Episodes you could do without...

[Warped9]

In the general forum there is a thread about episodes you'd like to have seen. Here we could discuss episodes we could do without to make room for episodes you'd like to have seen.

1st Season: For myself I can't really think of anything in first season that bothers me so much that I could live without it. I find something decent in all the 1st season episodes.

2nd Season: Here there are a few that while I can still find some enjoyment in them I could also easily have done without them in lieu of something more interesting.
"The Apple"
"A Piece Of The Action"
"I, Mudd"
"Assignment: Earth"

3rd Season: I can find some redeeming aspects in many of these episodes, but there are some I could do without in exchange for something more compelling.
"The Paradise Syndrome"
"And The Children Shall Lead" (okay, nothing redeeming here)
"The Mark Of Gideon"
"Wink Of An Eye"
"Whom Gods Destroy"
"The Lights Of Zetar"
"Turnabout Intruder"
"All Our Yesterdays"

TAS: Yes, there are some I could live without for something more imaginative and better.
"The Magicks Of Megas-Tu"
"The Practical Joker"
"Mpre Tribbles, More Troubles"
"The Terratin Incident"
"The Counter-Clock Incident"
"BEM"

 

[Captain Robert April]

This is kind of like asking which of your kids could you do without.

 

[Warped9]

This is kind of like asking which of your kids could you do without.

Well I know of some other people's kids I could do without.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I dunno, I just can't picture Star Trek with out its red headed stepkids.

 

[Joker]

In no particular order:

Court Martial
Spock's Brain
And The Children Shall Lead
Mark of Gideon
The one with Kirok in it
Mudd's Women
The Galileo Seven
Catspaw
I, Mudd
Turnabout Intruder

 

[jtkirk]

Arena
The Alternative Factor
The Apple
Metamorphosis
Friday's Child
The Omega Glory
The Lights of Zetar
The Way to Eden
The Savage Curtain

 

[BillJ]

This is kind of like asking which of your kids could you do without.

Agreed. The bad episodes are every bit as integral to the legend of Star Trek as the good ones. I keep all seventy-nine.

 

[TheKeeper]

The only episode of TOS I truly hate enough to never watch again is "Patterns of Force". I wouldn't shed any tears for the loss of "Catspaw" though.

 

[sbk1234]

I don't consciously think about erasing these episodes from canon, but the ones that generally get forgotten about are:

Way to Eden
The Children Shall Lead
Catspaw
I Mudd
Wink of an Eye
The Alternative Factor
Spock's Brain
The Omega Glory

 

[Sky]

The only episode I have trouble rewatching is Plato's Stepchildren. If some others have to go with it, they can be Spock's Brain, Cloud Minders, and And the Children Shall Lead.

 

[number6]

None.

 

[Orcus]

1st Season: For myself I can't really think of anything in first season that bothers me so much that I could live without it. I find something decent in all the 1st season episodes.

Even The Alternative Factor?

 

[Admiral Shran]

Season One:
Mudd's Women
The Alternative Factor

Season Two:
Catspaw
The Apple
The Gamesters of Triskelion
The Omega Glory

Season Three:
Spectre of the Gun
And the Children Shall Lead
Spock's Brain
Plato's Stepchildren
Wink of an Eye
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
The Mark of Gideon
The Lights of Zetar
Requiem for Methuselah
Turnabout Intruder

 

[Warped9]

1st Season: For myself I can't really think of anything in first season that bothers me so much that I could live without it. I find something decent in all the 1st season episodes.

Even The Alternative Factor?

Even that. I've never had the dislike for it that many others seem to.

 

[jwb]

Agreed. The bad episodes are every bit as integral to the legend of Star Trek as the good ones. I keep all seventy-nine.

Well, I think The Way to Eden and Spock's Brain are bad but fun to watch for the camp factor. And the Children Shall Lead on the other hand is one I'd get rid of in a heartbeat! (Of course that said, I'd be mad if it wasn't included with my third season DVD collection, so I don't know what that means.)

 

[scotpens]

Arena
The Alternative Factor
The Apple
Metamorphosis
Friday's Child
The Omega Glory
The Lights of Zetar
The Way to Eden
The Savage Curtain

I can perhaps understand listing “Arena” because of the cheesy Gorn lizard suit, but “Metamorphosis”?? It was one of Trek TOS's best episodes!

I could do without most of the third season. It's easier to list the third-season eps I wouldn't trash. Maybe “Spectre of the Gun” (for its visual style, not its story), “Is There In Truth No Beauty?” (not really that bad, if you take it as sci-fi soap opera), and “Whom Gods Destroy” (only because Yvonne Craig looked so damn sexy with green skin). That's it.

 

[maryh]

And the Children Shall Lead
Mark of Gideon
Wink of an Eye
Let that be your Last Battlefield
For the World is Hollow...
Specter of the Gun
Light of Zetar
Cloud Minders

These episodes don't even have the clever character interplay that could redeem some of the other episodes that also had weak plots.

 

[jtkirk]

“Metamorphosis”?? It was one of Trek TOS's best episodes!

I just rewatched this episode the other day so it was fresh in my mind when I posted. I'm not saying it was a bad episode per say, just average. The 2 guest actor leads did a fine job. The actual concept seemed a bit unbelievable to me. Cochrane has been on this planet for 150 years & he was clueless as to the Companions feelings for him? And then Kirk & crew figure it out so quickly. Then when it talked with a female voice I just thought "oh brother"!

Even lamer that Cochrane would wish to remain on the planet after being stranded there for 150 years. I realize he had a bond with the Companion, but that bond was friendship in Cochrane's mind up until Kirk revealed to him the truth. The Companion joins with Nancy & now Cochrane is totally in-love?? So now that Nancy has joined with the Companion she is in love with Cochrane as well? Doesn't make sense because there was no prior relationship there.

I understand that Cochrane feels an obligation to the Companion for saving his life, but this feeling of love is all new to him & he is going to sacrifice everything for it? And then Kirk agrees to not reveal Cochrane's existence to anyone. I wonder how Kirk explains to Starfleet that Commissioner Nancy isn't around anymore?

The episode is watchable & enjoyable, but for me, not one of my personal favorites.

 

[scotpens]

. . . I wonder how Kirk explains to Starfleet that Commissioner Nancy isn't around anymore?

I always figured that Kirk, Spock and McCoy agreed to lie to Starfleet that she fell into a pool of lava or got eaten by a carnivorous plant or something, so there wouldn't be a body. Of course, Vulcans can't lie . . .

 

[Nerys Myk]

. . . I wonder how Kirk explains to Starfleet that Commissioner Nancy isn't around anymore?

I always figured that Kirk, Spock and McCoy agreed to lie to Starfleet that she fell into a pool of lava or got eaten by a carnivorous plant or something, so there wouldn't be a body. Of course, Vulcans can't lie . . .

The phrase, "She's Dead" comes to mind. And they wouldn't be totally wrong. The Companion/Nancy isn't the same person as Nancy.