The Most Disliked Episode of TOS, Season 3: 2021 Edition...

[Farscape One]

This is a twist on a game that is played here, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
2018 - AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
2019 - AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
2021 - THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

Season Three -

SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE
TOUCHED THE SKY
THE THOLIAN WEB
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
THE EMPATH
ELAAN OF TROYIUS
WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Farscape One]

My first save for this season is "THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT".

The plot was great, the pacing really good, and we got a great Romulan commander. I've always loved this one.



SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
THE THOLIAN WEB
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
THE EMPATH
ELAAN OF TROYIUS
WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[BK613]

I'll save Elaan of Troyius. Maybe not the most progressive of episodes with it's arranged marriage but it has arguably the best ship combat sequence in the whole of TOS.
SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
THE THOLIAN WEB
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
THE EMPATH

WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Indysolo]

I've rescued The Empath. It has a unique atmosphere and a lovely score.

SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
THE THOLIAN WEB
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE

WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[BlueStuff]

The Tholian Web is one of the best episodes of TOS, let alone season three.

SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Farscape One]

That was literally my next save. So I'll go with my next favorite of the season, "ALL OUR YESTERDAYS".

Particularly good is the Spock/McCoy plot in the ice age. And how fun is it that a librarian is named a to z!


SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE CLOUD MINDERS
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[BK613]

The Cloud Minders is still a relevant theme of haves and have-nots

SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
WHOM GODS DESTROY
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN

THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Indysolo]

I've rescued "Whom Gods Destroy." Beyond having Yvonne Craig, I enjoy the silly premise and the cool set design that shows the exterior planet set.

SPOCK'S BRAIN
THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE

LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Noname Given]

I'm saving SPOCK'S BRAIN - It has the BEST dialogue in all of Star Trek

And I quote: "Brain and Brain...WHAT IS BRAIN??!!..."


THE PARADISE SYNDROME
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER[/QUOTE]

 

[Methuselah Flint]

I'm afraid I am saving And The Children Shall Lead. With the exception of Belli's lifeless performance, I happen to prefer this to season one's Miri. Shatner's OTT actually works in the context of the story.

The opening is chilling, and we get that birds eye shot of our heroes surrounded by the bodies - great camera work there, similar to Obsession.

What really draws me in, is that chilling shot of the children dancing around Kirk, as their parents' bodies lie without acknowledgment a few feet away.

THE PARADISE SYNDROME
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
DAY OF THE DOVE
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[BK613]

Kang is one of my favorite Klingons so today is The Day Of The Dove.

THE PARADISE SYNDROME
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN

FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[gottacook]

It's time to save "Requiem for Methuselah," last of the four Jerome Bixby scripts and source of one of the great dialogue lines of the series: "I... am Brahms."

(An inspired bit of creativity was the "undiscovered" piano piece by Brahms, sight-read by Mr. Spock. Question: Does Spock practice piano on the Enterprise? Does he even need to? If he does, is there a decent piano on the ship, perhaps a full-size grand? Where's it located?)

THE PARADISE SYNDROME
IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "THE PARADISE SYNDROME". The ending was very sad, and one of the darkest of TOS.


IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
THE SAVAGE CURTAIN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[johnnybear]

I'll save The Savage Curtain as it's the last of the arena style episodes, last of the Klingon appearances but also first sign of Kahless and Surak! Last Bart LaRue voicing too and sadly the very last Uhura credit in the series!
IS THERE NO TRUTH IN BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
THE EMPATH
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THAT WHICH SURVIVES
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER
JB

 

[Indysolo]

I'm saving "That Which Survives," another season 3 episode with a Batman actor. It also gives Sulu something to do and has nice continuity with the series. Chekov gets mentioned and "Devil in the Dark" is referenced.

IS THERE NO TRUTH IN BEAUTY?
SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON

THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

P.S. This gives me a chance to update the list. Pretty sneaky @johnnybear putting "The Empath" back on it.

 

[BK613]

Diana Muldaur gives arguably her best performance in Trek during the episode so "Is There No Truth in Beauty?" is saved.

SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE MARK OF GIDEON
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Joanna McCoy-Kirk]

The Mark of Gideon, for its discussion of birth control. Also, Kirk and Odona were a cute couple IMHO.

SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
PLATO'S STEPCHILDREN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Sakonna]

It's deeply flawed, but "Plato's Stepchildren" is also the one I am most interested by. It is such a fascinatingly bizarre episode. I return to it more than any other of the others still listed here.

This episode is also a compelling historical document. I love looking back over the 55 years of Trek history and seeing the push-pull, the way their efforts to advance fundamentally progressive values were often simultaneously compromised with the regressive views of the times in which they were made. The famous Kirk/Uhura kiss (and a minute later he's whipping her!) certainly qualifies.

SPECTRE OF THE GUN
FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[BK613]

FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY is an overall decent episode. I like it for its generation ship, the quick romance, the adage about truth, and that Kirk finally met a computer he couldn't talk to death.

SPECTRE OF THE GUN
WINK OF AN EYE
LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER

 

[Indysolo]

I'm saving "Wink of an Eye" for its cool premise and Kirk pulling up his boots.

SPECTRE OF THE GUN

LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR
THE WAY TO EDEN
TURNABOUT INTRUDER