Good episode for introducing Star Trek to children?

I’m looking for a good episode to introduce my nephew (7) and two nieces (5, 12) to Star Trek as a whole. They have been watching Doctor Who with their Dad for the last 2 years and have grown to love it. However, they have never seen Star Trek and I have a feeling that especially the two older ones would really appreciate it.

I recently watched the Voyager episode “The Void” and thought that this nicely encapsulates much of what Star Trek stands for without requiring much knowledge of what came before or who the characters are but also getting you interested in wider themes like what the Federation is etc. It’s also a more modern episode making it more acceptable to younger viewers and it doesn’t have anything too scary in it.

What do you guys think? Any other good examples similar to The Void? Oh and please don’t dismiss it just because it’s a Voyager episode. If that’s your way of thinking I’m not interested.

 

I'd use TNG and DS9, because those have child characters (and are better than VOY ).

 

As a kid, I always loved ARENA. You've got a cool monster, a neat gimmick (Kirk invents gunpowder!), and a fairly simple, exciting plot.

And, honestly, I would worry less about finding an ep that embodies what TREK "stands for" and just go for one that's fun and entertaining.

 

TNG Homeward

 

Well I thought the Void was entertaining but also interesting with a nice and hopeful message at the same time. I hope you aren't offended for me saying this, but Arena is kind of crude. It's basically a glorified wrestling match. Star Trek can do much better than that.

 

The younger children(5 & 7) might like an episode of the Star Trek Animated Series 1973-1974.

 

No offense taken! But I do remember that it was one of my favorite episodes when I was a kid.

You can't go wrong with giant lizards. Just ask Godzilla.

How about "Devil in the Dark" which is another good "monster" episode? And with a positive message no less.

 

Something from TOS. It's bright, colorful and has a far greater sense of fun and adventure than the later shows. Try Journey To Babel or maybe The Galileo Seven if Arena isn't your thing.

ooh, I also really loved Gamesters of Triskelion as a kid.

 

I agree.

 

This is the one that hooked my youngest (Benjamin ) at 2. He's been a Trek fan ever since. He also likes Arena and anything with space battles.

He used to run around with my toy Enterprise yelling "Kirk! Spock! Star Trek!" and make his own weapons and explosion sounds.

God they grow up quick.

 

This is the legacy of Berman Trek. When did the "message" become more important than just sitting down and being entertained for an hour?

 

With all due respect, but this statement is ridiculous. Star Trek has always been a message show at its core. That's pure Roddenberry through and through. Maybe if you gave The Void a chance you would see it is not sacrificing entertainment for message. It combines both rather effectively just as good Star Trek always has done all the way back since The Cage was first concieved. It's just too bad Arena fails in that attempt, but even that episode is actually trying to have a message, it's just undermined by its bad writing and clumsy execution.

 

The Void is less subtle in it's message and half the "fun" of Let This Be Your Last Battlefield

Star Trek became self-important during the Berman years. Instead of being a fun show with some social commentary stuck in there, the writers began to believe the hype that they were changing the world. Episodes started being about the message instead of a message being subtlety inserted.

I think Manny Coto actually understood this which is why Enterprise season four is some of the most "fun" Trek since early TNG.

At the end of the day, I watch Star Trek to be entertained. I don't expect Star Trek to teach my kids anything, that's my job. I share it with them because it's something that I enjoyed in my youth. YMMV.

 

It's ironic, rarely have I seen Voyager accused of being too heavy on message. If anything it was attacked for being too inconsequential most of the time - a fair criticism on many accounts.

Also as you I watch Star Trek to be entertained. In fact that's probably the only reason. But I find things that get me thinking about certain issues more interesting than just mindless fun. It has been my impression for a long time that that is a widely spread attitude amongst Trekkies regardless of which series they prefer.

 

Not 'mindless fun' but it should be 'fun' first and foremost. Everything else is gravy.

 

But I love gravy!!! It's what makes Star Trek special...

 

My son is now 9, but a few years ago I showed him TAS, which he absolutley loved, and then I showed him some random TOS episodes. He really liked The Doomsday Machine and Trouble With Tribbles.

 

A good TNG episode for kids is "Data's Day." My dad, who hated scifi, actually enjoyed that episode. It has humor and is also accessible to kids, who often misinterpret comments made by adults the way Data does.

 

Show them the last movie, and then "The Man Trap" (TOS). If they ask why things are different, tell them it's "wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff". Being that they like Doctor Who, hopefully that will suffice.

 

I don't know. "The Man Trap" has nice scary bits, but there's a lot of mushy stuff with Nancy Crater that might bore small children. And you don't really see the monster until the end.

"Tribbles," of course, is a natural.