Star Trek:TOS Best Episode?

[everythingsxen]

Poll question: Star Trek:TOS Best Episode?

According to wikipedia, which is according to Entertainment Weekly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series#Best_episodes) the top ten are:

1. The City on the Edge of Forever
2. Space Seed
3. Mirror, Mirror
4. The Doomsday Machine
5. Amok Time
6. The Devil in the Dark
7. The Trouble with Tribbles
8. This Side of Paradise
9. The Enterprise Incident
10. Journey to Babel

I will put 1 - 9 in the poll and drop Journey to Babel because a)it sucks and I hate it. :P and b) I need room for the ubiquitous "other".

My personal favorite, well is a tough call, but it isn't on the list.. I will go with "Balance of Terror".

[everythingsxen]

1. Kick?

[hfojvt]

2. I need a plot synopsis because I do not know that many by title

I cannot believe Tribbles is on the list. Except for Scotty's fight and explanation that one is just juvenile lame.

I am guessing that "This side of paradise" is the one where Kirk becomes Kurok and gets married. That one was great

Others that I like, but are not on the list, or might be
1) Menagerie - Spock gets court martialed for Captain Pike
2) Kirk gets court martialed for killing Jamie's dad
3) where no man has gone before - Gary Mitchell's eyes turn silver and he gets god-like powers
4) when the Andromedans take over the Enterprise and reduce the crew to cubes
5) Gamesters of triskelion - sue me, I like the girl's outfit
6) Piece of the action - Spocko the gangster, what's not to love?
7) battle with the Gorn - hey the Gorn is a tough customer, kinda like Spidey's Lizard, and Kirk makes his own bazooka to defeat him
8) the immaterial space entity that eats blood, but does not like Spock's
9) Nomad - a precursor to V-ger
10) the entity that feeds on hate and tries to start a war between the Enterprise and some Klingons.

Maybe not all great episodes, but I would take any one of them over Tribbles or Space Seed or Amok Time.

[everythingsxen]

3. Plot summaries:

1. The City on the Edge of Forever - The one with the time portal that sends Kirk and Spock back in time to stop McCoy from saving some woman who had to die to make the future happen.
2. Space Seed - I think you know this one... KHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
3. Mirror, Mirror - Parallel universe where evil people have beards.
4. The Doomsday Machine - big scary cone floating through space eats planets for fuel. Pretty spooky!
5. Amok Time - You already know, but it's the one where Spock must make a booty call or die. Cool fight music. :P
6. The Devil in the Dark - The one with the Horta monster thingy that is killing miners, but it is really a sweet and loveable creature protecting it's eggs. Damn it Jim I'm a doctor not a bricklayer!
7. The Trouble with Tribbles - The title says it all.
8. This Side of Paradise - Actually this is the one with the plants that get get everyone high and turn them into hippies. To save the crew, everyone has to fistfight. Yeehaw!
9. The Enterprise Incident - One of my favorites on the list. Spock and Kirk do an elaborate mission to steal a cloaking device from teh Romulans. *sigh* The poor Romulans never get to win.
10. Journey to Babel - Pain in the ass episode with a bunch of diplomats on board going to a conference. Espionage, intrigue, poison, murder and mayhem are par for the course.

[LeftyMom]

4. The Enterprise Incident is fucking awesome.

The acting is good enough it doesn't telegraph the plot twist and Spock and the Romulan Commander (she never gets a name) have real chemistry and are both HAWT.

[hfojvt]

6. The doomsday machine is just a Berserker

Journey to Babel is the one with the strange alien that no one can see without being brain damaged.

I cannot believe Kurok did not make the list. I almost mentioned The Enterprise Incident. How could the introduction of the Vulcan Death Grip, not be one of the best?

I prefer the Doomsday machine made by the brilliant computer programmer who tries to computerize the whole starship and his machine starts killing people.

So I would take 2,4,5,6,7,8, and 10 off of that list and replace them with ones from my list. Especially Kurok - the god who bleeds.

[kay1864]

20. That is NOT Journey to Babel

You're thinking of "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"

[Orrex]

21. Sacrilege!

Journey to Babel is the one with the strange alien that no one can see without being brain damaged.

Surely you realize that you're speaking of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_There_in_Truth_No_Beauty%3F">Is There in Truth No Beauty?

[hfojvt]

25. pardonne moi

I said, I remember very few of them by title.

Watching re-runs as I did I am not even sure they showed a title. It was the only one I could remember with diplomats.

[MrScorpio]

32. I've got to give it up for the Doomsday Machine

William Wimdom's performance was a tour de force

[Cobalt-60]

40. Absolutely

William said he ad libbed the horrified description of the machine.
It does rock as an ep.

[Babel_17]

56. I have a link for you!

I agree with you about Windom's acting. I also liked him in "My World and Welcome to it".


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_New_Voyages

"In Harm's Way"
Written By: Erik Korngold
Directed By: Jack Marshall
The time stream was changed by sending a Doomsday Machine back in time. There, the Doomsday Machine destroyed several planets, manufactured more Doomsday Machines, and began what is now known as the Doomsday Wars. Captain Kirk, in command of the USS Farragut, is sent back in time to prevent this from happening and save the future.

"Several past members of the Star Trek cast and crew have expressed support for the project, and even contributed to it."

"William Windom Commodore Matt Decker In Harm's Way William Windom plays the same character he played nearly 40 years earlier in The Doomsday Machine"

http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/800/downloads.php#IHW

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910481/

Even Malachi Throne has a part.

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Dude

The pon farr is not a "booty call."

[TheBaldyMan]

13. Trekkie!

:lol:

[Oeditpus Rex]

54. That's 'TrekkER'

Harumph. x(

[TheBaldyMan]

68. whatever you say trekkie

:P

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. 'City on the Edge of Forever'

It had all the elements in place:

•Humor ("We have a flop." "A what, Captain?" "A place to sleep." "One might have said so in the first place.")

•SF stuff with the time portal.

•Drama — Will they find Bones? Will they figure out how to keep history from being changed? Will they get back to the planet and to their own time?

•Romance, and not just between Kirk and Edith Keeler. There was also the romance of the period — "Right down to the cement beams."

•Stone knives

•Bearskins

[hfojvt]

7. mnemonic memory circuits

I was so disappointed to find out that line did not come from Ellison.

[Oeditpus Rex]

9. Why?

You wanted him to commit a redundancy? :7

[kay1864]

18. Nor did that line come from the episode

Spock said "mnemonic circuit", not "mnemonic memory circuits". Specifically, "Madam, I am attempting to construct a mnemonic circuit using stone knives and bear skins"

[Blue-Jay]

10. Harlan (mostly) wrote that episode.

1 vote, even though they pissed him off in the editing process.

[hfojvt]

14. good thing though

his screen play wasn't nearly as good as the finished product

[Anarcho-Socialist]

11. The Balance of Terror

[baldguy]

15. The Balance of Terror

I knew that one was missing.

[NewJeffCT]

29. that's one of my favorites, too

As is the Enterprise Incident.

[TheBaldyMan]

12. "Spock's Brain is Missing" - I forget the proper title

a lot of people think it's a howler but I love it.

[edbermac]

17. The Way To Eden, the space hippies one is better.

Far out, man...and I do mean FAR! :hippie:

[Oeditpus Rex]

55. It can't match the 'Lost In Space' episode

with space bikers, led by a young actor listed in the credits as Dan Travanty.

He was later Capt. Frank Furillo in "Hill Street Blues," under his real name, Daniel J. Travanti.

[edbermac]

69. Wasn't the worst LOS episode the guy in giant carrot suit?

I read somewhere that Guy Williams and June Lockhart were written out of the last 2 episodes because they were laughing so much while filming this one.

[Oeditpus Rex]

71. Dunno

By that time, I'd finally realized LOS was utter crap.

Apparently, so had the cast and the writers.

[mondo joe]

64. HERBERT!

That's my choice too!

[flamingyouth]

67. Does it get any better than Spock jamming on the Vulcan harp?

I think not. :D

[Danger Mouse]

59. "Jim - his BRAIN is gone."

The best line in any episode of star trek ever.

[YankeyMCC]

16. Of that list "City on the Edge of Forever"

Also, to those that like that ep I would recomend reading Harlan Ellison's original version which he published a few years back.

I'm not sure that would be my all time personal favorite. "Balance of Terror" and "This Side of Paradice" are certainly up there...but there's just to many good ones for me to easily pick a favorite. :)

[Orrex]

19. Other--though I don't dispute the top 9

Arena
Day of the Dove

[Guava Jelly]

22. Catseye

:)

[Sequoia]

23. The Tholian Web is one of my faves.

Also Gary Seven and all the on Earth ones. Space Seed is great too.

[TheBaldyMan]

24. No one has suggested 'Mudd's Women' yet

Harry Mudd was in the Trouble with Tribbles as well.

[deucemagnet]

34. Harry Mudd was supposed to be in the tribbles episode, but

the actor was not available. Cyrano Jones replaced him. I will now go outside and attempt to get a life.

[Blue-Jay]

26. Spock's Brain

[Madspirit]

28. Spock's Brain

:rofl: :rofl:

Yeah...right up there with The Way to Eden and it's over-aged space hippies.

At least Spock's Brain IS amusing. The Way to Eden is actually embarrassing.
Madspirit

[pokerfan]

31. Damned hippies!

Heading out to eden,
Yeah brother.
Heading out to eden,
Yeah brother.
No more trouble
In my body or my mind.
Goin' to live like a king
On whatever I find.
Eat all the fruit
And throw away the rind.
Yeah brother, yeah.


Steppin' out to eden,
Yeah brother.
Steppin' out to eden,
Yeah brother.
No more trouble
In my body or my mind.
Goin' to live like a king
On whatever I find.
Eat all the fruit
And throw away the rind.
Yeah brother.

[Madspirit]

33. hee

:rofl: I'm an old hippie and that episode embarrasses me. ...oooh..and when Spock "gets down" with them and plays music....

I did like it when they called Kirk "Herbert"....

I cannot believe you found the lyrics....you rock.
Madspirit

[Frank Cannon]

35. Bartcop calls George Herbert Walker Bush

George Herbert Herbert Bush.

It cracks me up every time.

[pokerfan]

38. Guide to TOS music

http://people.ssh.fi/tri/hack_man_guide/misc/tos_music.html

Another favorite:

I'll take you home again, Kathleen,
Across the ocean wild and wide,
To where your heart has ever been,
Since first you were my bonnie bride.
The roses all have left your cheek,
I've watched them fade away and die;
Your voice is sad whene'er you speak,
And tears bedim your loving eyes.

Oh! I will take you back, Kathleen,
To where your heart will feel no pain,
And when the fields are fresh and green,
I'll take you to your home again.
(One More Time!!!)

[Madspirit]

42. The Naked Time

...great episode.
Madspirit

[Madspirit]

27. Young Joan Collins...whoohoohoo

The City on the Edge of Forever!
Madspirit

[Va Lefty]

30. "Bread and Circuses"

The one where they find a planet on which Rome never fell.

McCoy: (After Spock saved him in gladiator fight) I'm trying to thank you, you pointy-eared hobgoblin!!

[Frank Cannon]

36. I honestly can't fathom what people see in "Tribbles"

It was on TV not too long ago. The acting is WAY over the top (even for Star Trek), and the dialogue just isn't all that funny. It's like it's trying just a little too hard to be "cute".

[Madspirit]

37. I understand

I have never been that enamored of The Trouble With Tribbles myself but I LOVE DS9's Trials and Tribbleations where they go back in time to the Tribble problem and cut in scenes from TOS. It is truly wonderful.
Madspirit

[pokerfan]

43. I liked how Worf refused to talk

about why the 23rd century Klingons looked so differnt from the 24th century version.

[Madspirit]

44. Outsiders

WORF
They are Klingons.

Three heads turn and look at the Klingons and then look
back at Worf.

WORF
It is a... long story.

O'BRIEN
What happened? Some kind
genetic engineering... ?

BASHIR
A viral mutation... ?

WORF
(defensive)
We do not discuss it with
outsiders.

[pokerfan]

45. Nice tweek to the fanboys who had been trying to retcon it

It's like "no, we're not giving you a reason."

Of course the "real reason" is simply that they decided to get more elaborate with the makeup when TNG came along.

I have seen only and handful of the Enterprise series but aren't their Klingons "old style" as well?

[Madspirit]

46. No

Enterprise's Klingons look like Worf.
Madspirit

[TheBaldyMan]

52. Enterprise had an episode where Phlox was kiddnapped by Klingons

to help cure a mutated virus that threatened the whole Empire.

http://www.treknation.com/episodes/enterprise/season4/affliction.shtml">Trek Nation episode guide; Affliction

This explains the differing appearance.

[pokerfan]

53. Makes my head hurt

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Affliction#Klingon_foreheads

[Madspirit]

79. You're right

In the 4th season episodes Affliction and Divergence we
learned that the Klingons used human Augment DNA to try to create
their own Augments but it mutated and a they were infected with a
virus. The only way to save the Klingons was for Phlox to change
their DNA which changed their appearance.
Madspirit

[Frank Cannon]

47. I agree. The DS9 episode is good.

But the TOS episode, IMO, blows.

[Parche]

39. STAR TREK

You forgot "Menagerie"






"George W Bush has an illusion, and Democrats have reality, may your way be as pleasant"

[Madspirit]

41. Menagerie or Cage?

[Frank Cannon]

49. I would have to narrowly choose "Menagerie" over "Cage"

Just in the way they reedited the original story into another story that was also pretty good, and they were able to make it all make sense.

Plus I gotta love the Captain Pike in that show with his beeping-light wheelchair.

[Parche]

66. Capt Pike

I heard that he committed suicide in real life, so they had to do this story line????

[Frank Cannon]

72. Actually, he had a stroke and fell down the stairs

Pretty amazing for a guy so young.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

48. Devil in the Dark

Gotta love a horta.

[Frank Cannon]

50. I always thought the Horta looked like...

a giant piece of meat-lovers pizza with extra sausage.

It's making me hungry right now.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

51. Pizza the Hut!

:rofl:

[Frank Cannon]

61. LOL n/t

[jgraz]

57. I really like the one where they find a planet that's almost like earth

except for some crucial difference and Spock acts all logical and McCoy gets pissed at him and then Kirk bones some alien chick. Truly one of a kind.

Oh yeah, and the transporter breaks.

And kills some dude in a red shirt.

[Frank Cannon]

62. That's a good one. I also like the one where Kirk gets in a fight...

and his shirt rips, and he delivers a double karate chop and a jumping side-kick.

[Danger Mouse]

58. Other. My vote goes to 'The Way to Eden' and 'Spock's Brain' or perhaps 'Turnabout Intruder'

[Heidi]

60. "The Trouble With Tribbles."

:7

[eyepaddle]

63. I voted City on the Edge of Forever, but Balance of Terror

is an extremely close second.

[Zavulon]

65. I voted for "Mirror, Mirror", but my actual answer would be

"A Taste of Armageddon."

[trogdor]

70. Patterns of Force

I can't believe none of you mentioned that one.

[everythingsxen]

73. I forget which one that is...

*googles*

[everythingsxen]

74. Oh right... that episode

:D

Yeah, it is a good one. Most of the Original Series were pretty good.

[NewJeffCT]

76. One of my top 5

Death to Zayon!

[tigereye]

75. voted for City on the Edge

but Mudd's Women never fails to make me laugh....and think a bit.

[NewJeffCT]

77. Court Martial

Not the most popular, but I've always been a sucker for courtroom dramas ("12 Angry Men" is one of my favorite movies)

That's the one where Kirk is court-martialed for jettisoning a research pod too soon, and killing a man that was once a rival of his in Starfleet. The rival, it turns out, was still alive... and had tampered with the tape to make it look like Kirk did it too soon. Spock discovered the malfunction by beating the computer at chess, prompting one of the best lines in Trek where McCoy rants that they're about to lop the captain's head off and here Spock is playing chess, and he says, "you're the most cold blooded person I've ever met." and Spock replies, "why thank you doctor."

[soswolf]

78. Hey, how about "A Piece of the Action" n/t

[NewJeffCT]

80. another good one

a whole planet revolving around 1920s gangsters.