TOS Episode for beginners

[Phaser Two]

I am surprised no one recommended Space Seed. It's the first on my personal list xD

Well, actually, yeah. If you're coming from the Project Genesis Trilogy as you called it - and I like that BTW - then Space Seed would be a very logical place to begin.

How..how lo..ong?
JB

Ten posts, we estimate.

 

[johnnybear]

You know, Phaser, I seem to be growing fatigued...again!
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

You know, Phaser, I seem to be growing fatigued...again!
JB

In that case I will release you from this social occasion with warfare concealed!

 

[johnnybear]

You are an excellent tactician, Phase! You let your Moderators attack, while you watch for weakness!
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

You are an excellent tactician, Phase! You let your Moderators attack, while you watch for weakness!
JB

Thank you, JB. You are very . . . cooperative.

 

[Mytran]

Arena and Devil in the Dark are some of the most "Star Trekkie" episodes of the lot.

 

[johnnybear]

Well they were the only policemen out there in space weren't they?
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

Arena and Devil in the Dark are some of the most "Star Trekkie" episodes of the lot.

True. However, I think that DD might not be an ideal starter episode because there are hardly any scenes aboard the Enterprise.

 

[Night Shade]

I am surprised no one recommended Space Seed. It's the first on my personal list xD

Mine too. I would also throw in "Patterns of Force". I'd add "A Piece of the Action" as well, so the new viewer could get a taste of TOS humor.

 

[Qonundrum]

To be clear, you don't have to watch all 79 episodes in order to sample TOS. It's not serialized like modern shows.

You can probably find any number of "Best TOS Episodes" lists and threads on-line, or even on this very board.

Usual candidates include the likes of The Doomsday Machine, Journey to Babel, The Devil in the Dark, The Corbomite Maneuver, Amok Time, The Trouble with Tribbles, and City on the Edge of Forever. Just as a start.

And individual tastes. What does the target audience like? I'd figure that out and then whip out the episodes that are closest to that and see what the reaction is. And who knows, maybe they prefer comedy but hate "Tribbles" but can't get enough "Immunity Syndrome" or even that one with the parallel universe with Lazarus that everyone hates?

More comedic? (Piece of Action, Tribbles, et al) More pulp adventure? (Corbomite Maneuver, Doomsday machine, etc) More courtroom drama? (Court Martial, Squire of Gothos) More character draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaama? (Wolf in the Fold, Turnabout Intruder, the one with the fried eggs that melt under high intensity light) More cat and mouse military fun (Balance of Terror, Enterprise Incident)? Parallel Earth stories (Paradise Syndrome, a dozen others) More overtly political or social commentary? (Omega Glory, Space Seed, Mudd's Women, et al) More high concept weirdness (Immunity Syndrome, Mirror Mirror, Catspaw)? More "Kirk nags the computer until it self-destructs" (Archons, Apple, Ultimate, etc) Combinations of those where the episode gets sufficiently into many categories (Taste of Armageddon", Edge of Forever, the one with the parallel world with Lazarus that everyone hates, The Changeling, I Mudd, most of the series in general apart from the episodes that put out the comedy more overtly than the others, etc)...

 

[Delta Vega]

The definitive Star Trek episodes I always watched when I came in from the pub, armed with a few more beers and a Chicken Curry, were always "Balance of Terror", "The Menagerie" and "Amok Time"
Maybe fling in a cheeky wee "All Our Yesterdays" or "Space Seed"

 

[Mojochi]

If you're doing it on Netflix, just turn it on at the beginning & let it ride, man

 

[Forbin]

I'd say Doomsday Machine, but we tried that on my niece and nephew in their teens, and they laughed at the phaser effects. And Windom's mugging.

 

[johnnybear]

That's sacrilege! The Doomsday Machine is one of the best episodes of the entire franchise let alone just TOS!!! But like my bunch, they have no taste where Trek is concerned!
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

I'd say Doomsday Machine, but we tried that on my niece and nephew in their teens, and they laughed at the phaser effects. And Windom's mugging.

Teenagers can be sort of goofy.

 

[Lance]

The definitive Star Trek episodes I always watched when I came in from the pub, armed with a few more beers and a Chicken Curry,

Sounds more like Red Dwarf