Favorite Star Trek The Original Series episodes

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by wayneklein, Nov 16, 2018.

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  1. Scooterpiety

    Scooterpiety Ars Gratia Artis

    Location:
    Oregon
    And Whom Gods Destroy.
     
  2. Phil147

    Phil147 Forum Resident

    Location:
    York UK
    Too many to pick from... For me the strength of TOS is the characters, particularly Kirk, Spock and McCoy and some of their interchanges are a joy to watch and so in turn mean even some of the weaker episodes are watchable again and again.

    Some of my favorite episodes would be:-

    City on the Edge of Forever - not just the best Star Trek episode ever but also one of the best TV episodes ever. Much as been written very elegantly about this one already so I won't add anymore.
    Space Seed - hard to remember if this stood out as much before seeing Wrath of Khan or if it gains more importance after seeing it? Either way a memorable performance from Ricardo and a nice battle of wits between Kirk and Khan.
    The Devil in the Dark - more than just 'monster of the week' this was Trek at its best showing that all is not what it first seems and just because something is different it doesn't mean it is wrong.
    Balance of Terror - Romulans!! Nobody has ever seen a Romulan until now and they look like Mr. Spock!! So some racial undertones here that shows just because people might 'look the same' they don't behave the same. Also we discover that when it comes down to it, despite they do look different and are from different worlds, there isn't much difference between Kirk and the Romulan Commander (played by Mark Lenard who would of course go onto play Spock's dad).
    Amok Time - “You may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.” Spock's final comments to the Vulcan woman who rejects him in favor of another suitor. Here we find out about pon farr and a bit more about Spock. I love the bit towards the end when Spock beams back to the Enterprise believing he has killed Kirk and when he sees him again bursts into a big grin and is overjoyed that his friend and Captain is still alive.
     
  3. Doug_B

    Doug_B Time Traveler

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Since reading this thread the first time a few days ago, I've been humming the music from this dance scene a number of times.

    I think it was about 2 weeks ago, I was channel surfing and came across an episode of Bonanza (a show I've rarely watched) that had Ricardo Montalban and Madlyn Rhue portraying a married Native American couple (1960). I subsequently checked out Rhue's imdb page, and the Trivia section makes specific mention of this pairing on both shows.

    Doug
     
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  4. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    My Top 5

    1. The Cage - First pilot, finally picked up for a series run 55 years later!

    2. Where No Man has Gone Before - 2nd pilot interesting melding of the Spock character and No. 1 from the pilot. One of the best guest casts ever.

    3. City On The Edge Of Forever - this one cements the series as an all time classic!

    4. Doomsday Machine - Awesome concept meets fun dialog and stirring action.

    5. Mirror Universe - Fun concept that nearly every iteration of Star Trek has played with.

    1st Season has never been matched!

    2nd Season a significant step down, but still great.

    3rd Season nothing to write home about, but still with a handful of classic episodes.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2020
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  5. dsdu

    dsdu less serious minor pest

    Location:
    Santa Cruz, CA
    The Last Voyage
     
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  6. Jerry Horne

    Jerry Horne WYWH (1975-2025)

    Location:
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    The Return of the Archons
     
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  7. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    I still think “The Doomsday Machine” was the best episode along with “Amok Time”. There’s some really clumsy rewriting that Gene Roddenberry or D.C. Fontana did for “The City on the Edge of Forever” particularly when Kirk proposes they go back in time with McCoy to prevent him from being injected. Given that he had ALREADY been injected it’s just dumb. There’s some other stuff that also doesn’t play well in that episode but, on the whole, it still remains one of the best episodes the series produced.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2020
  8. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    I answered some time ago that there are too many to pick just one, but if I had to pick just one, it would be "City On The Edge Of Forever". It was the episode that solidified me as a fan. Time travel always makes me sit up and take notice. It's also a very non-traditional STAR TREK episode, spending most of its time in the 30s.

    For a more traditional episode, I'd probably pick "Balance Of Terror". One other episode that I've always liked is "The Immunity Syndrome". This one's special in that it has no guest star clogging up the works - it's just the regular cast that shines in that one.
     
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  9. Stratoblaster

    Stratoblaster A skeptical believer....

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Everytime I see a spoked (Spock'ed ???) bicycle wheel I want to grab it and look for Spock for a jam...:cool:
     
  10. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
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    The first time I taught an education course I introduced the term "Herbert" to describe lesson plans that demonstrated limited and rigid patterns of thought. It stuck, and 9 years later I'm still using it.
     
  11. Tom Vinson

    Tom Vinson Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Chicago
    Nothing beats the original Star Trek for me.

    I don't know what the general consensus on this particular episode is, but Spectre of the Gun tops my list of faves. Just such an odd, eerie bit of sci-fi television.
    Those sort of wide-angle close-ups of the Earps during the showdown are so effective. And that bright red sky. Love how this episode was filmed, in general. It really looks and feels unlike any other episode of the series.
     
  12. BwanaBob

    BwanaBob Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    So many to choose from; I wish this was a poll with a choice of 5. It would be nice to see the percentages collected in one place.
    That said, in no order:

    Devil in the Dark
    All Our Yesterdays
    Wolf in the Fold
    Mirror, Mirror
    The Galileo Seven
     
  13. Luvtemps

    Luvtemps Forum Resident

    Location:
    P.G.County,Md.
    Umm Star Trek, ok...... Where No Man Has Gone Before.... Who Morns For Adonis... City On The Edge Of Forever... Doomsday Machine.... The Ultimate Computer... The Managerie... Journey To Babel... The Deadly Years.
     
  14. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    I have a more balanced list of top episodes. Although season 1 is overall far stronger than season 3, I've got the same number of top-shelf episodes from those seasons. Season 2 has the highest percentage of excellent episodes

    Season 1 (30 Episodes)
    The Naked Time
    Balance of Terror
    The Galileo Seven
    The City on the Edge of Forever

    Season 2 (26 Episodes)
    Mirror, Mirror
    The Doomsday Machine
    Journey to Babel
    The Trouble With Tribbles
    The Immunity Syndrome
    Assignment: Earth

    Season 3 (24 Episodes)
    The Enterprise Incident
    For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
    The Tholian Web
    All Our Yesterdays
     
  15. Luke The Drifter

    Luke The Drifter Forum Resident

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  16. peteham

    peteham Senior Member

    Location:
    Simcoe County
    I thought the way the Earps were depicted - as absolute sociopaths - was really interesting.
     
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  17. geetar_await

    geetar_await I heart Linux.

    Location:
    USA
    Where they had telepathic powers and moved objects. They forced Kirk & Uhura to kiss.
     
  18. Michelle66

    Michelle66 Senior Member

    “The Immunity Syndrome” is an interesting premise, but I’ve always thought Shatner’s (over) acting in that episode brought it down a few pegs.

    His “antibodies...!” speech is right there with the embarrassing “risk is our business!” oratory from “Return to Tomorrow”. (Shatner really seemed to ham things up quite often during the second half of season 2...)

    And apropos of nothing, here’s “The Immunity Syndrome” gag reel:

     
  19. geetar_await

    geetar_await I heart Linux.

    Location:
    USA
    Doomsday Machine, the nomad one, Spector of the Gun, mirror mirror, City on the edge of forever. Always liked Season 2 as a whole
     
  20. Hanglow

    Hanglow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Saratoga New York
    Don't forget,this episode has the Shat doing his infamous drop kick......nobody could match his attack
    [​IMG]
     
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  21. DarylB

    DarylB Forum Resident

    What's the name of the Star Trek episode where a woman in black leather runs off with Captain Kirk in the woods and later steals his gun?
     
  22. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    I used to know a guy that wrote a couple of episodes. I remember one. let That be Your Last Battlefield, or close to that. A heavy handed sermon on racism.
     
  23. BeatleJWOL

    BeatleJWOL Senior Member

    Going to take a wild swing at this one. A Private Little War?
     
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  24. Stratoblaster

    Stratoblaster A skeptical believer....

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    That's the episode I thought of as well when I read the question...I think you swung and hit it into the stands...
     
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  25. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

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