The Most Disliked Episode of TOS, 2023 Edition - Season 2...

[Farscape One]

Welcome to our bi-yearly 'Most Disliked Episode' games! Now that the 'Least Disliked Episode' games hosted by BlueStuff (who inspired me to create these games, so thank you very much for paving the way) have concluded, we can begin the opposite side of that coin.

Here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD"
2018 - "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD"
2019 - "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD"
2021 - "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR"
2023 - "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD"


Season Two

AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE
CATSPAW
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
JOURNEY TO BABEL
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Farscape One]

Kicking this season off by saving my other absolute favorite of TOS... "THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE".

This episode was flawless, even by today's standards. Great plot, great action, great drama. William Windom played the damaged leader perfectly. His sacrifice was truly felt. Casting Windom was what really elevated this from a great episode to a phenomenal one.

Spock was fantastic, as usual. "Vulcans never bluff"... DO NOT play poker with this man.

Scotty, of course, gets another shout out with all his miracle working, especially when he got that phaser bank recharged before Kirk even knew about it.

One of the easiest saves I have ever done.

AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
CATSPAW
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
JOURNEY TO BABEL
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Sakonna]

I love "Catspaw" to death. It's so fun.

I'm a big fan of holiday episodes in TV overall, so one of the few times Trek leans hard into that makes it a classic for me.

AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
JOURNEY TO BABEL
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Qonundrum]

The plot is about as 1960s as it gets, but

THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME​

plays the threat completely seriously and rising far above its potential to be nitpicked*, and Kirk's dilemma is given weight based on the strengths of both McCoy and Spock.

* Yup, a big blob of space protoplasm that is traveling far slower than the speed of light might, based on its rate of reproduction as uttered by McCoy, grow up to become into a truly terrifying "terrible twos" in only several trizillion years. And "terrible twos" as to what sort of giant biological life form that lives in the unique properties of outer space...


Also, if they really wanted a musical:

What's left:
AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
JOURNEY TO BABEL
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Farscape One]

As Halloween is my favorite holiday, I am supremely happy someone else also loves "CATSPAW" enough to save it so early!

Another easy save for me... "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES".

Great comedy. The tribbles are beyond cute. So good an episode that DS9 used this as the story for their 30th anniversary special.


AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
JOURNEY TO BABEL
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Brennyren]

Not only is "Journey to Babel" rock-solidly entertaining, but it also introduced characters and relationships so engaging we're still seeing them in the franchise.

AMOK TIME
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Unnamed Caitian]

AMOK TIME of course. Sing with me: tan tan tan TAN TANtan tan tan TAN TANtan tan tan TAN TAN


WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Qonundrum]

Anyone who has been marginalized might try to overcompensate when proving capability.

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER​

It's one of my all-time favorites, but it also gets borderline hokey as the computer predictably goes nuts and tries to kill everyone en masse, but the other captain is a real dingbat as he can't fathom that M5 might be the cause of the communications being cut off, much less the other teensy issue that this is a frigging EXPERIMENTAL COMPUTER STILL IN TESTING PHASE THAT HE FIRSTHAND AND KNOWINGLY AUTHORIZED THE INSTALLATION OF and if this were 1999, I'd have that text flashing in bold italics as well. Again, he is Commander W. T. Nitwit. The "W" stands for "Witless".

But Dr Daystrom never absconded his conscience, as he instilled that as much as intelligence into his circuitry - all to prove a point. It's more than the sum of its parts, but I cannot help but to think it is mashing too many ideas into the same episode (just as much as Commander W.T. there decided to blame everyone else because his choice could neeeeever be wrong), especially as the ore freighter was deemed an enemy target for no reason, and yet - at the same time - DC Fontana makes the whole of the proceedings feel natural rather than forced.

What's left:
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
RETURN TO TOMORROW
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[ZapBrannigan]

"Return to Tomorrow" is a great favorite of mine. I like the story, Shatner's performance is off the charts fantastic, George Duning's music score is enchanting, and Dianna Muldaur is a dream.

What's left:
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Brennyren]

"A Piece of the Action" is one of Trek's better comedies. Argue the point and you just might end up with a pair of concrete galoshes....

(Full disclosure: I would have saved it just for the Fizzbin scene. Now that's humor!)

WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
MIRROR, MIRROR
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Poltargyst]

Saving Mirror Mirror. My second favorite episode of the series after Doomsday Machine. Kirk's badass vest showing off his mighty guns. Uhura's badass outfit showing off...um...yeah. Sulu's a badass, Spock's a baddass, and he has a beard! Such a fun episode.

What's left:
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Qonundrum]

It's dated, but not without some interesting - if not oversimplified - ideas.

THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION

The old Trek and 60s trope of freedom vs slavery is reminded. For TOS, it gets brutal with Uhura and Chekov being sexually assaulted and all (at the behest of the "Providers", which makes it all even more sinister), and they needed to redo the fight choreography as people are stepping on the wrong color tiles all the time...

It also introduces "Are you out of your Vulcan mind!!" as a nice double entendre, what with "Vulcan" being phonetically similar to "f***in' " and all...

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What's left:
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
FRIDAY'S CHILD
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Brennyren]

"Friday's Child," because Julie Newmar is every inch a barbarian queen. Also, just because Julie Newmar.

WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Oddish]

The Roman Empire was an age that I have long been interested in. So I'll save Bread and Circuses.

WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
THE DEADLY YEARS
OBSESSION
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "OBSESSION".

Shatner turned in an excellent performance here, and showed how human and relatable Kirk is with his guilt over the past and his obsession with the cloud creature.


WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS?
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Henoch]

I have to save Who Mourns for Adonais, it was the first Star Trek episode I ever saw (1968 rerun). Plus Michael Forest and Leslie Parrish were great guest stars (along with costume designer William Ware Theiss's pink gown).

What's left:
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
METAMORPHOSIS
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Tango]

Saving METAMORPHOSIS. Yes it is a bit soapy but it is a touchingly sweet story.

What's left:
THE CHANGELING
THE APPLE
I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "THE APPLE".

I like it when Kirk stops a computer from continually subjugating a society.

And somebody has to save all these redshirts. (Between this and my previous save, no less than TEN redshirts died. Damn, Captain Kirk... even Captain Sisko in the middle of a war lost fewer crewmembers than you did.)


THE CHANGELING
I, MUDD
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[CitadelZombies]

Seeing as most of my favourites are already saved, I'll save "I, Mudd".
Definitely a lot better than the previous Mudd episode, and rather quite amusing. Roger C. Carmel is great.

THE CHANGELING
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY
ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

 

[Seven of Five]

Assessment: Earth for me. I was always fascinated with this since I was young. Probably because of the cat! Also because it was a pilot for another show, the forest feels different to the otherr TOS episodes, a bit like TNG's First Contact.

THE CHANGELING
THE DEADLY YEARS
WOLF IN THE FOLD
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR
PATTERNS OF FORCE
BY ANY OTHER NAME
THE OMEGA GLORY