Worst tos episode

[WarpTenLizard]

Plato's Stepchildren. Painful to watch skilled actors demean their talent.

Sir Rhosis

This is my vote. It's only contender is "Turnabout Inteuder," and only for the sexism, and even that one has use as an unintentional comedy. But "Plato's Stepchildren" is just agony. It's depressing that the groundbreaking interracial kiss happened in that episode.

 

[suarezguy]

Parts were definitely overdone but I thought it was definitely both believable and disturbing, thought-provoking that the Platosians genuinely believed that the rule of the stronger minds was justice.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

...or a female Romulan commander who falls for Spock's charms five minutes after meeting him, now THAT'S offensive.

I have a theory about that. The Romulan Commander did not fall for Spock. I first posted it here, and I'll restate it now:

The way I make this episode work is to say that the female Commander and Sub-Commander Tal were both in on the plot to steal the cloaking device. They're like the American spies who gave the A-bomb to the Soviet Union. This whole plan was their idea, and they communicated with Starfleet so carefully that Kirk and Spock don't even know who the friendly Romulans are. They just know their mission is likely to succeed because somebody on the inside has it wired.

Thus the Commander and Tal do a lot of play-acting, including being upset when the device is missing, and the Commander shouting "Destroy this vessel!" when the Enterprise is about to escape. She knows Tal won't really do that. He'll make a show of trying, though.

And she grabbed Spock to escape with him because otherwise she will be put to death soon, whether or not the Romulan High Command figures out she's a traitor. Her feigned incompetence alone, that allowed Kirk to succeed, was great enough to get her executed.

So while Spock thinks he's "playing her" with a romance scam, she's just playing along very helpfully because she can't risk telling anyone that she is committing treason. It could be overheard, the way Commander Kor's office is nanny cammed in "Errand of Mercy." She knew what Spock's game was, helped him play it, and let him think he was masterfully manipulating her. When the time is right, she will defect to the Federation rather than be traded back to the Romulan Empire in a prisoner exchange.

Did the writers know this? Of course not. They were making '60s television. But I think this "no-conflict retcon" holds together pretty well, and it cures the otherwise futile and suicidal nature of Kirk's mission.

 

[Poltargyst]

I have a theory about that. The Romulan Commander did not fall for Spock. I first posted it here, and I'll restate it now:

The way I make this episode work is to say that the female Commander and Sub-Commander Tal were both in on the plot to steal the cloaking device. They're like the American spies who gave the A-bomb to the Soviet Union. This whole plan was their idea, and they communicated with Starfleet so carefully that Kirk and Spock don't even know who the friendly Romulans are. They just know their mission is likely to succeed because somebody on the inside has it wired.

Thus the Commander and Tal do a lot of play-acting, including being upset when the device is missing, and the Commander shouting "Destroy this vessel!" when the Enterprise is about to escape. She knows Tal won't really do that. He'll make a show of trying, though.

And she grabbed Spock to escape with him because otherwise she will be put to death soon, whether or not the Romulan High Command figures out she's a traitor. Her feigned incompetence alone, that allowed Kirk to succeed, was great enough to get her executed.

So while Spock thinks he's "playing her" with a romance scam, she's just playing along very helpfully because she can't risk telling anyone that she is committing treason. It could be overheard, the way Commander Kor's office is nanny cammed in "Errand of Mercy." She knew what Spock's game was, helped him play it, and let him think he was masterfully manipulating her. When the time is right, she will defect to the Federation rather than be traded back to the Romulan Empire in a prisoner exchange.

Did the writers know this? Of course not. They were making '60s television. But I think this "no-conflict retcon" holds together pretty well, and it cures the otherwise futile and suicidal nature of Kirk's mission.

I've had it in my head canon that the Federation had spies among the Romulans to make the stealing of the cloaking device so easy for Kirk and Spock though I never considered that the very Commander and Sub-Commander were among them, but that makes it even better I think.

 

[Poltargyst]

This is my vote. It's only contender is "Turnabout Inteuder," and only for the sexism, and even that one has use as an unintentional comedy. But "Plato's Stepchildren" is just agony. It's depressing that the groundbreaking interracial kiss happened in that episode.

Every once in a while someone brings up Plato's Stepchildren as a candidate for worst episode of the series, and I am always here to defend it. It is IMPOSSIBLE for PS to be the worst episode of TOS. The reason is because Michael Dunn gives a damn fine performance of a damn good character in Alexander. He gets a very poignant character arc, and that is just quality. I also like Nimoy's performance of Spock trying to contain his rage after the humiliation scenes. If these were the only quality things about PS, that's still a lot more quality than we get from Mudd's Women or And The Children Shall Lead. People don't like the humilitation scenes of PS. The presence of the humiliation scenes themselves don't make PS the worst episode of TOS.

Also I think this whole "first interracial kiss" thing is completely bogus. They don't even really kiss. Not like Spock and Christine do.

 

[Khan Jr]

I've had it in my head canon that the Federation had spies among the Romulans to make the stealing of the cloaking device so easy for Kirk and Spock though I never considered that the very Commander and Sub-Commander were among them, but that makes it even better I think.

There was a century of isolation, though, so severe that the Federation didn't even know what Romulans looked like. And just on a narrative level, it feels good for the heroes to overcome challenges. For the antagonists to actually have thrown the fight, unacknowledged, for no discernible reason... that's deeply unsatisfying.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

There was a century of isolation, though, so severe that the Federation didn't even know what Romulans looked like. And just on a narrative level, it feels good for the heroes to overcome challenges.

The century of isolation would not prevent well-positioned Romulan traitors from getting messages to Starfleet. They would gain Starfleet's trust with good-faith information that proves out and has strategic value. Then they could propose the opportunity for a cloaking device to be stolen and gotten away with.

For the antagonists to actually have thrown the fight, unacknowledged, for no discernible reason... that's deeply unsatisfying.

The reason is: unless they had it "wired" as an inside job, Starfleet would be handing the U.S.S. Enterprise to the Romulan Empire in a preposterous suicide mission. Think about it: unless all the right dominoes were pre-positioned to fall for him, what was Kirk's plan when he drove the Enterprise into Romulan space? What did he think was going to happen?

 

[Airin]

Diane Duane's "The Romulan Way" presented a similar situation, where Starfleet had been placing sleeper agents in the Romulan Empire for a long time.

Though in that case, there's still the question of why didn't the Commander tell the truth once everything's been said and done. Or why didn't Spock meet with her again, once discovered she's not the enemy.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Every once in a while someone brings up Plato's Stepchildren as a candidate for worst episode of the series, and I am always here to defend it. It is IMPOSSIBLE for PS to be the worst episode of TOS. The reason is because Michael Dunn gives a damn fine performance of a damn good character in Alexander. He gets a very poignant character arc, and that is just quality. I also like Nimoy's performance of Spock trying to contain his rage after the humiliation scenes. If these were the only quality things about PS, that's still a lot more quality than we get from Mudd's Women or And The Children Shall Lead. People don't like the humilitation scenes of PS. The presence of the humiliation scenes themselves don't make PS the worst episode of TOS.

Also I think this whole "first interracial kiss" thing is completely bogus. They don't even really kiss. Not like Spock and Christine do.

Cool, and I'm here to deride it.

It's the worst, which is impressive given the bad company of "And the Children Shall Lead", "The Lights of Zetar", and "Turnabout Intruder", and arguably also "The Alternative Factor" and "Spock's Brain".

Dunn is fantastic, and I think Babcock is the bee's knees. But all the brilliant acting in the world can't save this stinker or make it something I'd want to watch again, nor can the kiss (or "the kiss"). The message of "Stepchildren" is obvious, and besides its sadism it commits the worst sin, which is that it's not even fun. Now, neither "Children" nor "Zetar" have much going in the fun department either, and on this point I'll include "The Empath" (which just misses the arguably cut above by only a hair), but these three strike at least a slightly better balance with their redeeming qualities. It's more than possible for "Stepchildren" to be the worst TOS episode.

 

[T'Bonz]

And the Children Shall Lead and Plato's Stepchildren are just unwatchable for me.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Dunn is fantastic, and I think Babcock is the bee's knees. But all the brilliant acting in the world can't save this stinker or make it something I'd want to watch again, nor can the kiss (or "the kiss"). The message of "Stepchildren" is obvious, and besides its sadism it commits the worst sin, which is that it's not even fun. Now, neither "Children" nor "Zetar" have much going in the fun department either, and on this point I'll include "The Empath" (which just misses the arguably cut above by only a hair), but these three strike at least a slightly better balance with their redeeming qualities. It's more than possible for "Stepchildren" to be the worst TOS episode.

A stinker with a fantastic performance, like The Rock's in BE COOL, might fly. But how could a sadistic episode be fun? It's like putting a laugh track on SCHINDLER'S LIST. Or thumb-downing other TREK episodes solely due to the actions of its villains.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

But how could a sadistic episode be fun?

I don't know, and I'm not even going to try to figure that out.

Yes, that sentence of mine could stand some improvement. I called "time" when I posted, though I knew it had issues, I let it go out into the Inter-ether, and here I am still coping with it.

But my point was, the episode is not fun. Or, it's not even fun, as in contrast might (hypothetically) be the case if it was fun as a redeeming feature, or had some parts of it that were fun. "Spock's Brain" is an example of one of the "bad ones" that's actually fun (and funny) here and there, and that's some of what keeps it from the very bottom of the heap. "The Alternative Factor" is also fun, here and there.

In all such things, YMMV.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Yes, that sentence of mine could stand some improvement. I called "time" when I posted, though I knew it had issues, I let it go out into the Inter-ether, and here I am still coping with it.

I've seen much worse............episodes in the third season.

 

[Poltargyst]

There was a century of isolation, though, so severe that the Federation didn't even know what Romulans looked like. And just on a narrative level, it feels good for the heroes to overcome challenges. For the antagonists to actually have thrown the fight, unacknowledged, for no discernible reason... that's deeply unsatisfying.

The problem is the in the episode it IS too easy for them to get the cloaking device and get away. Rather than just say the episode stinks due to bad writing, it's fun to try to redeem it by providing a reason.

 

[Poltargyst]

Dunn is fantastic

How can an episode with someone being fantastic in it be the worst episode? Who or what is "fantastic" in Empath or Children or Zetar? And if nothing is fantastic in them, how can they be better episodes? Does PS have to be "fun" in order for it not to be the worst episode in all of TOS?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

How can an episode with someone being fantastic in it be the worst episode?

Having something fantastic packaged with something dreadful need not on balance result in a net effect that's better than bad.

Who or what is "fantastic" in Empath or Children or Zetar?

Nothing needs to be; see above.

However, with respect to "The Empath," Kathryn Hays's performance does tend to get quite a bit of praise and deservedly so. The scenes on the surface of the planet were at least executed with interesting camera work that was relatively unusual for the show. Sometimes, the minimalistic sets in the underground part will get praised as a well-executed example of minimalistic sets. I can respect that argument, though I don't always appreciate that type of minimalism on a show like Star Trek.

Since it needs to be repeated—and often, apparently—the question of ranking episodes overall, and not, say, ranking guest performers, concerns the combination of elements, not the presence of elements that in isolation would be great. How elements combine is ultimately a question of personal taste. Didn't I already say, "YMMV"? Wasn't that good enough?

And if nothing is fantastic in them, how can they be better episodes?

See above.

Does PS have to be "fun" in order for it not to be the worst episode in all of TOS?

Where did I say it did? Nowhere, that's where.

Being fun is generally synonymous with being entertaining. We're discussing entertainment. Being fun is often, though not always, a trait possessed by the most entertaining entertainment, or, in other words, the best entertainment.

And, more to the point, what I did illustrate examples of, being fun can partially redeem otherwise bad episodes. When you have an episode like "Stepchildren," that despite the presence of good elements gets overwhelmed by bad ones, it's going to need all the help it can get. When it can't even do the basic thing right, be entertaining, well, with everything else that's overwhelmingly bad, that's when it's in serious trouble.

And finally, to reiterate again, ranking episodes is about the net effect of elements in combination. I'm pretty sure I'd rank "The Paradise Syndrome" as a better episode overall than "Spock's Brain," even though "Brain" is more fun to watch. But the very best episodes, like "The Doomsday Machine," have a lot happening on multiple fronts, fun, excitement, drama, tension, interesting VFX (I mean the ones made in the 1960s), intriguing concepts, great actors, great music, etc., etc., etc.

 

[BillJ]

Either “Plato’s Stepchildren” or “And the Children Shall Lead”.

 

[Phaser Two]

I have a theory about that. The Romulan Commander did not fall for Spock. I first posted it here, and I'll restate it now:

The way I make this episode work is to say that the female Commander and Sub-Commander Tal were both in on the plot to steal the cloaking device. They're like the American spies who gave the A-bomb to the Soviet Union. This whole plan was their idea, and they communicated with Starfleet so carefully that Kirk and Spock don't even know who the friendly Romulans are. They just know their mission is likely to succeed because somebody on the inside has it wired.

Thus the Commander and Tal do a lot of play-acting, including being upset when the device is missing, and the Commander shouting "Destroy this vessel!" when the Enterprise is about to escape. She knows Tal won't really do that. He'll make a show of trying, though.

And she grabbed Spock to escape with him because otherwise she will be put to death soon, whether or not the Romulan High Command figures out she's a traitor. Her feigned incompetence alone, that allowed Kirk to succeed, was great enough to get her executed.

So while Spock thinks he's "playing her" with a romance scam, she's just playing along very helpfully because she can't risk telling anyone that she is committing treason. It could be overheard, the way Commander Kor's office is nanny cammed in "Errand of Mercy." She knew what Spock's game was, helped him play it, and let him think he was masterfully manipulating her. When the time is right, she will defect to the Federation rather than be traded back to the Romulan Empire in a prisoner exchange.

Did the writers know this? Of course not. They were making '60s television. But I think this "no-conflict retcon" holds together pretty well, and it cures the otherwise futile and suicidal nature of Kirk's mission.

This is very good. I don’t think Tal needed to be in on it for your idea to work, but if the Commander was, and Kirk and Spock weren't sure but suspected, that would greatly (but not entirely) redeem an episode with which I've had problems for years upon years. It would also explain Kirk's bizarre decision to put the Commander in those miles-away guest quarters on Deck Two, where, if unguarded by about three or four well-trained and armed security officers, she should have been able to break out somewhat easily and pose a threat to the crew as great as Khan or Spock himself.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if Ms. Fontana did have some of your ideas in mind, even if they never made it into one of her drafts. I wonder if the graphic novel sequel she wrote addresses any of this; I never read it and know almost nothing of its contents. Perhaps someone here read it.

 

[Airin]

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if Ms. Fontana did have some of your ideas in mind, even if they never made it into one of her drafts. I wonder if the graphic novel sequel she wrote addresses any of this; I never read it and know almost nothing of its contents. Perhaps someone here read it.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Fontana had anything of this in her mind. Her original Commander was male, and it was Sarek who distracted him, and obviously there was no romance. When the Commander was turned into a woman and the romance included, Fontana complained that this made the Commander look like an idiot for letting Spock seduce her.

The comic you're referring to is "The Enterprise Experiment", right? I read it a long time ago, but I don't remember the Commander working for Starfleet or anything like that. She cooperated for the greater good, but she was still very much loyal to the Romulans.

 

[Phaser Two]

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Fontana had anything of this in her mind. Her original Commander was male, and it was Sarek who distracted him, and obviously there was no romance. When the Commander was turned into a woman and the romance included, Fontana complained that this made the Commander look like an idiot for letting Spock seduce her.

The comic you're referring to is "The Enterprise Experiment", right? I read it a long time ago, but I don't remember the Commander working for Starfleet or anything like that. She cooperated for the greater good, but she was still very much loyal to the Romulans.

Well, I more meant about the double agentry and espionage than the lame romance, which was beneath Fontana and the show. Yeah, that's the graphic novel. Now I want to get a hold of it.