Preachiest Trek Episode

[roguephoenix]

which one is yours? for me that ozone layer analogy on tng with warp restrictions was the most worthy ep that i've seen. when i saw that i thought, "wow, are they serious?" >_<

i think had star trek continued there would have been a global warming episode lol.

 

[ryan123450]

The one that first comes to my mind is DS9 "Past Tense" when at the end, Bashir and Sisko talk about "how did they let it get so bad" in reference to the social state of the US in the mid 21st century.

 

[Captain X]

Who Watches the Watchers, [TNG]

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Who Watches the Watchers, [TNG]

YES. EXACTLY. I wanted to smack Picard for the whole "we've grown beyond religion" lecture. What arrogance.

 

[M'Sharak]

Dealing drugs makes you blond and sort of disco-looking. Being addicted to them for generations make you look proletarian and scruffy.

Just ask Tasha:

TASHA: Wesley, no one wants to become dependent. That happens later.
WESLEY: But it does happen. So why do people start?
TASHA: On my home planet, there was so much poverty and violence, that for some the only escape was through drugs.
WESLEY: How can a chemical substance can provide an escape.
TASHA: It doesn't, but it makes you think it does. You have to understand, drugs can make you feel good. They make you feel on top of the world. You're happy, sure of yourself, in control.
WESLEY: But it's artificial.
TASHA: It doesn't feel artificial until the drug wears off. Then you pay the price. Before you know it, you're taking the drug not to feel good, but to keep from feeling bad.
WESLEY: And that's the trap?

No, the trap is that you thought you were getting a story, instead of a tract.

Feh.

 

[Neroon]

The Outcast, with its strident and in-your-face message about "diversity" and "acceptance". Those ideas themselves are okay when implemented properly, but to slam people over the head over any issue is so terribly counterproductive.

Of course DS9's "Let He Who Is Without Sin" was oh so subtle.

 

[Sector 7]

Who Watches the Watchers, [TNG]

YES. EXACTLY. I wanted to smack Picard for the whole "we've grown beyond religion" lecture. What arrogance.

Dealing drugs makes you blond and sort of disco-looking. Being addicted to them for generations make you look proletarian and scruffy.

Just ask Tasha:

TASHA: Wesley, no one wants to become dependent. That happens later.
WESLEY: But it does happen. So why do people start?
TASHA: On my home planet, there was so much poverty and violence, that for some the only escape was through drugs.
WESLEY: How can a chemical substance can provide an escape.
TASHA: It doesn't, but it makes you think it does. You have to understand, drugs can make you feel good. They make you feel on top of the world. You're happy, sure of yourself, in control.
WESLEY: But it's artificial.
TASHA: It doesn't feel artificial until the drug wears off. Then you pay the price. Before you know it, you're taking the drug not to feel good, but to keep from feeling bad.
WESLEY: And that's the trap?

No, the trap is that you thought you were getting a story, instead of a tract.

Feh.

Both of these instantly came to mind when I read the OP. I resented Picard's dismissal of my and others religious faiths. Also Yar's 'just say no' speech was unnecessary if she was a good actress.
The best lessons Trek gave were those embedded in a good story line, rather than monologuing (to quote The Incredibles!).

TOS: Let us not forget the immortal "But he's black on the left side!" "But he's black on the right side." For its day, it was a good morality play, although now it would seem trite.

 

[FalTorPan]

"Errand of Mercy." Violence is bad. Bad. B-A-D bad. Everyone, stop fighting for any reason, or else your guns, swords and fire buttons will get red hot. Did we mention that all violence is bad?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The one where T'Pol gets Vulcan AIDS. Good gort.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Not sure of the episode title, but the one where they had the old farmer/agrarian types in the cargo bay... Was it 'Up the Long Ladder', maybe?

Egads, that was close to being bludgeoned over the head, I think.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[stj]

The one where Shatner preaches the Preamble to the (US) Constitution to the "Yangs" and "Cooms" has them all beat by a country mile.

 

[Dane_Whitman]

The one where Shatner preaches the Preamble to the (US) Constitution to the "Yangs" and "Cooms" has them all beat by a country mile.

Agreed!

 

[Neroon]

I don't know. So many of these others named so far seemed so much more self-righteous and smug. So "superior". Enough so that "The Omega Glory" even with all of its patriotic ideals doesn't strike me as nearly so holier than thou. That's not to say that Star Trek couldn't be preachy, because it definitely was. I just think that there were worse offenders than "The Omega Glory".

 

[Captain X]

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, with it's lead-billy-club-to-the-head message of "save the whales!"

 

[Ben Sisko3]

Star Trek: Enterprise, Season 3.

 

[SFRabid]

...

TOS: Let us not forget the immortal "But he's black on the left side!" "But he's black on the right side." For its day, it was a good morality play, although now it would seem trite.

That was my first thought, but there are sooooooo many.

 

[Nardpuncher]

That TNG one where they put a speed limit on warp drive ships. Ugh...are you saying my car is bad Star Trek?

 

[KayArr]

"Errand of Mercy." Violence is bad. Bad. B-A-D bad. Everyone, stop fighting for any reason, or else your guns, swords and fire buttons will get red hot. Did we mention that all violence is bad?

But there's so many classic lines!

I'd with the OP--warp technology/ozone layer from TNG. I suppose that in real life, that's exactly what would happen. But I don't like seeing the Trek future derailed that way--I'll take DS9's Dominion War (which I never watch) over "we're ruining everything with warp tech," like it was a fossil fuel or something.

 

[KayArr]

The one where Shatner preaches the Preamble to the (US) Constitution to the "Yangs" and "Cooms" has them all beat by a country mile.

I forgot--you're right! That's #1, TNG warp thing can be #2.

Is it my imagination, or was that episode penned most by the Great Bird of the Galaxy himself?

 

[Lonemagpie]

The one where Shatner preaches the Preamble to the (US) Constitution to the "Yangs" and "Cooms" has them all beat by a country mile.

Yep, The Omega Glory by a long way.