Best and Worst Star Trek Episodes, Original Series

[McMurphy]

For such a short lived stint, the original Star Trek series sure had great high points and horrible pitfalls. What do people feel were the best and the worst episodes in the original Star Trek series?

For the best, I must go the popular route and vote for the "Trouble with Tribbles" (episode 44, season 2). It was nice to see a change from landing on planets mirroring Earth's past, Kirk seducing female aliens in short skirts, and the crew engaging in wrestling matches with cheap rubber costumes. This episode's conflict was, instead, a humorous annoyance. Note: Ever notice that Klingons looked exactly like a human back then? It was the whole premise of the episode and the final payoff for dealing with the Tribbles.

For the worst, the dishonor must go to "The Way to Eden" (episode 75, season 3). The crew encounters a band of space hippies determined to reach the planet Eden. The braindead ponderings of the misfits and their absurdly moronic guitar plucking made me eager for their untimely deaths at the end of the episode when they finally got what they asked for.

 

[The Master™]

Best: trouble with tribbles, assignment: earth, mirror, mirror and city on the edge of forever

worst: where no man has gone before, bread and circuses and spectre of the gun

there are a number of other note-worthy and dire episodes, but they are the best and worst in my opinion... if you were only wanting one of each, sorry, couldn't decide...

 

[Brian G Turner]

I don't remember the title, but the one where the flowers use their "happy pollen" on the crew, the enterprise is depopulated, and even Spock becomes a laughing hippy - until Kirk forces him into a fight to break the effect.

Had some darn good discussions about that one.

 

[McMurphy]

This Side of Star Trek

I don't remember the title, but the one where the flowers use their "happy pollen" on the crew, the enterprise is depopulated, and even Spock becomes a laughing hippy - until Kirk forces him into a fight to break the effect.

Had some darn good discussions about that one.

*LOL* I watched that episode just the other day on the Sci-Fi channel!

I looked it up and the episode you are talking about is "This Side of Paradise" (#24, season 1). I chuckled over the fact that, in this one, Spock gets to do some womanizing, leaving Kirk uptight.

You just can't beat the following quote found in this episode:

"Alright you mutinous, disloyal, computerized halfbreed, we'll see about you deserting my ship." -Kirk to Spock.

 

[Quest]

The best, as far as what I liked, was "Assignment Earth". The spinoff that never happened.

The worst had to be "Spock's Brain". Excuse the pun, what a lamebrained plot.

 

[Circus Cranium]

'Spock's Brain', all time worst episode.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Spock's Brain?

Is that were McCoy had to reimplant it? "Even a child could do it!"

Absolute classic!!

If that's in the first season, I may get to see it again soon.

 

[Quest]

Unless I'm mistaken, it was in the last season. One knew Trek was not long for the TV world when that episode aired.

 

[Ometiklan]

Best: Devil in the Dark.

Worst: And the Children Shall Lead.... that one hurts still today.

 

[athena28]

Worst -- Easy -- "Spock's Brain"

Best -- "City on the Edge of Forever"

 

[Dave]

Unless I'm mistaken, it was in the last season. One knew Trek was not long for the TV world when that episode aired.

'Spock's Brain', 'The Way to Eden', 'The Paradise Syndrome', 'The Spectre of the Gun' - they are all in the third season when the show's budget had been cut and it had been moved to a TV time slot that guaranteed poor ratings.

I don't disagree with 'Trouble with Tribbles' or 'City on the Edge of Forever' for the best, but I would add 'Amok Time'.

 

[steve12553]

Another vote for Spock's Brain. My favorite was Balance of Terror.

 

[carrie221]

Best: The Cage and The Menagerie

Worst: Court Martial, Amok Time

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Have to add another thumbs down for Spock's Brain.
My favourite episode is "A Piece of the Action".
Daft but strangely compelling.

 

[Dave]

Worst: Amok Time

Can I ask why? I like 'Amok Time' because it introduced the Vulcans and their culture.

I grant you that the fight scene, Kirk's ripped shirts and the twist at the end is a little lame, but that is mainly because it has been copied so many times since in other TV shows - Futurama being the best attempt, and Star Trek: Enterprise being the worst attempt.

 

[carrie221]

Can I ask why? I like 'Amok Time' because it introduced the Vulcans and their culture.

I grant you that the fight scene, Kirk's ripped shirts and the twist at the end is a little lame, but that is mainly because it has been copied so many times since in other TV shows - Futurama being the best attempt, and Star Trek: Enterprise being the worst attempt.

I am not completely sure but I didn't see this episode until I had seen the movies and watched other series... I just didn't like how Spock acted in this ep... I don't know how to really explain it

 

[steve12553]

I am not completely sure but I didn't see this episode until I had seen the movies and watched other series... I just didn't like how Spock acted in this ep... I don't know how to really explain it

Pon Fahr (sp?)

 

[carrie221]

Pon Fahr (sp?)

No bc it didn't bother me in Voyager during "Blood Fever" I think... I think it is just Spock he needs to be logical to be Spock

 

[Paige Turner]

Best: the one where Kirk has to make a bamboo cannon to shoot diamonds at the Gorn. (That knowledge has served me many times over the years.)

Worst: the dopey one where Harry Mudd lives on a planet of fembots. To escape, the crew stages an elaborate nonsense play to short-circuit the androids' logic processors. Then they maroon Harry with three android copies of his shrewish wife.

 

[steve12553]

Best: the one where Kirk has to make a bamboo cannon to shoot diamonds at the Gorn. (That knowledge has served me many times over the years.)

Worst: the dopey one where Harry Mudd lives on a planet of fembots. To escape, the crew stages an elaborate nonsense play to short-circuit the androids' logic processors. Then they maroon Harry with three android copies of his shrewish wife.

The bamboo cannon was the episode called "Arena" that was loosely based on the short story of the same name by one of my favorite authors Fredric Brown. As far as the Harry Mudd episode: How many times did Kirk, Spock and McCoy escape during TOS by outwitting a computer and causing it to short circuit? I can think of 4 or 5 off the top of my head.