1164. Star Trek CompendiumPUBLICATION: 4th ed., Pocket Books, May 1993
CREATORS: Allan Asherman
STARDATE: Covers all episodes of the original series, the animated series and the six original cast movies
TOPIC: An episode guide that covers every episode starring the original cast since The Cage, including the animated series and films, with sections on the both syndication and the aborted ST II series. Each episode has a list of characters, a black and white picture or two, a synopsis, a critical review, and stories about its production. Older editions (starting in 1981) had production dates and the like, but these are not in the 4th. At the end of the book, an index of characters.
CONTINUITY: Each episode and film gets a short synopsis.
DIVERGENCES: Thanks to a chapter on the aborted Star Trek II tv series, we see what might have been - a blend of The Motion Picture and TNG.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK - The green make-up the photomat kept color correcting.
REVIEW: There's a lot of information floating out there about TOS, but this is where you get the basics. All the essential info about how Roddenberry started the project and got a second chance at a pilot. How characters were cast, how each season's budget was lower and lower, how the show was saved by a letter-writing campaign and how it became a cultural phenomenon. Asherman is a booster of even the worst third season episodes, not letting on just how terrible some of them are. He gives each episode a small, but interesting review (mostly regarding its themes) and then talks about guest stars, continuity links and famous stories from the set. Usually takes less than a page, even with the photographs, but some episodes get a little more. Beyond TOS itself, that information is disappointing however. The animated series gets only a synopsis and no pictures, while the movies have long recaps that eat up space that might be used for more production tales (though there's lots there already). By today's standards, the Compendium looks a little gray, with its simple design and lack of color, and I'm sure it could have gone into more detail about each episode. However, it serves its purpose as a beginner's guide to being a Trekkie and a quick look-up for more expert viewers.
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