Since it seems "Enterprise" wasn't able to deliver a full seven years' run, that shortfall leaves a little hole in the production schedule of this column. As with series that sucked far worse the studio was supposed to keep feeding the goose but for no good reason some sort of decider decided against it. That leaves us empty for a stretch of reviews requiring three seasons of good television. So what's about that long that could use a little exposition? How about the original show? I never need an involved excuse to watch more Star Trek!

There won't be much of any plot summaries included. No need. I figure such, if not already committed to memory, is readily available from other sources. In fact, I'm not only going to assume that you've seen the episode in question but even the entire series (and if you haven't, why not?). What will be included is an experience accrued from multiple viewings of all the episodes. How they fit into the series as a whole, the changes from season to season, the unexplored questions that surface before and after each episode.

It's not like enough hasn't already been written about TOS. (Back in the days after cancellation that's pretty much all there was to do.) I don't intend to introduce much original, objective material (saving such for later) but hope to provoke my own subjective interpretations once and for all. I've touched on the occasional episode in these pages, but never attempted the entire range. Time was I had to answer stardate-related trivia questions to claim additions to my TOS collection on VHS; now God bless DVD, for its instant access and greater clarity and (not to mention screencaps!). And if the Animated Series is indeed forthcoming on disc well, as Khan says, "So much the better." It'll give me a good chance to spot out all 3d chess appearances also!

The plan is to run through them all backwards, starting with from "Turnabout Intruder" and ending with "The Cage." My reasons are first, I want the experience to improve as it proceeds, and second I've never watched straightaway before. From TNG on I've watched new material more or less consecutively and in original order, but met TOS mostly by scattershot reruns. Using this method I hope to examine the truth of a few myths, to seek out new life in old stories, and find strange new topics to explore. Perhaps something useful will pop out. For now, back to the beginning …