Favorite episode for each character

[JonnyQuest037]

Saw a thread with this title on the TNG forum & thought it was a good idea. Simply put, what is your favorite episode for each TOS character? Give reasons if you can. It gets tougher the further down the ladder you go!

Here's my list:

Kirk: City On The Edge of Forever really showcases Kirk's romantic side, as well as the loneliness and the difficulties of command. Plus it has one of Shatner's very best performances!

Spock: Amok Time does a very nice job of developing the Spock character and showing our very first look at other Vulcans.

McCoy: The good doctor doesn't have an many episodes focusing on him as his character would warrant, but I think I have to go for Friday's Child for the way it shows off McCoy's compassionate and cantankerous sides in equal measure (He actually slaps a pregnant woman! )

Scotty: Probably By Any Other Name for the "It's... green!" sequence, but I also love his "Jim!" exclamation to Captain Kirk at the end of Mirror, Mirror.

Sulu: I'll have to go with The Naked Time since it provides the definitive Sulu moment almost everyone remembers, the greased-up, shirtless, sword-weilding helmsman!

Chekov: When I think of Chekov moments, I come up with a lot more moments from the movies than the TV series. Maybe The Gamesters of Triskelion? He provides some good comic relief in that.

Uhura: This one is really tough, since she only had sporadic moments and never an episode that focused primarilly on her. So I'll just go with Mirror, Mirror because I still find Nichelle Nichols' midriff so damned impressive.

I'm going to skip Chapel and Rand, since neither one ever got too much in the way of character development, but feel free to include them if you want.

What are your choices?

 

[SchwEnt]

I know "The Naked Time" is usually the showcase eps for Sulu, but I think "Mirror, Mirror" is pretty good for him, too. Evil security chief, hehe.

And Rand got a lot of stuff in those early eps, "Charlie X" and "Miri" and "The Man Trap". She seemed to get more scenes than Uhura and Sulu, before she got dropped.

And Chapel, I'd have to go with "WALGMO". You know, with the fiance and all.

 

[jwb]

Kirk: William Shatner gives his best acting performance ever in City on the Edge of Forever

Spock: He's great in The Menagerie, which almost invented the tv show Lost with its use of flashbacks.

McCoy: Most people remember his zingers, but I love his sincerity. My favorite episode is For The World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, De Kelley is given meaty material to work with.

Scotty: He steals the show in The Trouble with Tribbles

Sulu: The Naked Time is the one everyone remembers, and I can't disagree with the choice. Unfortunately, there never was a really good Sulu episode. Even Voyager couldn't do it!

Chekov: He's not the center of attention in Amok Time, but he's got some great scenes in it.

Uhura: She's fantastic in Mirror, Mirror, where the character is brought front and center.

Chapel: What Are Little Girls Made Of is definitely the biggest "Chapel" show, and Majel is very good in it.

Rand: Her best performance is in Miri, where she pleas with the Captain to stop worrying about the sick children and look at her legs.

-jwb-
jwbraun.com

 

[Red Ranger]

Hmm. Well, there are several excellent eps for Kirk and Spock. But here are my picks:

Kirk: Court Martial. I liked how Starfleet was ready to force Kirk to resign rather than face a court martial. When Kirk refuses and Stone says, "Then you draw a general court martial." And Kirk responds, defiantly, "Draw it? I demand it! And right now, Commodore Stone, right now!" One of the more defiant lines Kirk has ever uttered. Also like the whole man vs. computer theme, a recurring one in the series. Others that are neck-and-neck are, of course, City on the Edge of Forever, The Corbomite Maneuver, Obsession, The Enterprise Incident and The Ultimate Computer.

Spock: The Tholian Web. We get to see Spock in command of the entire ship and how he and McCoy had to work together, at Kirk's urging, although later they don't admit it to Kirk. Although Spock makes some questionable decisions, it's much more compelling than The Galileo Seven, as his loyalty to Kirk directs his command decisions. Now, the other eps that are neck-and-neck are, of course, Amok Time, Journey to Babel, The Enterprise Incident, and All Our Yesterdays.

McCoy: For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky. We see McCoy faced with his mortality, and for once, has a love interest in Natira, the Yonada high priestess, and one of the most beautiful guest stars on the show. There are some corny things about the ep, but I always enjoyed it, mainly for McCoy's main role in the plot. Runners-up are Friday's Child and Shore Leave.

Scotty: Wolf in the Fold: We're treated to Scotty nearly out of his mind, and possibly gone mad, implicated in several women's deaths. Of course, any ep where Scott is in command is a good one, but A Taste of Armaggeddon is probably his best command performance! Plus, who can forget him throwing the first punch in The Trouble With Tribbles to defend the honor of his ship!

Sulu: The Naked Time. I have to agree this has one of the best Sulu going crazy scenes of all time! My fave exchange is when he says to Uhura, "I'll protect you, fair maiden!" and she replied, "Sorry, neither!" Mirror, Mirror is a close second because he really chews up the scenery as evil Mirror-Sulu.

Uhura: Mirror, Mirror. Hands down, best Uhura performance, especially how she tricks evil Sulu into thinking she's interested in his lewd advances. And as mentioned above, I love her naked belly, too! I also liked how she was portrayed in The Man Trap -- a bit imperious and defiant.

Chekov: The Way to Eden. While a silly ep, Chekov is reunited with his old flame, and they had good chemistry, I thought. Honorable mention goes to Journey to Babel for his role during the Orion attack on the ship and Who Mourns for Adonis, not to mention his key role in The Trouble With Tribbles.

 

[Danny99]

I saw Mirror Mirror today and was I imagining or does Nichelle Nichols have some serious abs?

 

[Pauln6]

I agree with the above. Amok Time has some great scenes - we see that McCoy and Spock are great friends despite their bickering. Mirror Mirror is great for all the characters featured. The Man Trap is my favourite Rand episode as her personality really sparkled. The Naked Time also had some good moments for everyone. WaLGmo was the best Chapel episode as it established her credentials as more than a nurse, which they promptly forgot about.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I saw Mirror Mirror today and was I imagining or does Nichelle Nichols have some serious abs?

I can see that this may quickly become the "Nichelle Nichols' abs" thread...

 

[Red Ranger]

I saw Mirror Mirror today and was I imagining or does Nichelle Nichols have some serious abs?

I can see that this may quickly become the "Nichelle Nichols' abs" thread...

No, it wasn't your imagination! I love that sexy belly of hers -- I would've loved to bury my face in it, before getting to the main course!

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Favorite KIRK episode: "Balance of Terror" or "Wrath of Khan"
SPOCK: "Journey to Babel"
McCOY: "Shore-leave"
SCOTTY: "Doomsday Machine"
SULU: "Naked Time" of "Undiscovered Country"
CHEKOV: "Deadly Years"
UHURA: "Gamesters of Triskelion" or "Search for Spock"
RAND: "Miri"
CHAPEL: "What Are Little Girls Made of?"
HADLEY: "Devil in the Dark" -- The look he gives Spock when told to try to capture the creature before Kirk orders its destruction is priceless.

If I had to pick an ENSEMBLE episode, I'd name "The Corbomite Maneuver"

 

[Mr_Homn]

I think Spectre of the Gun is definitely an episode where Chekov shines.

I think Koenig commented that he really enjoyed doing that episode.