were a few nits I found.
During the discussion of "The Tholian Web," Cushman has Bob Justman both in favor of and against a script choice to have Spock and not Kirk be lost on the away mission.
He tells that Gene Coon wrote from 1969-1974, despite dying in 1973.
He tells that Fred Phillips worked on TNG and DS9, before passing in 1993, a year after "that series" ended production. TNG ended in 1994 and DS9 in 1999.
He tells that Fred Freiberger retired in the early 1990s at the age of 73 and died in 2003 at the age of 88. Both are not possible.
Chaos on the Bridge aside, I'm not sure if it's possible to get a similar retelling of the subsequent Treks. By the end of the third season even Mr. Freiberger seemed hesitant to put everything in writing.
Strongly recommended!
I have to say that I come away from this book with less respect for Roddenberry and more respect than I've ever had for Freiberger. There is admittedly a lot of repetition found within, but it's a seemingly well-rounded and comprehensive work. I feel like all sides were defended well.
The level of detail here is extremely impressive, but there were a few nits I found.
During the discussion of "The Tholian Web," Cushman has Bob Justman both in favor of and against a script choice to have Spock and not Kirk be lost on the away mission.
He tells that Gene Coon wrote from 1969-1974, despite dying in 1973.
He tells that Fred Phillips worked on TNG and DS9, before passing in 1993, a year after "that series" ended production. TNG ended in 1994 and DS9 in 1999.
He tells that Fred Freiberger retired in the early 1990s at the age of 73 and died in 2003 at the age of 88. Both are not possible.
Chaos on the Bridge aside, I'm not sure if it's possible to get a similar retelling of the subsequent Treks. By the end of the third season even Mr. Freiberger seemed hesitant to put everything in writing.
Strongly recommended!
January 19, 2023
Marc Cushman continues to debunk "fan wisdom" about Star Trek in These Are the Voyages: TOS Season 3, in particular that it was cancelled due to low ratings, and in this particular volume, tracks how the show's quality went down and reassesses incoming producer Fred Freiberger's decision-making. He proves to be as controversial a figure as Roddenberry, as vilified as the Great Bird was deified, and in both cases the facts fall somewhere short of that. All in all, it's NBC that comes out looking like the villain. Cushman also adamantly wishes to reassess the season's offerings, mounting a defense for some of its stinkers, but also taking potshots at well-regarded episodes like The Enterprise Incident(!). Dude has to get over his personal nitpick about aliens speaking English. As with the other volumes, this is a great behind the scenes resource, especially in regards to the the writing process. These particular producers didn't like memos as much as the original crew, but there's enough to satisfy the reader. I thought at first it was doing a better job of detecting and removing typos, but as the series' quality starts to wane, so does the proof-reading and editing. My main criticism is that there's entirely too much information reiterated 2-4 times in the body of the book, and too many redundancies sometimes on the same page. While it doesn't take away from the value, tighter editing was required.
May 24, 2015
Like the books for Seasons One and Two, I found this book impossible to put down. And like most Star Trek fans, I've always discounted the dreadful Season Three as being, well dreadful. This book, however, made me appreciate Season Three more and helped me to realize that there were some wonderful episodes therein. Even the clunkers such as "Plato's Stepchildren" and "And the Children Shall Lead" were well intended, even if the execution was not well done.
And some of my favorite episodes were third season-- "The Tholian Web" for one, "The Paradise Syndrome" for another.
This book very handily dispels the story that has always been put out by NBC-- that the ratings for Star Trek were dismal. In fact, a show today that holds the network share that Star Trek had would be a sure bet for renewal.
There is a lot of sadness in this book, however, as the original creators, people who poured their heart and soul into Trek, pulled away, tired after years of being jerked around by the network and fighting against impossible budgets and unbelievable network restrictions. Gene Roddenberry actually had more to do with this season than I'd always heard, but he did so in secret, not wanting the network to know that he was still pulling the strings. However, with a producer, Fred Freiburger, who was unfamiliar with the show and a script consultant, Arthur Singer, who was also unfamiliar with the show, Star Trek lost some of its best writers-- DC Fontana and Gene Coon, for instance.
I gained new respect for the actors who valiantly car5ried on even as their show was being canceled. And I gained new respect for everyone involved with the show who carried off a small miracle every week in bringing in the show with very little money and no network support.
From the hindsight of time, I think that Star Trek's cancellation might have actually been a good thing, because it left millions of fans who desperately wanted more. Fans who wanted more and were frustrated because the Enterprise had not been able to complete her five0year mission. Fans who were so devoted to the show that they insisted the original cast be brought back to star in the movies, rather than having the iconic parts be played by iconic actors such as Paul Newman instead of William Shatner.
These fans kept the show alive through fanzines and conventions-- conventions organized by fans rather than the slick, professional cons that are held today. Fans who flocked to see even Star Trek guest stars when they came through town. Fans who made anyone who had anything to do with Star Trek famous.
If NBC had not canceled the show, it possibly would have died a natural death, Sure, it might have been brought back to life as a reboot, much as Battlestar Galactica was brought back to life, but it would not have maintained the iconic status that it has today.
This book is a must read for any Star Trek fan. I came away with even more appreciation for the show which has had such an influence on my life.
And some of my favorite episodes were third season-- "The Tholian Web" for one, "The Paradise Syndrome" for another.
This book very handily dispels the story that has always been put out by NBC-- that the ratings for Star Trek were dismal. In fact, a show today that holds the network share that Star Trek had would be a sure bet for renewal.
There is a lot of sadness in this book, however, as the original creators, people who poured their heart and soul into Trek, pulled away, tired after years of being jerked around by the network and fighting against impossible budgets and unbelievable network restrictions. Gene Roddenberry actually had more to do with this season than I'd always heard, but he did so in secret, not wanting the network to know that he was still pulling the strings. However, with a producer, Fred Freiburger, who was unfamiliar with the show and a script consultant, Arthur Singer, who was also unfamiliar with the show, Star Trek lost some of its best writers-- DC Fontana and Gene Coon, for instance.
I gained new respect for the actors who valiantly car5ried on even as their show was being canceled. And I gained new respect for everyone involved with the show who carried off a small miracle every week in bringing in the show with very little money and no network support.
From the hindsight of time, I think that Star Trek's cancellation might have actually been a good thing, because it left millions of fans who desperately wanted more. Fans who wanted more and were frustrated because the Enterprise had not been able to complete her five0year mission. Fans who were so devoted to the show that they insisted the original cast be brought back to star in the movies, rather than having the iconic parts be played by iconic actors such as Paul Newman instead of William Shatner.
These fans kept the show alive through fanzines and conventions-- conventions organized by fans rather than the slick, professional cons that are held today. Fans who flocked to see even Star Trek guest stars when they came through town. Fans who made anyone who had anything to do with Star Trek famous.
If NBC had not canceled the show, it possibly would have died a natural death, Sure, it might have been brought back to life as a reboot, much as Battlestar Galactica was brought back to life, but it would not have maintained the iconic status that it has today.
This book is a must read for any Star Trek fan. I came away with even more appreciation for the show which has had such an influence on my life.
July 18, 2020
The final installment of the original series books--detailed and comprehensive as with the previous two. While Star Trek fans may bicker for all eternity who was to blame for the demise of the original series--from Nimoy vs. Shatner, Shatner vs the cast, Roddenberry leaving, or even Fred Freiberger as executive producer for the third season, it's clear the blame is with NBC. While GR made some missteps with writers and personnel, the execs at NBC never really liked the show, despite the fact many other shows of the time (60 Minutes, Hawaii Five-O, etc.) actually got lower ratings. In any case, a must have book for fans and worth the time.
June 23, 2015
The final in this must-read series is just as information-packed as the previous two volumes. There remained many, many details about the individual episodes that were new to me, as well as overall info about the show. The only downcheck is due to the excessive and repetitive telegraphing of the series already-inevitable doom ("Little did they know that the network had already decided the show must die ..."). This series is a must for any Star Trek fan -- or any fan of 60s TV, as the way television shows and the networks work gets a thorough examination. Great stuff.
October 23, 2019
A great conclusion to the trilogy on the making of the original Star Trek.
This book continues the even treatment handed out in prior episodes, presenting a great deal of information surrounding the creation of the third season. Taking all three volumes together there are a few things that become apparent about Star Trek:
Gene Roddenberry was the reason Star Trek got cancelled. He antagonized the executives at NBC so much that they decided to get rid of him, and that meant getting rid of Star Trek.
Star Trek did not have low ratings. This was a lie started by NBC to justify cancellation in an era when actual rating numbers weren't widely publicized. They had good ratings in the first two seasons, often winning their time slot, and adequate numbers in the third season despite being in a terrible time slot (where NBC had deliberately put them).
Fred Freiberger did not ruin Star Trek. He may not have been the right man for the show, but Roddenberry was the one who chose him to take his place. He could have elevated his associate producer, or at least given Frieberger more advice and assistance.
Freiberger wasn't perfect, but he was a "buck stops here" kind of producer, and sometimes took the blame for things that were out of his control, like directives from NBC. This sometimes led others to have a lower opinion of him because they thought he was the one making the bad calls. He did make some sub-optimal decisions, but he was also working with a smaller budget and tighter oversight than Roddenberry had to deal with. He also made some good decisions. It was Freiberger, not Roddenberry, that was responsible for the first scripted interracial kiss on television.
I could go on, but it's probably just better to read the books.
This book continues the even treatment handed out in prior episodes, presenting a great deal of information surrounding the creation of the third season. Taking all three volumes together there are a few things that become apparent about Star Trek:
Gene Roddenberry was the reason Star Trek got cancelled. He antagonized the executives at NBC so much that they decided to get rid of him, and that meant getting rid of Star Trek.
Star Trek did not have low ratings. This was a lie started by NBC to justify cancellation in an era when actual rating numbers weren't widely publicized. They had good ratings in the first two seasons, often winning their time slot, and adequate numbers in the third season despite being in a terrible time slot (where NBC had deliberately put them).
Fred Freiberger did not ruin Star Trek. He may not have been the right man for the show, but Roddenberry was the one who chose him to take his place. He could have elevated his associate producer, or at least given Frieberger more advice and assistance.
Freiberger wasn't perfect, but he was a "buck stops here" kind of producer, and sometimes took the blame for things that were out of his control, like directives from NBC. This sometimes led others to have a lower opinion of him because they thought he was the one making the bad calls. He did make some sub-optimal decisions, but he was also working with a smaller budget and tighter oversight than Roddenberry had to deal with. He also made some good decisions. It was Freiberger, not Roddenberry, that was responsible for the first scripted interracial kiss on television.
I could go on, but it's probably just better to read the books.
November 7, 2025
This is a production journal for the third and last season of TOS, following each episode from concept to initial script thru production and ending with first run ratings.
The biggest issue with third season was the budget. NBC was determined to save as much money as possible, and the entire cast and crew knew the writing was on the wall, so to speak. Roddenberry, the creator, became tired of fighting the studio, and had moved on to other projects.
Many script changes came about as a result of "too expensive" to make, as well as changes ordered by Standards and Practices. If a director went over time or budget, they were not asked back. In several cases, the actors themselves had to 'sabotage' shooting in order to avoid massive character changes.
Very good for anyone interested in the 'process' from page to screen
The biggest issue with third season was the budget. NBC was determined to save as much money as possible, and the entire cast and crew knew the writing was on the wall, so to speak. Roddenberry, the creator, became tired of fighting the studio, and had moved on to other projects.
Many script changes came about as a result of "too expensive" to make, as well as changes ordered by Standards and Practices. If a director went over time or budget, they were not asked back. In several cases, the actors themselves had to 'sabotage' shooting in order to avoid massive character changes.
Very good for anyone interested in the 'process' from page to screen
April 27, 2020
Wow, there is a lot in this book. I haven't read the versions for ST:TOS seasons 1 and 2 yet.
I learned a lot about the hard, sometimes tedious work of TV production.
And my view of some of the people involved in the show has changed a little.
I recommend that you read a chapter of this book about an episode and then watch the episode.
I didn't do that but I think that would make the book more fun.
I learned a lot about the hard, sometimes tedious work of TV production.
And my view of some of the people involved in the show has changed a little.
I recommend that you read a chapter of this book about an episode and then watch the episode.
I didn't do that but I think that would make the book more fun.
January 14, 2021
Great inside look, background, cast, etc. of each episode in Season 1 of Star Trek: The Original Series
January 3, 2016
This is the third of a three-volume set covering the production of the Original Series of Star Trek. It follows the pattern of the other two: the writing and format are similar, so no surprises there.
In this volume I found Cushman's guidance about the episodes to be more valuable than in the others. He isn't afraid of pointing out where the bad episodes were in season 3, but frequently asks us to reconsider them and analyzes where things might have been better. Even if he can't get me to watch "The Way to Eden" again (nope, no way) he's helped me to see the good in several episodes I've avoided for the better part of two decades.
This was the toughest of the three books to read. Cushman does as good a job as in the other three volumes of describing the writing and the production of each episode, but he makes it clear that the series is on its way to cancellation and more and more people figure it out as the season goes on. The person I felt toughest for is Fred Freiberger, the third-season producer. He seems to have done a reasonable job with the day to day task of keeping the show running, but he lacked the familiarity with the viewers and the show itself to preserve the quality that the show had achieved during the first two seasons. The way Cushman tells the story, Freiberger was basically abandoned by Gene Roddenberry, who seems to have largely left the show alone due to his ongoing conflict with the network. It seems like this conflict was the primary reason the show was on a clear path to cancellation, regardless of the ratings (which were reasonably good until the last set of episodes).
Rightly or wrongly, Freiberger has gotten a lot of blame for the show's drop in quality during the third season and for its eventual cancellation. He's gotten this blame not only from fandom but, as Cushman makes clear, from many of the show's insiders from the first two seasons and from Roddenberry himself. Cushman's story questions how much Freiberger could have done and posits that Roddenberry's conflict with the network in seasons one and two really set up an impossible situation. This isn't any more pleasant than the Freiberger story, and though the show goes on to become the most successful show in the syndication market and spawns an entire franchise of movies and TV series, this volume definitely does not end on a happy note.
In this volume I found Cushman's guidance about the episodes to be more valuable than in the others. He isn't afraid of pointing out where the bad episodes were in season 3, but frequently asks us to reconsider them and analyzes where things might have been better. Even if he can't get me to watch "The Way to Eden" again (nope, no way) he's helped me to see the good in several episodes I've avoided for the better part of two decades.
This was the toughest of the three books to read. Cushman does as good a job as in the other three volumes of describing the writing and the production of each episode, but he makes it clear that the series is on its way to cancellation and more and more people figure it out as the season goes on. The person I felt toughest for is Fred Freiberger, the third-season producer. He seems to have done a reasonable job with the day to day task of keeping the show running, but he lacked the familiarity with the viewers and the show itself to preserve the quality that the show had achieved during the first two seasons. The way Cushman tells the story, Freiberger was basically abandoned by Gene Roddenberry, who seems to have largely left the show alone due to his ongoing conflict with the network. It seems like this conflict was the primary reason the show was on a clear path to cancellation, regardless of the ratings (which were reasonably good until the last set of episodes).
Rightly or wrongly, Freiberger has gotten a lot of blame for the show's drop in quality during the third season and for its eventual cancellation. He's gotten this blame not only from fandom but, as Cushman makes clear, from many of the show's insiders from the first two seasons and from Roddenberry himself. Cushman's story questions how much Freiberger could have done and posits that Roddenberry's conflict with the network in seasons one and two really set up an impossible situation. This isn't any more pleasant than the Freiberger story, and though the show goes on to become the most successful show in the syndication market and spawns an entire franchise of movies and TV series, this volume definitely does not end on a happy note.
June 11, 2015
I forgot to add the third one / it was also good--less detailed in the lack of endless memos from Freiberger/Singer as textual evidence, but really interesting in its analysis of just how noted third season disaster episodes came about? Interesting hypothesis is that first/second season TOS maybe work because everyone involved was squarely working within genre, but trying to elevate that genre: Roddenberry wanted to write militaristic adventure think pieces/SF, DC Fontana SF, Gene Coon fancy TV comedy stuff. Freiberger was seemingly thinking of Star Trek as an "art show" and trying to do highbrow material, but he was REALLY BAD AT IT--i.e., Whom Gods Destroy (or Plato's Stepchildren; it's been a month and I forget) was intended to be the Star Trek version of Last Year at Marienbad, and it was just hideously botched. This book is a really good anatomy of a disaster, and I just wish Freiberger et al had kept as much stuff on paper as the wonderful Justman, Fontana, et al had.
October 6, 2016
A must for Star Trek fans, even more than the previous two volumes, as Cushman tackles the series' troubled third season. Rewatching the episodes as I read gave me e new appreciation of the much maligned last season. For all the flaws, there are plenty of interesting ideas and episodes. Producer Fred Freiberger, long hated by fans as the hack who "destroyed" the Original Series, comes across as a well-intentioned guy who had to juggle enormous pressure from NBC, budget cuts, censorship, and even the stars' egos while trying to expand viewership in the Friday night "death slot". In spite of quite a few questionable decisions, he actually contributed a lot. For example, the famous "first interracial kiss" was his idea, not Roddenberry's. As a matter of fact, Cushman makes it clear how little Roddenberry contributed to the third season. Hopefully this book will contribute to redress the balance.
June 2, 2015
Season 3 of Star Trek is covered in Cushman's third and final volume of These Are The Voyages, and damned if he didn't make me see Fred Freiberger in an entirely different light. Apparently, considering the constraints he was working under (no money and no production time), it's a wonder the third season of Trek turned out as well as it did. Not that Fred's a saint, but I finally understand how turkeys such as "And The Children Shall Lead" escaped the science fiction barnyard. Since Freiberger didn't use memos to any real degree (compared to the memo king, Gene Roddenberry and his acolyte, Bob Justman, who left early in the third season), the paper trail that made the first two books of this trilogy so fascinating to read isn't in evidence here. A minor quibble, and still a must five-star read for Trek fans (or anyone student of how television production worked in the 1960s).
January 19, 2016
For many fans, the third season of Star Trek did not seem to be as high a quality as the first two. There are many reasons this was so, and this book dives into them all. It's done with great care and love, however, absolving, for the most part, the new producer who was charged with putting the show out ON BUDGET, and been scapegoated every since. It does not wholly absolve "Saint Gene" Roddenberry, who made some questionable decisions which also impacted the quality of the show.
But it finds something praiseworthy in every episode, even "Spock's Brain" and "The Turnabout Intruder." If you read this book, and then watch each episode, as I did (yay streaming video!) you will get a lot more appreciation for the show, the writers, the cast, the crew. Truly an extraordinary voyage.
But it finds something praiseworthy in every episode, even "Spock's Brain" and "The Turnabout Intruder." If you read this book, and then watch each episode, as I did (yay streaming video!) you will get a lot more appreciation for the show, the writers, the cast, the crew. Truly an extraordinary voyage.
July 10, 2015
I really enjoyed this look at the making of Star Trek season 3. It explores the day to day production of the show and the problems behind the scenes. The drama between Gene, Fred, NBC and Paramount play out. Season 3 may not have the best episodes of the show but there are a few gems in there, now you can see what happened. I look forward to reading the next two book in this series. I also enjoyed in the book the production is put into context of the time. The author includes some pop culture tidbits so you can see what was going on around the show on TV and in the news of the day. I highly recommended all 3 books.
September 25, 2015
This book shatters the myth that Star Trek failed to generate ratings in its third season to justify renewal. NBC wanted to wash their hands of Star Trek. They did so by betraying the studio's deal with creator Gene Roddenberry to move it to Monday nights, starving it with a budget better fit for a radio show, then mis-representing the ratings. Third Season Producer Fred Freiberger did the best he could with the tools available. He may not have been a good fit, but the cross he has worn for decades over his role is unjust. Every Star Trek fan with even the slightest interest in TOS needs to read the trilogy, but especially Season Three. This is the Definitive History of Star Trek TOS.
December 16, 2015
In his effort to tell the true story of the show’s making, from among all the folklore available, Cushman accomplishes a larger tale of the frequent chasm between the creative and financial efforts of the people in its control. While much of TOS seems antiquated to the modern TV viewer, the circumstances that overtook its chances for success have seen little change in today’s business of making television. Volume 3 is a good roadmap for anyone wishing to understand what goes on behind the curtain of production.
Read my whole review at Fanboy Comics..
Read my whole review at Fanboy Comics..
December 27, 2015
Much like the first two volumes of this series, this one is a treasure trove of behind other scenes tidbits of arguably the most popular sci-fi show in television history. You again get the full force of the personalities involved in creating Star Trek, both good and bad. If you like the show, the movies, hell, even the cartoon, then read this book!
One little quibble: The formatting is a bit wonky on the book at times. As most major publishers don't know how to format non-fiction for e-books anyway, it's not that glaring or off-putting. Some picture captions get moved around, but it's pretty easy to determine that a green Yvonne Craig is NOT DeForest Kelley.
One little quibble: The formatting is a bit wonky on the book at times. As most major publishers don't know how to format non-fiction for e-books anyway, it's not that glaring or off-putting. Some picture captions get moved around, but it's pretty easy to determine that a green Yvonne Craig is NOT DeForest Kelley.
April 30, 2016
Informative, but very repetitive.
The book is filled with behind-the-scenes information about what was going wrong during Star Trek's third year. It paints Fred Freiberger as a sympathetic human, even though I wound up not agreeing with many of his choices. Unfortunately, the book repeats itself, and repeats the earlier two books, in places. The fixation on dissecting ratings must have felt cathartic when the author wrote them, but it's dull and the ratings don't vary much for most episodes. Constantly reminding the reader that NBC did not pay for advertisements for Star Trek is unnecessary flogging. The book is still interesting, in spite of those flaws.
The book is filled with behind-the-scenes information about what was going wrong during Star Trek's third year. It paints Fred Freiberger as a sympathetic human, even though I wound up not agreeing with many of his choices. Unfortunately, the book repeats itself, and repeats the earlier two books, in places. The fixation on dissecting ratings must have felt cathartic when the author wrote them, but it's dull and the ratings don't vary much for most episodes. Constantly reminding the reader that NBC did not pay for advertisements for Star Trek is unnecessary flogging. The book is still interesting, in spite of those flaws.
May 15, 2015
What a fantastic culmination to this extensive project, and a wonderful walk down memory lane. It was greating being reminded of some things I already knew, and learning so many things I had no clue about. Highly recommended.
January 6, 2016
I am blown away!
There are more bits of information in these three books, These Are The Voyages, Seasons One, Two and Three than can be remembered in a lifetime of watching Star Trek.
Excellent series! Excellent books!
Live long and prosper!
There are more bits of information in these three books, These Are The Voyages, Seasons One, Two and Three than can be remembered in a lifetime of watching Star Trek.
Excellent series! Excellent books!
Live long and prosper!
January 9, 2015
The last book of this series covered Season 3 of the original series. Most in depth book covering the episodes of Star Trek that
I have ever read.
I have ever read.
October 8, 2015
Hands down the best books on the making of the original series. The final volume is as good as the first two.
July 17, 2017
For the completist, an interesting look at the slow decline of the excellent original series.
May 1, 2016
Outstanding reference books for fans of the original Star Trek series on television.
June 8, 2015
Fantastic. The DEFINITIVE behind-the-scenes book to end all behind-the-scenes books!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews