Rating episodes and what appeals to you....
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
While I have "reservations", there is not one episode I "despise" or outright avoid...as in ashamed of.
There are 79 gems of varying luster and quality on film as TOS.....but at the end of the day, each is a gem.
I don't actually hate any of the episodes, but there are good to excellent ones, average ones and some, well, embarassing ones.
I think "And The Children Shall Lead" is the bottom of the barrel for TOS, and yet I feel there's a story worth to be told at the heart of it. Uh, that's buried at the heart of it.
Well, as someone who loves Star Trek I am prepared to embrace the message they were trying to convey with "Spock's Brain" ... if someone can tell me what it is.
I like how you put that! 79 gems of varying luster....excellent line!
The basic story idea in "Spock's Brain" was a genuine science fiction idea worthy off being explored: that a living mind (as opposed to a super computer or A.I. as we know them today) was needed to run and maintain a civilization. Note also that this idea is decades before real science as we know it today casually talks about the possibility of directly interfacing between human and machine.
If this story had been treated differently we could have had something worthy of exploring the idea of "the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the one" or vice-versa long before hearing about it in TWoK.
Whilst I can't claim to like the whole of every episode, just about every episode has something I like in it, even if it's just an unusual camera angle or shot of part of the ship we don't usually see or whatever.
ON a critical level I can be fairly objective I think...but on the other hand I've enjoyed parts of almost every ST at one time or another. I actually like the first 20-25 min of "Spock's Brian"
RAMA
Okay, I have to say it, but I just rewatched Conscience of the King today and hated it.
I love Star Trek, I promise!
I love Star Trek, I promise!
Okay, I have to say it, but I just rewatched Conscience of the King today and hated it.
I love Star Trek, I promise!
*sigh*That's one of my top 10 favorites.
Okay, I have to say it, but I just rewatched Conscience of the King today and hated it.
I love Star Trek, I promise!
*sigh*That's one of my top 10 favorites.
Why didn't the phaser blast vaporize Karidian...or even burn a hole in him or his blouse in "Conscience"?
Okay, I have to say it, but I just rewatched Conscience of the King today and hated it.
I love Star Trek, I promise!
*sigh*That's one of my top 10 favorites.
Why didn't the phaser blast vaporize Karidian...or even burn a hole in him or his blouse in "Conscience"?
Law of narrative, a Shakespearean actor must have a death scene to milk.
Okay, I have to say it, but I just rewatched Conscience of the King today and hated it.
I love Star Trek, I promise!
*sigh*That's one of my top 10 favorites.
Sorry.
I just thought it was written strangely. Why is McCoy, who by nature is Kirk's conscience, completely dismissive of Spock's concerns? It's not like McCoy to have 15 excuses for Kirk's behavior. Why is Spock essentially playing McCoy's role, and rather harshly? He even initiates physical contact by grabbing McCoy's arm to make a point. Out of character.
I guess Kirk not confiding in either of them is understandable, but I would prefer to think that he would. That one could go either way. But it also seems that for a while, Kirk has brought the acting company aboard and isn't actually doing anything to confirm his suspicions.
I think the premise of the episode is good, I just think it was carried out in a less than stellar way.
I am currently working on the guidelines for a scale that will enable one to rank an episode (not just of ST, but of any series) on a scale from 1 to 100. The idea I have is for twenty salient questions to be rated by the reviewer by awarding points to each based on how well that episode measures up to that criteria. Points will be on a scale from 1 to 5. 5*20=100 possible points.
Some of the twenty individual areas I've already formulated in respect to an episode's quality are:
Plot - Is the plot original? Is it engaging? Does it more or less avoid cliches of the series, or is it trite? If there is more than one plot thread, do the two complement each other well? Is the resolution logical, apt, and satisfying? Or does it seem rushed and contrived? Are there any major unresolved aspects or dangling threads to the storyline?
Characterization - Do the characters behave in a manner in which we expect them to in the episode? Are there a sufficient number of good or great character moments?
Pacing - Does the pacing of the episode move briskly, or does it drag? Does the pacing make the story compelling, or is it difficult to follow?
Believability - Is the main story believable within the framework of the series? Is the story in itself plausible in general or does it contain plot holes?
Y'know, stuff along those lines.
Of course, no two people will give the same responses to the same questions, individual opinions and values being what they are. But what such a framework will do is allow a reviewer to give, for example, a thorough and comprehensive rationale to justify his score of "73" for "Amok Time".
Some of the twenty individual areas I've already formulated in respect to an episode's quality are:
Plot - Is the plot original? Is it engaging? Does it more or less avoid cliches of the series, or is it trite? If there is more than one plot thread, do the two complement each other well? Is the resolution logical, apt, and satisfying? Or does it seem rushed and contrived? Are there any major unresolved aspects or dangling threads to the storyline?
Characterization - Do the characters behave in a manner in which we expect them to in the episode? Are there a sufficient number of good or great character moments?
Pacing - Does the pacing of the episode move briskly, or does it drag? Does the pacing make the story compelling, or is it difficult to follow?
Believability - Is the main story believable within the framework of the series? Is the story in itself plausible in general or does it contain plot holes?
Y'know, stuff along those lines.
Of course, no two people will give the same responses to the same questions, individual opinions and values being what they are. But what such a framework will do is allow a reviewer to give, for example, a thorough and comprehensive rationale to justify his score of "73" for "Amok Time".
^ In other words, you're going to be using a rubric. Educators everywhere will rejoice! 
As an educator myself, I offer the purely subjective and holistic ratings of the episodes as follows:
A range: Superb -> Perfect
3.02 - The Enterprise Incident: A
2.15 - The Trouble With Tribbles: A
2.04 - Mirror, Mirror: A
2.24 - The Ultimate Computer: A-
2.06 - The Doomsday Machine: A-
1.28 - The City on the Edge of Forever A-
1.22 - Space Seed A-
1.02 - Charlie X A-
B range: Good -> Great
3.23 - All Our Yesterdays: B+
3.15 - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield: B+
3.09 - The Tholian Web: B+
3.08 - For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky: B+
3.06 - Spectre of the Gun: B+
3.03 - The Paradise Syndrome: B+
2.17 - A Piece of the Action: B+
1.23 - A Taste of Armageddon B+
1.18 - Arena B+
1.11 - The Menagerie, Part I B+
1.05 - The Enemy Within B+
3.07 - Day of the Dove: B
2.18 - The Immunity Syndrome: B
2.10 - Journey to Babel: B
2.01 - Amok Time: B
1.29 - Operation — Annihilate! B
1.09 - Dagger of the Mind B
1.03 - Where No Man Has Gone Before B
1.00 - The Cage: B
3.21 - The Cloud Minders: B-
2.21 - Patterns of Force: B-
1.26 - Errand of Mercy B-
1.19 - Tomorrow Is Yesterday B-
1.14 - Balance of Terror B-
1.13 - The Conscience of the King B-
1.12 - The Menagerie, Part II B-
1.07 - What Are Little Girls Made Of? B-
C range: Slightly Below Average -> Slightly Above Average
3.12 - The Empath: C+
1.21 - The Return of the Archons C+
1.10 - The Corbomite Maneuver C+
1.04 - The Naked Time C+
1.01 - The Man Trap: C+
3.24 - Turnabout Intruder: C
3.19 - Requiem for Methuselah: C
2.22 - By Any Other Name: C
2.02 - Who Mourns for Adonais?: C
1.24 - This Side of Paradise C
1.20 - Court Martial C
3.17 - That Which Survives: C-
3.16 - The Mark of Gideon: C-
3.13 - Elaan of Troyius: C-
2.20 - Return to Tomorrow: C-
2.14 - Wolf in the Fold: C-
2.13 - Obsession: C-
2.12 - The Deadly Years: C-
2.09 - Metamorphosis: C-
2.05 - The Apple: C-
1.25 - The Devil in the Dark C-
1.16 - The Galileo Seven C-
1.15 - Shore Leave C-
1.06 - Mudd’s Women C-
D range: Poor -> Disappointing
3.18 - The Lights of Zetar: D+
3.11 - Wink of an Eye: D+
2.23 - The Omega Glory: D+
2.25 - Bread and Circuses: D+
2.19 - A Private Little War: D+
2.08 - I, Mudd: D+
3.22 - The Savage Curtain: D
3.14 - Whom Gods Destroy: D
3.10 - Plato’s Stepchildren: D
3.05 - Is There In Truth No Beauty?: D
2.16 - The Gamesters of Triskelion: D
2.03 - The Changeling: D
1.27 - The Alternative Factor D
1.17 - The Squire of Gothos D
3.20 - The Way to Eden: D-
3.01 - Spock’s Brain: D-
2.26 - Assignment: Earth: D-
2.07 - Catspaw: D-
1.08 - Miri D-
F range: Failure
3.04 - And the Children Shall Lead: F
2.11 - Friday’s Child: F
As an educator myself, I offer the purely subjective and holistic ratings of the episodes as follows:
A range: Superb -> Perfect
3.02 - The Enterprise Incident: A
2.15 - The Trouble With Tribbles: A
2.04 - Mirror, Mirror: A
2.24 - The Ultimate Computer: A-
2.06 - The Doomsday Machine: A-
1.28 - The City on the Edge of Forever A-
1.22 - Space Seed A-
1.02 - Charlie X A-
B range: Good -> Great
3.23 - All Our Yesterdays: B+
3.15 - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield: B+
3.09 - The Tholian Web: B+
3.08 - For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky: B+
3.06 - Spectre of the Gun: B+
3.03 - The Paradise Syndrome: B+
2.17 - A Piece of the Action: B+
1.23 - A Taste of Armageddon B+
1.18 - Arena B+
1.11 - The Menagerie, Part I B+
1.05 - The Enemy Within B+
3.07 - Day of the Dove: B
2.18 - The Immunity Syndrome: B
2.10 - Journey to Babel: B
2.01 - Amok Time: B
1.29 - Operation — Annihilate! B
1.09 - Dagger of the Mind B
1.03 - Where No Man Has Gone Before B
1.00 - The Cage: B
3.21 - The Cloud Minders: B-
2.21 - Patterns of Force: B-
1.26 - Errand of Mercy B-
1.19 - Tomorrow Is Yesterday B-
1.14 - Balance of Terror B-
1.13 - The Conscience of the King B-
1.12 - The Menagerie, Part II B-
1.07 - What Are Little Girls Made Of? B-
C range: Slightly Below Average -> Slightly Above Average
3.12 - The Empath: C+
1.21 - The Return of the Archons C+
1.10 - The Corbomite Maneuver C+
1.04 - The Naked Time C+
1.01 - The Man Trap: C+
3.24 - Turnabout Intruder: C
3.19 - Requiem for Methuselah: C
2.22 - By Any Other Name: C
2.02 - Who Mourns for Adonais?: C
1.24 - This Side of Paradise C
1.20 - Court Martial C
3.17 - That Which Survives: C-
3.16 - The Mark of Gideon: C-
3.13 - Elaan of Troyius: C-
2.20 - Return to Tomorrow: C-
2.14 - Wolf in the Fold: C-
2.13 - Obsession: C-
2.12 - The Deadly Years: C-
2.09 - Metamorphosis: C-
2.05 - The Apple: C-
1.25 - The Devil in the Dark C-
1.16 - The Galileo Seven C-
1.15 - Shore Leave C-
1.06 - Mudd’s Women C-
D range: Poor -> Disappointing
3.18 - The Lights of Zetar: D+
3.11 - Wink of an Eye: D+
2.23 - The Omega Glory: D+
2.25 - Bread and Circuses: D+
2.19 - A Private Little War: D+
2.08 - I, Mudd: D+
3.22 - The Savage Curtain: D
3.14 - Whom Gods Destroy: D
3.10 - Plato’s Stepchildren: D
3.05 - Is There In Truth No Beauty?: D
2.16 - The Gamesters of Triskelion: D
2.03 - The Changeling: D
1.27 - The Alternative Factor D
1.17 - The Squire of Gothos D
3.20 - The Way to Eden: D-
3.01 - Spock’s Brain: D-
2.26 - Assignment: Earth: D-
2.07 - Catspaw: D-
1.08 - Miri D-
F range: Failure
3.04 - And the Children Shall Lead: F
2.11 - Friday’s Child: F
Friday’s Child an F? What put you off it so badly?
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