Best Classic Star Trek Episodes?

[jim48]

Favorite Classic Star Trek episode?

ALL OF THEM.

They were all good. I've seen each one more times than I can even pretend to count! I don't care about the digitally remastered, updated special effects - I didn't watch the show for the FX. Or the music. I'm sure the new FX are ok, alright. But I'm not going out of my way to look for those, I've long since learned that "new and impoved" isn't always.

The music was one of the major strengths of the show, the visual effects occasionally so, IMO. Can you actually defend "Spock's Brain", "The Mark of Gideon" and "The Way to Eden"?!! Too bad some of those third year scripts didn't have a little more time in the typewriter, but with the loss of Roddenberry, ****, Fontana and Lucas, the in-house writing brain trust was gone. And yet **** wrote "Spock's Brain" under another name and Roddenberry bought it before he left the show! Go figure.

 

[drwayne]

I managed to lose my Tech Manual and Blueprints that I got back in the 1970's. They might
be at my late parents house.

The tech manual was where I first saw the Dreadnaught...

Wayne

 

[drwayne]

There are some things in the area of TV, Movies, Books etc. that I like that I know are probably
not going to pass any expert test for some parameter like "quality".

I like the Gary 7 episode even though I recognize its got a lot of holes.

Interestingly though, I have never been wild about "Amok Time" though many I know like it...

Wayne

 

[MeteorWayne]

But, I still have my Star Fleet Technical Manual and a bunch of other junk! (original)

The one that was published back in 1975-76 that I actually wrote a book report on in high school?[/quote]

I still have mine too!

 

[StarRider1701]

The music was one of the major strengths of the show, the visual effects occasionally so, IMO. Can you actually defend "Spock's Brain", "The Mark of Gideon" and "The Way to Eden"?!!

I don't turn on my TV to listen to music. I care less about the music of a TV program, most of it sucks anyway except for Miami Vice, that show had great music, but I would have watched it without any music. If you watch a show to listen to the background music, then you're totally missing the point. I loved Star Trek for the show, the ideals, the characters, the going where no TV show had gone before. You could have left the crappy music (that was sometimes too loud) out and it would not change my love of the show one iota!

Besides, I liked Spock's Brain, for the most part its one of my fav episodes. True, the ending was a bit too stupid, but when you think about it, predictable given the relationship of McCoy and Spock. "I knew I should never have reconnected his mouth!" Great line.

 

[crazyeddie]

The music was one of the major strengths of the show, the visual effects occasionally so, IMO. Can you actually defend "Spock's Brain", "The Mark of Gideon" and "The Way to Eden"?!!

I don't turn on my TV to listen to music. I care less about the music of a TV program, most of it sucks anyway except for Miami Vice, that show had great music, but I would have watched it without any music. If you watch a show to listen to the background music, then you're totally missing the point. I loved Star Trek for the show, the ideals, the characters, the going where to TV show had gone before. You could have left the crappy music (that was sometimes too loud) out and it would not change my love of the show one iota!

Besides, I liked Spock's Brain, for the most part its one of my fav episodes. True, the ending was a bit too stupid, but when you think about it, predictable given the relationship of McCoy and Spock. "I knew I should never have reconnected his mouth!" Great line.

I'd be willing to bet that you pay more attention to the music than you are consciously aware of. The soundtrack plays an important role by enhancing whatever is happening on the screen, as a sort of aural adjective to a visual verb. It's not supposed to be too intrusive, in fact, if it were, it's not doing it's job. But I think you would find any dramatic presentation to be rather flat were it not accompanied by some kind of music.

If you liked "Spock's Brain", you are certainly in a small minority. It's widely regarded as THE absolute worst episode of the original series, making all the other bad ones seem almost highbrow in comparison.....although my vote would go to the "hippie" episode and that dreadful "And The Children Shall Lead", featuring, of all people, Melvin Belli! Who in the hell did the casting for that episode?! :lol:

 

[StarRider1701]

I'd be willing to bet that you pay more attention to the music than you are consciously aware of. The soundtrack plays an important role by enhancing whatever is happening on the screen, as a sort of aural adjective to a visual verb. It's not supposed to be too intrusive, in fact, if it were, it's not doing it's job. But I think you would find any dramatic presentation to be rather flat were it not accompanied by some kind of music.

Bet lost. I hate the music of most TV shows, I believe I already said "most of it is crappy..." I am not a fan of that kind of music, and I've long since perfected the ability to tune the crap out. I never count the music against a show, but do notice the few shows that have good tunes, the first of which was Miami Vice. I would be quite happy to have a show without music, although a few shows have a bit more modern, upbeat tunes.

 

[drwayne]

Even when music is selected from a somewhat limited set of stock music, when it is put in the right place,
it can work well.

In "The Empath", there is a piece that plays when Kirk hands the control devices back to the aliens, saying:

"If death is all you understand, here are four lives for you."

and then declares:

"We will not leave our friend"

What follows is probably what some would view as an overwrought lecture to an alien, but those six simple words,
complemented by the music serve to convey so clearly the power of the devotion.

 

[jim48]

George Duning composed the original score for "The Empath", probably his best, and while "Spock's Brain" was probably the worst ever, the original score by Fred Steiner was one of his best. Go figure.

 

[StarRider1701]

Even when music is selected from a somewhat limited set of stock music, when it is put in the right place,it can work well.
...those six simple words, complemented by the music serve to convey so clearly the power of the devotion.

Orchestra crap, no matter where its put, doesnt "work well." I was a young man, aged 11 - 14 watching the first run original programming of Star Trek, and I still remember thinking that some of that horrible music was too loud. Even then I was learning to ignore the horrid music in the background of most movies and tv shows. Background music should be in the background. Those six simple words would have been much better if not occluded by the hideous noise. I knew nothing of composers and cared less, I was in the process of growing up loving Rock music, the best, most open, most free spirited music ever invented. And yes, I like the Moody Blues, who worked well together with an orchestra (not really, but for the purposes of this thread, nuff said) which just proves that with Rock even an orchestra can sound good sometimes.
I understand that some folks like that kind of music, ok alright. But to focus on it so much when in reality the music was the absolute least important aspect of Star Trek!!! Especially the Original Trek which, in its day was so far ahead if its time! It dared to step forward and be different. And it succeeded in creating a whole new Universe which nearly everyone on the planet recognizes. And NOT for the lousy music.

Yes I loved EVERY EPISODE of Star Trek and still do. So if, as you say, Spock's Brain was the absolute worst episode ever, then all I can say is, "even when its bad, its GREAT!"

 

[a_lost_packet_]

...The one that was published back in 1975-76 that I actually wrote a book report on in high school?

Yup.

 

[jim48]

...The one that was published back in 1975-76 that I actually wrote a book report on in high school?

Yup.

As I recall we were allowed 5 books of our own choice to read and review. I remember reading and reviewing the novelizations of the tv movies The Night Strangler and The Questor Tapes. I don't recall the other two books I wrote a report on. I called the Star Fleet book a "... non-book...", which really it was. I was a hard-core Trekkie but not really impressed by that "book". The drawings were cool! I remember regretting that I spent that much money on that goofy "book". It was slick and all but it didn't hold my attention for long. That was back when they were doing adaptations of the Saturday morning Star Trek cartoon, which by then was off the air but those stories read quite well in expanded form in print. Allan Dean Foster? I am reaching way back!!!

 

[Boots09]

I hav'nt seen them all, but of the ones I have, I like the ones with battles between ships, like Balance of Terror. I also liked how it showed the mis-trust some had of Spock because he looked like a Romulan. I also liked Doomsday Machine..but my favorite....gotta be Trouble with Tribbles. Love when Scotty punches the Klingon after tellng the others to chill out... :lol:

I might just look into getting the remasterd set..I think they would be cool.

 

[a_lost_packet_]

...That was back when they were doing adaptations of the Saturday morning Star Trek cartoon, which by then was off the air but those stories read quite well in expanded form in print. Allan Dean Foster? I am reaching way back!!!

I had that collection by Foster. Small hardbacks, IIRC. I think I still have a couple around here somewhere. He did a great job with them, IMO.

 

[yevaud]

Actually, Foster still writes; his Commonwealth series. I am addicted to them.

 

[drwayne]

Montgommery Scott is probably my favorite character, so any episode that we get some meaningful
time for him has something good going for it.

In most of the books I have read, his character coes across as quite a bit harder edged than in the
original series....

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Actually, Foster still writes; his Commonwealth series. I am addicted to them.

I pick up anything to do with the Commonwealth. I like the milieu. His stories aren't cerebral, they're not "deep" or especially thought provoking.. They're just fun to read. He does a good job of creating an "instant character development" for his characters. Heavy use of archetypes but always with a significant twist helps him get the character established quickly yet still makes them unique. I think we're both Pip&Flinx fans as well. I got up to speed on that series a couple of months ago. It's too bad that the Commonwealth series seems stalled atm. Foster does so many books in so many different directions I imagine it's hard for him to focus on one.

The only other author I can think of that I have a real fascination for their milieu is C.J. Cherryh's "Compact" space. (The Chanur Series) and, to a lesser extent, her "Foreigner" series. I'll buy anything she writes in either setting as well.

 

[hewes]

I'm a huge TOS fan, but I also enjoy The Animated Series, and have it on DVD. Voiced by the original cast, it's an excellent extension to the TOS saga.

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

My favs have mostly been mentioned but not "A Private Little War" which was a nice allegory about the cold war and arms race. I often liked those episodes that didn't have nice clean answers to the questions poised.


And of course I liked "The Gamesters of Triskelion" if only for Shahna !! Smoking Hot !!!!!

And "Arena" ... though the good guy lost.

 

[ZenGalacticore]

My favs have mostly been mentioned but not "A Private Little War" which was a nice allegory about the cold war and arms race. I often liked those episodes that didn't have nice clean answers to the questions poised.


And of course I liked "The Gamesters of Triskelion" if only for Shahna !! Smoking Hot !!!!!

And "Arena" ... though the good guy lost.

My brother!!!

I was not going to respond just because of the "burn out factor". But I couldn't help it! :lol:

Shahna freakin' rocks!!! Talk about a spinner! Woohoo!!!!!!

To paraphrase- "I am Shah-Nah. I am a slave. ... You are now a slave..."

Okay baby! Whatever you say!!! :lol:

 

[crazyeddie]

And of course I liked "The Gamesters of Triskelion" if only for Shahna !! Smoking Hot !!!!!

And for similar reasons, I liked "Metamorphosis", with Glenn Corbett as a rejuvenated Zefram Cochrane (much better looking than James Cromwell in Star Trek: First Contact!

 

[drwayne]

Much more in line with Cochrane (to me) as well.

Wayne

 

[ZenGalacticore]

I liked it when Kirk interrogates Scotty about the bar fight in 'Trouble With Tribbles'.

Scotty- They called you a self-serving prima donna with delusions of grandeur,... sir. :lol:

Kirk- And...then you hit the Klingon?

Scotty- No sir!... Well, we're big enough to take a few insults. :lol:

Kirk- What caused you to hit the Klingon Mr. Scott?!!

Scotty- They called the Enterprise a,... a garbage scow!... sir.

Yeah. I forgot to mention 'Private Little War'. Great episode. Hell, like Yevaud said, they were all great. I even liked 'Spock's Brain', I thought it was funny. And 'The Way to Eden'?

Well crack my knuckles and jump for joy!
I got a bill of health from Dr. McKoy!


And the 'Gary 7' episode? (For the life of me I can't remember the actual name of that one.) But I loved it. And Teri Garr? Mmmmmmmmmm. I only wish they'd put her in one of the many skimpy outfits they had for the fairer sex guest stars!!

Oh yeah!!!! "Assignment Earth". (The ole noggin still works, just takes a while to get the phasers fired up these days, sometimes.)

How about 'Elaan of Troyus'. That one was funny, with the spoiled Cleopatra type. I think the worst ST ever made was the one with the American Indian looking people. Can't remember the name of that one, obviously not 'Private Little War'.

 

[drwayne]

"The Paradise Syndrome"

In one of the novels, it was revealed that the obelisk was in fact a preserver artifcat.

Wayne

"My bearings, my poor bearings" - Montgommery Scott

 

[ZenGalacticore]

Okay. And that begs the question, What is a 'preserver artifact'? Fountain of Youth of some sort?