All 755 live-action episodes ranked

[BoTWoT]

I also appreciate McCoy throughout.

I agree with that. He's a comic relief to an otherwise mess of an episode, with maybe the worst costumes in Trek history. Like I said in the video, the only reason I ranked it so highly to begin with was the Klingon/Federation cold war. It was actually ranked higher initially, and was one of those episodes where I had a very small buffer to bring it down, and then reranked it even lower now. Lore is cool, but isn't enough to make a hokey mess of an episode great...looking at you Savage Curtain...

 

[fireproof78]

It's a straight forward story. Hokey mess?

 

[eschaton]

It's a straight forward story. Hokey mess?

The OP doesn't like TOS much in general, which will color his responses.

 

[fireproof78]

The OP doesn't like TOS much in general, which will color his responses.

True enough.

 

[BoTWoT]

It's a straight forward story. Hokey mess?

They immediately kill the red shirt in the beginning for even reaching for his phaser, but Kirk multiple times in the episodes starts fights, and goes to get his weapons back, and they just keep taking him prisoner...when pretty much any other race would have just killed him. The big fight in the middle of the run that kills the village chief literally comes out of nowhere. Julie Newmar is ready to die at one point, and then wants to live shortly thereafter. You've got the cat and mouse between the Enterprise and the Klingon that's just a time waster. The Klingons block their path, but then don't do anything to stop them going back to the planet. You are correct though that McCoy is the one saving grace to this one. The Klingon cold war part is straight forward, but everything else, is absolutely a giant mess.

 

[fireproof78]

They immediately kill the red shirt in the beginning for even reaching for his phaser, but Kirk multiple times in the episodes starts fights, and goes to get his weapons back, and they just keep taking him prisoner...when pretty much any other race would have just killed him. The big fight in the middle of the run that kills the village chief literally comes out of nowhere. Julie Newmar is ready to die at one point, and then wants to live shortly thereafter. You've got the cat and mouse between the Enterprise and the Klingon that's just a time waster. The Klingons block their path, but then don't do anything to stop them going back to the planet. You are correct though that McCoy is the one saving grace to this one. The Klingon cold war part is straight forward, but everything else, is absolutely a giant mess.

100% disagree.

 

[BoTWoT]

The OP doesn't like TOS much in general, which will color his responses.

While you are correct that TOS is my least favorite of the live-action Treks, I'd like to point out that IMDB has this ranked as the 13th worst TOS episode, and I have it as the 19th worst...So, while I do have some amount of biased, I'm clearly not alone, and have given this particular episode more credit than the more than 2000 people that have put in a ranking vote of the majority of the episodes. Sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar.

 

[fireproof78]

While you are correct that TOS is my least favorite of the live-action Treks, I'd like to point out that IMDB has this ranked as the 13th worst TOS episode, and I have it as the 19th worst...So, while I do have some amount of biased, I'm clearly not alone, and have given this particular episode more credit than the more than 2000 people that have put in a ranking vote of the majority of the episodes. Sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar.

Perhaps, but that doesn't change my own opinion. Especially given that the story is based around a sense of honor. The Capellans have their own, and killing Kirk would not have gone well with the efforts to of the Capellans as they see killing the leader as tantamount to a war declaration. That's literally what happens in the episode. So, I will dispute hokey mess all day long when the story is very simple, with Kirk and Spock presenting one side, Maab falling for Klingon duplicity nd realizing it only at the end, and sacrifices his life to now keep the peace with the Federation. It expands upon lore, gives us insight in to characters, and an interesting culture in the Capellans as a contrast to the Klingons own warrior ways.

It might not be top tier Trek, but treating it as the "worst?" Confusing, at best. Surface level analysis if I am feeling generous.

 

[BoTWoT]

...and killing Kirk would not have gone well with the efforts to of the Capellans as they see killing the leader as tantamount to a war declaration.

But at one point they already sentenced him to death, but won't kill him when he out and out resists? It's dubious, at best.

If you like it, don't change your opinion. You are perfectly entitled to it, but I find a lot wrong with this one.

 

[fireproof78]

But at one point they already sentenced him to death, but won't kill him when he out and out resists? It's dubious, at best.

If you like it, don't change your opinion. You are perfectly entitled to it, but I find a lot wrong with this one.

Dude, my opinion hasn't change in forever. I still consider TUC the best Trek film, R5-D4 a better character than R2-D2, and Wedge Antilles a better pilot than Luke Skywalker. Captain Pike is my all time favorite captain, and Robau is second. Captain Kirk doesn't hit until number 3. My opinions are rarely changed. This episode is no exception.

As for what you find wrong, again that's fine. I don't expect to change your opinion either. But, the descriptor of "hokey" strikes me as completely inappropriate here, even if you find things wrong with it.

 

[BoTWoT]

and Wedge Antilles a better pilot than Luke Skywalker.

Porkins, FOR LIFE!!

Captain Pike is my all time favorite captain,

Anson Mount certainly has brought new life to the character. With such little material, I can't say that yet, I'm leaning that way also.

 

[fireproof78]

Anson Mount certainly has brought new life to the character. With such little material, I can't say that yet, I'm leaning that way also.

Pike was my favorite before Mount or Greenwood.

 

[BoTWoT]

Pike was my favorite before Mount or Greenwood.

You'll find The Menagerie pretty far up on this list. Gotta say, not a fan of Pike in The Cage, but when you repackage it the right way, the story is much better and most interesting.

 

[fireproof78]

You'll find The Menagerie pretty far up on this list. Gotta say, not a fan of Pike in The Cage, but when you repackage it the right way, the story is much better and most interesting.

Well, self-reflection and morose hit very close to home with me and Pike. I always appreciated his personality. So, the Cage ranks as top Trek for me.

 

[BoTWoT]

So you guys can pick this apart easier, and be able to easily say, "This belongs higher or lower than this other one", here's the link to the Google Docs spreadsheet with the reranked 150 episodes released. (List starts at 598, make sure you scroll, it's not blank)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16d3-FLOv4KglybRXW3Rwg4V3lT5451Oj4BhafOKrj84/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Uhura's Song]

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This has been more than a year of research and a labor of love. Even if you don't agree with all the rankings, it ends with a roll thanking Majel Roddenberry for every scene she's in, and a comedy roll clipping Trek with other tv and movies.

TATV (Ent) and Spock's Brain (TOS) have to be bottom. Just have to.

Still an incredible labor of love.

 

[dupersuper]

TATV (Ent) and Spock's Brain (TOS) have to be bottom. Just have to.

Still an incredible labor of love.

Below Dear Doctor, Author Author, Threshold, And the Children Shall Lead, Homeward...?

 

[BoTWoT]

TATV (Ent) and Spock's Brain (TOS) have to be bottom. Just have to.

Still an incredible labor of love.

When I started the list, I started with the premise that These Are The Voyages was the worst episode. Compared to a few others, I jus t don't agree. It does have redeeming qualities. If you take Trip's death out of the equation, it's not terrible, just not a good final episode. And if you go beta cannon, Trip's not dead and this was just a cover to join Section 31.

Spock's Brain...totally debateable...Kinda "so bad it's good", but I'll never believe anything is worse than Shades of Grey.

Below Dear Doctor, Author Author, Threshold, And the Children Shall Lead, Homeward...?

I get the sense you hate the prime directive? With the exception of ATCSL, these are all mediocre in my book. Author Author is one I really can't understand why people hate? It's just a worse retread of Mesaure of a Man, but not bottom of the list bad. And Homeward, while not great, really isn't that bad, IMO.

 

[Farscape One]

Like "VIRTUOSO", a fair chunk of "AUTHOR, AUTHOR" makes The Doctor look like a selfish prick. It's not until Tom edits his novel that he begins to see how just a few tweaks to his novel would have gone a long way toward not offending his fellow crew, who have made it possible fir him to even get to a point where he can go write a holonovel.

I love The Doctor, but those two episodes hurt his character.

 

[BoTWoT]

Like "VIRTUOSO", a fair chunk of "AUTHOR, AUTHOR" makes The Doctor look like a selfish prick. It's not until Tom edits his novel that he begins to see how just a few tweaks to his novel would have gone a long way toward not offending his fellow crew, who have made it possible fir him to even get to a point where he can go write a holonovel.

I love The Doctor, but those two episodes hurt his character.

The Doctor has always been kind of a selfish prick. That's his schtick. Paris' edits are some of the legit funniest moments in Trek. I don't think it's a good episode, but not bottom of the barrel for me. Virtuoso...now that's an episode that has no real place of purpose, and is more unbelievable. At least Author Author becomes about rights at the end...VIrtuoso is about...um...opera.