Conspiracy is an absolute blast, and it's the best episode from TNG's first season. It would have been good for a follow-up, as it was pretty ominous. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 4: “Clues” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 1: “In The Hands Of The Prophets” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 5: “A Simple Investigation” DS9, Season 6: “Inquisition" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound" PIC, Season 1: “Stardust City Rag” [spoiler tag your elimination reasons]
I'll next save "In The Hands Of The Prophets." I love the mystery and the pacing in this one -- it unfolds so patiently, it starts just as this series of peculiar events, and the sinister shadings are added so gradually. Truthfully it's one of my favorite episodes, the whole series could have been this and they never could have found the Dominion War and I still would have loved it -- the micro drama with Bajor was always riveting to me. It's a shame their plan to establish Neela/Anara as a new recurring before this did not pan out. The two throwaway lines she actually ends up with in "Duet" does not register with the viewer in the way they seemed to think it would. DS9 is also for me so deeply defined by how it grew organically, in total opposition to how Babylon 5 (also loved by me) is defined by having to funnel everything through a pre-existing plan. I have long been fascinated by just how open and candid the DS9 production staff are regarding their behind-the-scenes, and how often their insights are of the "we came up with everything the night before we shot it!" variety. But the narrative of this show holds together remarkably well for something that was thrown together on the fly for seven years. There are a handful of storytelling flaws you can link to a lack of planning, but I think the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks, in that DS9 never lost focus on making sure it was always interesting on an episodic level. Unlike so many other serialized show that make the mistake of allowing individual episodes to be undistinguished -- just another chunk of the ongoing narrative, no thought given to how to make this distinct episode rewarding as it's own segment. Sometimes I wonder if this is THE single X factor that makes DS9 so special to me, that their production staff seemed to regard making the show as tending a flourishing plant, rather than executing a pre-planned blueprint. And by following this kind of organic storytelling approach, DS9 gets to be a sci-fi show but also every other kind of show... horror, comedy, tragedy, Bond movie, sports pic, war, farce, romance, fantasy, religious treatise, etc TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 4: “Clues” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 5: “A Simple Investigation” DS9, Season 6: “Inquisition" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound" PIC, Season 1: “Stardust City Rag” [spoiler tag your elimination reasons]
TNG "Clues" deserves to be saved. Although it doesn't hold up well under intense scrutiny, it was a really good S4 episode. I like these departures TNG took from the standard character episodes, Q/Lwaxana/Klingon/holodeck episode-of-the-season, etc that became all too common in the mid-to-late TNG run. This one was one of my favorites of this type, and it still keeps me engaged when I revisit from time to time. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 5: “A Simple Investigation” DS9, Season 6: “Inquisition" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound" PIC, Season 1: “Stardust City Rag” [spoiler tag your elimination reasons]
"INQUISITION" is found not guilty of deserving to be on a 'Most Disliked' list. I really liked Section 31 on DS9, and William Sadler as Sloan was an excellent choice for casting. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 5: “A Simple Investigation" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound" PIC, Season 1: “Stardust City Rag” [spoiler tag your elimination reasons]
As much as I dislike certain elements of PIC I can't bare to see "Stardust City Rag" on that list any longer. Spoiler Because unlike episodes such as the Big Goodbye or Manhunt, that just threw the characters into 1940s San Francisco, that episode incorporated Noir elements into the SciFi setting in space. It gave us a very interesting/cool, Bladerunner-esque location in Freecloud and a badass alien crimelord in Bjayzl. Plus Seven was pretty badass as well. Seriously give me that over some holodeck story set in some fictional Noir drama ANY DAY. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 5: “A Simple Investigation" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
A Simple Investigation is always a joy to rewatch. The chemistry between Odo and Arissa is delightful, and I find the mystery surrounding her holds my interest every time. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 2: "Manhunt" TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Hmmm, now it's a list of many beloved guilty pleasures. I think "Manhunt" is the best one for me remaining -- it's a slight episode, but very successful on it's own terms. Everything it's trying to do, it nails. It only uses noir as a comic backdrop -- and maybe we're supposed to take it a thematic counterpoint, as Lwaxana is possibly imagined as a funny incarnation of the man-eating femme fatale? -- but I always have fun with it. And the fish people from this are yet another alien I wouldn't mind a return appearance from. Bring back the fish people! TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 2: “The Collaborator” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
"The Collaborator" has already been on this list too long. Kira was placed in a difficult position, and struggled, painfully but successfully, to maintain her integrity, only to learn (again) that in time of Occupation, ethics are not as black and white as she would have liked to believe. Bareil proved himself excruciatingly honorable, and Winn was marvelously hateable. The writers were pretty clever in making her Kai, over the more deserving Bareil -- they really opened up their Bajor-based storytelling possibilities. TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
When trying to get Kirk to do anything, all you need do is: TOS, Season 3: "Wink Of An Eye" The episode waffles around a few issues, but this one of if not the earliest use of disparate time zones running parallel in the same sci-fi episode. The discontinuity between both timeframes notwithstanding, it is still fun to watch nonetheless. And the episode must have been trolling somebody, since if a minor abrasion causes rapid aging (and looking so good as a gray and wrinkle-free corpse), I could tell you a few ways how equally deadly-in-that-accelerate-format microabrasions are formed, some of which which are sorta more than hinted at when - after the commercial break, go fig - Kirk pulls up his boot while Deela combs her hair and twice as many times as Marcia Brady cuz Deela's like more popular and stuff, and oddly enough not involving fingernails in any way shape or form... um, eww... dang that physics and biology and all that... What's left: TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" DS9, Season 7: “Field Of Fire” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Field of Fire had a weird use for a counsellor in its initial premise, and that's all in addition to Ezri being the most overused character in S7 of DS9. However, separating Joran's memories out into the open to think a little more like a murderer to help find the killer, makes sense to me, and it was a good watch. I also loved the end with the murderer turned out to be a Vulcan. TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” DS9, Season 4: "The Muse" VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Saving The Muse. Meg Foster was insanely sensual as Onaya and I thought she had great chemistry with Cirroc Lofton. Plus it was cool to see a TOS style energy being/monster. TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TAS, Season 1: “The Lorelei Signal” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
"The Lorelei Signal" is calling out...begging not to be the first TAS episode to go down to defeat. Despite not being the right gender to respond to its cry, I'll save it anyway. Admittedly, the tale of sirens enthralling men is as old as legend, and this iteration adds nothing new to said legend. But it does add something new to Star Trek, as Uhura finally takes her turn at command. She and Chapel are effective and capable, and even in miniskirts, the all-female security team gets the job done. When I first watched this, as a girl in my early teens, I was thrilled to see that. TOS, Season 3: “Turnabout Intruder” TNG, Season 3: “A Matter Of Perspective” TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
"A Matter of Perspecrive" is a guilty pleasure. And...it has the infamous "YOU'RE A DEAD MAN APGAR.......A DEAD MAN!!!" quote. And none of these other episodes can boast anything even remotely as epic as that. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” TNG, Season 6: “Suspicions” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Saving “Suspicions". Thought it was one of the nicer episodes with a focus on Beverly and showed her character's strength. The episode also kept a sense of intrigue till the end and tried to focus the attention on 'unlikable' side characters which was interesting to me. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” VOY, Season 4: “The Raven” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Saving The Raven because, well, someone should have saved it already. It's probably the first episode to make a meaningful case for focusing on Seven of Nine's story. Of course, her parents also made the case for people leaving their kids at home rather than flying them into danger. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” DS9, Season 2: “Second Sight” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
It seems that we have a lot of duds left. I'll save Second Sight, even though I mostly remember it for the guest character who had very large opinion of himself, which was amusing to see. I guess the mystery was fairly effective as well with Sisko's mystery woman. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Fair Trade” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Dealing in a "FAIR TRADE". A great episode for Neelix. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” VOY, Season 3: “Darkling” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Saving "Darkling" because what the hell, at least Bob Picardo was having some fun. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street" ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
Saving Carpenter Street. I feel that the story is pointless, but it is fun to watch our heroes in an episode of Hill Street Blues, romping around the city with some really corrupt dude. TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: "Man Of The People" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"
I guess I'm gonna save "Man of the People" because at least it's fun to see Troi acting all catty and mean? TOS, Season 3: "Turnabout Intruder" TNG, Season 6: “Aquiel” VOY, Season 1: “Ex Post Facto” VOY, Season 2: “Investigations” ENT, Season 3: “Rajiin” ENT, Season 4: "Bound"