AUTHORS: AARON HARVEY, RICH SCHEIPS | FORMAT: HARDCOVER | PUBLISHER: TITAN UK | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
In the vast range of Star Trek canon, the Animated Series is often neglected. Ignored for years, the ‘70s-era Filmation cartoon has only recently gotten a proper Blu-ray release, and its stories and characters have been mostly side-lined, seen as an artefact of the show’s original cancellation. Only very recently has it enjoyed a nod or two from the contemporary live-action versions of the franchise, though its influence on Trek lore should not be discounted. Not only does the Animated Series sit in a unique part of this lore, but it’s also rather fun!
Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series is a rich and well-illustrated look at this short-lived chapter in Trek history. Though essentially an episode guide, the authors have gone in as much depth as they can into the history and creation of the show. We get a very detailed look at the show’s origins, from its beginnings as an attempt to bring back the series, to an earnest and solid attempt to introduce sci-fi to a younger audience.
The book is clearly a labour of love and is chock full of interviews, insights, and artwork from the series. Many of these sorts of ‘guide’ books tend to be by the numbers, but not so here. This is both highly researched and intricate in its approach. Don’t be fooled by the bright and fun page layout, there is a heck of a lot of information crammed into these pages. They were only 22 episodes of the show completed, but the amount of work that goes into animation has meant that the authors have plenty to go on. Everything from new characters, lore, and various bloopers and production notes are given huge amounts of attention. This is always presented in a light and enthusiastic way, so it never feels like too much.
Voiced by most of the original cast and written by some of the scriptwriters of the original series, the show won an Emmy in 1975, and for many fans, this show was the lifeboat of fandom they needed after the series was cancelled. This book finally gives the loving detail that other parts of Trek-dom have enjoyed for years. It’s easily the final part of the puzzle for any Trekkie who is also a completist.
