Best series pilot episode

[Karnbeln]

Broken Bow
The Cage
Caretaker
WNMHGB
Encounter at Farpoint

I haven't seen Emissary.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Just saw WNMHGB tonight. The wife asked "How many times are you going to watch that?" "As many times as I want" was my response.

 

[Tachyon]

Caretaker was the best. Hands down.

 

[kitsune]

Just saw WNMHGB tonight. The wife asked "How many times are you going to watch that?" "As many times as I want" was my response.

Hmm, how many times has the "mortals evolve into higher life forms or gain special abilities" trope been used? I can think of the following:

• Where No Man Has Gone Before (Mitchell and Dehner)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Decker)
• The Nth Degree (Barclay)
• Lonely Among Us (Picard)
• that TNG episode with the alien male who evolved into an energy being on the bridge and his kind were afraid of what he was becoming (its name escapes me)
• Rapture (Sisko)
• What We Leave Behind (Sisko)
• Plato's Stepchildren (Kirk, Spock, McCoy)
• Hide and Q (Riker)

Did I miss any?

ETA:

• The Gift (Kes)
• Threshold (Janeway and Paris)?

ETA:

• Charlie X (Charles Evans)
• Spock's Brain (McCoy)

 

[Praetor]

Shouldn't the TOS option technically be 'The Man Trap' since it was the first episode to be aired?

While I love "Where no man has gone before", I don't think it's a real pilot episode, meaning an episode that introduces the stage and the key players.

Technically, it was indeed a pilot - TOS's second. It was significantly different from the first pilot 'The Cage' and the first actual production episode 'The Corbomite Maneuver' was somewhat different from 'WNMHGB' too.

That said, I voted for 'Emissary,' followed closely by 'Caretaker.' Having just rewatched 'WNMHGB' and 'Encounter at Farpoint' recently, I was struck by how 'off' the former feels from the rest of TOS (despite how much I enjoy it) and how bored I was by parts of 'EaF.' 'Emissary' and 'Caretaker' get more 'show, don't tell' points IMO - as does 'Broken Bow.' However, much like 'EaF,' 'Broken Bow' has some very boring parts and some very good parts.

 

[Piper]

Caretaker for me. It's both a superb introduction to the characters and situation, but also a solid story in its own right. It makes me weep to see all the potential in that episode which went unfulfilled.

Emissary is second, Encounter is last.

 

[Brian Bosworth]

The best was Wher No Man Has Gone Before.Second best is Broken Bow.I loved all the pilots.

 

[DarKush]

1. Broken Bow
2. Emissary
3. Where No Man Has Gone Before
4. Caretaker
5. Encounter at Farpoint

 

[Starbreaker]

Where No Man Has Gone Before. The rest are a little poor.

 

[32JaX]

Caretaker #1 followed by Broken Bow, Emissary, Where No Man has Gone Before, and Encounter at Farpoint (I really wish that was higher up in the favorite list)

 

[McCoy]

It depends upon how you approach a series pilot. From a pure sci-fi story approach, I'd have to go with Where No Man Has Gone Before. But if the important thing is to set up characters and environment, I'd have to say that Emissary and Caretaker were equally successful.

 

[Anika Hanson]

Emissary although I do really like encounter at far point and caretaker.

 

[Bisz]

Emissary. None of the pilots were spectacular, but Emissary was good enough.

 

[trampledamage]

Emissary - but then anyone who's read the "what episode have you watched most" thread already knows that

 

[Saxman1]

Since "The Cage" isn't an option, I have to go with WNMHGB.

 

[El Chupacabra]

Emissary.
Broken Bow.
WNMHGB
The Cage
Farpoint
Caretaker


Which is interesting as TOS and then TNG come before DS9 on my list of favourite Treks.

 

[Basil]

The Cage is the best pilot, followed by Where No Man Has Gone Before.