Single Episodes That Best Exemplify Each Series...

[Farscape One]

I had a thought this morning while reading posts on a current elimination game.

All of us have personal favorite series, and episodes of series and so on. But have we considered what might be the one episode that says, "THIS is DS9. THIS is TNG. THIS is ENTERPRISE..."

What one episode do you think says this? I know this is going to likely vary wildly, but I think this could be really fun to think about.

I'll start off...

TOS - "BALANCE OF TERROR". This episode is not only one of the best of the series, it shows just how flawed humans still are at that point in time, but can be better. A great showcase of Kirk's leadership abilities, not only in the cat and mouse game with the Romulan commander, but on his own bridge. Styles' obvious hatred of Romulans, and then transferring some of that to Spock showed humans still had some flaws to iron out, but Kirk got the situation fully under control when he told him to leave it in his quarters. And when he was saved by Spock from the phaser control room, he finally got past his issue with Spock. "ARENA" was another contender for me, and I love both episodes equally... but I think the scenes with Lt. Styles edges it out for this purpose.

TAS - "YESTERYEAR". By far the best episode of the series, perhaps my view is colored by how much I love this episode and how well it works within the franchise.

TNG - "Darmok". TNG excelled at a lot of things, most notably morality tales. But at its core, it took misunderstanding/miscommunication and the want to help each other as the reason why they are out there in the first place. This is probably the best example of that mindset. Captain Dathon just wanted everyone to understand each other, and he died hoping a bridge would form between his people and the Federation. Always a rewatch for me, and is an excellent showcase of Patrick Stewart.

DS9 - "DUET". If there is one series that had the characters go through the most growth and change in the history of its run, it is DS9. And probably Kira is the one who went through the most change and growth. This episode not only was one of the best of the series, but of the franchise. It went from her being totally contempt and hateful, with absolutely legit and good reason, of Cardassians to her finding and accepting there ARE good people among those she hates. The final two lines of the episode sum up this perfectly.

VOY - "DISTANT ORIGIN". I know this seems like an odd choice considering it's not really even about the Voyager crew, but it IS about exploration and keeping your eyes and minds open. And it is an interesting look at who they are, from an outsider's point of view. Gegen and Veer really take the place of an audience member, and is among the best of their early seasons.

ENT - "COGENITOR". The crew are out there exploring, being friendly, and just excited to see everything. And it had a good moral issue with the the cogenitor and Trip. Not only one of the best of the first two seasons, I think it is among the most true to the spirit of the series and franchise.


I'm not doing DISCOVERY or PICARD yet for the simple reason of them still being in production, and they can make one later that fits the bill even more so than what has already been produced. But you can all come up with one.

 

[1001001]

I had a thought this morning while reading posts on a current elimination game.

All of us have personal favorite series, and episodes of series and so on. But have we considered what might be the one episode that says, "THIS is DS9. THIS is TNG. THIS is ENTERPRISE..."

What one episode do you think says this? I know this is going to likely vary wildly, but I think this could be really fun to think about.

I'll start off...

TOS - "BALANCE OF TERROR". This episode is not only one of the best of the series, it shows just how flawed humans still are at that point in time, but can be better. A great showcase of Kirk's leadership abilities, not only in the cat and mouse game with the Romulan commander, but on his own bridge. Styles' obvious hatred of Romulans, and then transferring some of that to Spock showed humans still had some flaws to iron out, but Kirk got the situation fully under control when he told him to leave it in his quarters. And when he was saved by Spock from the phaser control room, he finally got past his issue with Spock. "ARENA" was another contender for me, and I love both episodes equally... but I think the scenes with Lt. Styles edges it out for this purpose.

TAS - "YESTERYEAR". By far the best episode of the series, perhaps my view is colored by how much I love this episode and how well it works within the franchise.

TNG - "Darmok". TNG excelled at a lot of things, most notably morality tales. But at its core, it took misunderstanding/miscommunication and the want to help each other as the reason why they are out there in the first place. This is probably the best example of that mindset. Captain Dathon just wanted everyone to understand each other, and he died hoping a bridge would form between his people and the Federation. Always a rewatch for me, and is an excellent showcase of Patrick Stewart.

DS9 - "DUET". If there is one series that had the characters go through the most growth and change in the history of its run, it is DS9. And probably Kira is the one who went through the most change and growth. This episode not only was one of the best of the series, but of the franchise. It went from her being totally contempt and hateful, with absolutely legit and good reason, of Cardassians to her finding and accepting there ARE good people among those she hates. The final two lines of the episode sum up this perfectly.

VOY - "DISTANT ORIGIN". I know this seems like an odd choice considering it's not really even about the Voyager crew, but it IS about exploration and keeping your eyes and minds open. And it is an interesting look at who they are, from an outsider's point of view. Gegen and Veer really take the place of an audience member, and is among the best of their early seasons.

ENT - "COGENITOR". The crew are out there exploring, being friendly, and just excited to see everything. And it had a good moral issue with the the cogenitor and Trip. Not only one of the best of the first two seasons, I think it is among the most true to the spirit of the series and franchise.


I'm not doing DISCOVERY or PICARD yet for the simple reason of them still being in production, and they can make one later that fits the bill even more so than what has already been produced. But you can all come up with one.

Best to leave Picard out, as spoilers can’t be posted here openly.

 

[Farscape One]

Okay, that makes sense.

 

[Lord Garth]

I'm pretty sure I took a stab at this a few years ago, but I'll give it another go, without looking.

TOS --> "A Taste of Armageddon". Kirk and Spock are taken captive on a world fighting a virtual war with another world where they force the "casualties" to step into disintegration chambers. Kirk and Spock naturally escape, and have others along with them as well. On the Enterprise, an Ambassador thinks he can solve things diplomatically but Scotty knows better. When the Ambassador tries to smooth things over, he's captured. Kirk and Spock have to rescue the Ambassador, and in the process, the leader of the world Eminar VII has a discussion with Kirk telling him that their way of war is more civilized. People die but nothing else is destroyed. Kirk will have none of this and orders Scotty to destroy the planet if he doesn't hear from him in two hours. They try to capture Kirk but he escapes. Then Kirk destroys the computer that's allowing the virtual war to happen on Eminiar VII's end. The other world, Vendikar, will probably now think that means they want to start real war. This terrifies Anon. Kirk says Eminar VII and Vendikar can fight in a real war or they can try to actually negotiate peace with Vendikar. Stop all killing.

Sorry for the long description but this accurately describes what I think TOS is. Kirk fighting to show people a better way through unconventional means. And the crew standing up to a bureaucracy that doesn't get anything done. In the 24th Century, I think they call this "cowboy diplomacy."

TNG --> "The Ensigns of Command". Data convinces colonists of the error of their ways. A woman falls in love with him but, as an android, he can't return the affection in the way she's looking for. Meanwhile on the ship, Geordi and O'Brien have to figure a technobabble problem with the transporter. Picard and Troi try to reason with some Powerful Alien who views the Federation as beneath them, but then Picard triumphs through a beuracratic technicality. The episode is book-ended by Data playing the violin and Picard telling him he successfully combined two styles and was creative.

DS9 --> "Tears of the Prophets". This was a tough one. You want the Bajoran angle, the Cardassian angle, the Dominion angle, and something that focuses on the key characters. I think "Tears of the Prophets" covers all the bases. The conflict between Sisko's role as the Emissary and as a Starfleet Officer. A battle with the Dominion. Worf and Dax's relationship. What Dax meant to both Worf and Sisko for different reasons. The Prophets and their enemies the Pah'Wraiths. Dukat scheming and manipulation and how even the Dominion are sick of him now. And finally, after everything Sisko has built up over the years, the inner doubt that he has, punctuated by his leaving the station at the end of the episode, uncertain of what to do next.

VOY --> "The Voyager Conspiracy". Voyager tries to find another way home, through a catapult. Seven of Nine downloads some Borg technobabble that makes her act unstable, until Janeway turns her around at the end. Tensions are brought up between Starfleet and the Maquis crew members, however briefly.

ENT --> Don't know.

DSC --> Let's wait until after Season 3 is released. Moving 930 years into the future is quite a dramatic change. So we'll see what survives the transition. Then I'll know for sure what the core of the series is and I'll be able to more intelligently answer. Before, I would've said "Point of Light". It feels like a good blending of Season 1 and Season 2.

PIC --> Spoilers!

 

[suarezguy]

I think a fun, interesting topic even though for some of the shows it's tough.

The original-"The Gamesters of Triskelion" Mixing social commentary, action, romance/titillation, some parts come off as a little goofy now but not intentional and not a lot in any case. "A Taste of Armageddon" or "The Return of the Archons" would exemplify season 1 but not the series overall. Haven't thought enough about with the animated series.

TNG-I think "Clues", very much drama and willing to subvert audience expectations, have the heroes willing to lose, fail, have to be willing to not win in order to not fail more. But very close runner-up "The Bonding" (which it would be except for the ending was a little too unusual, though it might be that rather than "Clues" as how much the crew lost there was also pretty unusual) and also close are "Suddenly Human" (except for a little too little technobabble) and "Evolution" (except for Wesley messing up).

Deep Space Nine-I think "Waltz" Sisko against Dukat, Dukat being given some benefit of the doubt and turning out to be Pure Evil, the crew super-committed to rescuing Sisko. Dark but not as much as the show sometimes was, or often was, in seasons 5 or 7.

Voyager-"Scientific Method", badass risk-taking action hero Janeway against an antagonistic alien society, Seven the outsider but working with the Doctor, some material for the others (Paris and Torres romance, Chakotay and Neelix pretty much just affected by the plot overall), close runner-up "One" (heavy focus on Seven, high concept, both some action and poignancy).

Enterprise-Maybe haven't seen enough (mostly just the first year and a half, some bits later) but maybe "Marauders", deliberately retro and with action but, overall, pretty low-key and feel-good but other possibilities "Similitude" (trying to pull on heartstrings, with Trip's and Sim's relationships with others, Sim being willing to sacrifice himself), "The Xindi" (Archer imprisoned and breaks out).

 

[Nyotarules]

TOS Errand of mercy - A reminder to our heroes that things are not always what they seem, and for all their good intentions they are just one decision away from being just like their enemies

TNG - Measure of a man - Exposure of Starfleet hypocrisy/ humancentricness when it came to a different lifeform, one political decision away from turning a sentient being into a race of disposable people...

DS9 - In the pale moonlight - I like to see humans portrayed in the Star Trek universe as the imperfect beings we really are, no matter how advanced the technology. This does it well, between the devil and the deep blue sea, sometimes the semi good guys choose the devil.

VOY - Scorpion - Janeway makes a deal with the devil, but its the wrong devil. If you are going to show a Starfleet ship far away from home, not every decision is going to hold up to TNG standards.

ENT - The Andorian incident - I like the twist with this episode, its one of those the enemy is not the real enemy which made a major part of the series in Season 3

DISC - in another universe Lorca was a normal Starfleet captain with PTSD.....none of this alternate crap..

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

DISC - in another universe Lorca was a normal Starfleet captain with PTSD.....none of this alternate crap.

I loved Lorca in the early episodes was so dissapointed with his story

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

TOS- "Balance of Terror" is a great shout but another that is equal for me is "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"

TNG- Its really hard for me to pick one but for an episode that best sums up the ethos of the show is probably "The Chase"

DS9- Im in the middle of a rewatch so Im not sure but for the dominion arc "The Siege of AR-558" and "The Ship" stand out in my mind but I havnt seen those seasons in ages

VOY- Equinox is one of the few Voyager episodes that still holds up for me and the ethical questions raised by Ransom were interesting ( I think Janeway was a bit of a hypocrite here as she was willing to help the Borg rather than add time to her journey )

 

[Sakonna]

I haven't been able to figure out what episode I would choose for TOS or ENT, but in the meantime...

TAS -- "The Lorelei Signal" It gives me a lot of things I always wanted from Trek, but not really in the way I wanted them. But if I just relax and submit to the weird vibe, it'll still be a good time.

TNG -- I cannot choose between "I, Borg" or "Timescape". "Timescape" I always thought was the platonic ideal of a Trek space adventure ep. It's a perfect example of how satisfying it can be to just encounter a weird space anomaly and figure out a way around it, and there are many other classic TNG elements along the way, with the great crew dynamics, the recurring adversaries, the moral dilemma aspects with the aliens needing to protect their young. But "I, Borg" is a my best example of that classic TNG moral play. The stakes are huge and the implications vast, and yet what we're focused on is one specific moral dilemma. And you become fully convinced that this is absolutely the right way to approach such big, complicated, ambiguous situations!

DS9 -- "Improbable Cause" A huge, galaxy-spanning saga, which will effect billions of lives, is told through a laser-sharp focus on one specific personal story. A richly imagined world of morally gray characters is traversed. The plotting is TIGHT, but skillfully interwoven with ample character development. The dialogue is especially strong, there are many cool aliens all over the place, and most of the incidental characters feel like they could have their own full series outside of this.

VOY -- "Bliss" Much fun is had while Seven saves the ship. There is a fake-out over getting back to the AQ. Improbably, the humor is the most successful part of a dark premise. Even though the episode is mostly excellent, it is also deflated at key moments by mountains of meaningless technobabble, which shatter the pacing and ruin any sense of tension. There is a top-shelf guest star.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

DS9 -- "Improbable Cause"

Saw it a few days ago and had completly forgot how big an episode it was politically. A great episode and no suprise as it is focused on 2 of the most interesting and best acted characters on DS9

 

[Vger23]

TOS- "Corbomite Maneuver" Aliens who we think might be bad guys who turn out to be good. Humanity being tested. Kirk using his wits and intelligence to cheat death. McCoy and Kirk having that special relationship. Lots of talk about what Federation / Starfleet values stand for (before either of those concepts were fleshed out).

TNG- Agree with @Lord Garth on this one. "Ensigns of Command" exemplifies TNG. Very Data-centric episode. Lots of talk, very little action. Picard playing lawyer / negotiator with a species that looks down on us. Technobabble transporter problems.

DS9- "The Die is Cast" Kind of typifies everything DS9 became famous for. Intergalactic alliances and intrigue. The Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order. Twists and back-stabs. A very personal story between two good characters and actors (Odo / Garak). A big space battle. Sisko being loose with his orders. Good stuff.

VOY- "Timeless" All the Voyager hallmarks are here. Failed technology that would have helped get them home. Time travel shenanigans. An episode involving some kind of weird thing (in this case time travel, but see also anomalies, etc) enabling a "what if" story that you know will be reset at the end of the episode. Harry Kim screwing up.

ENT- "Dead Stop" Enterprise is banged-up as a result of being overmatched / over their heads. All is not what it seems. The crew get into trouble in a situation that is "too good to be true."

DSC- "Into the Forrest I Go" Lots of action. Klingons. Lorca being awesome / manipulative. Plot twist of ending up in a different universe. Ash Tyler freaking out. Burnham on a special risky mission.

 

[BlueStuff]

DSC- "Into the Forrest I Go" Lots of action. Klingons. Lorca being awesome / manipulative. Plot twist of ending up in a different universe. Ash Tyler freaking out. Burnham on a special risky mission.

Good choice for Discovery. I think I'd go with Project Daedalus.