The Original Series: Season One

This was a first. I have tried in the past to watch a full season of Star Trek: The Original Series and each time I usually tap out around the sixth or seventh episode. I can now say I have seen all of season one. It actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would be but I have found it hard to binge watch. After watching an episode I have needed a break. I would say that one third of the episodes I have never seen prior to this viewing. Another one third I vaguely remember watching on TV with my father as a kid and the last one third I have strong memories of either because I really enjoyed it on first viewing or I had seen when I was older. Here are some interesting observations I made watching the season

Pavel Chekov

I didn't realize that Chekov wasn't in season one at all. The position of navigator was always filled by random characters, sometimes important to the story line and other times just fillers. I am looking forward to seeing him in season two. Please say he is in season two.

Spock

It seems that most episodes end with Kirk and McCoy making fun of Spock. It is almost at a bully level. If it wasn't for Spock's lack of emotions I don't think Kirk and Spock would have been friends. 

Overall I felt the best acting came from Leonard Nimoy. The final episode where he is fighting pain that would put most people into a frenzy, his ability to act like Spock but give slight indications that all was not well was really well done.

I didn't realize how often they used the Vulcan neck pinch. It seemed at least once or twice an episode Spock was subduing someone using it. It might seem like it was a crutch but I felt it was a really good way to prevent a long fight scene and it gave some extra depth to Spock.

Kirk

I always new Kirk was the womanizer of the series who always liked getting his shirt torn off in a fight scene but I didn't realize how much this was so. There is almost always a new female character that Kirk has his eyes on that distracts him from his overall objectives. The few times where the love interest is with another character such as in This Side of Paradise, Kirk seems doubly focused to accomplish his objectives.

I also didn't realize that the first season was almost exclusively a show about Kirk and Spock with a little McCoy mixed in. All other reoccuring characters had nothing more then bit roles. I didn't learn anything about the Scotty or Sulu and all I got from Uhura is that she can sing and play the lute.

Time Travel

I won't get into my gripes about time travel now, but the season had three episodes involving time travel meaning that 10% of the stories were time travel related.

Red Shirts

Season one had a tie. Blue and Gold shirts each five deaths each while Red shirts only got four. Maybe other seasons will fair better but so far it isn't looking good for the Red shirt meme.