Choose One

[Whizkid]

If you had to select ONE (and only One) episode from Star Trek 1966-2022, which would it be? Silly question, I know, but still. (There are hundreds!)

But I narrowed it down to these two: TNG: "The Measure of a Man." And DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight." TNG wins for me.

What about you?

 

[at Quark's]

Of those two, the DS9 one would win without question for me. Measure of a man is too ponderous, stilted, too artificially dramatic for my tastes. It feels more like a stage play than actually 'ongoing life' to me.

More in general I'd have to think about what I would consider the very best episode in all of trek, but In the pale moonlight might still come out on top.

 

[Qonundrum]

"Sons of Mogh" or "For the Uniform". It's a tough call as both are really good and have key scenes that do something of substance, and/or mean a ton for me. Maybe the latter story, even if it's a part of an arc. But one doesn't really need to have seen every previous story to get the gist of it either. DS9 was the most powerful Trek of the bunch...

Honorable mentions for "The Ultimate Computer" and "The Immunity Syndrome".

 

[somebuddyX]

If I was going to show someone what I think Star Trek is about it would probably be something like "Who Watches the Watchers."
The one I've watched most is probably "Latent Image" and I really love it's message about personal growth and coming to terms with decisions you've made.
Honourable mention for "A Private Little War" because it's so entertaining, so strange, I like it's message and it has that dope fight music.

 

[at Quark's]

I agree that it's hard to pick a single greatest episode. They can be great in so many different ways. Emotionally (the inner light, the visitor), or in action (BOBW, regeneration, to mention just a few examples), or embodying the essence of Trek (Darmok), amongst many other dimensions one could come up with.

For now, I think I'll still go with In the Pale Moonlight. But it's hard.

 

[DonIago]

"Trials and Tribbleations" - Why pick an episode from one series when you can have an episode from two?

 

[publiusr]

Doomsday Machine

 

[WarpTenLizard]

"Year of Hell," from "Voyager." Best part is, it actually would feel fitting to watch over and over!

 

[Supervisor 194]

If I could choose only one episode from all the series, hands down it would be "The Corbomite Maneuver", as it distills all of Trek down to its essence.

 

[C.E. Evans]

For me, it's easy. "Where No Man Has Gone Before." A test of friendship versus duty, a captain forced to make a personally painful choice, and a tale of absolute power gone mad. The seeds of what to come later are all there, IMO.

 

[Paul755]

Balance of Terror or Trials and Tribbleations.

 

[1001001]

I’ve been going back and forth all morning.

I love All Good Things…, but if I have to choose one, it would be Year of Hell.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Does it have to be an episode? Cos if movies count, 2009 is my pick.

 

[flandry84]

The drumhead.
Superb writing and acting and sadly a topic that will forever be relevant.

 

[Oddish]

Best of Both Worlds, though Year of Hell is a strong contender as well.

 

[Forbin]

Is There in Truth No Beauty?
Beautiful story, beautiful score, beautiful execution. Perfectly captures one of Trek's main themes, and one of the main tenets of the 1960s - that we all have value based on what's inside, not how we look. And encapsulated the ideal of diversity and equality (however cynically) in the IDIC concept introduced at the end.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

Darmok.
Probably the episode that best showcases what Star Trek is for me.

 

[Mojochi]

This really is a very subjective question given the vast pool of options & it's really a malleable choice dependent on many changing factors

But right now, the feeling I'm going with is TNG The Wounded. It is chock full of maybe the best combination of actors in any episode ever, delivering superbly. A genuine masterpiece of the franchise

 

[DS9forever]

"Duet" from DS9.

 

[Admiral Archer]

"The Trouble With Tribbles" TOS

Nothing screams STAR TREK quite like that entire episode.