So I went through all the episodes and movies and I've selected the ones that I believe give us a significant look at Earth's history as it relates to the future shown in Star Trek. My list broken down by show is... ENT Carbon Creek Demons Terra Prime TOS Tomorrow is Yesterday The City on the Edge of Forever Assignment: Earth The Voyage Home TNG Time's Arrow Time's Arrow, Part II First Contact DS9 Past Tense, Part I Past Tense, Part II Little Green Men Far Beyond the Stars VOY Future's End Future's End, Part II 11:59 One Small Step Friendship One Let the debates begin!
Could just be a presentation of research he's assembled, for the consideration of members of the board to consider and comment upon. Nothing wrong with that.
I'm not sure that Far Beyond The Stars belongs. Although informed by social history, it is nonetheless a spiritual vision rather than a direct representation of events that happen. On the other hand, it could be considered a comment on human history, not unlike Bread and Circuses and Patterns of Force, looking at the process of history rather than the specifics.
Well let's face it, we Star Trek fans (and Geeks in general) are kind of like the answer to a question nobody asked. So I figured that all I'd have to do is post a theme list and in short order I'd get people suggesting episodes they think should be included or talking about ones on the list that they don't think belong. Since I don't get emotionally attached (I've had the misfortune in my life of discussing similar lists with those who do) I find the whole process rather fun. Prezactly and excisely. Good comment. My take after much consideration is that there really was a Benny Russell for the Prophets to base Sisko's vision on, given that if they were aware enough of Terra to visit to make sure Sisko got born, then perhaps they've been watching it prior to that too. I honestly considered it but (and this is not mindless bashing on ENT as there's quite a bit of it that I like) it doesn't seem to give any real insight into what ultimately formed the Trek future. It kind of seems a little lazy, and kind of retreads the whole humanity is silly and shallow and self destructive trope that you often get when characters travel into the past. For me it lacks the passion for the subject that the Past Tense two parter shows. Honestly if I hadn't decided to include Demons and Terra Prime because of what they show about the Third World War, and the last vestiges of the worst of human xenophobia, Carbon Creek would have been the only one that made the list.
Enterprise was, for the most part, the prehistory of Star Trek, showing how the ST universe came into being. I think it was for the best that it did not concern itself too much with its past.
Yeah... I will admit that it managed to escape my consideration. I mostly had been focusing either on episodes where main characters went into the past. 11:59 and One Small Step made it because of the way that characters in the present connected with those in the past, and Friendship One made it because I thought it was a really nice story about how even when humanity has good intentions we still sometimes manage to foul things up. But I think perhaps I will put Space Seed in and also put back one of my favorite episodes, namely The Neutral Zone.
Okay, here's roughly the same list with a couple of minor changes and put in as best I can figure chronological order based on either when the bulk of the story is set or the period that the historical personages involved come from. Time's Arrow Time's Arrow, Part II The City on the Edge of Forever Little Green Men Carbon Creek Far Beyond the Stars Assignment: Earth Tomorrow is Yesterday The Voyage Home Space Seed Future's End Future's End, Part II 11:59 Carpenter Street The Neutral Zone Past Tense, Part I Past Tense, Part II One Small Step Friendship One First Contact Demons Terra Prime