The Most Disliked Episode of TOS, Season 1: 2021 Edition...

"THE MENAGERIE PART I" gets saved next. This and the second part truly shows just how loyal a person Spock is. Completely cemented him as the best right hand you can have.

(This episode works even better after watching DISCOVERY season 2, because it fully justifies why he is so loyal.)


THE MAN TRAP
CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
COURT MARTIAL
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
SPACE SEED
A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR
OPERATION -- ANNIHILATE!

 

I'm going to save THE MAN TRAP.

Why? For starters it was the first episode of TOS I ever saw, way back in the 1990s when the BBC started repeating it. Second, It's a nice character piece for McCoy who is too often sidelined in favour of Kirk/Spock. Third, the interplay between Shatner and Kelley is great and convinces me of their friendship. Fourth, great creature design. Fifth and finally, Nancy Crater is hot!

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
COURT MARTIAL
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
SPACE SEED
A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR
OPERATION -- ANNIHILATE!

 

Saving A Taste of Armageddon. Has a great message about war that seemed very relevant to the long war in Afghanistan, which after a while only seem to be noticed by those that lost a son or daughter there.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
COURT MARTIAL
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
SPACE SEED

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR
OPERATION -- ANNIHILATE!

 

I order all specifications and charges against Space Seed dropped. This is one of the most flawed episodes of Star Trek in terms of plot holes and Kirk's outrageously poor decisionmaking, which should have had him dropped from starship command immediately. However, the superb acting by Montalban, Shatner, and Nimoy, the fantastic dialogue, the great action, and the epic nature of the Khan character all make this a wonderful episode. Bonus points for Scotty throwing a wicked punch and (naturally) showing immunity to neural gas. And now, meet me at the rest of the list. I'm blowing it clear first.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
COURT MARTIAL
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR
OPERATION -- ANNIHILATE!

 

I'll save "Operation -- Annihilate! It has good Kirk/Spock/McCoy scenes and builds up Kirk's backstory a bit. Besides, who doesn't love parasitic boogers?

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
COURT MARTIAL
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

I'll save Court Martial. Sure, it's a bit goofy as a trial drama but the court room could have been filled with nothing but white men...

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY

THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

I shall next effect a rescue of THE CONSCIENCE OF THE KING. What more could one ask for? A mass murderer in hiding who still thinks he did the only thing he could, a nice bit of traumatic background for Kirk, Lt. Kevin Riley and his trauma, the beautiful-but-insane Lenore, and a plot that actually borrows from the play it's quoting. On a personal level, I think this ep may have ignited my love of Shakespeare.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

This happened to me as well! This ep and the two episode titles quoting Macbeth led my little six-year-old self to ask for a Shakespeare collection. Macbeth remains one of my favorite works of literature. Hamlet ain't bad either.

 

This Side Of Paradise is a wonderful episode with a memorable ending.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

"The Return of the Archons". Always liked this one, beginnings of the Prime Directive and Kirk talking a computer god to death. Good fun.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?
MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

Still a lot of great episodes here. I'd like to pull half of these! But I'll limit myself arbitrarily to one, "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" I like the tunnels, and all the great voices. Ruk and Roger Korby both were played by actors with amazing voices. And Sherry Jackson as Andrea is a feast for the eyes.

CHARLIE X
THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN

MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

Saving "CHARLIE X". A lot to like about this one. I actually found Charlie really annoying... until the end. He really didn't deserve his fate because he was never around anybody to learn the right way. Or a way at all, really. Plus, a very effective horror moment... the woman who lost her entire face. The simplest horror is often the most effective, and to this day I still find it disturbing. And Robert Walker, Jr. played Charlie very effectively.



THE ENEMY WITHIN
MUDD'S WOMEN
MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

The Enemy Within has a great music score. I teared up when I saw the tapes for it.

MUDD'S WOMEN
MIRI
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

Dammit! @Indysolo ninja'd me! Personally, I love The Enemy Within for showing how we need both our "good" and "evil" parts. Now I need to think...

 

Tomorrow is Yesterday is my next save. The scene with the Air Force colonel is reason enough.

MUDD'S WOMEN
MIRI

THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

OK. As much as I love Harry Mudd, the episode is too sexist to save. Which leaves me with a tough choice because I love the others too! I think The Alternative Factor influenced DC's original Crisis on Infinite Earths, BUT I'm saving Miri because Kim Darby was awesome and it was the first time I ever saw a story like that. Rand had some nice bits too (not just her legs).

MUDD'S WOMEN
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

I'm saving "Mudd's Women" because I love it anyway. It's certainly not up to modern sensibility, but it's not that sexist. Nor is it, in my opinion, Trek's worst offender in that regard. Not by a mile.

Leaving us our biggest first season turd:

THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

 

This is the correct result.

 

Missed the game - but that’s the correct result, no question!

 

Yes, I totally agree this one is the worst of the season.

I will post the second season shortly.