The Most Disliked Episode of TOS, Season 2: 2021 Edition...

I love the opening mystery of The Omega Glory, despite the poor payoff, so it stays.

CATSPAW
I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

Wolf in the Fold is saved because it brings back "Vina's Dance."

CATSPAW
I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME, it's got a great looking effect for the space amoeba and combined with the Enterprise and shuttle, launch bay interior and shuttle mockup, and some great dialogue scenes, especially between Spock and McCoy.


CATSPAW
I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

No love for "Catspaw"? It is my legit favorite of this season. (Or at least in a 3-way tie with "Mirror Mirror" and "Journey To Babel") So fun. Love that giant cat!

It even offers authentic scares -- Chekov's wig is the most frightening thing I've seen in any Halloween episode of any show ever.

I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

Have to save “I, Mudd” for the wonderful Roger C. Carmel and his interaction with both Stella and Kirk.

THE DEADLY YEARS
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

Wow - I like all five episodes remaining. As an S2 fan, I guess that's not surprising. But I thought some others would be the final five.

I will gladly save Gamesters. As the S2 entry in the once-per-season You May Now Watch Your Captain Fight For Your Lives on Your Viewscreen Trilogy, it's very action-packed and fun. Both Galt and the Providers are excellent villains and most of the dialogue is outstanding. ("You have won, Captain Kirk . . . unfortunately." Awesome.) Angelique Pettyjohn is heartwarming and Shatner does a great job. Moreover, the brief McCoy and Scotty gang-up on Spock is quickly defused and handled properly.

I thoroughly enjoy this one every time I see it.

THE DEADLY YEARS

PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

Assignment: Earth. It's not really a ST episode but I would have watched it if the show got picked up.

THE DEADLY YEARS
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BREAD AND CIRCUSES

 

Bread and Circuses is goofy TOS fun. Not one of the worst of the season in any case.

THE DEADLY YEARS
PATTERNS OF FORCE

 

I was coming here to make sure "Gamesters" was saved -- just on the basis of how iconic it's imagery has become. I will never forget the time I was at this leather bar and some guys started talking about their "Triskelion harnesses"...

But instead I'll save "Patterns Of Force", which I don't love, but overall I get a kick out of how many times Trek has done space Nazi's, and this begins the tradition.

And "The Deadly Years" just upsets me -- I haaaaaaate disease & rapid aging stories! So that's our season 2 "winner."

 

Wow. Interesting 'winner' with "THE DEADLY YEARS". I am surprised, but that's part of the fun with this game.

I'll start the season 3 game tomorrow. Thanks for playing season 2!

 

Yeah, that's utterly and totally unexpected. What were previous "winners?"

 

For season 2...

2018: "CATSPAW"
2019: "THE APPLE"

Frankly, I love both for different reasons, but I seem to be the one around here to love episodes most people hate, like TNG's "Masks" and DS9's "MOVE ALONG HOME".

 

I never had a problem with Masks either.

 

Huh. I too like "Masks" but think "Move Along Home" is a stinker.

I think "The Deadly Years" is interesting because it features a few of the rare (only?) Trek actors actually born in the 19th Century.

I like "The Apple well enough I guess. Vaal is cool. Though I usually do skip "Catspaw."

--Alex

 

I enjoy "Move Along Home", but I cannot make it through "Masks." I can't bear those character voices.

But along with saving "Catspaw" this round, I also am super fond of "The Apple." One of Trek's great comedies. That resolution is bonkers, where the aliens are saying: we don't know how to do anything! How do we feed ourselves? How do we shelter ourselves? Where do babies come from? And Kirk just gives them a playful wink and a "Don't worry, now you can have fun figuring it out for yourselves!" and beams away!

Maybe Lower Decks can find the wreckage of the Vaalian society. Turns out they all starved to death within the week.

 

I refer you to double guest star Ian Wolfe (1896-1992).

Well, all that death in the first half; maybe the second half could be considered comedic. This is something that second-season Trek did two other times -- that is, Death followed by Comedy: "Wolf in the Fold" and "By Any Other Name."