The very best episodes

lisa · April 21 2012, 12:00 AM

I am going to confess something... Please don't judge me too harshly.... I have never watched more than the first episode of TOS.

I am ready to mend my ways, so I've come to the experts.
So tell me, which episodes are the very best?

Gary7 · April 21 2012, 12:24 AM

What's to fear? Not having seen something won't draw harsh judgment around here. Having seen something and derided it while most everyone loved it might, though.

There have been a few threads on TBBS for episode rankings based on membership voting, with TOS included. You could check those out. However, I think it best you see the whole series, starting from the beginning. But if you don't have that luxury, and can only select a dozen or so episodes to watch, I can rattle off a few that I'd tell you to avoid, or leave for last:

And The Children Shall Lead
The Alternative Factor
Spock's Brain
Catspaw
Wolf in the Fold
The Mark of Gideon
Turnabout Intruder

BillJ · April 21 2012, 12:59 AM

The Cage
Where No Man Has Gone Before
A Taste of Armageddon
This Side of Paradise
Shore Leave
The Doomsday Machine
The Ultimate Computer
Amok Time
Journey to Babel

These are a few of my "go to" episodes.

Gary7 · April 21 2012, 01:10 AM

Keep in mind that these are subjective, as a different mix of participants happens each time and sometimes people change their minds:

TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 1
TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 2
TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 3

TOS Hurt/Heal: Best Episode Ever
01st: City on the Edge of Forever
02nd: Journey to Babel
03rd: Balance of Terror
04th: Mirror, Mirror
05th: The Doomsday Machine
06th: Amok Time
07th: The Devil in the Dark
08th: Where No Man Has Gone Before
09th: The Trouble With Tribbles
10th: Errand of Mercy
11th: The Enterprise Incident
12th: The Cage
13th: A Taste of Armageddon
14th: The Tholian Web
15th: All Our Yesterdays
16th: The Ultimate Computer
17th: The Menagerie, Part I & II
18th: Day of the Dove
19th: This Side of Paradise
20th: Obsession
21st: The Corbomite Maneuver
22nd: Spectre of the Gun
23rd: Return to Tomorrow
24th: By Any Other Name
25th: Whom Gods Destroy
26th: Metamorphosis
27th: Requiem for Methuselah
28th: Elaan of Troyius
29th: Wink of an Eye
30th: Is There in Truth No Beauty?

Top 5 Favorite TOS Episodes

Greg Cox · April 21 2012, 04:04 AM

Just off the top of my head:

"Balance of Terror"
"The Devil in the Dark"
"City on the Edge of Forever"
"Journey to Babel"
"Amok Time"
"The Trouble with Tribbles"
"Mirror, Mirror"
"Errand of Mercy"

In general, most of the really classic eps are in the first two seasons. The third season has its moments, but it's a bit dicier.

JustKate · April 21 2012, 04:36 AM

^ It's like Greg read my mind.

I am also extremely fond of "I, Mudd," but I am well aware that this choice isn't as popular with everybody. But I think it's probably my second favorite funny TOS episode, right after "Tribbles."

Greg Cox · April 21 2012, 02:14 PM

JustKate wrote:

^ It's like Greg read my mind.

I am also extremely fond of "I, Mudd," but I am well aware that this choice isn't as popular with everybody. But I think it's probably my second favorite funny TOS episode, right after "Tribbles."

Not "A Piece of the Action"?

JustKate · April 21 2012, 03:19 PM

Greg Cox wrote:

JustKate wrote:

^ It's like Greg read my mind.

I am also extremely fond of "I, Mudd," but I am well aware that this choice isn't as popular with everybody. But I think it's probably my second favorite funny TOS episode, right after "Tribbles."

Not "A Piece of the Action"?

Hmmmm...no, I don't think so. I do enjoy that one, too - a LOT - but not quite as much as "I, Mudd." After all, Spock and McCoy don't do a little plie (sp?) in "A Piece of the Action," now do they?

Isis · April 21 2012, 05:44 PM

BillJ wrote:

...Shore Leave...

lisa, Bill, and Everybody: With all due respect, I would put Shore Leave among my least liked episodes, and I also don't think it's a typical TOS episode. Shore Leave seems to be generally well regarded, but I thought it would be helpful to provide another viewpoint.

Isis · April 21 2012, 05:59 PM

BillJ wrote:

The Cage
Where No Man Has Gone Before
A Taste of Armageddon
...
The Doomsday Machine
...
Amok Time
Journey to Babel

These are a few of my "go to" episodes.

Gary7 wrote:

Keep in mind that these are subjective, as a different mix of participants happens each time and sometimes people change their minds:

TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 1
TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 2
TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 3

TOS Hurt/Heal: Best Episode Ever
01st: City on the Edge of Forever
02nd: Journey to Babel
03rd: Balance of Terror
04th: Mirror, Mirror
05th: The Doomsday Machine
06th: Amok Time
07th: The Devil in the Dark
08th: Where No Man Has Gone Before
09th: The Trouble With Tribbles
10th: Errand of Mercy
11th: The Enterprise Incident
12th: The Cage
13th: A Taste of Armageddon
14th: The Tholian Web
...
17th: The Menagerie, Part I & II
18th: Day of the Dove
...
21st: The Corbomite Maneuver
...

Top 5 Favorite TOS Episodes

Greg Cox wrote:

Just off the top of my head:

"Balance of Terror"
"The Devil in the Dark"
"City on the Edge of Forever"
"Journey to Babel"
"Amok Time"
"The Trouble with Tribbles"
"Mirror, Mirror"
"Errand of Mercy"

In general, most of the really classic eps are in the first two seasons. The third season has its moments, but it's a bit dicier.

Between these three posts, I think--and I emphasize this is my opinion, and in a number of cases, not the consensus--that they've listed the key episodes. I did delete a few, but I have to say that between Gary (his Hurt/Heal list, that is), Bill, and Greg, I don't think they missed anything.

Knight Templar · April 21 2012, 06:59 PM

The Doomsday Machine
Arena
The Corbomite Manuever
The Ultimate Computer
Balance of Terror
Errand of Mercy
Journey to Babel
The Enterprise Incident
The Tholian Web

To name nine off hand.

Gary7 · April 21 2012, 07:08 PM

"Shore Leave" is kind of a "tongue in cheek" episode. I mean c'mon... the fake rabbit costume? Alice in Wonderland? The reaction to that as well? McCoy didn't go into any detail about exactly what he saw. "Large rabbit" yes... but did he say "Large rabbit costume?" No, despite those being very important characteristics to note. He did say that the rabbit claimed he was late, but not that he accurately quoted from the Lewis Carroll novel. That would also be a very important point; a true mimicry of Alice in Wonderland, on an alien planet many light years from Earth?

Nevertheless, it's a kick of an episode, a lot of fun. There are some very serious moments too. It isn't all fun and games. And that's what makes it so great... the combination of humor and fear in one episode. This is in contrast to "I, Mudd", which is pretty much a farce all the way through.

Gagarin · April 21 2012, 08:55 PM

Best photography - Balance Of Terror
Worst photography - Doomsday Machine

Greg Cox · April 21 2012, 11:16 PM

I admit to having a soft spot for "Shore Leave" myself, and not just because I've always liked Sturgeon's work. It's fun and whimsical and leaves you smiling.

(I actually did my very first convention panel with Sturgeon decades ago. As I recall, he was very friendly and encouraging.)

Isis · April 22 2012, 03:28 AM

Shore Leave just isn't my "cup of tea," but I'm absolutely fine that many people like it and even better that they enjoy it. A chacun son goût, as the French say.

April 21 2012, 12:00 AM	#1
lisa Lieutenant Location: San diego	The very best episodes I am going to confess something... Please don't judge me too harshly.... I have never watched more than the first episode of TOS. I am ready to mend my ways, so I've come to the experts. So tell me, which episodes are the very best?

April 21 2012, 12:24 AM	#2
Gary7 Rear Admiral Location: Near Manhattan ··· in an alternate reality	Re: The very best episodes What's to fear? Not having seen something won't draw harsh judgment around here. Having seen something and derided it while most everyone loved it might, though. There have been a few threads on TBBS for episode rankings based on membership voting, with TOS included. You could check those out. However, I think it best you see the whole series, starting from the beginning. But if you don't have that luxury, and can only select a dozen or so episodes to watch, I can rattle off a few that I'd tell you to avoid, or leave for last: And The Children Shall Lead The Alternative Factor Spock's Brain Catspaw Wolf in the Fold The Mark of Gideon Turnabout Intruder __________________ Remembering Ensign Mallory.

April 21 2012, 12:59 AM	#3
BillJ Vice Admiral Location: In the 23rd Century...	Re: The very best episodes The Cage Where No Man Has Gone Before A Taste of Armageddon This Side of Paradise Shore Leave The Doomsday Machine The Ultimate Computer Amok Time Journey to Babel These are a few of my "go to" episodes. __________________ "You know. 1966? Seventy-nine episodes, about thirty good ones." - Phillip Fry describing Star Trek, Futurama

April 21 2012, 01:10 AM	#4
Gary7 Rear Admiral Location: Near Manhattan ··· in an alternate reality	Re: The very best episodes Keep in mind that these are subjective, as a different mix of participants happens each time and sometimes people change their minds: TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 1 TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 2 TOS Hurt/Heal: Season 3 TOS Hurt/Heal: Best Episode Ever 01st: City on the Edge of Forever 02nd: Journey to Babel 03rd: Balance of Terror 04th: Mirror, Mirror 05th: The Doomsday Machine 06th: Amok Time 07th: The Devil in the Dark 08th: Where No Man Has Gone Before 09th: The Trouble With Tribbles 10th: Errand of Mercy 11th: The Enterprise Incident 12th: The Cage 13th: A Taste of Armageddon 14th: The Tholian Web 15th: All Our Yesterdays 16th: The Ultimate Computer 17th: The Menagerie, Part I & II 18th: Day of the Dove 19th: This Side of Paradise 20th: Obsession 21st: The Corbomite Maneuver 22nd: Spectre of the Gun 23rd: Return to Tomorrow 24th: By Any Other Name 25th: Whom Gods Destroy 26th: Metamorphosis 27th: Requiem for Methuselah 28th: Elaan of Troyius 29th: Wink of an Eye 30th: Is There in Truth No Beauty? Top 5 Favorite TOS Episodes __________________ Remembering Ensign Mallory.

April 21 2012, 04:04 AM	#5
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: The very best episodes Just off the top of my head: "Balance of Terror" "The Devil in the Dark" "City on the Edge of Forever" "Journey to Babel" "Amok Time" "The Trouble with Tribbles" "Mirror, Mirror" "Errand of Mercy" In general, most of the really classic eps are in the first two seasons. The third season has its moments, but it's a bit dicier. __________________ www.gregcox-author.com

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April 21 2012, 04:36 AM	#6
JustKate Rear Admiral Location: Indiana, USA	Re: The very best episodes ^ It's like Greg read my mind. I am also extremely fond of "I, Mudd," but I am well aware that this choice isn't as popular with everybody. But I think it's probably my second favorite funny TOS episode, right after "Tribbles."

April 21 2012, 06:59 PM	#11
Knight Templar Commodore Location: Oklahoma	Re: The very best episodes The Doomsday Machine Arena The Corbomite Manuever The Ultimate Computer Balance of Terror Errand of Mercy Journey to Babel The Enterprise Incident The Tholian Web To name nine off hand.

April 21 2012, 07:08 PM	#12
Gary7 Rear Admiral Location: Near Manhattan ··· in an alternate reality	Re: The very best episodes "Shore Leave" is kind of a "tongue in cheek" episode. I mean c'mon... the fake rabbit costume? Alice in Wonderland? The reaction to that as well? McCoy didn't go into any detail about exactly what he saw. "Large rabbit" yes... but did he say "Large rabbit costume?" No, despite those being very important characteristics to note. He did say that the rabbit claimed he was late, but not that he accurately quoted from the Lewis Carroll novel. That would also be a very important point; a true mimicry of Alice in Wonderland, on an alien planet many light years from Earth? Nevertheless, it's a kick of an episode, a lot of fun. There are some very serious moments too. It isn't all fun and games. And that's what makes it so great... the combination of humor and fear in one episode. This is in contrast to "I, Mudd", which is pretty much a farce all the way through. __________________ Remembering Ensign Mallory.

April 21 2012, 08:55 PM	#13
Gagarin Commander	Re: The very best episodes Best photography - Balance Of Terror Worst photography - Doomsday Machine __________________ "If you need a holodeck to make an interstellar starship on the bleeding edge of the unknown interesting, something is seriously amiss." - Straczynski & Zabel

April 21 2012, 11:16 PM	#14
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: The very best episodes I admit to having a soft spot for "Shore Leave" myself, and not just because I've always liked Sturgeon's work. It's fun and whimsical and leaves you smiling. (I actually did my very first convention panel with Sturgeon decades ago. As I recall, he was very friendly and encouraging.) __________________ www.gregcox-author.com

April 22 2012, 03:28 AM	#15
Isis Commodore	Re: The very best episodes Shore Leave just isn't my "cup of tea," but I'm absolutely fine that many people like it and even better that they enjoy it. A chacun son goût, as the French say.