Beloved episodes you can't get into

[M'Sharak]

So if an episode is beloved by a few it becomes "a beloved episode" and the thread becomes meaningless.

On the other hand, we're supposed to accept without question that...

They're both garbage.

... is an assessment universally held. Okay.

Clearly the OP meant highly rated episodes.

I guess we can all go home now. The secret of this thread's topic is a secret no more.

 

[Maurice]

I think I read somewhere that D.C. Fontana's original story outline had Spock asking the Romulan Commander why they are dealing with the Klingons, who are known to be without honor.

You read correctly, but I forget if it was in an outline or a script. Maybe on Orion Press? I know I've mentioned that quote before.

 

[cooleddie74]

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" is a decent episode by the standard of any Trek series. But it's always ranked near the bottom of my Season 1 preferences outside the hulking, booming performance of Ted Cassidy as Ruk the android and I don't know why other than it just sort of has its allegory about the validity of real versus a fantasy imitation and lost loves being reunited and the script executes them effectively, but Dr. Roger Korby's character just never grips me as more than just needed backstory for Nurse Chapel.

Sure, Andrea the android helped quicken my pulse growing up for the obvious qualities her character was designed to entail but it's just so much "good, but not THAT great" compacted into a 50-minute story. It would stand above most Season 3 episodes in a heartbeat but for the largely home run-hitting freshman year of the series it's just sort of...there.

 

[alchemist]

You read correctly, but I forget if it was in an outline or a script. Maybe on Orion Press? I know I've mentioned that quote before.

Maybe it was a deleted scene from the episode that was mentioned in some book about Lost Scenes?

 

[Phaser Two]

This episode is soooo close to being great. The all too human and quick love affair is its downside. As soon as we get to Spock and the commander making gooey eyes at each other in her quarters, the episode drags. I like the Kirk goes crazy act to get the Commander to have some trust in Spock. But the "Kirk goes nuts! Kirk is killed by Spock! Kirk gets pointy and goes back!" is a little convoluted without having a better reason for Kirk being the person to sneak back aboard other than Shatner is the lead hero. He didn't get a tour on his way to their brig, so he didn't know where to go. He should be back on the Enterprise getting ready to execute some grand "Kirk" escape plan. Spock should have been the one to steal the cloak instead of just being some weird pointless distraction for the female commander. He already looks like them, so he should have pinched the commander as they did their thing, got into a Romulan uniform and made the disconnection. Then just as he gets it loose, he's caught by Tal and the commander. He quickly places his communicator on the device and the Enterprise beams it off, leaving Spock behind. Then the rest of the episode plays out pretty much the same.

I'm sure Shatner would have had none of that, but it would have made for a better episode and a hell of a choice to open the season.

Actually, I feel like Shatner would have liked that far more than the finished episode. As filmed, Kirk's actions are just sort of weird. You're right that he does get to play the hero, though - but only after humiliating himself in front of a shipload of Romulans.

 

[Maurice]

Maybe it was a deleted scene from the episode that was mentioned in some book about Lost Scenes?

Or that!

 

[Neopeius]

TOS should have had Uhura sing more.

For me, it's The Cage. I recognise the importance of it and I understand that to stand up as well as it does some 60 years later is an impressive feat. It's well made, well directed and well cast. It's like a sequel to Forbidden Planet on a generous TV budget and it's clear everyone involved on both sides of the camera are trying really hard. I should love it. On paper it's right up my street.

But I just find it to be so staid. It's angsty, disturbing and strange and lacks the warmth (even in the design of the Enterprise bridge) that TOS has. Sometimes I get this mad idea about watching it, but when I do I never finish it.

I'm glad it still exists. It's a near priceless thing in terms of it's cultural significance. I also know we are lucky to have it and have it in colour.

However, I'm also glad we got the course corrections we did in the second pilot.

So strange! When we watched it last September, we were transfixed. We enjoyed it much more than the second pilot, which rated pretty low amongst the 1st season eps for us.

So that's mine. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is one of the worst episodes of Star Trek.

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" is a decent episode by the standard of any Trek series. But it's always ranked near the bottom of my Season 1 preferences outside the hulking, booming performance of Ted Cassidy as Ruk the android and I don't know why other than it just sort of has its allegory about the validity of real versus a fantasy imitation and lost loves being reunited and the script executes them effectively, but Dr. Roger Korby's character just never grips me as more than just needed backstory for Nurse Chapel.

Sure, Andrea the android helped quicken my pulse growing up for the obvious qualities her character was designed to entail but it's just so much "good, but not THAT great" compacted into a 50-minute story. It would stand above most Season 3 episodes in a heartbeat but for the largely home run-hitting freshman year of the series it's just sort of...there.

Erica rated that one four stars -- one for each of Shatner's nipples..

 

[Jedi Marso]

This is a very hard question to answer because one person's 'beloved episodes' are another person's 'hated episodes.' So it all becomes very subjective.

I guess I was never a big fan of the ones where past Earth cultures were duplicated directly, like Patterns of Force, A Piece of the Action, and so on. Even if there was a valid story reason behind it. And even though it's roundly panned, I actually kind of like The Omega Glory.

 

[Talos IV]

So if an episode is beloved by a few it becomes "a beloved episode" and the thread becomes meaningless.
Clearly the OP meant highly rated episodes.

Yes I did. Both "The Doomsday Machine" and "A Piece of the Action" pop up frequently as fan favorites (on a local TV station here, someone named the latter as her all-time favorite episode). There's lots of love for both of these episodes on IMDB, etc.

Guess that could be another thread: "Episodes That Don't Ever Make Top 20 Lists But That You Can See Why They Would, Even Though They Aren't Your Personal Favorites."

 

[cooleddie74]

^
In that case "The Empath" would make my list.

 

[Ssosmcin]

TOS should have had Uhura sing more.

I don't disagree. Her performance of "Beyond Antares" was f'n beautiful. I just loathe the two songs in Charlie X and they grind the episode to a complete halt. Amusingly, she loses her voice and Spock's lyre won't make a sound...and NOBODY CARES! There isn't a single reaction! Janice moved on like a squirrel in traffic and Charlie did his card tricks. That episode is kind of an editorial mess, probably because they had to get something on the air on time.

 

[Grant]

I don't disagree. Her performance of "Beyond Antares" was f'n beautiful. I just loathe the two songs in Charlie X and they grind the episode to a complete halt. Amusingly, she loses her voice and Spock's lyre won't make a sound...and NOBODY CARES! There isn't a single reaction! Janice moved on like a squirrel in traffic and Charlie did his card tricks. That episode is kind of an editorial mess, probably because they had to get something on the air on time.

Yep, Spock seems not too surprised that his lyre is making no sounds!! LOL. Just an odd anomaly probably having nothing to do with the mysterious youth in their midst! I'm not sure why they didn't just make it her voice only, which would be sort of explainable.

 

[Grant]

I haven't yet heard anybody mention alternative factor that must be beloved by somebody. And then I would like to hear an explanation of why it's not beloved. Because clearly the topic is not episodes that are generally regarded in the top tier but just any Random episode that assumes somebody else likes and therefore then they explain why they don't.

 

[fireproof78]

I haven't yet heard anybody mention alternative factor that must be beloved by somebody. And then I would like to hear an explanation of why it's not beloved. Because clearly the topic is not episodes that are generally regarded in the top tier but just any Random episode that assumes somebody else likes and therefore then they explain why they don't.

That's been my experience is that the episodes I like people generally don't. So, yeah, that's my base assumption.

 

[Grant]

Another beloved episode I find fault with is "And the Children...."
That's pretty bad writing for a beloved episode. Wonder why it is so beloved if it's so bad.
They Gorgon guy can't act. Why is that performance so beloved?

 

[Noname Given]

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?" is a decent episode by the standard of any Trek series. But it's always ranked near the bottom of my Season 1 preferences outside the hulking, booming performance of Ted Cassidy as Ruk the android and I don't know why other than it just sort of has its allegory about the validity of real versus a fantasy imitation and lost loves being reunited and the script executes them effectively, but Dr. Roger Korby's character just never grips me as more than just needed backstory for Nurse Chapel.

Sure, Andrea the android helped quicken my pulse growing up for the obvious qualities her character was designed to entail but it's just so much "good, but not THAT great" compacted into a 50-minute story. It would stand above most Season 3 episodes in a heartbeat but for the largely home run-hitting freshman year of the series it's just sort of...there.

Even when I was way younger watching this episode, every time Rok appeared on the TV screen, I couldn't help thinking - "You rang?"

 

[Orphalesion]

City on the Edge of Forever. So...with a poetic, strange sounding name like that...

...we go to the studio backlot, have it take place in the 1930s, and center it around some woman with really cringy and on-the-nose dialogue.

No.

TOS should have had Uhura sing more.
.

TOS should have given Uhura an episode centred around her.

 

[fireproof78]

City on the Edge of Forever. So...with a poetic, strange sounding name like that...

...we go to the studio backlot, have it take place in the 1930s, and center it around some woman with really cringy and on-the-nose dialogue.

No.

Also, she is so important that she must die. Equally as cringy to me.

 

[cooleddie74]

"The Omega Glory" isn't as bad as many think. It's not great, but it's classic TOS allegory and the kind of political messaging current butthurt fans claim shouldn't exist or didn't use to(or both) and gets its points across with the typical subtlety of a Roddenberry-penned script from the 1960s. There are cringe moments but you never forget it nor the good parts.

 

[Orphalesion]

Also, she is so important that she must die. Equally as cringy to me.

And she's somehow "Kirk's great love" despite them knowing next to nothing about each other.
Though I think that's more a fandom thing?