Which episode of Star Trek (the original series only) would you recommend to people?

[Deja Q]

Right now, I'd say "Errand of Mercy".

Some very sharp dialogue in that one...

[Book Lover]

1. Depends on my purpose...

If I wanted to mint a new Trekker ... maybe "The Tholian Web," (which I like because it's so science-fictiony) or "Balance of Terror," because it's so damn good.

And for these times, if I wanted to make an antiwar statement, "Errand" is good, but "A Taste of Armageddon" I think is better...

[Deja Q]

2. Excellent choices, all! Additionally, "Errand"

Which I recently rewatched spells out the Federation's motives as deeply as it does the Klingons'. 40 year old television never came across as intelligently.

And Trek's first season was arguably its best, in terms of being a true ensemble piece... before it got "Shatnered up". (though stuff like 'The Tholian Web' are just due grand-slam classics too! :D It's one of my all-time faves too...)

[NYCGirl]

28. "Balance of Terror", BTW, is based on the Robert Mitchum film "The Enemy Below":

[Book Lover]

29. Thank you

I will be looking for it on TCM...

[NYCGirl]

31. It's a 20th Century Fox movie, so the Fox Movie Channel (and sometimes

AMC, but there it's cut up and filled with commercials) shows it instead of TCM. It's well worth a rental, though.

From allmovie.com:

The Enemy Below is a study of submarine warfare from the vantage point of both sides. Robert Mitchum plays the captain of an American destroyer, who despite having lost his family in the war endeavors to let his head rule his heart in combat. Curt Jurgens co-stars as a German U-boat commander, depicted as being as honorable and compassionate as Mitchum. The two men develop a grudging mutual respect as they pursue one another throughout the North Atlantic. Based on a novel by D. A. Rayner, The Enemy Below was the last theatrical film directed by Dick Powell, who hereafter concentrated on his extensive television work.

[Book Lover]

33. AMC is dead to me now, so it'll have to be a rental

Again, *many* thanks!

[Ariana Celeste]

3. Umm,

"Mirror, Mirror" because I saw it the other night and I <3 Spock With a Beard

[Deja Q]

4. Fascinating...

[mainegreen]

18. Spock with a beard was cool! More properly a goatee thing though. nt

[Broken_Hero]

5. The one with the GORN

and both episode featuring Captain Mudd....:D

[peekaloo]

6. Which one featured a creature that looked like pizza toppings that traveled

in tunnels on their planet? Kirk wanted to kill it in revenge for a crew member until Spock melded with it. Nice lesson in tolerance and understanding.

Sorry, I was never a big fan but have recently started watching late night reruns on a local station. :-)

[Book Lover]

10. Devil in the Dark

One of the recently remastered ones, too. Great episode, even if Shatner stole some of Nimoy's dialogue.

And more trivia: Shatner's father passed away during the filming of that episode...

[peekaloo]

11. Thank you!

:hi:

[Sequoia]

15. "By golly Jim, I feel I could cure a rainy day!"

Best line ever. Bones always had the best lines.

I did much care for that one with the mound of moving pasta throw up, but it was okay.

[hopein08]

7. "The Trouble with Tribbles"

hands down

(mostly because it is the only name I can think of for sure, but a greate episode nonetheless)

[Ms_Dem_Meanor]

13. That is one of the best ones...

I like the old time effects make-up, especially for the Klingons!!!

[oldcoot]

8. "Mirror, Mirror"

I would recommend "Mirror, Mirror" because almost every Sci-Fi television series has imitated this episode.

[sir_captain]

9. City on the Edge of Forever

I think. Excellent episode.

[JVS]

12. "where no man has gone before"

[Deja Q]

17. Good piece of wholesome sci-fi goodness!

:thumbsup:

[LeftyMom]

14. The Enterprise Incident

That's a good one.

[jrandom421]

16. There's actually a few I'd recommend

The Conscience of the King
Balance of Terror
The Doomsday Machine
I, Mudd
The Trouble With Tribbles
The Ultimate Computer
The Empath

[Danger Mouse]

19. 'Spock's Brain' and 'The Way to Eden'...examples of the show's excellent writing...

...and well-thought out plots.
'Jim, his BRAIN is gone.'
self-edit

[Deja Q]

21. Ouch.

No doubt you prefer gems like 'Ethics', 'Quality of Life', and 'The Outrageous Okona'? :evilgrin:

[Danger Mouse]

34. I go for 'The Royale' myself...

nt

[pokerfan]

20. I would recommend...

and in roughly this order:

balance of terror (das boot in the 23rd century)

errand of mercy (guess the organians can take care of themselves)

amok time (introduces vulcan culture)

trouble with tribbles (just a fun episode)

friday's child (shows how little regard they had for the prime directive when mining rights are at stake)

assignment: earth (good time travel episode - was supposed to have been a spinoff)

mirror, mirror (the alternate universe with evil spock)

city on the edge of forever (best episode of the series)

space seed & the wrath of khan

[hyphenate]

22. One of my favorites

is "The Enemy Within" which showcases Shatner's acting talents. Some might swear that Shatner doesn't have talent, but he does, even if he doesn't show it much. ;)

I also heartily approve of Trouble With Tribbles, Where No Man Has Gone Before, City on the Edge of Forever, Whom Gods Destroy, and the two time travel eps, Return to Tomorrow and Assignment: Earth.

[havocmom]

23. A Piece of the Action

Humor, warnings about cultural stagnation, some great set decoration and costumes... and Nimoy: Check /Riiiight

Ah, ya got that, ah Scotty?

http://www.ericweisstein.com/fun/startrek/APieceOfTheAction.html

Plus, somebody left a communicator down on the planet...

[edbermac]

24. The one where Spock is in heat.

He kills Kirk and loses the girl...bummer...

[Deja Q]

26. !

:rofl:

[Generic Brad]

25. All of them

You're either a fan of the whole thing or you are no true fan at all, in my biased opinion.

[Book Lover]

27. Oh, c'mon...

You're among fellow trekkers here... we can admit that "The Alternative Factor" was uninspired; that "Spock's Brain" was ridiculous; that "The Way to Eden" was about nothing...

[Generic Brad]

30. Nope. That's my ignorant opinion and I'm sticking to it!

[Anarcho-Socialist]

32. Another vote for 'Balance of Terror'

Great story, great acting. Like ST2TWOK it's something I fail to tire of no matter how many times I watch it.

[Kat45]

35. City on the Edge of Forever

That's the best one, IMHO. Also love A Piece of the Action, which I think could pull in non sci-fi folks.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

38. Giant sinister donuts RULE! -nt

[imperial jedi]

36. "The Trouble with Tribbles"

It is hilarious.

[Coventina]

37. Here are my recommendations:

For best overall quality:

Balance of Terror

For lighthearted fun:

A Piece Of The Action

My personal, sentimental favorites:

Devil in the Dark (A cautionary tale against revenge killing)
A Taste of Armageddon & Plato's Stepchildren ('cuz Barbara Babcock is HOT!)
For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky (McCoy as a romantic lead)
Shore Leave (The fore-runner to the holodeck)
Patterns of Force (Fascism is always ugly, even when it attempts to be benign)

[YankeyMCC]

39. You're not going to get just one from me :)

Where No Man Has Gone Before - best all around for theme and enjoyment

Mudd's Women and/or I, Mudd - interesting character, fun

A taste of armageddon - good message for today

Devil in the dark - great example of scifi used to present a moral question - treating others as moral agents

The City on the Edge of Forever - classic all around

Who Mourns for Adonais? - standing up to gods - even if there is a being that could pass, due to extreme power, does that mean we should bow to it and use it as the model of all that is good?

Bread and Circuses - They kinda get the history wrong in terms of the effect of the rise of christianity or rather the relationship between the empire and christianity but great character development particularly the relationship between spock and mccoy

For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky - Great character development for McCoy, interesting plot, good example of scifi used to explore moral issues again - questioning authority, interfering with other cultures; when can you tell them their beliefs are wrong?


Requiem for Methuselah - Great story


The Cloud Minders - another good message for today