I’ve been rewatching Star Trek lately – not Deep Space Nine, not The Next Generation, not even Voyager or Enterprise. I’m old school, so when I say I’m watching Star Trek, that’s what I’m doing. Paramount and CBS would like us to think that the show was titled Star Trek: The Original Series, but… Nope. It’s Star Trek. No subtitle, no “original series.”
Just “Star Trek.”
I think fans would be well-served to put themselves in the shoes of a Star Trek fan in 1978. The show was in syndication, and over the past few years conventions were beginning to pop up around America – the show was much more popular after it was canceled then when it was on NBC. We had a cheap animated show a couple of years ago, and there were rumors that Paramount was going to do a new series – no, wait, now it was a movie!
That was where MY head was at, as a young fan. I watched Trek every weekday, after school (sometimes it was back-to-back with Space:1999 – I was in heaven!). I read Starlog, the ONLY mainstream publication that gave sci-fi any type of respect (though I did get the occasional Famous Monsters issue). And when I watched, I had no idea that the show would keep going – and going – and going. For me, it was a treat, and when you had only three (sometimes four) channels, you appreciated what you had.
You got to watch Star Trek . Five days a week.
So, as I rewatch the ONLY series called simply “Star Trek” with the wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed, I started thinking – what makes a good Trek episode. Scratch that – what makes a GREAT episode? As I did with a previous James Bond movie ranking, I decided to define some criteria – which are listed below.
- Plot/Story: Self Explanatory.
- Acting: How are the main cast (and the guest actors)?
- Character Moments: Is there one (or more) moments that showcase a main character in his or her best light?
- Impact on Canon: Are the events of the episode seminal, situations that will be in Federation history books decades later?
- The Shatner Factor: How much is Shatner… Um, Shatner? Keep in mind “Good” Shatner is as impactful as “Bad” Shatner (Turnabout Intruder, I’m looking in your direction).
- The Ladies (and their Outfits): Umm… Yeah. This is arguably a sexist criteria, but keep in mind I look at powerful women as part of this judgement (I give Edith Keeler, for example, 5 out of 5 based on her character alone – no skimpy outfit there).
So, using these rules, I reviewed every one of the 79 episodes – and here is my top 10 best episodes of Star Trek as per me.
10. The Conscience of the King.
Shakespeare meets Trek, and not for the first time. Lots of heavy stuff in this episode, and Kirk trying to prove that an actor was actually Kodos the Executioner is great TV.
9. Amok Time
We see Vulcan, we see Spock in heat, we see the classic fight that is famously parodied in The Cable Guy.
8. The Trouble with Tribbles
William Schallert. That is all.
7. Arena
The episode that gave Shatner tinnitus, it also has some wonderfully cheesy stuff regarding Kirk building a bazooka. And some fantastic Kirk-Fu!
6. Errand of Mercy
The Klingons make a great first impression with Jon Colicos chewing as much scenery as Shatner. Everything is amazing, here.
5. The Doomsday Machine
Holy cow, this may be my personal “favorite” episode. Though, based on my criteria, it is not the best. William Windom’s Decker is just fantastic, and every character gets a moment.
4. Journey to Babel
Spock’s mom and dad! Diplomats! Intrigue! Family issues! A good epsiode all around, raised to the next level by Mark Lenard as Sarek.
3. Mirror Mirror
A seminal episode, in that you see the other side of the coin – What if the Federation was interested in conquest instead of exploration? Oh, who am I kidding – you know the episode, why waste time explaining it. It’s great.
2. Space Seed
KHAAAN!
1. City on the Edge of Forever
Lite this wouldn’t be in the ten best. The fact is, even though Roddenberry aggressively rewrote Harlan Ellison’s original script, the work is so good by all concerned it’s close to a masterpiece. Kirk’s last line, “Let’s get the hell out of here” is pitch-perfect.
BONUS: So, of course, when you judge anything there are winners… and losers. Here’s the bottom ten:
- The Alternative Factor
- And The Children Shall Lead
- The Apple
- Requiem for Methuselah
- The Way To Eden
- That Which Survives
- Patterns of Force
- The Cloud Minders
- The Alternative Factor
- Tomorrow is Yesterday