Meat and Potatoes of Trek

[Spocklight]

Hi guys,

Here's the challenge - I want what you would consider a perfect 'Meat and Potatoes' episode of each of the Star Trek tv series (TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise). Not the best episode, not the worst episode, just the average - an episode that you feel best represents what a casual viewer would more than likely have found if they were channel surfing and came across each of those shows in turn during their run. An episode that demonstrates those basic and essential elements of the show's DNA without being a stand out.

This will be a really interesting one to see if there's any kind of general consensus.

very much look forward to hearing everyone's views.

 

[1001001]

What do you mean, "answers on a postcard please"?

 

[The Wormhole]

I guess we're supposed to send postcards in? By snail mail? How old school and retro.

 

[NOVE9]

I assume short answers requested

 

[1001001]

I guess we're supposed to send postcards in? By snail mail?

To where?

Yeah, I'm not doing that.

 

[Spocklight]

lol, apologies peeps, its a British phrase, feel free to post your replies in the usual manner and make the replies as long as you like.

 

[Spocklight]

Have changed the original post to avoid any further confusion

 

[flandry84]

Dunno about the meat & potatoes episodes but it is easy to compare and contrast how the different shows handled the same story tropes.
The romance episodes ,the "enemy mine"episodes ,the stranded away team episodes etc. etc.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'd say "A Taste of Armageddon" is a good "meat and potatoes" ep of TOS. It's rarely on anybody's ten-best list, but it's not an infamous turkey either. It's a good, solid TOS episode with an intriguing premise and the cast in good form.

 

[Spocklight]

Great stuff @Greg Cox thanks, any picks for the later series?

 

[Greg Cox]

TNG: "The Hunted," aka the one with the ostracized Angosian war veterans. A nice, solid, third-season episode that makes creative use of the Prime Directive. (Boring title, though. I confess I had to look it up.)

DS9: "Progress." The one where Major Kira has to relocate the cranky old Bajoran farmer played by Brian Keith. Not one of the big, epic Dominion War eps, but a nicely-acted ep that, in true DS9 fashion, presents Kira with a wrenching moral dilemma with no easy answers. Plus, a fun, humorous subplot with Jake and Nog dealing with life on the station. Self-sealing stembolts!

VOY: "One Small Step." A slightly unusual episode in that much of it focuses on a stranded astronaut in the past, but there's some nice character stuff with Seven and Chakotay and the crew are faced with some interesting challenges and dangers.

 

[Spocklight]

Fantastic stuff @Greg Cox , thank you

 

[Greg Cox]

Dare I admit that I may have consulted my various Companion volumes to refresh my memory?

 

[Spocklight]

admit away Sir, whatever needs to be done . Hopefully will get some more thoughts on this. Wonder how many people will be able to think of an Animated series episode lol

 

[JirinPanthosa]

TOS - The Corbomite Maneuver

Kirk talks a superior force into not killing them.

TNG - First Contact

High minded diplomacy and alien sex.

DS9 - To The Death

Dominion episode focused on dealing with gem'hadar culture in a temporary alliance with the enemy.

Voyager - The Killing Game

The ship is made into a holodeck and it all malfunctioned. Pretty much what Voyager is about.

Enterprise - Forget any of the episode names here, the one where Trip gets stranded on that planet with the alien he can't communicate with and they beat each other up.

 

[Spocklight]

Awesome @JirinPanthosa

 

[Spocklight]

Any suggestions @1001001 @The Wormhole @NOVE9 now you know you don't have to go down the post office to reply ?

 

[The Wormhole]

Any suggestions @1001001 @The Wormhole @NOVE9 now you know you don't have to go down the post office to reply ?

No

 

[2takesfrakes]

Meat & Potatoes:

TOS - Naked Time
STAR TREK: The Next Generation - "11001001"
DS9 - Vortex
VOY- Tattoo
ENT - Daedalus

 

[Armus]

TOS-Return Of The Archons. Kirk talks a computer to death on an Earthlike planet.
TNG-Contagion. A good second season episode with a computer virus, an ancient advanced civilization, and Romulans.
DS9-The Nagus. The first of many Ferengi episodes.