A Challenge To All

[lurok]

show her the pilots. that's the simplest thing, since it's the four episodes made to sell the shows to viewers.

Seconded.

Personally I think most of the pilots are awful apart from Caretaker and The Cage. Broken Bow put me off ENT completely until saw later episodes and gave it a second try, and I started with season 3 of DS9 on friends' recommendation, so when I finally saw The Emissary found it confusing as hell. Which I think still would have even if seen first...

 

[RAMA]

I have been a hardcore Trekker for my whole life, and my fiance has never sat and watched a single episode! I want to get her into Trek (at least a little) and my challenge is thus:

Through fair debate, I want to boil down each series to one "essential episode". (Even DS9, as much as i dislike it) I know its hard to select just ONE, but it would be easier to get her to watch one at a time. Feel absolutely free to suggest episodes not on my list, as long as you explain why you think it captures the spirit of the series.
So, my preliminary list is as follows:

TOS:
"The City On The Edge Of Forever"
"The Menagerie"(Parts One and Two)
"Balance Of Terror"
"Space Seed"
"The Paradise Syndrome"

TNG:
"The Measure Of A Man"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Who Watches The Watchers"
"The Inner Light"
"The Best Of Both Worlds" (Parts One and Two)

DS9:
I am not familiar enough with the series to say, so have at it.

VOY:
"Emanations"
"Flashback"
"Fair Trade"
"Real Life"
"Equinox" (Parts One and Two)

ENT:
"Shuttlepod One"
"Minefield"
"The Expanse"
"Damage"
"Demons/Terra Prime"

As you can see, I've included a two parter from each that I feel (NOTE: my personal opinion, and if you personally disagree, please do so courteously.) best expresses each series. Thank you! And away we go...

The Chase is essential from STNG, though it may as well be an intro to Trek as a whole. Its a fun ride and concludes with huge revelations and nice Trekism from the Romulan captain. Darmok is also great, and is an episode women tend to enjoy.

I would NOT include Managerie as it might confuse her. Naked Time may be better.

Minefield may also be confusing out of context. Why not Broken Bow? Perhaps Similitude.

RAMA

 

[Mjolnir]

I've got another one. Try showing her TATV before you show her anything else. With all the hate that episode gets, I've been curious to know what a first time viewer would make of it.

Good idea but itd mean nothing to her when Trip bites the...cant say dust. Bites the explosion?

show her the pilots. that's the simplest thing, since it's the four episodes made to sell the shows to viewers.

Seconded.

See thatd make sense but also as said above some of the pilots were horrendous...


PS RIP Elizabeth Sladen! I found out when i saw "The Impossible Astronaut" and was absolutely shocked.

After another week or so im gna take everyones top opinions and make a poll for each series.

 

[TigerOfDarkness]

Unless your wife is an SF fan, I wouldn't recommend the harder SF episodes.

How about TOS Conscience of the King? It shows the Enterprise crew as a community, features Riley (a fun character) and also has an interesting moral problem (and Shakespeare).

I also rather like ENT: Strange New World - also shows the crew as a group of friends/colleges working in space and introduces the characters well.

 

[RandyS]

I've got another one. Try showing her TATV before you show her anything else. With all the hate that episode gets, I've been curious to know what a first time viewer would make of it.

Good idea but it'd mean nothing to her when Trip bites the...cant say dust. Bites the explosion?

That's okay. It didn't mean anything to me (beyond the idiocy of the writing) and I knew who Trip was.