Quintessential Trek?

[TheLobes]

What would you say the most trek trek is? If you had to show someone one episode or film to give an idea of what trek is, what would it be? Ive always found this hard. 'The Measure of a Man', 'Duet' and 'The Wrath of Khan' are probably my favourites from each of the incarnations which I enjoy, but they are all very specific in what they do. I wouldnt exactly call any of them 'quintessential trek'.

I think Id cast my vote for Yesterdays Enterprise, but not even sure about that.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

There are so many nuanced varieties of Star Trek, so it's impossible to answer your question with just one episode. How about this?

Action Star Trek (Hand to Hand Combat Style): "The Gamesters of Triskelion" or "The Way of the Warrior"

Action Star Trek (Space Battle Style): TWOK or "Shattered Mirror"

Action Star Trek (Dramatic Tension Style): "The Doomsday Machine" or "Balance of Terror" or "Call to Arms" or "Sacrifice of Angels"

Slashy Star Trek: "Amok Time" or "Desert Crossing"

Head-Trip Star Trek: "The Naked Time" or "Move Along Home" or "Masks"

Scary Star Trek: "Empok Nor" or "Schisms"

Thought-Provoking Star Trek: "A Taste of Armegeddon" or "Duet" or "In the Pale Moonlight"

Political Star Trek: "A Private Little War" or "Homefront/Paradise Lost"

Hilariously Ham-Handed Star Trek: "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" or any number of "message" episodes in TNG or VOY. (How about that one where Worf and Yar deliver the anti-drug lecture to Wesley?)

Completely Idiotic Star Trek: "Spock's Brain," "The Way to Eden," "Storm Front" Part I and II, most of VOY

Makes-You-Want-to-Throw-Your-TV-Out-the-Window Star Trek: "Threshold" or "A Night in Sickbay" or "These Are the Voyages"

 

[TheLobes]

There are so many nuanced varieties of Star Trek, so it's impossible to answer your question with just one episode.

Its impossible to come up with a definitive answer, but if you had to choose one of those episodes you mentioned?

 

[T'Girl]

If I had to pick an episode to show someone with absolutely no per-knowledge of Trek?

Either Balance of Terror, or Data's Day.

In fact I have shown Data's Day to quite a few people as a intro to TNG, it stands alone nicely, introduces you to all the main characters and in the end Picard gets handed his hat to him by the Romulans which seems to intrigue most people.

I use Balance of Terror to "de-program" people whos only exposure to TOS is Star Trek Eleven, They come away with a better understanding of the characters and the shows theme in general.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

"The Way of the Warrior" has the most Star Trek elements in it, I guess. It's not close to being my favorite episode (I'd put it in my top 25 maybe) but it's got the broadest range of stuff packed into it: character drama, big-picture political drama, space battle, hand-to-hand combat, lots of colorful stuff happening all over the place.

I think this episode was intended to lure the TNG viewers over to DS9, and combining the two styles resulted in the best elements of both shows. What it lacks is sci fi gimmickry (time travel, transporter accidents etc) and the heavy handed metaphor, although the complicated politics could be seen as a metaphor - such as when Sisko & the gang defy Starfleet but stay within the letter of regulations to warn the Cardassians by loudly discussing matters while Garak is present so he can "accidentally" overhear them - which foreshadows the more directly sketchy things Sisko and Garak later get into in "In the Pale Moonlight."

And the episode has lots of snappy dialogue, which is a hallmark of TOS and DS9 anyway. Garak in particular is in top form. And there's a shout-out to the sci fi gimmick episode in O'Brien's comment to Worf about how they could never get the holodecks on the Enterprise to behave.

For the episode that most exemplifies the idea of Star Trek, I'd go for "A Private Little War."

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

If I had to pick one I'd go with Amok Time. It features and alien culture, politics, strong character relationships and a great unfolding story.

 

[Maxillius]

I use Balance of Terror to "de-program" people whos only exposure to TOS is Star Trek Eleven, They come away with a better understanding of the characters and the shows theme in general.

My girlfriend and I watched that episode after seeing Trek XI the first time. After that, she was hooked.

Of course, she told me she imagined the current actors in place of the originals as she watched it. I'm curious how they would pull it off!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I use Balance of Terror to "de-program" people whos only exposure to TOS is Star Trek Eleven, They come away with a better understanding of the characters and the shows theme in general.

My girlfriend and I watched that episode after seeing Trek XI the first time. After that, she was hooked.

Of course, she told me she imagined the current actors in place of the originals as she watched it. I'm curious how they would pull it off!

If you had Ben Cross playing the Romulan commander it would utterly suck!!

 

[T'Girl]

Chris Pine, I have to admit, well ... the boy does have those lips.

 

[Spirit]

Galaxy Quest. Initially I watched it only because it starred Tim Allen. That’s all I knew. Later when I realized it was a Star Trek parody I was horrified! Too bad by that point I’d stepped too far through the looking glass for my misconceptions or prejudice to mean anything any more.

Alternatively I’d pick an episode that clearly establishes Star Trek isn’t about spaceships and explosions or whatever.

"Elementary, Dear Data", "Badda Bing, Badda Bang", and "Virtuoso" or "Spirit Folk" come to mind.

 

[plynch]

"Devil in the Dark." Hands down. Say no more. Close the thread. I'm usually all IDIC-y on Trek opinions, but not on this one.

 

[JiNX-01]

There are so many nuanced varieties of Star Trek, so it's impossible to answer your question with just one episode. How about this?

Having noticed a shortage of entries from Enterprise:

Action Star Trek (Hand to Hand Combat Style): "The Gamesters of Triskelion" or "The Way of the Warrior"

"Zero Hour" (Archer vs. Dolim)
"United" (Archer vs. Shran)

Action Star Trek (Space Battle Style): TWOK or "Shattered Mirror"

"Azati Prime"
"Countdown"

Action Star Trek (Dramatic Tension Style): "The Doomsday Machine" or "Balance of Terror" or "Call to Arms" or "Sacrifice of Angels"

"Minefield"

Slashy Star Trek: "Amok Time" or "Desert Crossing"

"Broken Bow"
"Harbinger"

Head-Trip Star Trek: "The Naked Time" or "Move Along Home" or "Masks"

"Rogue Planet"
"Vox Sola"
"Singularity"

Scary Star Trek: "Empok Nor" or "Schisms"

Creepy Star Trek:
"Fight or Flight"
"Silent Enemy"
"Dead Stop"

Thought-Provoking Star Trek: "A Taste of Armegeddon" or "Duet" or "In the Pale Moonlight"

"Cogenitor"
"Similitude"
"Damage"

Political Star Trek: "A Private Little War" or "Homefront/Paradise Lost"

"Desert Crossing"

Hilariously Ham-Handed Star Trek: "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" or any number of "message" episodes in TNG or VOY. (How about that one where Worf and Yar deliver the anti-drug lecture to Wesley?)

"Chosen Realm"
"Stigma"

Completely Idiotic Star Trek: "Spock's Brain," "The Way to Eden," "Storm Front" Part I and II, most of VOY

"This Ain't The Valentine"

Makes-You-Want-to-Throw-Your-TV-Out-the-Window Star Trek: "Threshold" or "A Night in Sickbay" or "These Are the Voyages"

"Daedalus"

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I use Balance of Terror to "de-program" people whos only exposure to TOS is Star Trek Eleven, They come away with a better understanding of the characters and the shows theme in general.

My girlfriend and I watched that episode after seeing Trek XI the first time. After that, she was hooked.

Of course, she told me she imagined the current actors in place of the originals as she watched it. I'm curious how they would pull it off!

Ironically "Balance of Terror" is one of the few episodes the new actors can't be involved in - because it couldn't happen in their reality, they already know what Romulans look like.

 

[Maxillius]

I use Balance of Terror to "de-program" people whos only exposure to TOS is Star Trek Eleven, They come away with a better understanding of the characters and the shows theme in general.

My girlfriend and I watched that episode after seeing Trek XI the first time. After that, she was hooked.

Of course, she told me she imagined the current actors in place of the originals as she watched it. I'm curious how they would pull it off!

Ironically "Balance of Terror" is one of the few episodes the new actors can't be involved in - because it couldn't happen in their reality, they already know what Romulans look like.

It can't be done against a Romulan, but the lack of knowledge of the opponent's face doesn't automatically make "Balance of Terror" impossible. Imagine if first contact with the Cardassians involved Kirk & Co. vs. a spoonhead psychopath?

 

[Stoek]

What would you say the most trek trek is? If you had to show someone one episode or film to give an idea of what trek is, what would it be? Ive always found this hard. 'The Measure of a Man', 'Duet' and 'The Wrath of Khan' are probably my favourites from each of the incarnations which I enjoy, but they are all very specific in what they do. I wouldnt exactly call any of them 'quintessential trek'.

I think Id cast my vote for Yesterdays Enterprise, but not even sure about that.

Well personally I think if I was choosing only one I'd go with Voyage Home.

However I think it does the whole of the franchise a disservice as each series has their own unique strengths and weaknesses.

Personally for me the most pure Trek episode in each series is as follows...

TOS: Devil In The Dark

TNG: Darmok

DS9: Far Beyond The Stars

VOY: Nemesis

ENT: Judgement

It can't be done against a Romulan, but the lack of knowledge of the opponent's face doesn't automatically make "Balance of Terror" impossible. Imagine if first contact with the Cardassians involved Kirk & Co. vs. a spoonhead psychopath?

Respectfully you are missing the point of the episode. It was not about merely not being able to see the opponents face. It was about the opponent standing revealed and him looking exactly like the ships second in command.

 

[JustKate]

Hmm....

I don't know of a more Trekkie episode of Trek than "The Corbomite Manuver." But if that's too old-school for you, I agree that "Data's Day" and "Balance of Terror" (same series as "Corbomite," I know, but a very, very, very different episode) are just fantastic, as is "In the Pale Moonlight."

Or...you know, "Trouble with Tribbles" wouldn't be a bad introduction to Trek, either.

 

[xortex]

'Return of the Archons', 'The Savage Curtain'. Gene knew his Trek. He was the best.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

The Savage Curtain where a disembodied Lincoln in a presidential chair comes floating through space in the view screen?

I would be totally embarrassed to show a Trek newbie that one. Yes it IS full of classic Trek themes but it only travels well when you're already a convert, lol.

 

[Stoek]

The Savage Curtain where a disembodied Lincoln in a presidential chair comes floating through space in the view screen?

I would be totally embarrassed to show a Trek newbie that one. Yes it IS full of classic Trek themes but it only travels well when you're already a convert, lol.

Still world's better than Spock's Brain.

 

[T'Girl]

Still world's better than Spock's Brain.

But how can Savage Curtain possible compete with:

"Women, the givers of pain ... and delight."