So I have seen all the trek movies atleast once most more then three times except 1 and 5..well enough said about 5. I often hear the even number rule for trek movies those are the good ones. I went back and watched tsfs and man it was good, I am not sure if that rule holds water and what people have against Star Trek III? It is a decent film not as good as TWOK but it was good.
Even number movie rule
- Thread starter Hawkeye_90
- Start date
Nemesis pretty much put that rule to bed.
And though original fan opinion may be divided, so did Trek 11, aka Trek 2009.
I have issues with the Abrams approach, but his movies are far more solid and entertaining than TFF, INS, and NEM.
It's also worth pointing out that the actual films haven't used numbers since VI.
It's also worth pointing out that the actual films haven't used numbers since VI.
The odd/even thing is nothing but a coincidence. It was always nothing but a coincidence. And, yes, it's practically become an outdated meme now, with the failure of Number 10 ('Nemesis') and the success of Number 11 (the 2009 thing). But still, the so-called "curse" persists in pop culture. So what can you do. 
I never bought it. TMP and TWOk are my favorites, I like TSFS, hate TVH and TFF both and I like TUC. The only halfway decent TNG movie was FC. I really liked ST and liked STID almost as much. The odds/even thing holds as much credence as the portrayal of the thoughtful, intense, obsessive, hard-assed and humorous Jim Kirk of TOS as a shallow womanizer.
Well in the case of TOS films, TWOK, TVH and TUC are usually considered to be the better films of the six TOS movies, with TSFS considered to be th best of the odd numbered films, with TFF and TMP at the bottom. It doesn't mean that they are bad films just not as good as some of the others. At the end of the day we all have different tastes in movies and if you like a movie it doesn't matter if it's odd or even numbered.
I just dislike the way it sometimes gets pulled out by people as if it's some kind of lazy trump card that automatically explains everything.
I remember Frakes talking nervously about the 'curse' during production of Insurrection, and I just felt like "Oh come on now, let's not blame things on superstitious nonsense, if the movie's good then it'll be good and if it's bad it'll be bad, but the simple fact that it's the ninth movie has got nothing to do with it".
I remember Frakes talking nervously about the 'curse' during production of Insurrection, and I just felt like "Oh come on now, let's not blame things on superstitious nonsense, if the movie's good then it'll be good and if it's bad it'll be bad, but the simple fact that it's the ninth movie has got nothing to do with it".
Frakes may not have liked the script he was given for INSURRECTION, that's all. I don't think he bought into the odd-even "rule" anymore than I do. The movies I think are great have nothing to do with their numerical order, either. For example, I happen to think SEARCH for SPOCK is wonderful. I love the cinematography. I love how lean the story is. I love how cool it tries to be - and it succeeds, wildly. It changed the course of the franchise and yet ... people repeat absent opinion about it and just by into it, because of this sheepherder mentality so many seem to fall into.
Parts of it were good. The reason I didn't like it much is because I didn't like the actress who played Saavik. She was horrible.
if only Kirsty alley had come back as Savvik TSFS wouldve really felt like part II of TWOK. Then shed have done IV and VI which wouldve been such an awesome twist that wouldve totally made sense
but that aside i still consider TSFS 2nd best film of the 12films. Its like the Empire Strikes Back of the Genesis trilogy with abit of a lucas/spielberg feel at times, and really opened up the ST universe in an epic way (really felt like a big budget version of TOS). in no way is it one of the bad ones just to adhere to the nonsensical odd=bad rule
but that aside i still consider TSFS 2nd best film of the 12films. Its like the Empire Strikes Back of the Genesis trilogy with abit of a lucas/spielberg feel at times, and really opened up the ST universe in an epic way (really felt like a big budget version of TOS). in no way is it one of the bad ones just to adhere to the nonsensical odd=bad rule
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I, uh ... I see!
STAR TREK III is the last epic TOS based movie, in my opinion. VOYAGE HOME began this self-referential humour in STAR TREK that still goes on, to this day and I don't like it. I know I'm watching a movie, I don't need reminders, in the middle of it. But STAR TREK III was self-referential in a cool way ... in the right way: Tribbles in the bar, fake planet sets, TOS-styled phaser/tricorder props, etc.. and it's still got legs!
I'm not sure why, but to me TSFS seemed like a cheap made-for-TV movie, especially when compared to the other films. I suppose the fact that I first saw the film on TV could have something to do with that impression. 
I don't recall the "Curse of the odd-numbered films" being mooted until ST V came out. Sure, some people had been disappointed that TMP was not the Trek they were expecting after such a long wait, but ST III was quite appreciated in its day. Suddenly, to gripe about ST V, fans and reviewers were saying that the even-numbered films (II and IV) were the "popular"/"good" ones.
But yeah, then "Nemesis" tossed that ol' rule away.
Correct!
I used to think of Generations being a "bad" movie in comparison to first contact, continuing the pattern, but Insurrection and Nemesis were so terrible as well as back-to-back that I don't really think of Generations as being a bad trek movie anymore. Not sure how the reboot plays into it as I do my best to pretend those movies don't exist.
I don't tend to think of the TNG movies in terms of odd or even numbers, so haven't considered the "rule" for those movies. I found Generations indifferent at best, First Contact was reasonably good, with the exception of the characterization of Cochrane. I found Insurrection to be a snoozefest, and thankfully I don't remember very much about Nemesis, other than I didn't enjoy it.
I may be one of the few who have always believed the 'curse'. This is rationalizing a bit, but bear with me. This is how I see it.
TWOK is better than TMP
TVH is better than TSFS
TUC is better than TFF
FC is better than GEN
NEM is better than INS
YMMV
TWOK is better than TMP
TVH is better than TSFS
TUC is better than TFF
FC is better than GEN
NEM is better than INS
YMMV
1. The Motion Picture
2. The Wrath of Khan
3. The Search For Spock
4. The Voyage Home
5. The Final Frontier
6. The Undiscovered Country
7. Generations
8. First Contact
9. Insurrection
10. Galaxy Quest
11. Nemesis
12. '09
13. Into Darkness
The bold films are good and the non-bold films suck. It still works.
2. The Wrath of Khan
3. The Search For Spock
4. The Voyage Home
5. The Final Frontier
6. The Undiscovered Country
7. Generations
8. First Contact
9. Insurrection
10. Galaxy Quest
11. Nemesis
12. '09
13. Into Darkness
The bold films are good and the non-bold films suck. It still works.
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