Which court room episode is your favorite and why? Do you prefer criminal trials, court martials, or lawsuits? What Trek issues would you like to see argued in the courtroom?
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Which court room episode is your favorite and why? Do you prefer criminal trials, court martials, or lawsuits? What Trek issues would you like to see argued in the courtroom?
Do a first pump. As in "yes! this is going to be a good episode! Lots of drama!"
"The Measure Of A Man", "The Drumhead", and "RULES OF ENGAGEMENT" spring immediately to mind.
Ad Astra per Aspera for me
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Ad Astra per Aspera (episode)
Commander Una faces court-martial along with possible imprisonment and dishonorable dismissal from Starfleet, and her defense is in the hands of a lawyer who's also a childhood friend with whom she had a terrible falling out. Una thinks back to an injury that occurred during her childhood, her...
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And "Court Martial ".
I’m partial to “A Matter of Perspective”, even if it’s a little corny. I’m just fascinated by the concept of the holodeck recreations of everyone’s testimony. The over-the-top version of Riker we get in one of them is superb, and I will never not laugh at “You’re a dead man, Apgar! A dead man!” 
The other one that immediately came to mind is …
Honorary mention also to “Devil’s Due”, which does not quite manage to escape feeling like an episode of the original series, but is still very enjoyable to watch.
The other one that immediately came to mind is …
… because yes, I think this one was really well done, and felt to me like there’s still some Trek writers left who want to craft stories that are about something. It helps that guest star Yetide Badaki was brilliant and that the episode looked like a million bucks, or rather 10 million, I guess.Ad Astra per Aspera for me
Ad Astra per Aspera (episode)
Commander Una faces court-martial along with possible imprisonment and dishonorable dismissal from Starfleet, and her defense is in the hands of a lawyer who's also a childhood friend with whom she had a terrible falling out. Una thinks back to an injury that occurred during her childhood, her...
Honorary mention also to “Devil’s Due”, which does not quite manage to escape feeling like an episode of the original series, but is still very enjoyable to watch.
When I was watching the season two Blu-ray (God, it has been a long time), I found it didn’t really age well.
"Court Martial", the courtroom episode where I cared about the character on trial and believed his situation. Excellent performances by all involved.
Hate to be a downer but "Court Martial" might be the only one I like! And mostly for the wonderfully batshit ending with Finney trying to kick Kirk in the balls while the Enterprise careens toward the populated area. "Devil's Due" is fantastic fun as well, if it counts.
"Measure" has both the prosecution and defence just put forward gibberish, both of which are treated as knockout blows because it's following the structure of a classic courtroom drama even if the content makes no sense - "he's not alive because he can bend a metal bar and has an off switch! DEVASTATING PROSECUTION, WE'RE ON THE ROPES! Wait, no, he is alive because he can simulate sadness over Yar and it'd be slavery if he was alive! MADDOX BTFO!"
"The Drumhead" always felt like some of the worst Picard Vanquishes the Strawman TNG stuff to me, I agree with krad's old review.
I liked the first half of "Ad Astra" a lot but felt a bit let down by how it just pivots to "super-lawyer solves everything", when the first half seemed to suggest the lawyer was more of an anti-hero prepared to use Una as a political football for a personal grudge, which I think is much more interesting.
"Measure" has both the prosecution and defence just put forward gibberish, both of which are treated as knockout blows because it's following the structure of a classic courtroom drama even if the content makes no sense - "he's not alive because he can bend a metal bar and has an off switch! DEVASTATING PROSECUTION, WE'RE ON THE ROPES! Wait, no, he is alive because he can simulate sadness over Yar and it'd be slavery if he was alive! MADDOX BTFO!"
"The Drumhead" always felt like some of the worst Picard Vanquishes the Strawman TNG stuff to me, I agree with krad's old review.
I liked the first half of "Ad Astra" a lot but felt a bit let down by how it just pivots to "super-lawyer solves everything", when the first half seemed to suggest the lawyer was more of an anti-hero prepared to use Una as a political football for a personal grudge, which I think is much more interesting.
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How about "THE MAGICKS OF MEGAS-TU"?
Kirk defending Lucifer has to make somebody's list.
Kirk defending Lucifer has to make somebody's list.
CAPTAIN, USE THE MAGIC YOU KNOW.
BELIEVE
BELIEVE
I once wrote a fanfic about the fact that though they blocked out heartbeats to find Finney, there are other noises to consider. https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/scotty-makes-his-presence-known-post-court-martial.281458/
I like "The Measure of a Man" and "Ad Astra per Aspera." Those were both well written and superbly performed.
I find "Court Martial" rather contrived these days (Kirk is accused of murdering his ex-friend and the prosecutor is his old girlfriend!), and I've always found "The Drumhead" really obvious and overrated.
"A Matter of Perspective" is good cheesy fun.
I find "Court Martial" rather contrived these days (Kirk is accused of murdering his ex-friend and the prosecutor is his old girlfriend!), and I've always found "The Drumhead" really obvious and overrated.
"A Matter of Perspective" is good cheesy fun.
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