Stand-out Eps

[Revanche]

Wow...long time lurker, first post.

After being turned off Trek by the reboot, I've decided to introduce all that is good to my son (10 years old). I decided to start off with TNG because 1) Wesley appeals to a kid his age and B) let's be honest...TOS can be a bit dated and cerebral for some that age.

However, Kirk and Company absolutely need to be a part of my son's personal canon and during the artificial hiatus I've imposed between TNG seasons, I figured I'd introduce him to TOS, so that when it comes time to show ST VII, he'll understand the gravitas of the meeting of the two captains.

But, again, I don't want to bore him out of his mind (and away from Trek), so I really only want to show him those episodes that really matter to the TOS movies (ex: Space Seed), develop the core characters or are exciting.

So my question put to you is this: in Season 1, what are must-hit eps to show him? Our hiatus is about 2-3 months long (want him to salivate and dream about the various cliffhangers), so I want to hit him up with the best 8 or 10 eps from Season 1.

Help appreciated,
Rev

 

[DonIago]

This thread might be worth taking a look at - http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=235318

FWIW I rather enjoyed the reboot films and wish you hadn't taken a dig at them that's ultimately rather tangential to your thread. :|

 

[Botany Bay]

Welcome Revanche.

Maybe this is a good place to start?

I have a six year old who is hooked on TOS and TNG (also big fan of Wes like your son).

It might be a bit different for a ten year old who could always walk away - my boy had no choice, TOS was on all the time so he saw them all

The ones that really hold the kids' attention involve monsters or space battles, so, can I recommend :

Where No Man
Man Trap
SHore Leave
Arena
Balance of Terror
Galileo 7
Squire of Gothos
Space Seed
Devil In The Dark
Errand of Mercy
This Side of Paradise
Journey To Babel
Doomsday Machine
Tribbles
Savage Curtain

The only eps I have not let him watch are Q Who from TNG and TWOK from TOS. Also, parents with junior Trekkers : one I wish I had never shown him was Cause and Effect from TNG - absolutely traumatised him for a few days - he didn't like the idea of the ship blowing up with everyone on board.

Happy family Trekking - there is no better feeling than being asked by our kids for a TOS Tricorder for Christmas

 

[Revanche]

This thread might be worth taking a look at - http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=235318

Balance of Terror...that's good. He's just starting to understand how actors can be known for different roles, so I don't think Mark Leonard's double pointy-eared roles should throw him off too much. He plays them so differently, too.

 

[Revanche]

Maybe this is a good place to start?

That's an excellent collection...origin episodes are a great criteria for this 'project'.

The ones that really hold the kids' attention involve monsters or space battles, so, can I recommend :

Where No Man
Man Trap
SHore Leave
Arena
Balance of Terror
Galileo 7
Squire of Gothos
Space Seed
Devil In The Dark
Errand of Mercy
This Side of Paradise
Journey To Babel
Doomsday Machine
Tribbles
Savage Curtain

Monsters...good idea. I was recollecting that Man Trap might be too slow, but if I 'sell' it as a monster ep, that might be all it takes. Where No Man Has Gone Before seemed a bit dated to me, but it does meet the 'origin' aspect. I was a bit concerned Squire might be wasted, but since there is theoretically (if going with novels) a tie to the Q Continuum there (which he loves), I thought I'd add that.

Tomorrow is Yesterday is my personal must-have, because it's opening made me realize I loved Trek...I was so disappointed that the Trek re-run had been replaced...until I stuck around for that reveal of the Big E in the upper atmosphere.

Tribbles is dead-on...I kinda wish we could go immediately into the DS9 angle of the story, but it's too soon to jump that far ahead. But the original story is a must-see classic of its own.

one I wish I had never shown him was Cause and Effect from TNG - absolutely traumatised him for a few days - he didn't like the idea of the ship blowing up with everyone on board.

I hears ya....but I've already 'sneaked' a bit about that ep. One of my favorite first-showing eps ever. We've been watching Fraser, too, so I like to point out the ties to Trek in that show and of course Grammer is essential to Cause and Effect. In this case, I think he's ready for that one.

Thanks, Botany Bay. That list was very helpful.

- Rev

 

[Random_Spock]

Add in Mirror, Mirror. That episode was a really good one. The whole alternate universe take was interesting.

 

[Revanche]

Add in Mirror, Mirror. That episode was a really good one. The whole alternate universe take was interesting.

I'll put that on my Second Season list. The Mirror universe is so often visited in DS9.

 

[Warped9]

FWIW I rather enjoyed the reboot films and wish you hadn't taken a dig at them that's ultimately rather tangential to your thread. :|

And did his remark or opinion have any effect whatsoever on your enjoyment of JJtrek? Then why bring it up? What he said is pretty innocuous compared to what else often gets said.

 

[DonIago]

It's a bit ironic that you're asking me why I brought up questioning why the OP brought something up, and given that I was just making a quick note I don't know why you didn't just let it pass either...

 

[Maurice]

Re: Stand-out EpISODEs

Is it REALLY that difficult to type out the word "episodes"? Ep and Epi are ugly truncations.

 

[Botany Bay]

Guilty as charged. And I agree.

I've been reading/posting a lot on my phone lately, as we have just welcomed another little Trekker into the world, and I have been posting at all hours of the day and night from hospital and now at home trying to get her into a decent sleep pattern.

Trekbbs, and the TOS forum in particular, have helped me cling on to sanity in my sleep deprived state during the past week or so. I'll try not to be lazy when using the phone to post.

 

[Botany Bay]

Thanks, Botany Bay. That list was very helpful.

- Rev

You're welcome. Let us know how you go.

Interesting that the episodes the kids really like are mostly the Gene Coon episodes of Season 1. Season 3 would have to be the least popular at my place. Not enough action.

I didn't think TMP would be all that interesting for my 6 year old, but he has watched it twice, both times utterly transfixed.

I'm not going to let him near TWOK, no matter how much he begs to see it

Having re-watched GEN tonight, he can skip that one. Not only a lame, boring film, but Data swears, Brent Spiner loses the plot putting in a cringe-worthy performance, Picard cries about a child dying in a fire, then Kirk dies twice and so do hundreds more on the ENT-D, then Riker whines about not being able to be captain. What where they thinking when they made this one? Who did they think would find this entertaining? This would have to be a contender for one of the worst films of the 90's.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

"Episode of the Week" threads are in progress now, and we've only just covered the first two TOS pilots. The OP might want to read the first two, and subscribe to them as they come up, to get a better idea of what's liked by people on the board, what's not, and why.

And welcome to the board!

 

[Revanche]

Interesting that the episodes the kids really like are mostly the Gene Coon episodes of Season 1.

Hah! That's an interesting observation. I've got my ten eps plotted out now, but I'll go back later and see which ones overlap with Coon.

 

[Revanche]

"Episode of the Week" threads are in progress now, and we've only just covered the first two TOS pilots. The OP might want to read the first two, and subscribe to them as they come up, to get a better idea of what's liked by people on the board, what's not, and why.

Good idea...it'll be an interesting read.

And welcome to the board!

Thanks!

 

[Grant]

This thread might be worth taking a look at - http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=235318

FWIW I rather enjoyed the reboot films and wish you hadn't taken a dig at them that's ultimately rather tangential to your thread. :|

Yeah taking a shot at JJ Trek was pointless and sad.

"Look at me--I hate new Trek--lets talk TOS."

 

[Warped9]

FWIW I rather enjoyed the reboot films and wish you hadn't taken a dig at them that's ultimately rather tangential to your thread. :|

Yeah taking a shot at JJ Trek was pointless and sad.

"Look at me--I hate new Trek--lets talk TOS."

People take shots at all sorts of things they don't care for including TOS, TAS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT and the every one of the films. Why should JJtrek be exempt?

 

[DonIago]

I believe the more pertinent question is why take the shot to begin with?

Did anyone claim JJ Trek was exempt? If so, I must have missed that.

 

[SpHeRe31459]

Actually I think at this point the question is why bother to continue to call attention to it... It's now been the subject of 3+ posts in this thread. This is the TOS subforum, so let's keep talking about TOS...

Also remember what they say about feeding the trolls... just don't take the bait.

 

[Warped9]

FWIW I rather enjoyed the reboot films and wish you hadn't taken a dig at them that's ultimately rather tangential to your thread. :|

Yeah taking a shot at JJ Trek was pointless and sad.

"Look at me--I hate new Trek--lets talk TOS."

People take shots at all sorts of things they don't care for including TOS, TAS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT and the every one of the films. Why should JJtrek be exempt?

People come into the TOS forum and say it's campy, it's dated, it's cheesy, it's slow, it's boring, etc. TMP is boring, etc. So what makes JJtrek exempt from dissenting opinion?

All the OP said was that he was turned off by it. That's pretty damned civil and innocuous compared to many other things said about the films. So it strikes me that it isn't what the OP said, but simply that he said something at all.

Ridiculous.


More on topic, it might be tough to pick a stand out episode that isn't adult oriented. However, "The Troubles With Tribbles" should be acceptable even though I think there are better episodes. "There's also "I, Mudd" although that isn't really a stand out.